My Pokemon Adventure by Melissa Nichols (speed reading book TXT) 📕

and he refused to stay still. “Tailow, if you stay still for just a minute I’ll give you a Berry.” I said, sure that bribing him would get him to stay still. It worked. I gave him his Berry and got the pictures of Tod’s Pokémon. I trained with my Pokémon while the film dried. I was starting to like Rita, but Ponyta’s majestic power was also calling to me.  I definitely would not be sending these two home.

Before long, it was time for us to start on our way. Tod and I shouldered our backpacks and the eight of us headed out.

“Hey, Tod, what town are we going to? And how far is it?”

“We are going to Nutmeg City. We should get there sometime tomorrow. And, if you’re interested, it has a Pokémon Gym. If I’m not mistaken, it’s a Grass-Type.”

“Really? What’s a Gym?”

“A Pokémon Gym is where you can get a Gym Badge if you beat the Gym Leader. For most Trainers, it’s a symbol of strength and power. For others, it’s just something to carry around. The rest of the Trainers don’t care at all. Me? I want to challenge every Gym, just for fun.”

“Okay. Are all Gym’s Grass-Type? And what do you mean?”

“What I mean is, each Leader likes a certain type of Pokémon. And every trainer in the Gym uses the same kind as the Leader. It’s really good practice. You see, Kiara, there are many types of Pokémon.  Grass, Fire, Water, Electric, Psychic, Ghost, Poison, Normal, Flying, Dragon, Steel, Ice, Fighting, Bug, Rock, Ground and Dark.  And each individual Pokémon knows several moves that match its type. The trick to being a good Trainer is knowing what type the opponent Pokémon is, using a Pokémon who’s type is super effective against the opponent and having your Pokémon use moves that matches your Pokémon’s type. Like…I have a Marill, a Water-type. She is super-effective against your Ponyta, a Fire-type, if she uses a Water-type move, like Water Gun. However, if she uses a Normal-type move, like Tackle, she won’t inflict as much damage. And Ponyta is super-effective against Chickorita if Ponyta uses Ember, a Fire-type move.  And your Chikorita is super effective against my Marill if she uses Razor Leaf. Do you understand?”

“I think so. So, to achieve super-effective, my Pokémon herself and the move she uses has to be of a type that is super-effective to the opponent Pokémon. Fire and Ember against Grass. Water and Water Gun against Fire. Grass and Razor Leaf against Water. Right?”

“That’s right. Now, those are just the three basic Types. It gets a lot more complicated. Grass is weak to Fire and Ember, as well as Poison and Sludge, Bug and Bug Bite, and Flying and Wing Attack. Oh, you might want to write all of this down. It’s a lot to remember.” He said. We stopped long enough for me to dig out my notebook and pen. Then I shouldered the backpack again and we started walking again. “Now, try to write it down. Grass is weak to Fire, Poison, Bug and Flying.” He summarized and I tried to figure out a good writing system that would make it easy to understand and would not require so much writing. In the end, I decided to just write it in pure words. ‘Grass weak to Fire, Poison, Bug and Flying,’

“Normal is weak to…” Tod continued. And that’s how the rest of the day went. Tod told me all about Pokémon types, their strengths and their weaknesses and how to know which Pokémon to use to achieve super effective. He also told me how to know which Pokémon is which type. The Fire was usually either red or orange. The Water’s had only two options: Blue color or a fish-shaped body. Grass was usually green. Bug was a little more difficult. If it didn’t have the body of an obvious Bug, then it had claws. Flying types were real easy. Wings.

We stopped many times throughout the day. Either to engage a wild Pokémon in battle or to rest or to pick some Berries off the trees. By the time I had slipped into my bed, I had six Pokémon in my tent. Ponyta, Rita, Tailow, Skitty, Ratatta, and Geodude. It was going to get difficult training six Pokémon now, but I don’t want send them home already.

In the morning, I was up and ready to go earlier than I was yesterday. I spent the extra time filling in my scrapbook. The pictures I had taken yesterday were still blank so I wrote each Pokémon’s name in the space below the picture before sliding the picture into the book. When I had all of the pictures filed away, I had to put Skitty, Ratatta and Geodude in their PokéBalls and put the Balls into the drawstring pouch. Then, I started writing to my family about my adventure thus far. I had so much to tell them already. I told them everything, including the effectiveness of a certain Pokémon against another. I had to refer to my notebook often, but it helped to plant it even more into my brain. I can’t be checking the notebook during every battle when I challenge the Gym.

When I was finished, Tod finally woke up and he gave me the promised quiz while I helped him pack. I wanted to get to Nutmeg City as soon as possible for many reasons. Mostly because it was the first town since I left ColdRiver, also because I needed to stock up in PokéBalls, letters, Berries, Potions and get my team rested at a Pokémon Center. I also needed to buy more pens. I had a feeling I would need them in the future, a lot, so I figured I should stock up while I can.

Tod taught me more on the way to Nutmeg City. He gave me advice on how to know which Pokémon I should keep in my team and which ones to send back home.  I got most of the important stuff down in my notebook.

After a few hours, the Pokémon started getting antsy, racing ahead then racing back to us, then ahead again and back.

