Further down the path, Kaleigh felt a bit better being out of the city but still felt uneasy about how the road she was on was open. She had no way to hide if she needed to, but she continued down the road quietly. The pokemon in the area were pretty calm, an Oddish and Bellsprout ran across the road ahead of Kaleigh. The two pokemon slowed to a stop and watched as she kept going, keeping her space from them.

As Kaleigh was walking she saw a little blue blur run out from a small bush. It stopped on the path making Kaleigh stop a little ways away. She took a step back ready to turn and run if the blue blur decided to attack.

"RINI!"

Startled by the shouting, Kaleigh jumped, her hands came up to protect herself. Watching another blur quickly moving towards her, Kaleigh got ready to pull out Riolu.

"Ah, there you are! I hope my Rini wasn't causing any trouble for you." The female voice said. Kaleigh lowered her hand and shook her head.

"No, it's okay." Kaleigh softly spoke.

"I'm Monica. Are you a pokemon trainer?" Monica held out a hand to Kaleigh, who hesitated before taking it and shaking their hands.

"Y-ya I guess so. I-I'm Kaleigh." Kaleigh stated, slowly looking up at Monica. Monica smiled and picked up her pokemon, giving it a little pet on it's head.

"So wh-what pokemon is that?" Kaleigh asked looking at the pokemon.

"This is Rini my Ridoran, she's pretty adventurous. What pokemon do you have?" Kaleigh pulled out the pokeball and released Riolu who cried out ready to fight. Although when he looked around he didn't see an opponent to fight.

"This is Riolu, I-I hatched him from an egg." Kaleigh smiled as she crouched down to Riolu's height. Riolu walked over and looked up at Monica and Rini.

"Oh wow! I've never seen a pokemon like that before!" Monica exclaimed as she crouched down to get a closer look. "What type is it?" Monica questioned tilting her head. Kaleigh looked at Riolu and then darted her eyes to the ground.

"I-I don't know" Kaleigh stuttered. Monica glanced at Kaleigh a bit confused.

"You don't know? Well, I'm sure I could help find out! It's always good to know your pokemon type advantages and disadvantages." Monica explained as she stood up returning Rini to her pokeball. Riolu looked at Kaleigh and placed a paw on her shoulder. Kaleigh looked at Riolu and gave him a small reassuring smile before returning him to his pokeball.

"Okay, th-thank you." Kaleigh stood up and the two girls walked down the path and into Saffron City. They walked through the streets, Kaleigh's right hand gently rubbed her arm as she kept her head tilted to the ground.

"Here we are!" Monica announced, stopping in front of a building. Kaleigh followed Monica inside and watched her use a little keypad to unlock the second door. Holding the door open Kaleigh went through first before Monica followed and led the way down the hall. Kaleigh glanced at the many doors that they passed before Monica stopped and unlocked a door with a key.

"Mom, Dad I'm back! I brought a friend!" Monica called out walking into the entrance. "Okay!" A female voice called back from somewhere in the apartment. "Friend?" Kaleigh thought while she looked around at the photos of Monica's family. She picked up a photo of Monica much younger with her dad at a park. Monica was on a swing being pushed by her dad, both had big smiles on them. "Their happy…" Kaleigh thought staring at it. "If my dad was here would I be happy?"

"Kaleigh, I have the books!" Kaleigh snapped out of her thoughts and put the picture down. She took a small breath in before turning to Monica, who was holding 3 fairly thick books in her arms.

"My dad used to travel during his pokemon journey and everywhere he went he got a book about that region's pokemon." Monica smiled and guided Kaleigh to the couch. "He's been to Sinnoh, Unova, and Johto!"

Kaleigh sat down on the couch and took the top book turning it around a little. She watched Monica open the book she had and started to quickly flip through the pages. Kaleigh on the other hand slowly opened the book she had and looked at the pictures of the pokemon on each page. She continued to flip through looking at each pokemon, until she came across a page with a pokemon she recognized. "Ariados…" Kaleigh felt a shiver run down her spine, as her grip on the book tightened. They were almost as big as her, and the string they released from their mouth were strong too.

"I found it!" Kaleigh looked over to Monica quickly, who was looking at a page in the book she had. Kaleigh looked back at the book with Ariados and closed it before turning back to Monica.

"It's an emanation pokémon that's a fighting type." Monica read aloud. Kaleigh raised an eyebrow.

"Ema-emna- what?" Kaleigh questioned struggling with the word.

"Emanation, basically Riolu can feel other people and pokemon's feelings as well as share its own feelings." Monica explained looking down slightly at Kaleigh. "It's weak against flying, psychic and fairy-type moves. It can also evolve into Lucario, a fighting, steel type pokemon."

Kaleigh slowly nodded her head, she now understood Riolu more. She looked at Monica and gave her a small smile. "Th-thank you, would you h-help me um train him?" "Sure!" Monica happily agreed as a woman brought out a plater with two glasses filled with lemonade and some cookies.

"Hello there, awe dear you look hungry have a snack." The lady offered setting down the plater to which Monica was the first to dive in. "Thanks mom! This is Kaleigh, I met her on route 7 while catching Rini."

"Oh Rini, she probably wants you to start your journey too!" Monica's mom laughed. Kaleigh kept quiet during this interaction, watching the mother-daughter bond. "So, Kaleigh you look about 6 maybe 7 are you excited to start a pokemon journey one day?" Monica's mom asked.

"I-I'm 10, I'm already on m-my journey…" Kaleigh answered to both Monica's and her mother's surprise. "Wow, you're short!" Monica commented only to be shouted at. "Monica don't be rude! I'm so sorry Kaleigh." Kaleigh's fingers fiddled around as her eyes were cast to the ground.

"I-it's f-fine." Kaleigh breathed followed by a moment of silence before Monica picked up a cookie and held it out to Kaleigh. "Hey, these are my favourite you have to have one! They always cheer me up!"

Kaleigh looked up at the cookie and took it. She looked at it for a moment before taking a small bite. Her eyes widened slightly as the warm fresh cookie was sweet. She happily took a larger bite and reached with her other hand to grab another one. A little laugh from the other two reminded Kaleigh that she wasn't alone and looked at them a little embarrassed, her shoulders tensed up while she pulled back.

"Amazing right?!" Monica praised as she too grabbed another cookie and took a bite out of it. Kaleigh smiled as she nodded her head, her shoulders lowered as she relaxed and enjoyed a second cookie.

"So, shall we go train?" Monica then suggested as she stood up. Kaleigh looked up at her new friend and got up as well.

"Y-Yes please." Kaleigh said as she followed Monica out of the apartment and outside to route 6.