Chapter 1: My Name is Willow Yarrow
Author's Note:
This is based on a girl named Willow Yarrow who doesn't want to go on a pokemon journey like the rest of today's youngsters because of a unique gift of understanding pokemon language due to a past event. However when picked by Professor Sycamore after moving into Kalos she gains an urge to find out why, and thus starts an adventure of her lifetime.
I have to mention this and that is that I do not own Pokemon (No Duh). It belongs to Nintendo.
My name is Willow Yarrow, close friends call me Will, and I recently moved Kalos, specifically in this REALLY small town that I can't spell yet nor care to recollect. I'm almost 13 years old, and I used to live in Jhoto where my mother did races with her ryhorn, AKA The Rock. We… And by that I mean she decided to move to Kalos because of what was happening with my dad. All that needs to be known is that they got divorced and she wants to start fresh and do some. She also did it for me. Meet new friends… Start my journey again… Yeah I'm looking forward to THAT. Just to let you know new diary is that I had the journey before. In fact you can call me a mini Vet. Mostly because I only lasted until the third gym before I wanted to go home. Like I said before in dairy number 1, I can't live losing my pokemon again. I can still hear their screams… Everyday I hear them.
In case I lose the other diary, I will say this Number Three of the Diary Line. I can talk to pokemon… I know it seems like a great gift and at first I thought that too, but it's not. I don't even know how it started either, I was just born with it. Mom knows, and thinks it's great since I now how to solve problems with pokemon since they can just tell me, but I don't like it. Yeah it's helpful… Yeah I can solve problems. But I can't stand the pain. I'm depressed now… So I guess the reason is out of the bag of why I don't want to go on my journey. To grow up, but my mom hopes that one day that I can deal with it. I just don't know. I don't think I ever will.
Willow closed her yellow journal rubbing her head since she was getting something she called anxiety flashes. It's when a certain memory comes in either out of nowhere or through word association that had something painful or humiliating in it, causing you to re-live again. She got up, and rubbed her shoulder from when the Fletchling tackled her. 'Geez… Did it have to be so hard? I have no doubt that I might get a bruise.' she thought while putting on her high black knee socks, red and black dress, and black sneakers, cause hey it looked good, and toped it off with her favorite red hat. "Looking good today Willow. Now it's time for breakfast." she said as she adjusted her hat. With that Willow took her purse since she was planning on going shopping around the next town, and went downstairs.
"Morning, Willow!" called her mother as she went out of the kitchen, probably making breakfast as usual.
"Morning Mom."
"You sure slept well! All rested up from the move?"
"Yeah I guess… I mean… My arms are still sore, but no harm done!" Willow says this as she takes some eggs and eats
some. Her mother sat down with her on the red couch and had coffee, crossing her legs. "Amazing right? Coffee?"
"Heck yeah… Um… So how long till your next race?" Willow asked as her mother went to get a cup. Willow studied her
new house before her. This was home. Well… Aside from the new furniture since the debate between her mother and
father of what to keep what… She silently nodded her thanks to her mom as she got her coffee, lots of cream with sugar.
Though lately the sugar has been cut down to three as opposed to five spoons. Baby steps people… Baby steps.
"Not for another week or so. I'm glad that this didn't last a week. Pokemon are amazing when it comes to getting things done huh?" her mother, also known as Grace, commented as drank her coffee and placed an arm around her daughter. They were just enjoying the silence as the Fletching from before wandered around peeking at its food. They were enjoying themselves until her mother yawned. "Well it's about time you get going, and meet the neighbors. Since you were busy yesterday."
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaugh… Right now? I wanna be lazy!" Willow said in a joking tone as she sprawled out on the couch while her mother gave her a look. "Alright, alright! I'll talk with the other people…. I know there are some other kids around here…"
"That's my girl!" Grace said as she patted her daughter's head. There was still a pause though as Willow was relaxing. "Is this year going to be the year?" Grace suddenly asked and Willow paused.
"For what?" Willow asked as she was caught off guard.
