A Day with Bertha

Scottie was walking along a mountain path when [EN:Gen Ref="255" M="he" F="she" ] suddenly heard a loud crashing sound.

[EN:Gen Ref="255" M="He" F="She" ] looked over in surprise to where the sound came from...

and a Hippowdon leaped out at [EN:Gen Ref="255" M="him" F="her" ]!

Oh dear!

I'm so sorry to have startled you.

We were just going for a stroll when Hippowdon got a bit overexcited.

Ah, Hippowdon. Now she's blasting sand and trying to create a twister.

Oh, dear child, it's nothing to be afraid of.

Ahaha! Thank you! Wait a moment, Hippowdon!

Now, now! Where were you trying to sneak off to?

Oh, this Hippowdon. She's just brimming with curiosity, and she's quite a handful. I can't take my eyes off her for a second.

Oh, stop! This isn't a game of tag, you know!

I'm trying to have a nice conversation with Scottie here!

This little girl, I swear...

Ahaha! I've got you!

I think she's finally gotten her fill of play for now. I'm so sorry for all the commotion.

Whew! That was some good exercise!

Ahaha! Thank you!

Ahaha! She really is a cutie, isn't she?

I'm very happy to hear that we look like a family!

Because I do think of my partner Pokémon as a dear child of mine...

Actually, this Hippowdon used to be too wild and rough. She lived alone, not part of any herd.

Perhaps she thought that because she was stronger than all the others, she could live just fine on her own.

Her mind is as strong as her body, so it probably didn't occur to her to feel lonely. Still, it seemed like such a waste.

Yes, living all alone can be a sad, difficult thing.

As soon as I encountered this girl, I realized she could have become so much stronger if she had played and practiced with her herd.

She kept threatening me with her huge mouth, trying to scare me away, but...I wanted to show her that she's not alone.

And little by little, we grew closer.

No, I was never scared.

I believed in this Hippowdon, that while she may try to startle people, she'd never hurt anyone.

I realized that deep down, she really was lonely, so I couldn't just leave her on her own.

The more you put your trust in someone, the more they can trust you as well.

I made up my mind to keep believing in Hippowdon until she believed in me, too.

Now the only time she bares her teeth at me is when I'm brushing them.

Ahaha! We really do have a bond like a parent and child!

And I think that's a wonderful thing!