Chapter 15

The shiny object appeared to be a disk, on its side, leaning against the tree.

'Wait a minute,' Bob inspected closer.

'TM28: Dig' was written in big black letters. Just below it wrote 'Johto'.

"A TM?" Bob let this slip, 'So there may be more of these things lying around,'

He reached for it and picked it up.

As he walked onto the pathway, Bob found the gaze of a trainer.

The man that walked towards him had closed eyes, similar to that of a certain rock-type gym leader. His apparel was made for hiking in the mountains.

"Ah, seems like two hunters went after the same prey, eh?"

Bob only nodded, keeping the item in his hand.

"How about a 2 on 2 showdown? Then we'll see who will take home the gold," He took out a pokéball, "I'm all for it,"

To this, Bob would never turn down a match, so he also took out his first pokémon.

'This guy has hiker clothes on,' Bob thought, 'Wooper is weakened, but I do want to use another pokémon,'

So, the two trainers let loose their pokéballs.

"Geodude!" The rock-type roared.

"Spinarak!" Spinarak shouted, though shook when he laid his black eyes on the Geodude in front of him.

'Oh yeah, this is Spinarak's first battle,' Bob thought, looking down at the bug, 'not a good type up at all, but this should go smoothly,'

"Hmm," The man said, "Geodude, use Smack Down,"

Bob acted quickly too, "Spinarak, Absorb,"

Through the fear, the bug type concentrated on Geodude.

However, a spinning object crushed into his side. It was a rock, thrown by his foe.

"Spin!" Spinarak was swung to his side.

Despite the damage he felt, a surge of energy entered his system.

He looked forward and saw the hardened gaze of his foe. Yet, when he looked closer, in more detail, there were signs of fatigue but the bug-type was not sure.

Although, Bob had his suspicions.

'they both look like they're on the same level,' Bob thought, 'but, without Absorb, Spinarak would've been gone by that Smack Down,'

'Wow, I sound like an anime character, pretty fitting considering where I am,' Bob thought.

"Geodude, Rock Throw,"

"Geo," The rock-type picked up a huge boulder,

"Spinarak, exchange with Absorb,"

"Spin," Another absorb landed, but so do a boulder.

"Sp-Sp-Spinarak," He was wondering why he even listened to Bob.

But, Bob was now confident at what he saw.

'Geodude has the type advantage and the moves to back it up against a Spinarak,' He thought.

The hiker spoke, "Rollout, now,"

'However, that four times weakness to grass is a stroke of luck,'

"Absorb,"

Spinarak, though hurt, did absorb for the third time, hitting Geodude as it rolled into it.

"Spinarak!" The bug-type huddled, hoping to block the oncoming rock.

The rock-type instead slowed down, eventually halting to a faint.

"Nice work, Spinarak," Bob said, giving him a thumbs up.

Spinarak instead looked at him as if he wanted to be back inside his pokéball.

'Guess the fact that he won didn't seep in yet,' Bob thought, returning him.

"Hmm," The man said, returning his Geodude, "I underestimated your fangs. Let's kick it up a notch,"

'Huh?'

"Sentret!" A Sentret was his next choice.

"Pidgey," Bob wanted Dio to have a comeback.

Dio didn't do a pose or a bow, he just stared.

Bob smiled.

"Dio, Wing Attack,"

"Pidgey!" He squawked, dashing towards Sentret with a glowing wing.

"Sentret, Thunderpunch,"

'Wait, Thunderpunch?'

As the flying-type came closer, a flickering light caught his guard off.

Once he saw what it was, it was too late.

ZBOOM!

Both attacks made it, but Dio was hurt the most.

He was able to fly back and stand.

"Dio, Gust," Dio heard and flapped his wings.

WOOSH!

Sentret was handing on by its tail.

"Go, Sentret, Quick Attack!"

The normal-type vanished.

"Use Quick Attack, then Sand Attack,"

Dio also disappeared.

The two became visible after bashing into each other.

Then, a flickering of light along with a zapping noise came along.

One of Sentret's hands, even though it looked silly, was encased with a ripple of electricity.

