"Are you going on a journey next season?" I question Piers. After the time we've spent together, I'd like to think he isn't as disturbed conversing like this. I was still curious on other stuff in the games that weren't said.
One such thing is that Piers had a Rillaboom. Though he did have a music band which did involve a Rillaboom so it did make some sense. Piers who heard my question simply nodded which now made me even more curious.
"I've got an endorsement from the Chamber of Commerce. Thankfully the Dark Gym still has an endorsement if that's what you're aiming for." He answers which made me raise an eye brow.
As the conversation went on, the flying taxi slowly but surely took us home.
Piers did answer quite a few of my questions without seeming too annoyed. With him being the grandson of the dark gym-leader Alfred. Mister Spikemuth himself was an important member and part of the board of the Chamber of Commerce. Which made sense on why he's so influential in the town.
Another reason for Piers wanting to promote Spikemuth more. They just keep pilling on at this point. Spikemuth was a small town with a population of around 8,000 people. Thinking about it now, my mother's cafe was also a member of that place.
Damn.
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
The flying taxi set us down just outside the covered stretch of Spikemuth, metal claws clanking softly against the landing pad before the Corviknight folded its wings. Winds rolled, tugging at my jacket.
Piers hopped down first.
"I'll see ya," he said.
"Yeah," I replied. "See you around."
He nodded once, already turning away into the main district.
I released Grookey as soon as the taxi lifted off. He popped out wearing his favorite shades which hopefully wouldn't go anywhere, anytime soon.
"It's time to go home buddy." I murmur, scratching the chin of Grookey. Seeing him growl in satisfaction, a giddy feeling went through my body.
"Grookey (More)!"
Spikemuth split itself pretty clearly the moment you looked at it. Straight ahead, the main district stretched out in a narrow line of two story buildings with black pavement, neon signs buzzing faintly.
It was hard to describe the place really, I personally thought the place looked "tired" in a way.
That main path led straight through town, past the Pokemon Centre, battle courts, and all the way to the end where the Gym sat. Basically the linear area where the games forced you.
I didn't go that way though. Instead I turned left.
The buildings thinned out almost immediately. Over by the outer edges of Spikemuth, there wasn't a huge veranda covering the sun light. Houses were more spread out and looked like the starter towns in most Pokemon games.
The coast came into view not long after.
Grookey paused to stare at the ocean, soon after pointing at it with wide curious eyes. Seeing this I immediately could tell he wanted to go over there and check it out. Which was fair considering he was raised in an enclosure.
'We will see much more sights later on buddy...'
"We will go later tonight or tommorow," I told him gently.
"Groo (Aww)" He visibly deflated making me chuckle.
He smacked his stick once in acknowledgment and followed me inside. Dad was on the couch. While Mum was curled up next to him, legs tucked in, her head resting against his shoulder.
I didn't stop walking.
"Dad!" I said. "I got my starter!"
Dad looked up with a wide smirk adjourning his usually stoic face. Even though he's been smilling a lot more recently, it still felt weird;
"That's-" he started, then laughed under his breath. "That's a Grookey, hello little one... Aren't you the strongest Grookey I've ever seen!"
Grookey puffed his chest out. As Dad stood up and slowly started to pat my starter. Watching Grookey show no resistance to his touch, it did remind me that father does have a Rillaboom. It's a good chance to learn.
"He has a better fashion sense than me!" Watching the two interact I went up to mum and hugged her.
Dad glanced at me, then back at Grookey, eyes bright. "You need help with anything?"
The question was casual but important.
I hesitated. Then thought about it properly.
'YES!'
"…Yeah," I said slowly. "He doesn't know a Grass move yet. I was wondering if you could help."
Dad put a hand over his chest and smirked.
"We're going to the beach champ. Hold up, I'll go get my Pokemon." As Dad headed for the door, Mum caught my arm gently.
Mum just giggled fondly, scratching the scalp of my head. "Koutei, trust me when I say, you can ask him anything about Pokemon and adventuring."
I nodded. "I know mum."
The beach wasn't far. Just past the docks, where the sand turned darker and packed tighter from years of tides pulling at it. The wind was stronger here, tugging at our clothes and rattling the loose boards along the pier.
