“Satisfied?”

“Very!” Ivy chirped out. She captured another four Fomantis and seemed utterly enthralled by her new Grass types. We were back at the cave without Lucario and Riolu who had said goodbye as we made our way back.

“Well I’m glad you bonded with them.”

Five Fomantis were at Ivy’s feet and despite there being no sunlight in the cave they didn’t seem irritated, as they quite happily napped around her. She was grooming each of them. Using what looked like a mix between an animal grooming kit and a gardening kit.

It was kinda funny. But the Fomantis seemed to delight in the attention, each of them hovering around her legs as she pulled one onto her lap and simply worked them over. Checking leaves. Clipping here and there sometimes. Spraying stuff on or under their leaves.

“Any issues?”

“A few mites. Pretty normal in wild grass types. This stuff clears them off, and Grass types love being mite free. Don’t you?” She asked, and got a cute little sleepy blink from the Fomantis in her lap as shifted to look up at her.

“Fooo!” It agreed and Ivy’s smile ballooned into a massive grin.

“That’s right!” She agreed, reaching around and hugging the grass type to her chest.

It was honestly super duper cute.

“Did you check over Phantump? He probably won’t have any issues, but.”

“I checked his stump that night. It helped keep me awake.” She answered and glared at me. “He had a few issues, but I cleaned him up too. It was… Weird though.”

“I’m glad you caught him. He’s a sweetie.”

“He is.” She agreed after a few moments. “How did you even know about them? I’ve never heard of a Phantump before.”

“Ivy.” I said, utterly serious as I locked eyes with her. “I love pokemon.”

“That’s not an answer.” She grumbled, but her Fomantis patch were eager for her attention, so she swapped out for another one and started taking care of them.

“Alright. I’m gonna head out for a bit then. I want to… I don’t know, apologize to the Goomy maybe? Anyway I’ll be back.”

“Okay! Be careful.” She called out and I waved over my head as I left the cave and stretched.

I decided to just walk to where the Goomy cave was, so instead of releasing Arcanine, I called out my partner.

“Miiii!” Milotic cried out and stretched before turning to look at me, and to my surprise, he leaned in gently and wrapped me in a hug with his fins.

“H-hey.” I grumbled, but leaned into the hug regardless. “I’m fine. Honest. Just annoyed that I couldn’t capture any Goomies. But I’m not gonna give up. I just need to try something different. You want to walk with me?”

“Milo!” I smiled as he unwrapped from around me, but I still had a fin reaching down and wrapping around my hand. We walked hand in fin through the forest, enjoying the ambiance. Pokemon calls filled the air.

“Hmm. Do you think they would like it if we made it rain?” I asked and Milo nodded, which made me laugh, because he definitely didn’t know. But just wanted to make me happy anyways.

“You’re such a goob. Should just call you a Goober. The evolved form of a Goomy.” I teased and he actually looked offended for a moment as he puffed out his cheeks and bumped his nose into me. “Okay. Okay. You’re not a Goober. You’re my very special partner. The best Milotic in the whole world.”

“Miii!” He trilled agreeing with me and I laughed as we continued walking.

Soon enough we found the cave, and I didn’t see any trails of slime or anything so I turned towards where the little pond was.

I was much more quiet as I found the bushes that Arcanine and I had pushed through and this time I very quietly peered through it.

“Goom!”

“Goomy goom? Goom!” They chattered to each other quietly. Each of them happily chewing on the leaves around the pond, or slipping in the little bit of murky water and drinking it up, looking refreshed every time.

“So cute!” I whispered, as I watched. But eventually I had a decision to make.

So I grabbed a berry out of my pack and waved for Milotic to stay here. Then I made sure to make a bit of noise as I crawled through the bush.

The goomies just like last time quickly worked to disappear and hide.

But I came fully into view, and with a few moments work I grabbed a bunch of leaves from the tops of the bushes, the places the Goomies couldn’t reach, and then walked over to the edge of the pond.

