Dear Readers,

I need to ask you all a very important question. I know I've been rambling on for a while, and I haven't even gotten to the first Gym, but let me ask you a question before I right my next chapter.

Would you like another chapter of rambling on about the Sprout Tower, or should I skip it and go straight to my Gym Challenge? Please review this, and tell me.

Tah, darls,

Margaret

The Silver Encounter

One could hardly call Cherrygrove City a city. Despite its beauty and average size, Cherrygrove lacked an important feature of any sort to be of any real importance. Some compared it to a housing development; a small group of houses and a few shops looking over the ocean. It was just another stop on one's journey from Kanto, or the beginning of one's Pokémon adventure after receiving their starter from New Bark Town. Perhaps this was why the town's most prominent person was a man called Guide Gent, who would introduce new Pokémon trainers to Poké Marts and Poké Centers.

Guide Gent stood, looking over the water, at the lights of Goldenrod City that illuminated the night sky. Beside him stood Polo, staring in awe at the lights.

"Woah," he breathed, softly. "That's amazing."

"Yes, quite," Guide Gent said, matter-of-factly. "It's the largest city in the Indigo continent. In fact, it's the largest in the Pokémon world."
"Really?" Polo said, surprised. "Wow, that's pretty cool."

"Quite," Guide Gent replied. "You know, you're the second trainer from outside the city to ever stay the night in Cherrygrove twice."

"Really?" Polo turned to Guide Gent. "Who was it?"

"A young trainer from the north came down here in his quest to get all Gym Badges. He has returned to this area many a time since. He's quite the trainer, he is."

"What was his name?" Polo was still not satisfied.

"His name is Lance," Guide Gent said. "You may be familiar with him. I believe…" he stopped short. "Well, you may be familiar with him."

"Yeah," Polo said. "Isn't he the Champion of the Indigo League?"
"Yes, I believe he is," Guide Gent said casually.

"He's one cool guy," Polo went on. "A Dragon trainer, from Blackthorn City. He's been in the Elite Four for a long time. He was Champion for quite a long time, then someone beat him. But he's been Champion again for the last three years."

"A very nice man," Guide Gent said absent-mindedly. He sighed, then raised his voice slightly. "Well, you best be getting to bed, Polo. You have a long journey ahead of you."

"Okay," Polo said, and turned to walk away. "Good night, Mr. Gent."

"Good night, Polo," Guide Gent said, still looking across the ocean, across the hills, and into the heart of Goldenrod City. "Sleep well."

Polo burst out the door, waving as he ran towards the town's exit.
"Thanks, Mr. Gent!" he shouted as he ran. "Thank you for your hospitality!"

"No, problem, Polo!" Guide Gent shouted after him. "Good luck!"

Polo waved once more and began his walk out of the town. His Pokémon fully rested, he was ready to make the journey to Violet City.

Just the day before, on his way down from Mr. Pokémon's house, Polo had caught lots of Pokémon, to help with his new Pokédex. He now had caught a Pidgey, a Rattata, a Hoothoot, a Caterpie and a Spearow. He had put them all in storage, except for his Pidgey, which he had begun to train up beside his Chikorita and Sentret. He was also carrying the mysterious egg that he had received from Mr. Pokémon in his bag.

It was a beautiful day, and Polo was just turning up Route 30, when a red-haired boy bumped into him, knocking him to the ground.

"Hey!" the boy yelled. "Watch it, you shrimp!"

"Watch it yourself!" Polo said, lifting himself off the ground. "Asshole."

"Watch you mouth, kid! It was you who ran into me!"

"What are you talking about? How did I fall over then?"

The boy grinned. "Because you're a weak little shit of a person."

Polo growled. "That's it! You've gone too far! Go, Dimitri!"

Polo threw a Poké Ball, releasing Dimitri, his Chikorita.

"Tackle 'im, Dimitri!"

The Chikorita threw himself at the boy.

"Go, Cyndaquil!"

The boy threw a Poké Ball of his own, blocking Dimitri's attack as a Cyndaquil was released.

"So," the boy said. "You want a battle, eh? Well, a battle you'll get. I warn you, though, my father was a great trainer. And even though this is my first Pokémon battle, I'll show what I'm made of."

"I very much doub-," Polo cut himself off. "Wait. Where did you get that Cyndaquil? You're not from New Bark Town!"