"You know… For your journey." Grace said as Willow blinked a couple of times and looked away. "Only way to get over it all… Is to move forward. Your already doing well we the newest addition to out house" Grace says as she motioned to Fletchling as Willow got up and walked to the door, but not before leaving her coffee cup behind.
"Can we talk about this later?" The blackhaired girl started to walk towards the door only to find a surprise.
"Welcome to Vaniville Town~!" said a calm and yet happy voice. Willow recognized these two. They met yesterday but didn't talk because moving into this new place exhausted her that she just went to bed early and didn't talk to anyone. She knew it was rude, but she'll make it up somehow.
"My name is Calem, and I'm your neighbor." Introduced the dark brunette in the blue. Well he seemed okay, so she might as well introduce herself as well.
"Pleasure my name Is Wil-"
"AND I'm Shauna! Great to meet you!"
"low… I'm Willow. Um… I'm from Jhoto. Sorry we didn't talk yesterday since I was a bit busy."
"It's okay! Moving takes a lot of work! Sooooooooooooooo… Guess what!?"
"Wh-"
"We've come to get you!"
"Wait, wait, wait! Back up here! Why? Your not coming to kill me are you?" Willow looked terrified. She knew all that gambling in Goldenrod would come back to bite her in the butt!
"No." Calem says with a chuckle, thinking that she was joking. "The esteemed Professor Sycamore lives here in the Kalos region. I was told he has a request for five kids, including us."
"Oh… Good for you! Though I don't see why I am coming along. I barely know the guy, and I DID just move here." So far her first impressions… Calem like what she assumed before was nice, and seemed to respect this professor a lot. Shauna… Shauna reminded her of a hyper girl she once met in Jhoto with pigtails as well who went on her journey from New Bark town with a Chikorita. This girl seemed just as nice as well since she and the young male did come to see her.
"Needless to say though I am just as surprise seeing how you just moved here that he even knows you. How did you two meet?"
"We talked yesterday, I know that… It just seems weird that I am being asked this."
"Oh I see! He must have sensed something from you… See here in Kalos trainers are picked rather it being a universal thing."
"That's a bit weird… Where I am from it didn't matter, you got a pokemon and were shoved out the door with a backpack and phone, and sometimes a potion. But that aside I don't think I should come." Willow said, and Calem shrugged while Shauna spoke up.
"You have to! You were picked."
"Yeah I get that, though I don't understand why. He sensed something about me? Great that he thinks I'm a swell person, but I think it might be better to stay for me to stay here. Get to know that town. It's nice that he picked me, but I'm not the girl for the job."
"We'll wait for you in the next town over! And you know what!?"
"Wh-"
"We're going to get… A pokemon!" Shauna said like it was the greatest thing in the world. And it was since pokemon was a big deal. Little monsters to keep in your pocket that will protect you is a good deal, but Willow… Willow didn't like the idea of keeping animals that could very well kill her. Why did no one think of this?
"No. Sorry but I…" Willow began to say and then paused since what could she say? Should she tell the truth or lie? They're looking at her, expecting an answer.
"I-I have a thing with pokemon. See I had a very bad experience and it scarred me for life." Willow made up an excuse, which wasn't far from the truth.
"OH!" Shauna pauses and looks at Calem. "Well you don't need to worry! We'll help you!"
"I don't think I'm suited for this… Ask someone else." Willow says as she backs off into the door. Calem notices this and decides to show some understanding.
"Your afraid… I can see that. Everyone gets nervous since they are powerful creatures. As of why they even stand by us is a mystery to use even to this day." Calem starts as Shauna nods in agreement. "But they can also bring joy. I see that you have pokemon with you already." He said as he looks over at the Ryhorn.
"It's my mom's. She races with it." Willow explains,
"And what's ryhorn like?"
"He's… Well The Rock is what we call him. But he's a great ryhorn. Rather calm for one actually." Willow says as she looks at the sleeping Ryhorn called The Rock. "We used to have more. He had two younger brothers… He protected them, and he does the same for our family, but I don't see why… Oh… I see." Willow says as she realizes what Calem is trying to do.
