I waved my aunt goodbye as the train took me and Pichu to our new home in Johto. I didn't have much on me besides the little clothes and medicine I had in my bag, but when I get settled in the new place my aunt gave me, I'll be fine to gather the things I need for the house and for my upcoming journey I'll be taking once I'm settled in.

The house my aunt gave me was a little home in a small town called NewBark Town. The house was owned by my aunts and my mom's great grandparents who abandoned the house but gave legal rights to the building to them. My mom used the house for awhile before leaving to Kanto with my dad. Since they're both gone, the legal right to the house was given to my aunt until I was able to hold it for myself. I wasn't able to take it for obvious reason, but I know I'm ready to live a new life here.

"You didn't get to run around freely in Kanto, just like me" I told Pichu sitting on my lap, eating "but the both of us will make a new living here. We'll have new Pokémon friends and see so many places"

"Pichu?!" Pichu gasped when I mentioned the Pokémon friends.

"We'll need Pokémon to take us through a hard journey we'll need to get through. I want to get stronger and be able to defend myself, but I also want to get stronger so I can see Red again" I patted my bag "I owe him for saving me... I'll keep the money he gave me handy until we meet again, but we still have enough for ourselves" Pichu nodded. I looked out the window "I can't wait to have our own place... This place is so beautiful. It suits me so much more than Kanto did"

The time spent on the train was almost half a day. By the time I get to my new home, it'll be dark out "The battle is not over" I looked back at the note Sabrina made me "Whatever that means, I better be on high alert. You may not be able to use any attack moves, so it's better safe than sorry to find somewhere to spend the night or at least find a taxi that can transport me to where I need to go" I sighed "Might be expensive"

We later got off around evening, much later than I expected "Wow..." I looked around the city we were in "Goldenrod City. It looks nothing like Saffron" Pichu agreed "We'll get to see a lot more of it next time. We better get home" I scratched her chin and begun walking forward.

The corner of my eye spotted someone in black running towards me. My instincts made a flashback on how I was kidnapped long ago and looked at the person with a R on his shirt, in shock.

I was too shocked to even move away on time. He grabbed my arm and threw into a near by alleyway. I gasped and looked over my shoulder when the person pinned me down from behind.

"Hey! Get off of me!" I shouted. Pichu was on his hair trying to get him off.

"Sorry, girly. I was told to wait on you at the train station. You were involved with the arrest of one of our grunts" I looked at him funny "I'm taking you back to the base" my eyes widened.

"I had nothing to do with it!" I kicked him from behind and jumped back to the public eye "Get away from me, you criminal!" I shouted to get everyone's attention. If others are looking, it'll keep me from getting taken again.

I'm not as little as I use to be, so I know how to get myself out this situation. Pichu wasn't able to defend me, so I have to fight my own battles until I can find another Pokémon to join the team.

The guy, even with everyone watching, still jumped me. This guy's insane! "Get over here! Dad's waiting!" I flinched. He's seriously trying to make excuses to make people believe we're related!?

"We're not related, you weirdo!" I pushed him away and directly blew a punch on his cheek. He fell back and held his face, staring at me like I was crazy.

"That hurt!" He cried out "What are you?! You're so strong!" I sweat dropped.

"Someone's that's not going to put up with your crap! Leave me alone!" He got up again and lunges at me again. At this point, many people stopped to look at us. Why won't you help!?

"I'm not going down without a fight!" He took out a Pokéball. I gasped and held Pichu close, afraid of what may happen "Go Raticate!" He send out a large Pokémon that was way bigger than Pichu was.

"This is harassment!" I looked at the crowd "Why isn't anyone helping me?! I'm defenseless here!" Pichu frowned when I said that "Pichu, I didn't mean..."

"Well, if no one is going to help the pretty lady" a boy who looked a little younger than me walked up from the crowd in a backwards cap and a Cyndaquil beside him "then I will!" He pointed at the grunt "Step off my girl, will you?"

"Huh?" The grunt made a face "mind your own business! This is between me and my girl!" My jaw dropped.

"You're disgusting!" I shouted at his face, making him twitch in fright "You just said I'm your sister and now I'm your girl!? You're gross!" I punched his face again and threw him on the floor. The boy's Cyndaquil got between us and used tackle when the grunt was about to jump back up. By the second punch I made, his face was all messed up.

