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Episode 9 - The final day of peace
🕑 Added 2023-09-11 08:19:15 +0000 UTCEntry requirements
Article 3
- In order to qualify for participation in the Champion’s League, every trainer is required to possess all seven badges associated with their respective region's gym leaders.
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I’ve been Around
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Episode nine – The final day of peace!
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The first thing Risa noticed as she slowly opened her eyes was the gentle sway beneath her, like a cradle rocking her back and forth. She blinked, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Gradually, the fog of sleep lifted, and she found herself in a small room bathed in warm, orange light. The air carried a salty tang that tickled her tongue when she yawned, and a warm breeze hushed through an open porthole, which played with the curtains. Rubbing her eyes, Risa sat up. Her mind was struggling to recall how she had arrived in this place. With drowsy yet familiar movements, she reached for her bedside table, her fingers curling around the delicate chain of her necklace. Her fingers moved along the golden chain, checking for her locket; sensing it was still there, she moved the necklace around her neck before covering it up with her hair.
As her vision cleared, the girl took in the intricate theming of the room. The walls were made of smooth, honey-colored panels. A rich, wooden scent wafted from the floorboards, reminiscent of aged oak. Most apparent, the room almost seemed to breathe with the life of a sailor, with nets spanning across the ceiling and fake Magikarp hanging like trophies on the walls– at least, she hoped they were fake.
Oh yeah, I’m… heading towards a new region.
The thought almost seemed unreal.
The gentle roll of the ferry beneath her snapped her out of her thoughts and brought her attention to the porthole above her bed. She glanced outside, and her breath caught in her throat. The sun bathed the sea in a soft glow, casting a shimmering path across the rippling waters. Wingull danced in the air, their feathers glinting like silver against the orange sky. They flew onward towards the distant shoreline, passing a group of Lapras which appeared as a faint silhouette. The ship was closing in on the shore.
Risa's eyes fell upon Callahan, who was still slumbering opposite her.
His face was peaceful, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.
She couldn't help but smile at his relaxed form. The lines of worry were momentarily erased from his forehead. I thought those were wrinkles. Hmm, he must be younger than I thought…
Leaving Callahan to his dreams, Risa swung her legs over the edge of the bed and let her toes sink into the plush, faded carpet that covered the wooden floor. She glanced around the room, her gaze drawn to her hoodie in the corner.
Crossing the room, Risa slipped it over her head and smoothed down the fabric. She looked at her zip-off pants that lay on the floor. It’s supposed to be fairly humid around these parts, so perhaps I should unzip them this time around. Risa pulled them on. Then again, don’t we have to look out for baby Joltik ‘round these parts? What kind of landscape will we be heading to, anyhow?
The thought was exhilarating.
Soon, they would tackle all the six gyms in the region, crossing the land—all without any plan or… any Pokémon for that matter. Yeah, that would probably be a minor cause for concern. Or perhaps not so minor. Anyways, the man seemed dead set on making this work, so she wouldn’t worry about it too much for now. It wasn’t like he would immediately turn around the moment he would lose a match. Plus, there had to be some powerful Pokémon scattered about, with the place being so hostile and all.
She knew beforehand that it wouldn’t be a walk in the park.
They might as well lose their lives the moment they steered their steps outside the city.
I’m fine with that.
She took a moment to observe her reflection in a full-length mirror, wishing to see some sense of surprise on her features after admitting such a thing. There wasn’t, though.
The girl shrugged and turned away from the mirror. She made her way to Callahan’s bed. She gently nudged his leg with her foot, his eyelids fluttering open as he stirred. His eyes widened groggily as he took in her appearance, a smirk slowly spreading across his face.
"Risa," he said, “Now that I see that head of yours, I suddenly feel wide awake."
“Oh, har har. Thank you very much.” She pointed over her shoulder at the porthole. “The shore is in sight. We’re probably going to dock in half an hour. Thought you might want to be ready before that.”
“We’re already there?” he asked through a yawn. Then, he looked around to check it for himself. The moment he did, a smile curled onto his lips and he flew out of bed, packing his stuff and urging her to accompany him to the bow of the ship.
“Let’s go, Risa! Come on!” he hurried.
They headed down the corridors towards a metal staircase that carried them all the way up to the deck. Only three other people were leaning over the railing, so the two found a good spot to watch the shore get closer and closer.
From where they were standing, Risa could already see the harbour come into view. It was strange. She squinted her eyes in order to improve her vision, but she was sure that the buildings in the distance weren’t shaped like normal buildings. They almost looked a bit like old ships that were turned upside down.