"Will you come with us?" Calem asks as Shauna adds,
"We can wait for you! We'll be leaving around 11 or so to talk to the Professor. Later!" in a very chipper tone. Willow takes a moment to think about it. "I'll see what I can do." Willow responds as Calem nods and Shauna goes off with him, waving good-bye.
Willow stands at the door way before going over to The Rock. She didn't wake him up, but sat on him like her mom would do in a race. She wanted to think without going back inside. "If I do go it could happen again. If I don't... What do you think?" Willow asks to the sleeping ryhorn, but it just snored in response. "Your right… Maybe walking will help."
Willow says as she gets off the creature and begins walking around, talking to some of the neighbors. She was ever surprised since she encountered Calem's mom.
"So how old are you?" Calem's mom asks as she gardens with her Roselia.
"Well… I'm around 13 or so. So... What do you do for a living?"
"Well Harold and I are pokemon trainers." She explains as Roselia gives her some seeds.
"Wait… Your pokemon trainers and your staying home?"
"You never really stop training. Even when you settle down."
"So you don't have to travel to be a trainer?"
"No, traveling is the fun part! Sometimes though… You don't complete it. Doesn't mean you get rid of your dreams completely. Just have to do it another way. So… Why are you still here? I hear that you were picked by the professor along with my son."
"Oh! Um… The pokemon scene isn't really for me." Willow explains with her hands raised while Calem's mom raises an eyebrow.
"Nothing wrong with that… It is a big step." She says not probing it at all. "But it is something wroth doing when your picked." She adds as Willow leans on the tree and knocks over a pail. "OH! Sorry." Willow picks up the pail that was holding her tools, and starting putting everything back.
"So… What if you fail? What if you fail your pokemon?"
"Failure is part of life, and the point of the journey is to experience life, no one else can do it for you, so might as well do what you have to do. Failure is never fun, but it's up to you and you alone on how to deal with it." Calem's mom explains as Willow brushes off her skirt.
"Well… I'll see you later. Nice talking with ya." Willow says as she goes off to explore more of her town and then pauses at the gate to route one. She looks at the gate and clenches her fists. "I must be losing my mind… But I have to know why I was chosen… Here I come Sycamore." she says to herself as she opens the doors, and took her first step towards an adventure that she'll never forget.
Willow went through route one and looked back. "That… Was oddly boring. I was expecting more. In New Bark that route you couldn't go unless you had a pokemon." Willow said to herself as she ventured into Aquacorde Town. She looked up at the sign and kept on going. As she walked through and made it to a little café area she heard her name being called.
"HEY WILLOW! THIS WAY! OVER HERE!" called out Shauna, and Willow briefly wondered if she should just keep on walking… But they already saw her so that was it. Now it was time. She walked over here, now she should own up to her choice. As she sat down, she noticed two other boys. A Big kid, and a kid that she thought was a girl at first because of the bowl cut style.
"We were just talking about you! C'mon! Have a seat! Sit your bubble butt down!" Shauna called as Willow made the effort to smile.
"Yeah? Hopefully not about my butt." Willow said and added in her mind, 'Cause that would be weird.'
"HA! Funny!" Shauna said as drank her drink, her legs kicking under the table. Probably the reason why she was at the head, since who wanted to be kicked in the shins? Calem took this time to speak.
"I'm glad you came. I was worried since it was almost time to go… Anyway this is where we usually meet up. This is Tierno, he wants to become a dancer. And this is Trevor, he's a studious student under Sycamore."
"Nice to meet all of you…" and Willow had nothing else to say. She was stuck… What could she say?
"Wow… The way Shauna described you is spot on!" said Tierno, who apparently has some sweet dance moves.
"You know… It'd feel like we will be a closer crew if we call each other by nicknames." Tierno said and Willow didn't say a thing because she felt awkward.
"Um… I don't think that I want one thanks. I'm glad as Willow."
"Oh come one! I'll call you Lady W?" Teirno suggested,
"Um… N-"
"NO way! She's a Lil'W for sure!"