"Don't you know when to stop?" The boy got between us "Pick on someone your own size, shorty" the grunt was way shorter than me, so that's why it wasn't hard to remove him from me.

"Don't get in between this! I have a job to do-!" I moved the boy aside and stomped my foot on the grunts chest, stopping him mid sentence.

"You heard the guy" I darkened my eyes "Scram, will you?" He shook his head and grabbed my ankle. Pichu got angry and attacked his face. I jumped back and cupped my mouth when seeing her scratching him up "Pichu! Stop! You'll get hurt!" I couldn't see what was going on, but in under a second, the grunt fainted.

"Huh?" I picked up Pichu and made sure she was okay while the boy made sure the grunt was still alive.

"We better head off before he wakes up" I looked at him funny.

"We?" He smirked widely and took my hand.

"I did save you, didn't I?" He pulled on my hand.

"Hey!"

"Come on. We can go to the Pokémon center for safety until we can get him off our backs"

"This doesn't concern you!"

"Says the one who asked for help when nobody gave it to you!" I sighed and looked at his other hand to see him holding a open box wrapped in thick tape "Not even a thank you?!"

"Thanks!" I rolled my eyes "Look, I'm just trying to get myself home! You'll be doing me a favor if you tell me if there's any way that can take me to NewBark Town!" He stopped running and stopped at a Pokémon center.

"You live there?" He asked. I was out of breath and leaned on my knees while Pichu checked on me "That's a cute Pichu you got there. Looks rather interesting" I snapped my head up at him chuckling.

"How do you know what a Pichu is?!" I then glared "Are you making fun of her?!" He waved his hands nervously.

"Pichu's are somewhat common in this region. It's where they were first discovered!" I gasped at Pichu looking as surprised as I was "and I wasn't making fun of your Pichu" he leaned closer to look at her "I just never seen one with different colored eyes and a missing tail" I moved her away from him and walked pass him "hold on!" He followed me into the Pokémon center.

"Look, I appreciate you helping me, but I have to get home before it gets dark"

"By the time you even leave the city, it will be dark" I sighed in frustration. I don't feel like renting a hotel room "How about I give you a lift?" I looked back at him holding a Pokéball.

"Why would I trust to go with you?" He sweat dropped.

"I saved you, didn't I?"

"Could just be an excuse to gain my trust. I can't trust someone so easily" I crossed my arms.

"Speaking of which. Why was that guy messing with you? I came here to the city to pick up a package and oversaw him jump you like some insane person" I shook my head.

"I wouldn't be able to tell you right off the bat, but you can say I'm practically responsible for arresting one of his friends or something. He deserved it" I huffed.

"Well, that's not your actual fault. He got was he deserved" he thought for a moment "but hey, I'm just trying to lend a hand. I live in NewBark town myself" I looked at him "And I came here with the professor's Pokémon he lend me to come here and bring this package to him"

"Looks like you wanted a sneak peak of what was inside" he nervously laughed. I curiously looked inside the box he was holding out and I saw an egg! "An egg!"

"Yeah! The package was labeled extremely fragile so I wanted to see what I was working with" he nervously laughed. I looked at the messed up packaging he probably ripped open and tried putting back together with the tape.

"Right..." I walked away again to a café in the building and ordered myself something with Pichu, since the train ride was so long and exhausting.

"So? Want to take a ride with me?" The boy asked. After I ordered my stuff, I turned back at him and leaned closer to his face, making him go red when I softly placed my hand on his chest.

"You know, you should be careful with how you say things out loud. People may hear and misunderstand" he flinched when I lifted my hand to softly take his chin and played with his under lip "Tell me, what do you really want from me?" My intimidation to get men to talk was always flirting. It rarely failed me, but I hardly use it in my everyday life if the club wasn't involved.

"I-I'm just trying to be nice" he responded nervously. I hummed and moved back, getting enough from him. I didn't care either way. I planned on finding my own way home "I'm sorry if I seem off as pushy. I haven't even told you my name" he smiled again "I'm Gold. Nice to meet you" he offered his hand.

"I'm Valerie" I gave him my hand, in which he took and leaned in to kiss. I flinched and took it back "Watch it!" He just chuckled and held his side while the package was in his other arm, almost slipping. I grabbed it from him and held it close "What are you? Stupid? Take care of this!"

