Pumpkaboo never returned. The new Trainers had no choice but to pitch their tent under the prickly branches of a Zubat-scented bush. Amber imagined them telling secrets around a campfire. Instead, they tossed and turned in silence. Venonat sniffed at the tent. Charmeleon shooed them away. When Seth crawled out, whispering to anyone awake that he needed to stretch his legs, Amber followed. The first light glowed dimly through leaves.
'You get any sleep?'
Amber shook her head. 'Not much.'
'Me neither... never slept well, really.'
He kicked the ground. 'I want to become strong enough to never be bothered by anything Orre throws at me... then maybe I'll sleep.'
'You will. We will.'
'Wonder if that's a nice sunrise...'
He rummaged in his backpack for a battered camera. His smile when he showed it to Amber was a little nervous, as if afraid she might laugh. She nodded in encouragement.
'My dad has one of those! Yours looks more complicated, though. So you like photography?'
'Yeah... finally got this secondhand last month. I was working at Boltund's call centre right up until I met you guys. Wanted to buy it for myself, y'know? I guess you get that.'
'Totally. Let's check out that sunrise.'
Spreading light led them to the cliffs at the forest's edge. Pumpkaboo indeed brought them closer to Gateon Port. Fierce yellow light tinted the grubby white city and dyed its surrounding water. Seth's camera clicked. His fingers rolled wheels to adjust his settings. Amber was impressed. Leon didn't really know what any of the buttons on his camera meant.
With the sunrise came renewed confidence. Picking their way downhill, battling awakening wild Pokémon along the way, they emerged from the forest to grassy plains dotted with Sunkern. Tall grass rustled. Zane rushed in. Cassia had given him four Great Balls. He easily caught one of the cowering Sunkern. Amber went for a dozing Mareep, but Charmeleon's Flamethrower knocked it out. Cassia's eyes lit up. She'd finally seen a Pokémon she couldn't resist. Amber glared at Zane to keep him quiet as their friend crept up. He was distracted by a Bidoof. By the time his booming voice asked if it wanted to be a Champion, Cassia and Tyrunt were already battling the Pokémon they'd fallen in love with – a young, slightly injured Torchic. Its mother Combusken watched from their den of sliced wood and shrubs. Cassia threw a Fast Ball she received from that same Ball Guy at Wyndon Stadium. It instantly clicked. She released it to say goodbye to its proud mother, who'd clearly decided Cassia was worthy. Amber and Seth cooed over it. He asked if he could take a photo. Zane was surrounded by a crowd of the far more common Bidoof, pleased he'd chosen their friend.
'Well, I like you guys!'
'You like all Pokémon,' Cassia said with a smile, 'Don't catch too many, or choosing six will break your heart!'
'Now! Who wants to take us on?'
'Ga'an, then.'
Amber stepped up. 'It's been a while.'
'Yeah! Go! Sylveon and Wooper!'
'Go for it, Fomantis! Sandshrew!'
Fomantis leapt off Amber's shoulder to bombard Wooper with Leafage. Sandshrew's Metal Claw tore at Sylveon's ribbon-like feelers. Both moves were super-effective. Wooper fainted.
'Oh, typical! Trust Lee's kid to know your type matchups!'
Sylveon's Psyshock flattened little Fomantis. It curled up as it fainted. Zane whooped.
'Yeah! No matter how smart our opponent – we're unbeatable!'
Cassia shook her head. 'I wonder how many people he's beaten by just nattering on...'
Amber sent out Charmeleon. Zane cheered on his new Bidoof. Sylveon was the most threatening member of his team. Amber commanded both Pokémon to attack it. Flamethrower and Metal Claw knocked it down. It didn't stand.
'That proves how great you are, Sylveon! Not to worry – Bidoof's got your back!'
It curled into a ball to whack Charmeleon with Rollout. Grass was uprooted around them. Zane sent out Rattata. Flamethrower scorched it. Bidoof's fur flew off under Metal Claw. They both hung on. Rattata's fangs sank into Charmeleon's arm with Bite. Rollout rammed it. It fainted.
'That's it! Yeah!'
Amber was down to her last two Pokémon. She sent out Eevee. It knocked Bidoof out with Quick Attack. Rattata shot back at it with its own Quick Attack before Sandshrew tore at it. It teetered. Then its legs gave way.
'All my Pokémon are the best! Don't think you've won!'
He sent out his final Pokémon, Sunkern. Sandshrew blew a weak flurry of Powder Snow at it. Eevee's Tackle finished it off.
'Argh! That was my fault! Sorry, team!'
He slapped crumpled notes into Amber's palm. 'And you remain the greatest Trainer's rival!'
He grinned at Cassia and Seth. 'We're all going to be up there on Citadark Isle, facing off for the Champion title! Now let's get ourselves to Gateon Port!'
His friends were also eager to finally make it. After hurriedly eating energy bars for lunch, they passed a group of Picnickers and Campers who happily battled them. They hoped to defeat Gym Challengers, but none did.
