After leaving Spring and Autumn, Sam and Kirlia reaches Goldenrod city in no time. It really is a big city with numerous houses, super markets, malls and many more things.

"Wow, look at all these things Dizzy, it is indeed a big city."

/Yeah, and look at all these decorated shops, they are just beautiful./

"That's why it is called the Metropolitan of Johto, deserves this name." then they both go for a detour of the city. They visit many small shops, markets and many other places. They also go to a Gaming Corner. There are different kinds of slot machines there. They play and enjoy a lot. Sam also goes to a bike shop from where he buys an adjustable bicycle. There is a famous Underground Path which is like a mini- market. There are many shopping counters like of medicines, eatables and many more. There is also a barber shop. Sam takes Kirlia there where she gets a new hairstyle and she also likes it very much. They spend the whole day enjoying in there detour. At night, they go to Poke-center to rest.

"Whew, today was one of the best days of my life. I truly enjoyed a lot."

/Same goes for me./

"We went to so many places in just one day."

/Especially the Poke-salon, I really like my new hairstyle./

"Hmm...it would be more fun if ...just if... I ...would...if..."

/If what?/

"If...if I would have a girl-friend." Kirlia becomes sad after hearing what he just said. Her happy eyes instantly lose its' shine.

"Hehe...it would be more fun if there is a girl besides me."

/S-so...you are saying that ...you didn't enjoy that much with me?/

"No-no-no-no... you are taking it wrong, its not like that. Its just... you are a pokemon, I don't know if you understand a boy's feelings for a girl, it really feels good... but again, what do I know? I never had such relation with a girl before."

After having dinner, they lay on bed to sleep. It is very easy for Sam to fall for sleep but Kirlia is not able to sleep. She is sobbering in the bed. Tears are silently coming out of her eyes.

'Why...why am I the only one suffering? Why doesn't he understand how I feel for him? He's so stupid...stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.' she thinks.

Next day, they go for the Pokemon gym. In the way, they see a large tower in the city. Sam checks his guide bool in which it is written that the huge tower in the city is Radio tower of Johto region. They also visit at the Railway station which runs trains magnetically between Goldenrod to Celadon city in Kanto region.

They finally reach Goldenrod's pokemon gym. They enter the building. It is really decorated beautifully. There Sam and Kirlia see an old lady watering the flower pots.

"Excuse me mam?" he asks her.

"Yes?"

"I am here to challange this gym's leader, can you please tell me where I can find her?"

"Ohhh... you are a pokemon trainer. Do you come here for badge?"

"Yes mam."

"Fine, follow me." that lady takes them to a room in the gym where a girl, as old as Sam, is playing with a Clefairy.

"Mam, this boy came here to challange you." the old woman tells the girl. She then approaches Sam. She is wearing white T-shirt and red shorts. She has short red hair.

"Hi, I am Whitney, Goldenrod's gym leader, and you?"

"Hi, I am Samuel Connor from New Bark town, you can call me Sam and she is my friend Kirlia."

"So you come here to challange me?"

"Yes, I want your badge."

"Very well, let's take it to the battleground." Whitney takes them to the Battleground where that old lady tells them the rules, "It will be a 2-on-2 match. Whosoever's pokemon is standing last will win the match. Now you may begin." Then Whitney and Sam begin the match. She sends out Clefairy and Sam begins with Treecko. Clefairy uses Metronome and throwsFire ball at Treecko, he dodges the attack and uses Cut against it and their fight continues. Clefairy is finding trouble in matching Treecko's speed. Then Treecko finishes the battle with Pound. Whitney calls back Clefairy. Now her one pokemon is down. She sends out her final pokemon which is Miltank. Treecko again uses Pound against it. But Miltank begins rolling and uses Rollout. It not only does cancels its attack but sends Treecko flying off to one of the walls of the building. It faints out. Sam calls him back and decides to send out Kirlia but she seems upset to him. He doesn't want to upset her emotionally, so he sends out Monferno instead.

Miltank looks strong. Sam understood that it is not going to be an easy fight like that of Clefairy. Their fight begins as Monferno uses Fury Swipes against it but Miltank dodges the attack and uses counter-attacks by using Rollout. It is a straight hit. Maonferno gets up and their fierce battle continues.

Now both of them begin to tire a bit. Both are equally matching each other in strength, speed, attack and defence. Kirlia is also watching the fight but mentally, she is somewhere else. She is still upset about what Sam said to her last night. She is sad. Sam is also noticing her strange behaviour but he has no idea why she is doing that. Sam then focuses on battle and orders Monferno to use Fury Swipe but Miltank dodges using Rollout. Suddenly Monferno also begins rolling and uses Flame Wheel against it. It sends Miltank flying away. It seems that Monferno has won the match but it still has trump card left in its sleeves. It uses Milk drink to heal itself. Sam and Monferno are shocked to see it healed. Some of its bruises are completely gone like they were not even there. Monferno is also surprised at this. Its not like he is nervous to fight it but still Miltank can be a tough opponent to put fire-monkey in troubles. It again becomes offensive against Monferno. He has o choice but to defend its attack. It keeps on attacking and Monferno keeps on defending. Then after some time, it looks at Miltank which seems tired. Then Monferno charges with Fury Swipes for it. Miltank dodges the attack but Monferno again uses Fury Swipes and hits it. This way, Monferno wisely attacks it and also defending himself.

