14 Viridian Forest -1

Nate: Life is a race

People say life is a race, you must keep running to get as far as possible. If you can't run, walk; you can't rank crawl.

I say that's bullshit.

If you can't run, you shouldn't run in the race. The only people who can run have the right to live.

After spending quite a while in darkness, I knew that strength is everything. The weak have no right to give their opinion and do what the strong say.

So I decided to become strong. Stronger than every trainer…stronger than the elite four….stronger than my father.

For that I need strong Pokemon on my team, weak Pokemons are nothing but trash.

I thought that fate was with me when I got Chimchar who dominated every battle that he participated in.

Then I got a Charmander from the professor from the Kanto region. I chose him because I thought a pokemon with a Dragon bloodline would be strong but oh my how wrong I was.

That trash was a disgrace in the name of the dragon. He can't follow commands like Chimchar, can't use moves in spite of me feeding him T.Ms, and can't even put up a fight.

Finally, I snapped when he lost to a filthy plant that he couldn't get a single hit on. Utter disappointment.

Although Chimchar lost, he didn't humiliate me and took down that piece of plant.

Chimchar was not my first Pokemon, years ago I had a Starly.

I loved him more than anything, fed him took care of him, trained him, and did everything.

I too was a trainer that had dreams to one day become a top-rank trainer and earn fame but everything went crashing down on me the day a wild Pokemon attacked.

That bastard who I fed, took care of, trained, and shared my dreams with ran away without looking back.

Because he was weak.

I was powerless without my Pokemons, I ran..ran as far as I could but still could not escape.

The wild Pokemon scratched and chomped down on me while I was struggling. That day I realized how weak and pathetic I was.

Love? Kindness?

All those are worthless emotions

What is the use of love if you are weak!? If not for my butler coming in time, I would have died, forgotten like the passage of time.

I don't need people who are weak in my life.

That incident changed my life. Though most of my injuries and broken bones healed, the scars still remained that remind me every day that the weak had no right to live.

Don't know why but a line always surfaces in my mind said by someone " If you want to live strong, cut off every weakness in your life. Be it emotions, people, or even your beliefs"

I would remember that trainer, Aoki.

Not only because he was the one to give me my first official defeat but also helped me cut the trash out of my life.

After that loss, I found out where I lack so I decided to go easy on that Orange haired girl and dropped out of the tournament.

People would say I am cruel, a worthless bastard but, I don't care.

I don't care what happens to Charmander.

Whether he dies, lives, or begs someone to take him; I don't care.

The weak have no right to complain.

********

Viridian City

Night

"Hey Misty I got a gift for you "

"What gift ?"

Aoki took out the book he brought and held it in front of Misty

Her eyes widened after seeing the cover of the book.

"Where did you get that !!

It's the latest volume of the Erotic tales with detailed illustrations edition !!"

"So basically porn"

Misty immediately closed her mouth realizing what she did.

" Come on no need to hide, I know your secret.

I know what you carry in your bag that you rarely take out. I brought this book based on one of the books that you carry. "

Misty's face became red as Aoki basically revealed everything she hid.

"Those…are just for entertainment."

"Heh~ entertainment, what about the times when you stare at me at specific places, or what about the time when you carry some of these books to the washroom and take a lot of time"

"That….."

"I know you are a pervert from the first day we met. So don't worry about it. I am no one to judge "

Misty snatched the book from Aoki's hands and finally accepted her defeat and revealed her perverted nature.

She opened her bag and revelated the erotic magazines she was carrying and most of them were pretty costly.

"Please don't tell anyone I have these. And moreover, I only look at you and none else "

"heeee~

I promise that I am not telling anyone. Now that you are my girlfriend, I don't mind fulfilling some fantasies for you"

"Hey! that's too soon that !"

Just like that, the night passed with both of them having some fun and talking.

Aoki and Misty stayed in Viridian City for 3 more days before deciding to leave.

Aoki rechecked his supplies and decided to buy another TM for 'protect'.

Their next destination was Pewter city which had two main routes to reach from Viridian city.

They could take a route that has 5 small towns and a long route or go through route 2 and Viridian Forest which was shorter than the first one.

Both the routes were longer than expected with the latter being the most dangerous and the former being the safest.

Misty came to Viridian city before using the first route on her bike. Misty wanted to avoid going through the Viridian forest due to her fear of bugs but Aoki reassured her that he would ensure that no bugs came near her.

Aoki had browsed through the missions available for rangers and chose the one to catch 3 Beedrills and collect Beedrill honey.

The Viridian was one of the most dangerous places in the region of Kanto. It was a large forest home to wild pokemon up to the master ranks.

Sometimes even elite rank pokemon can be seen. Due to the danger, the forest possesses, a specific route is to be followed if they want to reach Pewter city safely avoiding those strong pokemon.

In this forest pokemon like Caterpie line, Weedle line, Pidgey line, Pichu line, Ekans line, Scyther, Pincer, Venonat line, Oddish line, etc can be found.

Some say that even Bulbasaur can be found deep within the forest, but no one wants to take the risk of angering the Venusaur community, who are said to be the main rulers of this forest.

A lot of people still go in search of Bulbasaur but never return back.

Aoki had planned to make his Pidgey eat a lot of bug Pokemon before breaking into intermediate rank.

Bug Pokemon was a typical diet of bird Pokemons that was abundant in this forest.

