Kanto, Part One: Vermilion City– In which Drew begins a whole new journey to become a Top Coordinator.
Author's notes:
- A lot of people have been asking me for this, (which still surprises me because I'm pretty sure this story is trash but some of you are enjoying it…) so I'm excited that I can finally say… Welcome to the second region on our journey to pretending that our favorite coordinators actually got together, because canon has yet to confirm this. Kanto, babyyyyyy.
- I've been waiting forever to get to Kanto. This half of the story will be shorter, but I promise there is more to come.
- This chapter is pretty short, because I want to focus more on the things to come. Let's just establish that we're here and get on to the good stuff, right?
- Also this is another Drew/Solidad adventure chapter, I guess. But it's not based on any canon episodes so…hope you enjoy it! If not, don't worry; the next few chapters are going to get right back to the contests and most importantly...the contestshipping! That's what we're all here for anyway, right?
He could sport her pink hair, orange coat and red boots waiting for him on the docks of Vermilion City from a mile away.
Even from so far away, she stuck out.
It was nice to see her back to her old self; the last time Drew had seen Solidad had been for the funeral. Being all clad in black and barely cracking a smile that entire day had been unsettling. But now he could see her on that shoreline, smiling ear to ear and radiating the happiness that came so naturally to her.
Drew leaned on the front railing of the ferry as his eyes were fixed on the continent he was so fast approaching. The continent where he would continue to follow his hopes and dreams and resume his journey to become a Top Coordinator.
Kanto.
It was a region he'd never been to before and was almost painfully unfamiliar with. He knew Hoenn so well, because he'd spent his entire life there. The only time he'd been away was for a week vacation to the Johto region with his parents when he was five, and he vaguely remembered it. In fact, the only thing Drew remembered about Johto was that it was much cooler than Hoenn, and considering that Johto and Kanto were linked, only separated by a mountain range, he hoped it wouldn't be nearly as cold.
But the breezes were warm, the humidity was reassuring, and the huge smiling he could see on Solidad's face gave him hope. This was the right move; coming to Kanto and getting a fresh start was going to do wonders for his coordinating.
It was a whole new region. A whole new land to explore and train in and build his team and expand on every aspect of his talent as a coordinator. Kanto was more than just new terrain for him to venture into. It was a new beginning, a new chapter and a new day. It was everything he hadn't realized he'd been looking for.
The promise and excitement of a new adventure for he and his team had been slowly but surely sinking in, and now with Kanto drawing nearer and nearer, the reality seemed to be crashing into him. His excitement forced his fingers to tap impatiently on the railing as he imagined what the future would hold for him.
Four weeks as a turnaround for a contest season wasn't a long period of time. Drew knew that, and he knew it was a lot to ask of his Pokémon. They had all put in a year of hard work just to get him to second place in the Grand Festival, and part of him wondered if they truly were ready to handle the next year of training and contests so soon after the previous one had ended.
He briefly turned and looked down to his partner, Roselia, also watching the approaching shore and tall buildings grow bigger. Her eyes sparkled as she took in the unfamiliar setting, and Drew nodded while smirking to himself. Even his Pokémon were excited.
It was definitely the right move.
"Roselia," he spoke to her.
Her eyes rose to meet his and she looked as though she already knew what he was going to say. She did; of course she did.
"We're going to win this time."
Eventually, the S.S. Anne docked in the city's harbor. The ship had made a special trip to Lilycove's port, which was how Drew secured his ticket to Kanto so quickly. Had luck not been on his side, he would have had to wait another three days before the next passenger ship left for Kanto from Hoenn.
He felt as though his luck ran out as quickly as it came, though, because the S.S. Anne was a pleasure cruise boat, and still had two days before it would finally turn back towards Kanto.
The anticipation and adrenaline of a new contest season were relentless, and Drew found himself beyond bored while trapped at sea waiting for the ship to finally turn around. Still, he didn't want the whole trip to be a waste. He sent his Pokémon to the day spas and other special Pokémon-exclusive clubs aboard the ship. They deserved it, and they all seemed to have a good time when he went to pick them up.
