After returning to bed, the rest of Ash's night went undisrupted, finally managing to keep his eyes shut with no disturbance. It turned out to be much needed; it was 11:09 AM when he finally awoke, and even Janine herself only woke five minutes prior.

Getting out of bed, Ash had felt refreshed in ways he did not expect… but that feeling only lasted a moment or two until the hunger kicked in. His stomach felt emptier than nothing, and the thought of going even another second without food was unbearable. They could not eat right away, however; their first stop was the front desk to pick up their teams.

All twelve Pokemon were overjoyed to see their trainers, and the feeling was mutual. Tempest was hardly an exception, displaying no different behavior from the rest of his teammates. They weren't completely famished like Ash and Janine were, however, having been fed breakfast hours prior. Of course, as it was almost lunch time (for them, anyway), they were provided with snacks while their trainers ate.

Breakfast/lunch was decently quiet. Due to the somewhat odd hour, the cafeteria was not overly occupied (just some people snacking here and there), and it had been easy to find a table away from everyone else. There wasn't much chatter among the Pokemon or trainers, but the silence was comfortable, not awkward or unsettling. Ash took care to pay attention to everyone's behavior, nonetheless.

Perhaps the previous day had done the team some favors; they were certainly better off than he had been yesterday, although he had not been there to see their initial reactions. Though quiet, they seemed… decently at ease, at least by the situation's standards. He knew part of that could have just been relief to be back with their trainer, however. He would definitely need to pay close attention as that wore off, and he could only hope that the returning normalcy could aid in that. Apart from Pikachu, everyone had been recalled into their balls during the worst of the attack, which he would never stop being relieved for.

He never wanted them going through that again.

Mutually, he and Janine had chosen to spend the day at the Center. They would have to get ready to leave town sooner rather than later, but a day of relaxation was almost necessary at this point. The previous day had been far from it, and they had already sacrificed the majority of their morning to slumber. Today would be spent with their teams, and ensuring that things could feel normal again before it was time for the next stretch of travel. They would need clear minds going into Fuchsia's wilderness, after all, and though it would likely take a day or two to get to Fuchsia territory from here, that time would still be spent traveling, not resting.

Before any resting could be done, however, there was somebody he needed to speak to.

"Hi, mom." Ash shuffled a bit awkwardly in his seat as he stared at the screen. Pikachu and Eevee's presence on either side of him certainly helped, but the sight of his mother's face nonetheless shot an arrow of guilt into his chest. "How are you doing?"

"How am I doing…' Delia did not necessarily sound exasperated, nor frustrated. Ash could not quite piece together how she sounded as she rubbed her palm against her face. Somehow it felt like she was still looking him in the eye, even through a screen, although he thankfully could not see any tears. He didn't think he'd be able to handle that. "Ash… What happened? How are you feeling right now?"

As Eevee relaxed herself into a sitting position on the desk, Ash scratched behind the normal type's ear, earning a soothing purr from her as he patted Pikachu's head. "Janine and I went to the tower the night of the attack. With a new friend of ours, he wanted to pay respects to his family's Scyther who died a couple of years ago." his breath caught in his throat for a moment, and she must have noticed it with the concern that flashed across her face. "They… showed up just as we were about to leave." She didn't answer right away, and the longer he stared at her, the more his frown grew. "I'm… I'm really sorry I didn't talk to you yesterday, mom. I… I really wanted to see you, but… in person. I was afraid that just talking to you like this would just remind me that you weren't really here." he let out a sigh, feeling his chest grow lighter as he released the breath. "I know I was being selfish. You were really worried about me and at least seeing my face could have helped with that. I won't do it again, I promise."

She stared at him for a moment, fiddled with her hair for a second, before letting out a sigh. "I'm… happy to hear that, Ash. But you don't need to call yourself selfish." raising her head to make eye contact (in whatever way was possible on a screen), a tiny, sad smile formed on her face. "I'll admit I was upset when you refused to talk to me, but… I understood. Not right away, I'll admit, but… I knew I couldn't understand how you felt." her eyes narrowed. "So how do you feel? Is there anything you want to talk about?"

The images were returning, as Ash shook his head. "With all due respect, I don't want to bring any of the specifics up right now. Maybe some time, but… it's too fresh."

"And you know I would never force you too." Delia's voice was coated in an understanding tone that filled her son's heart with gratitude. She really was the greatest person on the planet. "But do you think you're okay?"

It took him a moment or two, and another deep breath, to respond. His eyes and voice conveyed nothing but honesty as he spoke. "It still hurts," he confessed. "And I struggled to sleep last night." He put his hands on Pikachu and Eevee, both Pokemon relaxing into his touch. "But… seeing my team again this morning is definitely helping. Janine and I also had a long talk last night, and I think that helped too."

"And how is she right now?"

"She seems…" Ash paused for a moment, not wanting to put words in her mouth. "I can't read her mind, but I think she felt the same way I did this morning. She's trying to get in touch with her aunt right now."

"Give her my best wishes, then." Delia nodded. She seemed to be easing up, if only just a little bit. "So… is there anything more… relaxing that you want to talk about?"

"Well, now that you mention it…" realization set in for Ash, as though he had almost forgotten. Grinning a bit more, he rubbed Eevee's head. "This one's going to be evolving pretty soon." The normal type's ears perked up at that, and Pikachu offered an encouraging squeak, as though the two of them had almost forgotten as well.

Delia's eyes lit up. "Oh wow, congratulations in advance, Eevee! So, have you two narrowed any options down?"

/

The water beneath Tempest's feet carried him across the grass for what Ash was sure he counted as four seconds before collapsing in a splash. The Krabby tumbled onto the ground without so much as a bruise to show for it, quickly returning to his feat.

The group was just outside of the Pokemon Center, although Eevee, Beedrill, Tentacruel, and Skrelp had all chosen to stay in the room and relax. Nobody planned to leave the Center outright, but getting some fresh air while staying in its vicinity had become an appealing thought going into the mid-afternoon. Some of Janine's team had preferred staying inside, whilst Eevee herself seemed keen on putting more thought into her choice for evolution, especially after spending a brief period bouncing through possibilities with Ash and Delia's help. The plan was to return to Anya's stone shop tomorrow, as part of the shopping trip to prepare for leaving town, and the normal type had to remind herself not to allow the excitement to distract her from the decision making part of it all.

