Yes, I can see it now. That unmistakable shine in the distance. That must be it!
Running as fast as my legs will carry me, I charge across the land. The scenery is a blur as I come ever closer to my prize. Nothing will stop me now, not when I've come so far. Hundreds of baddies stand between me and my goal. They try to stop me, make me falter, anything to break my will, but I fend them off with ease. I am powerful. I'm an explorer. I'm invincible!
It's coming into view now. Plain as day! A great mound of treasure, just waiting for me to claim it. Gold in all shapes and forms, jewels of unimaginable size and color, and the fame that will come with it all; they are all mine. The world will come to recognize my greatness in the wake of this glorious discovery!
Just as I near my ticket to fame, the earth before me splits open, revealing a mighty chasm. I waver, coming to a halt several paces from the gorge. It laughs at me, mocking me for my cowardice. I'm so close, I can't let it end here. No, I won't, not like this. I steel my nerves and ready myself. With what strength I have left, I sprint forward, gaining speed with each step. Upon reaching the edge of the crag, I take a mighty leap, sending myself flying toward the treasure. Everything seems to slow down as I near the shimmering bounty.
"...ke..."
An ominous voice calls out to me from below, begging my attention. Going against my common sense, I look down, only to see the empty blackness of the abyss. The sight drains me of all my courage, every last ounce of valor being swallowed by the bottomless pit. I start to tremble.
"...et...ready..."
That voice again. I realize I've stopped in midair. The treasure is so close, I can almost touch it. Come on, stupid arms. Do something!
"...ce...ise and..."
I start to plummet, as though a boulder had been tied to my leg. I only get one last glimpse of the fortune before I am engulfed by the darkness
"I said...ake...now."
The voice echoes all around me, taunting me for my failure. I keep falling, wind rushing against my face and burning my eyes. All I can think to do is flail my limbs in hopes that it will help. This looks like the end! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-
"Wake up!"
"Agh!" I jolted upright, my nose colliding with the blue and red figure that was lingering over me. "Gah! Ma, what's the big deal? I was having this awesome dream."
"Good morning to you, too, dearie," Mom said with a slight giggle. My face was sore from the impact, but it figures that mom seemed totally unfazed. "Well, while you were frolicking about in dreamland, you seem to have forgotten what today is. A shame, too, since you were looking forward to it." She certainly didn't look upset.
"C'mon, you really think I'd forget the day I become an explorer?" I responded rather triumphantly. Yes, today was the day. The day I left for Treasure Town.
"Now, don't go counting your Pidgey before they hatch. You have a long ways to travel first."
"Whatever, nothing'll stop me from getting there."
Ma just shook her head, "Ah, to be young again..." She trailed off, a faint smile present on her face. "I'll have breakfast ready shortly. I better not find you sleeping again." With that, Ma left me to my thoughts.
I let out a loud yawn as I stretched my joints. I kinda wished I could go back to bed, but I had to get an early start on the day. I wonder how Ma can even tell when it's morning? We live in a cave! Our home, if it can even be called that, is one of many dome-like chambers in Glimmer Cave. Not the best name, now that I think about it, since the only light we get down here is from this weird glowing moss that makes everything look green. I think Ma said it was biolumi-something-or-other.
"Damn it, I'm too tired to think straight right now."
I turned my attention to a bag next to my bed. A tattered brown sack with two straps to be carried by, it's patchy exterior bulged slightly from its contents. I'd spent the better part of yesterday preparing all of the supplies I would need. With nothing better to do, I decided to double-check what was packed.
"Let's see..." I quietly mused to myself, "One map... four days worth of food... and 200 Poké." 200 Poké, hmm? Ma must've tossed some in last night. Smiling slightly at the thought, I took out one of the gold coins and examined it closely. While not spectacular by any means, the shiny surface of the currency, spoiled only by a P-shaped indent, brought to mind the mountain of treasure from my dream. "Heh, where I'm going, I'm gonna find a lot more of this."
Ma knew that I was planning this for a while. She opposed the idea strongly at first, but she couldn't stop me forever. I had to leave the nest someday. Growing up, I had heard stories of great explorers venturing into the dangerous unknown and emerging victorious. They would overcome impossible odds, bring outlaws to justice, and gain fortune beyond their wildest dreams. I wanted to be part of it. I wanted to prove my strength to the world. I couldn't let myself live my entire life in a cave and never make a name for myself. Today, I would begin the journey to become the explorer whose name was known by everyone.
"Breakfast is ready." Mom's voice cut off my line of thought. Before I could reply, I was interrupted by another sound. In all of my daydreaming, I didn't realize how much I was starving. The grumbling of my stomach begged me to hurry over to the table, and I obeyed. Splayed before me was a wide assortment of delicious berries, ranging in color from pink to red to blue. I knew the flavor of each by now, but for some reason they looked especially appetizing today.
Wasting no time, I dug into the buffet before me. Every morsel was heavenly, and I struggled to resist swallowing each berry whole. Ma, however, seemed to be taking a more leisurely pace with her food. This would be our last meal together for a while, of course she'd want to take her time. Taking a cue from her, I slowed down, letting her enjoy this time.
"I imagine you'll be leaving once we're finished." Sheesh, when she puts it so bluntly I feel guilty.
"Yeah, that's the plan. It'd be great to cover as much distance as I can." Ma simply nodded in reply. We spent the rest of breakfast eating in silence.
"Now, dearie, are you sure you have everything you'll need?"
"Yes, Ma."
We'd long since finished eating, but I had yet to leave. Ma had been flooding me with questions, making sure that I remembered this and didn't forget that. She was stalling me, I could tell.
"You have enough Poké? You know how to tell which way is north?" She's definitely a lot less quiet than she was before.
"Yes, now can I please get going?" It was rude, I know, but at this rate the day would be over before I even left the cave.
With great reluctance, mom let out a defeated sigh. She turned away and took a deep breath to compose herself, letting silence hang between us for a moment. When she finally looked back, she had a smile on her face, but even in the dim light I could see that her eyes held a mixture of emotions. Sorrow, happiness, and everything in between was staring me right in the face.
"All right, I won't try to hold you here anymore. You want to become an explorer, and I can't keep you from doing so; I wouldn't be a good mother if I did and it wouldn't be fair to you." She almost sounded ashamed, not of me, but of herself. "I know I've held you up long enough, but please let me give you some advice before you go." I nodded, waiting to hear what she had to say.
"First of all, the map you have may be old, but it's the best way you have to navigate. If you stick to it, you should have little trouble finding your way." Seemed fairly obvious, to be honest. "Next, I assume you know the way to Glimmer Cave's market. I suggest you purchase any last-minute supplies you may need there." She paused to collect her thoughts, and I assumed that was all she wanted to tell me.
"Okay, will do." As much as I would've liked to continue chatting, I was really losing time. "Thank you for every-"
"And lastly," Ma began, completely ignoring what I was saying, "Please... please remember to visit your mother." Her eyes were tearing up as she spoke. Yet despite this, she kept on smiling.
"Of course I will, Ma." I embraced her as I spoke those words. "Thank you for everything."
We separated and I turned to leave. In the soft light of the glowing moss around us, with bag in tow, I began my venture to the world above. From behind, Ma gave her final goodbye.
"Safe travels... Ace."