Grookey and I walked through a few narrow alleyways behind the older blocks near Spikemuth. Past that, there was some sort of abandoned yard. It should be where Marnie escorts you into Spikemuth in the games.
There was the occasional Burgmite who wandered the area. They wouldn't make great sparring partners, though.
Grookey hopped down from my shoulder as soon as I jumped over the fence. Taking the opportunity, I pulled my phone out immediately.
'Three bars, my signal should be good. As long as I don't lose my phone.'
The forest wasn't dense, but it wasn't open either. Trees spaced just close enough that you couldn't see very far ahead. Light filtered through in uneven patches. I felt unnerved as I wasn't able to really get a good feel for the area.
At any moment, something could sneak up on me.
The first Pokémon I noticed was the Caterpie.
A few of them are clinging to branches overhead. A few were napping, which made me chuckle, reminding me of Shellos. I didn't stop and kept on walking through the forest. Bushes are starting to become denser, with more Pokémon popping by.
Rustle
Something darted through the bushes to our left. Too fast to see clearly, but the rustle was familiar. A small, fox-like creature with dark accents was zooming.
'A Nickit…'
Further in, a few Rookidee perched in the branches ahead. They were all grouped together, which got my attention. If there was a time to catch the regional bird, it would probably be now.
"Hey-"
BANG!
A loud impact echoed through the forest. The Rookidee scattered instantly, wings frantic as they took off in every direction. I flinched at the direction from which that sound came.
Grookey, though, wasn't scared. Already in front of me, ready to scrap.
"Groo (Don't worry)!"
Taking a better look. Through the dense bushes, I could spot a certain bug Pokémon, ramming itself into the tree. I was immersed in the sight. A large beetle-looking thing, with a blue exoskeleton, stood there breathing hard.
Heracross.
It stood upright near a thick tree, horn buried into the bark as it slammed forward again with a white hue. I took a better look at its body, which was riddled with healed wounds and specifically a slash on its right eye.'Now that's a find.' I thought interested. My chest tightened.
Heracross was a Fighting/Bug type who would fit into my team like a sleeve. Especially since the gym leader of Spikemuth used Dark types. Even if he were stronger, Heracross would still be an amazing addition.
I still remember the monster known as Bois. If that memory told me anything, his species was monsters.
A certain greed went over my heart. I swallowed and glanced at Grookey. "You up to the challenge, buddy?" I said quietly. Grookey, who heard this, nodded with a serious expression.
First, I stepped back and released Shellos.
He appeared with a soft plop, blinking slowly as he took in the surroundings.
"Stay close," I order. "Protect me."
Shellos nodded after looking around, making his way to my side.
"Grookey, use Growth six times," I say.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
By the Sixth, his fur shimmered faintly, his entire demeanor changing. Grookey was overflowing with energy that he needed to let out. His attack and special attack should be maxed out.
I raised my voice just enough to be heard.
"Heracross," I called out. "I want to battle you."
The pounding stopped. Heracross turned slowly, horn lifting from the tree. Its eyes locked onto us immediately, squinting. I've never seen a Pokémon have a presence like this since transferring into this world. It felt suffocating.
Even Dad's Pokémon were at least tame compared.
"If I win," I continued, heart pounding, "You become my Pokémon."
"Cross Heracross (Bring it on)!"
It growled in a frenzy, now looking at us with its wings buzzing. That was enough confirmation for me. Grookey made his way forward, just enough distance to where I wouldn't be in the crossfire.
Heracross charged first with a white hue.
"Dodge and then [Leech Seed]!" I shout. Grookey leapt sideways, avoiding the bulldozing Heracross as it flew past and hit the tree right next to me. Watching its horn effortlessly smash through the entire tree, causing it to fall.
Crash
'Holy shit, did he just destroy a whole tree.' I really felt the adrenaline now as I was forced to run to the side.
Heracross, who turned around in an instant, swatted Grookey's [Leech Seed] effortlessly like it was nothing.
