After our little battle that I managed to get on top, me and Juniper handled the necessary paperwork for me to become her 'apprentice'. Granted, I wasn't going to be much of that since my goal was far from discovering all the Pokémon and learning about them, that was for Hilda and their company.
Though once Juniper gave me a crash course on Pokémon that took the rest of the day, I was rather surprised I was even able to complete the test to become a trainer.
Dumb beginner's luck, I guess.
Pokémon types, their common habitats, their strengths, and weaknesses. There was a lot to Pokémon that I knew nothing about. Diana for example was supposedly a dragon and dark type, and Axew was a pure dragon. So far, Pokémon had only two types max, it was yet to be discovered if there was a Pokémon that has three of them.
Then each Pokémon had specific moves they could use in battle or abilities tied to them that could be a boon or a detriment. It felt like I was in a biology class and the teacher played way too many video games as a kid.
On a more different note, since we weren't able to move out immediately, I slept one more time in Rosa's house, courtesy of her, and then moved out in the morning. I was quite thankful, and Hilda wasn't all uppity about it either. Our partnership was getting better if a bit snarky.
We were currently on our way to Accumula Town again, because that was not only our only way out of Hilda's hometown but also, we will fight two gym leaders before we could even reach Castelia City.
Did I feel impatient? Yes, when your only way home was probably more than a few weeks away, the anxiety clawed at me. To get my mind off of said thoughts, I kept reading the handbook Juniper gave me that had the basics of Pokémon inside.
Though that meant I didn't pay attention to my surroundings and bumped into a small rock that threw me off balance, but thankfully, Diana bit my coat and kept me stable.
"Hey, can you not keep your nose inside that handbook and pay attention to where you walk?" Hilda said while having her arms crossed.
"Yeah, sorry. I just… never mind," I said dismissively, hiding my face inside the book. Hilda gave me a deadpan look.
"Come on, what's wrong," She prompted, "You haven't been yourself since morning."
"How would you know? It's not like we know each other for long," I said, pocketing the handbook inside my coat. Buying a purse was my first objective once we reached Accumula.
"That far-off look just doesn't suit you," She pointed out, "Now, out with it. I can't have my rival be all depressed when I challenge you again."
"Wait, rival?" I blurted out and Hilda had a small smile on her face.
"You heard me. Now, the problem," She pressed, making me sigh.
"You know I'm trying to find my way home, right?" She nodded, "Well, I don't know why, but I have this nagging feeling all of this might be for nothing."
"But we still haven't gotten to Castelia City yet. I'm sure somebody out there must know something," Hilda reassured, but I still scowled anyway.
"But what if not?" I whispered, but Hilda still heard me, her silence prompting me to continue.
"My family must be beside themselves. When I tried to reach out to them, my phone just didn't work. I don't want to think that I don't have a way home, but there were already so many things that made me think so," I said, trying to hide that small crack in my voice, but failing. Even my eyes began to feel watery.
Hilda kept her gaze at me, stopping our trek altogether.
"You're a lot worse for the wear than you let on, aren't you?" Hilda asked while a mirthless chuckle escaped my lips.
"Is it that obvious?" I asked her.
"Not until now, you were very good at hiding it," She said, not sure if she was impressed or mad.
"Putting up a front is something that came second nature to me," I explained, making Hilda scowl.
"That's not a good thing. I got my own experience, and it didn't feel good," She reminisced while looking at the tall grass in front of us before clicking her tongue.
"Sorry to be such a downer," I said apologetically, but Hilda shook her head.
"No, it's not your fault. I… honestly don't know what I'd be doing if I didn't have anyone to turn to," A flicker of admiration flashed through her eyes, "It's actually kind of inspiring to see you not break down because of your situation."
"Huh, I didn't think of it that way," I remarked, "Thank you for hearing me out, Hilda."
She formed another smile.
