Chapter 4

Those eyes belonged to a boy.

Younger than Bob, he wore a blue shirt and dark green shorts.

His brown eyes had an intriguing stare, and Bob knew why.

The bug catcher the boy was holding, including the container behind him, told Bob that he had to be a trainer, similar to the ones in the games.

'Damn, I walked into the line of sight from a trainer?' He thought as the boy walked closer, 'This is gonna be my first trainer battle,'

"You're a trainer, aren't you?" The boy asked, staring at Bob, "I'd like to battle!"

Bob was reluctant, but he agreed. It would be a good experience for his pokémon.

So the two made some distance between each other.

"How many Pokémon do you have?" The kid asked, taking out a pokéball.

"Two,"

"Okay," The boy nodded, "I'll only use two,"

Without warning, Bob threw a ball.

"Cyndaquil!" Cyndaquil shouted, trying his best to show that he was fit.

Sadly, Bob nor the kid noticed it.

"A fire type? That won't be a problem with my pokémon," As he said that, the trainer lobbed a pokéball as well.

"Butterfree!" The big type shouted, flying in the air, staring down a Cyndaquil.

'I don't think Cyndaquil knows any fire moves yet,' Bob thought, eyeing the Butterfree, 'this isn't the games, that bug type could be strong,'

"Butterfree, use Gust!"

The bug type cried and started to flap its wings in quick succession. The wind was thrown onto Cyndaquil, who tried to hold on, but that proved to be a losing battle.

"Now Bug Bite, Butterfree,"

"Free!" With the chance at hand, Butterfree darted towards Cyndaquil, readying for a bite.

"Smokescreen, Quick," Bob ordered.

It was heard, and the two pokémon were covered in black smoke.

"Butterfree?" Butterfree looked around, confused.

"Get out of there, Butterfree," The boy shouted, to which the bug type obliged.

As it flew out of the range of the cloud, it saw Cyndaquil also dash out, facing him.

"Crap, Butterfree, quick, Confusion!"

The bug type attempted to fire the beam but was stopped by a menacing look from its enemy.

"Now, Tackle!" Bob shouted.

Cyndaquil was already on it.

Bob watched as the fire type readied itself to fly into the air, and he waited for the impact.

But there was none.

Cyndaquil was still on the ground, with a face of pain.

'What?' this jumped into Bob's thoughts as the other trainer did not waste time.

"Now, Confusion," The kid ordered.

This time, a purple beam shot from Butterfree and into the fire type.

"Cyn...da," Cyndaquil squeaked as he was pushed back by the beam, landing on his belly.

The other trainer thought that this was enough, and Butterfree sighed in relief and Bob looked on in confusion.

However, Cyndaquil pulled himself up, a glare in his closed eyes.

Bob saw that even with his shaking legs and bruises, the flames on the fire type's back were erupting and sputtering at different intervals, and this shook Butterfree.

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil screamed as fire blew out of his mouth, towards the bug type.

Butterfree could only scream in pain.

'Did Cyndaquil somehow learn ember just now?' Bob thought, 'weird,'

As it started, it quickly ended.

Cyndaquil looked angrily on, staring down Butterfree.

Then, he fell forward.

Unconscious.

"Woah! What a close one," The boy spoke, looking at his terrified Butterfree, "but that's one down,"

"Hm," Bob said, returning Cyndaquil, "you're right,"

'I'm an idiot for not realizing that Cyndaquil was weakened from those two skirmishes," He thought, 'however, it seemed like he was hiding that he was injured, so it still counts,'

"You may not have beaten that blasted Totodile, but at least you beat a Cyndaquil, Butterfree," Bob heard this and raised an eyebrow.

Bob wanted to ask, but he decided to wait until the match was over.

Afterward, he threw the next ball.

"Pidgey!" The flying type shouted, standing firm and facing Butterfree.

'Its moves should suffice,' Bob thought, 'it does have four moves,'

"You may have the type advantage, but that's what Butterfree trained for," The boy said, "Butterfree, Stun Spore!"

