1.Ash's Story (Part 2: Johto)

Chapter 35: The Silver Badge

We left National Park on Tuesday evening, camped before the eastern bend, and spent Wednesday following the wooded road at an easy pace. By Thursday morning, we had reached the main Route 36 crossing. Sunflora kept turning toward every bright patch of light as though the sun were walking beside us.

Pikachu rode on my shoulder. Togetic floated beside Lillie, still testing how his wings caught the breeze, while Bellossom danced whenever sunlight broke through the branches. One Eevee padded beside Lillie and kept stopping to inspect flowers, stones, and anything else that looked interesting.

Sunflora stretched both leaves toward a bright opening. "This road keeps hiding the sun and giving it back."

Bellossom spun once beneath the light. "Then I will dance whenever it comes back."

Eevee sniffed a mossy stone and sneezed. "This rock smells more like a tree than the trees do."

Pikachu leaned forward, nose twitching. "Something ahead smells like stone, wet bark, and nervous Pokémon."

I looked toward the bend. "That sounds suspiciously specific."

Lillie smiled. "Pikachu thinks whatever is ahead is pretending."

East slowed before the rest of us. "People are stopping instead of walking through."

Ethan leaned around him. "Maybe that is the famous odd tree everyone keeps mentioning."

Kris opened her notebook. "It should be near the Route 36 junction."

A girl in a flower-shop apron waved both hands from beside the road. "Hey! Over here! Listen, listen!"

We stopped near a row of stiff, oddly shaped trees. Their twisting bodies and branch-like arms did not move with the wind.

"I'm the Flower Shop's Floria!" she said. "When I sprinkled water on one of those wiggly trees, it jumped! They have to be Pokémon. If you have the SquirtBottle, try it!"

"We do," I said, taking it out.

East stepped back. "Everyone should give Ash room."

"Why does it have to be me?" I asked.

Ethan grinned. "Because you already volunteered by holding the bottle."

"Wonderful. I feel very supported."

Lillie stayed near me. "Spray lightly. If Pikachu is right, they are already scared."

I aimed at the nearest odd tree and gave it one quick spray.

It screamed loudly enough to flatten Pikachu's ears.

The whole row sprang to life. Several Sudowoodo hopped backward, waving branch-like arms before racing down the path in a cloud of dust.

One Sudowoodo shouted over the others. "Water! Run before they do it again!"

"They really are Sudowoodo!" Kris cried.

"Hey, wait!" I called, lowering the bottle.

Floria clapped. "That was great! Here, you earned these."

She handed Lillie a set of Berry Pots, then added three Oran Berries and three Pecha Berries. She explained how the pots kept Berry plants growing while a Trainer traveled.

"With these, you can grow Berries on the road," Floria said. "Take care of them!"

"Thank you," Lillie said. "These will be useful."

Floria showed Lillie how much water each Berry Pot needed before leaving. Bellossom immediately leaned over one of the empty pots as though expecting a flower to appear on command, while Sunflora inspected the Oran Berries with obvious interest.