Episode 6 - Adventure in Briarwood Forest

"Let’s make camp here, Nick," suggested Keith, finding a clear spot of ground in the dark woods. A layer of gently swaying branches rested overhead, shielding out what little light remained. Crickets chirped to break the silence, and a breeze rustled through the trees.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I’m tired," yawned Nick in response; the soothing woods began to take their toll. The boys took off their backpacks and unconcernedly allowed them to plop to the ground. "Aah, that felt good," Nick relished. The boys sluggishly detached two sleeping bags from the backpacks.

"I do have a tent," commented Keith. "But I’m too tired to set it up. That walking wore me out. Let’s just sleep on the ground."

"Fine with me," replied Nick. The two trainers unrolled their sleeping bags on the ground, leaving the backpacks beside them, and rested their weighty limbs by crawling into the sleeping bags.

"You hungry?" asked Nick, sleepily.

"Yes," Keith yawned, making no move to get up.

"Me too," Nick drawled as both fell asleep.

Seemingly an instant later, Nick was abruptly awakened by Keith calling,

"Get up, Nick! It’s 6:30."

"Uhhh?" he replied, dozing.

"Come on Nick! You don’t want to be sleep through your second day as a pokémon trainer, do you?" Keith said cheerily. Nick sat up and yawned, looking around. Tall trees surrounded him, giving a picture mystery in the dim light of early morning. Nick seemed a little confused at first, then, seeing Keith, inquired,

"Isn’t it a little early?"

"Not really. We went to bed at eight-forty-five last night! It’s time to get moving."

"OK," he answered resolutely, stretching. "I still say you could have given me thirty more minutes," he yawned. "But man am I starving!" The boys tied their sleeping bags to their backpacks then breakfasted on Pop-Tarts and dry cereal. It was "not a bad meal," as Nick observed. The boys released their pokémon to give them an ealy breakfast. Nick's Staryu and Keith's Squirtle made an interesting picture beside one another. The Staryu, slightly taller, stood on two limbs and regarded its former adversary with a friendly gleam from the bright gem that dominated the center of his body. The Squirtle, all but its appendages enclosed in a round, blue shell, waited patiently on his feet, studying Nick with its large eyes eyes and paying but little attention to the Staryu. After feeding the two pokémon, Keith and Nick recalled them to their pokéballs. The boys strapped their backpacks on their backs and started the day's journey.

"We’re here," Keith explained, fingering a map. "And by tonight we need to get here," he pointed. "Then we’ll be in Clarkesville tomorrow. We need to go.. this way," he explained, designating a path.

"I've never been hiking," Nick commented as he fell into Keith's tow.

The foliage overhead was sparse enough to let in plenty of light, but the sun was still low in the sky, so the forest was illuminated only softly. The air was cool and crisp, but not unpleasant. A breeze sometimes swept through the forest. There was no noise except the rustling of the leaves and the trudging of the boys feet. Both trainers walked on in silence for a moment until Nick asked abruptly,

"Keith, do you want to keep travelling together like this?"

"I'd like to," he replied. "I was hoping you’d ask." Nick smiled,

"That’s good. Having another trainer around will keep it interesting. How far is it to Clarkesville anyway?"

"It’s twenty miles. We could make it today if we tried," answered Keith.

"I don’t know about that," Nick responded skeptically. "I think I’m too sore from yesterday’s jogging now - if I ever could go twenty miles in one day!"

"I know. That’s why I planned for two days," said Keith.

"That was a good idea. Besides, there is more to pokémon training than walking," Nick grinned.

"You’re right. I think I know just what you mean. We are in a forest," Keith observed, patting Eddie’s pokéball. "These pokéball belts are made for holding six, not one."

The boys walked along the well-worn trail, talking most of the time. Their close age caused them to have many common interests. Both, for example, had been on track teams before they had started training. Also, both enjoyed video games. "But we’re not going to play many of those while we’re travelling," Keith commented. The boys realized that they were going to be good friends.

After sauntering along the path for almost two hours, Keith suddenly halted and quickly looked around. "What is it?" asked Nick.

"I thought I heard something. Did you?" he replied, speaking in a whisper.

"No, but I wasn’t paying attention," Nick admitted.

"Ah," Keith said, assuming an air of gravity. "As my older brother would say, a trainer must always be observant." The boys stood still for a moment, listening intently for any sound. Wind rustled by overhead, and the distant caw of a bird was heard in the silence; but nothing nearby was anything but still. After a few moments, Nick said,

"Well, whatever it was, it’s gone now."

