Day 2: Tracking a Friend

I couldn't wait for Boss Cardinal to play Reveille the next morning--so after getting dressed and having breakfast, we met Rainbow on a forest path not far from camp, where she was waiting with what looked like bingo cards.

"Today we're going to venture into the forest and search for Pokemon tracks." Rainbow explained when we met up by the path. "These cards list the Pokemon both native to and known to visit Viridian Forest. When you find that Pokemon's track, put a check in the box by that Pokemon. I'm not requiring you find them all, but those that do find them all will get a little something special at lunch. Try and stay close to the forest path--we don't want anyone getting lost."

With that, we charged off into the forest. Caterpie and Weedle were easy to find--Caterpie's feet are farther apart than Weedle's, so there are fewer prints.

But a tiny trail of circles puzzled me--they weren't far apart like Caterpie, and they were much smaller than Weedle's.

"Stuck, Arrow?" Cottonee asked as she met me on the path.

"I can't figure out what these tracks belong to." I explained. "I know it's not Weedle, and it can't be Caterpie..."

Cottonee's eyes brightened when she saw the trail I had been studying. "I know what Pokemon these are! They are Sewaddle tracks!"

"I didn't know Sewaddle came all the way here..." I smiled.

"You'd be surprised how far they can travel--they do visit here around this time of year." Cottonee explained. "I see them all the time back home in Celadon."

"I see." I smiled.

A Fletchling song got my attention some moments later, but what I looked around, I didn't see a Fletchling anywhere. Then it dawned on me--Brock knew how to mimic bird whistles, so was it possible he mimicked a Fletchling song to get my attention?

I didn't see any signs of human prints, but just as I was about to write it off and keep looking for Pokemon tracks, I heard the song again--just as a Fletchling hopped down from a nearby tree and sang again.

"Aw!" Cottonee smiled. "Fletchlings are so cute!"

I checked the ground by the tree, and sure enough--Fletchling tracks were there. "They're famous for their song as well."

"Hey look! Pikachu tracks!" Neon called from a little farther down the path.

We hurried over to take a look, but Cottonee gasped when she spotted Pichu tracks intermingled with the Pikachu tracks. "The Pikachu that made these must be a mom!" she smiled.

A rustle in the bushes got our attention before a Pikachu peeked out. After assuming we were no threat, she hopped out of the brush, then called "Pika pi!"

I counted five Pichus following their mom, very much like Duckletts following their mother Swanna. "Aw...I wish Thunderbolt were here to see this..." Sunny smiled, referring to Ash's camp name.

"What's Misty's camp name?" I asked Sunny.

"Cascade...she's usually the one overseeing those in the pool or other water games." Sunny replied.

"i hope we get to have an epic water fight between all the cabins." Neon grinned.

"Either that, or a camp wide treasure hunt, or finding the camp trinket." I agreed as we made our way back to camp.

"Finding the camp trinket?" Flyer wondered.

"I saw it in a movie once---I don''t remember the name of it, but at one point, the camp plays a game where the director says someone's plotting to steal the camp baseball at dinner, and whoever catches the thief in the act gets extra dessert." I explained. "The bugler was in on the game, and instructed to play 'To Arms' when the person playing the thief was spotted. It was essentially tag with a long setup, but I think it would be fun to play in real life."

You can always suggest events by telling Boss cardinal." Sunny suggested as we emerged back in camp, just as we heard the trumpet playing mess call for lunch.