The next morning I woke to the lovely chime of a wild Hoppip, happily playing around with Zip and Tini. Sleep had yet to leave my eyes so I laid under the covers and watched the pink Pokémon drift on the wind. Occasionally a gust would be strong enough for the Pokémon to lift either one of them up. Flying was a new found joy for them, so Visi decided to show off his power of levitation. We all knew he could levitate, and when he offered to carry Zip or Tini they declined knowing he could easily drop them for laughs. This caused to Visi resign to his Pokéball.
My errands were calling so I woke and packed up camp when I noticed the three going through my bag. "Heeyy," I peaked over and frowned upon the sight. Three little sticky Pokémon that discovered my special Maple Honey.
"Bath time…" I concluded.
Zip lifted her arms up to convey her want to be carried, I declined saying that she should follow. She pouted but did so once Tini began to move. The wild Hoppip tagged along out of curiosity. Then with my sharp eye I found a public fountain, they're used for quenching thirst, but it's also perfect for bathing small Pokémon.
"Okay," I rolled up my sleeves, "who's first?"
They answered simultaneously which caused an argument.
"Calm, calm," I hushed them, then I began eenie meenie miney mo.
Once bathing was through, the Hoppip remained, oblivious and sticky.
"Wanna bath?" I asked.
"Hop?" Hoppip smiled quizzically.
"Like this," I pulled her into the water. She splashed a bit before slowly slipping into a relaxed state as the shampoo lathered the honey out. And with everyone soaking wet dry-time was inevitable.
"Pii!" Zip took the towel as a challenge and fought her way in, until she was tangled to look like a little ball of cloth. Then I had to fight her out. Tini simply rolled into the towel, and rolled out dry. While Hoppip was attempting, but failing, to leave on the wind.
I caught Hoppip in a towel and rubbed her dry, "You take my special Maple Honey, I give you a bath, and now you just want to leave?"
"Hoppip," she smiled, completely unaware of her situation. I removed the towel and looked at the three like a job well done. Then I grinned dully as Hoppip caught a breeze and floated overturned in front of me.
"Oh well, I've got a match to catch.. Bye," I waved to Hoppip after recalling my Pokémon.
"Hop hoppip," she tried to get Zip and Tini's Pokéball loose.
I pulled her to my face, "I'm sorry, we're a team and if I have to be somewhere they can't stay."
"Hoppip?" she tilted her head to the side.
"If you want to play some more, you could join my team."
"Hop?"
I pulled out an empty Pokéball, "I catch you with this, then you can travel the region with Tini, Zip, and me. Playing games, and-" before my explanation finished she smiled and nudged into the Pokéball. I held the Pokéball in my hands until the affirmative beep went off. "Okay," I uneasily stated.
Visi popped out with not a moment to spare, "bay!" he grabbed Hoppip's Pokéball and began to rev up like a pitcher readying a 100mph throw.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I snatched the ball back, "What do ya got against her? she is a part of the team now!"
"Bay," he crossed his arms.
"Return," I recalled him.
Tini and Zip unanimously agreed to nickname Hoppip 'Maple' since it suited her best, and Maple agreed with her seemingly permanent carefree smile. But because of the Maple event I ended up missing Dawns match against Maylene, however I arrived in time to witness Ash's battling skills. It was a heated match, that ended in a tie, but Maylene happily handed Ash his much deserved Cobble Badge for proving his skill.
Once we headed out a ways from town I was obligated to follow my disobedient Zip who followed Pikachu who followed Ash.
"Hey, you guys?" I shyly spoke up.
Everyone's eyes landed on me.
"Is it alright, since we're going the same way, that I tag along?"
Dawn took my hand.
"For reals! Of course you can come! Right Ash?" Dawn got the yes she expected and hugged me. Brock smiled and Ash scratched his face, since he was unsure of what welcoming words to say.
"Finally a girl I can talk to!"
"You can't talk to us?" Ash asked perplexed.
Dawns eyes narrowed.
"It's different cause they're both girls, Ash," Brock explained.
"I still don't get it."
"You will one day," He concluded.
*But I don't get it either* I thought frowning. *At home I could talk to my dad just as easily as I could talk to my mom. The same goes for my friends.*
"So onto Pastoria City?" I asked as I wiggled out of Dawns hug.
"Yeah, let's get the Fen Badge!" Ash punched the air encouragingly which signaled onward to the next gym.
"Hey, Hey you guys, I got a 'sinking' feeling. I feel like I might 'drown'" I emphasized sinking and drown then laughed while mimicking Visi's smile. Visi clenched his stomach from laughter, he found me extremely entertaining at the moment.
Everyone rolled their eyes sighing.
"Crista!" Ash and Dawn shouted, Brock only stared to the mud, losing hope.
"Alright, alright," I laughed.
On the way to Pastoria City we slipped into a mud-like quick sand. It didn't sink as quick as advertised, and since I was fully aware rescue was at my fingertips, I decided to joke around.