Somewhat predictably, not everybody in the group was strictly eager to relax. Nebula and Golbat were dying to stretch their wings; the flying duo were currently circling the Center's roof, attracting the attention of a few wild bird Pokemon. Toxtricity had decided to get some exercise for a moment or two, before going on to rest with the others. It was not in Tempest's nature to do the same, and although the Krabby made zero effort to find a sparring partner or opponent to battle (even when Toxtricity was still active), he had still taken to practicing Surf. He ha become fairly good at keeping the move stable while staying in place, but ever since the split-second breakthrough against Sabrina, getting himself to move properly and officially make the technique battle ready had become all the more of a goal. Of course, going from staying in place to moving around with it had essentially brought him back to square one for now.

With the rest of their teams scattered about the immediate area, Ash and Janine watched Tempest from the bench he was working in front of (although thankfully not close enough to be in the splash zone). The two had stuck to one another like glue since waking up, and found their minds slightly clearer for it.

"I think that might have been your best time," Ash encouraged from his seat. Tempest spared the two trainers a glance before observing the drenched grass surrounding him, getting ready for another attempt. "Try waiting a little bit longer before you start moving, and see if that helps your focus."

"I think he might be pulling ahead," Janine commented as the river crab summoned another pillar of water. Heeding his trainer's instructions, he remained still for a few seconds longer than usual. "Tentacruel and Skrelp are doing fine, but the match with Sabrina really gave him a boost." Tempest took off once more. This time, the water held together for roughly six seconds before falling apart.

"He hardly ever needed extra motivation, but it certainly helps," Ash agreed. "If we can work on the speed, and make sure he can land on his feet when the Surf falls apart, it might be a useful tool to use in short bursts." he tapped his chin. "These are just his best times, though. We'll need consistency first, and trying to move faster will just make it harder to keep the Surf stable, especially if we don't start with consistency. It still might be a while before we can use it in battle reasonably, but…" he looked at her. "I'm hoping a 'short bursts' variation will be ready by the time we challenge your father."

"It is definitely a lot of steps to work on," Janine nodded. "I suppose it puts the difficulty of the move in perspective. You're only aiming for a limited version at the moment, and yet it's still as much of a process as mastering a difficult move."

"Yeah…" Ash watched Tempest already preparing for his next attempt. "I knew it would be a process, but knowing is different from seeing, you know? Thankfully his work ethic is pretty much bottomless."

"Hmmm…" Janine studied the Krabby for a moment before turning to Ash. "Hey, Mr. Fuji said that Tempest may be nearing evolution soon, right?"

"He did, yeah."

"That could speed up the process when he does," she pointed out, averting her eyes from Ash for just a moment as Tempest attempted another Surf, this time staying in place for even longer. "His control over water will improve once he is a Kingler; evolution almost always grants a natural boost such as that. That could be part of why Tentacruel seemed to have a head start, yet Tempest managed to close that gap just with work rate alone." her lips tugged up. "Who knows, something special might end up coming out of it."

Ash mimicked his best friend's expression. "I've thought about that for a bit, ever since Mr. Fuji and I discussed it." looking around at the rest of his team scattered about, he crossed his arms. "Honestly, for a lot of them. Most of my team is going to be approaching evolution sooner than later, and Eevee's gonna be taking that leap in just a day or two now. It's like a whole, huge door is about to open." A Pokemon evolving was almost always an occasion that broadened the possibilities beyond their current scope. Yet another "next phase" of the journey.

As Tempest continued to practice, Ash began observing the rest of the team a little bit more closely. Some were watching the Krabby work, albeit casually, not fully invested, but still drawing interest if only to have something to watch. Other's paid the water type no mind, simply engaging in light mingling while relaxing in the grass.

There was one exception, however, and Ash blinked in mild surprise at the rare sight. For once, Phenom was on his own, away from Pikachu and even Valiant for that matter. And his eyes were entirely fixed on the Krabby, seemingly with more focus than the rest of the group observing Tempest's Surf practice.

"Hmmm…" the boy's humming caught Janine's attention, but he quickly reassured her. "I'll be back, I just want to talk to Phenom for a moment." The girl gave him a solid nod as he stood up from the bench.

/

"Phenom, how are you feeling?" Some of the Pokemon (Valiant in particular) had been curious when Ash had pulled the young Tyrunt away from the group, but he reassured them fairly easily. Now, he and Phenom were a bit of a ways from the rest, at a different side of the Center. Just far enough to keep their conversation private.

Phenom himself had been a bit caught off guard by his trainer's request, but showed him no resistance. Now, he looked up at Ash in curiosity, although the boy was quickly to sit down in the grass to better look his friend in the eye. The small dinosaur mirrored his actions, sitting down himself and making himself comfortable.

Ash allowed himself a moment to look Phenom over before elaborating. "I noticed you've been paying a lot of attention to Tempest lately." The Tyrunt had appeared fairly relaxed up to that point, which made it all the more easy to notice him tense up. "And not just today, but ever since we got here. You always seem intently focused on him." The boy's suspicions began to creep back up as the dinosaur seemed to find eye contact slightly more difficult. "Listen to me, Phenom, I won't get mad but," he gestured his fingers to encourage his friend to look him in the eye. "Are you thinking about trying to fight him?"

The surprised look on Phenom's face did not convey any effort to hide anything. It almost reminded Ash of the look his mother claimed he gave her when she found out about the broken vase he had hidden by the sofa. Instead, the young Tyrunt simply shuffled in place, once again averting eye contact as his gaze traveled downward.

Ash observed his friend for a few moments as he began thinking back. He had been warned on more than one occasion about the… instincts that Phenom's species carried in their genes. Dragons were hardly tame creatures by nature, after all, and Tyrunt were documented to be destructive. Raising Phenom from an Egg was beneficial to such, as it provided an invaluable opportunity to use nurturement to dampen such violent instincts. Natural instincts seldom went away completely, however and the first time Ash and the rest of the team had witnessed Phenom's own, Tempest was the cause of it. Keeping them apart had helped to cool things down, but now, Phenom was no longer a baby. He was developing both physically and mentally, which also developed his instincts.

And with instincts came memories.

The problem had been temporarily nipped in the bud, but now, that expiration date was beginning to make itself known.

'And Tempest might end up becoming an outlet for that.' he thought to himself as he reached out. Tucking his hand under the Tyrunt's chin, Ash gently pressed upwards, redirecting the dinosaur's gaze back to his eyes. "Phenom… I want you to know," Ash gave him a brief smile, but tried to ensure that his eyes remained stern. That's where he wanted Phenom to look. "I'm happy that you're growing, and it's good that you're standing up to him. You may still be a child, but you're not the baby of the group anymore, and you're not letting yourself be either." his eyes shifted back in the direction they had come from, before quickly refocusing on Phenom. "But please, don't do anything reckless. I know Tempest hurt you, but we both need to approach this the right way." As he opened his mouth to speak again, he suddenly flinched, the unwanted images returning, but he powered through them, speaking with a bit less stability before his voice became steady again. "Tempest saved you back at the tower. I don't know if you remember that, but he tried to help you out when you were in danger." As Phenom crossed his arms, face somewhat unreadable, Ash gently patted his head. "Please try to keep that in mind, okay?"