"No. Thank you." Willow said with a straight face, but she was ignored… Instead Shauna went on to asking Trevor.
"WHAT?! You want me to nickname someone I just meet!? Don 't put people on the spot like that. Well… How about something low-key like… W'kins." Willow stared at Trevor and the rest of them.
"What?" she asked when everyone was looking at her.
Then Calem suggested that SHE pick the nickname. Not how nicknames work, but she would take that. She couldn't think of anything other then her last name, and it was what most people call her. "Yarrow, or Will." She said with a shrug since she was out of creative juice.
"Your last name?" Calem asked, and Willow nodded though was surprised that he knew that it was her last name. 'Maybe he spoke with my mom?' she thought to herself.
"It's fits! I'm sure that we're gonna be the best of friends! So I will call you that too!" Shauna exclaimed, very excited, though Willow didn't say anything but give a nervous smile.
"Let's get some pokemon!" Shauna was getting impatient that the table was moving due to her legs. Teirno smiled as he reached down and picked up a box. "This is the beginning of your partners!" Teirno exclaimed as he opened the box. This was it… Willow wasn't sure if she was ready for this… Maybe this was a dumb idea?
"You pick first Will!" Shauna suggested which Willow took as a surprise. She was expecting her to go right in, but Shauna showed self-control and was allowing her to pick. Wearily Willow reached to pick a pokemon, the one in the middle.
"You picked a Fenniken!" Teirno said and asked if she wanted to give the little guy a name. Though Willow didn't want to get too attached she decided to call him something.
"S… age?"
"You want to call him Sage?" Teirno asked,
"This thing is a boy?"
"Well yeah you can tell by-"
"Okay, okay! I… I see it Trevor."
"You can call me Trevs!"
"… Uh sure!" Willow said as she released Fenniken, AKA Scorch out. She looked down at the fire fox. It was… Cute. Maybe this will be worth it-
"Oi! Where am I!?" Scorch said with a yip as he looked up at his trainer.
Or perhaps not… Willow's eye twitched as she looked down at Sage, and gulped. "Hey there Sage!" Willow introduced herself,
"He's ssooooooooooo cuuuuuuuuuute!" Shauna gushed as Sage turned around. He looked at her in a moment of confusion.
"Where am I? Where's the rest of my friends?" Sage asks as he looks everywhere, and then sniffs her legs.
"I uh… Come here little Sage!" she says as she picks up the little fox. "I'm sure that whatever your looking for is around here somewhere!" she says as Sage looked around confused before he found his friends, in the lap of Shauna and on the head of Calem. "Friends! What's going on? This girl is telling me not to worry! Should I bite?"
"Please don't." Willow whispered as Sage's friends told him to calm down and enjoy. Sage stood there for a moment before sitting and allowing Willow to pet him.
"Uh… Pardon me, but I have something for you from the professor as well… I have something that will help you understand pokemon and register them the moment you see them. It's called the pokedex." Trevor said as he gave the three new trainers a pokedex. Willow wanted to say that she already knew what it was. She did the journey before so she just smiled and nodded.
"Yarrow! Take this with you too. It's a letter for your mom." And that made Willow realize that she was waiting a bit too long to take the letter as she was a bit distracted from thinking. She took it, and wondered what she would need to say to her mom. Willow got up from her chair with Sage near her feet, oddly quiet. Probably trying to understand these humans before him. It couldn't have been his first time around people since it was probably Sycamore that caught them.
"Alright let's go Sage." Willow said as Sage followed her around already. She didn't want to put the pokemon back inside of it's ball since she wanted the little guy to get exercise. Who knew how long he was in there.
Right when they reached the first route though… Someone called out her name. Willow looks back, "Yes?"
"Your going to be my opponent Yarrow! Me and Lil' Chespin need our début, and you're the trainer to dish it out!" Shauna exclaimed as Sage and Willow looked at one another for a moment. It couldn't hurt to fight a little bit. "You're a fire type right?"
