<<< Back to End of One Journey Darren was woken up the next morning by the smell of oven-fresh bread and hot chocolate. With a yawn, he sat up, rubbing the last traces of sleep out of his eyes with the back of his right hand. Heather was crouching in front of him, holding a more »
<<< Back to Fox’s Time to Shine Albion had protested when his father called Darren’s victory. Not because there was much doubt as to whether Darren’s single Pokémon had beaten both of his, but because the way in which they had been beaten was, to say the least, out of the ordinary. Brock’s final word more »
<<< Back to Just a Pokémon? Breakfast, shared with their hosts, was both tasty and filling, and Darren easily settled into his appointed role drying dishes during the cleaning-up when they were all finished. It made him feel accepted, and helped soothe some of the insecurity about his own nature that the previous night had sparked. more »
<<< Back to Brock-Steady The Stones’ dinner table did not have the overwhelming number of dishes that the meal served by Heather’s aunts had featured, and the mood was more casual, as well, putting Darren at relative ease. The conversation around the table was light, simple, familiar, without ever getting intrusive, and the food…
<<< Back to The Lights in the Tunnel It wasn’t yet quite dark when Heather knocked on the door to the modest house adjoining Pewter City Gym, Darren anxiously shifting a step or two behind her, trying to will himself less eye-catching and knowing he could do no such thing. Fox had come out of more »
<<< Back to Trek Along Route 4 The passage through Mount Moon was nothing like the Onix’s cave that they’d passed through on their way to Cerulean City. That tunnel had been rough, and they’d come through it with Heather’s Charmander’s tail as their only light source. This one had either been worked smooth with more »
<<< Go back to Discomfortingly Comfortable Darren woke on his own the next morning; a novel thing in itself. The small guest room was windowless, tiny dim Starmie-shaped nightlights spaced along the walls, just a few inches from the ceiling, providing just enough light to let someone navigate the room without walking into the furniture, so more »
<<< Go back to Friendly Faces Fox had eventually tired himself out playing with the Gym’s mascot Pokémon in the pool, though he stayed in Vaporeon shape as he settled in by Darren’s feet. Darren couldn’t be sure without asking — and was wary of doing the asking in front of so many strangers — more »
<<< Go back to Onix-Pected Developments The Onix made good on her promise, letting Darren, Heather and their Pokémon off along Route 4. The entrance to her tunnels was hidden among trees and tall grass just south of the actual path. Heather claimed she recognized her surroundings, however, so they bid the wild Onix farewell more »