Phenom nodded after a moment, and Ash stood up, signaling that they were returning to the others. He watched the Tyrunt go on ahead whilst slightly lagging behind as the gears in his mind began to turn. Phenom's nature and Tempest's behavior had both been important responsibilities of his for a long time now, even if the former had not been a problem for a good while. As he watched the dinosaur's back, he pinned himself a new deadline.

'Before we get to Fuchsia territory, I need to fix this.'

/

The day went by relatively uneventfully; the group remained outside for about an hour or so before heading in. After dinner a couple hours later, the rest had been spent in the Center's hotel room watching TV before going to bed.

The next morning, business began to return as a priority. They would be leaving Lavender Town within the next couple of days or so, and there was so much to do. Ash and Janine had already put together a list shortly before dinner the previous evening, and thankfully, any necessities were open for business once more. Mercifully, that included the stone shop, which he had known was planned to reopen on this very day. With Rock Blast, Steel Wing, Reflect, Magical Leaf, Scald and Thunder Punch sold, he had enough money for one evolutionary stone, and hopefully there would still be some cash left over from the six TMs. That was only his budget for the stone, however, and traveling necessities would be purchased from the rest of his funds, along with hopefully at least a couple more TMs (if needed, he'd battle some trainers to win more money the next day).

That covered shopping, but things did not quite end there. The Bakery of Beacon was still closed, and Ash would not be surprised if it remained that way for a decent bit, but somehow he wanted to visit Caleb. He had not seen the younger boy since that night, and he was almost scared to, but he would. He wanted to give Caleb his space, and would (with some regret) comply if the Beacon boy wished to be left alone, but despite the lingering dread, Ash found himself hopeful to see Caleb's face and speak to him at least one last time before departing.

On a less nerve-wracking note, he owed Mr. Fuji a thank you. A few thank yous, in fact. But even the thought of that brought down the boy's mood with unfortunate ease; there was somebody else that he needed to thank as well, a Sableye that had been abducted during the attack.

Ash both wanted and did not want to keep Yami out of his mind. It was hard to think about him or Caleb without the images resurfacing. Thankfully, he and Janine were now arriving at a place that could, even if only temporarily, suppress such unpleasant thoughts.

It was almost an hour past noon as Anya's shop came into view. From Ash's shoulder, Eevee's eyes lit up at the sight of the building, prompting a quick grin from her trainer as Janine and Ivysaur followed them to the door.

Walking through town was a constant reminder of things that they did not want to be reminded of. The atmosphere reeked of normalcy. Of a lack of ghosts. Anywhere else, it would have been comfortable. Those thoughts were thankfully purged from the quartet's collective minds as they entered the shop, the thought of Eevee evolving now the only thing left that there was room for.

Further removing such unpleasant thoughts from Ash's mind was the sight of Anya as the group entered the shop. The woman was not behind the counter, and had been seemingly tending to one of the display cases before the door caught her attention. Ash's eyes lit up somewhat as she looked over to them, quickly turning in their direction in something resembling surprise.

"Oh, Ash! You're back." Though she certainly did not seem unhappy to see them, the turmoil and mild hesitance in her expression was easy to read, and it only took a moment for Ash to know what was on her mind.

"We're fine," he spoke a bit too quickly, as though trying to win a race with the images attempting to reach the front of his mind. "I mean…" he looked back at Janine and Ivysaur for a moment. "It's… we're doing okay. You don't have to worry."

Anya cautiously looked them over for a moment or two before, with a breath, offering the group an easy smile. "Okay, it's good to see you." her eyes fell on Janine, who had begun looking around the shop, still just behind Ash. "And you must be Janine, right?"

"Yes," Janine quickly looked back at her. Her smile was only somewhat uneasy before she politely lowered her head. "You have a nice shop, Anya."

"Much appreciated," looking back at Ash, Anya's eyes knowingly fell on Eevee, still perched on her trainer's shoulder. The normal type's tail had begun wagging ever since they had entered. "So… does this mean what I think it does?"

"Mhm," Ash chuckled as Eevee climbed down from him and began making her way to where the evolutions tones were set up. "Eevee's making her choice today. She's narrowed it down a bit, but she still wanted to wait until we were actually here before making her full decision. We're letting her have her space for a moment."

Anya watched the normal type with a hint of nostalgia in her eyes. "My Eevee had comparatively less to choose from back in the day. She only had a few of the options right in front of her at the time, but it still took her some thinking to be fully decided."

"Which did she choose?" Janine asked as Ivysaur slowly wandered off to a separate part of the store, eyes gradually finding their way to a yellow gem stone in the shape of a star.

"She became a Jolteon in the end," Anya's eyes glanced towards the displayed Thunder Stone as she said that before returning her attention to the duo. "And she was pretty happy with that decision. I actually had a blast from the past not too long ago; the last kid who came in here with an Eevee picked up a Thunder Stone."

Ash's eyes found their way to the electrical stone at her words. "Even if Eevee doesn't pick that, we'll still need one eventually for my Pikachu. I'm sure he'll be just as happy." Looking over at Eevee, she was currently seated in front of a Fire Stone, seemingly taking turns with each one. "He wanted her to be the one to pick this time, since she has the most options and we aren't sure if we'll have this many to choose from next time."

"Avoiding the issue I ended up having," Anya fondly chuckled.

"Yeah…" Ash's palm affectionately rubbed Pikachu's Poke Ball on his belt. "He's the best for taking one for the team like this, and so is my Kirlia, Valiant. I'm gonna make sure they both evolve in the best way too." Indeed, this may have been Eevee's big moment, but Pikachu and Valiant had not sacrificed anything. They had simply delayed their own evolutions as a favor for a friend. It would still come for both of them, if it was the last thing Ash did. Valiant still needed to get ready, but hopefully it would not take too much longer once he was.

Looking back at Anya, Ash noticed that the woman's expression had turned somewhat thoughtful. "Something wrong?"

She perked up at the question, seemingly snapping out of a train of thought. "Oh! Sorry, I just remembered something, about you two, actually." That got Ash and Janine's attention, and the two trainer's exchanged curious looks as Anya looked between them. "Lacey was planning to visit you at the Center not too long from now. The Beacons wanted to invite you to the bakery for dinner tonight."

The pair's eyes lit up somewhat at the name, not quite masking their surprise. "Wait, really?" Ash commented. "I thought they were still closed."