But the waiting had ended, and automated bells signaled the passengers that the ship had finally returned to its homeport: Vermilion City.
When Drew went to his cabin to gather his things, he took a quick glimpse at himself in the bathroom mirror while collecting his toothbrush. He looked the same, but somehow, he felt different. Maybe it was the excitement of being reunited with his best friend as she patiently waited for him outside the boat. Or perhaps the air of a new region or the promise of new and exciting travels awaiting him once he stepped on the shores of Kanto. He couldn't be sure.
As the ship drew closer and close to the port, a part of him thought of Hoenn. He pondered what he would miss in the upcoming contest circuit in his native region. He had never done this, after all: he had never competed in a region that was not his home.
What challenges would he miss? What appeals would he not see? What battles would he and his Pokémon not face?
What would May do?
He had only competed against her in one contest season, but a strange feeling dawned on Drew when he realized he would not be competing against her in the upcoming season.
What things would she accomplish? What new levels of skill would she reach? What combinations would she create? Would she add new Pokémon to her team? How many ribbons would she win? Would she return to the Grand Festival?
He had no way of contacting her. His decision to compete in the Kanto Circuit had been made so swiftly he had almost no time to prepare for it. It felt like one moment, he was planning to compete in Lilycove for his first ribbon, and the next he was on a boat to Solidad's home region. And he had told her, before he left her on that beach that he hoped to see her back and compete with her at the next Grand Festival.
Hoenn's next Grand Festival. Not Kanto's. Not the one he planned on competing in now.
In truth, he hadn't thought about her much since he'd last seen her, because he didn't have time to. But now, as the promise of his new journey was so rapidly approaching him, she was all he could think about.
He wondered if he would hear about her throughout the season as he competed across the ocean away from her, and if she would hear about him. What if she made a new rival in his absence and she regarded him as more of a challenge or a better fit in her coordinator life?
And would she miss him?
Would she hold that against him? Would May be disappointed when she'd realize he'd left? Would she be upset or even hurt that he was gone without a goodbye?
…Did it really matter that much?
There were so many questions buzzing around his head. Logically, he knew going to Kanto was the best chance for him to grow and learn more as a performer. He couldn't fathom all the new Pokémon he was going to come across and the ribbons he was going to win and he just couldn't deny that he wasn't excited.
Though he made the choice to go to Kanto so quickly, deep down, he felt it was right. So he pushed whatever thoughts he had about May or guilt or second guesses away.
He didn't know what the season in Kanto would hold for him.
All he knew was, he actually had a good feeling.
Her entire team was positioned next to her, ready to greet him as he'd docked and stepped ashore.
Slowbro and Pidgeot stood to both of her sides, while Butterfree fluttered about her head. Even Lapras was standing behind her small crew, waving his front fins in excitement. Butterfree immediately flew over to Drew and landed on his head, to which Drew responded with a warm smile. Drew had only seen this Butterfree twice in person, and maybe once on a phone call, but as Solidad had once pointed out, the butterfly Pokémon seemed to really like him and he didn't mind.
Drew reached up and patted Butterfree on the head before he looked back to officially greet Solidad.
"Your arms must be ready to fall off," Drew quipped, his hands back casually in his pockets while Butterfree rested easily atop his head. "You were waving for almost 15 minutes."
"That's why I switched between right and left like, four times," Solidad rebutted. "But I'm just so happy you're here. This season is going to be so great."
"You say that now but tell me again when you're cheering for me as I'm being handed the Ribbon Cup," Drew said.
Solidad only smiled, shook her head and opened her arms. Drew rolled his eyes.
"I know you hate hugs, but I don't, and I want a hug," she told him, advancing.
