Chapter three

It was the next morning when I woke up. I looked around me and saw the sky was still in a light blue pale colour. I changed into my clothes and walked over to the balcony. I felt the fresh morning air against my face. I heard Tailows singing in the early morning. I went back inside and got my bags and walked out. I knew that Paul was somewhere around Cherrygrove City but not exactly where he was.

I walked to a small place in the small town. It had trees growing cherries. I walked to one and picked one. It was sweet and I even licked my fingertips because I loved the taste. I looked around and saw plenty more but I decided maybe it wasn't such a good idea to eat cherries like that.

When I was walking out I saw a cherry blossom tree. It had light pinks leaves growing on the branches. The branches were spread and nearly every tree had a light pink leaf on it.

It was a beautiful sight. I have never seen a cherry blossom tree that beautiful.

Then I saw the most unlikely person I thought I would never find.

Paul.

Why was he here? But it didn't really matter right now. I walked towards him. He was looking at the cherry blossom tree. I really didn't know why. What does cherry blossom trees and Paul have in common?

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Just remembering something." He replied as he looked at me. "Now lets go. I want to go to Violent city already." Paul replied as he started to walk ahead of me.

"You are the most impatient person I have ever met." I called out to him as I chased right behind him.

*~*~*~*

"You can open your eyes now."

"Wow!" A young five year boy called out in amazement. "It's really pretty."

"It is, isn't it?"

"Yeah." the young boy nodded. "What is this thing called?" the young boy asked.
"It's a Cherry blossom tree, Paul." the young woman replied. "It's one of the things I love to look at. Not many trees can look as beautiful as this tree."

"It's really pretty. Can we keep one?" the young five year old Paul asked.

The young woman just smiled at the young boy. "As much as I want to Paul, it will just be too small for the apartment." the young woman replied as she offered her hand to Paul. "Now let's go. It's going to be late soon."

"Okay." Paul nodded.

"Oi!" I called. "Wakie Wakie!"

"What?" Paul looked at me.

"It looked like you were thinking hard back then." I replied. "What goes in your head anyway?" I asked as I looked right into his face.
"Nothing you should care about." Paul replied as he pushed my face away from his. Making me fall onto the dirt road. "Now let's go. Stop wasting time." Paul said as he started to walk as I was still on the dirt road.

"Bully." I muttered.

*~*~*~*

"Finally!" I yawned as I stretched my arms into the air. "My feet are killing me."

"You complain too much." Paul told me without facing me as we still continued to walk to the pokecenter.

"Why are you getting annoyed already?" I teased.

"Just try to keep that mouth of yours shut until we reach the pokecenter." Paul replied as he shifted his eyes towards mine. "Okay?"

"Fine by me." I replied as I looked away from him.

Soon Paul and I have reached the pokecenter. I was so glad. I could finally get a room and rest. My feet were really killing me. I didn't know how much I could take. As we got close to the pokecenter doors the doors slide open for us. We walked both to nurse joy to get a room for the night.

"Let my guess." Nurse joy started. "You are both staying the night here?"

"Yes we are." I replied.

"Are you both sleeping in the same room?" Nurse joy asked.

"NO!" Paul and I yelled with blushes on our faces.

"Well that's settled." Nurse joy smiled as she handed a room key each to Paul and I. "Your room is number twenty three while yours young man in number twenty four." nurse joy explained. "I hope that makes things more comfortable for the two of you."

"Thanks nurse joy." I replied as I got my bag and ran to my room in hope that I would have a nice soft bed to lay in.

*~*~*~*

It was getting late at Violet City. I really wanted to practice for my 1st Johto contest but I felt really weak and tried out. I was sitting on my bed looking at my ribbon case. It was empty and there where four more spaces to fill in the ribbons I was going to win. Each contest isn't easy. Even though I'm now one of the best in Sinnoh I still get nervous. There are people looking right at you, waiting on what moves you are going to pull off. I remember the first contest I did in Sinnoh. I still remember how frighten and scared I was. I was worried about what was going to happen. I closed my ribbon case and slipped it back into my bag where I knew I wouldn't lost it. I pushed my door to my room. I wanted to get some fresh midnight air before I was going to sleep. Then something caught my attention. Paul's door was open. I walked over to the his door and pushed the slowly so I could have a little peek.

