About an hour had passed, and the air had grown colder, brushed by a steady wind coming in from the shores of Vermilion City. I lay in the back of the jeep, arms folded behind my head as I stared at the darkening sky. The salty breeze tugged at my clothes, carrying with it the quiet creak of ropes and the gentle slap of water against hulls. From where I lay, I could see the ships resting at the port. Silhouetted against the sea, motionless but ready to depart at a moment's notice.
Khan and Rotom waited by the jeep, both of them talking and watching the winding stone path. Eventually, Amaris and Rhea came into view, walking at an unhurried pace, their silhouettes backlit by the faint glow of the streetlights.
I was lost in thought when the car gave a sharp beep startling me as Rhea unlocked it.
"What took you girls so long?" Khan asked as he moved to open the door for Amaris.
"Hey, when's the next time I'm going to get to see Wild in concert?" Amaris shot back with a tired grin. "I wanted to enjoy every second of it, but I knew you guys were waiting, so… we left early."
She sounded a little regretful as she climbed in with Khan's help.
"If you want to go back, you can," I offered, shifting upright to lean against the edge of the jeep's bed. "We've still got some time, don't we?"
"Nah. I'm tired too," she said with a long exhale. "All I want right now is a little sleep."
Khan shut the door behind her with a soft clunk. "We still need to visit the Pokécenter," he reminded. "Heal our Pokémons and pick up Alex's egg."
"We can go to the center, then head to the hotel after. No big deal," Rhea added, settling into the driver's seat. "Pretty sure there aren't any guests there tonight, anyway."
She sighed, relaxing as she adjusted the mirrors. Khan climbed into the back with a little help from me and slammed the metal frame twice. The jeep's engine came to life, then roared, and we pulled away from the quiet parking lot, slipping between the tall buildings of Vermilion City.
The ride was peaceful. Wind brushed my face and tousled my hair as I looked out at the city passing by. Neon lights flickering, signs swaying gently above closed shops. I leaned back again, arms behind my head, using them as a makeshift pillow against the shaking bed of the vehicle.
"So," Khan said beside me, voice low enough to blend with the hum of the road. "What do you think it's going to be?"
I turned my head toward him. He was sitting cross-legged, short blonde ponytail fluttering in the breeze.
"What?" I asked, not bothering to hide the yawn stretching my jaw.
"The egg," he said, leaning forward. "What do you think it's going to hatch into?"
I paused, thinking back on the Pokémon native to Kanto, running through the possibilities in my head. I rested my hand over my mouth briefly, then dropped it as I spoke.
"Well… I'm fine with anything, really. Just… not Mr. Mime or Drowzee," I said, chuckling quietly.
"Jokes aside," Khan said, undeterred, "what would you _want_ it to be?"
I glanced up at the stars overhead, blinking against the wind. "A Dragon-type would be cool," I admitted. "Dratini, maybe. If not that, a Charmander would be nice."
The jeep slowed to a crawl at a red light.
"Enough about the egg," I added, glancing his way. "What's the plan for tomorrow?"
Khan stretched out, resting one arm on the side rail. "We need to go towards the Fourth gym.Forest Gym."
I nodded slowly, shifting my gaze back up. "So that means we pass through Saffron City, right?"
"Yep," he said.
"Then we should stop by Mr. Psychic's place while we're there. That TM is overpowered," I said with a grin.
The jeep rolled to a stop. Rhea stepped out and slammed the frame of the door. "We're here!" she called.
I sat up in the truck bed and stretched. "Yeah, definitely adding Mr. Psychic to the list."
Khan jumped down from the back, and I followed, hopping onto the sidewalk beside him. Together, we walked into the Pokécenter only to stop dead in our tracks.
The interior was a mess. Several decorative plants had been scorched and wilted. A chandelier lay shattered across the tile floor, glass shards glittering like ice. And in the middle of the chaos, a Dodrio was sprinting wildly in circles, chasing a blur of yellow light that dashed from one corner of the room to the next.
"DODRIO, CATCH THAT BASTARD BEFORE IT CAUSES ANY MORE TROUBLE!!" Nurse Joy shouted from the center of the room, her pink uniform singed and torn at the hem. It was the same Joy who'd treated Aria and Oddy this morning though she looked far less composed now.
I glanced at Khan.
"Is it just me," I said under my breath, "or does everything fall apart the second we show up?"
