Performance berries

(2)

"Hi there, I'm professor Sycamore." A man says, "I assume you're here to get your first pokémon?"
"Yes!" I say eagerly, "Well, not my first pokémon. I actually already have two, vulpix and espurr, but I'm here to get pokéballs and a starter!"
Why am I babbling? I guess I'm just scared to start my journey... That's normal, right?
"Of course, here are your pokéballs. And would you like to choose a starter?"
I nod.
He takes me through to a room. Chespin and fennekin sit in the middle of it.
"Apologies if you wanted froakie, it was chosen by a previous trainer a while ago." Professor Sycamore tells me.
"That's ok!"
Chespin stares at vulpix, wide eyed and smiling. Vulpix cowers away behind me.
Espurr walks over to fennekin and starts talking. They look like they're having quite a nice conversation.
"What's fennekin like?" I ask the professor,
"Boisterous. Good at fighting, but likes to dance. Very energetic and friendly. Your mood can affect it, and it will be sympathetic to your emotions."
"What about chespin?"
"Doesn't get along with other pokémon that well, especially not electric types. I think it likes your vulpix, though."
Chespins vine whips are in the shape of a heart in front of vulpix's face. It uses protect and then double teams until circling chespin, proceeding to use flame thrower. Espurr jumps in front, using reflect. Vulpix uses protect to defend itself, and notices espurr shaking its head at it.
Espurr says something to vulpix. I assume it told it to calm down and wait with me, as vulpix jumps up onto my shoulder and curls around my neck. Espurr goes back to talking with fennekin.
"Oh how cute, I'll take that vulpix from you." A girl with straight blonde hair and blue eyes waltzes in and takes vulpix.
"That's my vulpix, actually." I say,
"Not any more." The girl snatches a pokéball and tries to catch vulpix. It uses double team, then iron tail before retreating to the safety of my shoulders.
"Well, I'll take the fennekin then. It's better for dancing." The girl rolls her eyes.
I notice how she's wearing a lot of make up. It doesn't look very good...
Fennekin doesn't follow, and the girl hits the little fox.
"Actually, Liana was here first so, technically, she gets first pick out of fennekin and chespin." Professor Sycamore tells her,
"This is unacceptable! Do you know who I am?! I am Mila Jones!" She screeches,
"Doesn't ring a bell." The professor says, "Liana, feel free to choose your pokémon."
Mila puffs out a breath, and I swear some powdery make up just came out of her mouth.
Fennekin looks at me, eyes wide and scared of being taken by this girl. Chespin goes and hits her foot with a vine whip.
"Ow!" She screams. She tries to hit it, but it uses vine whip to deflect it.
Chespin looks at me, smiling, almost as if to say,
"Choose fennekin, I can handle this one."
The nod it gives to fennekin confirms it.
"I choose fennekin." I say.
Fennekin leaps up into my arms gratefully, and nuzzles my face happily.
Chespin beams,
"Chespin!" It grins.
"I reject this decision!" Mila yells.
Chespin whacks her with its whips to reassure me that it can take her.
"Sorry."
Professor Sycamore gives me five pokéballs, and the journey has officially started.
Once we're outside,
"Vulpix," I start, "I know you don't like it, but can I catch you in a pokéball for just a few seconds to make sure that no other trainer catches you? I'll let you out immediately after, I promise."
Vulpix looks uncertain, but espurr pats it, smiling. Vulpix is often really shy, and espurr and I have always looked after it.
I hold the pokéball to vulpix's cheek, and it goes inside. Espurr does the same. I instantly let them both back out. Vulpix jumps back onto my shoulder, while espurr wants to go back in its pokéball. So does fennekin. I let them go back inside.
"So, vulpix, where should we go?" I ask it.
"Vulpix!" It jumps down and looks as though it wants me to follow it.
"Lead the way." I smile.
My friend runs away and I follow cautiously but quickly.
"The arena?" I say once it stops running, "I thought you didn't like fighting."
Vulpix nods at my belt.
Of course! It wants to battle alongside espurr. Vulpix likes battles as long as espurr and me are by its side.
I want to see what fennekin can do, and vulpix doesn't usually like to fight straight away. It likes to watch other pokémon fight first, then will be one of the strongest things you'll ever see.