Her suspicions were confirmed the moment they docked and they stepped ashore.
The very second they’d heard the anchor splash down into the sea, Callahan had leaped right over the ship rail and onto the docks, huffing as he straightened up to take in their surroundings. Risa followed after, her mouth falling agape at the scenery. Keeping the smile away from her lips was impossible as her gaze travelled over the tall buildings with big glass windows showing off clothes, different brands or other products– all buildings were indeed shaped after sloops or other ships buried upside down beside the uneven cobblestone streets.
Wingull were flocking the place, with a few even landing on Callahan’s shoulder, quickly looking around for a snack before flying away when realizing they hadn’t brought any.
“Alright," Callahan said and clapped his hands together when Risa caught up with him. "Let’s go ask someone where we can get a map of this place."
"We could look around for a– oh," Risa started, cutting her sentence off with a chuckle when Callahan walked right up to the nearest sailor and tipped his head in a curt greeting, a smile dancing on his lips.
"Sorry to bother," he said smoothly. "Is there a place where we could buy a map of this place? Or get any sort of information about the cities around here?"
The sailor regarded him for a few seconds before nodding and pointing towards the centre of the market. "There's a, uh, a fountain in the middle of there," he said, his eyes glued to Callahan’s face, scanning over him as if trying to determine what kind of person he was. "Right next to that, there’s a stand that sells maps. And brochures on the big things going on right now."
"Middle of the marketplace, got it," Callahan said, looking in the given direction before turning back for long enough to nod at the man before strutting past him, patting him on the shoulders as he passed. "Thanks!"
"What kind of currency do you think they use here?" Risa wondered, looking at the ship-like buildings with big glass windows showing off clothes or different brands or other products. "It’s a completely different region, right? Don’t they..."
"Not as far as I know of," Callahan said and shook his head. "Fula Island is part of the PAP after all. Dunno if it’s the same for each city. I heard that the cities over here have just as many different laws as countries do on our island. Word goes that some of them didn’t want to be any part of it, remember?"
Risa thought back about his little ‘history-class’ during their hike. “Then shouldn’t we start by getting some currencies for each part?”
Callahan shrugged carefreely, seeing the fountain come into view as they rose over a small rise in the street. “We’ll do it when we have to do it, no problem. Everything will be fine. For now, I’m more worried about seeing the map. I told the guys at the post office to send the food packages towards each Pokécenter close to a gym. I got no idea where the hell any of them are.”
"Andddd~”
“Hm?”
“We also don’t know if we’re even armed enough to get to any of them,” Risa chimed, her hands clasped behind her head as she walked, trying to ignore the warmth of the area. “Hope it's less suffocatingly hot outside the city…”
Well, it only grew hotter when they had to press their way through more and more people. The crowd grew thicker as they stepped within range of the marketplace. It was too crowded for anyone to even notice someone’s entire appearance, but that didn't stop the two from trying to look at as many people as they could. Risa registered that their clothes didn't look much different from across the sea, though the fabric of their clothes seemed to be extremely light and breezy. Either that, or they simply had no problem walking around in the scorching heat in long-sleeved shirts.
After quite some struggle against the steady current of chattering shoppers, they reached the fountain they'd been told about, and Risa didn't know whether to be impressed or annoyed by the structure of a suited man holding a Magikarp which spit out water. "Even the water seems warm," she huffed, swiping a hand across her brow. "You sure it’s only eight o’ clock?"
"It’s eight, and you are going to start complaining already?" Callahan said with a smirk.
"I wasn’t complaining," she scoffed, simply turning her back to him rather than feed his provocation. She could almost hear his smile grow wider at her response, clearly enjoying teasing her, but she ignored it in favor of searching for the shop where they could buy maps. "I think that's it," she said when her eyes landed on a narrow tent with nothing but fliers stacked along the small desk, with a bored-looking grandpa seated behind it, seemingly too busy focusing on tipping his chair back and forth to notice anything else. "Let’s go ask."
The man in the tent looked to be around seventy, bald on the top of his head with a white circle of hair surrounding it. He didn’t look up when the travellers stepped to the front of the desk, and Callahan peered down at him for several seconds before turning to the Pidgeot which was sleeping on a stick to the left of the desk, saying a blunt, "Sorry," before reaching out and grabbing hold of its tail.
