AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 91 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. This is one of my favorite chapters for many reasons. I decided to add two anime counterparts of the characters, Emmy and Max. You'll probably recall them from the children's television series Dragon Tales. I was also inspired to write this chapter because of the Dragon Tales episode: "Do Not Pass Gnome," where Max accidentally breaks Emmy's yo-yo, and they must play Simon Says to get it fixed. But just so you know, this Emmy and Max are from a different universe than the one in the television series you're used to seeing, but this Emmy also says "Definitely." And the Dragon Scale here is different than the enchanted Dragon Scale on Dragon Tales, which is owned by Sesame Workshop and Sony Pictures Television. I hope you enjoy this miniature crossover part of this story, and please review responsibly at your leisure.
TEASER: Tristan and Hillary are asked to find Clair's niece and nephew, Emmy and Max, who lose their precious Dragon Scale, and get into a fight. After Max runs off, Hillary goes after her while Tristan stays behind with Emmy, but a powerful tornado causes Tristan and Emmy big problems! Could a sealed cave be their doom?
Chapter 91: A DRAGON SCALE TALE
(Music Cue: Golden Silver (as heard in "The Little Big Horn"))
One morning at the Gym in Blackthorn City, two children, a boy and a girl, were asking their aunt if they could go outside and play in the backyard. The children's names were Emmy and Max, and their aunt was Clair. Emmy and Max had been invited to spend a few days with her.
The girl was wearing a blue button-up knee-length dress over a red short-sleeved shirt while the boy wore a green short-sleeved shirt and brown pants.
"All right, but before I let you go outside and play," said Clair. "I have to explain the rules to you: Don't go too far, and make sure that I can see you in the backyard at all times, all right?"
"Yes, Aunt Clair," replied Emmy and Max together.
"All right, you can go out," said Clair. "Just remember the rules. And be sure to be back at the Gym for lunch at one o'clock."
"Don't worry! We will!" called Emmy and Max as they ran out. They played and rolled on the grass in the wide open field behind the Gym.
Clair gave a sigh. "That's what I'm worried about," she said to herself as she went back inside.
An hour and a half later, Max saw a trail into the woods. "Hey, Emmy, wanna check out the trail?"
"Max, Aunt Clair said we couldn't leave the yard," protested Emmy.
"It won't be too far," said Max. "And we'll still be seen."
Emmy gave a sigh. Then she said, "All right, but only a little ways. Stay close."
This excited Max, and together, he and Emmy set off on the trail into the woods.
(Music Cue: The Sign of the Storm)
It was one o'clock: the time that Emmy and Max were to come back inside for lunch.
Presently, dark clouds started forming from far away. Slowly, but surely, they were coming closer and closer.
"I don't like the looks of those clouds," Clair said to herself as she watched the dark clouds. "I have a strange feeling that something bad will be coming." Little did she know that Emmy and Max had disappeared from the backyard. "I think I'd better call the kids back inside so they can have their lunch."
Clair was just about to call them inside when she saw a special weather bulletin that had just appeared on TV.
A female weathercaster appeared on the screen. "There is a huge storm system that's on its way to the eastern portion of the Johto region in approximately one hour. It's already impacted the areas of Cianwood City and Olivine City. This storm won't bring much rain, but will have very high winds, and possibly a tornado."
"A tornado?" gasped Clair.
"Residents in Blackthorn City are urged to prepare for this event," continued the weathercaster, "for this storm is approaching at tremendous speed. I repeat: the storm will arrive in Blackthorn City in one hour. Residents must prepare to take shelter immediately."
"One hour?" gasped Clair. "I have to warn Emmy and Max!" And she ran out to call them inside for lunch. But not a trace of them could be seen. "Emmy? Max? Where are you?" she called. But there was no response. "Oh, no. They wouldn't think about leaving the backyard would they?" And she hurried into the Gym and called Officer Jenny on her Poké Gear. "Officer Jenny, this is Clair. I have an emergency. Emmy and Max are missing. I last saw them in the backyard when I let them outside to play, but I can't find them anywhere."
