Some Things Just Can't Be Understood

"Yep!" Pheobie grinned. "You look nice too" She replied, latching onto his arm.

"Ah, thanks," Maple replied. He slung backpack over his shoulder, since he couldn't put it on with Pheobie holding on to him, and went outside.

The ship was out in the middle of a beach, where a few curious tourists stared at it. The sign nearby announced "CINNABAR ISLAND - Now you can relax". That sign still cracked Maple up.

"Another beach?" Pheobie asked. "Is this anywhere near your old house?"

"I don't have a house here exactly," Maple began.

Suddenly a green lizard with a red belly and leaves growing out of its arms scurried down toward them, happy as it could be. It hugged Maple.

"Oh hi Groovy!" Maple greeted. "You miss me?"

The lizard looked up and nodded enthusiastically.

"Well what do you have?" Pheobie asked as she examined the new creature from Maple's side

"A lab," explained Maple, giving Groovy and couple of pats on the head. "Well it's not really my lab anymore since I don't come back often enough, but I can stay there whenever I feel like it."

A new creature soon ambled after Groovy, a small black mammal with red eyes and yellow rings on its body. It gave Pheobie a suspicious look."

"Ah, Adrianne! Good to see you too" greeted Maple. Adrianne soon pushed Groovy aside in jealous want for attention.

Pheobie smiled. "That one's cute." She chirped.

"Which one?" asked Maple, attempting to give both Pokemon equal attention.

"The black one" Pheobie chirped. "Is it friendly?"

"Adrianne? She's an Umbreon," Maple explained. "She's friendly if she likes you."

Adrienne rubbed against Maple possessively, growling.

"Adrienne, be nice," Maple chided. "...Did I explain to you about Pokemon?"

Pheobie shook her head no. "Can I pet her?"

Adrianne rubbed against Maple, leering at Pheobie. Groovy however came right up to her eagerly.

"What's your problem?" asked Maple to his Umbreon. She licked Maple's pants affectionately.

Timidly, Pheobie pet Groovy on the op of his head. "It doesn't bite does it?"

"Groovy, nah. Adrianne maybe, but that's usually in battle," Maple answered, picking the surly black creature up. She seemed to like that and rubbed against Maple's chin. "Pokemon like to battle. Mostly against other Pokemon though. Trainers get Pokemon and train them to be strong fighters, and this makes them happy."

"Oh. So you leave yours here when you have to leave?" Pheobie asked

"Sometimes I take them with me, but often they get homesick," Maple answered, giving both Groovy and Adrianne reassuring back rubs. "You don't like me as much as home, eh?"

Both Pokemon let out cries of defiance.

"Anyway, we should get you a Pokemon to start with," Maple went on. "For protection's sake. I think you would enjoy having one anyway."

"...Okay" Pheobie smiled. "How do I get one?"

"I happen to have a friend with a breeding center nearby," said Maple. "You should have plenty to choose from there. That's the place right on the hill, actually."

Pheobie smiled. "You'll tell me more about them right?"

"Of course. They are...somewhat complicated creatures," Maple answered, as they started walking up the hill. "There are...you know, I;m not sure how many kinds of Pokemon there are now. 500-ish? Anyway, there are a lot. They are ranked under seventeen types: normal, fire, water, grass, ghost, steel, ex certera. Groovy here is a Grass-type, but Adrianne is a dark-type. Anyway, each type is strong against some types and weak against others. Grass-types like Groovy are good against Water-types, Ground-types, and Rock types, but weak against Bug, Fire, Flying and Poison-types, for example."

"Okay." Pheobie nodded. "What is dark strong and weak against?"

"Dark is strong against Psychic and Ghost, while it's weak to Fighting and Bug," Maple answered. Adrianne gave a huff of indignation at the mention of her weaknesses, suddenly strutting more proudly.

Pheobie smiled. "She's sassy"

"Well technically she's adamant-natured," said Maple, knowing he'd need to explain that too. "Pokemon are classified by certain natures to describe their fighting preferences."

He scooped up Adrianne, who gave a small bark of surprise and shot him an annoyed look. After that she enjoyed being carried.

"But yeah, she's a sassy little thing too."

"Grov Grov Vyyyyle," said Groovy, looking up to Maple with wide eyes.

"...I can't carry you. You're too big."

Pheobie smiled "looks like you spoil them"