The Pokémon emitted a startled shriek, one certainly loud enough to snap the elder out of his daydreaming. "Wha–wha's going on?" he exclaimed groggily, blinking to get rid of the blur in his eyes. "Who's asking sumtin'?"
Callahan offered the highly displeased Pidgeot a quick grin before turning to its owner. "We wanna get a map," he said and braced his hands on the desk so he could lean forward a bit and get a better look at the rest of the small tent. "You sell those, right?"
"I... yeah, I sell maps." The elder stretched his hands high over his head, humming at the sensation before tilting back his chair as far as one would dare to reach a tall pile of papers in the furthest away corner of the tent. "Y'want a map of entire Lumina or jus' Harboria?" he asked, balancing on the hind legs of the chair as he turned to look at Callahan.
"If the map of Lumina got a detailed enough layout of every city, we want that one," Callahan said while the bird glared daggers at him. "If not, we'll want one of each."
"One a'each it is, then," the elder said, letting the chair drop back into place with a loud clack. "All in all, 600 Pokédollar."
"Pokédollars, right." He angled towards Risa, saying a dry, “Told you,” which only got the girl to roll her eyes before he fetched his wallet. “By the way, is it always this hot?”
The grandpa cocked a brow. “T’is the opposite. T’is usually not this cool.” The elder looked as the two stared at him wide-eyed, then hummed as if he'd momentarily forgotten they weren't from Harboria. "Right, you wouldn't know," he said, suddenly sounding a bit smug. "'S simple, really. You got special clothing in the shop over there. Our clothes are thin and weigh nothin’, feels like you’re not wearing ‘em at all. They also prevent sunburn.” He gave the two a smirk, watching the perspiration pool up in their shirts. “I think that’ll be your first tourist spot.”
“Right.”
“Talkin’ ‘bout tourist spots; Other than that, you got the Champion’s League at the other side of town, and you got our famous cupcakes–”
“Champion’s League…” Callahan didn’t even allow him to finish, leaning inward the shop. “Which direction?”
The grandpa seemed startled. “Ehhhh, over there.” He pointed north-east. “Like I said, it’s pretty far on foo–”
Callahan didn’t even hear him. With one smooth stroke of his arm, he gathered all the maps and stuffed them clumsily in his jacket. One pocket didn’t suffice to carry them all, so soon enough all the maps stuck out of every pocket he possessed. Not one second later, he was off as if in trance.
The quaint charm of the unique architecture soon gave way to a more modern scene as they made their way into the heart of the city. Towering skyscrapers loomed in the distance, their sleek glass facades glinting in the sun. Heat shimmered over the hot asphalt.
As they ventured deeper, the streets became wider. The air became filled with both sweet and fresh smells as well as hundreds of sounds. Passing cars, people rushing across giant crossroads, Pokémon walking beside their owners, and the list went on endlessly. Gigantic malls sprawled on either side of them, some showing of the light clothing that they so longed for.
Risa eyed them longingly. But Callahan refused to deign from his destination. Following his map, the man was too engrossed in navigating the bustling streets that he didn't notice Risa stopping abruptly ahead of him. Before he could react, he crashed right into her, stumbling backward and almost losing his balance. As he looked up to apologize, he froze in awe.
A colossal shadow engulfed them.
His gaze trailed up an immense structure that loomed above. Rising like a never-ending structure among the city's other skyscrapers, stood the building of the Champion's League. Its sheer height seemed to pierce the heavens. A striking silver and gold emblem of a Pokéball adorned the crown of the building, catching the sunlight and gleaming like it was smouldering; the emblem reflected and glittered in Callahan’s eyes.
The skyscraper's glass facade was a work of art, reflecting the surrounding city from every angle. On some floors, the windows served as gigantic screens, displaying dynamic advertisements of the league's legendary champions. On others, Callahan could see sleek, high-speed elevators gliding up and down the structure, and he was certain he caught sight of a muscular, dark-skinned man with red hair before he disappeared from vision.
As he continued to stare, he noticed that some of the floors had grand observation decks, with tourists staring over the cityscape.
The sun reflected too much off the windows to make out much of anything the higher he looked, but he did see what appeared to be the inside of a gym, completely drowned in water. His eyelids widened as he saw a gigantic, intimidating Milotic swim past the window, until the sun angled just a bit higher and obscured everything again in a blinding light.
He was drawn back to reality as Risa gently angled in front of him. “Impressive, isn't it?” she said with a grin.