"Don't worry, Clair," replied Officer Jenny. "We'll help you track them down."
Clair knew she didn't have much time before the big storm hit, so she hung up and ran outside to find them as fast as she could.
(Music Cue: Opening Title (as heard at the beginning of "Once in a Blue Moon"))
Today, our heroes, Tristan and Hillary, are just a hop, skip, and a jump away from entering Blackthorn City. This revelation has Tristan feeling very excited, for if he's victorious in the Blackthorn City Gym, he'll earn his eighth badge, and the right of entry into the Johto League tournament.
"Come on, guys!" said Tristan excitedly as he ran with Pikachu. "I can't wait to start my Gym Battle with the Gym Leader!"
Hillary, holding Togepi in her arms, did her best to catch up. "The Gym isn't going anywhere, you know," she panted. "So you can slow down."
But just then, a woman with blue eyes and periwinkle hair tied in a ponytail with a yellow band, plus two pigtails, crashed into him, causing them both to fall to the ground. It was Clair, the Gym Leader.
Both of them moaned in pain as they rubbed their heads together.
"Well, that's typical," said Hillary. "Are you okay, Tristan?"
Tristan slowly got up. "I will be, but what about her?"
Clair also slowly got up to her feet. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to crash into you like that."
"No harm done," replied Tristan. "Except my sense of pride."
"Well, that's good to hear," replied Clair. "I've been in a really big hurry for the past several minutes. My little niece and nephew, who are staying over with me for a few days, are missing."
"Missing? But how?" wondered Hillary.
"They were supposed to come back to the Blackthorn Gym to have lunch with me at one o'clock," explained Clair. "But I haven't seen them return yet. I'm just afraid they may have gotten lost."
"Where and when did you last see them?" asked Tristan.
"I last saw them this morning at the Gym's backyard when I let them outside to play," answered Clair. "I thought they had stayed in the backyard the whole time; however, I haven't seen a trace of them since then. I've already called Officer Jenny to help find them. I'm just afraid that something may have happened to them."
"We'll help you look for them," said Hillary. "They couldn't have gone far. The name's Hillary."
"And I'm Tristan," added Tristan. "And this is Pikachu and Togepi."
Pikachu and Togepi greeted Clair warmly.
"My name's Clair," said Clair. "It's nice to meet you."
"What are the names of your niece and nephew?" asked Tristan.
"Their names are Emmy and Max," replied Clair. "And we have to find them fast, for some really nasty weather will arrive in less than an hour. Let me leave you my PokéGear number." And she quickly registered Tristan and Hillary's PokéGear numbers and hurried away to the east.
"Come on, sis, let's search, too," said Tristan.
"Right!" replied Hillary as she and Tristan ran in the opposite direction to find Clair's niece and nephew.
Meanwhile, Emmy and Max were standing next to a river wondering which way to go.
"It's getting late, Max," said Emmy. "Aunt Clair's probably worried about us. We should head back."
"But Emmy, I want to stay and see this place a little longer," replied Max.
"Max, we've gone in several different directions, and I don't even remember which way we came. I'll go see if I can find the way back." And she started off to find the path that would lead them back to the Gym.
"Emmy, may I please have a look at our Dragon Scale that Aunt Clair gave us?" asked Max. "I promise I'll be careful with it."
"Uh-uh," replied Emmy. "You might lose it. Now I need you to guard the case while I look for the way back, please. And don't touch it." And she took out a special case, set it on the ground, and walked off to find the path.
(Music Cue: Goofball Alert (as heard in "The Fortune Hunters"))
But as soon as Emmy was out of sight, Max opened the case and saw the Dragon Scale. "It's so pretty. I can see why it's so special."
The Dragon Scale glistened as the sun shone down on it.