Dad had four Pokeballs on his belt with each of them having a distinct sticker. Watching him pick up a sticker with a cloud on it, he sent out his Pokemon.
"Goss!" A relatively small Pokemon seemingly wearing a green cloak, yellow face, and had a huge cotton ball on its head with small seeds scattered around. I looked at the Eldegoss with suspicion.
'Are we battling?' Taking a better look we were at the perfect distance.
"Champ! The best way to learn is to battle!"
I whip out my phone and check Grookey's moves on instinct. Just to remind myself.
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
Species: Grookey
Type: Grass
Ability: Overgrow
Attacking Moves: Growl, Scratch, Branch Poke, Fake Out (Egg), Hammer Arm (Egg), Strength (Egg)
Auxillary Moves: Growth (Egg), Leech Seed (Egg),
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
"…Huh."
I frowned at the screen. Grookey has never used the move in his life but he "knows" what [Branch Poke] is randomly?
"How does the Poke Ball even know that?" I muttered. Was it like the games where after reaching a certain strength threshold would let a Pokemon instinctually learn it? Still this didn't explain how the app knew it, either way wasn't something I should be hung up about.
Cool.
"You can have the first move champ!" After hearing this, Grookey who was beside me. Got in front and growled out. Taking a better look on what to do, the gears shifted in my head. Eldegoss was grass, my only ranged move [Leech Seed] was useless.
"[Strength] Grookey!" I order.
Grookey charged forward in a white hue, kicking the sand up despite his relatively slow speed. Eldegoss who got no instructions from father, just stood there with a smug smirk which already started to annoy. Reminding me that this guy's off spring is my mother's Gossifluer, who tormented me in at work.
*Thud*
The hit landed. Solid contact on Eldegoss' face. Making the pokemon slightly drift back. As Grookey retracted his hand, there were already bits of cotton on his body. Sticking like glue.
"Champ this is Eldegoss' ability, [Cotton Down]. It sticks to the attackers body and hinders their movement." Dad calmly explained. The fluff clung to Grookey's, as he in attempt to remove the fluff, just spread it out even more. Making it seem more like a comedy skit than a fight.
"[Leafage]," Dad continued.
"Dodge, Grookey!"
Green blades formed along Eldegoss' left leg, slicing forward. Grookey was this happen, started to run away, but tripped over some of the cotton. Leaving wide open as Eldegoss swooped in and swiped it. Grookey was knocked back, skidding across the sand before catching himself.
"Key... (Damn)"
"Leafage can both be used as a physical and ranged attack, get ready" Dad said. "Eldegoss use [Leafage] again."
"Elde eldegoss (Dodge this peasant)"
Eldegoss shook its body, and the cottony fluff around it unraveled into razor-edged leaves that gleamed bright green before shooting forward in a wide spray.
"Damn, dodge Grookey!" This time Grookey was ready, staring at the incoming leaves. Right before diving to his left, not getting grazed at all. "Grookey use [Branch Poke]."
Grookey nodded, gripping his stick tighter. A green hue was pulsing on its favorite branch, as if struggling to stay on it. Taking a better look I could see that he wasn't familiar with the move itself.
Grookey with its half baked [Branch Poke] ran up and hit Eldegoss which did little to no damage. Eldegoss who took the hit just stared at the Grookey in disgust.
"Keep on going champ,"
"Elde goss (Pathetic)!"
Eldegoss drifted closer and gave a simple slap, before floating backwards.
Grookey now pissed off, stared back at me with a fire in its eyes. We spent over half an hour with father and Eldegoss, just making Grookey use [Branch Poke]. After these attempts he was finally able to get it down.
"Goss eldegoss (Scratch my back too)." Eldegoss yawned bored.
"Key (Take this)!" His branch glowed a bright vibrant green as he smacked Eldegoss. Still doing almost nothing but it was definitely usable now.
"Lets go Grookey!" I shout. This was definitely progress and the fight wasn't about winning. My partner who saw this just looked back with a tired smile, holding a thumbs up. His fatigued body then slump to the floor.
Boy might need some rest.
Returning Grookey to his Pokeball, father and I head back home. On the way back I took this opportunity to ask him some questions about being a trainer.
"Can I ask you something… trainer-related?" I simply say.
"Of course you can champ, what's the problem?" After hearing his words, I soon spilled the news of wanting to collect all eight gym badges in the next season. Which in my defense isn't much of a surprise that I initially thought it would be.
