//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Enter Viridian Forest 
// Story: My Little Pokemon Silver Spoon Version 
// by Fashionably Late 
//------------------------------//

I had my bag and my pokemon. I could set off and continue my journey right now. Discord gave me a potential lead in Viridian Forest. And after that? 

The problem was that I didn’t know where to start. Discord wanted me to collect eight gym badges, but where would I find them? Kanto was a big region and it looked like it would take weeks to walk from city to city.

“You’re up early.” I nearly jumped out of my skin when Misty came up behind me.

“Uh, you too.” I noticed. “Good morning.”

“Aw, what’s the matter? Yesterday you really took charge around those Team Rocket creeps!” She smirked. “I have to say, for a newbie trainer you put on a pretty good show.”

“Really?” I laughed nervously. “I guess it was because the stakes were so high. All those pokemon.”

“Yeah, you have to be absolute scum to try stealing sick and injured pokemon.” She made a visible effort to shake them from her mind. “By the way, I’m planning on following Ash until he pays me back for my bike. I guess this makes us travel buddies!” She finished with a much friendlier tone.

“Travel buddies?” I repeated. It was true that I’d started out traveling with Ash. I didn’t exactly have any better ideas. “Yeah, I guess so.”

We shook on it.

“So continuing from where we left off yesterday,” She sat down on the steps beside me. “I’m a water pokemon trainer. I left home to become a Master of water pokemon. What about you?”

“Me? Uh,” It became clear that I had not thought this through. I scrambled to think of something. “I just wanted to go off on an adventure.”

“That’s it?” 

“It was a sudden journey.” I said with a small shrug.

“Well if you ever want to talk about water pokemon then you know who to call!” Misty elbowed me jokingly.

I could’ve traveled alone but I was glad I didn’t have to.






Ash and Misty made interesting companions. Interesting the same way Applejack and Rainbow Dash would go on a dare. You just have to know who will win.

“Um, maybe we could talk about something else? Anything else?” I suggested after a record breaking twenty minute argument about the much lamented bike. The argument had brokered no new ground and in fact had gone backwards in progress.

I was about five seconds away from losing my mind.

“You can’t let guys like this think they can get one over you, Sarah.” Misty kept her eyes narrowed at Ash. “They’ll walk away without giving you what they owe.”

“I already promised to pay for the bike!” Ash snapped. “And what do you mean guys like me?”

“I mean rookie trainers who don’t know the first thing about pokemon!” Misty sneered. “Sarah told me about how you threw a rock at a Spearow!”

“And Sarah caught it!” He retorted.

“Well at least she caught something. All you have is that Pikachu!” She put her hands on her hips. “Not much of a trainer at all really.”

“Oh yeah? I’ll show you!” He started scouring the forest for some pokemon to catch.

“At least they’re arguing about something other than bikes now.” I muttered under my breath.

“Hmph, you couldn’t catch a pokemon if one climbed up your leg.” Misty scoffed. “In fact I…I…”

“Misty?” We looked at her quizzically. She’d frozen in place, a statue in the middle of the forest. Her face rapidly lost all trace of color.

All this thanks to the giant worm crawling on her shoe.

“AAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” 

Wow, and I thought Rarity was loud.

Thoroughly deafened, I did my best to comfort Misty after picking the bug off her. “A buuug! It touched me! WAAaaah!”

“There, there,” I rubbed her back.

“Oh wow, a Caterpie!” Ash pulled out his pokedex.

“Caterpie, the Bug Pokemon. It is capable of devouring leaves twice its size and can emit a foul odor from its antennae when it feels threatened.” The Pokedex reported.

“Caterpie, you’re mine.” Ash swore, pulling out a pokeball. “Go pokeball!”  He threw the pokeball, once again exhibiting excellent aim.

Caterpie didn’t even put up a fight. The pokeball blinked once and was sealed.

“I did it! I caught a pokemon all by myself! Look at it! Look, Sarah!” He ran up and shoved the pokeball under my nose.

“I’m looking, I’m looking.” I promised.

“I’m looking at a trio of idiots.” Whispered a voice.

“Wha? Who said that?” Ash yelled out glaring around the forest.

“Er! No one! No one but us trees here! Hehehe.” Replied a rustling tree.

“Bulba!

