Arcanine's big fluffy back was carrying me and my parents bags. When I was on top of it, it was surprisingly flat for such a majestic creature. Not too long ago we passed the last in-route sign that displayed "Route 108" in big white letters. Some young ranger was close to it and warned us about the Pokemon you could find in the route.

  He talked for a few seconds until Grandpa showed him his badges from a retired A class ranger. The young man paled when he saw it, he almost bent his torso at a 90 degree angle doing a bow just to be stopped short by Silas.

  The smell of raw nature never stopped to amaze me. The humid smell from the leaves, the salty flavor from the nearby sea, and the earthy, woody aroma that carried the history from the trees close to us. This is something I have never really put any atention before. Learning to survive the boredom without anything to do or smartphone to play was an experience by itself.

  The sky was mostly clear, except for a few clouds drifting toward the horizon. To the northeast, one cloud seemed to ripple unnaturally. My eyes caught a dark figure streaking across the sky-a Pokémon with a rider clinging tightly to its back. From this distance, it didn’t seem fast, but as it neared, the wind whipping around them made it clear they were moving at incredible speed. I guessed they were going at least 150 km/h. My mouth hung open in awe.

  "Probably some tough guy who thinks can handle a new evolved Swellow. Moving at that speed..." Silas said after seeing my surprised face. How did he know that it was a Swellow?

  "Could you?" I blurted out mischievously.

  "Two years and change old and already questioning my skills, huh? Guess I really am getting old... Next thing I know, you'll be telling me how to battle wild Pokemon too." He grinned

  "Just choose the super effective move, old guy," I said. The words slipped out before I could stop them, and I immediately regretted it. Super effective? What was I thinking? This wasn’t a game. But the laugh that followed was genuine, and I couldn’t help but enjoy the confused look on Grandpa’s face.

  Silas' eyebrows furrowed, he tilted his head with a puzzled expression. "Super... what? Kid, what in the world are you talking about?"

  "Uh... I mean, just... hit them where it hurts!" I laughed louder. Maybe I should find ways to confuse him to see that kind of face more often.

  "Hit them where it hurts? You've been watching too many TV battles, haven't you? Battles aren't about fancy words, kid. They're about instinct, timing, and... well, I guess I'll have to teach you that too." He grinned.

  "Hey, hey, nothing about battling around here," Loren made a round gesture with her index finger "Not before he's 8 or 9."

  Silas gazed towards Mother, wrinkles from the age surrounded his eyes. "You talk like you didn't sneak out to battle with your little duck when you were his age."

  Mom’s right hand flew up to cover her mouth--fake-suppressing a laugh, while her left thumb jerked sharply toward Silas, like he was some roadside attraction. "Don’t believe this decrepit guy, Aris," she hissed behind her palm, eyes glittering with mock-conspiracy. "He’s just trying to sound cool."

  Silas touched his chest as saying 'I'm really offended' "Times have changed Loren. Back in my day, kids were catching Pokémon before they could tie their shoes."

  We laughed together for a while. I've seen Dad going on missions for a few days before, but this time it felt different. I didn't know if it was because of the amount of time they were leaving or if it was because both of them were going at the same time. In my past life, I never had something like this. A family that jokes, that cares.

  We walked for a while, Mom released Roserade and it spinned graciously as it walked by her side at all times. My dad was walking a few meters in front of us, he also released Staraptor at some point of our walk. Star screech could be heard from time to time above us, he would make circles around us and then disapear for a few minutes in the direction we were going and then come back.

  Claude never said anything while his father and his wife talked, nor when we were making jokes and having a good time. His shoulders seemed tense and he would jump a little to any little movement from the route in front of us.

  "So, what are you going to do when you are alone?" Mom asked Silas.

  "A bunch of nothing, i'd say. Maybe I'll bring the kid for a little trip to the beach. Vibrava have been adamant about seeing a little bit of sand for a while now." He answered

  Claude slowed his pace to be at the same level with us. "I think you two should stay at Brookmere. Our house it's more famliar for Aris." he said to his dad in a serious tone.

  "And it's also a town, a place with a lot of people. Silas' house is quieter, safer." Mom answered quickly, her arms crossed in front of her.

  "It's isolated, if something happens--"

  "Silas can handle it." Mom interrupted him

  "I know he can. That's not the point."

  "Then what is the point, Claude?"

  Silence insued. Both of them fixed on each other. Silas shifted his weight slightly, looking toward the sky, pretending not to listen. His hands where clasped behind his back.

  "This isn't about Aris, is it?" Mom finally broke the silence.

  Dad's nostrils flared, he exhaled loudly. His eyes followed dirt trail while mom was waiting for his response. His shoulders tensed, his jaw tightening as he avoided Mom’s gaze. It was strange to see him like this. Usually so confident, now so unsure. I wanted to say something, to tell him it would be okay, but the words stuck in my throat.

  "I just don't want to risk... everything." He whispered to himself, doing it loudly enough that we could heard it too.