Once again, Monferno and Miltank are on the same page, both standing in front of each other, fully tired. Miltank again tries to use Milk Drink but Monferno charges for him with Flame Wheel without wasting any more time and giving it chance to heal itself. Miltank also uses Rollout instead. They both are rolling towards each other with full momentum. It is the final moment, it will decide who will be the winner. Both clash with each and causes a mini-explosion. There is light all around, no one is able to see anything. After sometime when light fades away, both pokemons are barely standing on their feet. But soon, Miltank falls on its knees and faints out, meaning Monferno has defeated Miltank, making Sam to win another badge. Sam runs and hugs him in happiness, Kirlia also forgets her sadness for sometime and joins Sam.

"Wow Sam, you are amazing." Whitney says.

"You too were great."

"Your pokemons like you very much, I have already seen that."

"Your Miltank is really something. I thought for a sec that I am going to lose."

"Well you have won, and as your reward, I give you this Plain badge." Whitney gives a silver colored recangular badge to him.

"Whoo-hoo, I have won another badge."

"Congratulations Sam."

"Thanks Whitney."

"By the way, where will you go next?"

"Ecruteak city."

"I see... well good luck for your journey."

"Thanks Whitney... Good bye, meet you again some day."

"Bye Sam." then Sam and Kirlia leave for their next gym.

Before leaving Goldenrod city, they visit a flower shop.

Sam is till concerned about her depressed loooks. No matter how many times he asks her, she never told him why she is sad. So Sam decides to visit a flower shop thinking that it might help a little to get back her mood.

There are different types of flowers in the shop. He tries many flowers on Kirlia. It seems that his ides is working, her mood is changing a bit. It excites him very much. In excitement, he buys every kind of flower in the shop. He approaches receptionist and pays the bill.

"You might have bought a little too much sir." she says.

"Yeah, I think so too."

"For whom are those flowers for? Your girl-friend?"

"Hmm...kind of." this makes Kirlia to blush a lot.

"You seem to be very fond of her."

"Yeah and she is also fond of me."

"Heheh...let me give you a small gift." she gives him a water bottle.

"This is a Squirtbottle. It seems like a normal waterbottle but it is not, it is special."

"Special?"

"You must have heard about a weird tree that is blocking the path to Ecruteak city."

"Yes, but what it has to do with this squirtbottle?"

"People say that tree reacts when you throw its water at it."

"I wonder what does it mean."

"Same here, by the way good luck on your journey."

"Thanks." then Sam and Kirlia leave the shop.

/Sam, you son't have to go that far for me./

"Oh c'mon, it is nothing, what matters for me is your happiness." it delights her very much.

/Thanks Sam, thank you very much./

"Now now, back to the topic, we are going to-"

/Ecruteak city./

"Right. I can't wait to win my next badge." Sam and Kirlia leave for Ecruteak city. He is happy that he is able to see the genuine smile of Kirlia once again and he recently has got his 3rd badge, all these things make him more confident.

While going to Ecruteak city, they visit National Park in the way, outside of which a poster is hanging saying 'Bug Catching Contest'.

"Bug Catching Contest?"

/Who knows?/

"Yes sir, Bug Catching Contest." the receptionist tells.

"What does it mean?"

"It is a contest in which you have to capture a bug pokemon in the park's premises. Then all the participants' captured pokemons will be judged and the winners will be given prizes."

"Wow, it seems fun, I want to participate."

"Very well sir, fill this registration form and choose a pokemon with whom you want to participate." she hands a form to him.

He quickly fills the form and gives it back to her and chooses to go with Kirlia, without a doubt.

"Ok sir, now you can submit all of your remaining pokemons to us and take these Park balls. These are special kind of pokeballs. You can capture pokemon only with this ball during the contest. It strict that pokemons captured only with these balls only will be judged. You have only Tm of them and you have also Tm minutes only. You can quit the contest whenever you want or when you run out of time or park-balls or when you have captured your pokemon and willingly want to stop the contest, have you understood?"

"Yeah."

"Good, now contest will begin within 10 minutes."

After 10 minutes, Sam and Kirlia quickly run into the park and begin searching bug-pokemons. They find almost every bug there, Caterpie, Beedrill, Spinarak, Ladyba and many other pokemons.

While searching, they find a pond in which many Pinsirs are teasing a Psyduck. Sam can't tolerate it and orders Kirlia to use Confusion. She does the same. It scares away all pinsirs. Then Psyduck approaches Kirlia and says something to her.

"What is it saying Dizzy?"

/He is just thanking us for helping him./

"Ohhh...mention not Psyduck." then he leaves them and they continue their searching.

After sometime, they come across a dark blue colored pokemon with a big horn. Sam checks his pokedex which says,

"Its Heracross. It is a bug-type pokemon. Its horn is exceptionally strong. It can throw away weights which are heavier even than its own body."

"It looks fantastic."

