In the distance I approached Cherrygrove once again. It was odd imagining how yesterday when I approached it was with the intentions of running an errand for someone, now I approached it seeking adventure. I still couldn't believe I was on an adventure now with the goals of completing things others have chosen for me. Maybe, just maybe. There will be a goal I'll set for myself when I'm done with this journey. The marketplace wasn't as cluttered as yesterday and I only saw a few people walk by in the streets. It was still pretty early in the morning. I reached into my pocket of my white capris and felt a new Pokéball. That's right, I caught a Pidgey after leaving New Bark. I should head over the Pokécenter.
xxx
After exiting the Pokécenter, I was greeted by an elderly man with a long white beard at the door, he smiled gentle and said "Hello, I've seen you pass by a few times. You're the lady with the beautiful long light blue hair."
"Uh, yeah I was here yesterday." I answered nervously as I touched the ends of my hair remembering I hadn't gotten a trim in a while.
"Would you like to follow me and learn about the places of interests in the city?"
"Sure, I'll go." I answered not wanting to hurt his feelings. I followed the elderly man around the city, and he showed me places I had already been too. I acted like it was my first time seeing everything to spare his feelings. We reached the sea and in the distance I saw many people sitting down with fishing poles in their hands as they chatted away. The sea glistened in the sun and I watched Magikarp swim by in the water.
"Do you have a map card for your PokéGear yet?" the elderly man asked.
"I'm not so sure."
"Here, have a map card." He said as he handed me a tiny card and walked towards a house. "This is my home, thank you for keeping me company." And into the house he entered. I struggled stuffing the map card in my PokéGear as I walked away towards Route 30.
"Thank you for keeping the Guide Gent company." Shouted out a voice in my opposite direction. I turned and saw an old lady wearing a pink sun hat holding a book sitting in a garden chair. She placed the book down on her garden table and signaled me to come. I approached her regrettably and she asked me to take a seat. "I love your hair, it's very pretty, it reminds me of something."
"The sky?" I suggested sarcastically as I took a seat.
"One would think that." She chuckled and pulled out a crystal bell from her pocket, one similar to the one I received the day before." It reminds me of this bell they give out to everyone once in while at the marketplace. You know, I use to be acquainted with the individual who crafted these."
"Really, it must take some talent."
"Now, can you tell me your name?"
"My name?"
"Of course, I saw you battling with Silver yesterday, so I'm assuming you must be a friend of his." She said as she took her teacup and looked down at her tea. "I know him, he doesn't have many friends. Thank you for being his friend." She said as I remembered yesterday he was startled with one of the men shouting out "Silver". So, that's why, he thought someone was calling out his name.
"You think I'm his friend?"
"You aren't? Silver is very introverted; he doesn't speak much to others." She explained as she set down her teacup and looked up at me. "If he can talk to you, I think you must be special to him."
"Is that so?" I let out nervously as I remembered the dream from that morning. No. Just no. I barely knew him and didn't even know his name was Silver till now.
"Here, pardon me as I go inside to retrieve something." She said as she got up and went inside her home while I continued thinking how repulsed I was by the thought of friendship with that boy. He was so rude and even went as far as stealing a Pokémon from Prof. Elm. I don't even think stealing your first Pokémon is a good indicator of the type of trainer a person will be. "I'm back." She said as I jumped on my seat and she let out a small laugh. "I didn't mean to scare you, but I'd like you to have this." She said as she placed a rectangular box in my hands, it was cool to the touch and worried me. I opened it up revealing a blue rose, but somehow this rose was made from the same material as the bell from yesterday. Before I could say anything as I stuttered, the old woman interrupted me with "this rose was made from the same material used to make the crystal bell they were giving out yesterday in the marketplace."
"The same material? So the same person made them?" I asked curiously remembering how she mentioned formerly being aquatinted by the craftsman.
"Yes, I received it such a long time ago." She chuckled then looked at me smiling. "Yesterday when I saw your battle with Silver, I couldn't help but continue thinking of it the entire day. Then I dreamt that this rose was going to benefit you more than it would me."
"You think so? It's so beautiful though." I said as I help up the rose as it glistened in the sunlight and reflected the light in different directions. I admired its beauty then came with a realization. "I can't accept this, it's way too valuable." I began as she took my hands and wrapped them with the rose. "I want you to take it, it'll be better off with you than me." And with that, I was off once again towards Violet City, with that crystal blue rose.
