Trials of a Champion - Kanto [Pokemon x OC]

8 And Then There Were Three

Marching towards Vermillion City, I thought that a shortcut would serve us best. I wanted to get to the gym as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the quickest ways don't end up always being the easiest.

"You're not even using a compass. Are you sure this is the right way?" Paul asked.

I shoved my way through some thick foliage, wishing for a machete. "I'm positive this is the right way!" I called back.

"And I'm positive that we're now lost. Am I wrong?"

After inspecting our surroundings, my shoulders slumped. "No. We're lost..."

He swiped the map from my hands. "See? If you had just let me lead, we wouldn't be in this situation. Now, let's get to Vermillion City, the right way." He stepped off and poured over the map.

I scowled and tapped my foot. "It's his yelling that got me all confused in the first place."

"Well, according to the compass," Paul started, "south is this way, and there's a river just up ahead. Since we'll get to the Pokémon Center later than we'd like, it'll be a good spot to take a break and eat some—Ah!"

There was a sudden loud crashing noise.

Rushing ahead, I couldn't find Paul anywhere. "Paul?"

I received no response.

"Paul?" I frantically walked around. "This isn't funny. Where'd you go?"

A faint voice called back, "I'm not playing pranks! I fell!"

"Fell?"

Luxio barked and brought me over to some bushes ahead. Just beyond them, we found a large pitfall trap. Paul sat at the bottom. "Paul!" I gasped, relieved to see him mostly unharmed.

He sat up, clenching his teeth. "Who the hell digs a hole out in the middle of the forest?"

"I don't know. It sure is a weird spot to go digging."

Suddenly, there was a cry from the other side of the hole. Slowly looking up, I stared into the sharp, red eyes of a green Pokémon with a pink bulb on its back. Meeting my eyes, it cracked a grin.

"What was that?" Paul asked.

"Uh, I don't know," I muttered back. "Dex?"

My Pokédex quickly replied, "Ivysaur the Seed Pokémon, and the evolved form of Bulbasaur. The bulb on its back absorbs nourishment and will eventually bloom into a large flower. When it starts swelling, a sweet aroma wafts to indicate the flower's coming bloom."

"An evolved Bulbasaur?"

"A what?!" Paul shouted.

Ivysaur laughed again.

Its behavior made me suspicious. "You dug this hole, didn't you?"

It nodded its head.

"An Ivysaur that knows Dig? You don't see that every—"

Paul suddenly scrambled out of the hole, startling me so much that I fell backward. "You little punk!"

"AH!" I shrieked.

Ivysaur raced away.

"I won't let you! Beedrill standby!" He called out an all-too-familiar bee Pokémon.

"When did you catch that?" I asked.

"Caught it in Viridian Forest. Strongest one there is."

A groan escaped my lips. "Yeah, we'll see."