I stared in surprise at the boy standing outside my room. His charming smile never went away, even though I kept a stupidly alarmed expression on my face. Considering what I was shouting before I saw that it was him, the embarrassment slowly crept up behind me. The heat had already begun to burn my cheeks as I tightened my grip on the doorknob. Jeez, why do I always embarrass myself like this?!

In an attempt to snap myself out of the shock, I brought my hand in a fist near my mouth and coughed. However, I might have made it more awkward. I hesitantly moved my gaze to the side in order to avoid eye contact.

"What are you doing here?" I asked casually.

"I'm staying here for the night, but that's not why I'm specifically in front of your room." He whipped out a plastic card from his pocket, one that had my picture with my information on it. "You dropped this back when he ran into each other."

Shit! I should've suspected something was missing. There was always this gut feeling whenever I either forget to bring something or something I own was missing. That explained why I haven't been feeling easy since I checked in at the Pokémon Center.

"...Thanks," I mumbled as I hesitantly took my ID out of his hand.

"No problem, Emilia." He smirked. "Nice name by the way. It suits a beautiful girl like yourself."

I felt a heavy blush beginning to form on my cheeks as my entire face burned. Compliments never sat right with me, and for a rather attractive guy like him to compliment me like that made me feel something I didn't even know I could feel.

"Since I now know your name, perhaps I should introduce myself," he suggested. "My name is Jay."

"Nice to meet you… again," I managed to speak without stuttering.

"Likewise." He turned away. "I should get going though. I thought I'd just stop by to return your ID."

"How'd you know I was here?" I wondered.

"Nurse Joy told me," he answered. "I would've had Nurse Joy give it to you herself, but I didn't mind going through the trouble. Besides, it gave me an excuse to talk to you."

Whatever embarrassment that previously subsided now returned full force. I used one hand to cover my face, which made Jay chuckled in amusement. I threw a glare at him, but he didn't seem fazed by it. It was his fault I was like this!

"W-Whatever!" I scolded.

"You're pretty feisty, aren't you?" He winked, making the blush on my face darken no doubt. "I guess I'll leave you to it. Until we meet again, Emilia."

With that, he walked away, my eyes lingering on his retreating figure. I rolled my eyes and went back to my room, closing the door behind me. A heavy sigh left my lips as I put away my ID. Thankfully, the heat from my face subsided, but the encounter would probably linger longer than I'd like. I tried to forget about it long enough as I got ready for bed.

After changing out of my normal clothes and into my pajamas, I walked to the light switch and turned off the lights. I made my way over to the bed and snuggled into the covers. Oh my, this blanket was so warm.

Still, despite my comfort, I began to recall that encounter with Jay. We crossed paths unintentionally, and he was the first guy I met in this region that wasn't so pushy on trying to be friends in an instant. His flirting was annoying, but at least I knew what his intentions were; he perhaps wanted nothing more than a fling with me for the night and then we'd go back to being strangers the next morning. If I was that naive to think otherwise, I would've gotten hurt. I was alert when that first compliment left his mouth.

That's another reason why it was becoming hard to make friends with other people, especially why I put up these barriers when people tried getting too close. This journey had begun to get me out of my comfort zone, but not enough to where I felt safe making friends. I liked the idea of keeping to myself because it spared everyone heartache. Lucas and Reese got hurt because of me, and that conversation with Professor Sycamore helped me realize that. It did get lonely after I pushed them away, but the only way I was able to cope with that was to keep thinking that they deserved better than me.

I was drowning in the past, and the world had begun to turn grey. This brightly-colored world that I was born in became dull. My family and I had a powerful joy that colored the world. Just the thought of one man ruining it was enough to shatter my will that prevented me from spiraling downwards. All I longed for was for a happy family that would last a lifetime.

However, all it took was my dad's selfish ambitions for everything to fall apart.

He stopped at nothing as he walked on the road of greed, hurting me and Mom in the process. Karma kicked in and tore him apart, but I lost someone dear to me along the way. The pain was suffocating that it completely changed me; I was never the same after that.

While the thought made me want to break down and cry, I held it all back. There was no way I'd shed any tears for a man that destroyed us; he didn't deserve my weakness. Call me selfish for not sparing my dad the sympathy, but at least I wasn't the one that broke the family apart. The day I forgive him will be the day when Tepigs fly.

Time healed wounds, old and new, but I doubt I'd fully recover. I'd still be alone in this prison called the grey world. No one could save me, nor would I want anyone to.

However, if that was true, why don't I feel better after all these years?

Unfortunately, I couldn't answer that question. The solution seemed like it was near, yet it was far away. I slowly closed my eyes and allowed myself to enter a deep sleep.

That night, I dreamt of a fantasy I could never make a reality.

