They met Wade shortly before midday. Or rather, Ravina nearly stepped on him shortly before midday.

She came around a bend in the road and abruptly stopped to find a young man was crouched beside a bush. He was about Ravina's age, maybe eighteen or nineteen.

He wore practical outdoor clothes, a bug-catching net rested beside him and several small containers threatened to spill out of the cargo pockets of his shorts.

He didn't look up as Ravina stepped besides him and waited, but nothing came of it.

She and Cinder exchanged glances as Owlbert stared downward from a branch. So Ravina cleared her throat.

The young man raised one finger. “Shh.”

Ravina blinked. “…What?”

He pointed toward the bush so Ravina leaned slightly.

A Caterpie was eating a leaf.

She waited.

The Caterpie continued eating.

The young man watched with complete fascination, so Ravina waited longer.

Finally: “…Is something supposed to happen?”

His head snapped toward her. “Look at the bite pattern.”

Ravina looked, the leaf had a hole in it.

She looked back. “It looks like a leaf with a hole in it.”

The stranger stared at her with a disappointed expression. “That tells you what stage she's at.”

Ravina blinked. “Of eating the leaf?”

“Development.”

“Oh.”

That changed things slightly as young man immediately became animated.

“A Caterpie changes feeding behavior as they approach metamorphosis. Younger individuals usually take softer tissue closer to the edge, but older Caterpie…”

Ravina nodded, as he continued, and continued. Five minutes later, Ravina had learned more about Caterpie mouthparts than she had ever intended.

Cinder sat politely. Owlbert had fallen asleep. And eventually the stranger stopped.

“…Sorry.”

Ravina smiled. “You like Bug Pokémon.”

His face brightened. “Yes.”

“I noticed.”

He stood and offered a hand. “Wade.”

“Ravina.”

They shook hands as his eyes dropped to Cinder. “Cyndaquil?”

“Cinder.”

Wade crouched. “Wow, that's unusual to find around here.”

Cinder proudly produced a tiny puff of Ember. Causing Wade to jump and Ravina laughed. “He learned that about an hour ago.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

Wade stared at Cinder with immediate interest. “Can he control the spread yet?”

Ravina paused. “…Mostly.”

Cinder objected. “Mostly.”

Wade grinned. “Are you training for Violet?”

“I am.”

“First badge?”

“Hopefully.”

Wade picked up his net. “Then battle me.”

Ravina stared. “You people really do just ask strangers that.”

He shrugged. “You're a trainer.”

“Apparently.”

Cinder had already stepped forward and Ravina sighed. “Of course.”

- - - - -

Wade battled with two Pokémon, revealing the first as a Caterpie. Which made Ravina feel slightly guilty. Then the battle started.

The Caterpie was far more irritating than expected.

Wade used String Shot immediately. Sticky strands crossed the clearing causing Cinder to dodge the first. But the second caught one hind leg and his movement slowed.

Ravina frowned and Wade smiled. “Everyone assumes Bug-types are easy.”

“I didn't.”

“You looked guilty.”

“I was being polite.”

Another String Shot flew across the field for her politeness. “Move!”

Cinder escaped, barely. The fight became less about strength and more about positioning. Cinder couldn't afford to become trapped and Ravina couldn't simply order Ember everywhere without risking the surrounding grass.

She had learned a new attack, but now she had to learn when not to use it.

“Circle left.”

Cinder moved as Caterpie turned. “Wait.”

Cinder stopped and Wade frowned.

“String Shot!”

“Now!”

Cinder ducked as the strands passed overhead and Ravina saw her chance. “Tackle!”

He struck cleanly, and as the Caterpie rolled, Wade recalled her almost immediately. “Good.”

Ravina blinked. “That's it?”

“She's done enough.”

Ravina liked that answer. 

Wade's second Pokémon was another Caterpie and Ravina couldn't help but stare in disbelief, to which Wade shrugged. “I really like Caterpie.”

“Fair.”