"They are," Anya nodded. "But this will only be private. They've been wanting to see you both ever since…" she did not allow herself to finish. "They've been busy looking after Caleb."

"How is he?" Ash quickly asked, as though the mention of the boy's name had pressed a button in his brain. "Is he okay?"

Anya frowned for a moment. "He's been staying in the house, last I knew. It… hasn't gone away, but he's wanted to see you too."

Ash nodded back with some understanding. He would not push asking whether or not Caleb himself would be at the bakery tonight, but nonetheless, the offer was a pleasant surprise. Looking back at Janine, he locked eyes with his friend. "What do you think?"

Crossing her arms, Janine seemed somewhat relaxed, but still thinking it over for a moment before nodding. "It's nice of them, I'll go."

"Me too," Ash nodded with a small grin as he turned back to Anya. "Could you relay that to them?"

"I definitely will. " Anya nodded back. "Caleb's grandmother, Trish, is one of my oldest friends. She was hoping to catch you before you left town, so she'll be happy to know."

"I guess we'll finish up the rest of our shopping after this and get ready to come over then," Janine said, to which Ash agreed. "Will you be there too?"

"I'm helping Agatha with something tonight," Anya shook her head apologetically. "It'll be just you and them."

/

Eevee's eyes were shimmering like the gemstones in the shop as she sat down on the floor, surrounded by her options. Of her eight evolved forms, all but Sylveon were available to her at this very moment. And by tomorrow, she will officially become one of them. There would be no turning back, but there would be no looking back either. Her strength, speed, durability and arsenal would all go far beyond her current level, her possibilities for growth would be forever expanded, and the way she fought her battles would never be the same.

Gaze traveling to the floor for the briefest of moments, Eevee's eyes wandered back to the foot of Mt. Moon. Once her home, where she had first encountered her new family. After being carefree and aimless, she had quickly been humiliated by Nebula, a Pokemon far stronger than her, and all she could feel towards the Staravia had been jealousy and resentment. Her new teammates had just made it through a rough Gym battle with a Gym Leader by the name of Brock, and as such had been given such a head start over her that she was outperformed in every match. Nebula was completely out of reach, and try as she might, all the normal type could hope for was to chase after Pikachu, but never catch him, a constant reminder of her own inferiority. It was infuriating.

Ash had been patient and reassuring, however. Constantly assuring her that she would catch up, until she finally did. The gap between her and her peers had not lasted forever, and she was finally earning the big victories that her teammates had constantly been achieving in her stead.

And then Saffron City had happened. She, unexpectedly, had been helping Nebula of all Pokemon to get ready for the Gym battle. Providing guidance that had assisted the Staravia in her performance. And then in the end, she had been the one to win the team their fourth badge. And she had done it by prevailing over one of her own evolved forms.

All of the losses and underperformance from the past no longer mattered to her. She had worked herself to the bone and could not be more proud for it. And now she was here, surrounded by objects that would trigger her ascension. Even as she looked around, she could not forget the gratitude that she felt for Valiant and Pikachu, especially the latter, who could have easily evolved just as soon as herself if he had so chosen. The twinge of guilt in her chest was dampened by Ash's assurance that both Valiant and Pikachu would be evolving one day as well, even if nobody could promise when that day came.

But Ash had promised it nonetheless, and her trainer had always fought to keep them.

Going into her brainstorming, the one thing that she had been absolutely, uncompromisingly certain of, was that she would not pick the Thunder Stone. That was Pikachu's item, one that she would not rub in his face. He was far too generous to deserve that. The Sun Shard was one that she had leaned towards for a little bit; becoming a psychic herself would allow her to better communicate with Ash after some practice. Just like Valiant was currently trying to. Though the Kirlia would have a head start over her (not that that dissuaded her, she had already overcome a huge head start once), she and her best friend could potentially help one another develop their telepathic communication and other abilities. It would almost be poetic for her to become an Espeon after defeating one, the biggest victory of her life so far.

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Terrain on the battlefield was also something that came to her mind. Her first ever Gym battle had been at Cerulean City, where she had crashed and burned, and Nebula (whom she had still resented at the time) had shined and flourished, carrying the team to victory and overcoming the odds. The aquatic battlefield had been an absolute disaster with how ill equipped they were to deal with it, not to mention the way the Gym Leader had constantly been exploiting it to her advantage. She doubted they'd be fighting on such terrain often, but there was still plenty of water in the world, and becoming a Vaporeon would be an easy ticket to learning how to swim. Water Absorb would certainly be a welcome ability to have as well.

She had watched what felt like countless footage of her various evolved forms. She remembered how amazing Karen's Umbreon had been throughout all of his matches. Or Will's Espeon in the final round of the previous Indigo Conference. Just about all eight forms had provided her with a great show, not to mention showcase of the possibilities. But one had stood out. One specimen that had gone far beyond all of the others, showcasing the full potential of their species in ways that forbade Eevee from ever getting the species out of her mind. Karen's Umbreon had done exactly the same, but then there had been her.

In the Sinnoh Region, the way she had frozen the arena into her own personal skating rink. The way the entire battlefield had become a winter paradise on her command alone. She speed was second to none, especially on ice. She blended in with the snowstorm's like the most divine silhouette one could ever lay eyes on. She sent Pokemon twice her size soaring into the air with the strike of a tail. Even watching her from a screen, Eevee found herself seeking warmth just from witnessing the ice and snow leaving her mouth. She was the most beautiful, gorgeous creature the normal type had ever seen, and even picturing her in her mind, and remembering her battles, sparkled the quadruped's eyes right there in the store.

From the moment she had seen Champion Cynthia's Glaceon, Ash Ketchum's Eevee had fallen in love. It took longer for her eyes to leave the Ice Stone than any of the others, because in the reflection, she saw only a Glaceon's face. Staring back at her. The very face she would have if she just reached out and touched.

As she continued to stare at the wintry stone, Eevee's tail wagged faster and faster. The thoughts of being just like her clouded her brain, leaving no room for anything else. She held her tongue for as long as she could…

…

And then she barked.

/

Ash needed gloves to carry the Ice Stone that Eevee had picked out, and a protective casing to keep it in his backpack, insulating the winter energy surging inside of the stone. Even then it was cold to the touch, and would only be far colder once Eevee had actually activated it in order to trigger her evolution.

That, however, would come tomorrow, and though Eevee was beyond excited, she had nonetheless chosen not to do it right away. Today was far too busy. For now, she remained outside with her trainer as the group completed their shopping. The normal type's mood was like the sun itself, tail wagging every which way the entire time.