"Hey, maybe I can make this Dragon Scale shine brighter. Emmy will love it!" And Max tried to get the best angle he could to make the Dragon Scale shine even more brightly, but he couldn't get it right, for many trees and shrubs had blocked the sun from shining through them. "I'd better get out in the open to make it shine better." And he started walking backward out of the forest of trees to try and get it to shine more brightly. Little did he know that he was close to falling in the stream. "Come on," he grunted. "I've gotta get this to shine better so I can show Emmy." But unfortunately, as he was stepping back to see the scale better in the sunlight, he didn't see a big rock behind him, and he tripped over it.
Emmy came back just in time to see Max trip on the rock. "Max, no!"
But it was too late, for as Max fell to the ground, he lost his grip on the case, and the Dragon Scale was sent flying into the river, and it floated downstream.
Max wasn't hurt, but Emmy was most annoyed.
"Our Dragon Scale!" cried Emmy.
Max stood up and felt sad. "Sorry, Emmy."
"You never listen!" scolded Emmy. "Give me the case!" And she snatched it from Max's hands.
"I didn't mean to lose it," insisted Max. "It was an accident."
But Emmy wouldn't listen. "I should never have left you alone with it. I've told you over and over not to touch things."
Presently, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi peered through the bushes.
"I wonder if that's Clair's niece and nephew," said Tristan. "They sure look adorable, don't they?"
"Yeah, but it doesn't look like they're getting along too well," replied Hillary. "We'd better check it out."
And they made their way out of the bushes to meet them.
Tristan spoke first. "Excuse us, but is there a problem?"
"Hmph!" grumbled Emmy. "Well, if you must know, my little brother, Max, threw our Dragon Scale into the river, and now it's gone!"
"But it was an accident, Emmy," insisted Max. "I said I was sorry."
"That Dragon Scale sounds sort of familiar to me," said Hillary. "Doesn't that evolve Seadra into Kingdra?"
"That's right," replied Tristan. "Seadra can only evolve into Kingdra when they hold one and when they are traded."
"But why is that Dragon Scale so precious to you?" asked Hillary.
"Because Aunt Clair gave it to us," replied Emmy. "She wanted us to keep it as a reminder of how much she loves us. But now we don't have it."
"Oh, I almost forgot," said Tristan. "I'm Tristan, and this is my sister, Hillary, and our Pokémon, Pikachu and Togepi."
Pikachu and Togepi greeted Emmy and Max warmly.
"Your Aunt Clair's really worried about you and has been searching everywhere," added Hillary. "Do you know the way back?"
"No, because we're lost," grumbled Emmy. "And so is our Scale, thanks to Max."
"Well, why don't you accept Max's apology, Emmy?" suggested Tristan. "He said he was sorry, and that it was an accident."
"Max was looking at our scale without my permission, and that wasn't an accident," fumed Emmy.
Max looked hurt. He felt that his apologies were in vain. Tears began to trickle down his face, and he ran off.
"Wait, Max, come back!" cried Hillary.
But it was too late, for Max had already disappeared from sight.
"Let him go," said Emmy scornfully. "He'll come crying back to me soon enough."
"You don't really mean that, do you, Emmy?" replied Tristan.
"Yes, I do," fumed Emmy.
"But he's your brother," protested Hillary. She turned to Tristan. "Tristan, I'll go after Max while you and Pikachu stay behind with Emmy. Don't lose her." And she ran off after Max.
"Just be careful, sis!" called Tristan. He then felt conflicted. He felt sorry for Max, but he couldn't help understanding how Emmy felt. He sat down on the ground next to Emmy. "Don't you want to help Max find your Dragon Scale?"
"No, let the brainiac get it back himself," replied Emmy scornfully. "Besides, he was the one who lost it in the first place."
Meanwhile, further away, Hillary had just caught up with Max. "Max, hold on! Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Emmy doesn't care about me," replied Max. "It feels like saying sorry isn't enough anymore. If only I were older than she is. Or maybe if I was an only child."
Hillary put her hand on Max's shoulder. "I know how hard it is to be the younger sibling sometimes. Believe me. There are times when Tristan does something that I don't even understand. He and I get into arguments sometimes too, but we always make up in the end, and we'll always love each other."
"I still want to find the Dragon Scale," said Max.
"Don't worry, you'll get it back," replied Hillary.