  "Brookmere makes more sense, anyways." He continued, his voice was more calm and low now. He knew this argument wouldn't go further than this.

  Mom sighed, "You already said that." She smiled slightly getting closer to Claude.

  "... Fine. Do what you want." He said with fake dismissivenes.

  His wife laughed softly. "I always do." She said shaking her head as she hugged him by the shoulder.

  Dad looked her for a moment, his lips threatened to open one more time before closing. We kept walking towards our goal.

  ---

  When we were finally reaching Rustboro City, I saw a dozen or so tents in the outskirts. Many kids with varying ages were running with women behind them. Elderly people were sitting on benches, some of them were playing board games, I could even see two chess tables being used. The war had touched everyone, even here in Hoenn. But seeing my parents prepare to leave, I realized how lucky I was to have them.

  Two members of the police force were making guard near the entrance. Their Pokeballs were exposed at a single glance. They were probably here in case a wild Pokemon got interested by the small campament.

  After we pass the entrance, I saw a lot of people on the streets. Many of them with their Pokemon out, the typical Taillow, Zigzagoon or bug types were the species that I see the most. The most rare one I saw while we were walking was a Seviper. I laughed aloud, I don't know what could have happen if Grandad decided to walk with Zangoose by his side and they saw each other. Chaos would probably ensue.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  All of the city was pavimented heavily, even when you smelled the air you could feel the slight scent of metal and concrete. To the north side of the city I saw grayish smoke filling the sky forming artificial clouds. When we got to a new street a wide building stood out from the others, on top of it was a colorful sign. "Refugee Support Center-Assistance for Families Affected by the War."

  It wasn't the first time I came to this city, but it really changed from the last time I saw it. The war from Indigo really reached this region. Well, it even reached my parents.

  After a while walking we reached something like a plaza where a few stands with people on it. They were selling some kind of sky lanterns. When I asked about it, Grandpa told me it was something about a festival in the last week of November. So just a few days until it began I guess.

  "It’s called the Wishfall Festival," Silas said, his eyes lighting up with nostalgia. "Happens every year around this time. They say if you make a wish under the meteor shower, it just might come true. Of course, I’ve never seen it happen, but it’s a nice thought."

  Mom told me we were really close to the spot right now. After a few minutes she pointed to some kind of school where kids about 12-14 year old were leaving the building. Apparently putting ads in top of places was a running trend in this world too because some "Devon" corporation was advertising their new watch that had a compass and some kind of technology that could make predictions of the weather reading the humidity on the air.

  The kids were going to the courtside in the yard where a few of them were battling with some pretty common Pokemon. I stopped by for a few seconds before Mom told me to keep walking to watch the fight. There was one kid with a Treecko, the green lizard was small, and I couldn't really see it from here. It was coiling on it's trainer neck while they were waiting for their turn.

  We finally reached the place where they would be leaving. They didn't really have to make this trip, but it was the last opportunity to hang out as a family for a while, so we decided to go for it as the trip from our town wasn't really long coming here. My parents showed identifications and some kind of official paper that said what and where they were going to and we could enter the place, Silas disapeared shortly after. Since we entered the City they have been carrying their luggage because Pokemon as big as Arcanine aren't really allowed inside when it was as packed as today.

  A big pidgeot and a Fearow were descending from the sky toward the empty place a dozen or so meters ahead of us. On the Pidgeot back was a police man with two kids and on the other bird was a police woman with what I thought was the mom of the children that couldn't been older than 8. Another police man was talking with an executive looking guy close to us.

  "They are the new family." The suited guy said.

  "Yeah, poor mother. Being alone with 2 children in a unknown region... Come on, we have our work cut for ourself, move." The police man answered and they moved in sync to help the new family get off the giant birds.

  My heart clenched a little when I saw scenes like this. I knew from waching the TV news that this world was as harsh as my previous one. Hell, with creatures that could spit massive bolts of fire it could be even worse. But, I knew that this world is not like the games. Being an elite was really difficult. I have never heard about someone on TV having some kind of really dangerous Pokemon, well what I could consider a dangerous one. Not even with the war in Indigo. For example, the only mention about a Tyranitar was a big earthquake that was reported near Mt. Silver, not a single mention about a trainer with a Dragonite. But I knew things that the rest didn't. When I saw the declaration from the Kanto league, Agatha was there, and she seemed to be younger than her game version. So it was a thing of time that a young Lance took Indigo by a storm with his dragons.

  When I stopped with the idle thoughts I walked closer to my family. Mom and Dad were close to each other, "You don't have to really do this..." He said to her, making a last attempt.

  Mom visibly frustrated, exhaled. "You really would be fine? Or would you want help a little too late? Maybe almost too late like last time?"

  Dad's mouth shut quickly, his body relaxed, as if finding new resolution and leaving a burden behind.

  "We are going to be okay back there, as always." She said, they hugged each other. Dad hold tight to her, Loren said jokingly to let her go after a few moments.

  Just as they were finishing their hug, Grandpa came back from wherever he was before. "All good, you can go." My parents took their bags and they dropped them closer to the "pads" where the birds would be starting their fly.