"You're welcome. Now, off we—" She was interrupted by a rustle in the grass, though no Pokémon came out of it. A small whimper reached our ears and we took that as our cue and bolted to that spot, only to find a group of three similarly looking Patrat.
"Oh great," I drawled, "It's those three again."
"Um… I'm gonna need some context here?" She said before letting out a gasp at the sight. The three assholes were ganking up on one Lillipup, backed into a corner. It let out another whimper before one Patrat lunged at it and started to scratch it to submission.
"Long story short, those guys were the ones that did this to me," I said curtly while pointing at my bandaged arm, before letting Diana out of her pokéball, "And those guys are nothing but trouble."
"I can certainly see that," Hilda grabbed her pokéball as well and let out…
"Tusky, come out!" She shouted Axew's new nickname. He let out an "Axew!" before Hilda pointed in the direction of the Patrat.
"Go get them!" She commanded and… Tusky, charged forward with his claws at the ready.
"I still think it's a stupid nickname," I pointed out.
"He likes it. Now, shush and fight!" Well, she was right about that.
"Diana! Help that Lillipup, just follow Tusky!" I commanded and she nodded, bolting to the rescue. Once she got a whiff of the Patrat, she snarled while letting out a low growl. It alerted the Patrat, who turned to face Diana.
"Patrat!?" It shouted before getting headbutted and launched against a tree, landing with a thunk, and was knocked unconscious. Tusky took out the second one by scratching it into oblivion while the last one near the Lillipup growled before running away to his friends, clearing the way towards the wounded Lillipup.
"You think he is going to be ok?" I asked Hilda who was by the Lillipup's side.
"It doesn't look that bad, but his wounds might scar. Let's take him to the Pokémon Center, they'll know what to do," Hilda suggested and picked up the little guy who didn't resist at all, only whimpering slightly in her arms.
"The town should be nearby, let's go, quickly," Hilda urged, and after calling our Pokémon back, which took some time because Diana was so eager to deal with them that she chased after them. She didn't go far though, so I recalled her before we bolted to the Pokémon Center.
{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}
We were waiting in the Pokémon Center for the nurses to finish treating the Lillipup, as we wanted to make sure the little guy was released back into the wilderness, though somewhere other than Route 1. That place with those three Patrat wasn't going to be any good.
While we waited for the treatment to finish, we got ourselves lunch. It wasn't anything special by any means, but the coffee was good enough for me to get two. We decided to not sleep in the center because we wanted to get to Striaton City as fast as possible.
There was a Pokémon gym in that city that I completely miss. Go figure.
Apparently, it was a gym where the newest trainers go to learn about how to fight against Pokémon with type advantages. How they could prepare for every single trainer that comes by and challenges the gym was beyond me.
"Hey, I wanted to ask," Hilda said after drinking her own coffee, "How is your financial situation?"
Huh, a good question.
"Well, I do have some money on me surprisingly. The transfer worked without a hitch which still gives me hope," I said to her, "Though it would be nice if you told me if I have enough or not. I can imagine being a trainer can be… pricey."
"Yeah, thankfully, my mom has her own journey behind her, and to say she has a fortune would be an understatement. Other trainers have to seek sponsors to even move out, making it an expensive hobby that probably won't even end up making them a living." She explained.
"Wow," I awed, "That's… surprisingly dark."
"It is, and most won't even get past the fifth gym. They just give up, or couldn't financially support themselves anymore because of their sponsors," Hilda said a little more carelessly than probably intended, "Which brings my next point, we need to check your allowance."
"I don't know how I feel about you browsing through my bank account," I stared at her warily.
"Do you have a stick up your butt? Don't be so chary, do I look like that type of a person that would just steal money in front of other people's eyes?" She defended herself with her hands up in the air.
I gave her a pointed look while she groaned.
"Just… just go to the PC already," She muffled with her head buried in her hands, while I stood up and checked my allowance and I was sure there weren't this many numbers in there, but what did I know? I inherited my father's short-term memory after all.