Just then, she saw nasty storm clouds coming, and they were covering the sky pretty fast as lightning flashed.
(Music Cue: Imminent Danger (as heard in "Foul Weather Friends"))
"I don't like the looks of this," said Hillary to herself. She suddenly remembered. "That's the storm Clair was talking about!"
Just then, Hillary's PokéGear rang.
Hillary quickly answered it. "This is Hillary."
"Hillary, can you hear me?" It was Clair, and her voice sounded urgent.
"What's going on, Clair?" asked Hillary.
"The incoming storm's worse than what was originally forecast," said Clair. "The storm has just produced a tornado, and it'll be here in two minutes!"
"What?! A tornado in just two minutes?!"
"You have to hurry! You and Tristan need to find shelter immediately! Did you find Emmy and Max yet?"
"Max is here, but Emmy's not."
"Do you know where she is?"
"Yes, she's with Tristan."
"Find them and find shelter. There's not much time." And Clair hung up.
"Come on, Max, we've gotta go," said Hillary.
"But what about..." began Max worriedly.
"Never mind that! Let's hurry and get outta here!" shouted Hillary as she quickly dragged Max along with her while still holding Togepi.
(Music Cue: Cause for Alarm (full version as heard in "Fighting Flyer with Fire"))
Clair was all too right, for just as Hillary and Max left to find shelter, a huge, rapidly rotating cloud of air was seen thundering its way and touched down on the ground. Seconds later, it blew through the exact same spot where they were standing, leaving destruction in its wake.
And as Hillary and Max continued to run, the tornado steadily gained on them, and it got louder and louder.
"What's going on, Hillary?" bellowed Max.
"That's a tornado!" shouted Hillary. "A storm with lots of strong winds!" Just then she saw a narrow channel dug in the ground. "A ditch! Let's hurry and get down there until the tornado passes!"
And she and Max quickly got down into the ditch, covering their heads and necks.
The tornado sounded like a freight train as it passed, but seconds later, it grew quiet again.
Hillary and Max got up and crawled out of the ditch.
"That was a close one," said Hillary. "Are you okay, Max?"
Max nodded.
"That's good." Hillary became worried. I just hope Tristan and Emmy know about the tornado, she thought.
Elsewhere, Tristan and Emmy had noticed the storm clouds quickly covering the sky. Presently, they heard a whirring sound.
Pikachu pricked up its ears and alerted them at once.
"Do you hear something out there, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.
"It sounds like a freight train," said Emmy, who then became concerned herself. "Only a lot louder."
Suddenly, the tornado could be seen barreling down on them at breakneck speed.
"That's a tornado!" cried Tristan. "Run for it!" And he dragged Emmy along, and together, they ran from the tornado with Pikachu running alongside.
They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, but the tornado rapidly closed in on them.
"I never knew that a tornado could be this loud!" bellowed Emmy.
Presently, Tristan saw an opening to a cave with trees right next to it. "Hurry! We can take shelter in there!"
And they quickly got inside the cave just as the tornado caught up with them.
The strong winds continued to howl outside, and they were so strong that the nearby trees crashed into the cave's entrance, causing the rocks inside the cave to crumble and fall from their formation, and they headed straight toward Emmy, who screamed in fear.
"Look out!" cried Tristan as he pushed her to the ground and shielded her and Pikachu from the falling debris.
The debris somehow missed them, but the larger rocks that followed fell and blocked the entrance, trapping Tristan and Emmy inside as a result.
Seconds later, the dust cleared, and all was quiet again. However, it was completely dark inside the sealed cave.
Tristan managed to pick himself up. "Are you okay, Pikachu?"
Pikachu nodded and hopped back onto Tristan's shoulder.
"How about you, Emmy?" asked Tristan.
Emmy stood up and tried to catch her breath after the tornado, but she nodded anyway.
"Well, we should be okay here for the time being until someone comes to rescue us," said Tristan.
