Back at Blackthorn, the city filled with dragon tamers and well...black thorns! Ok, not so much black thorns, but dragon tamers and trainers, yes. What am I doing? Besides sitting on the sidelines watching the fierce Silver vs. Clair battle slowly coming to an end...nothing. I must have been sitting here for what felt like hours, because this is one long battle. I believe each of them have one Pokemon left; Sneasel against Kingdra, and neither of them seem to be wanting to give up. Which I can understand seeing that Sneasel knows Silver wants to move on to the Elite Four, and Kingdra doesn't want to lose again (first being Lyra and Gold).

"Sneasel, Icy Wind!" Silver commanded. Sneasel blasted the cold wind at Kingdra, slowing it down and slightly damaging it. 

"Kindgra, shake it off and use Hydro Pump!" Kingdra blasted a jet of water at Sneasel, who dodged it easily. 

"Use Quick Attack then Slash!" Sneasel quickly ran up to Kingdra, slashing it right across the face, and flipped back to avoid close range attacks. Kingdra looked like it would fall with just one more hit.

"Kingdra, use Twister!" Clair yelled. Kingdra whipped up a rather weak Twister attack, but still enough to blow Sneasel back. 

"Get up and use Quick Attack!" Like before, Sneasel ran up to Kingdra, slashing its claws at it once more. Kingdra fell and, once again, Clair had to accept defeat. They both returned their Pokemon, and Silver held his hand out, waiting for his badge. Clair glared, but placed the badge in his waiting hand (rather bitterly). 

I got up from the stands and walked down the stairs, meeting Silver at the entrance. 

"So, uh, nice job out there..." I said, deciding to try and be nice.

"...Thanks? I guess..." Silver replied, most likely finding my comment out of the ordinary. 

"So you're ready for the League now, huh?" I asked. 

"Technically yes, but we still need to cross over into Kanto, travel to the reception gate, and then travel through Victory Road." He explained. 

"What?? That's just a..." I stopped, looking for the right words.

"A pain in the ass? Yes, it is. And of course we'll run into Gold and/or Lyra on the way..." He said. "We need to stock up on supplies first though...who knows how many days we'll be traveling without a Pokemon Center to stop at."

"Sleeping outside?" I mumbled to myself. When you grow up in a city, that is not somewhere you want to sleep. 

Silver either ignored my comment, or didn't hear me, because we continued out of the gym and to the PokeMart. The automatic sliding doors opened at our arrival, showing us the multicolored shelves and racks. 

"What do we need?" I asked.

"Food...medicines...things like that. You should know this by now." The redhead said, walking down aisles, picking out some things we'll need. "Why don't you go heal our Pokemon since you're just following me around like my shadow..." 

"Is there anything else I really could do besides that?" I said through gritted teeth. 

"Yes, go heal our Pokemon." He said, placing his Pokeballs in my hands. 

"Fine, whatever..." I mumbled, walking away. I tried not getting distracted by the things on shelves because once one thing catches my attention, I'll be stuck there for hours. I just stared at the floor and made my way out. 

Once outside, I couldn't help but shiver a bit. I guess the winter season was on its way, considering it wasn't always this cold...I probably should go back and buy some warmer clothing. I don't want a repeat of the Ice Cave...perverted Gold made me completely regret all of that...

I passed the different straw and wood houses, almost all with smoke coming out of the chimneys. It would be nicer to be in there other than being out here...

I entered the (thankfully) heated Pokemon Center, and walked up to the counter, placing the seven Pokeballs (including Dragonair) on the desk. The nurse already knew what I needed (it would be pretty sad if she couldn't tell what I wanted), and gave them to Chansey who put them in the back. 

"Your Pokemon will be ready in ten to twenty minutes." She said, and as always, with a smile.

"Thanks..." I said, deciding to sit here and wait. It would be better than going back to Silver, and probably being told to go do another task or something. I just sat down and crossed my legs, tapping my foot a little impatiently.

"Help!" Some lady screamed, barging in and getting the attention of everyone in there (which was actually only me, a few random people, and the nurse). "I-I...w-we...! Fire!" Said lady continued her screaming...which actually made absolutely no sense. And since I was the closest one to the doors, she gripped my arm. "Please! You have to help me!!" 

"I-I..." I said a bit startled, but she dragged me out of my seat and outside without me telling her my answer. Still grabbing my arm, she ran to one of the houses I passed earlier. Except this time, it was up in flames. 

"You have to help! My son...h-he's stuck upstairs and can't get out!!" The woman that dragged me here begged. I stood in shock, and looked up at the house. There was a boy about the age of 7 or so, looking out the window for help, with a little Totodile by his side...