After counting the number of digits behind that weird dollar sign I went back to the table, Hilda sitting impatiently and her arms crossed.
"Well?" She asked, and I leaned in a little closer just in case nobody was listening to us. I wanted to be careful with my belongings.
"Let's say there are over eight digits in that bank account," I said. Frankly, there were more, but as I said, I wanted to be careful.
Hilda stared at me for a solid few seconds while blinking with her eyes, before her jaw almost fell.
"You… you're kidding, right?" She asked in disbelief.
"Why would I?" I shot back.
"That's… I... hmm," She leaned her chin on her hand before reaching out with a pointed finger, an answer she had probably found, only for her to drop it.
"Alright, I wasn't expecting that," Hilda eventually said through her hand, making me quirk a brow.
"And by that you mean?" I pressed.
"That we don't have to worry about you running out of Pokédollars any time soon," She answered.
"Ah, so that's what they are called. Honestly, why do you stick the word 'Pokémon' into everything?" I asked to which Hilda shrugged.
"I don't know, probably for convenience sake," She said.
That didn't answer anything at all.
I breathed a sigh before I heard a ringing noise coming from the reception and when I saw that Lillipup in the nurse's hands, that was our cue.
"Hey, they are done," I said to Hilda who tilted her head in the same direction before nodding and we both went to the counter with a smiling nurse and happy-looking Lillipup with a small scar here or there but was otherwise healthy.
"Alright, she should be fine to move, though I would recommend releasing her somewhere else than Route 1. The Patrat there are getting a little more territorial than they should," The nurse said.
Great, another Pokémon added to the list of mistaking their gender. How was I supposed to tell the difference!?
"Alright, we'll do just that," Hilda said while taking the Lillipup into her hands and it started to lick her affectionately.
"Stop! Ew, I don't want to smell!" She begged, trying to pull the dog away, but she continued anyway, much to Hilda's annoyance that soon turned into laughter and enjoyment. The sight made me smile.
"Alright, alright! You can stop now!" She said while laughing, prying the Lillipup off, "It's decided, you'll come with us!"
My smile quivered into a sheepish one once I saw the Lillipup's happy face turned into a curious one.
"Pup?" She asked.
"Well, would you like to come with us? We already have a few Pokémon that would keep you company that would love somebody like you beside us!" Hilda said excitedly and the Lillipup matched her excitement as well.
Well, this was a side of Hilda I didn't see yet. Looks like she liked cute stuff more than I thought. Hilda brought a pokéball out of her purse and bobbed it against the Lillipup's head, engulfing it inside the pokéball. It shook three times and with a final click, caught herself the embodiment of a puppy.
"Imma call you Bunni," I snorted at the nickname, earning an intense glare from Hilda.
"What are you laughing at?" She said in a low tone while I just waved her off.
"Nothing, I guess I should get used to you liking weird nicknames," I remarked, and I was surprised a vein didn't pop on her forehead.
"I'll have you know that it fits them quite well," She huffed, "And I won't be making any arguments because I don't need them."
"Whatever floats your boat," I said with a light chuckle, "Anyway, I think we should be on our way, we don't want you to be late at your first gym battle."
"Now you're speaking my language. Let's go," She said and we bid the nurse farewell before leaving the Pokémon Center and on to Route 2.
It was the same as I remembered, nothing out of the ordinary. Though we did have to camp for the night outside which was a nice change of pace. We had a tent each that was small enough to fit inside our purses.
Yes, I bought one in the mart inside the center, and these tents were surprisingly durable for their size. They even came built-in with a sleeping bag. How they were able to fit inside a bag that was barely bigger than my palm was beyond me.
Then again, these pokéballs exist that can store a living creature safely without hurting it. Again, no idea how they worked, they just did.
With a small campfire going and our Pokémon out, we enjoyed the nightly sky with the quiet sound of the crackling flame lit up by yours truly. The lessons as a boy scout came in clutch yet again.