"Yes!" Sage yipped with a tail nodding.
"Good. That's all I need to know because… I need you to fight Chespin." Willow said as the battle started. Chespin came out, waving to Sage.
"HEY! HEY! We fighting!? OOOOOOOOOOH! I love fighting! It'll just be like when we first hatched!" States the Chespin as it hops around happily. Sage and Willow stare at it.
Sage wasn't sure if he wanted to do that, so he looked back at Willow, questioning the logic behind it. "It's okay! You won't kill him-er… Her. It's just for fun." Willow explained as best she could while Shauna waited. Sage tilted his head at her before closing his eyes to think about it.
"Alright!"
"Great! I want you to use ember!" and that's when it begun. The first attack that Sage heard, so he blew out small flames to hit Chespin. It accepted the hit and grunted.
"Vine Whip!" Shauna called as Chespin's vines hit Sage in the face.
"OI! What the heck man!?" shouted Sage as Chespin hopped around him. It looked like he was taunting Sage.
"What!? You burned me! Gotta at least pay you back."
"… Okay I accept that."
"Sage concentrate! You have to fight back!" Willow said while Sage looked back at her.
"Growl!" Shuana's Chespin growled at Sage, which made him glare at Chespin, and cringe at the same time.
"Why sister? Why you do this? Growling at a brother like that?" Sage barked
"It's battle man! You get used to it! All in good fun!" Chespin assured Sage that there was nothing to be upset about.
"Sage! A tackle now!" Willow said as Sage sniffled and did just that, tackling his friend, and the battle ended right there for Sage landed a critical hit. Chespin laid there with swirls in her eyes as Shauna looked in worry. "OH NO! I wasn't done looking at my cute Lil' Chespin!" she declared as she picked up the little guy. Willow felt bad, but at the same time a battle was a battle. You won if you knew what you were doing or by luck. Heck, it was even a combo of the two.
"Nice job Sage." Willow commented as Sage went right over to her. "Shauna… Good work! I'm sure you'll get better." Willow said, trying to be a good winner. She forgot how good it felt to win.
"Thanks! Um… Wait a moment Yarrow! I'll heal your little guy for you!" she says with a smile as she used a potion on Sage. Sage was already feeling better, sighing in relief as she held her fainted Chespin. "I liked the way you battled! It seems like you know what he's feeling! It's like magic the way you can communicate with him."
"Oh yeah? Well… I think anyone can tell from that loud voice of his. Kind of hard to miss." Willow says as she looks back down at the semi-pouting pokemon. Probably thinking that he didn't have a loud voice or something like that.
"No way! The way that you do it Yarrow it's like your communicating on a level much higher then I could with my Lil' Chespin!"
"Oh… Don't worry Shauna. I think you and Chespin are very alike, and are communicating well." Willow says with a nervous smile.
"REALLY!? THANKS! Say hi for your mom for me!" And with that Shauna left, prancing like a Deerling with Chespin to the pokemon center.
"WELLP! Better get to mom huh? Ready for route 1 Sage!? It's perilous!" Willow says as she walks down the path with Sage expecting an attack. When reaching to the end Willow crossed her arms.
"Perilous right?" she asked as Sage looked around confused.
"What kind of route was that!?" he called as Willow laughed. Sage, figuring that it was a joke yipped back at her insults. "Sorry, sorry! I was just having fun… I guess your not a pranking guy. Won't do it again. Aipom's Honor." Though he sniffed at her in response and grumbled a few things she hoped that he would get over it soon. They made to the house and Sage stopped for a bit to take in the new scenery. He was curious… Slowly he went into the front yard and ran back behind the wall with he saw The Rock, the famous ryhorn in the races. He had never seen a ryhorn before and crept back inside when Willow didn't seem afraid. "Slowly… Slowly… " Sage said to himself until finally he was snout to snout with The Rock, until he poked the nose with a nervous paw.
"HA! I have conquered-"
"ACHOOO!" The Rock sneezed and roared at the same time, but didn't charge, his eyes slightly opened but Sage was nowhere to be found. In front of The Rock that is, for Sage ran and went into's Willow's purse, tail sticking out.
