Margo flinched at the whistle and she flinched again as Pawpaw came bounding out from the thick forest, her hair blowing past her shoulders and her eyes screwed shut. She chanced one eye open and watched Zvi whisper something to the dragon. She was glad she was on Pawpaw's good side as they all climbed aboard and began their departure from Cloud Temple.

But then something strange started happening, the sky brightening as the clouds seemed to part ways for something's arrival. The teen squinted, wondering if she had seen something fly down from the hole in the sky or if she was imagining things--based on Zvi's excited command to the Drampa, perhaps she wasn't the only one. And so they flew to the top of Cloud Temple once more and were met with the back of a majestic-looking bird pokemon.

It was a brilliant crimson color, its feathers glimmering in the sunlight that shone down upon it like a spotlight--the pokemon looked like it was sitting atop its throne in all its glory. Its tail feathers were a vibrant yellow, fading into an almost blinding white color at the tips. The colors on the bird reminded Margo of a campfire she had sat around with her family at one time or another, feeling herself starting to get choked up by this mythical pokemon. She fumbled around with her backpack as she continued staring at the bird, pulling out her pokedex hurriedly, as if she was going to miss this opportunity. Bringing the red square out and attempting to take a picture to get an entry on the pokemon, she sucked in a breath as the bird suddenly turned around.

Margo's hands dropped, unable to bring herself to look at the bird with anything other than her eyes. The fierce animosity in the bird's eyes was palpable, feeling as if their eye contact was never going to break. But then, it started to fly away from the kids, Margo feeling an overwhelming sense of panic as it started to leave. For a brief moment, Margo felt like she was floundering, like she couldn't survive if she wasn't going to be around this bird. Thankfully Zvi was more focused on following the bird than she would have first thought, quickly launching himself into action and asking Pawpaw to follow the beast.

Margo wrapped her arms gingerly around Zvi like he requested, immediately tightening her grip once Pawpaw began to gain altitude, chasing after Ho-Oh with much more gusto than she had given him credit for. Despite her fear, the teen left her eyes open, looking up at the beautiful rainbow overhead, that panic from before washing away at the serene colors above them. She felt like she was at peace now.

By the time Ho-Oh had lost the teens, Margo was deep in thought with their sighting of the legendary pokemon. She put her pokedex back in her backpack and with a little help getting down from Indy, she said her goodbyes to Zvi and Pawpaw, not many words coming from her in reference to the legendary pokemon. She felt like she would taint the memory if she talked about it so soon, not sure if she really wanted to share her feelings about it right away; Margo was selfish and wished to think on it a bit more for herself first.

As the pair made their way to Zanna town with Zvi's directions, they spent most of their walk in silence. Margo felt as if the two were just getting to know each other all over again now that Dan was gone, unsure of if she should say something about it or not. It was too fresh of a wound, she supposed, but every once in a while she looked over at Indy curiously, wondering if she could find something to say to him that might make him feel better, or perhaps if she should just distract him with her own musings. It was all up in the air for the time being.

However, after an hour of hiking, the duo made it to Zanna Town with all their limbs attached--although Margo felt as if her legs might fall off. "Man, I think after I'm done hiking around this region I'm going to be a body builder," The teen whined her words but secretly thought that having the legs of a kick boxer might be pretty sweet. She took a look around the new town they'd be staying at and looked at Indy expectantly. "So where to, first?"

Indigo was in awe.

As they climbed the ancient peaks of the mountains and rose to the tallest pillars of Cloud Temple, the clouds swarthed them. For a moment, everything was fuzzy and foggy.
But with Zvi's commands, the dragons raced to the top, bequeathing a sight upon them they would never forget. Even when he became old and gray, Indigo would look upon this moment for years to come, the memory as crisp and clear as it was at this instant.

At the top of the pillar was a pokemon Indigo had only seen in textbooks, cave drawings and ancient paintings at that. The legendary rainbow bird! Ho-oh was the physical manifestation of flames and color, mighty and magnificent as it bathed them in its lustrous glow. No description would have ever been enough for what they were seeing--or feeling, for that matter.

Indigo froze as his eyes became level with Ho-oh's. Those fierce, but wise eyes that hid hundreds of years of wisdom. They seemed to shift from every angle--hazel at first, turning into a fiery red, then becoming molten pools of gold. Indigo couldn't blink. They pierced into him, leaving no secrets behind.

Ho-oh... Would this deity hear his pleas? Would it spare him even a thought? He wasn't sure, but he had to try. Help me get Hero back, please. He was sure it might have been all for naught. What did Ho-oh think of him? It probably despised him. People like him were the reason humans never laid eyes upon Ho-oh after all.

He looked down, swallowing the lump in his throat. Then again, didn't the legends say Ho-oh only chose to appear before truly kind, pure-hearted trainers? If the stars had aligned and somehow he was seeing Ho-oh, then maybe there was hope for him yet. Maybe he had the capacity to become the type of trainer Ho-oh respected. I like the idea that I could improve... Whether it's true or not, it's what I have to believe to keep going. He exhaled. Ho-oh... Please believe in me.