Hearing this, Butterfree flew high above and its wings began to push out yellow dust.

The bug type knew this would be advantageous, and it looked down but saw no Pidgey.

Once it looked up, its body was bashed against by a fast Pidgey.

"Quick Attack!" Bob ordered.

The flying type smirked as he swiped at Butterfree at speeds it could not catch up on.

"Use Tackle,"

Pidgey was so caught up with its quick attacks that he gasped for breath once Butterfree tackled him.

Soon, the flying type dived down.

After witnessing this, Bob let out a smile.

"Get him with Bug Bite while you still can!"

Butterfree was after Pidgey, trying its best to dive, with no success.

A moment later, dust flew into the air. This caught Butterfree off guard as it flew aimlessly through the attack.

"Gust, Now!"

However, Pidgey knew exactly where he was aiming.

"Pidgey," He said, raising a wing and pushing it against his beak, from one side to the next, before flapping his wings with all his strength.

Bob saw this display.

'I guess he deserves it, trying to act like Bruce Lee,' He thought.

The massive gust of wind blew the sand away but battered a helpless Butterfree, who could only endure.

Seconds later, the wind died down and left an unconscious bug type.

"Oh no," The kid said, shocked at his pokémon, "Well, that leaves me with one,"

In a drop of a hat, he returned Butterfree and let out another one.

This one was a Kakuna.

'Okay, was not expecting that,' Bob thought, scratching his head, 'hope Pidgey is fine,'

He looked down and Pidgey looked as if he was enjoying the glory.

'I would not be surprised if he broke into a JoJo pose.'

Bob stared back at the kid, who looked less interested.

Perhaps he knew how lackluster Kakuna was.

"Pidgey, Tackle,"

Pidgey did, and Kakuna took the hit without a reaction.

"Kakuna, Harden," The boy spoke, bored.

The bug type glowed up and stood the same.

"Gust,"

Bob saw Pidgey unleash another force of wind, but after that, he found out how tired the flying type was.

"Harden,"

Kakuna glowed up but had a hurt expression on its face.

"Quick Attack,"

"Pid...gey," Pidgey breathed in and darted into Kakuna.

The bug type fell over and relieved everyone as it was unconscious.

"Pidgey," Pidgey squawked, standing proudly, then nearly falling over.

"What a battle," The kid said, returning Kakuna, "but I must say, it felt like Cyndaquil was not at full power,"

Bob nodded, "I did let it fight wild pokémon before fighting you, and I was too caught up in the battling, so it's my fault,"

"You sure? Cuz it didn't look hurt to me until Butterfree attacked it," He said.

"Cyndaquil must've had some pride if he did that," Bob said, returning Pidgey.

"Oh well, I don't blame you," The kid said, "I did the same with my pokémon, especially Butterfree, as I want them to be strong,"

Bob nodded. Then a reminder hit him.

"When you said a Totodile, was it with a trainer?" Bob had to make sure.

"Mhm," The boy nodded, "It happened earlier today, in fact. It was a girl trainer, and her Totodile was strong, my Butterfree could not handle it,"

'Interesting, so the female counterpart of this kid exists in this universe?' He thought, 'that's cool, but doesn't really affect me,'

"I will say this, her pokémon fought at full strength," The kid said, smiling, "if your Cyndaquil was fighting while weak, I want to see what happens when it's at its best,"

Bob smirked.

"Sure, why not," Bob said, "if we meet again, then we can see,"

"What's your name?" The boy asked,

"Bob, what's yours?"

"Johnathan,"

"I will remember it," Bob said, walking away, "see ya,"

Johnathan waved back, and Bob focused on walking.

"I'm gonna walk back to Cherrygrove, don't have a clue on how far the next town is," He thought, 'plus I'm tired, and I remember the Pokécenter has free rooms for trainers,'

So for another time, Bob walked in silence.