They had arrived at the Bakery of Beacon nearing sunset; the doors open exclusively for them. Lacey had gently welcomed them in, and the two trainers soon found themselves seated at the same booth they had been at with Kris on their first visit. This time, the window provided no view of the tower, but the gorgeous orange sky was thankfully enough to distract them from such a reminder.

All food and drinks they had tonight would be completely free, which included their teams, who were all accounted for nearby. Eevee had quickly announced her choice of evolution to the rest of the Pokemon, all of whom offered her congratulations (even Tempest managed a somewhat quiet one) as they mingled amongst each other, eagerly anticipating the coming dinner. Though it would not take too long for dinner to be ready (as they were the only ones the food was being prepared for) it would nonetheless take long enough, although fresh pretzel bites provided for Ash and Janine as appetizers would certainly satisfy for now.

Janine had purchased a detailed map of eastern Kanto during their shopping trip, and as the two shared the bowl of pretzel bites, the wait time for dinner had provided them with the perfect chance to look it over. The two had chosen to sit next to one another rather than across (Ash closer to the window), which conveniently made examining the map easier. The map provided an extensively detailed look at Kanto's eastern side, from the Rock Tunnel to the north, the easternmost sides of Saffron and Vermilion territory, and of course, taking upm the southern half of the mpa, Fuchsia territory. The map covered the routes and certain landmarks, along with some of the small towns and villages along the way, most of which were off the beaten path. More importantly (and what Ash and Janine were currently focused on), it detailed what Pokemon Centers could be found on the road, as well as some of the notable lodgings and motels.

"Once we leave here," Janine's finger traced the map downwards, starting from Lavender Town. "It will still be a bit of a journey before we reach Fuchsia's border. After that, our true travels to the city will begin." Ash followed her finger as she continued. "Pokemon Centers obviously allow all of their hospitality for free, but the lodgings do not, and are a bit more limited." sensing that she was looking at him, he returned her gaze.

"Right," he replied. "Depending on the lodging, the rooms might not be as luxurious, even if still acceptable. Prices usually are not very high, but you need to pay per night or week for your room, and if you're traveling in a pair or group like us, there might not be a room for two available." his finger landed on the Pokemon Center that rested right against Fuchsia's border. "Pokemon Centers of course, treat your Pokemon for free, while most lodgings don't have healing machines. They do have machines to teleport your teams to the nearest Pokemon Center, for a small fee."

"Mhm," Janine nodded for a moment before putting a pretzel bite in her mouth. After finishing it, her finger returned to the map. "Once we reach Fuchsia territory, the only Pokemon Center is by the eastern shore, far off the path we'd have to take to get to the city. It would be best to use a couple of the lodgings. Maybe stay at a small town like Mossgreen, but that would be a bit more of a detour. We will be spending most of our time on the way to Fuchsia City camping."

Ash took a pretzel bite in his mouth, savoring the taste for a few seconds before swallowing. Janine had warned him he would have to get more used to being outside. After crossing Fuchsia's borders, they would not only be outside quite often, but it would be in Fuchsia's wilderness. Swamps, mountainous terrain, caves, unpredictable wildlife that was likely significantly stronger and more dangerous than most other places in Kanto, and a far greater need to make sure you did not accidentally wander into a dangerous Pokemon's nest or layer. That was why it was extremely important for them to plan their route ahead of time, to ensure the most efficient travels to Janine's home city.

"We'll need to be extra prepared once we reach the border," he mentioned. "Make sure we have everything that we need, and be well rested."

"And speaking of 'well rested'," Janine bit her lip. They had reached the most important subject for the near future as her finger traced the Pokemon Center at Fuchsia's border. "This Pokemon Center is a bit closer to us, still being somewhat close to the eastern shore, but when it comes to going from there to Fuchsia City…"

"It's off the beaten path." Ash affirmed.

"Correct," she responded, drumming her fingers against the table. "Which means it will not be the most efficient place to this leg of our journey from in the long run. However, there is also Benver's Lodging." her finger landed on the landmark, right in the middle of Fuchsia's border as she and Ash locked eyes. "It is a bit more upper end than the other lodgings. It has its own healing machine, which still requires a fee, but anything more severe would still require the Pokemon to be teleported to the Pokemon Center. It has its own outside battlefield as well; its accommodations and overall hospitality are a step up in luxury, even if it is still not quite the same as the Centers themselves. It's fairly popular among the older, more experienced trainers who spend a lot of time in Fuchsia and Vermilion's area." she frowned ever so slightly. "Unfortunately, this means that it will be a little bit more expensive. Not unreasonably so, but notable, especially since we will still most likely have to pay for separate rooms."

"If we win enough battles on the way, we should be able to make up for that cost, right?" Ash asked in reply, to which his purple-haired friend nodded. "And given its position on the map, it is the most ideal starting point, right?"

"Most likely," Janine confirmed. "We can make our final preparations there, and from that location, drawing a route to Fuchsia City will be easier to follow than if we stuck to the shoreline." She took another pretzel bite, but did not eat it yet. "In theory, we will spend at least slightly less time in Fuchsia's wilderness this way, and probably shave off a decent chunk of time. It may take a bit longer to get to Benver's Lodging than it would to that Pokemon Center, but Fuchsia is much more difficult to traverse than the road from Lavender to to here," she tapped her finger against Benver's Lodging. "Not to mention navigate. We will probably be saving a decent amount of travel time in the long run, spending at least a little bit less time in the more difficult and dangerous area."

"In exchange for paying more money, of course." Ash finished with a light chuckle.

Janine couldn't help but mimic. "It rarely is that simple." the two shared amused looks before settling down. "So… what do you think?"

To Ash's surprise, it only took him a moment to make a decision as Janine put the pretzel bite in her mouth. "Benver's Lodging. If money is the only obstacle then I'd say it's worth it. We're both getting more financially stable with our current momentum, and I doubt I'll be buying any more stones between here and there. We'll just need to make battling other trainer's a priority on our way there." He let her swallow before continuing. "Do you agree?"

Her expression seemed to say so, quickly confirmed by her nod. "I was thinking it would be best, I just wanted to see if you had any counterpoints." She gave the map another glance. "So I guess that is the plan for now."

"Yeah…" Ash looked at the map thoughtfully before glancing at their teams. Janine must have noticed his expression, as she was eying him closely once his attention returned to her. "That's where I'm going to settle things?"

"Hm? Settle what?"

"With Phenom and Tempest," as he specified, understanding washed over her expression. "Benver's Lodging is right on the border, so I don't want to go any further with any potential baggage. Not into Fuchsia's wilderness." his eyes fell between the Tyrunt and Krabby. "Sooo… once we get there, that will be part of my 'final preparations', I guess."

"Sounds good," Janine's gaze followed his own. "Let me know if you need any help with that."

