Nerves: A Leaf Green Nuzlocke (Episode 1)

   The morning sun breaks through the leaves of the Viridian Forest trees, and the caws of distant pidgey greet the day. The tent is all packed up; the fire has been smothered. Annie sits next to a tree, absentmindedly looking over a map and munching on a granola bar after giving Scratch and Vyrin breakfast.

Annie: Huh..., we’re way father in than I thought. I could’ve sworn…
Caterpie: Caterpie?
Annie: WAAH!?

   Annie bolts up to her feet and nearly trips over her bag scrambling away from the tree. She turns around to see a caterpie with curly antenna crawling down the trunk next to where she was sitting.

Caterpie: Caterpie!? Cater pie pie caterpie…
Annie: UM?

   Vyrin rolls his eyes and swallows a mouthful of food.

Vyrin: She said she didn’t mean to startle you.

   So Vyrin continues to translate as the caterpie talks.

Caterpie: ((Hello! I don’t mean to intrude, but you seem lost.))
Annie: Ah- Well, um. Yeah, we, um, kind of are... Just a little… Um, do you know which way the city is? I must’ve followed the wrong trail at some point.
Caterpie: ((“City”?))
Vyrin: ((A place with lots of humans, in that direction supposedly.))

   Vyrin points.

Caterpie: ((Oh, that place! I know that place. We’re not too far from there actually. I could show you a shortcut if you would like.))
Vyrin: ((That’s nice of you.)) She says she can lead us to Pewter. Let’s get going.
Annie: That’d be great. I’d like to get out of the forest now. Um, what should we call you, by the way?
Lyra: ((Lyra, if you please!)

   Lyra leads Annie and her team towards the exit, but takes a more direct way than the winding route path. It’s slow going, taking a good couple of hours with Lyra’s small stature and Annie’s avoidance of large tall grass patches. But it can’t all be avoided; Vyrin eventually convinces Annie to go through those patches if they want to keep following Lyra’s directions. Hesitantly, Annie makes her way through after the caterpie with Scratch happily treading behind her and Vryin walking ahead a few paces.

   Suddenly a weedle jumps out of the grass at Vyrin, menacing him with it’s pointy horn!

Annie: Vyrin!?
Vyrin: I see it!

   Vyrin rolls out of the way of it and spits out an ember. However, the agile weedle ducks and dodges out of the way of the scattering flames. It slithers in close to Vyrin and jabs the charmander in the arm with a Poison Sting!

Vyrin: Char!? Chrrrrr!

   Vyrin growls at it while putting some space in between for another ember. This time the flames hit and scorch their mark. In a sudden panic the weedle tries to put itself out and runs away as it does so. Vyrin huffs some smoke out his nose, but despite his tough face, he winces at the poisoned cut on his arm.

Annie: Hold on!

   Annie quickly gets one of the antidotes out from her bag and tends to the cut on Vyrin’s arm. It’s small but noticeable, and Vryin makes an effort not to wince again.

Annie: Are you alright?
Vyrin: Fine. Caught me off guard, is all.
Annie: You leave yourself too open. I know you’re more experienced than Scratch, but please be more careful.
Vyrin: You sound apologetic. Yah know you’re supposed to be telling me what to do.
Annie: ......

   Annie blushes nervously as she finishes patching up the cut.

Lyra: ((Oh my! That was rather invigorating! It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen a battle so close.))

   As Lyra reflects on the combat she witnessed, suddenly she begins to glow.

Scratch: ((Oo, Oo! You’re glowing!))

   The light engulfs Lyra and her form shifts; she evolves into a metapod!

Lyra: ((Oh! Oh- Oh dear... Well, this is poor timing.)) *wiggle, wiggle* ((I do hate to be a bother, but I seem unable to move at the moment.))

   Vyrin looks up at Annie.

Vyrin: She can’t move. Well? She is the one who knows the way out.
Annie: ... R-riiight…

   Annie slowly picks up Lyra and awkwardly holds the newly evolved metapod out from her chest. Vyrin watches Annie’s shoulders tense and rise towards her head; he gives a soft low exasperated sigh. They continue walking through the woods, with Lyra saying the directions rather than showing and Vyrin translating what she says to Annie.

   After about 30 more minutes, the trees begin to spread out, and the route path is much more clear. They make it out of the forest and back onto Route 2. The way forward is straight and flat, and without all the trees, Annie can see the sky and Pewter City clearly.