Emmy sank to her knees. "This is all my fault. I should never have yelled at Max, and I should've accepted his apology. How could I have been so selfish?" She threw her fist to the ground as Tristan watched. "All I thought about was getting our Dragon Scale back, never once thinking about his feelings. That's why he ran off, and if he hadn't done that, we'd never be trapped in this stupid cave. He must've gotten caught in the tornado and is crying for me right now. I must be the worst big sister in the whole world." And she began to cry.
Tristan and Pikachu now felt sorry for Emmy.
He couldn't help wondering how scared Max was feeling after the tornado hit. He put his hands on Emmy's shoulders. "I know how you feel, Emmy. But I wouldn't worry, for I'm sure Max is safe, and Hillary will make sure it stays that way."
Pikachu wiped Emmy's tears as it assured her that things would be okay.
Emmy felt better. "Thanks, Pikachu. I needed that." But just then, she noticed a small scrape on Tristan's arm. "Oh, Tristan! Look at your arm! You must be hurt!"
Tristan was confused, but noticed the small scrape.
"Now I feel worse about yelling at Max," sighed Emmy. "I should never have gotten you involved in this."
"Don't worry about it," replied Tristan. "The scrape doesn't bother me, but let me see if I can find something in my backpack to help out with that just in case." Tristan opened up his backpack and managed to find his flashlight. "First of all, this should help us see better in the dark." He turned on the flashlight and dug deeper inside his backpack. At last, he found what he was looking for: his first aid kit. He found a bandage with ointment on it, and placed it neatly over his scrape. "There, that should do it."
"You're a tough kid," remarked Emmy. "You knew just what to do, didn't you?"
"It's a matter of being prepared for just such an emergency," replied Tristan. "Grandma taught me that I can never have too many supplies on hand. That's what's called planning ahead."
Emmy began to understand what Tristan was telling her.
Presently, Tristan's PokéGear rang.
Tristan managed to dig that out of his backpack and answered it. "Hello?"
"Tristan, we experienced a huge tornado! Are you okay?" It was Hillary.
"Hey, sis. Yes, Emmy and I are okay. How are you holding up?"
"Max and I are fine," replied Hillary.
"We managed to find shelter inside a nearby cave," explained Tristan, "but the tornado caused the rocks and tree branches to seal off the entrance. We can't get out."
"All right," said Hillary. "Just stay put. I'll call Clair and have her come get you."
"Like we have a choice," replied Tristan. And he hung up.
Emmy sighed with relief. "At least Hillary and Max are okay."
Tristan nodded. "You see? Just like I told you."
"But I don't know what we can do while we're trapped here," said Emmy. "Any ideas?"
"How about lunch?" suggested Tristan. "That should give us something to do until help arrives. Besides, it's past one o'clock, right?"
"Definitely!" agreed Emmy.
Meanwhile, Hillary had just explained the situation to Clair on her Poké Gear.
"Okay. I'll be there soon," said Clair.
Hillary was just hanging up when she and Max heard their stomachs growl.
"I'm starving," groaned Max. "I never had lunch yet."
"Well, today's your lucky day, Max, because I brought lunch," smiled Hillary as she dug out some food from her backpack. It was sealed in a plastic bag. "Sandwiches on Grandma's homemade bread. Tristan usually makes lunch for us every day." She took out the two sandwiches; one for Max and the other for herself. Then she gave some Pokémon food to Togepi. "There, that should keep us busy."
"Thanks, Hillary," replied Max as he took the sandwich and had his first bite. "I'm just worried about Emmy. I hope she's okay."
"I'm sure she's fine, Max," Hillary assured him. "Remember, Tristan and Pikachu are with her."
And they continued eating their lunch, and they forgot more and more about their troubles with every bite.
(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)
Back in the cave, Tristan, Pikachu, and Emmy had all just finished their lunch.
"Your grandmother knows how to make good bread," remarked Emmy.
"Thanks, Emmy," replied Tristan. "She'd be very happy hearing you say that."
Emmy then became concerned. "I've been thinking about something."
"What's that?"
"How come you and Hillary seem to get along so well while Max and I seem to argue all the time?"