There wasn’t one freaking out right in the middle this time, but I placed the leaves down and then the berry I quickly cut up into bits and placed them all over the leaves.

“Sorry for scaring you all earlier. I hope we can still be friends.” I explained as I then slowly stood up and backed away. “Milotic, do a rain dance!” I called out calmly, but not quietly, and then a few moments later rain fell down into the pond. A cloud hovered over the pond. “I hope you all enjoy.” I said as I finally walked back through the bushes.

“Milo?”

“I think I’m just going to take it slow. C’mon let’s go exploring a bit more. There’s a lake up there we can check out.”

“Miii!”

—--

“Woooper!”

“Woooper!”

“Woooooooper!”

They were so cute! I was hiding behind some bushes with Milotic as we watched a small group of Wooper play in the shallows. A bigger Quagsire was half way in the river just kinda floating and keeping an eye on them.

“Do you think they’ll mind if we come out to play?”

“Milo.” Milotic replied and then to my surprise he lifted off the ground and flowed over the bushes I was hiding behind.

“Milo! Milotic.” He greeted staying away from the river, but even then the Wooper instantly shifted readying to flee, as the Quagsire lifted its big head out of the water giving Milotic a dopey look.

Eeee! So cute!

But then Milotic greeted them again. “Milo. Milotic.” And he just kind of floated over to the river a bit further down and slipped in, then he looked at me.

The Wooper were watching him intently, but shifted and almost jerked into the water as I slipped through the bushes, but I did the same thing Milotic did.

“Hello. Please pardon us. We won’t bother you.” And I followed Milotics path to the river and settled in beside him.

“Milo.” He trilled both for me and the Wooper, and to my delight they relaxed at Milotics crooning.

You utter Chad! I was smiling dopily as he serenaded me and the Woopers. Even the Quagsire had lifted its head out of the water and was rocking a bit to Milotics singing.

It caused a calm to fall over the river, and to my delight one of the Woopers. Probably the bravest! Hopped over and settled next to me, and warbled along with Milotic.

He wasn’t nearly as good at singing, but it was like seeing a little kid try to sing along with an adult. It was adorable.

I smiled at the Wooper, and since I totally had this now. I reached into my bag. The Wooper still going quiet, and I almost did as well, before I calmed and slowly pulled out a berry.

“You want some?” I asked it, and a moment later I got a delighted smile.

“Woop! Wooper!”

“Okay how about I split it, and the others can have some too?” And I did just that, with a bit of work I split the berry and handed a chunk to the Bravest Wooper. Who also got a bigger part.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The other two slowly came forward and when I offered them the berry their hesitation slowly disappeared and soon I had a little kindergarten of Woopers around me. They sat down around me, faces covered in berry juice and sang along with Milotic.

Ahhhhhh! My heart!

—---

Eventually it was an explosion that pulled me away from the Woopers, and I quickly threw out Dragonite, while returning Milotic.

“C’mon we have to go!” I called as I jumped into her arms, and she blurred into the sky. The explosion had caused a dust cloud to rise up, although I took heart that it wasn’t smoke. Just dust.

And then we were there. Practically instantly as Dragonite simply pushed the air away from her as she raced to the source.

There was Ivy.

Venusaur and the cause of the explosion of dust.

A Golem. Thankfully I breathed out in relief as Venusaur had beaten the Golem unconscious and was standing protectively in front of Ivy, against the small group of Gravelers and slightly larger group of Geodude.

A horde.

“Solar Beam!” Ivy called out, and a moment later Venusaur started sucking in energy towards her flower, and this sent many of the Geodude fleeing, although it only caused the Graveler to get more aggressive. Thrown Rocks slammed into Venusaur, but a moment later it was over.