Xxxxx
I was nearing the end of Route 31; I could feel myself so close to Violet City and I was ready. My heart began to beat so quickly and my fists were clenched, I need to get my first gym badge. After reading the new trainer manual, Falkner, a flying type gym leader would be my first gym battle. Suddenly it hit me, I didn't have any Pokémon with a type advantage over flying types. I looked at my newly evolved Bayleef, Chikorita did not want to stop challenging other Pokémon. Then glanced over to my Pidgey who circled overhead, still naive to battles. I was at a disadvantage. Bayleef could possibly win, but he was at a type disadvantage, I couldn't entirely rely on him to hold the team. However, I knew I couldn't entirely blame my Pidgey for still being a newbie. I let out a big sigh and laid down on the grass. It was the middle of the day, but it felt so nice being touched by the warm sunlight. I heard a faint buzzing, then realized it wasn't the Ledyba nearby, but my PokéGear. I frantically rummaged through my bag and saw that my mother was calling.
"Hello?"
"You left without telling me anything." She said disappointed. "I know I said I wanted you to go on this journey for both of us, but I would like to be kept updated."
"You were asleep, and I wanted an early start to my adventure. I'm almost at Violet City."
"That's good progress, maybe by the end of the day you'll get your gym badge." She laughed, but I could tell she was hiding her pain.
"Yeah, I'll be sure to visit when I get further into my travels." I assured her.
"Thank you. I'll let you go. I'm rooting for you. And thank you for the money you keep sending me. I'll save it for a rainy day." She said and with that she hung up as I took a deep sigh of relief. I just wanted to be left alone, it seemed like everybody wanted something from me lately. I put my PokéGear back into my bag and noticed the egg glow then stop. Is it close to hatching? I thought as I held the container up and admired the pretty red and blue triangles it had. What Pokémon is in this egg? I then took out the box of stone tablets and peeked inside. I know there's probably about twenty more to collect, but it felt as if I had sufficient already. I carefully placed the box back into my bag and heard the sound of jingling. I saw the bells from yesterday were still in my bag. I seemed to have forgotten to take them out at home, and I had wanted to hang them around the house. Then I remembered the crystal rose, I pulled out the case and as I opened it, the rose fell straight to the floor with a loud crash and broke to a few pieces. I could feel tears start to form in my eyes and I heard the faint words of "it'll be better off with you than me" in the distance. I tried to wipe away the tears, but they kept coming. A light tapping made me turn my head towards my Bayleef and Pidgey who sat side by side next to me as they watched me. Bayleef's vines wiped my tears, then he reached toward the head of the rose and turned it around. There was a clip that must have attached the rose head to the stem. He placed it in the middle of the big navy bow on my black blouse.
"You want me to put it there?" I asked confused as I unlatched the hook. He smiled as he shook his head then I clipped it on. I looked at the broken pieces of the stem and leaves, I didn't know to trash them or not. "What am I going to do with the rest of it?" I asked them as Pidgey hopped to the stem pieces and collected some in her mouth while Bayleef picked up the rest. Pidgey pecked at the stone tablet box and I opened it as they placed the pieces inside. "So keep it in there?" I questioned as Bayleef giggled and Pidgey cooed. I reached out and pet Pidgey then Bayleef and thanked them both for being here for me. "Just a little bit more to Violet City." I assured them as we continued walking. We approached a cave in the opposite direction of the road towards Violet City. I walked to the signpost and read "Dark Cave". Should we go in?
Inside the cave, the only light that entered was by the entrance, it was pitchback. I heard the faint sounds of water dripping and scurrying. My body trembled as my Pokémon hurried ahead. I could feel my heart beating faster and whimpered. My Pokémon rushed over to me as I flinched fearing the worst. "Let's leave." I let out nervously as I quickly scampered out of the save and back into the sun light. I rather be in the light than the dark. We then returned back to our path towards Violet City and walked by a man asleep under a tree. He mumbled a few words, but the only thing I could make out was "Dark Cave".
"Do you know how to travel safely through that cave?" I asked as he tossed and turned away still asleep. I shouldn't awaken someone I don't know, but I spotted another stone tablet with an imprint where he had been laying. Carefully I reached for it, scooping it in my hands then running as fast as I could toward the gates of Violet City. I stopped once inside and panted loudly and embarrassingly.
"You must have had quite the long trip." Chuckled a man in a blue security outfit, he sat behind a desk and was holding a magazine. "I remember being young and inexperienced, I'd be dying by the time I'd reach a new city when I traveled as a trainer." He said as I laughed nervously and exited the building, finally arriving to Violet City. It was huge and I could hear new places on interests calling out for me.