Drew laughed to himself and quietly wrapped his arms around Solidad for a few moments before letting go. The hug was short but sweet; Drew really wasn't one for physical contact, but for Solidad, he would always make an exception. And he missed her, so it had seemed like the natural thing to do. Either way, there was no way she would let him out of it, so he figured he'd get it over with.
Solidad took a step back and held her arms out again, motioning to the surroundings.
"Welcome to Kanto," she smiled. "Vermilion City has everything you need to get started on your journey here."
It had taken Drew and Solidad only two hours to accomplish everything they needed to do before Drew was ready for the fast-approaching contest season.
First and foremost, he went straight to Vermilion City's own contest hall and registered he and his team for the Kanto Circuit. Originally he'd hoped his Hoenn pass would qualify him, but Solidad warned him every region required different contest passes to compete.
The receptionist instantly recognized them both as Solidad guided him through the automatic doors. Her eyes lit up in excitement and Drew smiled awkwardly yet politely at her as they approached the desk.
"Solidad, it's lovely to see you again!" the woman practically chirped. "And you're Drew Hayden! It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Hayden. I'm a huge fan!"
Drew's cheeks brightened a little and he rubbed the back of his neck somewhat embarrassed; he knew he was famous in Hoenn, but knowing his reputation preceded him in other regions felt a bit strange for him.
"You're looking well, Naomi," Solidad smiled sweetly, her trademark-genuine-all-around-good-person-nature shining through as it always did. "I love what you've done with your hair!"
"Oh, Solidad, you never stop!" Naomi responded, running her fingers through her hair and laughing a little more. "I'm excited to see you compete again this season! We missed you while you were in Sinnoh; I was under the impression that you were coming to compete here last season!"
"I didn't feel ready," Solidad admitted. "But now, here I am. I can hardly wait; it's going to be a great season! But that's not why we're here."
"Oh, yes, of course!" Naomi nodded. "We can chat later. How can I help the two of you today?"
"I'd like to register for the Kanto Citcuit, please," Drew answered.
"Well Solidad has brought you to the right place!" Naomi replied. "Just let me pull your information from the Hoenn databases and we'll go from there…"
Naomi worked quickly. Her fingers flew across the keyboard of her computer as she clicked away. Through Drew's previous records, she created his Kanto Contestant profile for the contest committee. She even took Drew's PokéNav and synced it with Kanto maps, apps based on the cities and towns of the region, the official contest app of Kanto's Circuit and more. She was setting him up so fast and efficiently, he didn't even know what to do. So it startled him a bit when she spoke.
"I loved watching you in the Grand Festival," she complimented while she worked. "You were utterly amazing as you always are."
"Thank you," Drew said while Solidad silently nodded to him.
"Will you be using your same team in our circuit, Mr. Hayden?"
"Please, just call me Drew," he replied. "And yes; Roselia, Masquerain and Flygon."
"Excellent!" she cheered with a few final clicks. "All we need to do is update your profile picture and we're good to go!"
Drew and Solidad followed Naomi to a small setup a few feet away from the desk. Drew was instructed to stand against the wall; he placed his feet on the designated markings on the floor and looked forward into the camera.
"Say, 'Kanto!'" Naomi urged.
"Kanto…" Drew muttered, slightly embarrassed as Solidad giggled off to the side.
Within seconds, the ordeal was over, and Naomi was handing Drew a shiny new contest pass, still warm from the printer. Drew's image smirked back at him as he looked down at the pass in his hands.
"Thanks for helping us, Naomi, you're always great," Solidad said, breaking him from his concentration on the card.
"Thank you very much," Drew agreed.
"Just doing my job!" Naomi dismissed them. "Good luck to the both of you this upcoming season. With the two of you competing, this is likely going to be a season for the history books! Take care, and welcome to Kanto, Drew!"
Drew and Solidad both waved back at her as they exited the building. Task one; register for the season was complete, and it had been easy enough. Next up was going to be to stock up for his upcoming travels.