"Uh… A breeder… Yeah," the boy said, then paused. "Cyndaquil, attack!"

The Cyndaquil threw itself at Dimitri, catching him by surprise, and knocking him to the floor. Dimitri was so surprised that Cyndaquil managed to attack again before he could stand up.

"Hahaha!" the boy said. "Not so weak now, shrimp!"

Chikorita stood up again, preparing itself for an attack.

"Alright now, Dimitri," Polo said, keeping his cool. "Use your Razor Leaf attack!"

Dimitri launched several razor-sharp leaves at Cyndaquil. Despite the Grass-type move being not very effective against the Fire-type Pokémon, Dimitri's pure power hurt Cyndaquil greatly. It fell to the ground, and let out a yell: "Quiiii!"

Polo smiled. "Now, Dimitri, give him some of his own medicine. Tackle!"

Dimitri threw himself at Cyndaquil one final time, pounding it into the ground. The dust around it flew up, encasing it in a cloud of dirt and sand.

"Cynda…" it groaned, then fainted.

"Chika!" Dimitri cried triumphantly.

"Yeah!" Polo said. "Well done, Dimitri!"
"No!" the boy cried. "My Cyndaquil! Come back!"
The Cyndaquil returned to its Poké Ball.

"No, no, no!" the boy continued. "This can't be happening! I can't lose to a shrimp like you!"

The boy ran off back up Route 30 in a fluster. Polo saw a small card drop out of the boy's pocket, and picked it up.

"Hey, you dropped your…." Polo began to read the card. "Silver Agate, aged 13. Born in Viridian City. Son of-"

The boy, Silver, came running back, and knocked the card out of Polo's hand, then thrust his hand down to catch the falling trainer card.

"Give that back, shrimp!" he stepped back, pocketing his trainer card.

"Sorr-y," Polo said. "Silver Agate."

Silver's face grew red. "Fine. If you know my name, why don't you tell me your name, eh?"

"Fine," Polo said. "My name's Polo Bark. I'm from New Bark Town."

"Alight, Polo," Silver said, leaning towards Polo. "I swear that, from this day forwards, I'm going to train myself up as much as possible so I can beat you. I'm going to be right ahead of you, one step closer to whatever your goal is. There is NO WAY," he poked Polo in the chest. "That you'll ever beat me again. Understand?"

Silver started to walk away, then turned back to Polo.

"Never again," he said, then turned and walked down the route.

"The Agate boys are a group of infamous thieves and conmen who have been troubling people all around Johto for the past year or so," the police officer said, flipping through some case files. "There are three of them: Gold, who is seventeen years old," the policeman held up a photo of tall, smiling teenager with naturally long hair flicked across his face, standing in the middle of a crowd of people. "Silver, thirteen years old," he held up another, this one of the red-haired youth Polo had met earlier, frowning whilst standing in the corner of a Poké Center. "And the youngest, Bronze, ten years old," he held up one last photo, of a young, short boy with auburn hair, holding a balloon and grinning manically at the camera. "The three have been responsible for several major robberies around the region. However young and innocent they appear to me, they are ruthless criminals who will do anything to get what they want. This is probably why they stole those three Pokémon."

"Wow," Polo was sitting in Professor Elm's laboratory, with his mum, Professor Elm's assistant (a young girl named Lyra), Professor Elm himself and a policemen who had been contacted when Polo revealed who had stolen the Pokémon. "This is a lot of information."

"There's a good chance that if you've angered Silver," the policeman said. "He'll probably want to get his revenge. They are known to hold grudges. Next time he appears, contact the police immediately, and we'll try to track him down."

"Okay," Polo said. "I'll do that."

"Now," the policeman said, gathering his papers together. "I must be off. Duty calls, you know?"

"Well, thank you for your time, Officer!" Lyra said, beaming.

"We'll contact you if there are any further developments," Professor Elm said.

The officer nodded, then left.

"Well," Polo's mum said, sighing. "That was quite an ordeal. You must be careful, Polo, okay?"

"Yes, mum!" Polo said. "I'll be very careful. But I have to be off now, anyway. If I don't leave now, I'll never get to Violet City."

"Alright, Polo," Professor Elm said. "Off you go! And be careful."

"Don't worry, Professor," Polo said, opening the lab's door. "I'm a Pokémon trainer. What can stop me?"