Kris smiled warmly at the Daycare lady as she clipped Poli's and Polka's pokeballs back onto to her belt, thinking of the Poliwags inside. Leaving the daycare center, She breathed in the fresh air deeply and looked around. Today felt different...Shaking the notion from her head, she thumped a bright, shiny Great Ball to the ground. "Pidgit!" the bird called, bending down for Kris to get on her back. Climbing aboard Pidg, her Pidgeotto, the bird took to the skies over Goldenrod. "Cherrygrove, please, Pidg" The bird cawed, changing direction to fly in the breeze over the Ruins of the Alph, and finally over the bay to Cherrygrove, diving down and landing.
Kris stroked the head feathers of the Pidgeotto. "Thank you, girl" She said, "You can have a rest outside, if you like" Pidg chriped, flying up into a nearby tree. Flopping down on the soft sands, Kris pulled three balls from her belt. One was a plain Poke ball, the other a cherry-red and white ball with a small, sparkling stone on the button, and a blue and white ball, also with a stone on the button. "Rapidash, Garnet and Rare!" She called, as the light from the balls materialized. A Rapidash snorted, heading for a patch of beach grass nearby, A Red Gyarados gave out a happy roar as it sparkled in the sea, and a Blue unown jingled as it sat in Kris's lap. She smiled at her favourites. "We all deserve a break. Enjoy yourselves." She said. Today definatley felt different..she felt a sense of sadness...as if, something was going to end. She felt this need to be with her pokemon.
The sky was a brilliant orange and coral. Kris checked her watch. 4pm. Wow, it was sure early for sunset this time of year. But that eerie notion crept up on her again that it might not be sunset..
Shrugging, she rested back on the sand and watched the clouds, painted gold by the sun. She'd miss the sunset..wait, who said she was going anywhere? She hated this whole doom and gloom feeling that surrounded today. She'd wake up tomorrow just like she did everyday, and everything would be the same. She had no reason to fear. Hugging Rare, she sighed "Oh Rare, whats up with the world today?" The shiny unown jingled sadly. Looking around, she saw both Garnet and Rapidash looking to the sky with sad expressions. Did they know something was going on? Worry filled her again. Something wasn't right.
As the sun sunk lower, and the sky turned brilliant red. She was reminded of the old phrase "Red sky at night, Mareep herder's delight, Red sky at morning, Mareep herder's warning" She'd never really gotten the meaning of it, but the sky was certainly red now. Recalling Pidg and Garnet, she whistled Rapidash "Lets head back to New Bark for the night" the fire horse whinnied and galloped over. Kris climbed on, holding Rare. Rapidash had extinguished the flames on her back for Kris. Sitting Rare snugly infront of her, she held onto Rapidash's neck, as they cantered away through the lightly wooded path to New Bark. Reaching home, She jumped off Rapidash, recalling the fire horse. Opening her front door, her mum wasn't in. Shrugging, she carried Rare up to her room and yawned, suddenly feeling sleepy. Flopping down on her bed, she closed her eyes and snuggled the unown. "'night Rare...." she whispered, drifting away into sleep.
The screen died away and I flipped close my Gameboy Advance sp, completely oblivious that it would be the last time I ever played Crystal.
Now, as I look at the screen full of dread, the words "Save file corrupted" keep playing over and over in my head.
R.I.P Pokemon Crystal. November 2001 to November 2009. You've given me eight years of joy, sorrow, fustration and pride, but a lifetime of memories, and i'll miss you dearly. Stay safe, Krissy, and keep Blue company...you won't be alone...