Lyra: ((There it is, just down the path.))

   Annie sets Lyra down and stretches out her arms.

Annie: Aaah! It’s so nice to be back in the open.
Lyra:((Speaking of which, I would propose coming with you? This is my first time outside the forest in years, and it’s all quite exciting. I’d also like to evolve again, so I can move on my own. This cocoon is rather inconvenient.))
Vyrin: She says.
Annie: Oh! Sure, yeah, you can come with us. I, uh... haven’t been very good at catching pokemon.
Vyrin: *snickers*
Annie: Q- quiet you…

   Lyra wiggles excitedly as Annie takes out an empty pokeball.

Lyra: ((In honesty, I was quite surprised you didn’t try catching me immediately, being a trainer and all. I assure you; I’ll be quite easy to catch.))
Annie: Welcome to the team, Lyra!

   Annie gently taps Lyra with the pokeball. The red light surrounds Lyra and recedes into the pokeball without a single shake.

   The Pewter City Gym looks exactly as one would expect a rock type gym to look like; dusty and decorated with boulders like the inside of a cave. Gym trainers accept challenges on the smaller stages beyond the lobby as various levels of trainers come in to test their metal.

   A couple of people gather around the battle in progress as Lyra just barely dodges out of the way of an incoming Rock Throw.

Annie: Watch out! Circle and use confusion!
Lyra ((An excellent idea!))

    Lyra swoops around to the opposite side of the opponent’s geodude with an elegant grace as the more sluggish rock pokemon struggles to keep face with her.

Gym Trainer: Geodude! Turn around!

    The geodude’s reaction time was too late, and Lyra’s eyes pulse with a pink glow. A similar pink glow pulses from the geodude who holds onto its head and curls into itself.

Gym Trainer: Geodude?

    The pokemon does not respond to its trainer, so a referee blows his whistle.

Ref: That’s it! The win goes to the challenger!

   Lyra flutters over to Annie and does a twirl.

Annie: Phew… That last attack was cutting it close. Nice job, Lyra.
Lyra: ((Naturally ^^))
Receptionist: Annie [Last name]?

   A receptionist walks into the lobby and announces the name over an intercom.

Annie: Yes! Th-th-that’s me.

   Annie calls from the training area and jogs over to the front desk

Receptionist: You’re up!

   The receptionist leads Annie to the main stage. Though obviously bigger than the training decks, the main stage felt even bigger than Annie expected. Rows of mostly empty bleachers rose above and circled the stage for the safety and convenience of the audience.
   Annie looks around the stalagmite littered space, thinking of ways her opponent might use them against her. A referee sets up in the box to the right of the arena while the gym leader walks over to the other. He casually adjusts his orange and grey jacket, then waves over at Annie.

Brock: Hello there! Welcome to the Pewter City Rock Type Gym! This is your first gym badge right?

   Annie tries to answer, but the words get stuck in her throat. She nods her head quickly instead and wrings the bottom of her shirt.

Brock: Nervous, eh? The first gym is always a bit nerve wracking, but your pokemon will feel that nervous energy too; try to relax a little. I’m Brock, the Pewter City gym leader. Since this is your first badge, you’ll be battling two of my pokemon. The battle is over when all of a team’s pokemon are unable to battle. Understand?

   Annie nods again.

Brock: My Pokémon have rock hard defence and true-grit determination! Think you can beat us? Then show me your best!

   Brock tosses a geodude out onto the stage, and Annie sends out Vyrin first. He stretches out for a moment before taking on a more battle ready expression. Brock puts up a hand to his chin thoughtfully.

Brock: Interesting choice. Let’s not stall then. Go! Tackle!
Annie: *tenses* Ah-!

   The geodude barrels into Vyrin and pushes him back. He winces but manages to stay no his feet skidding back towards his trainer. When he stops, Vyrin angrily turns his head around to face Annie.

Vyrin: Annie!
Annie: S-sorry, I-

   The geodude rushes in again. With quick reflexes, Vyrin manages to roll to the side dodging the attack.

Brock: You can’t converse in the middle of a battle! Geodude [nickname?], again!

   Annie clutches her shirt and manages to yell out a command.

Annie: Move left and counter with metal claw!

   Vyrin successfully side steps to the left and hits with his metal plated claw. The geodude grunts and moves back from Vyrin’s attack.