The next day, I woke up rather sluggish. I usually never had problems getting some good sleep, but last night was one of the worst nights of sleep I've ever had. Maybe I should get some strong coffee in the cafeteria to wake me up completely. Aside from that, I had a rather busy day today; I needed to get going so I could make it to my next destination on time and train up my Pokémon. Bulbasaur also has met neither Torchic and Frogadier. I only hoped that they all got along.

Based on what I've seen on the Town Map, my destination would be Cyllage City because the next gym was located there. According to the information provided, the gym leader specialized in Rock-type Pokémon. Bulbasaur should be able to handle it, and Frogadier could always swoop in if our new team member suddenly got into trouble. However, Torchic would be very behind on training, which very much concerned me.

Luckily, I had to get to Camphrier Town in order to get to Cyllage City. This meant that I had time in between to train Torchic as much as I could so he wouldn't be so far behind. If I was lucky enough, maybe Torchic could evolve and completely wreck the next gym. Just the thought of my opponent's defeat made me very hyped for the next gym battle.

I was so hyped that my energy seemed to boost my Pokémon's performance with a narcissistic Ace Trainer that mocked Torchic. Usually, Ace Trainers were very professional, but this one was the exception; he was an idiot. I couldn't help but laugh when his Roselia fainted after taking one measly Ember attack. Torchic and I left the Ace Trainer with a fainted Pokémon and a broke pride.

While none of my Pokémon had taken damage, I thought I'd play it safe and take them to the Pokémon Center for a basic check-up. Nurse Joy said it would take around fifteen minutes for the whole appointment, so I had time to kill.

I thought about giving my mom a call, but I was slightly hesitant. Knowing that her and Professor Sycamore had been in contact ever since his visit to the Sinnoh region, I got the feeling she was going to ask about the parcel. What was I suppose to tell her? That my friends that I pushed away had given me letters and a friendship necklace? That I wanted to run back to them and quit this journey?

No.

There was more to this journey than just closure. Reese and Lucas were part of that journey, but they weren't the main reason. I still haven't opened any of the letters, and to be honest, I was scared to open them. It's silly for me to be anxious over words on paper, but like I said before: I wasn't the same girl I was four years ago.

Professor Sycamore told me that they requested I opened the letters when I was alone. Right now, I was with no one. It's the perfect moment to open one of them. Even if I was hesitant, the curiosity within me was very much present. I already had the envelope in my hand before I knew it, one that was signed by Reese.

I couldn't help but reminisce about our friendship. She was the closest I had to a sister and was someone I always went to if I ever needed advice. While she was the wild one out of us three, she knew when to draw the line in a serious situation. She always carried herself very confidently, but not arrogantly even when she got showered with praise; she always stayed humble to herself. Her qualities were one of the reasons people, including myself, admired her greatly.

However, things changed in a span of four years. For all I knew, the Reese I knew back then was a different person to the Reese that's in the present. That gave me another reason for hesitating so much when it came to these letters.

Before I could do anything with the letter, Nurse Joy had announced that mine and another trainer's Pokémon were ready to go. I heavily sighed before putting away the letter, but I was also grateful that Nurse Joy distracted me from my dilemma. I put the letter away and then made my way over to the counter. Nurse Joy had placed two trays on the counter, one with three PokéBalls and the other with two PokéBalls. I already knew which ones were mine.

As I put them away in my messenger bag, I heard a pair of footsteps coming in my direction. I didn't think much of it, for I had believed it was just a stranger getting his Pokémon. After I put mine away, I glanced over to the trainer, only to instantly regret it. Her brown eyes immediately locked with my green ones and from there, I knew I could no longer escape.

"Emilia!" Shauna beamed with glee. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting my Pokémon checked out like the responsible trainer I am," I answered coolly, glancing behind her for her tolerable brother. "Where's Calem?"

"Oh, he's out back training with his Pokémon," she informed me with a smile.

"I see." I nodded before heading toward the exit. "Well, see ya'."

"Wait!"

Hearing her trying to stop me made me walk quickly through the automatic doors. Unfortunately, me ignoring her call wasn't enough to ditch her because she still followed me despite my fast pace. I shouldn't have been too surprised considering how hyper she was for an average teenager. I groaned in agitation before stopping my fast walking after being a good distance away from the Pokémon Center. I turned around and faced Shauna with an annoyed look.

"Is there a reason you're following me?" I questioned.

"Um, yeah? I'm bored and I have nothing else to do." She pouted. I couldn't tell if she was sassing me or not. "Calem's training with his Pokémon and Tierno and Trevor aren't here. Can I please hang out with you for a while?"

My first reaction would be to immediately reject her, but something stopped me. The pleading look in her eyes and the frown on her lips that were ever so present made it harder for me to say no. I had no idea how long Calem trained with his Pokémon, but it was probably long enough for Shauna to have felt a little lonely. I was too familiar with that feeling and as annoying as she was, I wouldn't wish that upon her.