This time Ravina used Ember. But carefully, a small controlled burst. Just enough to force the Caterpie away from cover. Then Cinder closed the distance and one Tackle ended it.

Wade recalled his partner. “Nice.”

Cinder puffed himself up as Ravina walked over and crouched beside him. “You alright?”

A chirp.

She checked the leg String Shot had caught. She found no injury, just sticky residue.

As she continued to inspect, Wade approached. “You're careful.”

Ravina looked up. “My mother would appear from the forest and kill me if I wasn't.”

Wade laughed. “Experienced trainer?”

“Very.”

“Explains it.”

He crouched too and helped remove the remaining strands. Then his attention drifted upward as Owlbert had descended and was watching.

Wade's eyes widened. “Hoothoot.”

Ravina smiled. “Owlbert.”

Wade looked at her. “Owlbert?”

“Yes.”

The Hoothoot hooted.

Wade considered the name. “…He looks like an Owlbert.”

“Thank you.”

Owlbert appeared offended again.

- - - - -

Wade offered his Pokégear number before they parted.

“If I find anything interesting, I'll call.”

Ravina held out her device. “Rare Pokémon?”

“Sometimes.”

“Useful berries?”

“Definitely.”

“Bug facts?”

Wade hesitated. “…Probably.”

Ravina laughed. “Fine.”

They exchanged numbers and Wade immediately added: “There are some good berry patches farther north. If they're ripe when I pass again, I'll message you.”

“That would actually help.”

He smiled. “And if you see any unusual Bug-types near Violet…”

“I'll let you know.”

“Thanks.” Then he paused. “Oh!”

Ravina stopped as Wade pointed toward the road.

“Don't go into the Dark Cave without proper lighting.”

Ravina tilted her head. “Dark Cave?”

“You'll see it.”

That was ominous, and Wade seemed to realize how he'd phrased it. “I mean literally. You'll see the entrance.”

“Less ominous.”

“Good.”

He waved. “See you around.”

Ravina raised a hand. “Probably.”

As Wade disappeared back down the road, Cinder looked up at her with judgment.

Ravina sighed. “Yes.”

A chirp. “I know. We have another number.”

Hoot.

Ravina looked at Owlbert. “You've known me one day. You don't get to judge my social habits yet.”

Owlbert hooted again. “Unbelievable.”

- - - - -

Dark Cave lived up to its name.

The entrance appeared during the afternoon. A broad opening cut into the rocky hillside beside Route 31.

Cool air drifted outward and Ravina stopped.

Cinder stopped beside her as Owlbert landed on a nearby sign.

DARK CAVE

Ravina stared. “…Creative.”

The interior swallowed daylight almost immediately. She stepped closer to get a better look. Five metres, perhaps ten, then nothing but blackness.

The Pokédex registered faint movement somewhere inside, but couldn't identify the source from this distance.

Ravina's curiosity immediately activated. “What lives in there?”

She asked as Cinder sniffed toward the entrance and Owlbert flew past them. 

“Hey.”

He landed just inside, his enormous eyes seemed perfectly comfortable.

Ravina frowned. “You can see, can't you?”

Hoot.

“Of course you can.”

She stepped inside and she felt the temperature drop and behind her, daylight became a bright rectangle.

Ahead there was still nothing. Ravina held one hand in front of her face to find it was barely visible.

Cinder's back ignited. Warm orange light spread around them for several metres. But it was not enough. The cave continued and somewhere deeper inside, something scraped against stone.

Cinder's flames brightened as Ravina stared toward the sound. All the while Owlbert remained calm. He could see, but that didn't help her.

She considered going farther, for perhaps three seconds. Then remembered Nostus.

Unknown cave, no proper lighting, uneven ground, potential wild Pokémon and only one day's experience with Owlbert. Cinder's fire could illuminate the immediate area but would also announce their presence to everything nearby.

Ravina sighed. “No.”

Cinder looked up. “We're not doing this.”

Owlbert hooted. “I know you can see.”

Hoot.

