Once we exit the house onto a green, foliage-laden route, Machoke takes the lead, presumably to fend off wild Pokemon. Jayce and I walk behind in silence. It would almost be better if he talked constantly. The awkwardness only grows when he doesn't say anything. I have to break the silence somehow.

But what am I supposed to say? I glance up at the taller boy. His eyes are trained on the ground. I wonder how he started working for Mr. Pokemon?

I open my mouth to ask, but he actually beats me to it.

"So...you really did stop that thief?" His eyes raise up to meet mine, and I quickly look away.

"No, not really," I say, kind of surprised at his sudden question. "I mean, he got away."

"You still tried, didn't you?" he says, sliding his hands into his jeans pockets. "There's no way I would've had the guts to do that."

Guts? It hadn't felt like I had guts when I had done any of it. But now, looking back on it, I guess it seems...well...kind of brave.

Which isn't me at all.

"Guts? Me? No." I shake my head. "To be honest, this is the first time I've ever been outside of New Bark Town. I've never even had the slightest desire to go somewhere else - "

" - until now," Jayce breaks in, and I look up at him, startled. He is looking at me with that same intensely curious look he had while Mr. Pokemon was interrogating me. His eyes seem to absorb the light from the afternoon sun, so that they're glowing from within.

I turn away and start combing my hair with my fingers. I feel like I need something to do with my hands. "Well, yeah," I say quietly. "Until now."

Why haven't I ever wanted to leave? I've been stuck in the same tiny place I've lived my whole life with the same people I've known my whole life. Now that I think about it, it seems...boring. Monotonous.

And now? Just by going with my instincts, I've ended up meeting new people, visiting new places, and breaking my routine in general.

I'm not so sure if that's a good thing.

"Well, what about you?" The question tears itself from my mouth. "I bet you've been all over the region, huh?"

Jayce shrugs. "Nah. Not really. The farthest away I've ever been is Ruins of Alph."

"Where's that?"

"Outside of Violet City." He grins when he sees my look of confusion. "Violet City is the next town over - after Cherrygrove. You really haven't even visited there?"

I shake my head. "My family - well, my mom and I - we don't really travel. And I've never really wanted to, I guess." I focus on the rippling muscles in Machoke's back as we continue forward. I notice that we haven't run into any wild Pokemon - my guess is that Machoke is intimidating enough to keep them away. "What were the Ruins like?"

"What you would picture ruins to be like. Crumbled, mysterious buildings. Archaeologists all over the place. Mr. Pokemon and I were investigating some rare Pokemon that live out there - they're called Unowns. Weird-looking things. Apparently there's some ancient legend connected with them." He shoves his hands deeper in his pockets. "Mr. Pokemon thought they might have something to do with a legendary Pokemon."

I get a little shiver down my back, and I'm not quite sure why. I just get this feeling, with Jayce talking about another place I haven't been, that the region is so huge, and I'm so tiny.

"Wow" is all I can think to say.

We walk in silence for a while longer before the greenery begins to thin and I see a beaten path up ahead. We follow it, and it leads into a town maybe twice the size of New Bark.

I take a deep breath in. The air smells like flowers and a sea breeze. There are people milling around on the beaten path that serves as a road, talking and laughing with each other. Lots of them smile and wave at Jayce. He must come out here a lot.

Jayce takes the lead now, steering our small party to the largest structure in the pretty town, a white building with a red roof.

"The town Pokemon Center," Jayce says over his shoulder. "Most big towns in Johto have one." Clearly, New Bark isn't a big town. "I'm pretty sure the aide would come here to pick you up."

Pick me up. I don't like the phrase. It makes me feel like I'm a little kid.

As we approach it, the glass door of the Pokemon Center slides open, and a teenage boy emerges.

He's wearing dark clothes.

He has red hair.

And his eyes immediately find me.

"Jayce," I say quietly, too shocked to say it louder. The thief immediately snaps his head down and starts walking, fast, away from us. "Jayce!"

He turns around, eyes wide. I must have sounded urgent. "That's him! The thief from last night!" He's hurrying toward a different exit from the town, the one that must lead to Violet City. "I have to catch up to him."

Without waiting for a response, I snatch Totodile from Machoke's arms and break into a run, following the redheaded thief. I'm not sure why I grabbed Totodile - I guess it was the one that I started all of this with, and it feels right to be back on the thief's tail with Totodile with me.

"Excuse me," I mutter, pushing through the crowds. My eyes never leave the head of flaming red hair. He quickly checks behind him, sees me, and starts running. I will not lose him again.

"Stop!" I yell at him. "Hey! Wait!" I guess I could yell the classic 'stop, thief', but it sounds stupid, even in my head, and I don't know if anyone would believe me anyway.

"Hazel, wait!" I hear Jayce shout from somewhere behind me. I can't stop. I turn the corner out of Cherrygrove City and follow the thief out onto the next route.

I'm in a full-out sprint now, since this route seems deserted, and I am fully prepared to tackle this guy, or throw Totodile at him, or do something to stop him. God, he's fast. Why does he have to be so fast?

"Lost the pigtails, huh?" he throws over his shoulder as he continues to run. He doesn't even sound out of breath. "I must say, that's a remarkably adult-like decision of you. Someone's growing up," he sing-songs. Then he laughs and returns to running.

Oh my God, he makes me so mad. I don't really have a comeback, and I'm struggling to think of something when I notice a sign to my left that says "DO NOT PASS". I slow down, but realize that the sign looks freshly painted and suspiciously handwritten, and if he's going through, then I'm going through.

I continue running. I'm definitely getting out of breath now, and Totodile is squirming around in my arms because I'm holding it so tight. "You can't get away with this!" I shout, frustrated, because I know I won't catch him. "It's not fair!"

To my complete and total surprise, he stops, turns around, and faces me. "Why not?" he says, his voice a deadly whisper.

"Wha - what?" I stutter to a stop as well, my feet digging into the ground.

"I said, why not?" His eyes are narrowed. "Why should Professor Elm have Pokemon, but not me? Why should the rich, stuck-up Gym Leaders get to enjoy their power, but I can't battle?" He smirks mirthlessly. "And the best question: Why should some nobody, unintelligent, three-year-old girl from New Bark Town with pigtails be born with the chance to choose what she wants, and I have to follow the path set for me?"

Without thinking, I drop Totodile and punch him as hard as I can in the face.

He splutters, his hands flying to his face. "Did you just - "

I punch him in the stomach, and am winding up to hit him one last time when a force slams into my stomach and pulls me back.

Someone has me around the waist. I struggle to get free. "Let go!" I twist around, ready to hit my attacker, but it's Jayce, and I stop struggling. "What the hell, Jayce? Did you hear what he said? He deserves to get hit!"

"Hazel, calm down." Jayce's grip doesn't loosen. "Just calm down, okay?"

The thief has recovered and is running away again, through the route and into a clump of trees, until they swallow him up.

And as my pulse begins to calm, all I can think about is his last sentence.

The path set for me.

What?