“Look! It’s a talking tree!” Exclaimed an astounded Ash.

“Ash! There’s no such things as talking trees!” Misty berated.

Having had enough of the comedy routine, I walked toward the tree and saw a blonde maned filly sitting on a tree branch with a Bulbasaur on her lap.

“...hello there.” She awkwardly waved at me.

“Why are you in a tree?”

“...ambush?”

“What do you mean by ambush?” Ash and Misty ran up to where I was.

“Ok ok, fine.” The filly picked up her Bulbasaur and jumped down to the ground. “I saw you three entering the forest and thought maybe I could get a decent battle.” She admitted.

“You want a battle? Sure, I’ll battle you.” Ash offered.

“Not you.” She refuted stepping past Ash. “Her.” She looked at me.

“Why Sarah?” Misty stepped in between us.

“I’ve got three pokemon, she’s got three pokemon, so why not a two on two battle?” She shrugged.

“I don’t know.” I wasn’t sure about this. I mean, it was one thing to fight against criminals trying to steal pokemon, but to battle for fun?

“Ah come on. How else are you supposed to earn Gym Badges?” Huh?

“What do you mean by that?”

“What do I mean by that? What do you mean by that? You earn Gym Badges by battling and defeating Gym Leaders, that's what I mean. It’s like the first thing about pokemon. Even a rookie trainer would know that.” She finished with a smirk.

…I don’t like her. She reminded me too much of Diamond Tiara before the CMC got their cutie marks. Before anypony knew how much pressure she went through under her mom. Before I knew…

Pop.

“Vee!” Eevee stood between me and the filly.

“Saur.” Her Bulbasaur glared at Eevee.

Guess I wasn’t the only pony who didn’t like her attitude.

“I accept.” 

If Discord will only send me back home if I collected eight Gym Badges then I would play his game. That meant having to battle these Gym Leaders and training for those battles. And if battling random trainers was training then me and Eevee will wipe that smirk off her face.

“Good, I was worried that you didn’t have any back bone.” She looked towards Misty. “Why don’t you play referee?” She walked to one end of the clearing.

“Are you sure about this?” Misty looked towards me.

“Positive.” Before I could walk off Misty grabbed my arm.

“Remember, grass pokemon are weak to bird pokemon.” I nodded my head at her advice and she let go of my arm as I walked off towards the opposite end of the clearing from the blonde while Eevee moved in front of me.

“Ok then.” With a sigh she walked off towards the side between us. “This will be a two on two battle between Sarah and…”

“Flora.” The blonde filly finally introduced herself as she let Bulbasaur jump out of her arms. “Let’s show them our best Bulbasaur.”

“Bulbasaur!”

“Let’s go Eevee.”

“Vee!”

“Let the battle…begin!”

“Bullet Seed!” Flora’s Bulbasaur immediately began launching seeds at Eevee.

“Dodge Eevee!” Eevee leapt to the side and began leaping around his side of the field in hopes of dodging the Bulbasaur’s attack.

“You're not going to win just by dodging you know” Flora taunted as some seeds clipped Eevee.

She’s right, but how was Eevee going to land a hit without getting hit by Bullet Seed? Maybe…

“Eevee! Use your Sand Attack!”

“Vee!” After Eevee’s latest dodge, he quickly stood on his hind legs and slammed his front legs on the ground, sending a big cloud of sand at Flora’s Bulbasaur.

“Hey! I can’t see!” Exclaimed Flora as her Bulbasaur stopped spitting seeds at Eevee.

“Now Tackle Bulbasaur!”

“Vee. Vee. Vee!” Eevee charged through the sand cloud and tackled Bulbasaur, sending it skidding towards Flora.

“That won’t work a second time! Vine Whip!”

“Tackle again!”

Flora’s Bulbasaur quickly unleashed a pair of vines on Eevee, who managed to dodge the vines and slam into Bulbasaur again.

“Bulbasaur!” Bulbasaur slid back to Flora. “Are you ok?” Bulbasaur shook its head and gave a growl at Eevee. “Ok, use Sunny Day!”

“Tackle Bulbasaur.” I was going to need to expand Eevee’s repertoire at some point.

“Vee!” Eevee dutifully followed my order and tackled Bulbasaur who had just unleashed a white beam of light from the bulb of its back towards the sky.