Feeling a gust of air, his eyes snapped open as he saw Ho-oh flap its gigantic wings, leaving a trail of glittering light behind its wake. No! Was Ho-oh leaving already? His heart pounded in his chest. This couldn't end so soon! Maybe we can catch up... But as Ho-oh took off, it quickly became evident that their dragons speed could not match that of the legendary creature. Soon, the rainbow splendor that had just witnessed was reduced to a faint glow in the distance.

The exhilaration kept up for the rest of the ride to Zanna town. Much like Margo, Indigo was quiet and contemplative. There was so much to say about their experience, but the silence was more than enough.

Once they landed, Indigo wasn't sure where to go. But he knew that he wanted to go someplace quiet and peaceful.

Not exactly studious, the answer surprised him as it would have anyone. "I'm kind of feeling some place lowkey. How about the library?"

@prettydrops@iKatamalicious



Margo thought about it for a moment. It was a little unsuspected of Indigo to suggest going there. But she had no problem with the plan; it sounded as good as any. After all, looking at the Pokedex description of the town, it seemed like the library was its main attraction anyway.

And so, the to of them walked, following the map on their Pokedex. It was a sunny afternoon up here on the mountain top, but due to the elevation, it was still quite chilly. There weren't very many trees, and there weren't a ton of people here either. For the most part, the few people they did pass all had cameras hanging around their necks. It was hard to believe that anyone actually lived here to be honest.

They could see why someone would want to visit this place though. Its old stone buildings and interesting sculptures practically screamed culture and history. Any researcher worth their weight in sand would have to come here at some point.

Once they reached the town's center, there were more people around. Still mostly tourists, but there were more locals as well. Of course, most of these locals were the shop owners trying to peddle their artifacts. But Indy and Margo didn't spend much time looking at the store fronts. The tall, imposing library ahead of them was much more interesting. Its design was incredibly intricate, albeit chipped in places, and every street seemed to lead toward it.

As they reached the library's front door, a middle aged man with eyes bulging behind thick glasses step outside. He held the door open for the two young travelers with a quiet nod and a friendly smile. Stepping inside, Indi and Margo were greeted by a polite employee, who handed them a little pamphlet. The lady explained that the pamphlet was a directory, showing them where to find any kind of book they were looking for. As she spoke, they couldn't help but look around her shoulder. Down a short hallway, they could see a barren tree standing right in the middle of everything, but from their angle they, could only see its bottom half.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" The kind librarian asked.

Zanna Town upon first glance looked old, decrepit even, with its lack of shops or anything to do. There were hardly any houses, and the place seemed practically empty. But then there were things that stuck out, like researchers gathered around monuments, or some well dressed tourists posing by some sort of crumbling stone building. What Zanna Town lacked in attractions and business, it made up for in culture and history. Had Zanna been a person, it would have probably been some old, mysterious mage with great tales to tell from more powerful days.

Indigo was silent as he walked by Margo, still processing what had happened. As they came upon the library though, he did utter a "woah." The sheer way the building imposed on them was impressive enough, the detailed architectures was enough to bring tears to any scholar's eyes, but in the middle of the library grew a huge tree. The thick trunk which sprung up, though devoid of any foliage, still looked ready to bloom when the time came.

"This place is pretty cool," Indy whispered to Margo. As they were glancing about, the kindly librarian must have noticed their puzzled stares and unsure glances. After producing some pamphlets, she asked them what they were looking for.

Indigo exchanged a glance with Margo. "Maybe... a place with some old texts about legendary pokemon?" It was true that they could have looked up the information online, but the internet was filled with rifts of misinformation, any of which could make them fall down rabbit holes of wasted time and effort.

Besides, they were here, and Indigo wanted to at least indulge in the experience of going through some old books, just to say he'd had the whole Zanna Town experience.

Margaret nodded at Indy's soft exclamation at the beauty of the library. She put her hands into her backpack straps, tugging them slightly to keep a hold of herself. "This is pretty neat.." She murmured in agreement, staring at the large tree springing out from the library. She wondered how many pokemon called that majestic tree their home. It was more picturesque than any place they had been, in her opinion, and even pulled up the camera on her pokedex to take a quick picture or two for reference.

The teen didn't bother return Indigo's look until she felt his eyes on her, glancing his way and giving a shrug of indifference to his suggestion. "That would be good, hm?" She smiled at the librarian before leaning slightly to the side, looking around the woman at the tree again.

It really was almost magical, the smell of the old books and the serenity of the silence held within its wall.

@prettydrops@iKatamalicious



Margo and Indy spent hours wandering the library, but it didn't feel like it. There was something in the air guiding them along, like a quiet song in the distance. They browsed through book after book, each more interesting than the last but not quiet what they were looking for. The main problem was, with a Pokedex in hand and access to the internet, checking out any one of these books seemed redundant. Still, something urged them onward, ever higher up the towering library.