“What’s the matter, Tailow?” I said, scratching his chest. He did Wing Attack at a passing tree and I got the message.

“Hey, Tod, have you noticed the Pokémon are getting anxious? I think they want to battle.”

“Well, it’s possible. The probably want to see how strong they are because of all the training their getting. So, should we divide them into teams or should the battle be between you and me?”

“I don’t know. You’re the expert.”

“I’m no expert. But you do need to know how to battle another Trainer.”

“Okay.”

He nodded then whistled, loud and shrill, through his teeth. All of our Pokémon rushed toward him, ready to hear his instructions.

“Now, Kiara, because you have six and I have three, we should even out our numbers.”

“Good idea. Here, I’ll loan you Rattata. Since I haven’t had time to train her, Skitty will sit out.” I said, digging the PokéBall out of the drawstring attached to my jeans belt loop. When I found it, I tossed it at him and the two sides drew to opposite ends of the clearing. Rattata didn’t understand and stuck with me. “Rattata, go with Tod. It’s only for a little while, boy. It’s okay.” I said, pointing to Tod and his team. He went and I summoned poor Skitty back into her PokéBall.

“Okay, I’m ready!” I shouted at Tod.

“Now, since I challenged you, I’m going to send out one Pokémon, then you.” He replied. “Marill, you’re up!”

So, you’re sending out Marill, huh? Then I’ll have to send out Rita. “Rita, go!” I commanded, and Rita bounded into the intersection, right across from Marill.

“Now, I’ll attack. Then it will be your turn. We continue like that until one of our Pokémon faints. You can track your Pokémon’s HP on your PokéDex, which I placed in your key items pocket of your backpack.” Tod said. I dug in the pocket, pulled out the PokéDex, flipped it open and pointed the identifying laser at Chikorita. A bar and her picture came up. The bar was currently green, filled and bore the numbers 20/20 and ‘Level 5’ was in one of the corners.

“Are you ready? Kiara?”

“Yeah!”

“Marill, use Tackle!” Tod shouted. Marill didn’t hesitate. She bounded forward and slammed right into Chikorita. The bar on the PokéDex’s screen went down and the numbers changed from 20/20 to 15/20.

“You know, you can have Rita avoid the attack!” Tod said, telling me of an option I didn’t know about. I waved in thanks before sending Rita out with Razor Leaf. When Marill was in one place long enough, I pointed the laser at her and her information came up. Level 7,  18/25, one section of the bar missing.

“Marill, Water Gun!” Tod shouted, claiming his turn.

“Get out of the way, Rita!” I yelled. To my surprise, Rita jumped straight up just before the torrent of water could slam into her. She landed to the right of the stream and I didn’t hesitate in shouting her attack orders.

And so the battle progressed. Rita was close to fainting only once, and I sacrificed my turn to heal her. In the end, Rita won against Marill and round two was soon underway. Between the two rounds, I healed Rita again and gave her a Berry as a treat for her hard work.

Round two saw “Tod’s” Rattata against Ponyta. Most of the stats were similar, so the winner would be so only by using strength. Ponyta won, but it was a close one. She almost fainted only one time, and that was her final turn after Rattata attacked. I could see how weak Rattata was HP-wise and I had Ponyta attack instead of healing her.

Round three was so easy. Pikachu against Rita. Poor Pikachu was done in three moves.

Three down, one to go.

Round four, Tod sent out his last Pokémon, Charmander.  I sent out Geodude. Needless to say, we dominated the field with Rock Blast.

After it was over, Tod returned my Rattata and summoned his defeated Pokémon back into their PokéBalls so they can rest. I did the same with Rattata and gave Rita, Ponyta and Geodude a Berry.

“Well done, you three. Very well done!” I said, patting each Pokémon as added encouragement. “That was fun, Tod!”

“Yeah, you fought well. Phew! Oh, here.” He said, reaching into his pocket. He tried to hand me some money, but I refused.

“Tod, I can’t…”

“You have to. Rules of the battle. Besides, if you never accept your reward, how can you afford to buy more stuff for your Pokémon?”

I wrinkled up the corner of my mouth in a sign of dislike, but I accepted his money. Six hundred fifty Poké.

After that, only two Pokémon were still energetic, so I had them battle each other. I gave no orders, healed no one. This battle was like the ones they had experienced when they were wild. But I still gave them Berries for work and effort.

It was just starting to get dark when lights started to make themselves known over a hill not too far ahead.

“What’s that, Tod?” I asked, not used to seeing lights at night.

“That is Nutmeg City, Kiara.” He said as we came to the summit. Directly below us was Nutmeg City, a huge expanse of lights, buildings and people.

“Come on!” I yelled as I took off running all out for Nutmeg City. I was here, the first town I’ve ever been to besides ColdRiver.

“Kiara!” Tod shouted, but it was too late. I was beyond slowing down. The next thing I know, Ponyta is blocking my path and I’m too close to her to stop or go around. So, I tripped.

“Kiara, now will you listen?!” He shouted as he jogged up beside me.

“Yes, Tod. I’m listening.”

“You can’t just go running into a town. Having Pokémon, you mature. You’re not a little kid anymore. You have to act like an adult.”

“But why?”

“Because