The Confidence Within.

Ralts.

"I can't believe I caught one!" I cheered, scooping up the ball in my hands I studied it. I wonder if he's happy in there? I pressed the button on the center that opened the ball and Ralts burst from it in a blinding flash of light.

May clapped from behind. "That was awesome! Are you sure this is your first time Wally?"

"Uhm well yeah. But I've been st-studying ever since I was young." I answered, putting on hand on my wrist and rubbing it.

May was about to head back to the Petalburg Gym when her eyes lit up. "Oh, I have a great idea, Wally! Let's have a Pokémon battle!"

"A what?" I whimpered, I wasn't planning on having to battle. Just to have a friend with me.

May giggled. "A Pokémon battle! You'll have to have one eventually, and trainers don't take no for an answer I can say that much for certain."

I really didn't want to battle but she made a good point. "Ok." I practically whispered.

"Then here we go. Torchic I choose you!" She spun and tossed a Pokeball into the sky. The ball opened and a small bipedal chicken Pokémon emerged.

The Torchic coughed and little embers flew out of its mouth. The bird's short red body just contributed to my idea that May picked it because it was cute.

"Torchic use Scratch!" May commanded, her Pokémon ran forward and leaped into the air claw first.

Ralts looked back at me expectantly. What does he want from me? Oh right battling! "Uhm... Ralts dodge it?" I had no idea how to battle. Luckily Ralts did and he teleported out of the way, leaving Torchic to land all alone. Ralts re-appeared behind the chicken and laughed.

I took out my journal and recalled some of my notes. "Ok right I command a move and my Pokémon uses it. Then let's try, Confusion!" Ralts closed its eyes and a blue force flew from it into Torchic, knocking the chicken Pokémon over.

"Torchic hit them with Ember!" May said, her Pokémon stood back up and fired little sparks of fire at Ralts.

"Ok Ralts... use Uhm try Confusion." I told my Pokémon. Ralts sent another blue wave to counter the fire.

May snapped her fingers. "This battle is really heating up. Torchic use Scratch and then Ember!" Her Pokémon dashed forward and leaped up into the air.

"Ok Ralts... uhm how about-try use!" I had formed a strategy in my mind but I couldn't act on it, my nerves were taking over. Torchic scratched Ralt's face and then blasted him with fire. My psychic type Pokémon fainted.

May returned her Pokémon. "That was a great first battle. We should definitely battle again sometime."

I nodded and picked up my Ralts. I looked down at his unconscious form. I just need to get you to a Pokémon Center buddy. You'll be fine then.

I started walking back with May, she kept talking but I believed she was a faucet of words that never stopped. I also figured she wasn't saying anything that important. I walked into the Pokémon Center, the building's streamlined interior made it easy to navigate to the counter up front where the nurse was working.

She looked at my Pokémon and without saying a word took it to a machine and healed him of his wounds in battle. Ralts came back to me awake and looking better than ever.

I wanted to spend time with Ralts, he was my new companion after all, so I left him out of his Pokeball for the time being. Now I just have to return Mr. Norman's Pokemon and I can set off for Verdanturf town.

I strolled through the quiet city, pushing the doors to the gym open. May was talking to her father about-hang on- whether she should wear the green bow or the red bow.