"I guess so," Keith said, disappointed. "I was hoping it was a pokémon." Just as he said that, a noise of cracking twigs rang out from beside the path. "OK, that time I know I heard it!" Keith said excitedly. "There’s a pokémon in there!" he said running off the path. Keith pushed aside a bush, stared down at the ground, and exclaimed, "Look, Nick! It’s a Nidoran!" By the time Nick had rushed over to see, Keith had instinctively grabbed his Squirtle's pokéball from his belt and was shouting, "Go, Eddie!" Nick stopped short of the spot where the Squirtle and the Nidoran stood and watched eagerly to see what happened.

The Nidoran was greatly startled to see Keith burst from the shrubbery and started to back up, intimidated, but quickly regained its composure and started growling softly at Eddie, preparing to attack. Eddie stared back coolly at the small rabbit-like creature, standing in battle position. Keith’s eyes were glued to the two pokémon. He no longer realized where he was, absorbed in the fight. "Eddie! Let’s get started! Tackle it!" Keith cried. The Squirtle immediately jumped in the air, hurtling towards the Nidoran, who was caught off guard by the swift attack. It was knocked backwards by Eddie’s spinning shell. The Nidoran hit the ground but stood up swiftly, tossing its head to regain his senses and becoming as angry as the small creature could be. The Nidoran imediately dashed at Eddie, head lowered, exposing a sharp horn.

"Wow! That must be a Horn Attack!" Nick breathed to himself.

"Eddie, Water Gun!" cried Keith, thinking quickly. Immediately, the Squirtle opened its mouth and released a jet of water that hit the charging Nidoran head on, cutting its attack short and knocking it back against a tree. "Nick! I’m gonna’ catch that thing!" Keith cried in amazement, momentarily remembering where he was. Nick was meanwhile considering that Eddie was remarkably well-trained for having had a trainer only two days. It had taken weeks to get Staryu to react that quickly! As Nick thought about this, the Nidoran plopped to the ground and struggled to its feet growling, almost collapsing because of Eddie’s attacks. Wasting no time, Keith reached in a side pocket of his backpack and grabbed a shrunken pokéball. He quickly pressed the central button to enlarge it and hurled it at the fallen Nidoran.

"You’re mine!" he shouted as the ball flew through the air. The Nidoran looked up just in time to see the pokéball hit it in the side and open. The startled Nidoran queried, "Nidoran?" as it was transformed into energy and was sucked into the ball. The pokéball snapped shut, and the button on the top started glowing red as the ball rocked back and forth, struggling to contain the captured Nidoran. Keith stood in absolute silence, transfixed as the ball rocked. Seconds later, a triumphant ring sounded from the ball and the red light faded out. The ball flew from the ground to Keith’s hand as he caught it and yelled incredulously,

"Nick! I just caught my first pokémon!" Nick looked at Keith, started laughing, and with a huge grin across his face replied,

"Well, good job - Eddie."

"Huh? Oh, yeah," said Keith, recalled to his senses. "You did great, Eddie!" he said, crouching down to his pokémon. "Are you ready to do it again?" he added.

Nick laughed again and merely said, "Now hold it. It’s me and Staryu’s turn next. You’re not gonna’ get all of them."

"Oh yeah. Good point. Sorry I got that one. I just wasn’t thinking - but it felt so awesome catching my first wild pokémon!" Keith replied as Eddie returned to his pokéball.

"Don’t worry about that," Nick replied. "I’m actually glad you got it. You heard it first and found it first. Just so long as I get the next one."

"Great. Sounds like a good idea to me. I’m glad your not mad," Keith replied as both trainers walked back to the path.

"No, of course I’m not," Nick said.

"That’s good. Nick," he said and returned to the previous subject, holding his newly filled pokéball. "When I was battling this Nidoran, it was like all I could see was it and Eddie. I knew you were there, but it was as if it was just my pokémon and the Nidoran for a while. It was so cool!" Nick grinned and shot back,

"Yeah, I could tell you were sort of oblivious."

"Hey, what's wrong with paying attention to the battle?  I did catch him, didn't I?" demanded Keith.

"I guess I can't argue with that," responded Nick.  "I'll probably do the same thing.  Did you see how mad the Nidoran was?  I mean, it wasn't thinking at all after Squirtle's" - Nick was broken off by Keith's correction

"It's Eddie."

"Oh yeah. Sorry. Anyway, after Eddie tackled him - It is a boy right?" Keith nodded yes. Nick resumed, "All he could think about was taking Eddie down."

"Really? How could you tell? It looked like a nicely planned attack to me," questioned Keith.

"Um.. well.. he was just so...  I don’t really know. He should be quieted down by now. How long are you going to keep him in the pokéball?" Nick asked, changing the subject. Was he the only one who ever noticed things like that?

"Until we take a break, and, since it’s... nine-thirty" Keith said, checking his watch. "I think we should stop right now. I’m getting tired."

"Good, then it’s time to meet Nidoran," Nick replied.