Solidad knew Drew hated shopping, so when he had mentioned he had a list of things he needed to buy, she promised to take him to as few stores as possible where he would find everything on his list.
True to her promise, Solidad delivered. They walked to the city's shopping district, only several blocks from the contest hall, and made quick work of the list. Having Solidad around really helped him; she knew the city and its stores like the back of her hand.
In the first store, Drew bought a few potions and berries to have in a reserve stock, otherwise known as his "in-case-of-emergency" stash. Not truly necessary, as he always took excellent care of his Pokémon, but he liked to have them if he needed them.
He also bought a few basic necessities, like a refillable bottle of water and some extra socks. He purchased a few pairs of boxer shorts when Solidad wasn't looking just to save him the teasing she'd undoubtedly provide.
Everything else like food or hygienic products were always provided in the hotels Drew stayed in; he saw no need to buy them and carry them around. It would have been a waste of time, effort and money.
At one point, they walked past a store designed for Pokémon coordinators. He peaked into the window more out of curiosity than anything else. Front and center in the window was a display of polished new ribbon cases ranging in every color, size and shape he could imagine.
Solidad asked him if he needed to go in there for anything, to which he said no.
"Shouldn't you at least get a new ribbon case?" she asked.
Drew just rolled his eyes and smirked, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the engraved ribbon case Solidad had given him for his birthday a few months prior.
"Why? None could compare to this one."
Solidad smiled a huge smile and nodded.
"I didn't think you'd use it," she admitted. "I'm glad you like it."
"You think it's nice now?" he prodded. "Just wait until you see it full of ribbons."
That earned a laugh from her.
"I can't wait," she nodded. "It looks like you're all set…lunch?"
Soon after, they found themselves back near the coastal park of town, seated at an outdoor table for a bistro simply called "V." Solidad swore they made the best French dips in the entire world. And he believed her, because Solidad had done far more traveling than anyone he knew of. She knew a thing or two about foods from a lot of regions.
He ordered the cheddar French dip on her recommendation and she requested a roasted vegetable penne, which she warned him she was going to force him to try as well.
Naturally, she was right. His sandwich couldn't have been hyped up enough and he couldn't think of another that he'd tried anywhere in Hoenn than was even comparable to this one. Already stuffed from the French dip, he had to force himself to take a bite out of Solidad's penne, because he knew if he didn't, she'd bug him about how he missed out. Her dish was incredible as well; Drew made a mental note to revisit this place should he come compete in the city in the future.
In typical Solidad and Drew fashion, coffee followed their meal. Solidad opted for a white chocolate mocha latte (which was a drink that sounded so sweet, Drew thought he'd get sick just from the name), while he stuck with a simple espresso.
The coffee came swiftly and the conversation continued.
"Alright, I know you're bored with my small talk and what not," Solidad said while sipping her beverage. "Let's get to the good stuff; we're about a week and a half away from the first contest in Fuchsia City. Where are you planning on going first?"
Aw, sweet talk of preparations and coordinating.
Drew pulled out his newly updated PokéNav and placed it on the table before them, both coordinators looking over it. Drew opened his contest app and scrolled to the contest calendar option. The app seemed easy enough to navigate; save for a few color scheme changes and some items not being in the same place, the app was almost exactly the same as Hoenn's contest app. He assumed all regions ran on the same basic programing.
"Cerulean City will more than likely be my first stop," Drew focused on the date. "It's in about two and a half weeks; it gives my Pokémon and I a little bit of extra time to prepare for this season."
"New region, same Drew," Solidad nodded, browsing the calendar herself. "Cerulean is always fun to compete it. Typically you'll see mostly water-type Pokémon there, which makes sense because, well, it is a city known for water Pokémon."
"Is that so?" Drew read over the additional information provided on the calendar.
"Oh yeah," Solidad explained. "It's such an interesting story. The city's gym had a few leaders. All four of them are sisters. Three of them gave up defending the cascade badge to perform in water acrobatic shows. The fourth sister, Misty, lead the gym for a while, but decided she wanted to travel and expand her knowledge on water Pokémon.
