Chapter 1: ARRIVAL IN JOHTO
The flight took about three hours. After finally landing we left the plane and went to the landing area where my mother's friend was already waiting for us.
"Hello Nejjen, it's so nice to finally meet you in person. Your mother always talks so much about you and your Shinx!" she greeted us. "Good afternoon, Mrs Flame, it's a pleasure."
She guided us through the giant airport and drove us to her home by car. During the drive she told me about her son Tawain. Like all the other kids he started his journey at the age of ten. After being attacked by a group of pokèmon he fell into a coma and just awoke after over five years. She also mentioned his gorgeous bond to his Ralts.
When she stopped the car in front of a pretty house with a garden and located at the edge of Cherrygrove City I could not believe my eyes. It was so beautiful here and all the flowers were smelling like heaven.
As she saw my astonished look, Mrs Flame chuckled. "Nejjen, take your bags inside the house, you can leave them here until you go to visit Professor Elm."
I took my stuff and she showed me the way to the guest room. After calling out for her son, she told me he was most likely to have gone to the nearby wood and that we would have some tea later in the early evening.
So I went to my new room and unpacked. Shinx sat next to me on the bed the entire time watching me getting ready. I put the present for Tawain out of my backpack. It was wrapped in grassgreen paper with a blue tie. When Shinx saw it he curiously came closer. I chuckled and patted his head. "Yes, Shinx, this is a Pokè-Egg. It's one of my parents newest breeds, the Garchomps. It really has it´s pros to be born as child of two Pokémon-Breeders."
After unpacking I went into the bathroom to have a quick shower and get rid of the travel-tension. When I finished I untied my hair and brushed it. Then I changed into some black jeans and a wide white blouse that left the shoulders exposed. I loved that shirt, it was a gift from my father before he went to Kanto to look for new Pokémon to breed with. I slipped into my shoes and put my hair back to a high ponytail.
Shinx was waiting in front of the door. "It's alright, we'll have the solution for your problem in no time." I tried to cheer him up being positive of my words truth. We had to find a way to make it possible he evolved. I owe him at least that much. Shinx has always been my best friend, ever since that day we met at Lake Verity. We were partners in crime. Just without doing any crimes….
I had put the gift onto my table to make sure it was save of Shinx who loved playing with ties and bonds. Now I sat down on bed and patted next to me to show Shinx I wanted him to come up as well. He lay down next to me and put his head on my lap. I crawled him under his chin and he closed his eyes in blissful relaxation. While comforting him I thought about what was lying ahead.
Professor Elm was said to live in New Bark Town. I just had to follow Route 29 and I would reach it within less than a day. Maybe I would even find one of the famous Aprikoko trees and could improve some of Shinx`s abilities by mixing a drink for him. My mother told me to contact the Professor and not to just storm head over heels into his laboratory so I fished my phone from the pillow and dialled the Professor's number.
"Elm here, what's the matter?" The voice immediately came out of the phone. "Good afternoon, Professor. It's Nejjen Ray here." "Oh hey, I already heard of your parents. Great Breeders." "Yeah, they are." "But why do you call? Did anything happen?" "Yes and no. I would like you to have a look at my Shinx. But I'd rather not discuss this over phone. I want him to listen as well." "Oh, that's alright. Just come by when you are nearby. But wait. Aren't you from Sunyshore City? That's in Sinnoh?!" "Yes, it really is. I already talked to a bunch of people over there and got a recommendation to go to Johto and pay you a visit." "What an honour." I heard him chuckle on the other side of the line. "As I said, just come by and we will talk about everything in peace." "Thank you very much, Professor. I will come during the next few days." "Very well, Nejjen was it? I´m home anyway. Gotta work on some projects. Did you know that Pikachu`s can only contain a certain amount of electricity before they need to release it and that this amount is different from Pikachu to Pikachu?" "That is very interesting to know, Professor. How is it about Shinx?" "Erm… I need to investigate some more in this topic. So... I`m looking forward to seeing you soon!" "Yes, me too, bye Professor!"
