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After a good night's rest, Kai and Erika left Town the next morning after breakfast.
Apart from the nearby ruins, there wasn't much left to explore in the area, so they decided not to linger any longer.
Together they studied the regional map, tracing possible routes through Hoenn.
After a long discussion, Kai chose a path that would first take them west to Petalburg City, then loop around through Rustboro, Verdanturf, Fortree, Lilycove, Sootopolis, and Pacifidlog, before finally returning across the mainland to challenge Slateport and Mauville Gyms.
It wasn't a fixed plan, of course Kai preferred flexibility. If something unexpected came up, he'd adapt along the way.
Still, before taking on Gym challenges, he wanted to expand his team with a few new partners. Using only the same Pokémon who'd fought in past tournaments would make collecting badges too easy and that wouldn't help his Pokémon grow.
So, he decided to head into the nearby mountains, hoping to find some rarer species.
Compared to the overhunted grasslands and woods along the main route, the untouched forests of Hoenn's hills promised better chances.
After restocking on supplies, Kai and Erika left the road and hiked toward the deep forested slopes.
As they moved farther from civilization, the trail became harder—tall grass, uneven ground, narrow streams—but both were seasoned travelers and barely slowed down, chatting casually along the way.
The air grew cooler and greener. Far from human noise, the forest felt alive.
Kai released Celebi and Eevee to enjoy the open air. Celebi floated alongside, cheerfully humming, while Eevee bounded ahead, nose twitching as it explored every scent.
Watching them play, Erika smiled softly. "They really lighten the mood, don't they?"
"Yeah," Kai said. "Kinda hard to feel tired when they're around."
After climbing for a while, they reached the mountain's base. Just as they were about to ascend, a faint rustle came from the bushes nearby.
Something darted past too fast to see clearly. When they turned, a small green figure vanished into the undergrowth.
"A wild Ralts, huh?" Kai murmured, recognizing it immediately.
Memories stirred. Ralts had been his very first Pokémon the partner that had stayed with him through the toughest days.
A brief, nostalgic smile crossed his face. "It's been a while… Gardevoir."
But sentiment aside, he and Erika pressed on.
As they climbed, wild Pokémon grew more common Taillow, Seedot, Wurmple—yet none caught Kai's interest. They were looking for something special.
By the time they reached the summit, Kai was sweating despite his training. The view, however, was breathtaking—he could see all of Oldale and the ruins below, shining in the midday light.
They set up a small camp, cooking a simple lunch as the mountain breeze carried the scent of food through the trees.
But before they could start eating, the nearby grass rustled again.
Eevee barked alertly, tail raised. Celebi clutched its food protectively, glaring at the source of the noise.
Moments later, a small, orange, chick-like Pokémon burst out of the brush, startled by the sudden attention.
Kai's eyes lit up instantly. "A Torchic!"
It was unmistakable a round, orange body covered in downy feathers, two stubby wings, and bright eyes that burned with curiosity.
Kai immediately pulled out his Pokédex.
> Pokédex Entry: Torchic, the Chick Pokémon. A Fire-type. Inside its body burns a fire sac that never goes out, keeping it warm like a hot water bottle. When attacked, it breathes out fireballs reaching 1,000°C. Torchic often pecks at small stones to aid digestion and strengthen its flames.
Kai grinned. "Perfect. A Fire-type starter just what I was hoping for."
Before leaving Johto, he'd already decided that Blaziken was on his must-catch list. Finding a Torchic this early felt like fate.
But something puzzled him. "Strange… Torchic aren't usually found this high up. They prefer dry plains."
As if hearing its name, the Torchic flinched and tried to back away.
Kai raised his hand calmly. "Hey, relax. You smelled our food, right? Hungry?"
Torchic hesitated. It clearly wanted to eat but didn't trust humans easily.
Celebi, meanwhile, hugged its bowl tighter, refusing to share.
Kai chuckled. "How about this let's have a little battle. If you win, you can eat all you want. If you lose, you come with me. Deal?"
Torchic tilted its head, considering.
Kai smirked. "What's wrong? Scared?"
The provocation worked instantly.
Torchic puffed up indignantly, squawking loud enough to echo off the rocks.
"Looks like we've got ourselves a match," Kai said with a grin.
He motioned for Eevee to step forward. The two Pokémon faced each other on the open clearing, about ten meters apart.
Kai didn't give any commands he wanted Eevee to handle it solo. After all, it had enough battle experience from its travels.
Torchic made the first move, rushing in and swinging its claw. Eevee dodged nimbly and countered with a headbutt, sending Torchic stumbling back.
Undeterred, Torchic inhaled deeply and spat out a burst of embers. Eevee rolled aside, singed but unhurt, and retaliated with a dazzling Swift attack.
The golden stars struck true, knocking Torchic flat.
"Got it," Kai murmured.
He tossed a Poké Ball.
With a flash of red light, Torchic vanished inside. The ball shook once… twice… then clicked shut.
"Nice," Kai said, picking it up with a grin. "Torchic, welcome to the team."
Erika smiled warmly as he released it again. "You were holding back, weren't you?"
"Just enough to make it fair," Kai said, crouching beside the small Fire-type.
After Erika treated both Pokémon's minor burns, Torchic eagerly accepted a meal from her cooking pot its shyness melting away in seconds.
Watching it play with Eevee and Celebi afterward, Kai couldn't help but laugh. "Guess we made a new friend."
Counting his partners, Kai realized he now had nineteen Pokémon in total—twenty-one if he included Latias and Latios from the Water Capital. Each one strong, each one bonded through real experience.
As the sun began to dip, they packed up and started back down the mountain.
Kai hummed softly as they walked, clearly in high spirits.
By the time they reached Petalburg City that evening, Torchic had already grown comfortable at his side, chirping cheerfully with every step.
Petalburg wasn't large, but it was well-known across Hoenn home to the powerful Gym Leader Norman, a man said to have once lived in Johto before moving here with his family.
Kai gazed at the Gym in the distance, eyes gleaming with determination.
"Tomorrow," he said quietly, "we'll see just how strong the Hoenn League really is."
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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