But even on the top floor of the library, they didn't find what they were looking for. They had walked up every floor to no avail. The only thing left to do now was peek over the railing and marvel one last time over how high they had climbed. As they did this, something strange happened.

One of the barren branches of the tree top began to move. From up here on the top floor, the limb that was moving was at eye level. It seemed to be shifting closer to them and growing longer before their very eyes, as if it were reaching out to touch them. The two could only watch in fascination. By the time the branch stopped moving, it was just out of arm's reach, a finger tip away.

Then, something even more astounding began to happen. From the tip of the branch, a pale white flower bulb began to grow. It grew larger and larger until it peeled open. In the middle of the newly formed white flower, there was a small pale grey book, that seemed to glow. It was finally clear, this was what was calling them.

Margo felt incredibly at peace as they wandered the floors of the library. It was like the Nacrene City library... almost, dare she admit it, better.

Her fingers danced across the spines of the books as they slowly made their way through, occasionally stopping to glance through some of the old pages. It was a little strange to be walking through here with Indy and not Dan but she tried not to dwell on it-- it was strange in general considering she would always go to her own local library by herself. Rarely did she have friends come with her unless it was a school project. It felt... nice to have someone accompany her to this safe place.

The time passed a lot quicker than she realized, and by the time they were at the top, Margo was delighted to look over the railing at the floors below them. "I think I would live here if I could," Margaret sighed dreamily, placing her elbows on the railing and resting her chin in her hands. She closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled the library air once more, the smell of the old books intoxicating.

However, her pause was shortlived as she heard creaking and cracking, like a tree giving way to a gust of wing. And, much like what came to mind, a branch from the grand tree growing in the library was reaching out to them and blossoming before their eyes. She hastily jumped back from the railing, more out of surprise than anything, and looked at Indy in disbelief, wondering if he was seeing what she was. With the book now revealed within this blooming flower, Margo shot another skeptical look at Indy before realizing one of them should probably take it before the branch decided to snatch it back-- she would jump off this floor if it suddenly decided they weren't chosen ones due to hesitance.

She cautiously took a step forward and picked up the book with dainty hands, careful to not touch the flower if she could help it. Bringing the book to her chest, she didn't take her eyes from the branch, returning to Indy's side and presenting the book before the two of them. "Don't see that in every library either, hm?" Margo still didn't take her eyes from this magic tree before the teens.

The old library was quiet, calm, though just a tad unsettling too. Perhaps it was just the fact that it was a new place, or maybe there was a secret the library was hiding around it's corridors or under the floorboards. In any case, Indigo followed along with Margo, exploring the various nooks and aisles. But there was something deliberate in the way they moved, whether they realized it or not.

It wasn't apparent at first. Indigo thought he was following Margo initially. But at some point he side-stepped her and--surprisingly--found himself knowing where to go. What and where the end result would be was far from clear, but Indy found himself pacing with more and more certainty towards whatever it was. They had their breaks-- flipping through books and picking up random tidbits of information here and there, but the urge to climb the floors of the library resonated stronger with each story they passed.

When they finally reached the top, Indigo lost the sense of direction he had before. But I... Was that a trick? I thought I was feeling something before..., he looked around the floor with Margo. Once again they weaved through the shelves, and while there were a plethora of interesting titles, nothing quite seemed to satisfy their curiosity. Feeling defeated, Indigo looked all around them with dissapointment. Was he crazy? Probably. Margo didn't seem very deterred however.

"I'll admit, this place is... Interesting," Indigo admitted while peering over the railing. "It's the weirdest thing-- I thought we were like, being called or something. I know it's crazy. This has been an insane day." Just as he finished, the huge tree in the center of the library seemed to move.

No, it was moving. One of the barren branches was extending towards them. Absolutely dumbfounded, Indigo could only exchange a bewildered glance with Margo and stumble back. Was anyone else seeing this? He looked around wildly. But the process was quick, and sooner than later a beautiful blossom with a book in its center flourished before them.

Margo was quick and delicate, swiftly obtaining the book before Indigo could say a word.

"I'll say. Did that really just happen?" Indigo's voice nearly shook. Had their encounter with Ho-oh had something to do with this? He gave Margo a glance before gently opening the book. The pages were blank, even as Indigo flipped through them. "No author or date or title, no words at all," he muttered, though what would they have expected really? "D'you think... Ho-oh had anything to do with this?" A nervous, unsure smile fluttered on his features. After the initial fear and surprise, the fact that a book had just blossomed out of a tree was beginning to sink in and it felt amazing. What mysteries did these bound pages contain? And how lucky were they, that this fantastic tome had just appeared out of thin air?

Zanna Town had some amazing secrets after all.