"Visi, could you do the honors?" I asked with a glint of humor.
His expression coping my own and he bowed, acting courteous. Visi then placed his palm flat in front of us to psychically drag us out. We were safe, until he shouted, "Bay!" and flung us into the air.
"Ahhh! Crista! make it stop!" Dawn screamed.
"I can't help what he does!"
"Don't say that! You're his Trainer!" Ash yelled.
Visi caught us right above a looming fog cloud and laughed.
With everyone calming I asked, "define Trainer?"
They sighed as Visi set us down. The fog we landed in consumed surrounding trees, the ground, and even ourselves.
"Everyone, we needa stick close together!" Ash's natural leadership kicked in and he held out his hand for mine. I grabbed it and held out mine for Brock, Brock held out his for Dawn. And we trailed along like a line of preschoolers.
Once I realized Visi was missing I called, "Visi!" but couldn't see anything. While I waited for a reaction everyone was still.
"Bay!" He popped out of nowhere frightening all, but me. I've grown accustomed to it after all our time together, though occasionally he would get my heart to jump when I least expected it.
Brock found it odd that he knew our location exactly and asked, "how did you find us back?"
"Bay!" he pointed out his glowing eyes.
"Could you lead the way then, Visi?" Ash asked.
"Banette!" Visi was pleased to be of use. We followed him walking hand in hand through the murky woods.
"Ah," I lost my footing over a rock, and started the domino effect. Ash was pulled backwards by me, Brock was pulled forward then backward by Dawn, after she went off balance by Brock. Brock and Dawn clonked heads and dizzied out. I, on the other hand, was crushed under Ash. Somehow he managed his right arm under me, which was painful to my spine. I lifted myself off the ground a bit, and he wiggled his arm out.
"Are you alright?" Ash asked.
I answered quickly so he would move, "yeah, sorry, I tripped."
"And I tried to catch you," he chuckled nervously. I was about to argue for him to get off when we made eye contact. It started a blush that appeared on his face then traveled to mine.
I finally mumbled, "c-could you get off?"
"Um… Oh! Sorry," He quickly jumped to his feet, and offered to help me up.
I accepted his gesture, but before I could grab hold of his hand, he took an abnormal fall, and landed amazingly by Brock. I wasn't given long to decipher the oddity since Visi levitated me upright. After everyone came back to their senses, I noticed Ash giving Visi a displeased scowl. I shook off the thought for the matter at hand.
"Alright, Visi continue," I requested.
"Go, Staravia!" Ash called his Staravia out, "Staravia clear the fog with your whirlwind, then follow Visi."
Staravia blew a strong wind all around us. I was amazed at Staravia's wing power, he was able to create a wide open space for us to see through.
"Thanks Staravia," I smiled and gave him a treat. Staravia happened to like the taste and flapped his wings rapidly in excitement.
"What did you give him?" Ash asked as he had to hold his hat down from the wind.
"A Poffin, I'm glad he liked it."
"Oh, thanks," Ash grinned.
"You're welcome, you've raised a strong Staravia."
Ash smiled wider with flattery filling his head.
A long trip later we finally dragged ourselves up to the city known as Pastoria. Of course, we hit the first restaurant to recuperate our stamina. Then with strength restored, and mind fully functional, Brock and I left to restock on supplies. While in the PokéMart I noticed Brock going for supplies specifically for Dawn and Ash's Pokémon.
"Hey Brock, how long have you been traveling with Ash and Dawn?"
"Well," he took a thoughtful hand to his chin, "I met Dawn here in Sinnoh, but me and Ash go way back" He smiled, "I was a gym leader in the Kanto region, and he challenged me. But, he was just a beginning trainer and lost the first time. He did win eventually, and it was something about Ash that gave my Dad the decision to come home. And I was free to start my own adventure, so I started it with Ash."
"And just like that? Your journey as a Breeder began?" I was completely absorbed in his words, because not long ago, I was beginning my own adventure. Tini, Maple, and Zip also felt a similar interest.
"Yeah" he spoke appreciatively.
"How long ago was this?"
"When he was ten"
"How old is he now?"
"Fifteen"
"But, I'm fifteen too… he's got five years more experience under his belt," I frowned, "that's a long time to be with anyone though, how did you put up with him? After sometime or another you had to have fought about something."
He nodded reminiscently, "We've had our disagreements, but my travels with him have varied. There will be a time when his travels end and begin again in new regions. We'll depart each time but, we know somehow that our paths will cross again."
Suddenly I was filled with excitement, "that's really amazing, like boomerangs, or those haunting memories. Not that it's anything bad," I caught myself with a fright. "But when you reunite over and over again, doesn't it feel like fate's pulling your strings?"
He laughed, "it's not like that, besides it doesn't have to be so complicated, just do what your heart says and someday you'll find yourself right where you need to be."