“I cannot.”

Another hoot. “And if you fly ahead and something happens, I can't reach you.”

That finally made Owlbert quiet. And Ravina pointed toward the entrance. “We come back when we're prepared.”

Cinder's flames lowered.. “You agree?”

Cinder chirped immediately. “Excellent.”

Owlbert did not move.

Ravina waited. “Owlbert.”

Hoot.

“Out.”

The Hoothoot reluctantly flew toward daylight and Ravina followed. Once they were outside again, she marked the location on her Pokégear.

DARK CAVE — RETURN WITH LIGHT

She looked at the note. Then added:

AND BETTER SHOES

Cinder chirped. “Those rocks were slippery.”

Hoot.

“You don't wear shoes.”

Owlbert appeared smug.

- - - - -

The road beyond Dark Cave climbed steadily. Late afternoon light turned the forest golden and Ravina's legs ached.

Cinder had finally allowed himself to be carried for a while. Owlbert alternated between flying and perching atop Ravina's pack.

He was heavier than he looked. “You understand that I am carrying two Pokémon.”

Cinder chirped against her chest and Owlbert hooted beside her ear.

“I know you have wings.”

Hoot.

“Then use them.”

No response. Ravina sighed as she continued climbing. Something had changed about Cinder during the day, nothing dramatic, he was simply… warmer. 

He had eaten more at lunch, his Ember had become noticeably stronger after only a few hours of practice, and when Ravina lifted him earlier, she could have sworn he felt heavier.

Not much, but it was enough to notice.

She adjusted him. “Have you gotten bigger?”

Cinder's eyes opened and he chirped indignantly. “I didn't say fat.”

Another chirp. “I said bigger.”

Hoot.

Ravina looked toward Owlbert. “Nobody asked you.”

Cinder glared upward as Owlbert stared back.

Ravina sighed. “My team is already dysfunctional.”

- - - - -

They saw Violet City shortly before sunset as the road crested a final hill.

The trees opened and there it was. Ravina stopped walking to see the city sprawled across the valley below. It was older than Cherrygrove. Much older. Traditional rooftops mixed with modern streets and buildings, while stone paths wound between gardens, shrines and residential districts.

Flying Pokémon circled above the city, Pidgey, Spearow, and several shapes Ravina didn't recognize. And towering over everything was a narrow wooden structure rising impossibly high into the evening sky.

Sprout Tower. Even from this distance Ravina could see the great central structure swaying slightly.

She stared. “…That is considerably taller than I expected.”

Cinder shifted in her arms as Owlbert flew from her pack and landed on a nearby stone post. For a little while, none of them moved. Somewhere among those streets was Ravina's first Gym.

Her first official League challenge.

She had spent the last week saying one Gym as though repeating it often enough would stop the journey becoming something larger.

And now it was right there. Real.

Ravina looked down at Cinder and he looked back, his face was dusty from the road and there was still a tiny mark of dried String Shot near one foot.

Ravina smiled. “We made it.”

Cinder chirped.

From the stone post came a precise:

Hoot.

Ravina looked over. “Yes.”

Owlbert blinked. “You too.”

The Hoothoot ruffled his feathers proudly as Ravina shifted her pack.

Her feet hurt, she needed a shower. Cinder probably needed another check after two days on the road and Owlbert needed his new registration properly entered.

Then they needed somewhere to sleep. And tomorrow she would have to find the Gym, work out how challenging it actually worked and probably discover another stack of forms waiting for her.

Ravina exhaled. “Come on.”

Cinder wriggled until she lowered him to the ground, Owlbert took flight and together, the three started down the hill.

Violet City's lights slowly brightened beneath the deepening evening sky, Somewhere inside waited Falkner, Sprout Tower, a job Ravina didn't know she needed yet and considerably more change than any of them were expecting.

For tonight, however, a hot meal and a bed would be enough. Tomorrow, Ravina Shales would begin preparing for her first Gym.

One Gym.

That was still the agreement.