The next day dawned and I came down from my room early, surprising Renu slightly.
"What troubles you, young Miss?" he posed, looking up from his newspaper.
"Oh it was terrible, last night Edgar dragged me to the lake and we were attacked by birds!" I complained with spot-on theatrical flare. "Had we not discovered Poké Balls hidden in a mysterious professor's briefcase, surely I would stand before you today blinded!"
"Goodness…I can hardly believe that happened. I am ever so glad both you and Master Edgar are unharmed."
"Indeed, our discovery was most fortuitous."
"The professor you mentioned is most likely Professor Rowan of Sandgem Town," Renu offered helpfully "I have heard that he is well known for his studies of Pokémon. I have also heard he is quite intimidating…"
"Surely!" I exclaimed with a shiver. "A gaze that could turn your blood cold!"
"Adrastea, I think you need to visit with him in Sandgem Town."
"Must I?"
"You need to properly explain why you had no choice but to use his Pokémon. Do not worry, I am sure he will understand."
"I hope so…or he will surely turn me to stone with his eyes!"
"Oh, before you go…" Renu handed me a box that was on the table in front of him. "Put these on."
"These are…running shoes."
"Going to Sandgem Town is like an adventure in itself, is it not?"
"Running…shoes..?"
"With these you will be able to get to faraway places much faster."
"But I do not like to run, Renu, and that is what these shoes were created for. For running. Running shoes."
" 'Put on the Running Shoes and blaze new trails of adventure'," he read me the slogan from the box. "Aren't they quaint?"
Sighing, I supposed the matter was settled and I sat on the table to slip the running shoes on. True, Renu had been thoughtful enough to get a pair that matched my dress…I supposed I would wear them if it would appease him. Making sure that the Poké Ball was in my pocket, I stepped outside.
Tall grass. Route 201 was less actual road and more grass. Grass that would surely contain Pokémon that would not enjoy my stumbling upon them. Pulling the ball containing Turtwig from my pocket, I took a deep breath….just for the day, just for a few hours, I would be a "Trainer" so I could reach Sandgem Town and return Professor Rowan's Pokémon.
For some reason, there were people in the grass as well. Happy people glad to see me. One of them worked at the Pokémon Mart. He gave me a free potion, which I shoved into my purse before continuing on. Another helpful soul told me I could skip around much of the grass on my way back to Twinleaf by sliding down ledges…leading me to wonder why I could not just climb them to avoid traveling through the grass at all.
For all my worries, not a blade of grass stirred threateningly and I reached Sandgem Town unscathed. Lucas was there waiting for me.
"Hi! I've been waiting for you!" he greeted me cheerfully. "Please, come with me. The prof's waiting to see you."
Hearing Professor Rowan referred to as "prof" by this boy, I assumed that he was likely related. Perhaps a grandson…
He directed me to a nearby building.
"See? This is our Pokémon Research Lab. We'll just go ahead and-"
Once again I was met with a faceful of Edgar crashing into me as he bolted from within the lab.
"What the…oh, it's you, Adrastea!" he greeted me with his usual stupidity. "That old guy…he's not scary so much as he is totally out there!"
"Like yourself?" I added with a sneer.
"Aww, it doesn't matter, Adrastea," I could tell I'd flustered him. "I'm out of here. See you later!"
Off he went, leaving me with the surprised Lucas.
"What was that? Your friend always seems to be in such a rush."
"I must admit 'friend' is a relative term."
"Anyway…let's go in."
Holding the door for me, I entered the lab, admittedly curious to see what lay within. It was much how I expected a standard scientific lab would be: computers, various electronic devices with blinking lights, shelves of books and binders. Alas, no coils arcing electricity or bubbling vials of mystery chemicals…how underwhelming.
Professor Rowan stared at me for a long moment and I admit to shifting uncomfortably.
"Finally, you've come," he began, seeming calm enough. "Adrastea, was it? Let me see your Pokémon again."
Not wishing to upset him, I released the Turtwig from his ball and waited patiently as the professor picked him up and looked into the Pokémon's eyes.
"Hmm…I see…" though surely I couldn't 'see' what he did before he handed it back. "This Pokémon seems to be rather happy."
How he could tell that just by looking into the Pokémon's eyes, I was not sure, but did not ask.
"All righty then! I'll give that Turtwig to you as a gift." he proclaimed; I simply blinked at him.
"A…gift? You are letting me keep the Pokémon I accidentally stole because Edgar was a fool and nearly got us killed? Really?"
"Now that it's yours, would you like to give it a nickname?"
"I…suppose."
Kneeling down, I picked up the Turtwig and looked into his eyes much like the professor had.
"Would you like a name?" I asked.
"Tur?"
"I must call you something, after all…my name is Adrastea. I am a human, but I have a name. You are a Turtwig, but to call you that is so informal. Let me think…"
To be put on the spot is always troublesome and I could tell that both the professor and Lucas were looking on expectantly. I had not thought about any names for the Pokémon as I fully expected I would be returning it, yet there I was with him blinking at me.