"Now, Kanto is trying out a new system for trainers called the Battle Frontier. It's a huge deal: all the gyms have closed for a year and the Pokémon League isn't happening here this year. I think they wanted to try something different like Alola…but yeah; with the gym closed, Cerulean City's old gym was converted into a contest hall. The town's still heavily focused on water-types, though."
"It says here that this is an 'open contest,'" Drew pointed out. "What's that mean?"
"So open contests are the most common ones here in Kanto," Solidad explained. "It means you can register to compete basically up until the start of the actual contest, just like every contest in Hoenn. But here, there are some contests here that require you to register far in advance to reserve a spot. Those are the 'closed contests.'"
"Gotcha," Drew nodded, returning to the main calendar. "Any other special rules I should know about before competing here?"
"Hmm," Solidad racked her brain for a moment while sipping her coffee. "Well, there are a few contest with special rules, which I'm guessing are the ones with the red stars next to the dates, but other than that, aside from having to register with a Kanto Contest Pass, the rules are pretty much the same here as back over there. They tried to keep our circuit as close to the Hoenn one as possible, with just a few minor differences to separate the two."
"Can you give me an example of special rules?" Drew questioned.
"There aren't many contests like that, so don't worry," Solidad said. "But special rules can mean things like a double-Pokémon appeal or even a one-move appeal, like in the Grand Festival. Nothing too big or too scary."
"Oh, okay, I get it," Drew nodded, noting he should check out a special contest or two during the season, maybe even compete in one.
"You're basically all set," Solidad told him. "Just do what you normally do."
"That's the plan," Drew affirmed, reaching for his drink to take a sip. "What about you? Where are you planning to compete first?"
"Funny enough, I was thinking Cerulean as well," she quipped.
Drew swallowed a little hard. He loved Solidad; she was a fierce competitor and a good friend, but the thought of battling her right at the start of his season was daunting. She wiped the floor with him the first time they had ever battled in a contest. Maybe he could blame that loss on his horrendous lack of experience at the time, but just as he had gotten better since that day, so had she.
And as much as he wanted to believe he could take her on now, he knew it wouldn't be the best moral booster should he lose his first contest in this new region.
But he couldn't let her know that.
"Gosh, Solidad, I didn't think you were looking to lose your first contest," he challenged her with a smirk. "You do know I've grown a lot since our first match, and I don't plan on losing to you ever again."
"Oh, sounds like somebody's a little nervous," she cooed back, reaching out to tussle his hair.
He jerked back and gave her a pouty glare, as if he could defend himself from her knowing him all too well. He couldn't, but he was stubborn and he would try.
"Well, you can relax, because I was kidding," she laughed and relaxed back into her seat. "If I compete in Cerulean City this season, it won't be until later on. I want to try some of the smaller contest halls; that's where the best coordinators hide."
"Not that I was worried or anything, but where are you going to compete first, then?" Drew finally settled back into a relaxed position in his chair when he sensed the danger of Solidad messing his hair up was averted.
"I wanted to go to Pewter City first," she elaborated. "It feels right, you know? Opening my first season competing at home in my home town."
"I can't believe this is your first time competing in Kanto," Drew commented. "I've only ever competed in my home region; I couldn't imagine starting somewhere else."
"Keep in mind that coordinating is still somewhat brand new to Kanto, and it's only now that serious coordinators are starting to flock here from Hoenn and Sinnoh," she reminded him. "When I first started competing in Hoenn, we didn't even have contests here. So I just stuck around in the place contests originated, because that's where the most challenges and learning curves were. I went to Sinnoh after a few seasons there, because I needed some new inspiration, and coming back to Kanto where contests were exactly the same as they were in Hoenn didn't seem like a way to break the mold."