"That figures," he said. "Minor division, I'm guessing? Unless you somehow found an endorsement."
"Yeah, though there's a tournament next month I'm gunning for."
"Huh, the next season doesn't start for about a month as well. That's neat." he added casually.
That made me blink.'…They about line up,' I thought. Perhaps the gym was seeing if there was anyone worth using their endorsement on. Piers did say that the dark-gym did still have their endorsement.
"The minor division grants much more freedom than the major division." Dad seeing my confused expression just chuckles. "Well there are 18 types, with 8 of them becoming major gyms. Which means there are 10 options. If you struggle on one gym, just go somewhere else no biggie. If there is anyone to dodge it would probably be Kabu, that guy on TV was torching them rookies back when he was still a major division gym leader. I can't imagine it's much different in the lower division. There is no set way to battle them in order, so take your time."
"Alright." I answer, nodding. Taking the time, I open up my phone and start to note down his words.
"What about… getting stronger? Is there any sure fire way to grow in an upwards pace?" I question. Father just gives the standard answer of stamina training and battling a lot which did make sense. Mostly because that's what Ash did in the anime which I cannot deny his greatness.
Other than that, high quality food can really boost a Pokemon's growth in terms of health and strength. But that's on the more expensive side so it would be done later on in my journey. 'Is that why some newer trainers are able to train their Pokemon so fast?' There are so many questions but taking it slowly is never bad.
Before we wrapped up, he mentioned the forest nearby to the right of Spikemuth. Which is not accessible in the video games. It's not a dangerous place due to being right next to a town. I would hope that as well.
"Nickit, Wooloo, Rookidee everywhere," he said. "Some Squovet, Hoothoot at dusk here and there. Caterpie's on the trees. If you go a bit deeper inside the place, there's a Heracross colony further in, too."
I noted that away. Nickit, Wooloo, Squovet and Hoothoot aren't really in my radar at this point. But Heracross for the dark-gym and just in general and Rookidee are definitely not a bad choice. Even a Butterfree is a great Pokemon early game.
'With [Compound] eyes making all of its powder moves 100% accuracy. It also learns [Confusion] pretty early as well if I'm not mistaken.'
Remembering a certain Heracross named Bois, a shiver went down my spine. He was a complete monster after Mega Evolution.
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
The weeks after that blurred together. Training had a rhythm once we settled into it.
Mornings were stamina training. Jogging along the coast, Grookey keeping pace beside me, sometimes lagging, sometimes sprinting ahead just to show off. I didn't push him until he collapsed.
Afternoons were moves.
Fake Out, Strength, Leech Seed, Branch Poke. Getting his repetitions in with all his moves. Rotating. Refining. Learning what worked when Grookey was already breathing hard and what fell apart.
Still I noticed that Grookey was starting to act like me in a way. His drive to get stronger and not back down from training really made it easier for me. We battled sometimes too. Dad never went all out, using Eldegoss as more of a target.
Dodging became its own thing. I'd found a base ball in my room. For basic dodge training, I threw it at Grookey and he dodged. When we shifted to Leech Seed practice, he had to throw it back at me instead. His coordination definitely needed some work.
The last drill was also for dodging, but it also trained me.
My psychic powers weren't flashy and didn't develop to teleporting yet. The basic way I had a hold of it was using my imagination. If there was a trash can in front of me, as long as it wasn't too heavy. I can imagine it floating and to a certain extent move it.
In this case, I took Grookey's branch and hurled it at him. Personally I was able to multitask and float multiple objects. So over the weeks I've just been slowly moving heavier and heavier items like progression overload in the gym.
"Grookey lets go find you a buddy." My words causing Grookey who was on my bed to perk up. He leaped out of the sheets and onto the floor.
"Key key (please please)!" He pitifully growled, hugging my legs.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot."
Taking my red leather jacket, I reach in my pockets and hand him his shades. Watching the chimp do a little victory dance, I chuckle while putting on my shoes. We soon left the house, heading towards my mother's cafe where the coast was. There were a few Pokemon I scouted at work.
Was it too early to get another Pokemon? Perhaps, but I'm not exactly a patient person. If anything it was a miracle I didn't have a full team by now.