"Yeah he sneezes loudly." Willow explained as she went inside. Her mother was on the couch, reading a magazine before turning her head over to see Willow.
"Is that… What I think it is?" her mother asked as she went over to look at Willow's bag.
"Okay Mom… I know what we talked about before, but-"
"It's a pokemon! A cutie at that! Oh Wills! Are you finally going to start your pokemon journey? You can handle it?"
"Well I… I think so. I'm still on the fence."
"I'd say that the fence broke because you currently have a pokemon."
"… Okay yeah, then I am going."
"You've finally taken your first step! It won't be like last time!" Her mother insisted as she patted Willow on the head as Sage poked his head out. He looked at the being called…. 'Mom' with interest. This 'Mom' obviously cared for his trainer and he briefly wondered… Would his mother do the same?
"Oh! Is that a letter I see?"
"Uh… Yes it is! It's for you."
"Let me read it! Is it a love letter? Oooooooh. A Professore huh? …. Fancy handwriting." Her mother said as she took the letter and read it with interest.
Sage put this to the list of what 'Mom' does. 'Mom's must love paper. And this… Love. And Handwriting!' He thought as he watched her closely.
"Well! I'd say that your ready to go! How fascinating… In Kalos you're chosen to go on an adventure. It's not like other places where we've been too where you have to, and that it's a rite of passage huh? Wait right here!" her mother said as she went upstairs.
"I like this 'Mom'! When can I have one?"
"You don't know who your mom is?" Willow asked directly as Sage's eyes went wide.
"You can understand me!?"
"I've been talking to you all this time. How did you not know?"
"I thought you were really good at watching me!" Sage yipped still surprised. "So does this mean you can hear everything? What about my thoughts? Can you hear them?" Sage asks rapidly as he then clamps up and looks into Willow's eyes.
"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… My ears are itchy?" Willow guesses with a shrug.
"HOW DID YOU KNOW!?" Sage barked like he witnessed the most amazing thing.
"Wait seriously?! I was just guessing!" Willow said as Sage seemed to look at her in a new light. He nuzzled up to her chest and wagged his tail. "This is great! All the other humans I ever talked to only guess what I want and tell them! Now I have you and you can understand and-" Sage went on and on jumping off the lap and running around in circles, excited. "And I can tell you jokes!" he continued until Grace came back down.
"Woah! Looks like someone is BURNING energy. Get it? HA! Anyway… These are your clothes for this journey!" she said as she held up the green shirt and light blue jeans. "Here, here! Take them and go out that door!" Willow just stood there though, holding, the clothes with Sage looking happy.
"I… I don't want to. I don't want to leave you."
"Stop it. You'll be fine. You have Sage to take care of you now."
"That's the thing mom! What if it happens again?"
"You can live thinking about the 'what if's. It's been three years, so take a chance and run out there! Like in the ryhorn races that I do take a lap around Kalos! Who knows… We might see each other again while I'm racing." Her mother said as she hugged Willow. They shared a moment in the silence of the house with Sage taking a sit down to look at the 'Mom' in action. He wondered one more time… What would it be like if he ever met his mom. Would he and her have a conversation like this? And why was his trainer sad? He wandered over and hugged Willow's leg like 'Mom' was doing to show that he cared too.
"Call me if you need me…" Willow says as she turns away to pick up Sage. Her mother claps her hands together and kisses her head. "You do the same. And visit!" her mother said as Willow started to open the door. A roar was heard as she did so.
"Wait! The Rock must say good-bye as well!" The Rock came over, nuzzling Willow.
"Oh… He's saying good-bye too. He did know you when you were just a baby." Her mom said as she playfully patted her daughter's back.
"Let's do one last lap around the front yard! The Rock will be pleased to do so like his brothers Boulder and Clay!" The Rock said as he went back to his blanket.
"Hey Sage… Want a ride?" she asked as he mother closed the door behind her. Sage wasn't sure if he wanted to do such things with a giant rock creature.