"I understand, I think it's just weird," Drew mused. "I mean, I think it's still sinking in that I'm here and so far away from home and it's all just new and unfamiliar."
"Drew, you're going to be fine," Solidad told him. "I know you don't like to admit that you're nervous, or honestly that you feel basically anything, but I remember being very scared the first time I ever arrived in Hoenn. Trust me when I say that this is good for you. You're going to discover a lot about yourself and learn so many news things here."
He knew she was right, and he looked her in the eye, smiled genuinely and nodded. Solidad was always looking out for him; she was always giving him the best advice and always ready to talk about contests with him and she was just the best friend he could ever ask for. He appreciated her presence in his life more than she could ever know, and if he were good at conveying sappy shit like that, he'd tell her. But deep down, he knew that she knew. And she did.
"Thank you," he said.
"Always," she said.
Drew looked up towards the sky, then. The bright blue and fluffy clouds of the Kanto sky didn't feel so foreign anymore. He never doubted that he could do this, but a part of him felt more comfortable about being there now.
"When did you plan on leaving for Cerulean City?" she asked him. "I'd stick around here for a few more days if I were you. A lot of coordinators like to flock down to the beach and train. If you look at the calendar, there will be a contest here in two weeks, so you know you'll get a good idea of the talent here if you wanted to."
"Actually…" Drew searched for the Kanto map on his PokéNav. "I was thinking I should leave for Cerulean City tomorrow. It's going to take me a few days to get there; might as well try to get there as early as possible to give myself more time to practice."
Solidad looked amused to his response. He quirked an eyebrow, prompting her to admit what she found entertaining.
"You really need to get over this walking business," she said.
"You're– you're not– doing it ri– right!"
Solidad was in hysterics. Completely and utterly drowning in her laughter. She could barely force the words past her lips through the fits of laughter she was suffering from. Her face was almost the same shade as her hair. One or two tears even escaped her eyes as she struggled to control herself as she hunched over and held her stomach.
Drew's face, meanwhile, was a full on bright red. He didn't dare open his mouth and retort, though, because that would mean less concentration on the task at hand.
He kept his gaze locked on his Flygon…beneath him. If he looked anywhere else, he'd probably slide and fall right off Flygon's back. Trying to balance was humiliating enough, but he didn't know if he would survive the embarrassment should that happen. Solidad would forever hold it against him, after all.
Flygon was doing everything right; Drew knew he was the one messing up. This is what he got for finishing all of his errands so quickly…
Flying lessons.
He knew trainers all over the world did it: rode on their Pokémon's backs to save travel time. It was the way Solidad mainly traveled. She wasn't above walking, but if she had a far enough destination, she'd call on her Pidgeot to get her there. She often told him about it; how exhilarating flying was and how she couldn't wait for him to get a Pokémon who could do it so he could experience it himself.
Unlucky for him, he'd realized he had a strong, healthy and adept Flygon who was very capable of this practice.
Solidad dragged out past the edge of town to a (thankfully) unpopulated area so they could be alone. She must have known this was going to be a shit show for him. Once there, she released her Pidgeot and urged him to call out his Flygon. It was at that moment Drew realized what she intended to do, and to his horror it was too late for him to run.
Flygon, of course, was ecstatic to give it a try. As Solidad and her partner demonstrated the art of their flight skills, Flygon practically shook with anticipation at Drew's side to give it a try. The desert Pokémon initially assumed that his trainer wanted to learn this sense they were watching his friend do it.
Now, minutes later, Flygon realized that was no the case at all.
"This–really doesn't seem safe," Drew shouted back at her, for some reason– she was only a few feet away, after all. "I'm not– strapped on or anything."
"You don't need to be!" Solidad continued to giggle at the needless terror on Drew's face. "You just need to calm down!"
Drew rocked from side to side, shifting his weight from right to left in an awkward attempt to keep a center mass. His legs were tightly pressed against his Pokémon's sides trying to give a sense of stability. Flygon gently hovered a few feet off the ground and remained steady; Drew couldn't understand for the life of him how to sit just as still as his Pokémon.
