Scene 28: A Child's Dream! Part 2

It's just after Shelly's 10th birthday and she and Nick are thrilled.

"You know what this means, right?" Nick smiles at her from across the cake. She nods. They both believe that Shelly's ready to leave and become a Pokémon Trainer, but their parents think otherwise.

"Now, now, Shelly." Axel looks at his daughter, "I know you think you want to go on a journey, but you're still young." He looks to his wife, "Your Papa's right. 10 is much too young to know what you really want for sure." Cleo smiles at her children. They're not demanding, just making simple statements. And although Shelly wants to go out and fulfill her dream, something in their voices make her think otherwise…

Nick looks to his sister. Isn't she going to say something? Shelly gulps, "Yeah, it's a child's dream… Maybe you're right." Shelly looks up at her parents. She smiles, "I don't know what I was thinking. There's no way I'm ready to leave on a journey..!"

Shelly ends up staying at home. Life returns to normal: Shelly practicing at the piano and helping her mother in the kitchen; Nick rehearsing along with his magic tricks. Nick is the only one to notice the way Shelly looks longingly beyond the villa fence line. Before her birthday, Shelly thought she was ready to leave, but after hearing her parents say it, Shelly knew she was too scared. She'd always lived a sheltered life and she knew that. She wouldn't know what to do if she left.

Months pass and the deadline for the Kanto Region Contest Circuit passes them by. Reluctantly, Shelly sits with her family to watch the Contests on TV. Shelly's parents registered her in online courses for the Pokémon Academy. Luckily, she only had to visit the campus a few times in the coming months. Shelly would take the Ferry to Kanto's Pallet Town and from there head on to Viridian City for the Pokémon Academy.

She dressed in their uniforms and sat with the other students to learn the basics of being a Pokémon Trainer. Since she was already 10years old, she was with the advanced students- those, like Shelly, that were of-age but for some reason or another had chosen to take an extra year before getting their Pokémon License. Shelly didn't know until she visited the city that this was the great PokéIdol Kari's hometown. They were very proud of their town hero.

One winter day, Shelly is in Pallet Town with the other Pokémon Academy students. Each one is wearing a different colored ribbon depending on which institute they're from. Shelly overhears a little girl talking to her big sisters. The little girl has big blue eyes and a bright smile, her hair a tussle of bright red. She's going on and on about, Kari. She must be her biggest fan. By blue of the girl's ribbon, Shelly knows that she's from the Johto Region's Pokémon Academy. The little girl is saying something about an interview Kari had with the famous Prof. Oak a few months back. As the other students load up in the buses, Shelly wonders about the great PokéIdol. She turns away from the other students and heads to the ferry boat.

While on the ferry boat, Shelly is still curious, she looks up on the internet what Kari is up to. After winning her 3rd Ribbon Cup (the Contest Shelly had seen on TV) Kari had moved on to another Region. The Sinnoh League and continued to travel all around.

Shelly watched an interview with the young girl taken just last year:

"Why are you retiring from the Contest Circuit already, Kari?" The interviewer asked. Kari smiled, her hand running across her sweet Eevee's fur. She shrugged, "I know I'm still young, I mean I only just turned 10years old just a few weeks ago, but I guess I'm just ready for something new."

"What do you mean by something new, Kari?" Another reporter asked. She smiles at them, "I've been traveling around since I was 8 years old, always competing. And originally I only wanted to go for Gym Badges. So I guess I just want to go back to my roots, so to speak." Another reporter stands and poses a question. "You've just entered the Sinnoh League, and a few months later than most. Do you really think you'll be able to win enough badges in time for the Conference?" Kari giggles. "I don't know, but I have to try! Isn't that right, Eevee?" Vee!

Shelly couldn't help but admire Kari's determination. And her confidence in herself was astounding. Shelly continued the research. Back in March Kari had actually had a tremendous win at the Lily of the Valley Conference in the Sinnoh Region. She had believed in herself and in her Pokémon- had competed till her heart's content- and had somehow won.

Somehow… against all odds… She had lost against the Sinnoh League Champion, but that didn't stop her. A couple months later, she had taken on the legendary Cynthia and had actually won. Kari was only 10years old, but how was she so good..? Ever since her victory at the Sinnoh League, Kari has been going around Training and meeting with the greatest Pokémon minds. No matter how many videos she saw her in, Shelly noticed how she was always smiling and laughing. Amazing.

That night, Shelly sat with her family to watch the next Johto Contest. It was almost Christmas, so that was the theme this time around. Nick noticed the way Shelly's leg twitched meaning that she was in deep thought. Shelly wasn't really watching. She could hear her parents talking about the older boy, Richard, as he won his final ribbon before the Grand Festival. Axel turned to his wife, "You see, Hon? Now that's a great Coordinator right there. He's 16 and he's had plenty of time to train and become a strong young man."

"And handsome, I'd say." Cleo giggles. Shelly suddenly stood. They all looked at her in alarm, "Mamma. Papa. I have something important to say to you!" There was a silence that fell over the room. No one had seen Shelly this serious before. What was it that she wanted to tell them..?