"YES!" was the answer though it didn't matter to Willow since if it was no she would put him down. She sat down on him and felt The Rock rise up and begin to walk.
"The Rock is pleased to give you a lap. But who is small fluff on The Rock's Back?"
"I'm Sage! Pokemon of Willow!"
"The Rock is Pleased to meet you." And with that the lap was done.
"Good-bye The Willow. The Rock will miss you." Sage yipped a good-bye as Willow hopped off the ryhorn and began walking to Aquacorde Town, waving good-bye to the fearless rock pokemon.
"So… This journey that we're about to go on… What's going to happen?"
"Usually it works like this... You go to eight gyms, beat said gyms, go to elite four, and then become a champion. Other times though it can differ." Willow says as she goes down the stairs with Sage hopping behind her.
"Differ?" he asks as they make they're way through the plaza with fletchlings flying off into the sky.
"Yeah. See these journeys happen because people are trying to find themselves so they'll sometimes stop in the middle and go off doing what they discovered what they wanted to do."
"So what will we do? What's our goal?" asks Sage as they enter a store that sold just potions.
"Goal? Survive… Two please." She asks as Sage cocks his head to the side. Human's were weird, that much he knew. He scurried after her when she got her potions and headed towards the bridge.
"Why? Are we going to get hurt?" Sage was full of questions.
"Well… We could. Depends on how you play your cards or… Throw your pokeballs. But as for an ending goal… I guess to see what Sycamore sees in me? I'm not the nicest person around. Nor the most confident."
"Really? You seem okay?
"I used to be worse. At one point I'd insult everyone, and shut everyone out. Still have moments like that." Willow explained as she continued to walk across the bridge slowly.
"How can you understand me?" So finally the question was out. How did she understand?
"Ah… So finally the question comes out. Waited for a while huh?" Willow said as she stopped in the middle and looked down at the clear water.
"I was born with it. I don't know why, but I was. Something about my brain and hypersensitivity. I have a theory that I am psychic somewhat, but I don't really know. It's a mystery that I tried to discover, but so far no luck other then it's a gift. I know there's one guy out there called M, I think, that has the same gift, but I don't know where he is. No one does." Willow answered as she continued to look down at the water. Sage jumps up and almost loses his balance, but regains before sitting down next to her.
"Why are you sad?" he asks as he probs her head with his nose gently.
"I uh… No offense Sage but I can't answer anymore. Getting a little personal here." Willow avoids the question as she continues to walk with Sage following her on the railing as they enter into Avance Trail Route 2.
Already this place was small, with a babbling river to the left side with different fish pokemon swimming in it but there was a lot of tall grass for pokemon to hide in. In the distance Willow and Sage would see Shauna and Calem on the other side of the first patches of tall grass. If they looked more they would see their first obstacle. The Santalune Forest, a place dark and most likely filled with a many of wild pokemon.
"Yarrow! Come on over!" Shauna called, waving her arms frantically, and Willow began to walk through the grass before… A PIDGEY APPEARED!
"Aw crap!" Willow took a step back when the pidgey appeared, flapping it's wings at her.
"CAW! YOU STEPPED ON MY FOOT! CAW!" now Willow didn't know WHY it was saying 'Caw', but she wanted this bird to stop yelling at her.
"GEEZ! Sorry!" she said as the bird tried to peak her.
"OI! Leave her be ya buzzard!" Sage yells as he did an ember attack on the bird. The bird became badly burned and turned his attention to Sage.
"I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" the bird cawed as it went to tackle Sage, but the little fire fox was to quick for that, and tackled the bird right back, yipping at it.
"Don't you ever come here again!"
"It's my home jackass!"
"Your home shouldn't be in the middle of the path where anymon can go into!" Sage yells as the bird limps away. He goes over to his trainer to see if she is hurt. "Ya okay?" he asks her as Willow just gets out of the tall grass, and sighs. "Yep… Question though… Anymon?" she says as she goes over to the rest of the crew.
