The sign that said Pallet Town in a fading white paint was swinging rather precariously in the evening wind. The hanger was grating on its rusty hinges; everytime it made one, desperate turn it seemed like it was going to fall apart.
For a long time, that sigh carved out of wood had sat perched on the top of a small hill that stood in between Viridian City and Pallet Town. It represented the long history of Pallet Town; the timelessness of which people and nature blended in together. Similarly, the air that was blowing in this small town had been forever clean and fresh. It was one of the few places, along with Viridian City, where human involvement was kept to a minimum.
Yellow's Doodrio, Dody, slowed down to a halt as Yellow swung the leash upwards in a thoroughly accomplished manner to signal that they had arrived. Giving it a warm pat on the back, Yellow flopped down lightly on the grass from its fuzzy back. Chuchu dropped down beside her in a similar fashion, and Yellow, giving Dody a nod of appreciation, recalled it back into its poke ball. There was a marked difference in Yellow's appearance: the straw-hat she had taken from her home on the way was now resting atop her head, hiding her long, golden ponytail from sight.
Her straw-hat was a requirement when seeing Red. It had been a long time since she had last put on her disguise to make people think that she was a boy. Of course, it had all ended when Red, as the last one to know, realized that she was a girl in the midst of a fierce battle against Pryce. And yet, letting her ponytail to be seen by Red, the mark of what first led him to comprehend of her true gender, still made her helplessly blush and stutter in front of him.
She had managed to pluck enough courage to get closer to Red only by hiding her hair, by hiding her true identity. It refrained her from being conscious of the strong feelings she had for Red; the emotions that were now ironically acting as a barrier between him and her.
In this respect, having her hair seen by Red still seemed wrong, like her most covert secret being disclosed.
A muffled shouts of kids playing up on the hill came to Yellow as distant and remote. She was looking up now, her vision focused on Red's house that stood in the distance. His home was rather big for someone living by himself, and standing there in the otherwise unremarkable street devoid of packed houses made it look forlorn. But then, Pallet Town was not a town known for its bulk of population.
"I am a little nervous now, Chuchu…" Yellow murmured, her hand placed on her chest as if to calm her pounding heart.
It was always like this. The earnest alacrity of seeing Red would first take her over as she eagarly set off to find him, but as she neared the trainer whom had so firmly snagged a place in her heart, the fear that she would make some sort of a mistake in front of him was what always prevailed in the end.
Today was by no means an exception. Poised before the abode that would most certainly have Red inside, her heart was thumping violently; a mixed feeling of both anticipation and anxiety was welling up inside her heart.
Chuchu looked up upon Yellow. Using her paws to climb up on Yellow's shoulder, she pulled the straw-hat off Yellow's head. Yellow's long ponytail fluttered out, and it unfurled all the way down to her waist. Yellow stared at Chuchu.
"Do you think I should not wear the hat?" Yellow asked uncertainly.
The yellow rodent nodded.
Yellow thought for a moment. In the end though, she took the hat back from Chuchu's grasp.
"I am sorry," Yellow sighed, plopping the hat back on so that it hid her ponytail again. "But I don't think I can talk to Red without my hat on."
Chuchu looked back at Yellow with a sympathetic look, and eventually she jumped back lightly on the ground.
Looking around uneasily, Yellow tip-toed her way carefully towards the house, almost afraid to make a sound. As she came face to face with the door, Yellow made one final attempt to collect herself; she took a deep breath, and checked once more that the straw-hat shielded her blonde ponytail from sight completely.
Yellow knocked on the door.
No answer came.
Yellow inched closer to the door to see if there were movements inside the house. She cupped her hands behind her ears and listened closely. Nothing could be heard inside the house. Not even the usual sound of Red tumbling downstairs to open the door. Feeling rather uneasy, Yellow rapped her knuckles against the door once more. But silence remained; the door stood still, lifeless and unmoving.
So Red must have wandered off on his own somewhere far again… without even telling her.
His absence, and the seemingly unending wait on her part… it all made sense.
Yellow turned her back against the door. Her heart was not pounding anymore. It had become dead quiet – it was almost as if it had been wholly hollowed out, along with her feelings for Red.
A tiny droplet of tear began to form in the corner of her eyes. Before it became complete, Yellow wiped it away.
'Who am I kidding…? Red doesn't need to tell me where he is going. It's not like I am special to him or anything...'
Chuchu looked up worryingly at her. Yellow quickly flashed a reassuring smile.
"I am okay! Don't worry about me, Chuchu!" Yellow said, dabbing at her yet moist eyes. "I guess we'll just have to put off seeing Red and Pika for a while."
Yellow gazed upon the sky, hoping the view would somehow relieve her pent-up mind. The sky, which had been hitherto flushed in a deep shade of red, was turning darker and darker by the minute as the sun began its descent into the blackened abyss.
Was it perhaps telling her that her love for Red was one that would never see itself get fulfilled?
"Let's head back home now. It's getting dark already," Yellow said softly, nodding at Chuchu.
Her mind so deeply preoccupied with Red, Yellow slowly retraced her steps home.