I T'S NOT EASY MAKING
A NAME FOR YOURSELF ―

She headed east, toward Hiwada Town. She had thought it would be a stepping stone in her own training to travel to the southernmost point of the johto region. A milestone that truly meant nothing, and yet it was struck onto her list of goals. She also considered stopping at the gym. The woman had been traveling for awhile now, and still hadn't challenged a single one. As her team grew, they yearned for strength. Fran considered the only way to get stronger, is to fight difficult opponents. Maybe that's what the establishment of gyms was truly about. 

And the road before her was quiet, leaving her with her thoughts. The air felt thick and muggy, humidity above average. Bugs buzzed beyond the immediate trees, and something else began to rustle in the grass. 

A large, dark-furred canine appeared on the path suddenly. It looked attentive, and as soon as the beast caught wind of Fran's presence, it became aggressive. The trainer had never seen this pokemon before. She clicked her pokedex to swiftly educate her on the threat. 

The mightyena, as it was called, pulled its snout back in a snarl, teeth bared, a growl gurgling within its throat. Fran slowly reached for her belt, wary of making a sudden move. The wild dog barked. The wild-haired woman had just pulled a device from her side when the pokemon lunged at her. 

Fran quickly released her trapinch, regretful of having to  throw it into the heat of battle so suddenly. She could see the enemy's teeth begin to spark before it ripped its bite into San Antonio. Thunder fang was an impressive move, but not in this instance. Electricity had no effect on the ground-typed insectoid. Still, San Antonio flinched as he was bit, and the mightyena picked up the smaller pokemon, tossing him to the side. 

"You're alright, San Antonio, Use superpower" Fran called. The mightyena growled again, slowly re-approaching the insectoid. San Antonio rolled himself back onto his stubby feet, willing the sticks, branches, and rocks in the surrounding area into the air. All these weapons launched at the mightyena, overwhelming it with a barrage of nature. The dog became cut and bruised, but it refused to move. "San Anotonio," Fran started, "stop." That willpower, something was strange about it. 

San Antonio stopped his attack, as his trainer had instructed, and they looked on at the tattered beast. Out from the grasses where the mightyena had first appeared came two small poochyenas. They must have been her pups. The mightyena leaped to her children, still growling, and ferried them across the path. The mother limped away, still protecting her pups. 

Even if they hadn't finished the enemy, Fran didn't feel bad about the results of that fight. She pulled a granola out of her waist bag, and tossed it to her lightly bruised trapinch. He caught it in his maw, eating the snack ravenously. The two continued forward. 

491 words. trapinch/san antonio +2. exp share +1.

by sixsmith.

I T'S NOT EASY MAKING
A NAME FOR YOURSELF ―

Fran traveled together with her trapinch in solace, enjoying the sounds of Ilex forest It was an orchestra of chirping woodwinds and growling brass. The woman left a trail of granola in her wake, only to be picked up hungrily by the pokemon following close behind. 

The shaded path began to wind through an even denser population of trees. Absent-mindedly, the trainer reached out and touched one. The rough bark felt powerful under her fingertips. 

There was a lot of strength to be had in nature; that was one of the reasons Fran started her journey in the first place. To witness and hone these strengths and become a force to be reckoned with. To find exceptional trainers and fight difficult battles that pushed her, and her team, to the edge. That's what it was all about. 

While the duo continued through the thick of the trees, a pair of wandering eyes began to stalk them. They followed quietly for a long time, but made the mistake of stepping on and snapping a twig. Fran turned slowly, tuning into the suspicious disturbance beyond her reach. The wild beast, now caught in the act, revealed himself to her. 

A houndour; Fran recognized this creature from her encounter with the ice path. It was a fierce fire-type, and no doubt willing to put up a good fight. The dog began to growl. 

Deciding this was a match best suited for a water-type, Fran returned San Antonio to his pokeball. She switched the device with one identical within her hand. A slowpoke burst  out of a shroud of white light, cooing affectionately. His dopey eyes landed on the hostile beast before him, but felt only the urge to love the houndour. He took a step forward in pursuit of these feelings. The dog lunged forward.

Teeth bared, Fran could tell her pokemon was going to be bit again. "Columbia, use you tail to defend!" The trainer had considered how prying the houndour off Columbia may be easier when the point of contact was further outside the body. The pink salamander swung his tail in front of himself, wincing as the dog wrapped his jaw around it. 

"Now use your water gun," she ordered. A powerful stream of water pushed the wild dog off of Columbia's tail, and into the bushes further away. It did not return. 

The slowpoke began to saunter toward the area his enemy had fallen, but his trainer grabbed him by the hips. "No no, we're going," she said sternly. Columbia turned to look at Fran. He loved her more than anything, and her wishes were law. He followed after her slowly, with a throbbing pain in his tail. The duo brushed against the trees, chasing the distant sun. 

459 words. slowpoke/columbia +2. exp share +1.

by sixsmith.

I T'S NOT EASY MAKING
A NAME FOR YOURSELF ―

It did not feel like the woman and her slowpoke had been traveling long before another wild pokemon decided to step in their path. An ugly small thing with spiky purple fur. Fran did not recognize it, and pulled out her pokedex to brief her on the subject matter. 

Columbia, on the other hand, was pleased. He pushed himself forward on his stubby paws, staring at the wild creature affectionately. The stunky, as it was called, did not return these feelings. 

At the sight of an approaching pokemon, the skunk attacked. It opened its mouth and released a thick smoke which quickly enveloped the surrounding area. Fran began to choke on the gas, coughing uncontrollably. The slowpoke became concerned for his trainer, but he could not see her. He could not see his enemy either. The stunky had successfully eluded its foes. Fran could only assume that the fight had just begun. 

"Columbia, you have to use water gun. Try to blast some holes in this smoke," it was a long shot, but the pokemon knew no better than his trainer. The pink salamander lowered his jaw and spat a stream of water into the unknown. He did not know whether or not he had made contact with the stunky, but he needed to clear this smoke. The slowpoke began to oscillate his head back in forth, the force of his attack slowly beginning to dissipate the gas before them. Fran could breath a little easier, and she thought she heard their foe cry out, as though it had been hit. 

But the water gun came to a sudden end when the stunky leaped from behind its smoke barrier. It lunged with great strength at the slowpoke, knocking the pokemon in the head with its feint attack. Columbia was forced back a few paces, his head lightly throbbing. 

"Hit 'em back with a tackle!" Fran called out. Her admirer followed instructions, slowly galloping forward to close the distance between him and his opponent. 

The stunky braced itself, but could not withstand the power of the better pokemon. It fell backward, a bump forming atop its head. The wild creature hit its crown on the dirt, and fell unconscious. 

Columbia was about to go see if the skunk wanted some snuggles to feel better, but Fran caught him by the tail. He turned around to look at her. "Good job," she commented. His heart absolutely melted. The slowpoke completely forgot about his stunky friend, and pushed himself into the arms of his trainer. Fran, a little reluctant, wrapped her arms around her pokemon.

"All right, let's go," she woman said. She lifted the eighty-pound beast into her arms, slinging his head over her shoulder like a baby. Her pokemon cooed happily, and they moved on. 

464 words. slowpoke/columbia +2. exp share +1.
conclusion

by sixsmith.