3 Chapter 3

I decide to head west down route 102. There is a guy trying to sketch some Pokemon tracks, but I just give him a wide berth and he doesn't stop me. My approach to route 102 is different than 101 because I'll actually be looking for a Pokemon here. Ralts is a rare find here. I spend my morning looking around for one with no luck so I set up a camp for lunch. I'm eating some of the canned food I bought, and Kwan and Herb are eating some berries that we harvested from the route. While feeding them I see a little ralts hiding behind a tree.

"Hey, there would you like some food?"

I hold my hand out toward her with some berries. She slowly moved out from behind the tree and walks toward me. She takes one of the berries and in between bites she says.

"Ralts" "Thank you"

"No problem. Would you like any more?"

"Ralts"" No thank you"

"Well ralts it must be awfully lonely out here all by yourself."

"Yea" she says sadly

" Well, how would you like to come with me, Herb, and Kwan?"

"Umm okay"

"Well then would you like a name"

"Uh-huh"

"What about Walts?"

"Ok"

" Well, then Walts I just need you to press this button right here" I tell her pulling out a pokeball from my backpack. She presses it and is sucked in. The pokeball signals a successful capture immediately then I release her. The group finishes lunch and we set off. I return Herb to his ball, Kwan is hoping beside me, and Walts is ridding on my backpack holding onto my shirt and neck. I was happy with how route 102 turned out. I'm sure I could have found a different ralts and capture it the normal way, but it's nice to find one that wants to come with.

I eventually make it to Petalburg city. I quickly check in with the local gym and it seems the leader doesn't accept challenges from anybody with less than four badges from other gyms. Which is kind of a pain. I knew I wouldn't be ready to challenge him yet, but now I need to leave and comeback. I still decide to stay in town for a few days to train the team and get more comfortable. We spend three days going back to route 102 going over commands, move sets, and tactics. Each member of the team fights some wild Pokemon as well as other trained Pokemon.

During our time training Herb picked up Leech Seed and Kwan learned water gun. I was able to figure out a few things from this. First, the set level moves are some kind of inherited memory. Second, the four move limit isn't biological it's a training convention. I mean some moves just are better than other moves. Plus limiting the number of command moves would increase reaction time in battle. Finally, I figure while it's hypothetically possible for me to come up with new moves or teach them moves they wouldn't normally be able to do, it would be very hard. Most of the moves are instinctual and a Pokemon who can naturally do a move would always have an advantage. So, I won't be doing that for a while.

After the few days of training, I decide to leave Petalburg via route 104 through Petalburg woods. I get challenged by a couple of local trainers while on my way. We have a friendly match which I win. I get a little wager money and then I go on my way. I made my way from the beach to the forest. While walking through the forest I see a Team Magma Grunt hassling a guy in a lab coat. When he turns to see me he loses interest in the scientist and challenges me to a battle. But he's kinda a wuss he's only got one Pokemon and it's a mediocre poochyena. One perfect victory later and he runs off. The scientist gives me a wrapped package as thanks before he also runs away while telling me he was already running late. With that weirdness out of the way, I decided to take a break before leaving the forest.

My meeting with the magma grunt eased some of my nerves. I had been nervous about them since that paper in my back said they would be after me. However, I was expecting them to be like the mafia. They are not. Team magma is more like a cross between a street gang and a cult. That sounds bad, but the members are also children. I'm guessing, but the gangs approach lonely and dumb kids on their Pokemon journey when they're ten. The gang offers protection, supplies, training, and friends, so why would a kid with no guidance or parental oversight say no? I had been afraid they might try to kill me, but I doubt most preteens especially preteens in the Pokemon universe would have the stomach for it. Now I really only have to be on the watch out for older members and the leadership. Although most of that's just guessing. The only thing that seems reliably true is that membership is going to be significantly younger than I had been imagining. Although maybe being younger doesn't mean I'm any safer because child soldiers exist. And now I'm back to being afraid.

To distract my self from my impending panic attack thinking about Team magma arming its members with guns I open up the package that the scientist gave me. Inside it is some kind of metal harness with sensor pads attached. There was an instruction booklet explaining how to use it. I had already guessed, but it's an exp share. It transfers fighting experiences from nearby Pokemon to the holder Pokemon. There are a couple drawbacks though. First, it's a pain to put on and take off. Second, it's clunky and delicate so a Pokemon can't battle with it on. Finally and most limiting it only works on sleeping Pokemon or Pokemon in pokeballs. For most people, I assume this isn't much of an issue, but I like to keep my Pokemon out. Herb likes to stay in his ball though so I decided to equip him with it. I decide it's worth the hassle to help Herb without calling him out too much. One good thing is that unlike the game exp isn't split. The battling Pokemon gets their experience and Herb will just get some bonus experience.