"So, can I ask how you were able to get so much money?" Hilda asked, quite curious while petting Bunni.
"Well, when I tried using this," I fished out my credit card, "Somehow, they were able to change all of my savings into Pokédollars. I don't know how, but they did, which gives me hope that my country is still out there."
"That's great, but that didn't give me the answer I was looking for," She said with a small huff.
"Well, what are you curious about then? I found out a lot about you from your mother, so I guess it would be fair if you knew something as well," I prompted her, though the idea did make me homesick, talking about it would hopefully help a little.
"Alright, who were you in your country with so much wealth?" She asked.
"I'm simply a kid of a rich father and mother, and recently inherited my old man's business for my birthday," She gawked at me, "And no small business either. More of an enterprise would be a better way of putting it."
"Wait, how old are you!?" She blurted out.
"Twenty-one," I curtly answered, and if Hilda's mouth lower jaw wasn't loosely opened before, it certainly was now.
"But that's so young!" She argued, making my smile drop a little.
"I actually never went to university. Once I was done with high school, my father put me through more than a three-year regime where he perfected me into being a good inheritor. He didn't trust any of his lackeys to do so," I said evenly.
"You said you were a simple kid, but you're far from that! What the hell!?" She shouted into the dark wilderness, bringing attention to all our Pokémon, but once we calmed them down, everything was fine.
Hilda coughed into her hand before looking back at me, her face a little forlorn though she didn't say anything.
"Don't feel bad for me, I accepted my role more or less, though now I need to get back home as soon as possible," I said resolutely.
"But… wouldn't you want some freedom? You would constantly live under your father's shadow," She said while gripping her jeans in a tight grip, her knuckles turning white.
I stroked Diana's mane in the meantime while contemplating my answer.
"...True, but making my father proud was always my goal, even if it felt out of reach most of the time. My only way to do so is to make the establishment flourish under me, and I can't do that when I am somewhere out here."
Hilda's expression darkened after my answer, making her clutch her legs. She mumbled a few words that were intangible for me, only catching the word 'how'.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you," I said, but Hilda shook her head.
"No, it's nothing. We should go to sleep," She said dismissively before disappearing into her tent. Bunni and Tusky went after her. Tusky gave me an apologetic look before hiding behind the curtain of the tent.
My head slumped at Diana who was still enjoying the petting I was giving her.
"You think it was something I said?" I asked her.
"Deino," She said with a nod, making me sigh.
"Damn, hopefully, she will talk with me tomorrow," I pondered before disappearing into the tent as well and letting sleep overtake me.
{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}
The sound of chatting at a well-built open balcony filled the not so silent air, as the combination of bass, violins, and flutes played calm and soothing tones for the guests. Each had their own glass filled with pale liquid gold, sipping it slowly to taste the flavors.
Among these people were the hosts, trying to please their guests as much as they possibly could. They couldn't however keep every single guest satisfied, the more refined ones to be specific. They took their leave quickly, thinking of this party being barbaric in their eyes.
Most people would see this as a failure, not being able to accommodate every single guest, though the ones celebrating weren't the most.
It was an unruly but effective plan to get rid of all of the 'stuck-ups' as the father of a young man put it. Once they were gone, the calm flutes turned to drums, violins and bass turned to guitars, and all hell was let loose.
The once liquid gold turned into foamy glory, filled with richness and bitterness. The so-called guests became unruly at the call, not to the point of creating an absolute mess, but more of controlled chaos.
The father laughed at the chaos with fond eyes, but there was a speech to be made. Clearing his way up the stage where the musicians played, he took the microphone from one of them, tapped it a few times to get everyone's attention.
It worked like a charm, and everyone, with 'proper' drinks in hand, turned their heads to the father.
"Hopefully this thing is on," He said and the speakers boomed with his voice through the balcony, people in the back clearly able to hear him as well.