"What do we do next?" Indigo asked Margo. "Do you think we should tell anyone..." His words trailed off. Who would believe them? "Maybe we can ask the librarian about this tree... But not tell them anything, just ask, you know. I feel like we're gonna look crazy if we say this book came from out of nowhere." Shutting the book, he waited until Margo had it safely secured in her backpack. "Let's go ask."

Arriving back to the first floor entrance, Indigo spotted the librarian soon. "Excuse me, sir?" He made his way over. "Just wondering... Do you know anything about this tree here?" He pointed to the massive, dark brown trunk not far away from them. "When they built this library, did they build it around this tree or..?"

@Balthazar007

Arriving back to the first floor entrance, Indigo spotted the librarian soon. "Excuse me, sir?" He made his way over. "Just wondering... Do you know anything about this tree here?" He pointed to the massive, dark brown trunk not far away from them. "When they built this library, did they build it around this tree or..?"

The librarian Indigo stopped to talk to was a small elderly man. His wrinkled features made it seem as though he was frowning at all times, but his eyes shined with happiness.

The old librarian looked to the tree as he answered Indigo's questions. "Legend has it, this is the first tree, not only in Septoh, but in the entire world. While this can't be proven, it is safe to say that Zanna Town is the oldest town in all of Septoh. Geologists proved that to be true many years ago. This town was once an island peaking out of the sea. The mountains of North, Central, and East Septoh, rose out of the water many centuries later. Many centuries after that, the lower lying lands rose out of the water to connect the region into one giant land mass."

Before finishing his little history lesson, the old librarian turned his attention back to the two young trainers, a twinkle in his eye. "In almost every wise tale and legend about Septoh, there is mention of this tree. It is said that magical forces keep it alive... And yes, this library was built around the tree, not only as a spectacle, but also to protect the tree from anyone who would dare bring it harm... Not that anyone would, I would hope." The old man finished with a wide smile and closed eyes.

After a short moment of silence the smile on the librarian's face faded back to its normal frown. "I could go on and on all day about this place, but unfortunately, the library will be closing soon. If you don't have any books to check out, I'm going to have to ask you kids to be on your way so I can close up shop."

As the library closed and their history lesson finished, and Indigo was ushered out with Margo, the orang red gradient of the setting sun stretched out across the horizon. There weren't many hours of daylight left.

"Let's see where we can go next," Indigo fished out his pokedex, tapping the screen until he came to the region map. "Hmm... Zanna's connected to Shamba and Jimmal City." Closing in on the unfamiliar destination, he scanned the description. "Oldest city in Septoh. And it's... spiritual?" Those words were enough to get him to completely miss the other mentions of rising crime. Had he seen those statistics, he may have changed his mind about going. Fortunately or unfortunately however, he didn't.

"Jimmal sounds cool," he said, snapping his pokedex shut. "It's definitely a hike around Winding Pass. Kinda wish we had those flying pokemon right about now, right?" He quirked an eyebrow at Margo. "Says it takes ten hours to walk. We'll probably have to camp, but maybe we'll find some people or pokemon who'll give us a ride or something... Maybe some food... Oh right, the old man gave us some snacks."

Removing the pouch from his belt, he procured two simple sandwiches. With plenty of leafy greens, hearty thick seeded bread, and a rich slab of cheese in the middle, it was the perfect, filling snack to give him and Margo energy. "Surprised these even kept so long... That was good. Right? Oh yeah, he said not to throw away the bags... Guess I'll keep it on me."

He squared his shoulders. "Ready to go?"

Margo exchanged the same look at Indigo, not quite sure she was seeing the same thing as him. Why were the pages all blank? Were they written in some sort of ink that wasn't visible to the naked eye? She bristled at Indigo's question, not sure if that could have anything to do with this but something sent a shock through her nerves at the idea. Asking her what they should do next, the teen quirked her mouth. I mean... what should they do next?

Thankfully, Indy had a brilliant idea and thus she gave a quick affirmative nod as she put the book into her backpack delicately--taking extra care to push some of the extra things she had in it to the side to protect it. Following Indy's lead, she smiled politely at the grumpy-looking librarian as he turned around and looked them over.

Following his gaze, Margo stared at the tree as he spoke about its history, holding her backpack straps. By the time he was done and Margo looked at him once more, the man's frown was still plastered on his face. Glancing in Indigo's direction, she made a face that said 'sheesh.'

But the two left the library, and began to ponder what to do next. She peeked over Indigo's shoulder as he searched the map on his pokedex. She couldn't say she wasn't surprised that Indigo wanted to walk ten hours to Jimmal, but maybe he was full of surprises to learn about.

"Sounds like a plan to meeee~" She sung the last word, drawing it out a bit as she took the sandwich offered to her. Margo was ready to scold Indy for not remembering what the old man said about the bag, but apparently he was also a better listener than she thought. "Yea, sure, I'm ready to not feel my legs for the next couple days," Giving a nonchalant shrug, Margo took a bite of her sandwich and began to make her way towards Jimmal, Winding Path taunting the two trainers before they even started.