"Very well…you will be called…Drusus."
"Hmm, okay, I see…" the professor spoke up. "And you're happy with that nickname?"
"Yes, for it means 'strong' or 'sturdy', as I hope he will be."
The professor nodded and went on.
"Your friend Edgar told me what happened at the lake. I heard you battled very well, despite it being your first time. And, from what I can see, there is a growing bond between you and Drusus, though he is still young."
I stood, holding Drusus in my arms, slipping his ball into my poket.
"That's why I would like to entrust you with him." Rowan concluded.
"Boy, am I glad you're kind toward Pokémon," Lucas added. "If you weren't, well…I don't even want to think about it."
"Er-hem!" the professor cleared his throat, drawing my attention once more. "Let's move on to the main topic."
Having thought the theft of his Pokémon was the main topic, I was at a loss and simply listened.
"There is something I want you to do for me. My name is Rowan. I study Pokémon."
Considering he worked at a Pokémon Research Lab, I was hardly surprised.
"First of all, I want to know exactly what kinds of Pokémon live in the Sinnoh region. To do so, it is necessary to collect data using the Pokédex. That is what I wish to ask of you. I want to entrust you with this Pokédex. Will you use it to record data on all the Pokémon in Sinnoh for me?"
This was it. This was my punishment for following Edgar and stealing another person's Pokémon. He wasn't going to press charges…if I did what he asked. So how could I refuse at this juncture? Drusus peered up at me and I sighed quietly, holding my hand out toward Rowan expectantly.
"I will."
"Hm! Good answer!" he placed it in my hand. "That Pokédex is a very high-tech device. It will automatically record data on every kind of Pokémon you encounter."
Carefully I slipped it in my purse with the lone potion I had.
"Adrastea, I ask that you go everywhere and meet every kind of Pokémon in this region!"
Somehow I don't believe he understood how long a journey that would entail and the sheer impossibility of finding every single kind of Pokémon that existed in the region. But there was no turning back now.
"I've got the same kind of Pokédex as you," Lucas spoke up.
"When you walked up Route 201 with Drusus, what did you feel?" Rowan cut in once more. "I've lived for sixty long years. Even now, I get a thrill when I'm with a Pokémon. Now, you should know that there are countless Pokémon in this world."
Countless, yet I am expected to find and count them…all of them.
"That means there are just as many thrills waiting for you out there!" he grinned with enthusiasm. "Now go! Adrastea, your grand adventure begins right now!"
"The professor asked me to help, so I'm going to out and fill the Pokédex pages, too," Lucas tried speaking to me again; I found him, as always, dull. "That makes us comrades working toward the same goal. I'll teach you stuff later, okay?"
"Ah, certainly. I…look forward to it?"
With that, Lucas left. Feeling that Rowan was staring at the back of my head, I wasted no time exiting the lab as well. Outside, Lucas met me as the door closed, smiling eagerly.
"Hey, Adrastea! I want to show you a few things."
"If you must."
"So, follow me!"
This following thing was wearing on my nerves. First with Edgar, now Lucas. When would these boys leave me alone and let me go where I wanted…home. I stopped as Lucas did, standing before a building with a red roof.
"This building with the red roof is the Pokémon Center."
"I am aware…"
"You can get your Pokémon healed if it's been hurt in battle."
"As I said, I am aware."
Setting Drusus on the ground beside me, I sighed…Lucas was still talking.
"You'll find a Pokémon Center in most towns."
Walking another twenty feet or so, we stopped in front of a smaller building with a blue roof.
"Over here, the building with the blue roof is the Poké Mart."
"The man in the grass told me about this already, Lucas."
"It's a shop where you can buy and sell all sorts of items."
"Yes I know…" I grumbled, wondering if boys just could not hear the frequency my voice existed in.
"Adrastea, since you're a rookie Trainer, you won't be able to buy very much stuff."
How did that make any sense? Sure, I did not have access to my mother's full savings, but what I had would easily be enough to buy the entire store. What did my rank as a Trainer have to do with anything? How would they know I was a rookie, anyway?
"Don't worry about it, okay?" he tried to assure me, but I was not concerned…mostly perplexed. "Oh, yeah, right! Adrastea…you should let your family know you're helping Prof. Rowan put together his Pokédex. Sometimes you have to go far away, so you should let someone know."
"I will be sure to tell my butler…"
"Oh, but first, go heal up you Pokémon at the Poké Center. You'll be safe then."
"Right."
"Okay, be seeing you!"
Finally I was left alone with my new companion and my thoughts. Drusus looked up at me and tilted his head. I offered a tired smile in return.
"Well, let us head back home for now…I will need to pack properly if I am going on an adventure."
"Turtwig!"
On the way, we had nearly reached the safety of the road leading into town when a lone Starly leapt up from the grass, beating his wings threateningly at Drusus. It was much like the previous fight with one of those eye-seeking bundles of feathers…tackles from Drusus and quite a bit of chirping from the Starly, its wings and beak having little effect against his hard shell. Once it was silenced, we strode into town and I went straight home.