"You don't need to remind me!" I snapped, already reaching for Oddy's Poké Ball.
Khan mirrored the motion, grabbing his Gligar's ball, while Amaris followed suit with her own.
"Oddy, Vine Whip! Catch that thing!" I called out, pressing the button and releasing him into the chaos.
Oddy didn't even touch the ground before one of the mouths atop his head lashed out toward the speeding yellow blur. At the same time, Gligar and Politoed burst into motion.
"Gligar, Sand Attack! Politoed, Bounce into its path!" Khan and Amaris shouted almost in unison.
Nurse Joy whirled around at the sound of our voices, just in time to see the action unfolding.
Oddy's whip slammed into the floor ahead of the yellow flash trying to cut it off but the streak of light shifted, turning red hot in an instant. A burst of fire seared through the whip, severing it with shocking force. Oddy let out a grunt of pain, recoiling as smoke rose from the scorched tip of the vine.
The red fireball bolted forward, Dodrio still in desperate pursuit.
Politoed launched skyward, ricocheting off the roof with a well timed Bounce, aiming to intercept. But just before impact, the red light flared even hotter like a furnace igniting and blasted a wave of scorching air in all directions. I instinctively shielded my face with my arms, the heat forcing a hiss through my teeth.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT MOVE!?" Khan yelled, eyes wide as Politoed missed completely and instead collided with Dodrio, sending both tumbling in a heap.
[Mr. Khan! The name of that move is Raging Fury! A base power of 120! However, prolonged use leads to confusion!] Rotom buzzed frantically, scanning the blur within the flames only to sputter in frustration. [Scan failed: ambient temperature too high for accurate reading.]
Gligar closed its wings, then whipped up a blinding cloud of sand, flinging it toward the blazing target. The sandstorm halted the creature for a heartbeat. It erupted forward again, barreling toward Gligar with savage speed. Gligar turned tail mid-air, flapping hard to rise higher, pink wings glowing in the firelight.
The yellow fireball gave chase, launching itself into the sky. But mid-leap, the Raging Fury finally fizzled out. The flames dissipated in an instant, unveiling the Pokémon within.
Yellow fur streaked with bold black stripes. A tuft of beige fur curled atop its head, matching its muzzle and underbelly. Its eyes black, round, and clouded with confusion locked with mine.
It was a Growlithe. Gleaming with the unmistakable shimmer of a shiny sparkles.
Its confused gaze held mine for a suspended moment and then it slammed into my chest.
I staggered back under the sudden weight, tripped, and crashed onto the grass outside the Pokécenter with a grunt, the heat of its fur still radiating through my clothes. The impact knocked the wind out of me, but I instinctively held the dazed Growlithe tight, cushioning its fall.
I lay there for a moment, panting, until Nurse Joy rushed over with Dodrio clacking behind her.
"Are you okay?" she asked, breathless, her pink dress torn at the hem and dusted with soot.
I gave her a shaky thumbs-up. "Been worse," I wheezed, "but… this isn't good either."
I slowly sat up and gently set the Growlithe down on the cool grass beside me. It was already dozing, a soft puff of steam rising from its nostrils.
"Is… is this the egg?" I asked, my voice thin with disbelief, my heart thudding harder than it had during the gym battle.
Nurse Joy smiled, brushing ash from her skirt.
"Congratulations," she said warmly. "You're the proud owner of a shinyGrowlithe."
I stared down at the pup, still stunned. Its fur gleamed faintly under the streetlights, gold with stripes of coal.
[Finally a Pokémon that ı can explain!Growlithe are extremely loyal Pokémon,] Rotom chimed, its voice steadier now. [They will fearlessly bark at any opponent to protect their trainer. Their brave and trustworthy nature makes them a steadfast companion, even against overwhelming odds.]
I couldn't stop staring at it.
"Oh my god,it looks so cute!" Amaris cooed, crouching down beside the sleeping Growlithe. She reached out a hand, about to pat its head but then hesitated, pulling back nervously. "I don't want to wake the beast," she whispered, standing up again.
Khan leaned over toward Nurse Joy, lowering his voice. "Hey, Nurse Joy. I mean this with all due respect, but… can we still heal our Pokémon?" He gestured subtly to the the scorched walls, the broken chandelier, and the faint trail of soot still drifting in the air.