We go inside the arena, and are paired up with a boy named Ezra. He has messy black hair and pale skin. He is wearing a black hoodie with red sleeves, zipped up, camouflage trousers and worn-out trainers.
He has a pikachu, and I think the froakie starter pokémon that got taken before I got to professor Sycamores lab.
I watch as he finishes his battle with an unknown boy, demolishing his team with pikachu and froakie.
His pikachu is pretty advanced, with thunderbolt, thunder, electroball and iron tail. But I have fennekin, espurr and vulpix.
Espurr has confusion, psychic, reflect, psybeam, psyshock, scratch, disarming voice and light screen. Vulpix has protect, double team, iron tail, flame thrower, quick attack, fire blast, swift and can use its dancing ability to dodge attacks like an angel. Professor Sycamore explained to me that fennekin has scratch, bite, ember, fire spin, flame thrower, will o wisp, sunny day and fire blast. Apparently it likes to dance, so that can be useful when dodging.
"Hi, I'm Ezra." The boy says,
"Liana." I smile,
"Ready to fight?" He looks gentle, and his voice is soft.
I nod.
"Double battle?" He asks,
"Not yet." I say.
"Okay." He shrugs, "I choose froakie."
"Fennekin."
"Start!"
"Use flame thrower!" I grin.
It hits froakie, forcing him backwards.
"You okay?" Ezra asks it,
"Froakie!" It says.
"Use water pulse!"
"Dodge it!"
"Now use dig!"
I gasp. Is it even possible for froakie to have dig at such an early stage?
As fennekin hits the floor, landing feet first, froakie leaps out of the ground, using water pulse again.
Fennekin is unable to battle any longer.
"Fennekin!" I cry,
"Fen..."
"Don't worry, you'll heal up just fine." I give it some wound-healing stuff that I bought from the pokémon centre literally next door.
I put it back in its pokéball and let it rest.
"Rematch with a double battle?" Ezra asks,
I grin, "Of course."
He lets out pikachu and froakie.
Espurr walks onto the battle field instantly. Vulpix sits, ears flattened.
"Vulpix?" I smile at it, "Don't worry. I believe in you!"
Ezra's pikachu comes over and says something to vulpix. I'll never know what it said, but it makes vulpix happy and confident as it walks onto the battle field.
"Use dig!" Ezra says to froakie.
What can I do with this?
"Use iron tail!" I say.
Vulpix uses iron tail on froakie's dirt trail and it flies out of the ground, injured.
"You okay?" Ezra asks it.
It lands feet first, so does vulpix.
"Espurr, use psychic on froakie!"
I plan to take out froakie first, then attack pikachu.
"Dodge it, and use water pulse!"
"Use reflect, then vulpix use flame thrower!"
Froakie looks as though it's about to throw up. It falls to the ground, and I begin to deal with pikachu.
"Pikachu, use electroball!"
"Vulpix, use protect!"
Vulpix protects itself and espurr from electroball, then uses its dancing ability to dodge and confuse pikachu, before dominating the battle with fire blast.
"Stop." Ezra says, "I forfeit."
Espurr uses reflect, then vulpix uses protect to stop pikachu getting more hurt.
"You guys are strong." Ezra grins, putting froakie back in its pokéball, "Do you want to travel together?"
My face heats up. Why?
"Sure." I can't help smiling. Why am I so happy about this?
"Great!" He grins.
Pikachu goes to vulpix, they seem to be getting along! That's a good thing...
Ezra and I start to talk as we walk around, but we are rudely interrupted by Mila.
"Hi!" She squeals, "Liana, was it?"
"Yeah."
Chespin beams at me.
"I wanted to apologize about earlier." She smiles.
"Wow, I didn't expect that!" I laugh, "Apology accepted."
"Great! Oh and I'm Mila, what's your name?" She twirls a piece of her hair around her finger, turning to my friend.
"Ezra." He says,
"Cute! I mean cool!" She giggles.
Ah.
I see.
Why am I jealous...?
"Mhmm thanks," he smiles politely.
Oh god I think I like him too.
"Of course!" She smiles.
Every bit of my insides cringe.
"Well, I'll be going now." She says, "Bye, Ezra!"