Before he hung up there was some cluttering noise to hear, then the connection died down. I stared at my phone in disbelief. How could one person be such chaotic yet be so well known for his good research? Just when I put my phone back on the pillow, Mrs Flame was calling for me from downstairs.
"Nejjen! Tawain has finally decided to come back! Come down to greet him!" I jumped up from the bed, nearly forgetting Shinx who yelped unhappily because of the sudden interruption of his massage. I looked at him apologetic before grapping the present on the table and storming to the door.
When I ran down the stairs I slipped on the last and nearly fell. Fortunately I was able to hold onto the railing. Unfortunately I let go of the present and it slipped between my fingers when I tried to catch it. I watched it fly through the air horrified and already began to search for explanations to tell my parents what happened to the gift.
Before I found something I could tell them, Tawain had already caught it. I exhaled in relief and sighed. Thanks God not everybody is as clumsy as me. All my just made up explanations vanished and I straightened up to not look like the total fool I just made out of myself.
"Soooo… you`re Nejjen Ray, I guess?" He looked at me with a raised brow. "Yes.. I.. I am. And you? Might be Tawain?" I stutter back. Damn. Why do I always stutter when talking to people I don't know? Talking on the phone to Professor Elm was not the slightest of a deal but here I stand now and can't even introduce myself properly. Sometimes I could hit me. Tawain just chuckled. I cleared my throat before trying it again. "That gift you hold there. It's actually for you. From my parents. And me. From us all." It got worse with every sentence I said, so I just decided to let it be and stay silent.
While waiting for a response I took time to take a closer look at Tawain. He was taller than me, maybe around 190cm and his auburn hair had white highlights in it. I thought that was a girls frisure in the last century? Hm.. If he liked it. I'd be the last one to criticise someone for their hair. His eyes were pitch black. I didn't know this was possible for human beings. He might be a demon.. Mightn't he? Shut up, Nejjen. I must have read to many fantasy novels when I was younger. He wore some blue jeans and a white shirt with a black jacket over it. And black shoes. With red stripes. Oh dear. I stopped analysing his looks and decided to just take this poor soul as it was an be nice and friendly so he won't cry himself to sleep at night.
"Kids, tea is ready. Come here so we can talk about everything." Mrs Flame called us from the kitchen. I had not realized she left while we were talking. I just nodded to Tawain and made my way by him to enter the living room.
Mrs Flame had dished up the dinner table and just brought a big pot of tea. "Lady Gray is alright? I heard that's what you like to drink over there in Sinnoh." "It's perfect. That's my most favourite tea. May I have some honey to it?" "Sure, dear. It`s in the kitchen, on the shelter." I went over and found the honey immediately. Then I sat down in front of Tawain and his mother.
The living room interior was very nice and openly. There was a sofa in the corner, with a small table in front of it and a blanket on the floor for Pokémon to lie on. I thought about Shinx up in my room and decided to buy him a blanket like this too. Even if it would not help much because he always prefers sleeping next to me in my bed. I grinned thinking about how I used to hide him whenever one of my parent came to tell me good night. They never approved of him sleeping in my bed. This broken prohibition just made our bond stronger. So... maybe we did some crimes we were partners in.
Mrs Flame poured everyone some tea and I added some honey to mine. "So, Nejjen. What's your plan?" she asked me.
I cleared my throat before telling them: "I have planned to conquer Route 29 and pay Professor Elm a visit to ask him some things about my Shinx. Apparently he just works on electric type Pokémon, so maybe he`s got some helpful information for us." Mrs Flame nodded in agreement.
"If anyone can tell you about this kind of Pokémon it`s the Professor. But be careful. Even if his work is extraordinary, he is rather chaotic and you have to be careful with everything he says that has nothing to do with Pokémon. Even if these conversations are really seldom." She chuckled. I wondered how good she knew the Professor to talk about him like an old friend. I smiled when I thought about how my parent talked about Professor Rowan. We continued talking about trivia before finally calling it good night and separate to go to bed.
When I had changed my clothes and lay in bed Shinx was jumping up and fell asleep next to me in no time. I patted him while I thought about the past day and how our lives were so different suddenly. Humming a quiet melody, I finally found sleep as well.