"Strength!" I order. Grookey rushed forward. Heracross, who saw the distance already covered, held its hand out to guard the hit. Watching Kong slam into Heracross with everything he had.
Bam
Heracross staggered half a step backwards, eyes widening. This surprise only lasted a second as its wings buzzed loudly, more calm now.
"[Fake Out], then [Strength]."
Grookey, watching the single horn Pokemon charge at him, jumped forward, ready to clap its face. But he wasn't fast enough.
I watched as Heracross ram through contact and slam Grookey back with enough force to send him flying into a tree.
My stomach dropped.
Heracross froze.
Grookey slid down the trunk and landed in a heap, breathing shallow and barely conscious. A few seconds later, a bright green glow surrounded his body. Pulsing a healthy green. He growled out, not backing down, which made me proud. But this wasn't a battle I could just let happen.
"Groo!"
Taking his Poké Ball, I instantly returned him and carried Shellos. I was taking no chances and started to sprint away.
'N I G E R U N D A YO !'
My heart raced as I ran, the wind rushing past my past. Backtracking to the earlier parts of the forest. Thankfully, Heracross didn't seem interested, as I didn't hear any buzzing when escaping. I still kept on running, not looking back for the fear of getting attacked.
My greed was blinding me a little. Damnit.
"Hahhh… Fawk." I breathe out. Shellos, who was still in my grasp, got down and looked around. Staying by my side. Still, my hands were shaking despite there apparently being no danger right now.
'Well, that went well.' I joke to myself, realising my pitiful situation. 'I can always come back later.'
I checked my phone and decided to shift focus. Grookey needed some berries to heal, and this forest should have some. There were marked berry trees in most places near towns, so after some searching.
"A few minutes away. That's alright." I mutter, my heart starting to calm down. We needed the common Oran or Sitrus berry.
This time, Shellos and I moved more slowly.
A Nickit tried to rush us and got washed away by a well-aimed [Water Pulse]. A Squovet followed us for a bit, clearly hoping for food, before Shellos nudged it away with a [Mud-Slap].
Eventually, we found the bushes. Bright berries hung low, easy to reach. The bottom of the tree had a sticker that told me I was in the right place. I gathered a few, then let Shellos nibble one.
After Grookey was healed up and back on his feet, I decided not to push deeper into the forest.
"You did great, buddy, I'm gonna be honest. That Heracross was probably the strongest thing in this forest." I straight-up lie. Mainly because I wasn't sure, but I wouldn't doubt it if he was. My words made Grookey cheer up pretty quickly.
Either way, that loss was my fault. The only way I could see a win is to dodge and use [Strength]. Maybe a lucky [Leech Seed]. Perhaps something to note for a future time. For now, I wanted to do nothing with that Heracross.
He was simply too strong.
"Groo grookey groo (I need to train more, to protect you)!" He pumped his fist out. Seeing this, I smile, patting his head.
'I'll sing a few songs when I get home, Grookey deserves it.' I thought of already having some well-known songs from Earth in mind.
We looped toward the outer edges this time, closer to town, where the trees thinned out, and the light felt a little less oppressive. That was where, on top of a tree, I spotted two Rookidee.
Perched on low branches, hopping along. As soon as they spotted us, they started to charge with loud cries.
"Shellos [Mud-Slap] quick!"
Shellos, who was next to me, instantly fired without any hesitation. Perfectly hitting both Rookidee in the face, making them crash to the ground. The sea slug sent a few more hits to confirm the knockout.
Making them pretty dirty.
'There are two, huh, maybe I'll see what egg moves they have.' I thought, taking out two empty Poké Balls in my name.
