Emerald Perspectives

Wally

To be the child of a gym leader... It must be wonderful.

You look so calm and strong. You just stood there unbothered when I blundered in. When Mr. Norman asked you to help me, you just shrugged and nodded, turned to go. I babbled thanks, stupidly, wishing I could be so collected and self-assured. Is this what all trainers are like? Self-reliant and strong. Who isn't just a half-noticed nuisance.

"You're... Uh... Oh, right. You're Wally, right?"

We head to the eastern edge of town. I'd never been out there. Without a pokemon, you can't go anywhere by yourself. And if you're weak and sickly, people say they won't take you because something might happen.

"Go with Wally and make sure that he safely catches a pokemon."

I hesitated, but you were so unconcerned, and so I stepped gingerly into the grass, as Mom had always told me never to do.

"You... would you really come with me?"

I held the pokeball so tightly my fingers ached. My hand was sweating and I tried to hold it even tighter so it couldn't slip out of my grasp.

"Wally, here, I'll loan you my pokemon."

"Oh, wow! A pokemon!"

"Hm, I'll give you a pokeball, too. Go for it!"

"Oh, wow! Thank you!"

The grass rustled and I nearly shouted in surprise, throwing the pokeball forward and closing my eyes an instant. When I opened them I saw the two pokemon facing each other, the zigzagoon standing protectively between me and the other pokemon. For a moment I was afraid, but the other pokemon was so small, its body looking weak and pale, like me, and its head too big for its thin neck. It didn't do anything to attack, just stood there quietly.

I told the zigzagoon to attack and it did. The white and green pokemon just growled quietly, the sound cute rather than scary.

I turn to you, still standing there as if this is nothing unusual. "You throw a pokeball now, right?" I ask nervously, and you nod absently. "...I'll do my best!" I promise you. I'll catch a pokemon right. I won't be more of an inconvenience to you.

I throw it, holding my breath as it flies, holding my breath as the pokeball rocks. Then it stills and I run forward. "I did it... It's my... My pokemon!" I shout, turning to you. And you were still so calm and cool, and suddenly I felt embarrassed at how excited I was, when you had four pokemon already and I think that to you, catching pokemon must be so easy, and I think of how much I wish to be like you, so confident, so competent. The child of a gym leader who's given a pokemon rather than having to beg permission from unwilling parents. Who can travel on your own wherever you want. To be like you...

Later a friend who called me said you remained in that section of grass for more than an hour until another one appeared.