  Mom and Dad released their team, Silas also released part of his team so they could say goodbye to each other. His Chimecho floated on Manectric's muzzle and stayed tight to his face as if it was hugging it. The electric dog creature just stood there moving its head as if patting each other. Skarmory stood on the pad where they would be leaving the building. Grumpig and Vibrava were "speaking" with my parents Pokemon, before each one of them said goodbye to me in different ways. When it was their turn to say goodbye to Silas they mostly nodded their head in respect, even the ever crazy Staraptor was respectful and peaceful when standing in front of my Grandpa.

  Silas patted Claude’s shoulder with a firm hand before stepping back. His voice was lighter than usual, but the weight behind it was there.

  “Come back safe.”

  Claude gave a stiff nod. “I will.”

  Silas’ lips curled into something that almost resembled a smirk. He turned to Loren, crossing his arms.

  “Bring my boy back in one piece,” he said, voice tinged with amusement, like the idea of Claude needing protection was somehow funny.

  Loren scoffed, hands on her hips. “Wouldn’t dream of doing otherwise.”

  Silas huffed a laugh, then pulled her into a quick hug, patting her back before letting go. “Good,” he muttered, stepping away. His eyes lingered on them for a second longer before shifting to me.

  I swallowed. This was it.

  Mom knelt in front of me, her fingers combing through my hair, twirling one of the looser curls between them. “It’s getting long,” she murmured, almost absentmindedly. “We’ll be in Slateport in three hours, then it’s five days to Kanto.”

  I nodded, watching the way her eyes softened.

  Dad crouched down beside her, one knee on the ground, arms resting on his thighs. He looked at me for a long moment before finally pulling me into a hug. Mom wrapped her arms around us both.

  Their warmth. Their scent. The feeling of being pressed between them. I wanted to stay like that. To let time stretch, to make it last. It was weird feeling this way. I was way too old to being this affected by a goodbye.

  But Mom pulled away first. She reached into her bag and took out a small package, pressing it into my hands. I peeled back the wrapping to find a bundle of deep purple hair ties.

  “I had a feeling you’d need these,” she said with a knowing smile. She lifted my wrist and tied another around it, a simple braided bracelet made from the same material.

  “You need to learn how to braid your hair while I’m gone,” she said. “Just like you did with mine.”

  My fingers curled around the fabric. The lump in my throat was hard to swallow.

  Dad’s arms wrapped around me again, tighter this time. For a moment, it felt like he wasn’t going to let go. I felt my vision warm, tears threatened to escape.

  Then, slowly, he loosened his grip. His fingers lingered on my shoulders before he pulled back completely. His hands ruffled my hair--one last, familiar gesture.

  “I love you, kid,” he said, his voice quieter than before.

  “I love you too,” I whispered.

  Claude opened his mouth, then closed it again. Like there was something else he wanted to say. But instead, he exhaled, shaking his head. “We gotta do something about that hair when I get back.”

  Mom smiled, then leaned in, whispering, “I love you,” before brushing her fingers along my cheek. I felt my lips curl slightly at the warmth behind her words.

  Then, it was time.

  Dad turned toward Staraptor, tightening the strap on his bag before swinging himself onto the saddle. The bird let out a sharp cry, wings flexing as it prepared for takeoff.

  Mom walked to Skarmory, pausing only when Silas grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into one last brief embrace. He muttered something only she could hear. Then he let her go and did the same with his son.

  He turned to his steel bird, patting its metallic wing. His voice dropped into something rough, something serious.

  “Don’t fly faster than that Swellow we saw before,” he said, motioning at Staraptor with his chin. “Go at his pace. Come back when you drop her off.”

  Loren snorted. “You act like I've never handled Skarmory before.”

  Silas ignored her, instead leveling both of them with a look.

  “Remember,” he said, “It’s not about how fast you get there. It’s about getting there together.”

  There was something else beneath those words. Something heavier.

  Neither of them answered.

  Then, without another word, the birds spread their wings. A sudden gust of wind swept over us, ruffling my shirt as their wings beat against the air, sending up swirls of dust. Staraptor let out a sharp cry, and Skarmory followed with a metallic screech.

  As the metallic bird took off, I caught a final glimpse of Mom. She wasn’t smiling, but she wasn’t frowning either. Just looking. Memorizing, maybe. Then the wind carried her away.

  I stepped closer to Silas, watching them ascend, their figures shrinking against the sky. I raised a hand, waving until they were no more than specks against the clouds. And then, finally, they were gone.

  Beside me, Silas did the same.

  We stood there for a while, watching the sky where their figures had disappeared. The wind carried the faint scent of metal and smoke from the city, a stark contrast to the warmth of their presence. Finally, Silas broke the silence.

  Then, softly, he muttered, “We better get going, kid.”

  I nodded. My head was filled with thoughts about whether I should have said I love you one last time. Maybe I should have said I would miss them.

  We turned back toward the city.