"Please get out of here," she said sweetly, smiling with exhausted eyes. Then she let out a long sigh. "Is what I want to say… but yes, you can."
Dodrio walked past her, ducked behind the counter, and returned carrying a gray tray with six empty Poké Ball slots. Nurse Joy nodded at the bird, then extended the tray toward us.
We quickly returned our Pokémon and handed the balls to her. She gave us a tight, forced grin, then turned and disappeared into the damaged Pokécenter, the automatic doors slowly shuting behind her.
"I'll be back in a minute," she called, her voice trailing off down the smoky hallway.
"Well, that was something," Amaris muttered, watching the doors close.
I knelt beside Growlithe, who was still curled up in the grass, fast asleep despite the lingering heat on its fur. Carefully, I pulled out an empty Poké Ball and gently tapped it to the puppy's golden head. The red beam consumed it in a flash, drawing the Growlithe inside. The ball dropped to the grass, wobbling once, twice, three times then clicked shut with a red flash.
"Welcome to the party, Dash," I murmured.
Khan crouched next to me,
"Lucky bastard," he said, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as I lifted the Poké Ball.
"What's the deal now?" I asked, raising my head.
He extended a hand. "Congratulations! But that doesn't mean I'm not jealous anyway I am happy for you."
I laughed and shook his hand. "Thanks, I guess?"
The Pokécenter doors slid open again. Nurse Joy stepped out wearing a fresh, clean dress, her pink hair neater now, and a tray of fully restored Poké Balls in her arms.
"Thank you for waiting. We've restored your Pokémon to full health," she said with the professional monotone of someone clinging to the last shred of patience. "We hope to not see you again."
She handed us our Poké Balls one by one before disappearing back inside.
I clipped Aria, Oddy, and Dash to my belt, while Khan stuffed his back into the inner pockets of his jacket.
"We're good to go!" Khan declared, climbing into the bed of the jeep.
"Hey Amaris, mind if I take the front seat? My back is killing me," I asked, already moving toward the door.
She gave a thumbs up and swung herself into the back and said. "Enjoy the ride!"
I slid into the passenger seat next to Rhea, who pressed the ignition button. The jeep rumbled to life and rolled out into the city.
I cracked the window open, letting the cool night air surge through the cabin. It hit my face like a wave, blowing my hair back as I closed my eyes and leaned into it, letting it carry away the noise of the day.
"You really love the wind that much?" Rhea asked, glancing sideways, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her red hair shimmered under the dashboard lights, gently swaying in the breeze.
"Yeah… It's kinda relaxing," I said, smiling softly. The air reminded me of Skyla. Of that first moment when I met her in the cafe and we had the same kind of air between us.
"So, what do you love to do?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
"Oh, me? I don't really have time for hobbies. I mean, running the hotel takes up most of my day," she replied, eyes on the road.
"Come on. You've got to have something." I leaned back and looked over at her.
She lifted her chin proudly. "Well, sometimes I knit."
"No way."
"Yup," she said, puffing her chest out with pride. "See this blouse?" She tugged at her crimson top. "I made this one myself."
"That's actually really cool," I said, genuinely impressed.
"I know, right?" she laughed. "I tried picking up other things, but I gave up pretty quickly."
"Wait, why? If you can make stuff like that, why stop?"
Rhea pulled the jeep over and switched off the engine.
"Well… when you stab your fingers a hundred times in a row, you tend to throw everything out the window," she deadpanned, hopping out of the vehicle.
I let out a small laugh followed by a grin before following her.
Amaris and Khan climbed out of the back. We turned toward the hotel together.
"I really want to sleep," I groaned, dragging my feet behind the others.
As Rhea unlocked the front door and ushered us in, I raised my arms in mock triumph. "We're home!"
"Who did he say that to?" I heard Amaris whisper behind me.
Khan just shrugged.
I trudged toward my room, peeled off my jacket, kicked off my shoes, and collapsed onto the bed. My head hit the pillow like a stone. After all the battling, shouting, battling for the badge, the egg. It felt like the first real moment of peace.
And then.
BOOM
The windows shook.
"For fuck's sake," I groaned, sitting up with a snarl. "What is going on now?"
[I broke my arm so I am taking a little break! I don't know when the doctors will open the bandage, but the moment they do, I'll be back!!!]
(If any of you cursed me for how bad I write, I will find them...)