The blast of solar energy washed over the group and that knocked the fight out of all of them. It didn’t outright faint many of the Graveler, but it was enough damage that whatever had caused them to get angry with Ivy they were now more interested in leaving. I watched as Geodude helped Gravelers, and Gravelers helped the Golem, up and then walking from the clearing. I landed down besides Ivy a moment later.

“You okay?”

“Yeah! Just… I was exploring and stepped on a Geodude. And then he attacked and so I had Cleffy knock him out, but he called for more and more and more showed up.” She exclaimed a little exasperated.

“Nasty.” I mumbled but patted her on the shoulder. “Good job.”

“Thanks.” She smiled shyly before sighing in exhaustion. “Can you have Chansey look after Venusaur. He took a lot of boulders there.”

“Yeah. Chansey! You’re up!”

“Chansey! Chanse!” She cheered as she quickly hurried over to Venusaur and with a few moments of healing he looked much better without the scuffs on his head.

“That was kinda scary.” Ivy added after a moment of checking on Venusaur. “I mean, I’ve been chased by a Geodude before! Mt. Moon was full of them, but I’ve never seen an entire swarm like that!”

“It’s this place. Kitakami I mean. The pokemon aren’t as used to humans.” I shrugged as I walked over and ran a hand over Venusaur's cheeks. “You did great! Thank you for protecting Ivy.”

“Veen! Ven-a-Saur!”

“Vicky! Of course Venusaur protected me! She’s my partner!”

“Right.” I agreed with a grin. “Anyway. The pokemon here. That swarm reaction? That was something that pokemon would do against a pokemon trying to eat them. They aren’t used to humans. So they react with full force.”

“It’s scary.” Ivy reiterated. I just smiled.

“They’re scared too. That’s why they acted like that. But not all the pokemon are going to do that. I was just playing with some Wooper! They are so cute Ivy!”

“Did you catch one?”

“Huh? No, we were just playing, and then I heard the explosion so I came running.”

“Oh. Sorry, do you want to go back and find them?” She asked, sounding pretty disheartened and it took me a moment to realize what she meant.

“Oh no! I wasn’t going to capture a Wooper. They are cuties, sure, but that group was a little family, and I don’t think any of them wanted to battle.” I shrugged, I couldn’t just force the cuties into a battle where I would take them away from their home.

“Right. Like Fomantis. Most of them didn’t want to leave their home either.” She agreed and we both smiled to each other as we were both on the same wavelength.

“So want to ride Dragonite and search in a different area for cool Pokemon? There’s a forest north of the lake that might have something cool.” I offered and Ivy took a second to think and then nodded.

“Yeah. I’d like that.

—--

“Whoa it’s so misty!”

“Yeah, I wonder what causes this fog. It’s kinda pretty though.” I muttered as we landed in a really dense foggy forest.

“Drag.” Dragonite said, looking around the forest in irritation.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like the fog?”

“Drag. Dragonite.” She said, shaking her head.

“Let’s have you return then! Take a break. Thanks Dragonite.” I added and she nodded as she disappeared.

“Oh! It’s my turn then!” Ivy suddenly said as I was reaching for a pokeball. “Come on out!”

“Freeee!” Butterfree proclaimed as it instantly hovered around and then to my amusement practically slammed itself into Ivy’s hair hugging and rubbing at the green strands.

“Butterfree!” Ivy laughed as she very weakly struggled against his attempts to love his trainer.

“You’ve done a great job. Butterfree really loves you!”

“Almost too much sometimes. C’mon Butterfree I’m trying to show off.” Ivy begged him, and a moment later he finally broke free before doing a single quick fly by to rub his cheek against hers.

“Aww.”

“Hush you.” She demanded but she was smiling and flushed regardless. “Okay! Butterfree! Use Flash!” She called out and I blinked as a moment later the dark foggy forest had a bright spot light shooting into it.

“Freeeee!”

“Oh cool. Oh! You got flash for when you stall people!”

“Stall?”

“It’s when you use Substitute and sleep moves and just try to whittle away at someone. Remember I told you about it.”