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
Species: Rookidee (1)
Level: 6 (Baby)
Type: Flying
Ability: Keen Eyes
Attacking Moves: Peck
Auxiliary Moves: Leer, Defog (Egg), Roost (Egg)
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
…
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
Species: Rookidee (2)
Level: 8 (Baby)
Type: Flying
Ability: Unnerve
Attacking Moves: Peck, Power Trip
Auxiliary Moves: Leer, Defog (Egg), Roost (Egg)
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
"…Huh." They definitely have the same parents, that's for sure. Defog and Roost are amazing support moves, especially the latter for a future Corviknight. That tanky bastard was already annoying, paired with a healing move.
The typing by itself was amazing; it was the reason why Skarmory was so good. With two immunities to ground and poison, and 7-8 resistances? It might make my future opponents pop a blood vessel. The sheer thought made me smirk.
Grookey and Shellos to my side, watching in confusion.
"Shell shellos (Why is he not moving)?"
"Grookey groo (I don't question it anymore)," Grookey responded, shrugging.
Still, Pokémon weren't just tools. I didn't need two Corviknight, so asking them who wanted to join wouldn't be too bad. My main tool to convince them is food, so I hope at least one of them accepts.
I released both Rookidee at the same time, stepping back a bit so I wouldn't crowd them.
"Hello," I said slowly, hands to my side. "My name is Kenji-"
That was as far as I got before both of them shrieked in a panic. They launched at me almost immediately, wings snapping, beaks aimed straight for my face.
Before they could attack, some mud bullets from my right instantly headshot them both. Shellos reacted instantly, making me sigh in relief. They scrambled up, feathers ruffled, still aggressive.
"…Right," I muttered. "That's probably a no…"
I didn't hesitate after that. I recalled both of them and released them properly, watching as they bolted back into the trees without looking back. Dangerous wasn't quite the word, but they definitely weren't interested in listening.
I wandered a bit longer, trying not to feel discouraged.
Then I spotted another Rookidee.
This one, like the others, fearlessly flew at me.
Shellos tanked a [Peck] to the side before easily beating it with a [Mud-Slap]. Taking a Pokeball I capture the Pokémon with some hope.
'Please.' I pray inwardly.
After releasing the Pokémon, it looked calm enough. But this time I wasn't relaxed, and at a similar time to the past, Rookidee started to panic in a frenzy. Attempting to attack me. Watching this, I was now fully annoyed.
"Stop," I order, eyes glowing. My psychic powers fully restricted the bird, who kept persisting and trying to break free.
"Come on." I sigh in frustration, hearing its loud chirps. The only good thing to happen so far today is that my psychic powers definitely worked well.
I leaned against a tree, genuinely confused.
"Grookey groo (We should just beat it more)!"
"Shellos… (Nooo~)."
The Shellos species were timid by nature. Even wild ones tended to hesitate, observe. Starters were similar. Cooperative. Curious. But Rookidee? They were fearless and battled when they could.
Still, this didn't line up with what I knew. Corviknight were taxis wouldn't exist if Rookidee were troublesome. It's the same reason why the flying taxi couldn't use Braviary for flights, as they were too stubborn.[1]
I have to be missing something…
We spent the next half an hour just getting into battles with minimal resistance. Grookey and Shellos got more experience protecting me and battling wild Pokémon. One interesting fact is that most, if not all, wild Pokémon don't attack using moves.
It was only during a really desperate situation that they resorted to a [Peck], [Snarl], or [Tackle]. Noting this in my head, the three of us started to head home. Maybe it was because they were relatively weak?
Looking at the trees for the final time, something caught my attention.
Another Rookidee, perched low on a branch near the edge of the forest.
This one looked… wrong.
Most of its body was a pastel yellow, which looked beautiful in all honesty. They really popped and contrasted well.
My breath caught.
"Shiny!?"
I stared for a solid five seconds just to make sure I wasn't imagining it.
Then I exhaled.
"At this point, I have to catch it even if it hates me. I'm sorry." I muttered. There was no way in hell that any self-respecting person would refuse a shiny.
I stepped forward with vigor. The excitement was clear as day. "Hey. Rookidee. Let's battle!"