Flygon could easily sense his trainer's nerves and did his best to assure him he wasn't going to let Drew down in any way.
"You just need to–" Solidad tried again. "–need to arch your back a little and–and–hold on with your arms by leaning forward. Don't fidget so much! Your Pokémon is not going to let you fall, right Flygon?"
Flygon nodded and called out in affirmation to his trainer.
It wasn't Flygon's ability Drew was nervous about. It was his worry that he might mess up, and get both of them hurt in the process.
"You're over thinking this," Solidad called out to him, Pidgeot still at her side. "Take a deep breath and trust in yourself and your Flygon."
Flygon tilted his head backwards to meet Drew in the eyes, and Drew knew his Pokémon well enough to get the message.
"I trust you," Drew spoke solely to his Pokémon.
After that, Drew felt a little calmer, because it was true. He believed in his Pokémon. He still wasn't sure about the flying thing as a whole, nor about how often he would actually do it if he would do it at all, but it wasn't about him anymore. Just like competing and in contests, it was about his Pokémon and showing Flygon that he trusted him to get the job done.
Below, Solidad could see that Drew was calming down a little now that he growing a little more comfortable.
"See, there you go!" Solidad cheered from below him. "Flygon, take him a little higher now!"
Flygon flapped its wings in response and Drew held on a little bit tighter, though now it was more out of instinct rather than unfaithfulness. It was hard to keep his eyes open, though, and he squeezed them shut to shield himself of the knowledge of how high he was going. He wasn't afraid of heights by any means, but there was something in the pit of his stomach that just made him uncomfortable in the moment. He hoped Flygon wouldn't take it too hard on the first time they tried this.
Flygon's movements were smooth. Warm winds swept across Drew's face as they continued their slow ascent, and the air somehow tasted cleaner as they went on.
It was incredible, actually being physically connected to his Pokémon. Drew rested his head onto the back on his teammate as he worked. He could feel his Pokémon's muscles at work as Flygon gently flapped his wings and raised them through the air. He could feel a rhythm with each beat, never faltering or wavering. And in between each movement, Drew could hear and feel his Pokémon's heartbeat; an experience he'd never had before, not even with Roselia.
In those moments, Drew could tell he had formed a stronger connection with his Pokémon, and he rubbed his arms up and down Flygon's sides to let him know what he was feeling.
Flygon seemed to still and they stayed suspended in the open air for a few moments. Drew idly wondered how high up they had gone.
As if she could hear his thoughts, Solidad's voice appeared very near him.
"Open your eyes, Drew," she spoke softly.
On command, Drew raised himself up and slowly opened his eyes to see an endless open sky before him in all directions. Soft white clouds drifted past him and his Pokémon as he realized Solidad and Pidgeot had joined them in the sky. She gestured her arms all around her with a huge smile plastered on her face, and Drew's eyes followed.
The ground seemed like it was miles beneath them, but now it failed to bother him. He was reminded of his time atop Mt. Chimney back in Hoenn. He could see the whole of Kanto below, from one open ocean end to the mountain range that stood between this region and Johto beyond. He could see bustling cities and small towns. Huge forests and scattered lakes.
The whole of Kanto was before him; his next chapter as a coordinator was set right in front of his eyes, and it was oddly inspiring.
With his Pokémon and partner under him, as well as the other members of his team safely stuck to his hip in their Pokéballs, he felt a renewed sense of calmness and purpose wash over him.
In that moment, he knew he had made the right choice in traveling to Kanto. It was going to be a great season, and–
His thoughts were cut off by the sound of a camera shutter.
He turned his head to see Solidad, lowing her PokéNav and examining the shot she had just captured.
"So perfect," she smiled. "Look at you, all determined."
