After Cynthia's victory over Byron, her, Dahlia and Aaron were figuring out which way they should take to get to Eterna City.
"Ok so according to my map, we have two options. We can either take the Cycling Road to get to Eterna City or which we can trek through Eterna Forest to get there." Aaron said looking at his map.
Cynthia thought about and was about to suggest Eterna Forest so that she could have the opportunity to add a new Pokemon to her team when Dahlia interjected.
"Um if it is alright with you guys, I would like to take the Cycling Road. The Eterna Forest has deadly Ghost-types that I am not eager to meet." Dahlia said shuddering.
At the thought of meeting a wild Ghost-type, both Cynthia and Aaron shuddered and agreed to take the Cycling Road.
Soon the three headed out of the Pokemon Center and went to to where the Cycling Road was. However as soon as they saw the Cycling Road, they also saw a green-haired girl around their age talking with a construction work who's Machop was putting away some rubble. The girl was frowning and seemed to get more and more upset as the conversation dragged on while the egg-shaped Pokemon next to her was also unhappy.
"Please tell me your joking!? I need to use the Cycling Road to get to Eterna City! I don't want to go through Eterna Forest!" The girl said as she comically cried.
The worker seemed to show some sympathy for her as he gently talked to her.
"Listen like I said before, the Cycling Road is temporarily closed for the next two weeks. I am afraid if you want to get to Eterna City, you will need to go through the forest."
The girl soon slumped down as the worker returned to his post. Her partner Pokemon went over to her to comfort her as Cynthia went over to her.
"Um hey you ok?" Cynthia asked as she tried not to be too prying.
The girl soon turned to Cynthia and sighed. She soon got up and faced her.
"Yeah I guess I will need to go to the forest and pray I don't run into any hostile Pokemon." The girl said to Cynthia.
Cynthia thought about this for a moment and then looked at her friends. Dahlia and Aaron soon nodded their approval as Cynthia turned to the girl.
"Well if you want, you can travel with me and my friends. We are heading to Eterna City as well and we would to have some company." Cynthia said.
The girl soon lit up and looked at her partner Pokemon as if it was a dream before soon glomping Cynthia.
"OhthankyousomuchIpromiseIllpayyoubackoneday." The girl said in a quick tone that Cynthia couldn't keep up.
Dahlia and Aaron soon giggled at the girl's excitement as she soon let go of Cynthia so that she could introduce herself.
"Oh right, my name is Cheryl Niezen and this is Happiny. Nice to meet you!"
Cynthia smiled as she shook Cheryl's hand.
"Nice to meet you as well." She said as Cheryl joined their group.
Soon the four of them, after getting some supplies, approached the outskirts of the forest.
Eterna Forest seemed to be a normal forest at first with several different types of Pokemon like Wurmple, Seedot and Bunearys running around and having fun.
"This isn't so bad. In fact with all the Bug-type Pokemon here I would have to say this is paradise!" Aaron said as he looked around in amazement.
Cheryl sighed as she petted Happiny.
"Trust me, me and Happiny have been through this forest several times and we have always been attacked by wild and hostile Pokemon." Cheryl as her Happiny soon chirped in agreement.
Cynthia took out her Pokedex and soon scanned Happiny to get a better understanding of what type of Pokemon it was.
"Happiny, the Playhouse Pokemon. A Normal-type, It carefully carries a round, white rock that it thinks is an egg. It's bothered by how curly its hair looks."
Dahlia soon gushed over how cute Happiny was while Cynthia noted how similar to Nurse Joy's Chansey it looked.
"That makes sense since Happiny is the pre-evolved form of Chansey." Cheryl said as she giggled a bit and Happiny pouted a bit.
"What!? I didn't know that!" Dahlia said as Happiny soon pouted even more before Cheryl petted her Happiny to cheer her up.
Soon the four of them walked in relative silence for some (save for Aaron trying and failing to catch some Bug-type Pokemon). However it didn't take long for both Cheryl and Cynthia's stomach to began rumbling.
Dahlia giggled a bit at that.
"Why don't we take a quick break for lunch now?"
Everyone agreed to that they let out her Pokemon to relax and eat while Dahlia cooked up some of her father's famous stew.
"So why are you heading to Eterna City Cheryl?" Aaron asked as he scooped up some on the stew onto his plate.
Cheryl soon took some of the stew in her mouth and looked amazed at it before she responded.
"Oh it is my hometown so I am just returning to there after my trip." Cheryl said to them.
That took everyone there by surprise as they didn't expect that from Cheryl.
"Your trip? Where did you travel to?" Cynthia asked.
"Oh you see I just came back from the Hoenn Region. I wanted to catch some Pokemon there before returning back to Sinnoh."
Cynthia nodded and was tempted to ask what Pokemon she caught but soon Cheryl decided to ask them a question.
"So why are you three traveling to Eterna City?" Cheryl asked them.
Dahlia responded that it was to challenge the gym leader there for their second Sinnoh gym badge.
"Oh that is cool, I actually know the gym leader there!"
"Wait really!?"
Cheryl nodded as she licked up the last of her stew.
"Yes, you see her younger sister and I are actually childhood friends and she would let us often sit in the stands and watch her battles. I will tell you she is tough and you three might have your hands full with her." Cheryl said to them.
That got Cynthia nervous a bit, she remembered how much trouble she had with Byron and hearing how strong this gym leader was from Cheryl made her wonder if she could even win.
Budew sensing her trainer's distress soon came over and nuzzled her a bit.
"Your right Budew, we just need to believe in ourselves, and we will win." Cynthia said.
Dahlia and Aaron soon smiled at that… before hearing a rumbling coming from Cynthia's bag.
"Um… Cynthia." Dahlia said pointing to her bag.
Cynthia was soon confused as she went over to her bag and saw a Pachirisu of all Pokemon in it.
"A Pachirisu… that is weird." Cynthia said.
She then realized that Pachirisu was holding her badge case in his mouth and she soon tried to take it but Pachirisu soon ran off into the forest.
"God damnit! After it guys!" Cynthia said.
Soon she and the rest of her companions packed up everything and recalled their Pokemon and ran after Pachirisu as they continued their journey to Eterna City.