š Evan's Training Journal š
Day 30
It's been almost a month since I got Thorn. Now that he's evolved into Kakuna, our training's on pause. At this stage, he can't move or battleāso all I can do is keep him well-fed with his usual meals and supplement them with Bugforce. It's a weird kind of calm, but it gives me time to focus on other things.
Like Caterpie.
Her potential jumped recentlyāfrom yellow to green. That's not something you ignore. I hadn't planned on making her a permanent part of my teamāshe's not part of my ideal Kanto lineupābut seeing her progress has me rethinking things. Maybe she's not a core team memberā¦ but she might just earn a place in the rotation. A strong Butterfree can be a great support option.
Also, she's a she. I think that gives a certain balance to the group dynamic I'm forming.
We've been working on alternate web types. Electroweb is already completeāshe picked it up fast. Now we're training on Freeze Web. That one's harder. She's been struggling, but the progress is showing.
[Pokemon: Bug catcher]
š Location: Viridian Town Elementary ā Classroom B
The air buzzed with chatter and the faint hum of the overhead fans. Our desks were arranged in the usual square, and Mr. Bramble stood by the chalkboard, arms crossed, tapping a piece of chalk in one hand. On the board, he'd drawn a rough sketch: a floating rock with fists and a permanent scowl.
"Alright, class," he began, voice steady and deep, "today's lesson is on one of the most iconic early Rock-typesāGeodude."
A couple kids groaned, but most of us perked up. I grabbed my notebook and flipped to a fresh page.
"Geodude is a Rock/Ground type. Found in caves, cliffs, and mountain trails. Their appearance often tricks rookie trainers into stepping on themāuntil they punch back."
Laughter rippled across the room.
"They're tough. High physical defense, solid attack, but slow. Very slow. They're weak to Water, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Ground, and Steel. But they're resistant to Normal, Flying, Fire, and Poison. And yes, Ground-types are completely immune to Electric attacks."
Melody raised her hand before he even finished.
"Yes, Melody?"
"Isn't that because their rocky bodies resist blunt force, and their Ground typing cancels Electric current?" she asked brightly.
"Exactly." Mr. Bramble nodded. "Rock armor, grounded structureāgreat at taking hits, not so great at moving quickly. Now, let's talk about evolution."
He erased the Geodude drawing and replaced it with a bulkier, more jagged version: Graveler.
"At level 25, Geodude evolves into Graveler. Stronger, heavier, a lot more reckless. Graveler has a habit of rolling down slopes to build momentum. Some even Self-Destruct when startled, so... don't spook one unless you're ready."
That got everyone's attention.
"And finally," he said, sketching the last formāa round, armored brute, "when Graveler is traded, it evolves into Golem. This one's a true powerhouse. Heavy armor, crushing force, and a dangerous rolling charge. Don't underestimate how fast a boulder can move downhill."
He capped the chalk and faced us. "Geodude's evolutionary line is great for Trainers who prefer physical tanking and powerful counterattacks. But rememberājust because it's tough doesn't mean you can ignore strategy. Terrain matters. Matchups matter. Use your head, or get flattened."
I scribbled all of that down, thinking about Thorn's speed and trick-based style. Geodude was almost his oppositeāsolid, slow, and explosive. Stillā¦ I had a feeling I'd be facing more than one of them down the road.
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After classā¦
I sat under the back tree near the field, feeding Thorn as usual. He still couldn't move, but he seemed contentāsoft clicking sounds came from inside his shell whenever I brought the Bugforce closer.
Caterpie sat nearby, her antennae twitching as she watched me.
"So, Caterpieā¦ I want to ask you something," I said, turning to her.
She turned her head, curious.
"Would you like to be my PokƩmon?"
She didn't move for a few momentsājust stared at me. Then, after a silent beat, she gave a small nod.
Smiling, I pulled out the new PokƩ Ball I'd picked up a few days ago. I set it gently on the ground in front of her.
Without hesitation, she tapped the button.
The ball opened. Light pulled her inside. It wobbled onceā¦ twiceā¦ three timesā¦ and clicked with a ding.
And just like that, I had my second PokƩmon.
_________________________________
Later, we returned to practicing Freeze Web.
"Okay, Caterpie. One last try for today," I said, stepping back to give her space.
She narrowed her eyes in concentration. Her body tensedāthen she fired a thread forward. It hit the tree and stuck. Within seconds, frost spread across the bark where the web attached.
I grinned. "Great job, Caterpie!"
She chirped in excitement.
"Caterpie~ Caterpie~ Caterpie~"
She's not part of my dream team.
But she's definitely earned her place with me for now.