"It's just an egg"

"It's not just an egg! It's a life!" I pointed at his chest "What was that professor thinking when he asked you to deliver such a fragile thing?! I'll have to keep this in hand" he jumped.

"What?! But-"

"You almost dropped it. It wouldn't be able to be delivered in your hands. Looks like you failed" I set it inside my bag "I'll be holding onto this from now on" the man from the café gave me my to go bag before I walked away.

"H-Hold on!" Gold rushed after me "Please, don't tell him about this! I'll take care of it! He'll take away my Pokémon if he finds out!" I looked down at his Cyndaquil frowning at me. I shook my head and continued walking away.

"Imagine dropping the poor egg while you fly back home. Look, I don't believe your intentions on caring for this egg was bad, but you had one job, and look at this!" I pointed at my bag "It's safer in my hands than in yours. Sorry to say, but I'll be delivering it" his jaw dropped "I won't tell this professor what almost happened, but keep this in mind about what could had happened" I looked at my bag "Eggs contain the life of a baby Pokémon. How could you just say 'it's just an egg' when something inside is innocent" he took my shoulders.

"I know nothing about eggs!" My eyes widened "Not many people know about them either. It's my fault for being reckless, but please understand!" I hugged my bag.

That's right... When I was still living with my parents, we owned a farm filled with many Pokémon who gave us our food and milk. Eggs were laid from specific Pokémon that are only good for eating, but every so often, we find a bigger egg that contained a life. Mom told me that her grandparents were the first ones to discover Pokémon eggs, but I didn't think they were still a mystery today

"Well, I guess I get it" he pressured on.

"Let me take you to NewBark Town! I'm serious! I didn't mean to make myself sound like a crazy person" I pushed his hands away.

"You're doing enough by putting your hands on me" I rubbed my fingers together "You got to cough it up if you want to go down that road, pal" his face went deep red and actually got a nosebleed. Pichu and I giggled. If he's innocent enough to get a nose bleed by just stating a payment for sleeping with me, I guess I can trust him to take me with him. I have Pichu by my side after all. Still don't know what she did to make that grunt faint, but I'll count on it for now.

"N-No! That's not what I-" I stopped him before he continued to explain himself.

"Let's go" I walked pass him, feeding myself and Pichu while walking the city lights "Will this Pokémon you borrowed from that professor be big enough for the both of us?" He nodded and send out a Pidgeot. Yeah, that's a pretty big Pokémon.

"You bet!" I walked up to the Pokémon and offered a treat I always have in my pockets for Pokémon. It cooed and smiled at me after eating. I smiled and pet it's head "You're good with Pokémon" I snorted. Of course I am "Well, hop on! And I don't have what you think I'm offering" he made it very clear with that serious face. I laughed and nodded, getting it.

I took his hand and we rode off across the region to get to our destination. We didn't get to arrive at NewBark town, since Pidgeot got tired, we stopped at a city that was beside it and we decided to walk the rest of the way into the tall grass in the dark. Totally safe, but we can't stop now.

"I'll be depending on you to take us to where we're needing to go" I said "I don't have any defense on me, so you'll be doing all the work"

"Huh? What about your Pichu?" I looked down at her sleeping next to the egg.

"She doesn't have any attack powers, but she supposedly knows how to knock out her opponent right after attacking their face. That's what happened earlier" I shrugged "Don't get me wrong, I can defend myself, so if you try something" I cracked my knuckles "You'll be sorry" his face went blue.

"Note taken" he cleared his throat "Don't worry, I got this!" He pointed at his chest "Leave it to me! I have my Pokémon to protect both of us from wild Pokémon!" I shrugged and overheard my two important charms clink onto each other.

I picked them up to observe the shine with my reflection. The two special charms I had were hidden in my house under the floor where no one could find even if they entered my apartment a dozen times. These charms are what I hid from everyone. I depended on my aunt to keep the pictures safe, but my charms stayed with me.

One of them is a charm that my moms grandparents believed to help Pokémon breed more often and spread the love of bringing more baby Pokémon into the world.

The other was a simple Heartgold charm that shined nicely under the dim light of the cloud covered sky. I never really understood the shape, but it's practically a good luck charm for me since my dad gave it to me. He said it'll keep me safe... It may have kept me safe from wild Pokémon, but I want to find that charm that saved me from the danger a good luck charm couldn't bring me. I can't wait to see you...