Trials of a Champion - Kanto [Pokemon x OC]

41 Fires in the Night

Having accidentally snapped both my support and his own, Paul and I plummeted towards the ground, unable to grab a hold of the tree quickly enough. This would be the end of our Pokémon journeys. All over in a flash. Maybe we shouldn't have climbed...Huh?

Just like that, we stopped falling.

When I cracked open an eye, I found myself hovering inches above the ground with a green vine secured around my waist. A second vine grabbed Paul's ankle, leaving him dangling in the air. Both of us were surprised to be spared death.

The vine released Paul, dropping him like a sack of potatoes.

I was gently lowered onto the grass. "Thanks," I breathed out, standing up beside Paul's red-eyed plant-dinosaur. "Ivysaur."

"Yeah," added his trainer. "We owe you."

The Pokémon retracted the vines into his flower bud and nodded.

"But, what are you doing awake?" I asked. "I thought you'd fallen asleep with the others."

Ivysaur used one vine to gesture for me to keep quiet. The other pointed towards the forest, the lake, and the full moon hovering in the sky. Its glow made the flowery meadow sparkle like a glittery blanket.

"Moon-bathing?"

"What? Didn't get enough sunlight today?" Paul gruffly asked.

"Hey. What's with the tone?"

"You saw him earlier. Ivysaur refused to train just so he could sunbathe. Ever since Fuchsia City, he's been sunbathing more and more. What a waste of time. If you want the definition of laziness, look no further—" Ivysaur lifted Paul into the air by his foot again and then dropped him.

I laughed. "You deserved that. We looked it up, remember? The Pokédex says that when an Ivysaur gets close to an evolution, it'll start spending more time in the sunlight. The exposure adds to the strength of both Ivysaur and his plant."

"Yeah, but—"

"No buts!"

Knowing he couldn't win, Paul proceeded to release a string of incoherent grumbles.

"So," I continued, "are you moon-bathing...?"

Ivysaur shook his head, once again gesturing for me to stay quiet.

Upon Paul remaining quiet as well, a swarm of forest sounds entered our eardrums. A light breeze rustled the grass and trees, and wild Pokémon roamed, and bubbles popped on the water's surface. The echoing sounds enchanted me. I had never stopped to listen to the forest before.

The closer we listened, the more we singled out a certain chorus of Pokémon cries, which started to sound more and more familiar.

"Are those...Bulbasaur and Ivysaur?"

Ivysaur began swaying back and forth.

His peaceful smile caused my heart to soar. "That makes sense."

"We should check it out."

"Huh? Really?"

"Why not? A wild group of Bulbasaur and Ivysaur? That'd be a rare find."

"Well, true, but it's already so late, and I don't want to leave the others—"

Ivysaur called to us from several feet away. He was immediately onboard with Paul's idea, and upon following the source of the sound, gestured for us to follow. His trainer hurried after him.

I looked back at our sleeping troop before rushing after the pair.

Our departure caught the eyes of one curious Pokémon, who rose quietly from the pile and snuck after us without a sound.