Was it just me or did the sunlight get brighter?

“Now use Solar Beam!” The bulb on Bulbasaur’s back started glowing.

“Tackle!” Eevee charged at Bulbasaur whose bulb had finished glowing. 

In the blink of an eye, a beam of energy was fired from Bulbasaur’s bulb, hitting Eevee directly.

“Eevee!” I felt my heart stop as Eevee was thrown across the field, Solar Beam leaving a shallow trench in its wake.

This…this was more intense than I thought.

“Eev…vee.” Eevee twitched before slowly rising back to his feet.

“Tsk, Bulbasaur use Ingrain.” Multiple green vine-like appendices come out of Bulbasaur's bulb and dug into the ground.

“Eevee use Wish!” Eevee let out a cry and a white light shot up around his body healing him.

“Oh no, use Solar Beam!”

“Dodge it! Run around Bulbasaur!”

Eevee just barely dodged the Solar Beam and ran around to Bulbasaur’s side.

“Bulbasaur!...Bulba?” Fortunately for me and Eevee, Bulbasaur couldn’t turn to face Eevee as it was firmly rooted into the ground.

“Tackle!”
“Protect!”

Before Eevee could land a Tackle, Bulbasaur was covered by a light blue sphere that bounced Eevee back.

“Tackle again!”
“Protect again!”

Eevee tried tackling Bulbasaur only for Protect to kick in again a second time.

Thwack.

“Bulbasaur!”

But not the third time.

The third Tackle had even dislodged Bulbasaur from the ground, preventing it from healing.

“Finish it with Tackle!”

“Vee. Eevee!” With one more tackle Eevee launched Bulbasaur back towards Flora.

“Bulbasaur!” Flora could only look on in worry as Bulbasaur tried to stand up only to slump to the ground.

“Bulbasaur is unable to battle.” Misty announced as Flora returned Bulbasaur.

“...I sense I’ve made a mistake of some kind…” Flora deadpanned.

“Yeah, show her how it’s done Sarah!” Ash cheered from the sideline.

“...your foe’s weak, get’em Oddish!” Flora yelled as she threw out her second pokemon.

“Oddish!”

Oddish was about as tall as Caterpie and had a round body with leaves sprouting from its head.

“...Eevee return.”

“Vee!?”

“What!? You’re returning Eevee?” Everyone stared gobsmacked at me.

“Eevee’s been through enough and I still have two pokemon left.” I pointed out as Eevee returned to my side.

“...ok I’m intrigued.” Flora said thoughtfully.

“Ok then.” Misty gave the go ahead.

“Go Spearow!” I threw out Spearow’s pokeball.

“Spearow!?” Flora cried in shock along with Oddish.

“Spearow!” Crowed Spearow.

“Oddish versus Spearow. Begin!”

“Bullet Seed!”
“Quick Attack!”

Oddish let loose a string of seeds as Spearow jumped up and flew up high into the sky before diving down at Oddish.

Thwack.

“Oddish!” Oddish cried as it was thrown off its feet.

“Absorb!”
“Quick Attack again!”

Before Oddish could even stand up Spearow rammed into Oddish again and launched it into a tree.

“Oddish is unable to battle. Sarah is the winner!” Misty announced as Oddish slowly slid down from the tree.

“...yep I’ve definitely made a mistake.” Flora determined as she returned Oddish and stared at her pokeball. Looking up from the pokeball and at me she gave me a small smile. “Ok, that was awesome. Honestly I wasn’t expecting much from ya, but I’m actually glad you proved me wrong. Guess I’ve still got a lot to learn huh?” She held out her hand to me.

“I guess…are battles supposed to be that intense?” I took her hand and she shook it.

“Nope, not at all. Sometimes it’s a quick one shot like Ash’s Caterpie over there.” 

“Hey!” 

“And sometimes you get a gym level battle like what we just went through. And trust me, you’ve got what it takes to take on the gyms.” She leaned in closer. “You should get yourself a Butterfree and Oddish for utility and teach any of your grass type pokemon Bullet Seed and then you can beat the Pewter and Cerulean gyms easily.” She leaned back and patted me on the shoulder. “Well it was nice to meet you, but I gotta head back to Viridian and heal my pokemon. Take care now.”