"Thanks," he replied. "But… I need to do this on my own. I've had Phenom since he was an Egg, and Tempest… Well, the way this all started was my mess. So I want to take responsibility."

She nodded in understanding. "I see… good luck, then."

"Um… h-hi, guys."

A voice caught their attention, an all too familiar one as their heads quickly whipped to the boy standing near their booth.

Caleb.

The younger boy was shuffling his feet, gaze diagonally directed away from the duo. His arms and hands would not stop fidgeting either, and his voice was somewhat unsteady.

Ash had frozen in place, pupils not moving an inch as his mouth hung open for a second or two. "Caleb…"

The brown-haired boy managed to lift his head better to look at them directly. "Hi…" he managed to get out again. "I heard you guys were coming over tonight. Can I sit?"

Janine looked over to Ash. "Do you want to switch?"

As he nodded back, the two shuffled around before Caleb slowly sat down next to him. Getting a better look at the boy, Caleb's expression was… uncomfortable. The younger boy was not looking at either of them, fidgeting in his seat as he tried to figure out what he wanted to say.

Ash wanted to open his mouth and talk, but held his tongue. Caleb could speak when he was ready, and any questions now would just be pressuring him. Exchanging a look with Janine, the concerned girl seemed to mirror his thoughts, before passing over the bowl of pretzel bites.

Muttering a "thank you", Caleb took one of the bites and put it in his mouth. He chewed it for several seconds before swallowing, and with a breath turned his head to look at the duo. "I… I wanted to see you guys again." his hands tightened. "I just… don't really know what to say."

"I've been wanting to see you too," Ash replied gently. "It's fine if you don't want to talk, I'm just glad you're okay." behind him, Janine nodded in agreement.

"But I wanna talk," Caleb quickly corrected, looking the older boy in the eye. "I just…" lowering his gaze just a little bit, he rubbed his eye for a moment. "I thought I was having a bad dream, but then when I woke up it was still real. And now everything feels wrong."

'Feels wrong…' Ash wondered if he was talking about the ghostless atmosphere, or if Caleb kept being reminded of the other night. He did not ask, of course. Looking over at Janine, he could tell she was holding her tongue, although she offered him an encouraging prod as he looked back at the younger boy. The gesture was appreciated yet caused a brief surge of anxiety to fill his chest. He wanted to say something, but what? With some guilt, he realized that's what Caleb had just admitted to feeling himself. But how was he supposed to comfort him? He was scared too…

…

Ash's thought process trailed off as his mind took him back to that night. He had been avoiding the images for as long as he could, but for once, he did not freeze up as they entered his mental line of vision. He saw Tyranitar, and remembered how he felt. He heard the panicked cries of countless ghosts fleeing for their lives as the Rockets stormed the place. He remembered the way he dove for Caleb when the tower collapsed, even as his legs begged him not to move.

"It's normal to be afraid." the words slipped through his tongue naturally, and the way Caleb's eyes shifted back to him signaled that he was paying attention. "I've been scared too, I honestly wasn't any braver." he sighed. "And yeah, I would have loved for that stuff to just be a dream I could forget in a few nights or so."

"Same here," was all Janine said before nodding for Ash to continue.

Ash took a moment to suck in some air, another image that flashed in his mind being a bit more debilitating this time, before shaking it off and looking Caleb in the eye. "I know there isn't really a way to forget these things, but… do your best to remember that you are safe. We're not in that tower anymore." 'And I'm not in the cavern.' "You feel safe here in the bakery, right?"

The other boy gave him a slow nod, and Ash stopped talking, allowing his friend a few moments to respond. "But what if it happens again?"

Ash almost flinched. It was a question he had rather not asked himself. The other night was effectively the third time it had "happened again".

But this was different. Caleb was not like him; at least not yet.

Carefully, Ash raised his hand and rested it on Caleb's shoulder. His actions were not resisted. "They won't let it happen again. I'm sure you're safe in Lavender."

"That's what grandma and aunt Lacey keep saying," Caleb nodded back. He finally looked Ash in the eye more definitively, not averting his gaze. "But… What about you guys? Aren't you leaving soon?"

Beneath the table, Ash felt his hand curl at the question. Though he kept his eyes on Caleb, he knew Janine had a similar expression.

"I…" he breathed for a moment, before admitting "I do think about that. And it does scare me, but I'm gonna keep moving." he managed a light smile. "Because that's what a trainer does, right? It's not easy, but I'm not a Master yet, so I won't stop. I won't let them stop me."

After a few moments, Caleb mimicked Ash's small grin. Even when it was only slight, the younger boy had such a good smile. With eyes misty, but not teary, he relaxed against Ash's shoulder. Ash had not fully expected the contact, but he did not tense as Caleb made himself comfortable. Looking over to Janine, the poison specialist mouthed something to him, with a small grin of her own.

Glancing back at the map, Ash thought about what he had just said to Caleb. Team Rocket could show back up at any moment. That's how it always happened; in Viridian City, Pewter, Mt. Moon, and now here. The thought of it happening again, for the umpteenth time, made him want to go back to Pallet Town and never leave.

But his dream would not be fulfilled that way. Team Rocket had ruined so many things for him since he first set out. But they would never ruin that.

"I'm glad you're okay, Caleb."

"You too." After that, the younger boy was quiet, but content.

/

Ash did not know what sort of magic tricks the Beacon family performed in the kitchen, but somehow he was certain the dinner and dessert had tasted even more heavenly than the last time. It made him really want to introduce his mom to these people; who knows what they would come up with together!

During dinner, he and Janine were introduced to Caleb's grandmother, Trish, who joined them with Lacey for light conversation. Despite everything, it surprisingly had not been too hard to find something to talk about; and before Ash knew it, he and Janine had heard a story or two about Professor Oak's time hanging out at the bakery in his youth (apparently, Trish had known him too), while also sharing some of their plans for traveling to Fuchsia City.

The clock ticked away comfortably as the evening went on, and as things began wrapping up, Ash had excused himself to go to the bathroom. He took his time on his way back, however, finding a sudden urge to look at a few more of the pictures on the walls. The one that currently caught his eye depicted three girls and a Vulpix: A blonde girl fondly held the fox Pokemon in her arms while a girl with emerald hair wrapped an arm around her shoulder. On the other side of her was a somewhat shorter girl with short cut black hair. They were just in front of a house's front porch.

"Caught your eye?" perking up, Ash turned to see Trish approaching him from behind. A somewhat sad, nostalgic twinkle shone in her eyes as she eyed the photo fondly. "That's me, with Agatha and Anya, on the day Agatha became a trainer, just before leaving town. The Vulpix was her starter, Sage." viewing the photo seemed to ease her tense shoulders as a deep sigh escaped her lips. "It's best to never forget those days, so make sure you cherish them as much as possible. It makes them easier to remember, the closer they are to your heart."