“Yeah.” She said nervously, smiling. “I remember. It’s uh… My favorite tactic? I just didn’t know it was called stall.”

“Ooh! Ivy’s gonna be a mean battler!” I teased her and she huffed at me.

“I did earn all of my badges after all!”

“How many Gym leaders gave you looks after like they really didn’t want to give the badge to you?” I continued to tease, and then Ivy’s ears went red and I realized I might have actually touched on something.

“Iiivy~” I said teasingly.

“It was The Fighting Gym in Saffron, they looked so conflicted because I only used Butterfree and the gym leader used his entire team. He uh… Never really did anything?”

“That’s amazing! Great job!”

“It was kind of embarrassing.”

“No way! The only one embarrassed was him! I can’t wait to see your matches during the Indigo league. I bet that’s gonna be hilarious!”

“Anyway! Butterfree! Guide our path okay?”

“Free! Butterfree!”

“C’mon.” Ivy said and stomped off I just giggled as I followed her.

“So what do you think is out here? Any more Grass types?”

“Grass obsessed! Just admit to being a mono trainer already.” I demanded.

“I am not!”

“Hehe.” I continued to giggle at her, I had been teasing Ivy by calling her a mono grass trainer since we were kids. “Umm Not a lot of grass types here I think. Maybe more Phantump, or Poltchageist? This seems like their kind of haunt… Heh. Haunt.” I chuckled and Ivy looked at me in confusion.

“Poltchageist is a grass and ghost type. So haunt. Get it?”

“Vicky…” Ivy says shooting me a look of disappointment and disgust. “Wait. Another Ghost and Grass type?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s so weird. Ghost types are kinda rare. So to have two of them be grass types as well.”

“Eh. They are only rare in Kanto. Plenty of Ghost types out there. I mean, I’m here to hunt another one as well.”

“Wait which one?”

“Only the cutest, most bestest! The single most amazing Ghost type pokemon to ever exist or will ever exist forever!” I proclaimed loudly and without any hesitation. Then I took a deep breath “MIMIKYU!” I called out in a loud yell startling Ivy and Butterfree who jerked to look at me. “IS THERE ANY MIMIKYU HERE!? I WANT TO BE FRIENDS!”

“Vicky! Why are you yelling!? What if we get attacked by a pokemon!”

“Then we deal with it. This is plan one of finding a Mimikyu! Yell real loud calling for them, and hope one hears and wants to be friends!”

Ivy just gave me a look and rolled her eyes. “Only you would think to find a pokemon by yelling for them real loud.”

“Well sure if Mimikyu wasn’t the cutest and bestest pokemon ever then it wouldn’t work, but if you know what a Mimikyu is, then you know this is the best way to find them! Or at least I think it is…. MIMIKYU! ARE YOU THERE!?” I yelled out again getting a second jolt from Ivy.

“VIcky! Stop that!” She hissed and whacked me on the arm.

“No amount of physical violence will stop me from finding my new best pal Mimikyu.” I told her firmly, then turned. “MIMIKYU! DO YOU WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH ME!?”

The forest was silent, the fog muffling my voice.

I just waited for a while looking around hopefully, as Butterfree continued to light up our area.

But nothing came out.

“C’mon. Let’s keep walking. Maybe we’ll run into something?” Ivy offered and I nodded, slowly.

“MIMIKYU! ARE YOU THERE!?”

Ivy just sighed as she tugged me along.

—---

“It’s not like I’ve given up or anything. I mean I’m sure I can find one eventually, I just hoped to have something more to add to my team by now. Ivy already caught Fomantis, and Phantump, and I haven’t added anything new! I was really hoping for some cuties by now. I mean, sure I haven’t traveled up on the mountain yet, where the Gibble will hang out, but no Goomy? No Mimikyu? It makes me sad.”

“K-kuu.”