With her piece said she began walking away from us.

“See you later Silver!”






We stopped for the night shortly afterwards. I…I didn’t pay attention to what Ash and Misty were saying. My mind was focused on that Flora filly…girl, fillies were called girls here I reminded myself.  Specifically the last thing she said.

“See you later Silver!”

She said my name, or at least the first half. Was that supposed to be her nickname for me or did she actually know my name? It seemed suspicious that she would just follow three strangers into a forest just for a battle, or maybe it was just how things were done in this world. If she knew me then why didn’t she say so…actually with Ash and Misty around she couldn’t without sounding crazy and possibly ratting me out. She could have asked to talk to me alone…no that wouldn’t work either. A stranger just following people and asking to speak to one of them, especially if said stranger was hiding in a tree.

And why was she hiding in a tree in the first place?

She did say ambush, so maybe she was ambushing us? But why us? Ash just started his journey and while Misty was temperamental she clearly was a good human. And me?

Ok, if she was from this world then she had no reason to single me out besides the fact I had three pokemon. Maybe Trainers in this world did decide to battle other Trainers just because they made eye contact.

But if she was from Equestria? Then why was she here, in this world, in the first place? As far as I know, and I’ll admit I didn’t know much about this subject, there wasn’t a portal to this world and Discord was the only one who could just toss ponies into other dimensions. And if she was from Equestria then how did she recognize me? I didn’t recognize her and Ponyville was a small town so I’d have to have seen her if she lived in Ponyville. It’s not like I was an Element of Harmony, or a fashion designer or Wonderbolt. I was just a small town filly.

If Discord sent her then why? To check on me? I had the Pokegear, he could call me whenever he wanted and he didn’t seem adverse to reading my mind, as horrifying as that thought was. To spy on me then? She was hiding in a tree and challenged me to a battle. But Discord didn’t seem the type to work with other ponies and who would be crazy enough to work with him?

…maybe I was overthinking this. I clearly didn’t have enough information to draw a conclusion from and I may never even see her again despite her promise. I was just worrying about a strong Trainer challenging me out of nowhere for no reason.

I should be glad I have Ash and Misty traveling with me just in case that encounter turned out worse than what actually happened. Even if they both like arguing too much.






“AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

I nearly gave myself a concussion as I tried to roll out of my sleeping bag. I ended up slamming my fist into my face. It’s not a good way to start your day.

“What? Whu? Huh?” Ash didn’t bother scrambling out of his bag, somehow able to leap to his feet while still bundled up.

“WHY IS YOUR BUG SLEEPING SO CLOSE TO ME?!?!” Misty screamed.

“Wha? Is that why you’re screaming?” He blinked tiredly at her. “Caterpie didn’t mean any harm by it.”

“It’s gross and slimy! Keep it away from me!” 

I finished extracting myself from my sleeping bag.

“Caterpie? Hey, Caterpie! Don’t listen to her!” I turned around to see what Ash was worrying about. Caterpie had crawled over to its pokeball and returned itself. Ash picked up the pokeball sadly before turning on Misty.

“Now see what you did? Pokemon have feelings too you know!” He snapped.

“I don’t care about the feelings of icky pokemon! And I’m not going to apologize!” She crossed her arms and huffed. “Now that that’s settled, let’s hurry up and—AAGH!” She, and I, flinched as a large bird flew past and startled her, and me.

“Hah, hah, I thought it was another bug pokemon, but it’s a Pidgeotto.” Misty panted.

“Wow, that’s the evolved form of Pidgey, right?” Ash pulled out his pokedex to check. “I’m gonna catch it!” Ash put away his pokedex and in the same motion took out a pokeball. “Pokeball go!”

Like yesterday, Ash threw the pokeball dead on. Unlike yesterday Pidgeotto swiped its wing at the pokeball sending it back to Ash.

“You don't get it, do you?” Misty began. “ You don't just throw a pokeball and capture a Pokémon. You have to make it battle and weaken it first. The only reason you got to catch Caterpie is because it's already a weakling.” Misty lectured Ash while also insulting Caterpie at the same time.

“I know what I'm doing and you just better quit picking on Caterpie, okay?” Ash replied, walking up to Misty. “And now, if you kindly keep your big mouth shut, you'll see how it's done.” He said into Misty’s face. 