"Hillary and I get into disagreements sometimes, too," explained Tristan. "I remember one time when we missed the ferry to Cinnabar Island, and we were playing the blame game, figuring out whose fault it was for missing the ferry. We honestly thought that we had no other way of getting there. But once I realized that I had Lapras with me, we quickly made up, and we made it to Cinnabar Island in the end."
"Really?"
Tristan nodded. "And then, there was the time not too long ago when Hillary and I got into a big argument about Team Rocket. She didn't believe me when I accused them of being up to no good, and she scolded me for not giving them a second chance. It turned out that they stole Pikachu and proved Hillary wrong. And in the end, Hillary and I made up, and we've become closer ever since then."
Emmy was astounded with the stories Tristan just told. "So does this happen with everyone who has a brother or sister?"
Tristan nodded. "Siblings help keep each other company without worrying about getting too lonesome. But they do argue sometimes. For me, being an older sibling is just a part of growing up. Sometimes, being older means you have to deal with a younger sibling's annoying habits, but that's part of who they are. Being an older sibling also has its privileges, but it comes with big responsibilities, too. I always have to make sure that my younger siblings stay safe. I know Hillary's a Trainer just like I am, and I know she can take care of herself, but sometimes, I can't help worrying about her whenever a dangerous situation comes up."
"Like the tornado?" asked Emmy.
"Exactly," replied Tristan.
"I guess I never really thought of it that way," said Emmy. She was beginning to understand what Tristan was telling her. "You know what?"
"What?"
"It doesn't really matter what happens to our Dragon Scale," said Emmy, who was now full of determination. "Max is more important to me than anything. So as soon as we get out of this cave and find Max, I'm gonna make it up to him and tell him I'm sorry."
"That's the spirit," said Tristan. He was now just as determined as Emmy was. "Okay, you've just inspired me. We're gonna see if we can get out of this cave on our own."
"On our own? But how?" Emmy was puzzled.
"Sometimes, I don't like waiting," replied Tristan. "And besides, you want to find Max, don't you?" He took out his Lure Ball and tossed it in the air. "Feraligatr, I choose you!"
(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in "Fighting Flyer with Fire"))
Feraligatr emerged from the white light that shot out of it.
"What are you gonna do, Tristan?" asked Emmy.
"Normally, in battle, Rock-type Pokémon are weak against Water attacks," explained Tristan. "So if we can give those rocks a good soaking, we should be able to blast right through them and the branches that are blocking the entrance."
"Definitely!" agreed Emmy. "It's our best chance of escaping from this cave."
Tristan turned to Feraligatr. "All right, Feraligatr, use your Hydro Pump to clear away those rocks!"
Feraligatr unleashed a powerful blast of water from its mouth at the rocks, soaking them with water.
The rocks became more and more moist as they started to loosen up. Suddenly, they began to crack from all the water, and one by one, they fell down to the ground with a crash, crumbling them to pieces and creating a cloud of dust.
When the dust cleared, however, Tristan and Emmy saw the trees still blocking the entrance to the cave.
"Now how do we get past those trees?" asked Emmy.
"No sweat," replied Tristan. "Feraligatr can get past those, too. Now, Feraligatr, dispose of those trees with your Slash attack!"
Feraligatr used its sharp claws to slash the trees blocking the entrance. Seconds later, they were reduced to splinters.
Tristan, Emmy, and Pikachu were free.
"We're out!" cried Emmy excitedly.
"Yes!" said Tristan. "Now we can go find Hillary and Max. What do you say?"
"Definitely!" agreed Emmy.
"Tristan! Emmy!"
Tristan and Emmy turned around to see Hillary calling out to them. Then they saw her, Max, and Clair arriving.
"Ah, Hillary!" said Tristan.
"Max! Aunt Clair!" cried Emmy.
"We looked everywhere for you!" said Clair. "Are you guys okay?"
"Yup, we're just fine," answered Tristan.
And they had a happy reunion.
That evening, Clair was discussing the day's events with Emmy and Max as Tristan and Hillary watched.
