A cool breeze drifted by as I was shock and startled. Overhead I heard a choir singing, looking up to the sight of beautiful Butterfree flutter by gracefully in the dark night sky. I could still feel those hot salty tears drip down my face, that lump in my throat as I yelled for help. I had wandered too far again,, wondering if anyone would find me. In that distance, someone called my name. I still remember running as fast as my small legs could carry me until I came upon a woman. She called my name once more as I stared at her lilac colored waist length hair that had a braid carefully frame her head. She smiled with her wine colored lips, and I knew I was finally safe. My mother had found me.
"Hello ma'am. Getting your tarot read?" asked a gentle voice that interrupted my daydream. The woman with the lilac hair was gone, in front of me now stood a woman with scarlet waist length hair with one single braid that danced in the wind as she smiled with her ruby red lips.
"What? Oh yeah. Just some silly game." I chuckled nervously as I stared at her beautiful hair not meeting her eyes.
"Huh, is something wrong? Oh my hair. Sorry, I should have worn it up since it's a little breezy today. Wouldn't like it getting in the goodies I baked." She giggled as she pushed some along with the braid behind her ear.
"I wouldn't mind getting a strand or two in my snacks if the hair was as pretty as yours." I responded.
"Haha. Oh you. Your hairs just as pretty too." She said pointing to my boring brown hair that only was a few inches from my shoulders.
"Not even, I have ugly hair." I said as I grabbed a strand of my boring brown hair. "Just as ugly as me." I whispered remembering how much I hated how I looked.
"Oh nonsense. You're a very cute girl." She assured as she touched and looked at my hair. "I bet you came here for a gym challenge. You're a very cute spunky challenger. Did you already battle my husband?" she asked with a smile.
"What?" I exclaimed surprised by what she said. "You're married to him? But you're like very pretty and he's kind of ugh." I blurted out remembering how repulsed I was by Roark.
"Haha, oh you." She said between chuckles. "I know my husband can be pretty you know." She paused as she moved around her hands. "He's a good man, I enjoy his enthusiasm."
"I guess that's one way to put it." I answered still in shock at how Roark could land someone this pretty.
"Well, I'm going to the gym. Would you like to join me and watch the other challengers?"
"Uh no. I have other plans. Nice meeting you though." I said as I started walking away.
"It was nice meeting you." She shouted out as I continued walking away.
A building with so many glassy windows stood shimmering in the sun light. A sign stood a few feet from the door and indicated that it was my next destination, the Oreburgh Mining Museum. I clutched the heart scale in my hands, do I really want a Luvdisc? I checked my Pokédex reading that it was a water type Pokémon. Do I want this as my water Pokémon? I held the scale up to the sunlight as I gazed under it. It glistened so many myriads of pinks to purples that swirled around that confused me with my thoughts. On one hand I could get a new Pokémon, while on the other I'll get to keep a pretty item. Too many thoughts circulated in my head like a whirlpool forming, I was frustrated.
Walking into the building I was greeted by two receptionists who went back to their chatter and ignored me. The air was cool and relaxed me, the museum smelled of freshly used cleaning detergent. At least it was kept tidy since I expected it to smell bad like the mine. Looking around revealed many displays of fossilized Pokémon. If this museum can create Pokémon from Pokémon remains, why not bring back to life the displays? But, I'm sure if they brought back everything there wouldn't be anything to fill this museum with. What else possibly could this museum have?
"Hi there, what do you got there?" a voice interrupted my thoughts bringing my attention to a young boy with cordovan colored hair. Almost as pretty as the lady's hair from earlier, but deeper in color and not as long, I stared at it so mesmerized by it. I couldn't find the words to speak as he just smiled at me until he noticed I am staring.
"Is something wrong?" he asked nervously as a blue and gray dinosaur Pokémon gently growled at me.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Your hair reminded me of a lady from early." I answered immediately feeling my face turn red with embarrassment since I must have looked like a complete freak and creeped him out.