Ash then grabbed…no…he wasn’t…

“Go, Caterpie!”

Yes…yes he was.

Ash just took Caterpie’s pokeball and released it with the intent that Caterpie battle Pidgeotto. That a bug would battle a bird.

“Ha, I told you I knew what I was doing.” Ash said smugly while playing with his hat.

“You don't have any idea of the mistake you've just made, do you?” 

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Caterpie!”

Turning to look at Caterpie did in fact reveal Ash did something wrong as Caterpie ran around like a headless chicken while Pidgeotto pecked at its back.

“Caterpie, counterattack!”

Caterpie…tried…but against Pidgeotto?

Thwack.

Pidgeotto just knocked Caterpie into a tree and looked ready to take a bite out of Caterpie.

“Caterpie!”

“Quick, call it back!” I’m not sure if Misty or I called out first.

“Huh?” That got Ash’s attention. “ Caterpie, return!” 

And just in time too as Caterpie was returned just before Pidgeotto got to it. Leaving Pidgeotto’s beak stuck in the tree.
“Pikachu, go!” Pikachu jumped off the log he was on and ran towards the Pidgeotto who had just freed itself and began gaining altitude.

“Pikachu, Thunder Shock, now!” Pikachu launched a Thunder Shock while Pidgeotto was mid turn, landing a direct hit.

“Pokeball, go!” Ash threw the pokeball while Pidgeotto was stunned in midair. The ball dropped to the ground and started swaying. After a few moments, the Ball stopped moving. Ash had captured the Pidgeotto.

“Yes! We got Pidgeotto!” Ash celebrated. “I am the greatest.” He said to Misty as he walked back towards us.

“You're the worst!”

Slap.

Did Misty just…

“You have no idea what you're doing. It'll be a long time till you're a Pokémon Master like, a million years.” Misty refuted.

No, Misty didn’t slap Ash.

“Ugh. I'm trying to-”

“You should try to learn something about Pokémon first. With Pokémon, you've got to use strategy. Pidgeotto is a bird. Caterpie is a worm. Birds eat worms, Mr. Pokémon Master!” Misty lectured.

Where did that sound come from? Was Flora hiding in the trees again?

“Well, if you just try hard enough, things will work out, won't they?” Ash asked despondently.

“No, Ash, I'm afraid things won't just work out if you try hard enough. The pokemon Trainer's judgment is more important than anything else, and unfortunately for you, the Trainer has to have a brain!” Misty stepped forward forcing Ash back as she got into his face.

“Aha-ha.” Laughed a high pitched voice.

“So we meet again.”

“I know that voice.” Ash said as we all looked towards the voices.

“To protect the world from devastation.”

“To unite all peoples within our nation.”

“To denounce the evils of truth and love.”

“To extend our reach to the stars above.”

“Jessie!”

“James!”

“No, not this again.” Ash uttered, looking baffled.

“Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light!”

“Surrender now or prepare to fight!”

“Meowth, that’s right!”

“What do you jerks want?” I yelled back. “Didn’t you get enough at the Pokemon Center?”

“Ha! If you think one little setback is going to throw Team Rocket off their game then you’ve got another thing coming!” Jessie sneered. “And this time we’re not going anywhere until we’ve got that Pikachu!”

“That Pikachu is far more powerful than others of its kind,” James commented. “It’s wasted on a kid like you!”

“So hand it over, now!” The Meowth stepped forward threateningly. Jessie and James followed up by releasing their Ekans and Koffing.

“There’s no way I’m giving you Pikachu!” Ash denied, Pikachu jumped to the ground and sparked angrily.

“Eevee, I need you!” I called out my own pokemon. “Remember these guys?”

“Vee!.” He growled.

“Wait, Cal!” Ash stopped me. “You can’t attack when I’m attacking! We have to go one at a time!” 

“What? Why?” I blinked.

“The League rules say only one Trainer can battle at a time.” He stated.

“Ash! If you play by the rules you’re gonna lose your pokemon!” Misty yelled at him. “They’re bad guys, they’re not gonna play by the rules!”