Looking her over for a moment, Ash briefly turned back to the photo. It had only been a few months, but there was already plenty he would rather not forget. And he would keep making those memories, whether Team Rocket liked it or not.

"I'll be sure to. I'll even try to make these next few months better than the last few."

"Heh, now there's a healthy challenge." she moved forward a bit, now standing next to him. "You'll be off to a good start if you get Koga's badge. I've never met him in person, but I've heard stories from customers." as he looked back at her, she gave the picture one last thoughtful nod before returning his gaze. "Tonight, I think my grandson's been the most comfortable since… you know. Seeing you really helped him, at least for now."

A nudge of relief prodded his chest at her statement. "I'm happy to hear that. I've had fun with him during our stay here." Despite his best efforts, he couldn't suppress the other thought as his face fell. "Yami too…"

He felt his tensing muscles ease a bit as she touched his shoulder. She didn't say anything, but he ensured his expression showed his gratitude nonetheless. The comfortable silence gave him a few more moments to regather his thoughts, which brought him back to the picture.

"If you don't mind me asking…"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering," he started. "How does your family know Elite Four Agatha?"

Trish's eyebrow rose, seemingly not expecting the question, but her surprise gave way to another glimmer of reminiscence. "That goes far back. I was four and she was seven; only Caleb's age. Training wasn't even in her near future yet, especially since the age requirement was thirteen at the time." Like a magnet, her eyes traveled back to the picture. "It was in Lavender's cherry field. Anya was there with her too, only six. A group of poachers had been stopped by the police, but the conflict riled up some of the ghosts nearby, and they started panicking." her eyes narrowed, clearly remembering something unpleasant. "That panic turned to anger. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time; wandered off into the field all by myself against my parents' wishes. I ended up in the line of fire, and the hostile ghosts cornered me against a tree." She took a deep breath. 'I was so scared. I was only four, and I could barely process the concept of being about to die, or getting severely hurt. But then… Agatha was in front of me. She put herself between us, just like that. And at only seven years of age, she calmed those ghosts down."

Blinking, Ash did not even bother trying to hide his awe. He did not want to. "Wow…"

"Not a soul in the town wasn't amazed," Trish chuckled, clearly in a world far past. "Including many of the other ghosts. Ever since that day, many of the residents thought it was her destiny to be a ghost Master. I guess that was pretty well prophesied in the end." scratching behind her ear, she finished. "And from then on, well… she's been welcome in this bakery ever since. The doors are never locked. Not for her."

Looking back at the picture, Ash stared at the blonde girl with the Vulpix. Her pretty, beaming face, relaxed posture, and the way she held the fox standing next to her friends made her seem like an ordinary girl. In a good way. It was a long past version of one of the Pokemon world's greatest legends, encapsulated in a photograph.

"She sounds amazing."

"Incredible, always." Trish confirmed before looking back a thim. Her hand touched his shoulder again, somehow even more gently than before. "You're always welcome here, too. I hope you know that."

Making eye contact with her, it was the second easiest Ash had smiled since the night at the tower. "I won't forget."

/

The last morning in town was spent at Mr. Fuji's lab. Both teams and their trainers hung out just outside, where Eevee's Ice Stone rested on the grass in front of her. The normal type's gaze was transfixed on the special rock, which had attracted the attention of Golbat and Phenom as well. Every now and then, the stone pulsed, as though anticipating the moment she would touch it.

"Alright everybody, give her some room." All eyes turned to Fuji himself, who came into the yard with Caleb closely behind him. The younger boy was holding a small bag, albeit the object inside was not visible. "That stone's going to release all its energy once she activates it, the cold blast won't hurt for her, but the rest of us should be at a safe distance." Heeding the researcher's warning, everybody backed away and ensured they were a decent deal away from Eevee, the normal type's tail wagging in the air as Ash gave her the signal.

"Alright Eevee, whenever you're ready now."

Eevee's gaze broke away from the stone just long enough to nod at her trainer with a steel grin, before falling back on the object that would change her life. Although it did not take her too long to raise her paw, it took her surprisingly longer to lower it onto the stone, the anticipation both pushing her forward and pulling it back as she stared at her reflection in the Ice Rock.

The reflection was not an Eevee's face, however.

As her paw rested on the stone, the wintry rock pulsed with a gorgeous blue light, a soft noise emitting from it as the paw turned cold to the touch. The light grew progressively brighter; slowly, but focused, as the stone seemingly shined with the full energy of winter itself.

As white light coated Eevee's body, a breeze shot through the Ice Stone in all directions. Ash felt his blood go cold as the air slammed into him, as though the temperature had just dropped a few dozen. Beside him, Janine mimicked his movements, bracing herself against the sudden cold. Most of their teammates fared better, but those with a weakness to ice showed clear discomfort from the cold, Valiant stepping in front of Phenom with a nearly invisible psychic barrier.

Eevee could feel the cold as her body remained attached to the stone. No, it was more than that. It was like she was inside of a snowstorm. In the heart. But there was nothing agonizing about it; the wintry energy passed through her blood stream, energizing her, feeling as though her organs were turning to ice, like her blood had become a river of water in a tundra as it coursed through her veins, yet her body welcomed it as everything inside began to shift.

Overtime, the grass surrounding Eevee and the stone froze over. Initially, the first signs of frost appeared atop the green tips. Then, the blades of green became progressively coated with white. Finally, they were armored in ice.

Eevee's shape was changing. She could feel her legs growing longer, the ground becoming slightly less close. Her fur did not freeze over; instead, the freezing came from within her own body, merging with her brown, creamy coat. As the light surrounding her finally dissipated, she opened her eyes, blinking for a few moments before looking down at her paws.

All eyes were transfixed on the Glaceon, not a soul daring to look away as she took in a breath…

…

And then released it with a blast of icy air.

It was her first Icy Wind, and left her mouth incredibly clean, traveling far enough to freeze some of the unfrozen grass not fully caught in the Ice Stone's surge of energy. In amazement, Glaceon, not Eevee, stared at her work before turning to the rest of the group.

It gave everyone a chance to truly take her in. Most were transfixed; Pikachu was wide eyed, cheeks mildly flushing while Tempest's eyes locked onto the ice type like a missile of curiosity.

Ash saw his breath as he quickly moved over to his wintry companion, caring very little as his feet carried him over the frozen grass. Against his better judgment (which he had out very little thought into), he wrapped his arms around her, and just this once, showed no no concern from the cold touch of her fur.