@iKatamalicious@prettydrops

An hour and a half into Indy and Margo's hike down winding pass, the sun had long since set. With the bad lighting, they had already overlooked many wild Sudowoodos on the forest's edge. Beyond that however, there weren't many other Pokemon to be missed. All the other Pokemon of this route were going to bed around this time, besides the universally found Dark (Alolan) Rattata.

Then, off the side of the mountain, they could see something (or someone) working their way up the path very quickly. It was a man, riding on the back of a Bouffalant that was charging up the mountain. Just in front of them, a Hoothoot scouted the road ahead. Of course, all these details would be missed in the dark, but the vague outline of something moving up the pass was unmistakable.

At the current speed, the figure in the dark would be passing by Indy and Margo within the next ten minutes, if not running them over instead.

Indigo shivered. As the day's light dropped, so did the temperature of the mountain face they were currently traveling on. Remembering he had a fire pokemon, he clicked the release button on Hawka's pokeball.

Normally coming out with a screech and her claws extended, Hawka's pose was much more relaxed as she saw there was no battle to best. The heat from her body radiated around her and Indigo motioned for Margo to closer.

"At least it'll be a little warmer... We may need to camp soon." He glanced up at the sky. Margo gave a quick thank you, smiling at Indy's kind gesture. "The stars don't pop out as much when you're in the city. I think my first night as a trainer, I camped out at Muzin Beach and noticed that too."

"Yeah, I get that," Margo replied, pulling a frayed thread on the end of her sweater sleeve. Thinking back to her first day of her journey brought up a lot of feelings she wasn't sure how to address."Unova's full of really big cities, and you have to go out far to catch the stars sometimes. I camped out at Muzin Beach my first night, too!"

"Really? I guess that makes sense. I mean, the first thing you do when you get your pokemon is go to the beach and have fun." Indigo was silent. "That's where I got Hero from. From the forest that goes to Muzin, I mean. He tried to protect me from an angry Rattata." Indigo laughed, but it sounded empty.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure you'll find Hero..." Margo tried to think of what to say, but words were failing her. She glanced at Indigo sympathetically, her brows knitting together.

"Oh no, no, don't worry about it," Indigo said quickly. "I didn't mean to get all down-"

"No, you're okay!" Margo waved her hands. "It's good to talk about your feelings. Makes it easier to get through them." She realized she should probably take some of her own advice, but let that thought slip out of her mind carelessly.

"Thanks," Indigo replied, feeling grateful. Margo was an easy person to talk to. "Say, about earlier with that Ho-oh and book..."

But just as they tried to talk the events previous, a figure seemed to be coming up the mountain. A large, threatening figure coming up too quickly for Indigo's liking. Hawka tensed, growling, looking up at Indigo and back at the hulking shadow that was heading their way.

"What is that?!" He looked at Margo frantically, the ordeal at Pewter flashing through his mind. Was something coming after them, sent by the robbers from before? Or was it just a wild pokemon? Margaret was quick to grab her own pokeball and release Crowne, the Wartortle popping out of his shell dramatically in the air before landing with a cloud of dust from the trail. The pokemon glanced around, looking for Margo and giving her a stubby thumbs up before turning his attention towards the mysterious figure barreling towards his trainer.

Indy squinted through the darkness before remembering Mimzy. "Wait, I can get Mimzy to see it for us!"

Mimzy came out with a perfectly timed hop, but there was hardly any time for praise. "Mimzy, Foresight!"

Mimzy's eyes glowed an ethereal blue before unleashing a wave of light. The illuminating energy washed over everything before them, revealing some pokemon hiding in their area, but the figure was too far away to be identified.

Would it be too late if they waited until it got closer? Indigo thought.

Margo wasn't wasting any moments either. "Crowne! Get a Water Pulse Ready!"

"Get ready guys..." He braced himself.

"HEY, KIDS, OUT OF THE WAY!" The shadowy figured shouted from a ways away. As the figure came closer, Mimzy's Foresight revealed a man riding a Boufflant, a feathery and small Hoothoot fluttering in front. "I've got some mail to take care of-!" He raised a saddlebag, lumpy with letters and packages, as if to prove his point. But some of the contents spilled suddenly. A few boxes and an envelope drifted out. "Woah- Oh no!"

"We gotta help him," Margo was gone without even a blink of hesitation. She managed to catch the fluttering envelope while Hawka, Mimzy, Indigo, and Crowne, divebombed for the packages. Just as the man on the Bouffalant was stepping off his trusty pokemon, Indy and Margo were there with the mail.

"Sorry about that," Margo took the lead in conversation. "It was so dark and-- we just didn't know what was coming up the mountain. We thought it might have been some wild pokemon or something after us..." She shrugged, offering a sheepish smile. Indigo nodded. "I'm Margo, and this is Indigo..."