"Don't humans usually have a word that means a whole group?"
"Oh so like… AnyBOODY, but a pokemon version of it." Willow says quietly before reaching over to the other two trainers.
"Wow that was something huh? Anyway wanna learn how to catch pokemon with me!? To be a better trainer and all! Calem is going to teach me!"
"Um Shauna, I know it may not seem like it due to what you guys saw, but I am okay when it comes to catching pokemon. You can learn it though." Willow said, trying not to be mean.
"Plwease~? Don't you wanna learn how to catch pokemon to become a better trainer?"
"No, you don't understand. I don't need to le-" Willow pauses as she looks at Shauna's big eyes. She sighs, sits down on the ground with Shauna. It felt like she had no choice in this matter so she listened half-way, her ears picking up at slight differences. Calem explains away and Willow nods, confirming some questions Shauna had. And then Calem did something that she didn't expect, and that was the pokeballs. She was given some free ones, and plenty of them!
"Oh for me? Thanks." Willow says as she stuffs the balls down her purse.
"I think it's amazing that pokemon can fit inside suck little balls!" Shauna said while Willow thought about it.
"Yeah I suppose so, because it seems no matter how big the pokemon is and it get stuffed inside. So what happens to them? I can guess that they are put in stasis, and are dreaming. The only question I have is can they die inside while in these things? And what's more how does a pokedex know what pokemon they're in front of? Is it like… Vision sensory? How does this thing work and why isn't it applied to other objects in our lives?" Willow didn't realize it but Shauna already went somewhere else to catch cute pokemon.
"Uh forgive her. She's excited." Calem explains as Willow sighs.
"Yeah I understand."
"So you used to be a trainer yourself huh?"
"Yeah I am. In Jhoto I used to be a trainer, but I didn't complete the journey…"
"Wow… So this must all be boring right?"
"Oh no! Well… Yeah kind of, but you explained everything well and Trevor showed me a new pokedex to use… There are new things, but I know basics." Willow says with a blush. She felt embarrassed talking about this stuff.
"Your face is red! What does it mean!? You burned!?"
"No Sage. I'm fine."
"Um… Talking with your pokemon?"
"… Yeeeeeeeeeeeeees? It's not weird don'tjudgeme." Willow explains quickly her face getting more red.
"Well… We have our hobbies then. Um… I'll leave you talking… Maybe I should do it with my Froakie." Calem says as he goes off into the forest. Willow and Sage stand there for a just a moment.
"Do you think other pokemon that will join us will like us?"
"It varies. I had one pokemon who was quite stubborn, but warmed up to me."
"Ooooooooh! So they won't like it at first."
"Exactly. But as long as your nice and clear they will warm up to you." Willow says before she was challenged. Battle commenced, and the battle was won!
"We're just getting better huh?" Sage asks as he watches the youngster give Willow some money. He wonders why he had done that, and looks to Willow for an explanation as they walk into the forest.
"Oh… It's something that's done as a complimentary for winning. Gotta make money somehow or you won't have food." Willow explains as she pockets the money. "Hmmm…" she hums as the sun glistens in the tree tops, but her concentration is broken the moment she hears Shauna calling her name.
"Huh?" Willow turns back with Sage.
"Let's walk together!"
"Scared of the forest?"
"No! I just think that interesting things might happen if I walk by you!"
"Oh… How nice." Willow comments, about to roll her eyes before perking up her ears to the next statement. "I'll heal your pokemon as we go along!" and that statement rung through her mind like fire making Shauna and Sage look at her strangely. Instantly she grabs Shauna's shoulders "… I love you…" was all Willow said as she turned around and began to walk in the forest.
"Um… Thanks…" Shauna says as she looks down at Sage who looked just as confused.
"Well I love you too!" she yells before skipping through the forest along with Sage, following after Willow.
End of Chapter One
I hope you've enjoyed the chapter! See you all next time in the Tale of Yarrow! Will Willow get a new pokemon in the next chapter? Probably! And yes this is an improved version of the first chapter if you have read that.
