Journal Entry: Welcome to the Real World of Pokémon
Our journey started with Phanpy causing a ruckus! The comfort of my bed was nice, but I couldn't become the very best if I never left home! Professor Oak entrusted us with the Pokedex so that both of our dreams could come true.
Our first encounters in the tall grass by our home were a wild Bellsprout and Weedle! These little guys had always scared me growing up, but now that I was older, and finally a Pokemon Trainer, I could see that they were just trying to live their lives.
Eventually, We found ourselves the farthest from home we had ever been. Day turned to evening, but we would have to make it to Pewter City before night. The one thing in our way? Viridian Forest. Fortunately, Phanpy had been waiting for this adventure, and was confident in his abilities to guide us to safety! Oh- and a wild Metapod attached himself to my backpack- He looked scared…
We started to run out of time. It was now the middle of the night, and Viridian Forest felt endless. The trees loomed over us like dark giants, and every rustle in the bushes sent a chill down my spine. Phanpy pressed forward with determination, but even he seemed to slow his pace. Metapod clung silently to my backpack, hissing at the sounds of leaves crunching. I thought to myself that it couldn't get much worse than this when all of a sudden…
Phanpy jumped to the front, and Butterfree used Confusion. Phanpy started to look lost in the battle, so I tried to run, but we couldn't escape. As Phanpy went in for another Tackle, Bellsprout and Weedle burst out of their Poké Balls to protect him!
Butterfree struck down Bellsprout and Weedle in one swift move. I scooped up their small, injured bodies and scurried off into the night, racing desperately toward the end of the forest. The darkness pressed in around us as Phanpy led the charge, his little feet thumping against the dirt path. Eventually, in the dead of night, two golden portals shimmered through the patches of grass ahead. The Pokémon Center stood at the edge of the forest, and Nurse Joy and Chansey rushed to meet us with wide, concerned eyes, wasting no time in taking the team into their care.
Unfortunately, there was nothing Nurse Joy could do. It was too late. Phanpy, Metapod, and I said our goodbyes. We were all angry and scared- hell, even I could barely hold myself together. Metapod sat in silence, and Phanpy buried his face against my leg. Metapod felt the burden of responsibility heavy on his shoulders, as though the outcome of that dark night rested squarely on him.
As I slumped over on the waiting room chairs, Phanpy nuzzled against my leg. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Metapod inch toward the exit of the building. I dragged myself up and followed. As I reached the sliding glass doors, I saw Metapod's silhouette lurch toward the bushes. He must have felt so responsible for what had happened, the fact that those underevolved Pokémon had died, and that he wasn’t fully evolved yet to have protected them. I stepped closer to see what he was doing in the bushes, and there he was, fiercely battling a wild Rattata. I pulled out my Pokédex to check the data on Rattata and saw that Metapod had grown to level 10. And then the most amazing thing happened…
In the shadow of grief, something remarkable had happened. Metapod had evolved into Butterfree, becoming the first fully evolved Pokémon on the team. It felt bittersweet, a small light in what had been a very dark day. Now that we had made it to Pewter City, earning our first Gym Badge would have to wait until tomorrow. We were exhausted, but we were together. See you then!