"Alright, good. Anyway, since the people we wanted to get rid of are finally gone, this party can now truly begin," The father said, though the slight cough escaped from his mouth. It wasn't a cold, nor a sudden cough. Illness permeated his body, an illness that wasn't easily cured, if at all.
"I wanted to thank everybody who came here for my son's birthday. While it may seem a bit too exuberant for some, I can assure you there is a reason for it," His voice was strong but soft. Firm, yet kind, "I also want to thank my lovely wife and kids for helping me arrange this party."
Claps began to echo into his ears, glad that the guest found it fit to clap them as well. His family was behind him, eager to see the speech finished so the main event could begin.
"With that being said, the main reason why we all came here. Come here, my boy," The father prompted his son, and he gladly went on the stage, his trademark coat flapping in the slight wind on top of the building.
"He, the one I trained to become my great successor to this enterprise," Another round of applause came from the audience, some already drinking their beverage, "I couldn't be more proud as a father and the leader to announce that I finally am giving away my rights to this boy right here. He has wits, he is intelligent and cunning, he will guide us to the next era."
"Father, I think you are overblowing this a little," The boy said, embarrassed by his father's speech earning a few chuckles and snorts from the audience.
"Nonsense, my boy, all I have said so far is only the truth," The father barked, making the whole crowd burst out laughing at the small father-son moment.
"Anyway, this boy will become your new boss with time until—" The father was interrupted by an unpleasant coughing fit, almost starting to gag as well. The son helped his father up while the father thanked him with his hand before clutching the microphone again.
"Until I bite the dust so to speak," He finished, his voice cracking slightly. Silence was the response and that was something the father wanted to avoid.
"Well, but enough talk about me or him, time for the rounds to roll and mugs to fly! Hop to it, everybody, there is enough for everyone!" The father shouted, and the silent crowd awakened, shouting in affirmation and assaulted the barrels full of beer.
The father smiled at the sight before hopping off the stage and ordering the band to start playing again.
With the final speech over and everybody trying their best to destroy their livers, the son picked up an idle spot for him to gaze over the fence that kept him from falling over. He himself already had a few drinks in him, making him feel rather wobbly, but the support helped him not to show it.
He swayed his drink in his cup, idly sipping it, the familiar bitterness of beer invaded his tongue. He continued his gaze while contemplating over his future. It was already set for him, there was no need for him to ponder about his stability.
Yet, he had this nagging feeling that he might want something more yet he didn't know what. This feeling almost made him sick to the stomach so he chose to ignore it, as it could have been just the alcohol brewing inside him.
He looked up to the star-filled sky, spotting not a single cloud to hide the beauty that was the endless darkness of space. He smiled at the sight before spotting an idle star moving in a single direction.
His eyes could have been playing tricks on him, but looked like the star was getting… closer.
His sight wasn't lying, as the star became brighter as well as bigger, he sobered up and kept his gaze on the white star. As it got closer and closer, he saw something in the star that made him pause. It had a golden ring attached to its body, and it suddenly stopped in its tracks.
His eyes were still glued to the object, like a kid seeing their favorite candy in a shop, curiosity overflowing everything that would make turn him away. A sudden flash of light ran through his vision, making him instantly lose grip on his drink to cover his eyes.
He screamed in pain as he felt the star burn through his eyes. He flailed around, the alcohol making him lose his footing. His eyes were shut, yet the only thing he could see was white. He rammed into the glass railing, and under the pressure of the hit, it wasn't able to keep the son from falling.
A sudden rush of constant air filled his ears, keeping him from hearing his own screaming. He kept flailing around hoping to find any sort of footing, yet couldn't.
It was soon until all the whiteness in his shut eyes turned dark in a snap, both metaphorically and literally.
AN: You might be asking, wasn't like yesterday since I uploaded anything? Yes, and this chapter was really fun and compelling to write and was very quick to complete. Hope you like the last segment, though if you have any criticism, be sure to leave it in the reviews, they are a boost to any writer's work.
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