Aoki expected that Misty would refute Pidgey eating wild Pokemons but she had no problem as she has seen wild pokemon eating each other since her childhood.

Before going to Viridian forest they had to pass through route 2 which was around 10 km.

This area had very few wild pokemon which made it an ideal spot for training Pokemon. Aoki brought out Bellsprout and started his training for Solar beam and bullet seed.

He released his Pidgey and challenged every trainer there till afternoon.

Everyone here had seen Aoki's match and wanted to try their luck against his second Pokemon that he didn't reveal in the tournament.

Seeing the size of Pidgey some people even assumed that it was Pidegotto. It was fun seeing Junior rank pokemon thrashing intermediate rank pokemon.

Pidgey had weights on the entire time which made him work harder to win. Pidgey had enough energy to evolve to Pideotto but Aoki told them to suppress it till she learned ' steel wing'.

In the end, he made around 5k Pokedolls and gave Pidgey a good battle experience. Misty didn't sit Idly and trained her Pokemon too in a water source nearby that came from Viridian Forest.

Out of all the trainers present there no one wanted to go through the Viridian forest.

Some trainers were confident in their training but after participating in the tournament and fighting Aoki today their confidence was severely broken.

Most of the trainers here were from a common background so they didn't have a lot of resources to raise their pokemon, so they wished to take the safer route to Pewter City.

Every year almost 50 % of the trainers give up around the second gym while 25 % around the other gyms. Only 20-30 % manage to reach the Pokemon league.

They entered the Viridian forest after another day of training and set up a camp there after walking for a while.

The forest was filled with tall trees and long grass with constant sounds of insects chirping. Many places were dark as the trees made a canopy giving it an eerie vibe.

Aoki and Misty had changed their attire to a full shirt and jeans as they were going to the forest where there were a lot of insects and poisonous plants.

Aoki ordered his Pokemon to repel every Bug Pokemon.

Pidgey was allowed to eat them but Bellsprout was not as it would do no good to him. He was allowed to try if he could suck the poison from them.

A lot of Bug pokemon were attracted by the scent of Aoki's food which was successfully repelled.

Aoki took out a bottle of 'super repel ' and sprayed it everywhere so Bugs would stay away for a while.

He took out the Pokeball of Charmander and released him. Charmander after coming out looked everywhere curiously, Aoki took out a plate and gave him food that was made to cure his malnutrition first.

Charmander who was known for his immense Pride got devastated after his trainer abandoned him. Aoki became the support he needed.

Flashback to the day before :

Charmander watched the clash between Pidgey and Bellsprout gritting his teeth with frustration.

'Time to truly get him on my side'

"Hey Charmander do you want to become strong ?" Aoki said standing in front of Charmander blocking his vision from the fight.

Charmander turned his attention towards Aoki who looked at him with determination in his eyes.

"I can make you strong...stronger than you could ever imagine.

Your trainer abandoned you because you were weak...Don't you want to prove not him to him but to yourself that you are not weak... Don't you want to want to make him regret his decision when he sees you again? "

Aoki could see the brightness his Charmander's eyes increase.

"See those two. They were even weaker than you two weeks ago but under these two weeks, they have achieved that level.

If you want to become strong…you will have to follow me…obey my every command…think as I want you to…eat as I want you to…and fight as I want you to… believe in me as I want you to.

So Charmander put your complete trust in me, I shall take you to the top. "

Boom !!

An explosion behind Aoki as Bellsprout and Pidgey clash creating a dramatic effect.

"You will get only one chance. It's now or never.

Will you take my help to become strong or struggle as your previous trainer wanted you to?

The decision is yours to make. "

The fire in Charmander's eyes intensified as Aoki's words resonated inside his mind.

'I want to be strong…no the strongest…the strongest Charizard out there. For that, I am ready to do anything…anything !!!

~Chaaar !!!!~ Charmander came near Aoki looking directly into his eyes and kneeled before him accepting his proposal.

"What are you doing?

You are a proud Dragon, don't you dare kneel before anyone. Even if you are dying kneeling is not an option "

Aoki forwarded his fist before Charmander.

"I don't need soldiers who just follow my commands, I need companions who I can trust my back to.

So Charmander are you willing to become that for me ?!"

A smile bloomed on Chamander's face as he forwarded his claws to meet Aoki's doing a fist bump.

"Good to have you on the team buddy "

This is how Charmander officially became one of Aoki's team members who was going to shake the world in the future.

Another reason was that Charmander had joined Nate a few days ago so his bond was not so strong with him. Not everyone was like Aoki and his Pokemon.

After eating Aoki's food, the eyes of Charmander lit up as he hungrily devoured everything and looked toward Aoki asking for more. Before today Aoki only has him purely nutritious food which was good but not as tasty as his normal food. But from today onwards, he will be tasting Aoki's real food.

Charmander gave the expected reaction after eating the new dish which made Bellsprout and Pidgey give a wide smile.

Misty saw this scene and muttered ' Another one bites the dust '.

After a tasty lunch, Aoki started teaching Charmander his version of calm mind and breathing exercises.

Every trainer had their specialty so Misty didn't ask Aoki to teach her that.

Aoki noted that Charmander didn't have proper control over his fire energy and no control over dragon-type energy.

He decided to focus on fire-type energy and started teaching him with slow instructions.

It would take around 2 days for Charmander to return to a healthy condition until then Aoki decided to train Charmander only in energy and confidence training.