"Was it a lady with really long hair? It was probably my mom." He asked as he laughed.
"Oh really?" I questioned then realized it. "Wait! So your dad's the gym leader?"
"Yeah. You're right about that. But. Well." He said as he paused and pressed his lips together looking down at his Pokémon that nudged him back up. "I don't like people looking at me as his son. Ya know? There's more to me than just being a gym leader's son." He explained as he started petting his Cranidos, it reminded me of the bond I had with Aurora and how I'd like going to her for comfort when I was feeling alone.
"I'm sorry about that. I didn't know that." I said feeling guilty that I didn't even consider how he would have felt having that annoying person for a parent.
"It's okay, you didn't know, we just met." He said as he extended out his hand.
"What? Right! My name is Ce-"but before I could finish a booming voice tore in.
"Hello children! Do you need any assistance? We have so many new exhibits. Want to hear some Pokémon facts? What's going on over here?" chattered an over enthusiastic voice revealing to be a very tall man with messy green hair.
"Huh? Oh we were just talking, I noticed something she had." The boy answered nervously smiling as he back up from the man staring up and down from him.
"Ooo! What do we have here?" he mused as he snatched the heart scale from my hands and held it up to the ceiling. "My my! It's a scale from an elusive Luvdisc. Where did you find this?"
"At the Oreburgh Mine. One of my Pokémon smashed a rock up and it flew out." Answered nervously as the man's zeal and curiosity made me uncomfortable.
"Aha! Did you know the Oreburgh Mine extends under the sea floor? That's probably how that was in a rock from there." He announced as he waved the heart scale up like a glow stick at a concert.
"I think she would like to get it back." Commented the boy as he reach for it and snatched it out of his hands as the man childishly looked away with a smirk on his face. It was like he wanted to purposely make us upset.
"Well, you can always give this to one of the scientists and they may be able to make a clone of the Pokémon for you. However, it looks so beautiful and can be consider a valuable collector's item." He explained as he pointed to a room nearby. "You can go in there and speak with someone about that."
"That's what I was thinking on doing." I said nervously wishing he would go away, but then I felt my hand being tugged towards the room. I turned and saw the boy was already walking with me away from the noisy man.
"Well, we were headed over there. Thank you for the information." He said politely as we walked away while the man continued to screech out things I didn't care to hear. "Boy was he annoying, I could have just told you that stuff if he wasn't so nosy. I hate how adults do that and act like children don't know things." He ranted on annoyed still holding my hand as we walked.
"Thank you for that. I try not letting it get to me, but some adults can really make me uncomfortable." I confessed making him stopped, and I pulled my hand away then was handed my heart scale.
"I know what you mean, sometimes my dad tells me stuff and I kind of want to say 'Oh jeez Dad' while my mother just giggles.
"Yeah, no offense but your dad kind of seems like he's a pain to be with." I added nervously hoping I wouldn't upset him.
"That's okay. As his son I get a front row seat to the things he does." He chuckled as smile back. I couldn't help but smile back. It felt nice being able to talk to someone about this. Usually people told me to respect my elders, but sometimes my elders aggravated me.
"So about that heart scale." He said pointing at it. "Do you really want to lose it to get a Pokémon. It is really pretty." He added.
"Well. I don't see another reason to have it." I responded looking down at it, it sparkled so beautifully. I couldn't find a reason not to have it cloned.
"Well, believe it or not. My dad and I collect fossils. We have so many, but a few have been restored. Like my Cranidos right here." He explained as he reached down to pet it.
"Why not restore them all?" I asked curiously imagining how much of an army of Pokémon they could have had and how much harder it would be for trainers to beat Roark. That'd be great. New trainers would immediately give up if that were to happen.
