What's So Great About Being A Trainer Anyways?

Chapter 4 - Why Do Things The Normal Way?

"Why can't we just go through the forest? Why do we have to go through Meteor Falls?" If there's one thing I'm certain about, it's that I had a completely different impression of Flora than before we started this journey. Call it what you want, but the best word I could come up with was childish. I guess it was the simple impression that she gave off during our schooldays that made me like her: pretty and nice. After spending about a week with her, though, my perception of her began to change. I was beginning to see her more for the energetic and emotional girl that she turned out to be, and I was beginning to like those sides of her instead. I wouldn't admit it though.

"It's easier to navigate the cave than a forest that looks the same in every direction. Also, you don't see any people when you go through the forest!" Flora looked quite confident in her reasoning.

"Do we even have a light source? Last time I checked none of your pokemon knew any light based moves."

She procured a flashlight from her bag and held it triumphantly into the air. "Don't worry, I got it covered! Plus, I'll have you know that I've been through this cave before!"

Somehow I get the feeling that that won't help.

5 Minutes Later

Flora plopped down on the cave floor, dead flashlight in hand. Our eyes had adjusted to the little light permeating throughout the reflective, golden cave, but we couldn't make out enough to actually navigate it.

I sighed. "Come on now, just sitting isn't going to solve anything. Are we going to wander around until we get out or not?" I held out my hand to help her out, and Aaron sensed the move. He popped out of his pokeball and tried to tackle me, but his eyes weren't adjusted yet and he headed in the wrong direction: straight into the wall of the cave that is.

"Aaron! Are you okay?!" She jumped up in surprise and bent down to pat him consolingly on his head.

I wasn't even trying to make a move, you dumbo. I shook my head and sighed. "He's fine. Return. Now that you're up, let's go."

We wandered around for a while, when all of a sudden we saw light up ahead. "That must be the exit! Let's get out of here!"

We ran for the light, but as we got closer we soon saw its true nature. We came to a clearing, where a Sceptile was standing with an orb of light hovering above it. Alongside it was a cape wearing man, dressed in all purple, staring out into an abyss of rock that lay before him, almost like an indoor cliff.

When the man saw them approaching, he turned to them and struck a pose with his hands on his hips. "How unusual for people to come visit this neck of the woo- errr... cave! What brings you this way, fine travellers?"

I'd rather not admit how unprepared we were, even if it was Flora's fault and not my own...

"Our flashlight ran out so we've been wandering around trying to find the way out," explained Flora without hesitation.

He man's laugh echoed off the walls and bellowed through the whole structure. "Rookie mistake! Always bring a pokemon that knows Flash when travelling to dark places! I'll tell you what..." He pulled back his cape to reveal a backpack, which he rummaged in until he managed to find a golden disc. "Here," he said, walking over to us to hand us the object. "Surely one of your pokemon can learn it. It's Flash."

"Thanks..." I said, receiving the Hidden Machine. I let Aaron and my Bagon out of their pokeballs. They both looked up at me with big eyes full of curiosity. I placed the disc on their heads, but first Aaron, then Bagon, shook their heads 'no'. "Guess it's a no go for my pokemon. See if any of yours will learn it Flora."