/So you want to catch it?/

"Of course."

/Just tell me what I have to do./ then Kirlia begins the fight with Confusion, the bug-type also counter-attacks by using Horn attack and their fight goes on. Kirlia is clearly stronger than Heracross. It doesn't take much time for her to defeat it. Sam then finishes the job by throwing a park-ball at it. After rocking for few times, it gets captured.

20 minutes of contest passed away and it is judging time. Judges are there in front of them. Then they announce the result, "First I want to thank you for taking participation in the contest. Without taking much of your time, I will now announce the result, placing 3rd is the Camper Barry who caught a Pinsir and the prize is Gold Berry... 2nd is Pokemon trainer Samuel Connor who caught a Heracross and the prize is Everstone... and the winner is... Cooltrainer Nick, who caught a Butterfree and the prize is Sun stone." then Sam and Kirlia look at each other. Though they are winners but they are still happy, at least they have got 2nd position.

"Well done Dizzy, its all thanks to you."

/Don't thank me, its our teamwork./

"Guess you are right, and I want to release Heracross, I don't want it either."

/But you were.../

"Yeah, yeah but now I have changed my mind."

/Very well, as you wish./ then Sam brings out that pokeball and releases Heracross.

"Farewell, Heracross, it was nice meeting you. You can go back to your family." that bug pokemon flies back to the park.

"I think we should continue our journey Dizzy." then they begin walking. As they are about to leave the National Park, they hear a voice from behind. They turn around to look back and a Psyduck is standing there. It is the same Psyduck from back then.

"Psyduck?" Sam asks.

"Psy-psy, psyduck."

"What?" then it says something to Kirlia.

/Sam, he wants to be your partner./

"Partner?"

/Yeah, he says that he's got no one as his family and he wants to come with you./

"I see... guess I have no other choice. Ok Psyduck, from now you are my pokemon and I am your trainer." Psyduck is overjoyed with happiness. Then Sam brings out a pokeball and captures it in it.

"Whew, I just have got another pokemon."

/Yeah.../

"Now shall we continue?"

/Of course./

After getting Psyduck and prized Everstone, Sam continues his journey to Ecruteak city with Kirlia.

Sam and Kirlia are walking through the woods. They come across a tree which is blocking their way to Ecruteak city.

"So this is the tree of rumours, let's see what it has got." then Sam tries to push it but it is firmly attached to the ground. He tries every trick that he can think of but it doesn't even move from its place. Then remembers the Squirtbottle that the receptionist of the flower shop gave to him. He brings out the bottle from the bag-pack and sprinkles it all over the tree. That tree begins to shake violently and emerges out of the ground. It is standing on its 2 feet. It has 2 branches as its arms and a pair of eyes, it appears like a pokemon. Sam checks his pokedex,

"This tree is actually a pokemon, it is called Sudowoodo. It appears to be a grass type but it is not. Its body compositon is of rock and ground, so basically it is a rock type pokemon."

"Wow, who could have thought that it would actually be a pokemon. In that case, Treecko, I choo-" before he can send out Treecko, Pidgey comes out of her pokeball as usual.

"You want to fight?" Sam asks her and she replies in yes.

"But Pidgey it is a rock type pokemon, you can't defeat it." but Pidgey stubbornly demands to fight. Sam can't win against her. She then takes her stance against Sudowoodo. She uses Gust and it uses Rock throw. Both dodge each other's attack and their fight continues. Sudowoodo is easily suppresing her, but she is also trying her best to fight against it. Then it uses Pursuit which sends her flying off to the ground. She is badly hurt.

/You should have sent me or Treecko./

"Yeah but I believe in her." then Pidgey stands up. Sudowoodo uses Rock throw and it hits her again.

"That's enough Pidgey, you can come back." but she refuses and stands up again. Then a white light begins glowing out of her body and she shouts one more time,

"PIDGEY!". That white light engulfed her entire body. Her body begins to change her shape, it grows bigger. When that light fades away, there is a whole new and powerful pokemon standing in front of them. Sam checks his pokedex again,

"Your Pidgey just now evolved into Pidgeotto. This flying type pokemon is very powerful and can create whirlwinds with its wings."

"Amazing, look at you, you seem pumping with energy Pidgey... I mean Pideotto." Sam says. Kirlia also smiles at her, /Whatever, she's just a big chicken./ Then Pidgeotto focuses back to Sudowoodo, who looks a bit scared now. She first uses Quick Attack to which it becomes helpless and can't even see her coming and results in a straight hit, then she uses Twister to defeat it for once and for all. Sudowoodo is defeated and also, scared of her, it retreats back to the jungle.

"I think we just solved the strange tree problem. Now everyone will be able to use this route without any difficulty."

/Yeah, whatever./

"Thanks Pidgeotto, you are really something. You turned the tables in the blink of an eye."

"Pidg-pidg...ottooooo."

"Yeah, yeah, I know you are happy, me too that you just evolved."

Sam calls back Pidgeotto and continues walking for Ecruteak city. Sam is visibly happy that one of his pokemons just evolved. Kirlia is also happy about it, though it may not look like it, but she is.