I saw Paul looked into the midnight sky. The glow of the full moon lit up the room. I saw him near his window. He had his left hand on the wall as his eyes where stuck at the sky. I saw his lips move but I couldn't hear what he was saying. But I did see him sigh sadly. He was about to turn towards my direction but I quickly scurried towards my room and closed the door. I laid my back against the door. I puffing quiet hard. I guess I didn't want to be found that's why I was puffing hard. My mind showed me a flashback of Paul. The Paul I saw looking at the sky.

Why was he acting like that? By the way he looked he was either sad of something or thinking really hard.

I wanted to know.

I wanted to help.

*~*~*~*

"What are you doing all alone at this time of the night?" I asked.

"I'm just thinking to myself." Paul replied as looked away from me.

"Can I help?" I asked. Hoping that I would hear the answer I was looking forward to.

"You can't. It's too late for anybody to help me now."

*~*~*~*

"Ready for this guys?" I asked as I talked to my pokemon who where right in front of me. "Our first contest here in Johto."

They all nodded. It was a new morning in Violet City. I had past the first round. It wasn't easy though. There were many great pokemon coordinators but only a few got into the second round. I had Cyndiquil with me. Cyndiquil was the newest pokemon in my group. I got Cyndiquil a few years back in Hoenn. I got him in a trade with other pokemon coordinator. Her parents didn't have room to look after Cyndiquil so I looked after it. Even though it hasn't evolved yet I'm sure he will evolved soon. Once he nearly did he just didn't have the energy too.

I was wearing a red dress with a pink ribbon wrapped around my waist. My hair was pony tailed with a red ribbon holding it into place. I also had black flat shoes on.

"Make sure you do your best out there okay?" I asked. Giving confidence to my pokemon. They all nodded with confidence.

I returned my pokemon into their poke balls except Cyndiquil since he was first up. I had ten minutes until the second round began. I decided to freshen Cyndiquil with a few poffins I left in my dressing room. We both left the back stage and walked to my room. I was surprised to find Paul there. He was leaning on a wall next to the door that lead which was my dressing room . I mean he didn't like contests. What was he doing here?

"Hey." Paul greeted.

"Hi." I greeted in a confused tone of voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing really." He replied. Paul's eyes where closed and then he opened them and looked right into my eyes. "That yours?" He asked. I knew he was pointing at Cyndiquil.

"Yeah." I nodded. "I just got him recently back into my team."

"You mean you always had him?" Paul asked. "Why didn't you evolve it then? It would have been more useful in your team and it will have been more stronger." Paul added.

"We both have different ways of raising our pokemon Paul." I started. "I know Cyndiquil will evolve. It will just take time. Just like I did with Pilpup."

"I realised that." Paul replied as he pushed himself off the wall. "You have the same way of training like that pathetic pokemon trainer of yours."

"Ash is a great pokemon trainer and friend." I replied. Defending my friend. "Like I said there are many ways to train and evolve pokemon. Your way is just too harsh. I just don't know how you pokemon still like you in the way you treat them." I added.

"Well." Paul replied as he turned his back on me. "I see." Paul added as he started to walk to the main room of the contest. Where I signed up for the pokemon contest. "And by the way." Paul added as he looked over his shoulder. "Good luck out there." He said before walking out of my sight.

I just stood there with a little blush on my face. It quickly faded away when I heard the second round of the contest was about to begin by the speaker in the corner of the hallway. I looked down to my fire type pokemon. Cyndiquil looked up to me. I knelt down and smiled at him. Then I opened my eyes and said a few words. "Just do your best, that's all it matters to me Cyndiquil." I saw a smile grow on his face. Cyndiquil nodded and replied. "Cyndiquil!" I knew that he was going to do his best at my very first contest here in Violet City.

End of chapter.