Brock: Defense Curl!
Annie: Keep up the Metal Claw! Break his defense!

   A transparent greenish sphere appears around the geodude who crosses his arms around his face. Vyrin slashes with Metal Claw again and again, not letting the geodude have a moment to do anything but guard.

Annie: Don’t let up!
Brock: Try to move back!

   The geodude tries to move away from the offensive charmander, but Vyrin just uses the momentum behind his swipes to follow forward. The Defense Curl flickers.

   With a glimmer in his eye, Vyrin targets the weak spot, burrows through with his sharpened claws, and breaks through the green barrier! It shatters in a quick burst of energy; the geodude wails and falls onto his back unconscious, dizzy swirls in his eyes.

Brock: Not too bad after all, but let’s see how you handle your next opponent.

   Brock recalls the geodude and takes out his second pokeball. Pachoo! The red stream of light grows and grows larger and longer; emerging from the light curls a large rough onix. Annie recalls Vyrin and takes a hold of Victor’s pokeball. While trying to toss it out she almost drops the ball, fumbles to catch it, and holds it steady in both hands. Brock chuckles softly, and Annie blushes brightly. Victor still pops out. He gazes up at the onix, blinks a couple of times, and swipes his nose with a finger.

Brock: I see you did your research; looks like your mankey’s ready for a good fight, but type advantages will only get you so far. [nickname? Or just Onix] Use bind!
Annie: Dodge!

   The onix’s tail curls around itself, lifts into the air, and comes down towards Victor. The calm mankey jumps to the right of the tail, far enough away that it can’t curl around him.

Annie: Now karate chop its tail.

   Victor does so with a swift hard thwack! Onix recoils with a roar.

Brock: Don’t get too mad now, [onix nickname?] Use Rock Tomb!

   The Onix glares and crashes his tail into the stalagmites scattered around the battlefield, so the chunks of rock fly towards Victor.

Annie: Take cover behind the mounds! Move and get in close!

   Victor swivels around a nearby stalagmite; the rocks smash against the ground and the stony pillar that Victor hides behind. When there’s a break in the flying rubble, Victor moves forward and again until he’s right nearby the onix.

Brock: Let ‘em hear you!

   At that, the onix lets out a loud Screech! Victor stops in his tracks and covers his ears. Onix then smashes his head down to Tackle, but Victor just dives out of the way.

Annie: There! Use Low Kick!

   Victor regains his senses and slides into a Low Kick right into Onix’s large rough edged head. His huge head knocks into another stalagmite, and Onix yelps as the rest of his body recoils with him. Brock raises his eyebrows pleasantly surprised.

Brock: Well! That’s it then! You’ve beaten the Pewter City Gym!

   Brock recalls the onix as the referee blows a whistle and raises a flag towards Annie. Annie takes a moment to process, then looks at Victor.

Victor: …! *looks back at Annie excited*
Annie: You did it? Victor! You did it!
Victor: ^w^

   Annie gets some light applauds from someone in the audience as she goes out into the field to meet Victor. Brock also comes to the center.

Brock: Congratulations!
Annie: Yeah, he did a good job, didn’t he?

   Annie pats Victor on the head, and Victor blushes.

Brock: I’ll be honest. I wasn’t expecting you to beat me on your first try; a lot of people don’t. The gym trainers say you did pretty well, but I had my doubts when you tensed up during your charmander’s battle.
Annie: …Yeah…

   Annie rubs the back of her neck and lowers her eyes as he says that. Brock puts his hands on his hips, still as casual as ever.

Brock: On the other hand, you were clearly prepared for the battle with a fighting type and your charmander’s metal claw. But you weren’t ready for the battle. Freezing up like that could put your pokemon in a dangerous situation. Try battling more trainers than wild pokemon.
Annie: R-right. I’ll work on that. Definitely!

   A gym trainer brings a new open badge case with the Boulder badge already inside.

Brock: Here’s the Boulder Badge, a complimentary case, and a little gift of my own.

   Brock takes a TM CD out of his back pocket and holds it out to Annie. She takes it and reads the shiny text on the side, “Rock Tomb”.

Brock: I suggest you challenge Misty next, now that you’ve tested the waters, haha! Take it from me, she likes to be fast and flashy, and you won’t always find a type advantage so easily.
Annie: I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for the advice.