"There's a lot of beauty in fossils. They remained intact for so many years after living their life. Then technology just interrupts their slumber and brings them into the future. A different time period and they didn't even ask for it. Sometimes I feel so bad for the fossil Pokémon that are revived since some need to be kept in isolation until they can be brought into a social environment, so they won't freak out. But well, when I found the fossil that got me my Cranidos, it's like it kept telling me to bring it back to life so we could be together and have fun." He rambled on as he looked at a portrait that had been spread across the wall of an illustration of a period where fossil Pokémon once roamed the earth. I watched, happy that he was enthusiastic about fossils. He looked at me still smiling. It was different from how Jane had looked at me, I felt some hidden happiness. It was like I was meant to make this connection with him, I couldn't help but just smile back.
"You know, maybe I'll hold off on it. I just started this journey." I replied then an idea popped into, my head. "I'm sure I'll pass through Oreburgh once more on my journey. How about you hold on it for now? So I won't lose it on my journey." I explained as I handed him the heart scale, I wanted to see him again. Very rarely did I ever get along with anybody. This was the only way I could assure it.
"You're entrusting it with me? Thank you. I'll take good care of it until we see each other again." He agreed as he took it smiling and looked down at it. I was glad he agreed to it.
"You're welcome. It's a shame I can't stay any longer here. But I got business in Floaroma Town in a few days." I revealed still holding on to wanting to attend that party. I wanted to know more information about that time traveling watch. I'm sure there will be people at that party who can answers those questions.
"Oh, I understand. Well, I'm glad after that you'll pass by here again." He said.
"Walk me out?" I asked as I signaled him as I took a few steps as he shook his head and followed me out. As we arrived out the exit I gazed up to the sky and saw some Starly flying by under the orange sunset. Time really flew by, so many things happened today. The sky looked so peaceful, I wanted to spend more time talking with him and enjoy the scenery.
"Hey look! Want to get some ice cream?" He asked pointing at the ice cream top from earlier.
"Sorry, I ate some like an hour ago. I haven't even eaten dinner yet." I answered nervously laughing since I'm sure the employee would most likely recognize me and scold me for returning.
"Well, I'm always for the mood for ice cream." He pointed out as he walked towards the shop, making me follow behind. As we arrived at the counter I noticed there was a young woman instead of the man from earlier. Must be a shift change, but I felt full and didn't want to force ice cream down.
"I'm not so sure which flavor to get. They all look so yummy." He wailed as he turned to me. "Which one did you like?"
"I only tried the peanut butter with chocolate chips." I responded as he immediately asked the sever for it. Well, it was okay, even though Roark was the one who got it for me.
"I honestly didn't think this would be a good combination." He said as he took licks from the ice cream.
"Someone actually recommended it to me earlier." I started, then realized it was Roark and should have probably let him know. I heard shouting in the background, I hadn't been paying attention, but I heard him call out to his parents. I turned around and saw the women with the scarlet hair walking towards us with her arm linked to a man. I felt my hear sink, that man was not Roark, but another man with dark purple hair and who needed to shave. But, where was Roark.
"Roark, I see you're with this lady I met earlier. You guys got ice cream? Anything exciting happen" she chattered on as I felt the realization tear through my head. Roark. That's who I was with. That's who took my hand at the museum. Roark is who I got along with.
"Oh, we were just talking, and we were at the museum earlier." He explained as he turned to me while I had my break down. "Huh? Are you okay?" he asked.
"Hey, so I forgot to call my dad and he's probably very worried about me. It was nice seeing you, I need to go make a call." I wheezed out as I immediately took off, refusing to turn back. I heard them call out to me, but I ignored it. I wanted to be gone. I must have time travelled without noticing. The streetlamps were beginning to light up as the sky darken, I run under one and pulled out the watch. I opened it up and saw that I had travelled six years earlier as I did in Sandgem Town. I moved the hands back to my current time and looked up and saw moments flash by. I never truly paid attention, but it was as if I remained motionless like I statue while everyone went on about their life as I travelled through time. The speeding slowed and I saw I was alone again. I wanted this day to be over.