The bird reacted instantly. Dropped from the branch and came at us, fearless and aggressive like the others.
"Rooki (Fight me)!"
"Shellos, [Mud-Slap]!"
Just like the others, it didn't really resist much. Unable to maneuver around Shellos' attacks and dead-eye accuracy.
This time, when I released it… Rookidee still tried to attack.
"Shellos shellos (I'm tired of this, I'm gonna slime this fool)." The sea slug that had grey eyebags was officially done.
Before I could react, a sudden swoosh of water flew past my face. Directly hitting the shiny Rookidee and soaking it. The mud from the previous attack was now fully gone.
Watching carefully, the tiny bird was now docile.
'Was it the mud on its body?' I thought in disbelief. I pulled up the Pokédex and started reading more carefully about how they act.
[Rookidee will relentlessly attack anything it perceives as having dirtied its wings. Once enraged, it will not stop until the offender is driven away.]
I laughed weakly. Well, maybe it was my fault?
It chirped softly, leaning into my touch. Scratching under its neck. The shiny Rookidee started to enjoy the extra Oran berries we had as I grabbed my hair. All this time it was because Shellos used [Mud-Slap].
As I opened my Pokedex app to check his moves. In the corner of my eye, I saw Rookidee getting comfortable on Shellos' back.
"Shell (Stop)!" He couldn't do anything completely at the bird's mercy. Rookidee, who had a cheerful expression, hopped around making the Shellos look at me with a "This is your fault" face. He even shivered with the Rookidee rubbing its face on his neck.
Grookey, who was off to the side, was now dying of laughter. Smacking its stick on the ground.
'Cute.'
The little guy was just grateful for Shellos removing the mud.
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
Species: Rookidee ✨
Level: 8 (Baby)
Type: Flying
Ability: Keen Eyes
Attacking Moves: Peck, Power Trip
Auxiliary Moves: Leer, Defog (Egg), Roost (Egg)
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
'Who is the Corvinknight in the forest. This man was reproducing alright.' I thought of seeing his egg moves. Thankfully, they were the same as the past three captures, which definitely made me happy.
Taking a better look at Rookidee, I noticed some bruises. Which looked more like indents along its body.
"We need to get that checked out." Returning everybody besides Grookey. For the second time today, I ran, but this time to the Pokémon Centre. By the time I reached the Pokémon Center, I was breathing hard and probably looked a little unhinged.
Nurse Joy didn't comment and carefully took my Pokémon.
…
After twenty minutes of waiting in the lobby, just read through some forums. My name was called out.
"It's a good thing you brought Rookidee here," she said, tired. "It's been attacked repeatedly. Likely by other Rookidee. It never fully recovered since it's still young."
Oh no.
"She'll be fine now," Joy continued, making my worries go away. "But don't train it for a week or two."
There's nothing like Pokémon racism...
I nodded immediately. "Of course." Honestly, I wasn't planning to anyway with the tournament being tomorrow afternoon. When I got home, mum met me with a cheeky smile and a camera in hand.
"I can't, not, record my baby battle for the first time!" she squealed out. "Your father will also come by to watch." Hearing this, some sweat went down the side of my face. All thoughts of flexing my shiny Pokémon were gone.
'Please don't let me lose in round one.' I prayed.
…
Word Count: 2903
[A/N: I don't want Kenji to have a full team so soon, but like. Realistically, anyone transmigrating is genuinely gonna have a field day catching Pokémon if they're strong enough.
The catch was similar to my real playthrough of Pokémon Shield. Caught one Rookidee, caught another because it had an egg move, then all of a sudden a shiny popped up lmao.
We don't talk about what happened to the non-shiny Rookidees…
I will add that he won't stick with just 6 Pokémon. He may even catch a whole new 6 or more. Some for battle, travel, and mates for his Pokémon. Just know he will mainly bond with important members.]
[1] It's a real thing in Braviary's pokedex entry for Sword and Shield. I don't know why I remember this... Just randomly popped up.