Musical Inspiration: HGSS Vermilion City (Reorchestrated) by HappyDragonite
Aaron stepped out of the door and took in the fresh smell of flowers and air with a beautiful scene of greenery and life before him. The just-risen sun made the dew on the grass glisten. He trotted down the few steps of the house and stopped, looking around. Suddenly, a sharp screech, "AAAaaaal!" was heard from above, as a bird almost four feet tall swooped down right beside Aaron. To a stranger, the sight might've been a scare, but to Aaron, the family pet needed a good-bye hug just as much as Mom and Dad did.
"Hey, Tee," he said affectionately to the bird, referred to by others as a Talonflame. "I'm going to miss you, buddy," he said to it as he gave it a hug around its fire-decaled wings. Tee gave an affectionate coo back and ruffled its feathers, throwing off tiny sparks behind.
Aaron gave his best flying friend one last look and said "Maybe I'll even bring you back a friend when I get back." Tee gave him a satisfied little screech in return.
Aaron's dad came over and scratched Tee softly behind the head and Tee cooed once more. The Pokemon was his, but the name was Aaron's since when the boy and bird met for the first time when they were both young. "Hold down the house while we're both gone, okay?" Aaron's dad said to it.
"We'll be going then," he said to Aaron's mom, who had come to stand in the doorway of the house to see them off.
"Take care, Aaron," she called out to him. "I love you!"
"I love you too, Mom!" Aaron called back, as he and his dad made their way through the small neighborhood to the pier.
They walked in silence for a bit of the way, both taking in their surroundings filled with foliage and other bird-Pokemon calls.
"Are you feeling nervous at all?" his father asked after a while.
"Not really," replied Aaron. "Well, maybe a little, but I think it's more anticipation than nerves."
"I can imagine," said his dad.
"Have you ever gone on a journey like this before, Dad?" Aaron asked, curious.
"No, actually, becoming a trainer wasn't as much to me. I saw it as too much of a risk. And plus, I was already planning to become an engineer." His dad paused. "But your decision to journey out is still a good one."
As the two walked, Aaron became quiet once more.
His dad continued. "A journey is a great way to find yourself, a way to find out who you are. It's like diving into what the world has for you head-first, and it's a very daring adventure. But what would I know!" his dad said gladly. "That's for you to discover for yourself!"
The two walked on in silence for the rest of the journey to the pier, with the occasional twittering of a few Tailows in the trees along the path. That morning was just too beautiful not to stay quiet to simply soak it all in.
The shaded path led to a pier that formed the borders of the small town of Posius. The water beyond the pier sparkled with a glistening sense of hope set against the morning sun peering over the horizon. Although it was still somewhat early in the morning, small crowds of people could be seen bustling about as each went about their morning routine. They carried with them the soothing scents of water-flowers which girls of the town often wore and sometimes even the smell of last night's dinner of fire-cooked sea varieties.
Although this was hardly the first time Aaron had been to the town, it felt anew and alive this particular morning.
"The ship's just a few blocks down," his dad pointed out, and so the two proceeded in its direction.
"Majikarps! Get your Majikarps here! Fresh from the catch!" Aaron heard a vendor call out as he walked nearer.
"Don't listen too much to him," his dad remarked.
"I know, Dad, you've said it before," acknowledged Aaron. His dad still gave the vendor across the way a look.
"I know, son," he said. "But I mean it even more-so now that you're becoming a trainer yourself. You've got to be on the lookout for sketchy deals, especially with your partner Pokemon. A man who aims for quantity over quality with his companions isn't someone you can be sure about."
However well intentioned his father's words of wisdom were, Aaron seemed to miss them as he became captivated by the word "trainer".
It was all really happening, wasn't it? Aaron felt like pinching himself at the word now, as if it were too far away in a dream to believe-and yet here he was, on a journey to become just that, a Pokemon trainer.
He knew too well that this journey wasn't just about venturing the land of Covalos-No! There was a greater goal to reach. And to put it in the words of the slogan of the Pokemon League HQ, it was "To Be the Very Best!"
"Did you say something?" asked his father.
"Oh, uh, no…" Aaron stuttered awkwardly, realizing that he must've vocalized some of his own thoughts.
This journey was about rising to the top, the top of the winning ladder of other trainers all competing to be the best in the region, and eventually, in the entire Pokemon world. That meant battles between trainers were of the utmost importance, and having strong Pokemon of one's own to defeat others' meant winning those battles. All the school Aaron had taken before his journey was meant to prepare him for living in the world, but when it came down to winning matches, it would be his turn to learn from the world. Of course, as his dad reminded him, the world often gives hard lessons.
The growing numbers of people on the pier all seemed preoccupied with their own errands, and Aaron was no different. He took the lead ahead of his father and continued on his way to the far west side of the pier.
"Hey, Aaron!" a familiar voice came from Aaron's left.
"Sam!" Aaron called back, walking up to his best friend from school. "How've you been? You're really out this early?"
"Look, that was English class, this is different," Sam said, giving a guilty smile. "Thank goodness I don't have to do that anymore."
"Well, you know that some of the greatest writers failed English in school," said Aaron.
"If I have to write one more poem about anything, I swear…" expressed Sam in a huff. "But hey, I finished another shed just last weekend."
"Another one? Geez, man, we'll have too many of those around here if you keep doing that," Aaron said, though a quiet jealousy held in his comment of Sam's talent.
Sam was a well-built kind of guy with strong muscles and a clear farmer's tan on his arms. Aaron knew Sam was certainly going places in life with his work in building and construction, especially with how proud Sam was in his work. It wasn't all work for Sam, however, even if he highly enjoyed working with his hands in the town. Sam had a good heart which held their friendship tight.