"You two wandered off without telling me," scolded Clair. "I was worried sick about you. I'm very disappointed."
Emmy and Max hung their heads low. "We're sorry, Aunt Clair."
"I told you both not to wander off by yourselves, especially into the woods," continued Clair. "I ought to cut your visit short and send you home."
"Wait a second!" interrupted Hillary. "You can't punish them!"
"Yeah, it wasn't their fault at all!" added Tristan.
Clair was surprised. Then she said, "I'm listening."
"You see," explained Hillary, "they were just starting to learn what it's like to go on adventures and live their lives as Pokémon Trainers when they go out on their own someday. And they were looking for something that they had lost by accident. And they learned what it's like to face danger, and both of them escaped it uninjured."
"Please, Clair," implored Tristan. "Please don't send them home just because they searched for something that's important to them and got into trouble on the way back."
Emmy and Max stood in astonishment. They couldn't believe that despite arguing with one another, Tristan and Hillary were defending them after their adventures with the tornado, even while Clair was scolding them for disobeying her.
Clair gave a smile. Then she said, "Very well. Since you both came back unharmed, I'll forgive you this time."
"Thanks so much, Aunt Clair," said Emmy as she and Max embraced her. "We won't disobey you again."
"We promise," added Max.
Tristan and Hillary smiled. They were glad that Clair had let them off easy.
Pikachu and Togepi proudly looked on.
"However, in lieu of a punishment, I'm gonna send the both of you on some adventures with Tristan and Hillary starting first thing tomorrow morning," continued Clair. "It should help you gain more experience with being out on your own as Trainers someday. Now, what do you say we head back and have a little dinner?"
(Music Cue: OK! (Orchestra))
Everyone agreed to the idea.
"You go ahead, Aunt Clair, we'll catch up," said Emmy. "Max and I will stay with Tristan and Hillary. There's something that we still have to do."
"Okay, I'll see you in a few minutes," replied Clair. "And thank you for telling me." And so saying, she departed.
Emmy turned to Max and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Emmy, I'm sorry for tossing our Dragon Scale in the stream," said Max. "I never should've touched the case."
"No, Max, I'm the one who should apologize."
"What do you mean?"
"I was pretty inconsiderate when I yelled at you for losing our Dragon Scale earlier. I've learned that when it comes to our Dragon Scale, it can easily be replaced. But you cannot. And I couldn't live with the thought of losing you to that tornado. And Tristan risked himself to protect me from the tornado today because I was being so stubborn."
"What are you saying, Emmy?" asked Max.
"What I'm saying is...I'm sorry. You're more to me than just my brother. You're my best friend in the whole world. You're more precious to me than anyone or anything. Won't you please accept my apology?"
There was a long silence.
Then, Max gave a big smile and said, "Definitely!"
And together, they laughed and shared a long hug as Tristan and Hillary looked on.
"How about that," smiled Hillary. "It looks like they're finally making up."
"That's good," agreed Tristan.
Just then, Pikachu pointed to something floating downstream and alerted them.
"What is it, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.
The object was floating to the water's edge and shined beautifully in the sunlight.
Emmy ran to the stream and picked up the object. She recognized it immediately. "It's our Dragon Scale!"
"It is?" gasped Max, Hillary, and Tristan together.
Emmy showed the scale to Tristan and Hillary. "This is the Dragon Scale that Aunt Clair gave to Max and me when we were very little. She wanted us to know how much she loves us." And she took out the case and put the Dragon Scale safely back inside.
"That's great news," said Tristan. "I'm glad your Dragon Scale is back where it belongs."
"Yeah, and I'll bet Max is feeling a lot better about that now, right?" said Hillary.
"You bet!" agreed Max.
"Okay, everybody, let's all head back!" said Emmy. "Aunt Clair won't believe what just happened!"
And together, they ran back to Clair's house.
Brothers and sisters argue sometimes, and they may get on each other's nerves, but in the end, they know that they'll always be friends forever. And as another adventure comes to a close, a new one will always be seen just over the horizon.
► TO BE CONTINUED