Callahan nodded, speechless for a moment before finding his voice. “It's more than impressive. It’s… awe-inspiring.” His lips stretched into a toothy smile. “So this is where our journey will begin and end.”
Risa smiled at his theatrical-ness. Then, they both heard a dripping, and looking down, noticed that the asphalt beneath them had become a downright pool of sweat.
“The… clothing store?” Risa asked.
“Oh– yeah.”
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The two left the clothing store with a complete new attire. Well, perhaps that was saying too much. They both still donned their climbing pants, although now they had zipped it off so their knees were fully exposed. Other than that, they both had bought a new shirt. Callahan’s looked nearly identical to his previous one—red and sleeveless, with his jacket thrown over it—although this one seemed to be made of a strange type of fabric that made his fingertips tingle when he brushed over it. As for Risa, she went for a solid white one.
“So,” Risa asked as she sighed out in relief, “where to next?”
Callahan headed into an alley that wasn’t crowded. “The city gate. Still, got to check the map, so I was thinking about treating ourselves. I mean, we did come the entire way; I’d say we deserve it!” He licked his lips and rubbed his hands. “The gramps did say this city is famous for its cupcakes. Might as well try some while we have the chance. Come!”
They headed through the city. It took them fifteen minutes to find it. When he did, he saw that the manager had just turned his sign around to ‘open’. Risa said politely that she’d take whatever Callahan would get, so she simply sat herself on an empty bench near a park before anyone could claim it.
With that, Callahan stepped inside the cosy place.
The bell on the door tingled as it opened.
A slender blond man in his thirties dressed in a black suit stood behind the counter. A homeless person stood in front the window, letting his eyes feast on the mouth watering delicacies stacked like a pyramid on the selves. They were themed after all evolutions of Eevee. The pastries came in chocolate black, mango orange, mint green, and many others, all possessing ears made out of edible substances.
The cashier smiled sympathetically and stepped away from the counter, his smile becoming more irked with every step he took.
"Oh hey. Hey there. You want free food? Here, here, I got you! I got you! Catch!" The stranger leaned backwards, pie in hand, and with all power in his might threw it across the tables towards the bagger, letting it splatter apart and drip down the glass. "I’d rather wipe my own ass with them than give them away for free! Yeah, walk away, cheapskate.” He rushed past Callahan and hung out of the door. “Hey, hey—Don't forget your wallet!"
Callahan stood there in the doorway, watching as the man adjusted his tie and carefreely walked back to the counter, half amused and half concerned about the guy's mental health.
Perhaps he chose the wrong shop.
"Hello good sir,” the blond said as he adjusted his glasses, “what can I get you today?"
"Yeah, just looking which one to get," Callahan said as he scanned past the Eevee-themed pastries before he stole the man a glimpse. "Seems like you got it busy."
"Yeah, they started scraping my pies from the garbage cans so I started flushing 'em down the toilet. Still, says something 'bout the quality, doesn’t it?"
Callahan nodded. Suddenly, he leaned slightly over the counter. “Psst. Just a question. My girl wants me to travel ‘round the country. Do you know by any chance how dangerous that is?”
“Well I surely hope you don’t, I fancy myself some returning customers—besides these… homeless folk.” The man gave him a look, then when Callahan kept eying him the man sighed and adjusted his tie like it was getting a bit too tight around the neck. He sighed and slumped like jelly over the counter. “Our food supply’s running short ‘round here. Really, really short, shops are suffering because of it. Underhaven is supposed to be shipping stuff out, but we’re not receiving anything; nothing seems to be coming in.”
“Bandits?”
“You really think a bunch of bandits can withstand a squad of bazooka-wielding soldiers? No, whatever or whomever disrupts the supply chain– makes the couriers disappear, it ain’t bandits. Like, if you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of them heading out– the couriers, I mean. Couriers keep this city rolling. Makes you wonder what thing is…”
The man shook his head before he answered Callahan’s original question. “I wouldn’t recommend it. I mean, you’re from the Fula Region, I presume?” the cashier said as he pointed to the maps that stuck out of Callahan’s pockets. Callahan nodded. “Then keep your sightseeing limited to this city. Man, I wish the damn military would do something against it. Just combine forces again, shoot anything that moves, find their nests, kill the kids, kill the infants, put them all aflame, whatever it might be! And soon enough we’ll be able to walk outside the cities again—safely! But those nature-loving-freaks to the west wouldn’t stand for it…” Realizing he’d been sulking, the cashier stood upright again. “A-anyway, that’s enough, you know, for now. Talking about now, which one would you like?” The man forced a fake toothy smile. Callahan returned an awkward smile, scratching his hair.