I scratched my cheek, an indifferent look making its way on my face. My conscious would not rest until I gave her the answer I wasn't planning to give her in this lifetime. However, the word left my lips before I could ponder it more.

"Fine," I said, a surprised look forming on Shauna's face. "Just don't get in my way."

"Yay!"

I was going to regret this later, wasn't I?

Just as when I accompanied her in Santalune Forest, the same annoying feeling made my eye want to twitch as Shauna skipped beside me while humming a little tune. Thankfully, we were out in the open as opposed to a forest where there was more restraint. We explored what this small town had to offer such as a few shops and cafés scattered about. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood to go shopping because I had to save some money for supplies. Shauna enjoyed spending her money in every shop we've encountered.

A sudden tug at my jeans caused me to halt my walking, making me look down. Bulbasaur looked up at me with a pleading look, glancing shyly at the hyperactive brunette ahead of us. I couldn't help but chuckle as I picked up the little guy. The bashfulness faded as a joyful smile replaced it while I held him in my arms. Seeing how happy he was with me made me all the more thankful Professor Sycamore allowed me to keep him.

"Look!" Shauna pointed over at a rather ancient-looking building up ahead.

The more I analyzed it, the more it resembled a castle from historic times. Taking a closer look, I notice people past it without so much as giving it a second look. One person left the building with a dissatisfied look.

"Let's go check it out!"

Shauna ran off to the building before I could protest. I rolled my eyes before following after her with Bulbasaur still in my arms, who buried his head against my chest. Jeez, this girl was too fast for my liking! She had waited for me at the double doors by the time I arrived. I stopped running when I caught up to catch my breath.

Once I regained my composure back, I viewed the building once more. While it looked very historic, I had a feeling it there wouldn't be anything interesting. In addition to that, the dissatisfied person that walked out of here suggested that this place wasn't going to be all that great. Well, we didn't check this place out for ourselves and it's not like we had anything better to do.

Shrugging away the doubt, Shauna and I walked inside. The dim lighting in here was rather unexpected. When the double doors closed behind us rather loudly, Shauna shrieked and hid behind me. I didn't pay her any attention, for I had spotted a man wearing a karate gi welcoming us immediately.

"Welcome, young ones, to the Shabboneau Castle!" he greeted with great enthusiasm. "It certainly has been a while since this place has gotten any visitors."

"With how boring this place looks, it's no surprise…" I mumbled. The man narrowed his eyes at me as if I offended him, but I just rolled my eyes. Shauna glanced between us awkwardly.

"Er… Hello! I'm Shauna," she introduced herself in a friendly manner before gesturing to me. "This is my friend Emilia and her Bulbasaur."

"Oh, nice to meet you both." He gave Shauna a kind smile, completely ignoring my presence. I could tell this guy didn't like me, but it's not like I cared; the feeling was mutual.

"Mind telling us about this place, sir?" I asked in the fakest nice voice I could muster. My farce didn't seem to get through the man because his eyes perked up at my question.

"This castle, or chateau if you will, once belonged to a wealthy family. It's so big, it has history behind it," the man spoke in a passionate manner. "During that history, the owners of this castle gave away a lot of their stuff to everyone, so that's why the place feels so empty."

He finished the story rather abruptly. I blinked a few times, dumbfounded by such a sudden end of the story, before glancing over at Shauna, who only shrugged in response. Her expression showed that she was just as confused as I was. We were expecting some long tale that derived from this very building, but I guess that was it.

How anticlimactic.

"Um, sir? Is that it?!" Shauna blurted out. "Isn't there more?! Perhaps this castle is related to Mega Evolution?"

The man looked at her as though she had just said something crazy. Please, that was one of the few intelligent questions she's asked since I met her. Plus, he was the one that sounded crazy.

"Huh?! What's Mega Evolution?" he questioned. Shauna opened her mouth to explain, but I placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. The brunette girl looked at me.

"Save your breath, Shauna," I advised sternly. "He'd probably go insane trying to wrap his mind around the concept. Besides, he can't even do proper research and give a background to this building."

The man was taken aback, but recovered right away and threw a glare my way. I didn't hesitate to glare back. It's not my fault his pride was wounded by the truth. Besides, I doubt Professor Sycamore would disclose Mega Evolution to just anyone. Before the man could utter a word, most likely an insult, at me, another guest entered the building.

We all turned around and spotted a plan blond man wearing casual clothing standing there with a solemn look on his face. His presence suddenly changed the atmosphere in the room. I glanced at Shauna, confused to see how worried she looked. I then looked over at the man wearing the karate gi, and much to my surprise, his expression mirrored Shauna's.

"Sir, it's back again," the blond announced to the man with us.

"Is it that time already?" he asked, to which the blond nodded to. "Very well."

The man suddenly placed a hand on mine and Shauna's shoulder. His worried expression changed into one that was completely serious. I couldn't help but feel a little anxious at what the situation could possibly be.

"You two, come with me to Route 7."