"Pidgey," Dio retaliated by flicking sand in the normal type's face.

But, it was not over.

The Sentret, tucked itself in, its tail covering its eyes and its right arm still shocking.

"Dio, Gust,"

The flying-type attempted to flap his wings and actually hit his foe with a blast of this, but the Thunderpunch, with its satisfying noise, smashed into Dio's face, flinging it to the side.

'Defense Curl as well? Must be another one of those,' Bob thought as Dio fell, 'this pokémon is strong,'

Dio, however, was bewildered.

He could see the gentle, calm blue sky, and the white fluffy clouds that rested in it.

Soon, Dio felt his body submerge into water. Relaxing, comforting water.

If he closed his eyes, he could enjoy it to the fullest.

But something told him, no, ordered him to swim back up. Then, he remembered all the time spent thinking and regretting, all that time mourning and wishing he had done something else. He remembered Guts.

As if a shot of adrenaline had taken hold, Dio pushed himself up, wanting to breathe.

Soon, he was standing once again, eyes widened.

'Nice work standing up again,' Bob thought, 'We'll see what other moves he has,'

"Sentret, Scratch," The hiker ordered.

"Sentret!" it charged forward.

"Sand Attack,"

Dio shot dirt in the air, blinding the normal-type.

"Sen...tret," Sentret began to spin, an annoying light emitting from his paw.

"Quick Attack, but be patient,"

Dio was ticked off by this pokémon throwing a Thunderpunch every turn, but he waited.

Once Sentret stopped, Dio zipped in and hit the normal-type.

But he was not done.

BOOM!

A Wing Attack struck the normal-type.

BOOM!

Another one.

BOOM!

This third one brought it down.

"Pidgey!" Dio cried, exhausted, slowly glowing.

Wait, glowing?

Before Bob had realized it, Dio was getting brighter and brighter.

"Pidge...otto," Dio was also in the dark, "Pidgeotto?"

"Good work, Dio," Bob said, impressed, "it's cool that you evolved,"

"Pidgeo," Dio cawed, smirking, making a victory pose.

"your pidgey evolved? Good for you," The guy said, returning his Sentret, "huh, I lost,"

Then, Bob felt a little bad.

"Did you need it?" Bob asked, holding the disk in front of him.

The hiker chuckled, and shook his head, "No, I just wanted to battle another hunter. Besides, I already have a bounty of those,"

"You have a lot?"

"Yeah, you can get those by a Pokémart if they have them in stock," The guys spoke, walking away, "Until next time,"

'Huh, fascinating,' Bob thought, petting Dio on the head, "You made a good come back, I'm proud,"

"Geotto," Dio said before Bob placed him into a pokéball.

'This TM,' Bob thought, putting it away and walking forward, 'that guy said there were ones I could purchase at a Pokémart,'

As he walked, Bob began to grow tired. His eyes were fluttering and his legs were shaky and sore.

What's more, the sun was beginning to disappear beyond the horizon.

'I guess I have to sleep out here,' Bob gulped, 'it's not like the previous world, where every turn was an assault point by a robber,'

A few minutes later, Bob decided to gather a few sticks and planks. He placed it in the middle of the spot

'I don't know how to start a fire, but,' He brought out Guts, "Guts, use Ember to light this pile,"

"Quilava," Guts blew fire onto it, and the fire began to crack and burn the next second.

"Thanks," Bob said, warming himself by the fire, 'why am I feeling nostalgic?'

This was the case, as Bob had a habit of sitting near a campfire or a fire in his home, and reading a good book, or warming marshmallows.

'Damn, I don't have marshmallows,' Bob sat down and watched the campfire cackle at his frown.

"Quil?" Guts tilted his head after he saw Bob's expression.

Bob quickly changed the subject.

"Guts, there is something I want to teach you," Bob stated, pulling out something from his bag, "It's a TM, it will give you a new move,"

Guts looked at it, not getting the meaning, but once Bob said it will get him a new move, the fire-type's eyes glimmered with excitement

So, before snoozing, Bob decided to teach Guts a new move.