"Well, it's not all sheds. I'm working with some others on building a house down by the western end," Sam said. He puffed out his chest a little, but his modest smile revealed his enjoyment to help another.
"That's awesome. You thinking you'll keep going with this as a career?" Asked Aaron.
"Couldn't see myself doing anything else," Said Sam. He paused. "But what, you're going off to be a famous trainer? That's something else."
"Me?" Aaron gave a small laugh. "Nah… well, maybe someday? I don't know."
"I think a lot of people go on journeys like this to find what they wanna do. I guess that means you're right where you're supposed to be," Sam said, gave him a reassuring nudge with his elbow.
"I guess I'll just have to find out," Aaron said. "Sorry, Sam, but I've gotta go. The boat's waiting."
"Hey, man, you'll do some great stuff someday. Feel free to drop by anytime. Heck, maybe we'll even battle someday too-after you've become the champion!" Sam gave a friendly laugh, but his voice cracked mid-laugh.
"…You going to grow up a bit yourself too?" Aaron said snidely but with a friendly look.
"Let's hope so," Sam said.
Sam extended his hand and Aaron received it. Sam shook firmly as Aaron countered, toughening his grip. It was like a small reminder of who was probably more suited for the journey in the first place. Nevertheless, Aaron waved goodbye to his friend and made his way once again through the crowd.
A few blocks down, Aaron could see clusters of people forming under a shaded area by the dock and knew it was where he was supposed to go. But before he headed off, he turned around to find his dad catching up.
"Sorry, Dean called me over and we got to talking."
Aaron could only smile, a proud grin forming on his face, at how much he was like his dad.
"I think the ship's leaving soon." Aaron said, taking a step in the direction of the forming crowds.
"We've probably got some time before it actually sets off." Said his dad.
"I know, but I'd just rather be over with the other people just to make sure I don't miss it." Said Aaron, still looking over at the clusters of people.
"Well, you lead the way." His dad said.
Aaron focused ahead once more and moved through the busy people towards the crowd. He began to wonder, however, what he'd do once he got over to the crowds. Would it really be much longer before the boat departed? It was hard to pick out faces in the crowd of people, let alone any he might recognize. Besides Sam, really, there were few others he was well acquainted with from school. Aaron never really thought of himself to be a less than social guy, but a more quiet nature was something he felt as more a crux during events like these.
As Aaron arrived under a corner of the large overhang by the dock, people came into view. A mother and her young children who were bouncing around anxiously awaiting the boat; Two guys a few years older than Aaron himself jokingly shoving each other and laughing; a few scattered men with luggage and cases who had probably come over for business meetings. Aaron stood looking at all the sites, wondering what kind of families each had that they may be heading oversees for. In his thinking, he turned back to see his dad, right behind him. In a moment Aaron realized that here he was feet away, but in two days, he would be hundreds of miles away from any family. Suddenly, quietly, he realized how much he would miss his dad.
"Is that Brian over there?" His dad asked, looking through the crowd.
"I think it is," Aaron said with some hesitation after spotting Brian himself. If his mother were here, she might have suggested to Aaron to go over and talk to him, but his dad noticed the hesitation. "We weren't very good friends."
Huuuuurgh! A deep booming, almost musical note from what could be compared to an organ came from the western side of the shaded area. Aaron almost felt like covering his ears from it, but the sound was invigorating, and no doubt came from the boat itself. However, through all the people, it was nowhere to be seen! The only thing that was visible was the rushing blur of scrambling people in the crowds to be the first to board the boat (But there's enough room for all of us, right? Aaron thought)
Soon enough, the crowd stopped up before the entrance to the ramp leading to the boat as the shipmates began checking passes. But time passed quickly and the crowd soon dwindled. Aaron stepped forward to get near the end the line.
"Hey, before you go..." his dad trailed off as he slung the backpack he had been wearing off his back. Somehow, Aaron hadn't noticed it. "Mom and I got you something."
He pulled out a small box. It was wrapped in dark blue wrapping with a small silver bow atop it for decoration. His dad also handed him a small envelope to go with the package. Aaron could have held the box in one hand, but he took it in two along with the envelope.
"Thanks, dad," Aaron said gratefully. He observed the line again. "Should I... open it now?"
"You can wait until you're on the boat, but you won't be able to use it until you reach Voleoss," his dad replied.
Aaron looked down at the box and then up at his dad and grinned. "There's a Pokemon inside of here, isn't there."
Aaron thought he had figured the gift out already, but the look on his dad's face didn't change. "You won't know until you open it," he said.
"Last call for boarding on the S. S. Marie!" The boarding shipmate called as a few scattered people formed the diminished line to the scaffolding leading to the boat.
"Come back soon, okay?" Aaron's dad smiled and hugged his boy one last time. "Have a great time. Mom and I both love you."
"I will. I love you both too," Aaron returned.
Aaron carefully placed the present into his bag and walked over to the line in front of the shipmate. When it got to be his turn to check in, he reached into his bag and pulled out the ticket. The shipmate looked at it for only a second, checked it off, and handed it back to Aaron, which he returned to his backpack.
"Welcome aboard, sir." The man stood aside.
For the first time, it felt like Aaron was finally doing it. Doing something on his own. Finally growing up.
And yet he stole one last look over his shoulder at his dad, who stood at a distance with arms crossed and a proud, approving look on his face.
Aaron faced forward with hope in his heart and advanced up the scaffolding.