The afternoon sun was sweltering. Gateon Port didn't seem any closer. They at least had a signal again, but the distance Seth's P★DA calculated wasn't encouraging – 21 miles.
'It's no good,' Amber said, 'We've got to rest. Not even for us – you know I hike all the time. But the new Pokémon are young and still adjusting to travelling with us.'
That was enough to convince Zane. Seth took out a bottle to spray at the Water-types. It kept their skin hydrated. Amber brushed Eevee's fur and gently scrubbed dirt off the others with a cloth. Fomantis jumped back onto her shoulder. Eevee sat on her head. Torchic stretched out on the grass to enjoy the sun. Charmeleon and Numel joined it. Cassia passed around her bottle of sunscreen. Zane, too excited to sit still, paced as he scrutinised his paper map of Orre. Rattata clung to his hair.
'There'll be some wicked Pokémon in the Agate Hills! And the deserts and canyons! Everywhere! Wooooooo! I'm just too excited!'
He shoved the map back into his pocket to wave his clenched fists. 'You know where else I'm dying to go? The Under!'
Amber glanced sharply up. 'It's been filled in.'
'Come on, fellow Orrean!' he yelled at startled Seth, 'Don't tell me you haven't heard about the Kalosian Hikers? Their blog post was wicked!'
'Yeah... the photos were cool. But it got taken down.'
Zane winked. 'I've got you. I saved the whole thing!'
'Zane!' Cassia scolded, trying not to giggle, 'We're not even at Gateon Port yet. And unless we get the van back, we won't be going anywhere off the beaten track...'
***
Raihan took off on Flygon for the Mt. Battle Kar-Mo-O gas station. The letter requested the van's owner, alone. That was him. He wasn't worried. His Pokémon could handle any challenge. He wondered if it really was a crazy fan who wanted the plates. Yellow and blue hearts... did the blue refer to his uniform? In Orre, though? Most people complained they couldn't understand his Hammerlocke accent.
His phone fixed to Flygon's collar served as a sat nav. Mt. Battle's rough slopes grew clearer. The phone beeped. Flygon swooped down. Their landing was smooth. The van wasn't in the parking lot. He glanced at his phone. They were early. He went inside to pass the time, feeling his 48 years of age when he got excited about a bargain pack of water ideal for the adventuring Trainers.
'Think we could lug that back to Gateon Port?'
Flygon accepted the challenge. The cashier wrapped it in several bags for them. Now, if this person did want to battle, they'd have to find somewhere it couldn't get damaged... though there was still no sign of the van. They were still a little early, but if this person was so eager, wouldn't they be early too? Maybe it was all a weird hoax, or there was another Electrode lurking somewhere. The looming sign, a Kommo-o holding a gas pump, illuminated for the evening. Now it was 5PM. Raihan waited, playing catch with his Pokémon, but no-one came. The parking lot was empty. Only trucks passed. They didn't even stop. The weary cashier leaving her shift asked if he needed a lift.
'Oh, no, I'm good, thanks. Someone said they'd meet me here, but...'
'Wasn't a woman in a van, was it?'
'Yeah! A silver one.'
'She came in, about two hours ago, asking where else she could park 'cause a cop moved her on.'
She gestured to a diner. 'I suggested that. She might still be there.'
'I'll give it a try. Thanks!'
Raihan jogged down the sun-scorched highway. He was 45 minutes late, now. Not that he really knew why he cared. Buying another van might not have cost more than replacing the destroyed rental car. A part of him was curious, though... and his questions would be answered, because the van was in the diner's parking lot. Had it been abandoned? There was no-one in the driver's seat. The spare keys unlocked the doors. He uncertainly stepped up, peering into the back for Electrode, but it was empty. The side doors slid open. There was someone inside. A woman, with a blunt fringe over angry blue eyes, thrust a hissing Purrloin at him. He jumped down and held up his hands.
'I'm alone! It's just me! No-one else in sight!'
'I asked for the owner of the van!'
'And you've got him. I own it. Unless you're after my daughter, Cassia, but I don't think so.'
He reached into his pockets for its ownership documents. Rage faded to resignation. He shook his head.
'You're after Leon.'
She didn't respond until he continued. 'But it's been what, 23 years? He doesn't even remember you.'
Her head jerked up. 'Excuse me? How would you know who I am to Leon?'
'He did tell his best friend he got kidnapped by a University of Wyndon lecturer.'
'I didn't kidnap him! How dare you?!'
'His words, not mine. Look, it's not exactly that he's forgotten about you. He fell 17 years a–'
'I know.'
'Well, there you go. His memory's patchy, but I think that's for the best for you. Don't you? Well... can I have my kid's van back?'
'Whatever.'
Flygon dropped the water on the passenger seat. It climbed into the back. Raihan slammed the door before the woman could argue. He wound the window down.
'You didn't come all this way just to mither him, did you?'
He knew her name was April Schultz. She only answered with a glare.