Callahan chose a few cupcakes, and the cashier placed them into a bag. “Have a good day!”
“Yeah, you too. Hope you can hang on until the economy goes back to what it used to be.”
“Well, I got enough pies over to flush through the toilet, so don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Thanks.”
Those last few words sounded far more genuine.
With that, Callahan headed out again. After all, it was time to finally see what would be awaiting them, and what road they would travel.
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The sun slowly made its way to the top of the sky, casting a warm, golden glow upon the windows of the skyscrapers. Callahan and Risa found themselves on a weathered bench, surrounded by a small park. The two were busy chewing back the delicious pastries when Callahan spread the map flat on his thigh. Risa leaned over it, both the adult and teen casting their shadow over the map. His fingers gently traced the intricate lines of the map spread before him.
It was kind of strange. As he looked upon the vast expanse of Lumina, he couldn’t help from feeling puzzled.
Unlike the Fula Region, known for its bustling cities and well-worn highways, the rumors surrounding the Lumina Region appeared to be true. The map revealed only seven cities. There were no highways to be seen. No, the land was dominated by untamed nature and majestic mountain ranges. And Pokémon.
Each of the cities seemed to have thick, large walls, the same type that Callahan could see looming in the far distance. Some cities seemed to be smaller, to the point they could be called villages, but even they couldn’t escape from building these walls.
With a deep breath, he anchored his finger onto a point labeled ‘Harboria’ at the bottom of the island. Following the route, his finger meandered in a bow-like motion, crossing a treacherous rocky mountain range until it reached the pinnacle of a mountain that housed the village of 'Emberpeak.' The badge atop the village resembled a blazing flame, and he didn’t even need to guess what type of gym it would be.
A droplet of sweat dripped onto the map. Risa was leaning over it, wiping at her forehead with her knuckles before licking her fingers. “So that’s our first gym?”
Callahan merely smiled. Eager to continue his ‘journey’, Callahan's finger traced the paths diverging at the village. The left path led through a lush jungle toward the village of 'Greenhaven,' marked by a leaf-badge. He retraced his finger back to the crossroad and this time turned right, following a path that led to 'Underhaven', a mysterious cave marked by a rock-badge.
“So that’ll be my third badge,” Callahan mumbled to himself.
Following the trail further, both paths eventually merged again. The route now snaked through a region surrounded by geysers and cracked land. There, at the exact opposite position of Harboria, he spotted 'Ironclad,' a grand city, and the largest one by far. It sported a badge symbolled after a simple iron square with a carved-out fist.
I thought that I heard about this city once before... He angled towards the sky, trying to recall the memory, but as of yet it totally escaped him.
Anyways, excitement surged through his being as his finger traced the long, zigzagging path towards 'D-laitini,' a city nestled around and against a majestic mountain, surrounded by sand.
Moving further to the right edge of the map, he noticed only two cities left.
The first was ‘Eclipsar,’ situated near the top-right of Lumina, its badge resembling a thunderbolt, and finally, there was ‘Tranquillity,’ a city located near the bottom edge of the island, right by the vast sea, where only a small gate could be seen without a hint of a city.
With that, the trail on the map looped back to 'Harboria,' making everything come back full circle. Callahan couldn't contain his excitement; that would be the moment he had been waiting for. He would’ve embarked on a thrilling adventure, exploring the diverse and captivating cities of Lumina, facing formidable challenges, and honing his skills. All of that would eventually lead him all the way back here, more competent and experienced, and ready to take on the greatest battle of all—the Champion's League.
The bench almost trembled from all the excitement coursing through him. Even Risa seemed to notice it, but it wasn’t the only thing she noticed.
Callahan was eating cupcake after cupcake, munching on it like there was no tomorrow.
Risa watched the homeless people hiding in an alley. Callahan flung another cupcake into his mouth, never batting them so much as an eye.
“How can you eat like that?” she asked finally, barely able to take another bite.
Callahan ignored her and removed the wrapper from the final cupcake of his side, licking his lips at the delicious strawberry icing. Without turning his face, he glanced up at the beggars.
That can be me if I don’t win this thing, he thought. Unemployed at forty-six.
He frowned, bouncing Risa’s question back and forth in his head.