"Congratulations, you deserve it." his friend purred in his ear before he pulled away to look her in the eye, thankfully not hugging her long enough to potentially get frostbite. "You're very beautiful." Her tongue passed over his hand, and though cold, it tickled pleasantly all the same before bent down to pick up the Ice Stone.

Said stone was now dull and without light or life. He felt no cold from holding it; it was just like putting his hands on an ordinary rock. As they made their way back to the group, he hung back just a bit as his newly evolved friend rejoined the rest of the team. Most crowded around her, but Tempest hung back a bit, eyes still fixed on his icy teammate nonetheless. With some amusement, Ash knew exactly what was on the Krabby's mind.

But that could come later.

"That stone will take some time to recharge," Fuji approached him, the researcher's eyes locked on the team for a moment or two before finding their way over to Ash. "But I'd make a habit of keeping it in its case if I were you, and check on it every now and then. "Of course, there are ways to rejuvenate it faster, but still just as natural, like if you find an Ice Rock somewhere. They have the same energy, after all."

Looking up, Ash offered the older man a satisfied smile. "Sounds good, I'll try to keep that in mind."

"So…" Fuji began as Ash returned the stone to his backpack. "That was the last thing on your to-do list, correct?"

"It was," the boy nodded in confirmation. They had already checked out of the Pokemon Center too. After some light lunch, it would be back on the road. Headed for Benver's Lodging.

"Good luck out there," Fuji nodded back with an easy smile before his face grew somewhat serious. "And make sure you're wary; you already know the upcoming road will be harsh, but that extends to who you meet. Older, more experienced trainers are much more common where you two are going, than your fellow rookies would be. Some might appear… judgmental, to say the least. Not many would expect a couple of first-years to be equipped for that side of the Kanto Region."

Ash nodded in understanding as he stood back up. "Yeah… unfortunately that's probably true, but we'll have to prove them wrong, I guess." They could look down on them all they wanted; nothing they say could ever be worse than Gary.

"Ash?" perking up, he turned to see Caleb shyly approaching with the bag. "I… got a present for you, before you leave." First Ash's brow rose in curiosity, then his eyes shone with surprise as Caleb pulled the object out.

It was a cap. A somewhat different color, but stylized the same way as his old one. The one that had been consumed by a Charmeleon's Flamethrower. For a moment or two, he was transfixed yet again.

Caleb's cheeks turned a bit red. "I, uh… wanted to give you something, and Janine mentioned that you lost your old cap in an accident."

The poison specialist grinned as Ash looked over to her. "I may have given him a few recommendations last night."

Looking back at Caleb, Ash gave the boy yet another easy smile as the two pulled each other in for a quick hug. "I love it, thanks."

Putting the cap on almost felt odd, but he had not gotten enough used to not having one, and just a few seconds later, it felt as though it had always been there. He turned to his and Janine's teams, twelve sets of eyes now looking on expectantly.

The gazes filled him with much needed energy, and he could feel the blood pumping through his body, as powerful as the Ice Stone's surge. "Alright everybody… you ready to take the road ahead by storm?"

Twelve cries of approval rang out over the lab's outside area as he turned to Janine, locking his eyes with his best friend as their expressions mirrored one another.

It was time to return to the world.

/

Kris got up from her seat on the bench near the outskirts of town. It was mid afternoon, and Janine and Ash had left town just a couple hours past. It was just about time for her to follow suit. She had paid one last visit to the wreckage of the tower earlier, which the League had been doing a fair enough job at cleaning up.

Her arm was out of its sling, free to move again, and almost on instinct, she found herself rolling it, as though her body was craving it.

"You'll pop it out of its socket if you keep that up." Turning in mild surprise, she saw Agatha approaching her. "Getting ready to set out, I see?"

The Ace Trainer nodded. "Yeah, I hear you are, too?"

The older woman nodded grimly, cane grinding against the dirt. "I've had more than enough time. Those bases aren't going to hunt themselves."

Kris hummed a bit. Word had spread long since; the League would be cracking down perpetually. Across Indigo, forces were being mobilized.

"I wish you luck," Kris offered the ghost Master a small bow. "They definitely know we're going to be turning things up now. They have to."

"Let them know," Agatha walked slightly past the teenage girl, eyes fixed on the world ahead. 'I've seen plenty of troubles plaguing our land throughout my lifetime, and this one has gone on for far too long, and caused too much despair." the older woman's eyes tightened, an ember of finality accompanying her pupils. "We're going to destroy Team Rocket. They won't threaten Indigo again by the time we're done."

The weight in Agatha's words echoed in Kris' head as the Elite Four member walked off. A few minutes later, the blue-haired girl's Pidgeot was out and saddled up.

"Alright…" Climbing onto the bird's back, Kris offered her a light, affectionate pat on the feathers before sucking in a deep breath of air, and waiting for however long it took for the tension to leave her shoulders. "To Viridian we go."

/

A tired Growlithe rested against a rock while the Meditite looked on vigilantly, waiting for their trainer to get back. Battles on this side of Kanto had gotten tougher, both with the wildlife and with the trainers on the road, but they had managed so far. Nonetheless, the fire type would not be equipped for the action anytime soon; not that she had not earned their rest, of course.

"Alright you two, we're moving out." The fiery canine opened one eye to greet Gary as he came into view, Meditite moving forward to meet their trainer as he kneeled down to pat her head. "Skarmory and I finished picking the fruit from the trees, and we got some good ones. We can even make some rockin' smoothies out of the extras, although I might wait till we get to the lodging to add a little ice cream or something else sweet." standing upright, the boy's spiky brown hair pointed up in full towards the sky as he looked over to Growlithe. "I take it you want to rest in your ball?" A grateful nod was offered as he returned the fire type.

Meditite gave her teammate a brief wave as Growlithe disappeared into the crimson light, which was quickly sucked back into the Poke Ball. Turning to her trainer expectantly, she crossed her arms in anticipation.

"Yeah, yeah," he nodded back to her. "We'll be going now." Taking out a map, he jabbed his thumb into a marked area. "It's a bit of a ways off, but the place we're heading to is called Benver's Lodging. It was named after an old Gym Leader from Saffron who opened the place up post-retirement." he chuckled a bit. "Gramps has fond memories of him. Guy was already a geezer even in gramps' first year, but he says he was like his first true mentor. Heard a few stories myself and they have me curious."

Meditite's lips curved up at the thought as Gary knelt down to hand her an oran berry. "A little snack should do just in case. We've done enough wandering for the past several days, so we better get going before we lose daylight." folding the map up, the boy began jogging, his partner taking a quick bite before following him down the road. The sounds of Spearow just overhead did little to distract them.