“Indeed we’re not.” James chuckled. “In fact, Koffing, use your Sludge attack!” Koffing sucked in more air and blew out a pair of concussive blasts. Pikachu and Eevee’s faces were splattered with the sludge, leaving their eyes sealed shut.

“Chu! Chu!” Pikachu scrabbled at his face.

“Vee!

“Pikachu!”

“Eevee!”

Ash grabbed Pikachu while I returned Eevee.

“Misty, take him. Don’t let Team Rocket take him!” Ash handed Pikachu off to Misty.

“Pidgeotto, I choose you!” He summoned the bird. “Use Quick Attack on the Koffing!”

Pidgeotto did its best but the earlier battle had tired it out. It was barely staying ahead of Koffing and Ekans attacks and unlike Ash they had no problem attacking together.

“Ash, Pidgeotto needs help!” I reached for my pokeball. “I’m not going to sit by and watch! Go, Bulbasaur! Use Vine Whip when Ekans comes out of the ground again!”

“Bulba!” He readied his vines, waiting until the purple snake burst through a new hole. “Saur!” Ekans hissed as it was batted aside. It wasn’t a full-contact blow but it did give Pidgeotto some room.

“Pidgeotto, return!” Ash recalled the exhausted bird. “Caterpie, I choose you!”

“Caterpie?! Are you nuts, Ash!” Misty screamed.

“Use String Shot!” He ignored her.

“Bulbasaur, keep moving and use Vine Whip!” I hoped that would be enough to keep Ekans from using Wrap and strangling my pokemon. “You’re doing great! Keep it up!”

“FWEEE! FWEEE!” I checked to see how Caterpie was doing, worried that it might be hurt, but Caterpie didn’t need any help from me. It had already managed to wrap Koffing up like a Hearth’s Warming present.

“Whoa, that’s one impressive String Shot.” I remarked.

“Good going, Caterpie! Now help tie down Ekans too!” Ash seemed to have gotten over his hold up with the rules. With Bulbasaur’s help it was easy for Caterpie to line up another shot.

“Well ya ain’t getting away from me!” The talking Meowth yowled.

He was shortly wrapped up just like Koffing.

“Next time you twerps won’t be so lucky!” Jessie vowed. In a flash Team Rocket, and their pokemon, were gone.

“Good job Bulbasaur.” I patted his head when he walked back to me. “Look at that, you’re winning battles all over the place!”

“Caterpie, you were amazing too!” Ash joined in to praise his pokemon.

“They really were amazing.” Misty smiled from where she was still holding Pikachu. Most of the gunk had been wiped out of his eyes but it was still staining his fur.

“That’s right,” Ash grinned mischievously, holding Caterpie out towards her. I could see Misty biting her lip to keep from screaming. “You should congratulate them, Misty. Go on, give Caterpie a pat on the head and say ‘good job’.”

“…Do I…have to?” She whimpered.

“Take things slow and move at your own pace, Caterpie isn’t going to hurt you.” I offered.

“Okay, I can do this.” Misty took a deep breath. Carefully, she inched her hand forward.

I can’t help but feel more progress would have been made if Caterpie hadn’t chosen that exact moment to spray silk from his mouth.

“Caterpie?”

Ash put Caterpie on the ground as the thread covered its body.

“What?”

“It’s evolving.” Misty stated in wonder.

Evolving?

“Caterpie, this is so great.” Ash exclaimed.

Once the silk spray stopped we saw that Caterpie had turned into a green crescent-shaped shell.

Ash took out his pokedex and it had this to say.

“Metapod, Caterpie's next stage. It has encased its body in a hard shell. This specimen reached this stage faster than any previously discovered pokemon of this variety.”

“Hey, maybe that means it could keep on changing and go on to the next stage right away.” Ash wondered.

Can Pokemon do that? What about Bulbasaur, Eevee and Spearow? I should check out my pokedex when I get the chance.

“Nice to meet you, Metapod.” Ash chuckled. “Not in the mood to talk?

“I've never known anyone like him. He really does love Pokémon.” Misty said to herself, eyes closed.

Which was probably why Ash managed to close the distance and taunt Misty into petting Metapot and DEAR CELESTIA THAT WAS A GIANT BEE!

“Oh, I'll do anything. Let's just get out of this forest.”

Couldn’t have said that better than myself Misty. Couldn’t have that better than myself.