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

Chapter 35: The Silver Badge

After leaving National Park, we headed east toward Route 36.

The road narrowed between trees, with patches of flowers growing near the path and small rocks scattered through the grass. The air still felt warm from the Sunny Day lesson back at the park, and Sunflora kept turning toward every bright patch of light as if the sun had become a friend walking with us.

Pikachu rode on my shoulder, ears twitching every time the wind moved through the branches. Togetic floated beside Lillie, still getting used to the way his new wings caught the breeze, while Bellossom took small dancing steps whenever sunlight broke through the leaves.

Pikachu's meaning came through lightly: "Tree road smells strange. Some trees too nervous."

I looked ahead. "Trees can be nervous?"

Lillie glanced at the path, already understanding what Pikachu meant. "Maybe not trees."

East slowed before the rest of us did. "The road bends around something ahead. People are stopping instead of walking through."

Ethan leaned around him. "Maybe that is the famous odd tree everyone talks about."

Kris opened her notebook while walking. "If it is blocking the route, it may be the same roadblock travelers mentioned near Goldenrod."

A girl in a flower-shop apron waved both hands at us from near the roadside. "Hey! Over here! Listen, listen!"

We stopped, and she pointed toward a line of odd-looking trees blocking part of the road. They looked stiff and strange, with twisting bodies and branch-like arms that did not sway quite right in the wind. Even before they moved, something about them felt like a pose held too long.

"I'm the Flower Shop's Floria!" she said brightly. "When I sprinkled water on that wiggly tree, it jumped right up! It just has to be a Pokémon. If you soaked it..."

"We got the SquirtBottle," I said, showing it to her.

Floria's eyes sparkled. "Then soak the trees for me! I want to see what happens."

East folded his arms. "Standing too close to an unknown jumping tree may be unsafe."

"That is why Ash should do it," Ethan said.

"Thanks for the support," I said dryly, though I was already stepping forward.

Lillie smiled, but she stayed ready beside me. "We will be careful. If they are Pokémon, we should not scare them more than needed."

I stepped toward the first odd tree and sprayed it with the SquirtBottle.

The tree shuddered, and for one frozen heartbeat the whole road seemed to hold its breath. Then it screamed loudly enough to make Pikachu's ears flatten.

The whole row of strange trees sprang to life, hopping backward with frantic cries. Their branch-like arms waved wildly as they turned and ran down the path, kicking up dust and loose leaves while several nearby Trainers shouted in surprise.

"They are Sudowoodo!" Kris cried.

"Hey, come back here!" I shouted, starting after them.

Before we could chase them, Floria clapped with delight. "That was fun! I want to give you this for entertaining me."

She handed us a set of Berry Pots, small containers made for growing Berries while traveling. Then she passed over three Oran Berries and three Pecha Berries, explaining how the pots could hold soil and keep Berries growing even on the road.

"With the Berry Pots, you can grow any Berry from any region with no worries," Floria said proudly. "Take care of them!"

"Thank you," Lillie said, holding the pots carefully. "These will help if someone gets hurt or poisoned while we travel."