"Sorry about that," Margo took the lead in conversation. "It was so dark and-- we just didn't know what was coming up the mountain. We thought it might have been some wild pokemon or something after us..." She shrugged, offering a sheepish smile. Indigo nodded. "I'm Margo, and this is Indigo..."

"I'm Ronaldo." The man answered with a serious face. "And it's okay. I should have been more careful. I'm way ahead of schedule anyways." He then took a deep breath and collected himself. "So are you two new trainers? You have to be since your not riding a Pokemon. Would one of you be up for a battle? I just know some of my Pokemon are getting ready to evolve, I'd love to get them some experience."

Indigo exchanged glances with Margo. "Do you-?" Margo shook her head before he could finish his sentence.

"No, I'm good! You need to train more than me anyways. Last I recall, I beat you."

Indigo rolled his eyes. "Right. Well, Ronaldo, I guess I'll help you out." Though Indy didn't exactly want to battle, he couldn't say no to someone who wanted their pokemon to evolve.

An hour later, and Indigo's pokemon were thoroughly exhausted. Hawka, Mimzy, Neon, and Kovi had certainly met their match, evident by the way they sprawled out on the ground, panting. Healing up his newly evolved pokemon with super potions and the like, Ronaldo was beaming at his new proud Fearow and wise Noctowl.

"That was close," Indy said, wiping sweat off his brow. "But it looks like you did it. That's awesome."

"I can't even be mad," Ronaldo said happily. "This is just magnificent-- look at Hoot and Screech!" The Noctowl and Fearow respectively rose their heads, looking equally overjoyed.

"Pretty sure if I hadn't gotten a critical hit at the last second, it would have been way harder for me to pull off," Indigo conceded.

Ronaldo tossed a few berries and super potions at him. "Ha, maybe. But go ahead and heal your pokemon too! It's the least I can do. If you guys are heading this way, you've gotta be going to Jimmal City. And you'll need all the strength you can get. Thanks again for helping me out with my pokemon."

"I'm not the one to thank," Indigo said with a smile. He stretched out and arm and Kovi perched delicately, while Mimzy ran up for pats. Hawka preened herself and Neon seemed to be absorbed with examining everything around them. "Good job, guys." At least we got to help someone out... And I can't believe I won. Ronaldo had some tough pokemon. Maybe when we get to our first contest...

After healing up his pokemon and the final thanks from Ronaldo, Indigo and Margo were out once again. Not wanting to walk the entire night however, they set up camp, pitching a tent and starting a crackling fire.

"So, about what happened earlier..." Indigo said, twirling a stick with a marshmallow on top. They were toasting marshmallows by the fire now, having finished dinner. "Today's been a day, huh? Like, too insane for words."

"I'll say," Margo agreed. Beside her, Crowne was curled up, his fluffy tail wrapped snuggly around himself. She absentmindedly stroked the turtle pokemon's shell. "I almost can't talk about it. It feels so emotional? Like I'm getting choked up or something."

"What do you think about us seeing Ho-oh?" Indigo lowered his voice to a whisper.

"I haven't got any guesses," Margo shrugged, the light of the fire illuminating her wistful expression, only puncutuated by the inky night around them. "There's legends that say Ho-oh reveals itself before pure-hearted trainers. But..."

"I don't think I'm pure hearted," Indigo mumbled. "I'm not trying to diss myself either. I just don't know if that's it."

Margo wasn't sure what to say. Gone was the initial anger she had towards Indigo for abandoning his Burmy, but she couldn't honestly vouch for his prowess as a trainer. "If it makes you feel better, I don't think I'm pure-hearted either." She chomped off a golden brown piece of marshmallow. "I mean, I haven't really done anything great. And I don't think I'm a very nice person all the time. Not as nice as I could be."

"That's not true, you're always nice," Indigo said. Margo looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"You think I'm nice?"

"Yeah, you're nicer than me anyways," Indigo responded. "I mean you can be a little annoying. But you're a good kid, Margo."

"I guess you're not too bad either," Margo murmured. There was some silence as the conversation lulled, but Margo spoke up again. "It was like Ho-oh knew me." Her eyes sparkled. "And I felt like I would die, which I know sounds crazy."

"We saw a legend," Indigo reaffirmed. Both looked at each other with light in their eyes, the sober mood of the conversation turning into a happier one. "I can't believe it happened." Indigo was all a grin.

"Ho-oh, and then that book!" Margo was giddy. "Maybe-- maybe it doesn't even matter about being pure hearted or whatever. Maybe this is all about proving ourselves when things happen. Maybe it's more about what we do, and who we're going to be, what we're going to work towards..."

"Like potential," Indigo finished. "Hey wait, can we look at that book again?" As Margo took the hardcover bound book out of her backpack, she opened it once more, her fingers tracing the page with hesitation, as if she had to restrain herself from excitedly flipping through.

"That flower and that tree, and Ho-oh. Maybe it's connected."