“My parents taught me to take care of myself,” he said finally, before he chewed off a delicious chunk until his belly was all but full. “Eat it, you need fat on your bones if you want to climb those mountains,” he said with his mouthful as he pointed at the reddish mountains in the far distance. “You probably are already underweight, right? You’re going to lose a lot more when you’re hiking every day. They got here because of their own choices, and we can end up there just as easily if we make the same as them.” His eyes grew a bit more serious as he inspected his shadow that stretched over the cobblestone pathways. “You can’t live on kindness alone. Then again, it’s up to you, kid.”
Risa gave them a look, seeing some trainers amongst them with worn clothes who seemed to be the same age as her. Risa stared for a second longer, and took a bite.
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Callahan and Risa stepped towards the outer edge of the city, their stomachs full and ready for the journey ahead. The bustling streets were filled with trainers and Pokémon, all going about their business.
Their belts were filled with Pokéballs, and Callahan guessed they probably were filled as well. In comparison… Callahan shook the thought aside and looked up.
As they walked, Callahan couldn't help but notice the high-tech security measures that were in place. Pokémon detection systems were mounted on lamp posts and buildings, and alarms occasionally blared as a wild Pokémon was detected too close to the city walls, followed by the sound of gunfire.
These walls came all too soon into vision. The two of them approached the city's main gate, a massive steel structure that loomed overhead. The walls were made of thick stone and steel, lined with watchtowers and guard posts. The gate itself was a huge structure made of reinforced steel, with gears and pistons that could be seen moving as the gate opened and closed.
From where he stood, it was impossible to see what the soldiers on top were aiming at, but glancing over to the guards stationed at the gate, he caught a glimpse of the rifles they held. They looked deceptively similar to AKs, but a closer inspection revealed a range of different magazines attached to them. With a flick of a switch near the trigger, they could swap between different rounds, each marked by a colored dot with either a flame, leaf or lightning bolt on it.
To be honest, being surrounded by so much weaponry and so many glaring eyes made him kind of nervous.
Risa send him a forced smile, trying to act unsuspicious. “Whatever you do, don’t start lying~” she whispered through the corner of her smile.
“I’m, not, that, bad!” he whispered back, turning his head to give an exaggerated toothy grin towards the nearest guard. The smile was so exaggerated that the guard jumped a little where he stood.
Risa massaged her brow and looked up at the sky as in a silent prayer.
An arrow on the road guided them towards an emigration room affixed to the right side of the wall. The man felt a surge of excitement mixed with anxiety as they headed inside. The room was small and plain, with a few chairs and a line of counters. They handed over their passports and ID’s to the nearest receptionist, trying their best to appear confident and prepared.
A few questions were thrown their way, like whether they were aware of the dangers that came with leaving the city, whether they had any gear or Pokémon to protect themselves with… the list went on and on. The employee scrutinized their documents for a moment.
Risa stole Callahan a look. The thought about her being missing swept through her mind. Callahan slowly caught up on her fears and also started to sweat.
The silence dragged on and on.
Then, the receptionist nodded curtly.
"Okay, you're good to go," the receptionist said, gesturing for the person in the glass box opposite him to open the gate. Risa held her breath as she watched the gate slowly creak open, revealing a sliver of bright sunlight and a glimpse of the outside world.
Callahan and Risa gave each other a look and slowly stepped through the gate, feeling a chill run up their spines as the gate cloaked them in a dark shadow. The environment was different from the urban environment they had just left behind. The area was more rural, with forests in the distance and grassy hills filled with white flowers stretching out in all directions. They could hear the sounds of wild Pokémon in the distance, and they saw the occasional Ratata darting through the trees.
They both were snapped out of their daze as the gate slammed shut behind them. They both flinched, escaping a cry. They both laughed awkwardly as the realization of their decision finally crept through them.
“So… this is it,” Risa said.
“Eyup. This is it.” He looked to the sun, obscured it with his hand, before reaching his palm around and grasping the orb on greedy instinct.
He suddenly felt confident despite the dangerous cries of Pokémon around him.
“We better throw all of the experience we’ve learned from our trip out of the window,” Callahan said. “This is gonna be rough.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. Wouldn’t be much of an adventure otherwise, right?”
“That’s the spirit!”
As if in slow-motion, they both put their first steps simultaneously onto the dry grass that snapped under their boots.
This would be their first step into danger.
It was the first steps of many; large, confident steps which would lure them into the brink of death on this very same day.
It wouldn’t be at the hands of Pokémon.
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We’ve finally done it! We’re finally out of the prologue! *blows party whistle*
Let’s shift this baby into the next gear, shall we!