I bit my lip, but ran in recklessly. Smoke filled the house, along with the crackling of wood and straw. I covered my mouth and nose with my hand, and located the stairs. I darted up them, avoiding the flames that were trying to climb to the boy's room. 

Once upstairs, I reached for the doorknob to the kid's room, only to burn my hand on the knob. With a gasp of pain, I took my hand quickly away and held it with my other hand. I bit my lip harder, trying not to let out any sounds of pain (for me, it would only make things worse). 

After realizing that I shouldn't just be standing there, I started to try and break the door down myself. I slammed myself against the door, cracking each time I hit it. On around my 5th try, the door finally gave out and landed with a thud. There in the corner of the room, sat the boy. He looked like any other youngster you'd see around here, and he clutched the small Totodile to his chest. He and the Pokemon looked up to me 

"A-Are you here to save us?" He asked.

"Yeah...I guess." I said, looking around for an escape. The only way out was down the stairs, but who knew if they were already on fire. There was the window, but I can't just throw the kid out the window or something. I glanced out to the hallway and to the stairs, and luckily they weren't on fire yet. 

"Cover your mouth and nose with your hand or sleeve, and go out the front door if its not blocked my flames." I quickly explained to the boy, pulling him up on his feet. "If it is, go out another exit, like a window or a back door."

"What about you?" He asked.

"I'm gonna be right behind you, to make sure you get out safely." I said, pushing him in front of me. We both ran for the stairs. He made it down the stairs, but as I took my first step on the stairs, they gave out. The steps all collapsed, turning into a pile of charred, burning wood. 

"What are you gonna do??" The boy panicked, coughing a bit on the smoke. 

"Just get out! I'll find my own way out." I shouted, running back into his room. The window was still clear of the flames, but I could see that the fire did start to climb from the floor to the walls. I ran over to the window, opening it, and saw the boy and his Pokemon run out, hugging his mother as they both cried. Everyone that lived in the city must have been there, because there were plently of people outside that I could see. 

I looked down at the distance from the window to the ground, to see if I could make the jump. I don't know if I could do it on my own though...

"Umber!!" A voice yelled. I looked to the speaker.

"Silver?" I asked, kinda surprised to see him here.

"Can't you get out??" He yelled up to me. I shook my head no. He mumbled something under his breath, probably something along the lines of 'tch, idiot.' "Just jump! I-I'll catch you."

I would have stopped and stared at him with this really shocked expression, but I'm in a house that was about to fall down. I wasn't that stupid. It was just shocking to hear something like that coming from Silver. I couldn't help but think of my nightmare from the other night...but now I understand the shadow that tried to save me was Silver...that voice was his. That figure was his. That was Silver.

"Well? You just gonna stand there or what??" His voice snapped my back into reality. I nodded, and gathered up whatever courage I had and jumped out the window. The hot smokey air suddenly changed to cold air. But that cold air was soon warm around me as I found myself in Silver's arms. 

"Silver...you saved me. Thanks..." I said. We still stood there as he held me with his arms still around my waist. 

"It didn't mean anything..." He mumbled, letting go of me. 

"Of course it didn't..." I said, pulling him into a hug. He just pushed me away and walked to the Pokemon Center without a word. I followed behind him, only for him to tell me not to walk directly behind him 'like a shadow.' 

We entered the Pokemon Center, and the nurse behind the counter looked pretty worried. 

"Oh, is everything alright?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah, I guess..." I said. 

She sighed, putting a hand to her chest. "Thank goodness." 

"Can I have my Pokemon back?" I asked.

"Oh, yes, of course." The pink haired lady pulled out a tray with the Pokeballs I gave her, and me and Silver took out our Pokemon. 

"So we gonna stay here and leave tomorrow?" I asked, looking at the time on the clock. It was nearly 7 o'clock. 

"Hm, no. We can fly to Cherrygrove and stay there for the night. The road to Victory Road is east of New Bark." Silver said, walking outside and releasing his Murkrow. I followed behind him, getting out Dragonair. He took off into the sky, holding on to Murkrow's leg, while I followed behind on Dragonair. 

I looked out to the sunset, which turned the sky the multiple colors of blue, purple, orange, and yellow. Then I found myself staring at Silver, thinking that he looked perfect with the sunset around him. He looked amazing with the orange colors, which went well with his red hair, and his hair just flew back in the wind. I could feel a smile form on my face, but I quickly shook those thoughs out of my head and that grin off my face. He does not look perfect or amazing! I swear I don't like him that way...I'm only...uh, appreciating the fact that he saved me back there. 

But what is this pain in my chest? Why does my face feel hot? I-I'm probably getting sick...yeah. That's it...I'm just sick, that's all. 

I don't love Silver. I will never love someone like him...