His face turned red, embarrassed by her affections, but never challenged her. With all she had done for him throughout the years of her friendship, he let her have this. He let her get close to him in ways no one else was. And he loved her, so much. She was the sister he'd never had.
The two friends stayed suspended in the air for a while, in a relaxed silence as the sun moved its way through the Kanto sky and inched slowly towards the horizon.
It was amazing how fast his first day in Kanto had come to pass. He felt as though he hadn't done much; shopping, lunch and flying lessons were the bigger parts of the day. And yet, here he was, sundown rapidly approaching and the promise of a new adventure right behind it.
His mind briefly thought back to a week prior, how unsure he had felt about all of this, and how it compared to how he felt now. His hesitation was in the past, and he was glad he had left it behind. He was glad he had come to Kanto.
"So what are your goals for this season?" Solidad asked him from behind.
He looked over to her confused.
"I know, I know, you want to win the Grand Festival," she laughed a bit. "But have you set any other goals for the season? Like personal goals I mean?"
"Oh, um," Drew thought for a second after her clarification. "I guess just, trying new stuff like this? Coming up with newer and better combinations would be good. I mean I gotta grow as a coordiantor, right?"
She beamed and nodded at him.
"What about you?" he asked in return. "Do you have anything special you want to accomplish this time around?"
Solidad pursed her lips and stared out at the landscape before her for a few moments. He could tell she had a new, special motivation.
"I want to be better than I've ever been," she said, somewhat to herself. "I want to dedicate this entire season to Arthur, too."
"Oh, wow, Sol, that's great," Drew praised her. "I'm sure you and Butterfree will make him really proud."
"That's the plan," she nodded, determined. "I hope we can both achieve what we've come here to achieve, Drew."
"Solidad?"
She looked over to him a bit taken back by the fire and passion she could see in his eyes.
"We will," was all he said.
It was another few minutes before the two coordinators descended.
Drew returned Flygon to his Pokémon, telling thanking his Pokémon for its hard work and promising they would work on flying some more in the near future. Flygon had seemed to enjoy the experience, and so had he, not that he would let Solidad know. It'd be a never-ending parade of I told you so were she to find out after he so strongly opposed it.
"So now what?" Drew asked. "Are you going to stay in Vermilion City tonight?"
"Actually, it's getting pretty late," Solidad said, looking down to her PokéNav for the time and turning back to her Pidgeot. "I think we're going to head home now."
Her Pidgeot nodded, and shook his feathers out to prepare for the short flight home.
She turned back to Drew, smiling sweetly.
"I'm really happy you're here, Drew," she told him sincerely. "This really is going to be a great season."
"I think so, too," Drew smirked and flipped his hair. "I can't wait to face you in the Grand Festival."
"We've got a long road to get there, but I know it'll happen," she nodded.
She extended her arms one last time, and Drew folded his arms around her for a goodbye hug. It was short but sweet, and Solidad's eyes lit up as she stepped back.
"Hey, let's take a selfie before I go!" she offered.
Before Drew could protest, because really, he hated pictures, she threw her arm around his shoulder and held her phone out in front of them. Drew smiled – embarrassingly – for her benefit, and dropped it immediately when she let go again and took a few steps back.
"Oh my Mew, look at you…your first day in Kanto," she beamed. "I'm posting this on my story; you should really get PokéSnap."
"I don't' have time for social media apps and don't intend to give the media any more ways to stalk me," Drew mumbled. "You can bask in the limelight, but I'm not really one for it."
"Oh wah," Solidad faked cried, swiftly posting the picture and pocketing her phone.
She boarded her Pidgeot, ready to take off yet again.
"You really do take a lot of pictures," Drew commented before she could take off.
With one last look back, she grinned, almost deviously, and threw him a peace sign.
"You should see the ones I took of you when you first got on Flygon."
With that, she waved back and took off, headed for Pewter City, laughing as she went seeing Drew's horrified expression. His face was burning bright red the as he watched her disappear into the skyline.
Well, no one said the season was going to be easy…
