Pokémon USUM: Hero Born of Darkness (book 1 of the HBoD series)

Chapter 15: Battles Between Rivals

I awoke in my sleeping bag, pale light filtering in through the large tent Hau, Robert, and I shared. I got up and dressed myself in black clothing. I didn't put on my trench this time though. Instead, I put on the black trilby hat.

I unzipped the tent quietly and stepped out into the slightly warm morning air. I noticed a Pokemon I didn't recognize wandering around camp. Alex was sitting outside her tent, watching it. I smiled. Looks like that Pokemon was taken.

I heard Rotom hover out of my tent.

He yawned. "Fo-oh. Fomantis, the Sickle Grass Pokemon. When the sun rises, Fomantis spreads its four leaves and bathes in the sunlight. The tip of its head has a pleasant aroma."

Alex had picked up Fomantis and placed her on her head. Fomantis spread its four leaves and faced the rising sun. Alex noticed me and wiggled a pokeball in her hand and pointed to Fomantis. I smirked and just shook my head.

After a hour or so, I had a fire set up in the middle of camp and was cooking a couple cans of beans and some eggs (Don't ask me where the eggs came from because even I don't want to know).

Nebby floated out of the girls tent and I heard Lillie call out in her sleep, "Nebby... Bag."

Nebby ignored this and started playing with Fomantis. The food I was cooking gave off a good aroma and I heard rustling in my tent. Hau and Robert poked their heads out of the tent.

They sniffed the air and breathed in. "Fooood."

Alex and I laughed at this and I said, "Well, come and get it. It's done."

As they climbed out of the tent, Lillie herself stumbled out of her tent, trying to fix her frazzled hair.

Alex took pity on her. "Here, let me."

She grabbed a hairbrush and hair tie from her backpack and set to work. Meanwhile, I handed out two plates to Hau and Robert. I gave them some beans and scrambled eggs and gave myself some. I also made sure to leave a bit for Alex and Lillie.

While the three of us ate, Alex had managed to put Lillie's hair into a ponytail. Without the hat and her hair into a ponytail, she looked better. I didn't say this aloud since some girls would find an insult in it (uh... No offense girls who read this. I mean no offense against girls... And there's my sister beating me up. Help!). Better to keep quiet about that.

Hau however, didn't consider that. "Wow Lillie. You look nicer with that look."

Lillie beamed. "Thank you Hau. Thank you too Alex."

Alex shrugged. "No prob. Now, let's eat. I'm starving."

When I had finished eating, I dug a big bag of Pokemon food out of Robert's backpack. I grabbed a ton of bowls as well as an extra large one for Munchlax (How does all this even fit!?). I filled up the bowls and my friends and I released our Pokemon.

"Dig in," I told them.

I then grabbed the glass cage from backpack (seriously! Where does this stuff go when it enters the backpack!?) and it still had water in it. I released Magikarp in there and sprinkled Pokemon food in there.

He ate them happily and I watched as every Pokemon ate, including Fomantis. When Fomantis was done eating, Alex held up a pokeball.

"Wanna join my team?" She asked.

Fomantis cried, "Fo fo!" And slapped the ball and was sucked inside.

Alex cocked her head. "Well, that was easier than expected."

Robert began gathering up all the dishes. "Now that we've eaten, are we heading over to Brooklet Hill?"

I rested my head against a log on the ground. "Well, I was thinking-"