The speculation went on for another few hours. The trainers couldn't help themselves, there were infinite possibilities to sift through. There was magic, perhaps even something cosmic at work. But no matter what theories they conjured, it was soon time for rest. They would have to be up early if they wanted to reach Jimmal City by early afternoon. Retiring to bed, they set out once more as soon as they awoke. Winding Pass was no doubt exhausting, but it became easier as Jimmal City came into view from the horizon. And before they knew it, they had reached the Jimmal pokemon center, readying themselves to explore the city.

[Edited]

Pleasantly surprised by her companion's graceful win, Margo gave a small applause once the battle was over and the two exchanged words. Indigo even attempted to push his win off to luck--which maybe it was--but it was obvious that he was learning to be a better trainer. At least, to her it was obvious.

Crowne seemed a little disheartened about not battling but she insisted he go ahead and watch to learn a thing or two. The Wartortle happily made rounds around Indy's pokemon, giving them happy little chortles of encouragement as they panted and attempted to catch their breath.

Margo smiled warmly at Indy as he turned back at her as Ronaldo went on his way, clasping her hands behind her back as he rejoined her. "Good job, Indigo. You guys really looked like you were cooperating together," She gave him a wink, almost quick enough that it went unnoticed, before they began to make their way to Jimmal once again. It wasn't long before the two of them decided to stop and camp for the night.

~~~

Margaret looked around the large city, buildings towering over them ominously. It was a bit jarring to be in such a big industrial city, she was beginning to realize. It was like when she went to Castelia City to catch a boat and leave Unova in the first place--it was much scarier when she was on her own. A quick glance at Indigo made her feel a little better, Crowne looking up at her excitedly on her other side. Margo leaned down and took her Wartortle's chubby hands in her own and whispered a few words to him before recalling him to his pokeball, a slight pout scribbled on his face.

"Well... That was quite a walk, huh? My legs were sore when I woke up, but it feels like it's going to be worse tomorrow." Scanning their surroundings, Margo stopped on the nearby pokemon center, jerking a thumb in its direction. "How about we go wash up real quick. I can smell you from a mile away." She snickered, skipping her way towards the center with an indignant Indigo in tow, making their way inside and going towards their complimentary rooms upstairs.

Margaret took a long shower--probably longer than she realized--and laid down on the comfy bed. She let herself relish in the soft mattress for an extra twenty minutes before finally making her departure and sitting at the cafe downstairs. She put her chin in her hand and tapped her fingers against her cheek as she waited for Indigo to rejoin her.

"Aren't you signed up already? Today's the last day! The starting rounds are tomorrow! Leah, you're such a scatter-brain."

"Whaaa? I thought it was next weekend!"

"It's the last Friday of the month, c'mon, you know the festival always falls on that day."

"Maybe contests aren't for me, I can't seem to keep all the dates and locations straight in my head..."

Margo's interest was piqued at the mention of a festival but it was extinguished at the thought of a contest. She liked to watch them on television but the idea of doing one herself was terrifying--stage fright didn't even begin to describe it.

Indigo joined her after a few more minutes and she gave a quick wave to make sure he saw her at the table.
"Hey, so, what do you want to do? Those girls over there were talking about a contest happening tomorrow... That's something you're into, isn't it?" Sometimes Margo pretended she didn't remember things about people, just to save her the embarrassment when they didn't remember things about herself. But she was beginning to learn that people found it sort of endearing when she mentioned something they had told her months prior. Still though, the look of detached interest stayed on her face as she watched Indigo's reaction to her suggestion.

While she wasn't planning on participating herself, perhaps she could be a point of reassurance for Indy during the contest tomorrow--if he did happen to join in the festivities. Perhaps she could find something to occupy her time for today in the mean time. That book seemed like a good place to start, and with Jimmal being the 'spiritual capitol,' maybe she'd find something useful towards finding the meaning to this blank book.

As soon as they reached the pokemon center, Indigo rushed to clean himself up and get changed. Once we have actually flying types, it's gonna be so much easier to travel, he thought as he ordered clothing from his PC storage. After freshening up, he headed down the stairs to see Margo waiting.

"Hey, so, what do you want to do? Those girls over there were talking about a contest happening tomorrow... That's something you're into, isn't it?"

He blanked. "A contest?" His eyes followed Margo's indication towards the girls who were talking about the event. "I mean, I'm definitely into it." His quick response lapsed into silence. "I'm just a little worried though. It's gonna be my first one and there's gonna be a huge crowd. I don't even know if anyone on my team's ready..."

Margo squinted. "Do you want to do it or not? You could make up excuses for why you don't want to, but I feel like it's better if you just enter. The only way your pokemon are gonna get really prepared is if they do more contests anyways."

"It's not that simple!" Indy protested, feeling called out for no reason. It was easy for Margo to sit and make judgements, he thought. She didn't know what he was going through, how difficult contests were! "I don't want to set myself up for failure. You have to prepare, you know."
