Time flies by in the yellow and green
Stick around and you'll see what I mean
There's a mountaintop that I'm dreaming of
If you need me you know were I'll be

-Shotgun; by George Ezra

The Valley of the Wind was an island a couple miles off the coast of Sinnoh. It once held a vast amount of people and Pokémon, but there came a time where it all changed. It had been decades ago, when the Valley had been unable to provide its shipment of trade to a neighboring island. The failure to provide their portion of the trade resulted in a feud between the two nations. The people of the Valley did their best to try and mend the tension, but the people of the other island refuse to accept it. As the years went on, a fight broke out between the two peoples, which resulted in the people of the Valley having to leave their homeland. There was nothing they could do to stop the fighting; there was nothing they could do to stop their homes from being destroyed. So, they spread across the globe, finding refuge wherever they could find it.*

That had been the story Hope had been told. Her grandmother used to tell it to her ever since she was a little girl, and it broke her heart every time.

From the first moment she heard that story, Hope grew up wishing, deep down, she could see the Valley of the Wind. She wanted the opportunity to see how it looked in current times, compared to how her grandmother had described it. That was something Hope desperately wanted to do. Since she and her family lived in Sinnoh, and their homeland was a couple miles off the coast, it'd make sense to visit it. Much to her dismay, however, her idea was scrapped almost immediately. The Valley of the Wind was practically uninhabitable because of the devastation it faced decades before, and the neighboring island, supposedly, still held a grudge after all that time.

But that didn't stop Hope's desire to go. She was going to see the Valley of the Wind if it was the last thing she did.

...

"How's it coming, Hope?"

Working just a few feet in front of the teen was her mother, Celine. The two worked together on the family's large farmlands, which mostly consisted of various types of berries and some Miltank.

"Fine," Hope responded. She'd been helping Celine for the past hour and a half picking berries and checking in on all the Miltank. Those are only some of the tasks she has to do on the farm. "How're you doing?"

"Just about finishing up," Celine sighed. "After this, do you want to take a break?"

Nodding in response, the teen felt relief wash over her. She wanted nothing more than to take a break. Sinnoh was undergoing one of its hottest summer days ever, and Hope was positive she was being cooked alive. When she picked the last berry from the bush she was on, she turned to see Celine walking by her. Her mother's basket was full of Oran and Tamato berries, and when Hope compared it to hers, she could tell her mother still worked twice as fast as she did.

Celine grew up on the farm, and she understood the importance of how much all of it meant to her family. She had to be quick when it came to her picking, she had to be quick when it came to taking care of the Miltank. There was no room for mistakes, not when her family's well-being was at stake. By the time Celine reached adulthood, she inherited the farmland and by the time Hope was born, it was believed that it would be handed down once she was of age. But owning a farm was the last thing Hope wanted.

"I'm still not as fast as you are," Hope called out, adjusting her basket in her arms as she walked over. "But I'll get there, I'm sure of it."

Celine turned to look at her daughter, a small smile appearing on her face. "I know you will," she said. "But you're not a fan of all this; you said so yourself."

"I know." Placing the basket down next to her mother's, Hope let out a sigh. "But I'm doing my best."

"That's all that matters."

The teen nodded wordlessly.

"How about we go in and enjoy a little air-conditioning, huh?" Celine asked, playfully nudging her daughter's shoulder. "I bet your grandmother and Pachirisu will be excited to see us."

With a snort, Hope rolled her eyes. Her grandmother, Frankie, was a very energetic old woman. She knew how to make any situation fun, which was something Hope admired.

Pachirisu, on the other hand, was Hope's Pokémon and best friend. The two met over a year ago, when the EleSquirrel Pokémon had been injured during a battle with some wild Combee. Hope nurtured her companion to good health, and they were practically inseparable ever since. The only time the two weren't together would be when Frankie wanted some company. Pachirisu would be the first to volunteer.

"Once we're done here, we'll have to finish up," Celine continued, "we don't want anything out there to spoil."

"Do you want me to bring some of the berries to the market later?" Hope asked. "I can bring Pachirisu with me, maybe even one of the Miltank."

"I'll think about it. For now, let's just relax for a little bit."

When the two entered their home, they were greeted with a blast of cold air from the air-conditioning. It was, by far, the best feeling ever.

"Gram?" Hope called.

"In here, sweetie." Frankie's voice came from the kitchen, but not even a second, later, Hope heard Pachirisu rushing out. The EleSquirrel Pokémon, once a few feet away, happily threw herself into Hope's arms. The teen giggled as she gave Pachirisu a hug.

After a minute, Celine and Hope, with Pachirisu moving to the teen's shoulder, made their way to the kitchen where Frankie was. The older woman was sitting at the kitchen table reading a book.

"Hey, Ma," Celine said, going to the fridge.

"Hello, Celie," Frankie said, not taking her eyes off the book. "How'd it go outside today?"

"It went nice," Hope said. "Mom got more than me again."*

With a chuckle, Frankie closed her book and looked at her daughter and granddaughter. The two looked almost identical, aside from maybe Hope's eyes. Instead of having Celine's steel gray eyes, the teen ended up with vibrant blue. Other than that, mother and daughter shared a lot of physical similarities.

"I know you'll catch up sooner or later," Frankie stated. "You're young."

Hope laughed in response.

"You have to remember, Ma," Celine added, "farming's not really Hope's thing."

"Oh, that's right. Well, it's a shame. She's wonderful at it."

"Very funny," Hope muttered. She wasn't the best at any of what she did, but she certainly wasn't the worst. In all honesty, Hope was seemingly content on where she was at, though she did want to have some improvement.

"Whatever you decide to do is up to you," Frankie said, leaning back in her seat. "Just remember, you've got family here. We'll always be here for you."

Pachirisu let out an encouraging chirp at that, jumping from Hope's shoulder to the kitchen counter.

"I know, Gram." A small smile came across the teen's face. Frankie always seemed to know the right things to say.

...

Celine's and Hope's break went by nicely. So nicely, though, they were a little disheartened when they had to go back to work. Being able to sit back and relax, after being in the sun for so long, was the best feeling ever. And Frankie did enjoy the company of her daughter and granddaughter. But the family had responsibilities, and they couldn't be pushed back because of the need of company.

For Hope, being out and working meant she had a little bit of time to think. If Celine wasn't trying to start up conversation, at least. The time picking berries or tending to the soil or looking after the Miltank meant that Hope could think about the stories Frankie used to tell. The Valley of the Wind was something the teen wanted so desperately to see, but her family refused to let her. It was frustrating, knowing her family was against the idea, but Hope knew that one day she could make it over there. It couldn't be too far out from Sinnoh.

But, until that day came, Hope would have to continue dreaming.

(A/N):

Sorry for the wait! I know this chapter's not the best, but I did the best I could. Whether you guys find it tolerable or not is completely up to you. Leave constructive criticism where you think it's due.

I own nothing in the franchise. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the bamboo plants in my room. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible.

Again, I know this chapter isn't great or anything, but I'll try and do better next time.

Until then,

Dorothy Rose