Gloom(y) all around!

I threw repels near the still form of the Ducklett, cursing the packaging of the health Potion. 

If they were throwables like the repels it would have come in handy.

After that, I tried to sprint in an arc with the Graveler as the centre. The stars barely illuminated the cliff, making me stumble and fall multiple times.

I only stopped running when the Graveler was 5M away from the Ducklett.

Ignoring my wounds, I tossed half of my food onto the ground and shouted, waving my hands.

"Hey Graveler! Yummy food is here." 

I decided on this plan instead of rushing to recall Nia because I didn't want the Graveler to puncture me by throwing a pebble at me, mistaking the action of running towards it as aggression.

Then both I and Nia would have been under the mercy of the rock Pokemon.

I stared at the dark outline of the towering Graveler hoping that the bad smell of the repels combined with the aroma of the food would make it ignore Nia.

It seems my plan was a success as it started walking away from Nia and slowly picked up speed before rolling towards the food.. aka me.

I cursed and ran towards Nia, following the same arc again, not stopping my mad dash even when I stumbled on the rocks, ignoring the minor injuries.

I finally reached Nia and recalled her after spraying her with some potions.

'She is out of the competition. Her wing was pointing in the wrong direction along with some bruises due to falling from height,' I noted grimly.

As I stared at the outline of Graveler eating the food, Cet exited the cave with an orange token in his mouth.

'Well! It seems even you can't always be on time, Mr White Knight,' I mumbled petting the Zubat.

I recalled him and started climbing down the mountain in the direction of the highest cliff in the region- that I could see.

'I was careless, I should have checked the cave. The Graveler being peaceful averted a tragedy from happening- I mean it was peaceful for a Pokemon line that flattens everything in their path when they are on their fun rides down the mountain,' I thought shivering at the thought of losing Nia.

My emotion dampener worked overtime, helping me be quick on my feet, otherwise, I don't think I would be as efficient in front of danger.

I almost forgot about the emotion dampner- which I tentatively considered as a side effect of Aura- as my life was going splendidly.

I retired for the day, choosing a concealed spot to set up my tent, for the first time grateful for the emotional dampener.

I descended the mountain the next morning and was torn between using a repel to wade into the jungle or braving through the jungle without one.

'I want some tokens even if they are green, using the repel makes it impossible though.' I dithered for some time before making up my mind.

I carefully walked into the thick jungle, clutching Nia in my arms and Cet leading the way, avoiding bushes and tall grass whenever I could.

Nia's wing wasn't fully healed so she couldn't fly. But when I tried to recall her after bandaging her last night, she hopped around escaping the recall light.

I let her be as I generally don't recall my Pokemon at night. But she was also stubborn this morning, hopping around the recall light and giving me cute and defiant glares until I stashed away her Pokeball.

'Is this what they call the rebellious phase?' I wondered, but ultimately I gave her some slack and didn't recall her, my decision has nothing to do with me feeling better about my safety if she was in my arms... you have to believe me. 

As I walked, I could smell a bad odour wafting in the air, making me take out my gas mask.

Yes, a gas mask. I too was surprised when I saw it in my trainer package, but it's going to come in handy now.

After walking for 5 more minutes, I found the source of the stench.

A Gloom was sitting on a tree branch, its vines parting the dense canopy obscuring the sun.

'How did it get there?' I thought, surprised.

As the Gloom soaked up the sun, a yellow token near its large mouth glinted in the sun, surprising me. 

I looked around to see whether it was truly alone.

My chance for a surprise attack was over as I was being cautious by checking the surroundings, the Gloom spotted us. 

The better part of me was saying it was too risky to attack the Gloom as the jungle was teaming with grass Pokemon who would get attracted to the battle noise.

But the yellow token was glinting near the Wild Pokemon's mouth, begging to be taken.

Deciding to finish the battle quickly. I aborted my search and gestured for Cet to attack the Wild Gloom.

Cet slammed into the Gloom with a Quick Attack tossing it off the branch.

As it fell the grass Pokemon used its vines to clutch a tree branch slowing its fall and softly landed on the ground.

But Cet was not idle as he slammed into the Gloom burning with azure fire, knocking it out.

'Awesome,' I mumbled excitedly and walked towards Cet as he pried the yellow token from the still form of the Gloom.

As I was stashing the token away yellow powder started raining from above me.

I harshly jumped away from my previous position, but I was too late as I could feel something like electricity running through my body, hindering my body movement.

Nia cried out from my arms and flew away, most likely to battle the Grass Pokemon which generously parted with its powder.

I fumbled around my bag as battle sounds ranged on with Cet likely joining the battle.

I removed my face mask to drink the antidote of the stun powder. That was a mistake.

I fell on my back gagging hard at the horrendous stench I was smelling.

My eyes full of tears darted around to see Cet and Nia battling a couple of Glooms.

Nia was supporting Cet from afar, they had the upper hand.

I fought a battle against my arms and finally drank the antidote before slowly wearing my gas mask.

The battle ended before I could catch my breath.

Cet and Nia cuddled against me as I lay on the ground heaving from the lingering stench in my nose.

Not wanting to wait for more Pokemon to arrive, I hastily fed my awesome Pokemon some treats and recalled them before using a repel.

I slowly stumbled and leaned against a tree, catching my breath.

"Damn, that could have gone better," I murmured.

The stench from the Gloom was horrible, the gas mask was given in the starter kit to deal with Pokemon like Gloom who has scent-based moves.

A Gloom releases an atrocious stinking odour from its head when faced with danger.

Most Pokemon can power through it, but it is not the same case for humans.

As evidenced by dried tears on yours truly.

The gas masks are provided for defending against all scent-based moves not only against the oddish Pokemon line.

Moves like Sweet Scent may reduce the evasiveness of the Pokemon, but they straight up knock out a human.

The grass-type Pokemon are a drug lord's dream come true, they create the powder and even distribute them directly to the customers as Oddish and Gloom did to me.

'How can a smell be that bad?' I thought before gagging again from just thinking about the stench.

'Did I make the right choice by becoming a trainer?' 

I morosely looked at the tree canopies as sunlight shined through them, making some of the leaves glow beautifully.

This thought was nothing new, it had been wiggling at the back of my mind from the day I barely escaped from getting crushed by the Wild Mankey.

'Humans are just too fragile when compared to Pokemon,' I murmured.

I clapped my face- hard.

"What's with this defeatist talk? If I am really that insecure then I will just catch a Ghost Pokemon to always protect me, by guarding me from my shadow and I won't even use it for battle."

There always will be a way, I just have to search for it. I don't think trainers go on wild expeditions without proper protection. After all, if this jungle which was mostly filled with beginner Pokemon was this dangerous for a human, how would they cross a jungle where only Apexes and countless battle-hardened Alpha's roam?

Feeling better after my little pep talk, I got stuck in a dilemma again.

Whether to use repel or brave through the powder addicts infested jungle.

"Let's do a simple test," I murmured and stopped outside the range of my previous repel.

I stared at the jungle in front of me for quite a long time and murmured.

"I only see one Pokemon."

"Cet, Use Gust," I ordered releasing my trusty Zubat.

The wind ruffled the intertwining canopies of the trees making me spot more than three outlines of Pokemon shuffle around.

"That's it, Repel it is!" I decided, taking a pack of them from my backpack.

Using repels I finally reached the cliff I was aiming for as the sun dipped below the horizon.

.....................

Toss some stones to cheer the MC up!!