“Yeah I know! You’d think I would have found like a dozen pokemon that want to go out on an adventure, travel the world, eat good food, and become as strong as legends! But I keep scaring them. This place… You pokemon aren’t used to humans. So you either attack full bore, or you run away. Probably because you think we are going to eat you or something. We aren’t. The only reason I’m holding you is so we don’t just leave you on the ground paralyzed.” I informed the poor Starly that was in my arms.

It and its friends had decided to attack us. For no reason! At all! I mean, sure I had been yelling. And the sun was going down, so maybe I woke up a few of them, but that wasn’t really my fault. I was Mimikyu hunting!

“Butterfree is pretty good with that Stun Spore.” I said to Starly as I patted its head one last time. Its struggles were growing a bit stronger, as the stun spore wore off.

“Alright. I’ll let you go.” I offered, releasing the bird as I turned my attention to Chansey who was still healing the Staravia that had led this band. Butterfree had released a pretty big stun spore and half the birds had fallen out of the air to smack into trees.

“All done?” I asked, and Chansey nodded looking pleased as it quickly jumped into the air and away leading its entire group out of the clearing.

“Vicky, can you please stop yelling now?” Ivy asked, glaring at me, but honestly she just looked cute with her hands on her hips and leaning forward a bit…

Okay it was more looming cause she was taller than me, but still.

I opened my mouth to once more point out what I was doing but instead just sighed.

“Yeah I’ll stop yelling.”

“Good!” Ivy added with a huff, and then she looked at me, and looked a little conflicted. “I’m sure we’ll find one and when we do I know you’ll manage to make friends with them.”

“That’s now what happened with the Goomy.” I grumbled, stomping off a bit into the forest.

“Oh Vicky, that’s just special circumstances! You’re great with Pokemon.” Ivy exclaimed as she hurried after me, running around to my side and looking all sad.

“It’s fine Ivy. Honest.” I admit as I stop and turn towards her. “I’m just grumpy because my overhyped assumption of this trip ran face first into a mountain. But I’m disappointed, not disheartened! I’ll find some new friends for sure!”

Ivy just smiled and nodded at me, and we both shared a smile.

“Oh look a Pikachu!” Ivy called out and I could practically feel my neck pop as I jerked to look behind me in the direction that Ivy was looking at.

There, hidden in the shadows of a tree half hidden, was not a Pikachu.

A Pikachu didn’t move like that. It wasn’t textured like that.

It’s head was wrong. It’s eyes weren’t actually eyes. And its ears were a little crinkled. It stepped out and did a movement that made me realize one thing. It was trying to pretend to be a Pikachu, but it wasn’t. It was doing a little dance. Making itself known. Attracting attention. The actions of an ambush predator my brain noted, but ignored because my brain was far too full of what I was seeing.

“Mimikyu.” I called out, and instantly the atmosphere changed. Its actions stopped.

It stilled and then its entire body jerked to focus entirely on me, with a horrid grinding that reminded me of bones grinding together, the entire forest seemed to go deathly quiet at the noise.. As if everything knew what that noise meant, and hid from it.

“KuUkukkKu.” It called back, and if I was any other trainer I would say the noise was almost spine raising. A sort of unearthly grinding voice ethereal and wrong, nothing like normal pokemon sweetly calling out their name.

“V-vicky? I don-don’t think that’s a Pikachu!” Ivy stuttered.

“Yeah. It’s a Mimikyu. They just pretend to be Pikachu. Hi! My name is Vicky… Do you want to be friends?” I asked, and as if me responding to it was a trigger it suddenly blurred forward.

“KuUkUuKuKUKuKu!” It cried out with a hair raising cry as it charged, in a zigzag pattern, its eyes stars of focused intent, its shadow claws sliding out of the costume and then rocketing into the earth in a moment and pushing it up and forward.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEE!” Ivy screamed out, but I was barely paying attention to her.

The Mimikyu flying towards me with its dark claws raised and its twin eyes glowing stars of focused intent were taking up all of my attention.