"Oh come on Indigo Rose," Margo chided. "Sounds like someone's getting cold feet."

"I'm getting up," Indigo said, pushing his chair while he stood up. Making his way over to the other trainers he offered a short wave. "Hey, I heard you guys talking about registration. Just wondering if you could walk me through what you have to do..."

Margo watched curiously, her chin resting in her hand. Indigo proceeded to talk some more, as did the other trainers. They all took out their pokedexes, and the girls seemed to pointing at his device and theirs. The conversation was short and Indigo came back looking surprised and perhaps a little drained.

He slunked in his chair. "It was super simple, just an online thing done with our pokedexes. I'm registered..." He didn't sound happy, Margo noted. "I'm getting nervous..."

"That's understandable, but I'm sure it'll be fine," Margo reassured. "Just remember, you're in this to learn. Not to win. Coordinating isn't just competition. It's you and your pokemon expressing a specific depth through technqiue. If you think more about doing that, and you see how other trainers do it, winning or losing won't matter that much." A line from some Breeder guide that touched on other pokemon professions. Margo was proud of herself for remembering it. I sound awesome.

Indigo blinked. Had Margo always been this insightful? In any case, perhaps she was right. This was his first contest, and no matter how much he prepared, there was much to learn and refine. Perhaps if he focused more on learning and improving himself at this contest, the anxiety about winning or losing wouldn't affect him as much. Focus more on learning instead of winning... "Thanks, Margo. I'm going to try and take that advice, actually."

She beamed. "Anytime!"

As they finished their lunch, Indigo found himself feeling sleepy. It was no wonder, they had hiked for a long time and had only just arrived at the city. After some conversation, the two decided they'd rest properly. After all, Indigo couldn't train with his pokemon if he wasn't feel alert, and Margo hardly felt like exploring since she was tired too.

Day elapsed into night as the trainers napped for the rest of the day. Indigo decided, as he drifted off to sleep, that he would get some more practice in before the contest started.

@prettydrops@iKatamalicious

Margo and Indigo needed the day of rest more than they realized. And in-between naps, they found plenty to do within the Pokemon Center itself. There was a place to get massages, a hot-tub, a community pool, and the cafeteria was full of food, day or night. This was the largest Pokemon Center they'd ever stayed at, and they were loving it. Before they knew it, it was already the next morning. Well rested, it was time to get back to business.

Indigo had yet to practice like he promised himself he would, but procrastinating any further would only spell disaster come later today. While Margo, still had a mysterious book with mysteries waiting to be solved.

Margaret woke up feeling refreshed, better than she had felt in the last couple days, at the very least.

She had split up with Indy for a bit yesterday as they decided to do play it lazy and she went and got a massage with her pokemon in the center--it was a bonding experience, her pokemon all acted as if they deserved it and were glad to oblige their trainer's suggestion. A big lunch, some catnaps in the sun outside the center, and some sketching of her snoozing pokemon; before she knew it, Margo was ready for bed.

After a quick shower and dressing in some shorts and a t-shirt, the trainer was out in the sun and wandering the city of Jimmal with an itching curiosity about the blank book in her backpack. Wulford was joining her today, hovering above her head and giving her some slight shade as they walked through the streets, Crowne toddling along with her as well. The Wartortle and Spearow didn't get along very well, but when they had a good distance separating them, they tended to ignore each other, thankfully. Margo was still learning the intricacies of 'parenting' and keeping certain pokemon away from each other due to their personality differences--or, perhaps, their similarities.

Margo was pleasantly surprised by the liveliness of the city with the festival starting this weekend. Booths and shops were set up on the streets, signs designating what one would find in the various tents set up for the entertainment. A quick glance at her pokedex told her she had plenty of time before Indigo said the contest would be starting--after the speech she had to give him to get his butt in gear in the first place, she wanted to make sure she'd be there to cheer him on. Indigo didn't seem like the type to ask for help, even when he needed it, so she took it upon herself to be there for him. Even if it may become overbearing.

Margaret let her mind wander as she walked, not really looking for anything in particular. Crowne, on the other hand, was drawn towards everything and anything.

The Wartortle tugged on his trainer's shirt suddenly, pointing excitedly and chattering as a Spoink seemed to bounce and dance around the entrance of a navy blue tent, the chalkboard outside reading: 'Come inside my dear, a fortune lies in wait for you here.'

Margo was weary of the odd sign, but Crowne was adamant. Wulford seemed to feel his trainer's hesitancy, perching upon the top of the tent and looking at her with a tilted head. Crowne continued to pull at his trainer's shirt though, the teenager sighing in defeat as she followed the Wartortle inside, the Spoink giving little 'oinks' of excitement of a new customer. Wulford kept his place atop the tent, ready to leave with his trainer when she was ready--he liked the feel of the sun on his feathers anyways.

Upon entering the psychic's domain, Margo was surprised by the darkness of the tent despite the bright sun outside. There were dim purple string lights along the perimeter of the tent and candles lit on various surfaces around the shop. Bright eyes wandered the tent, noting the knick knacks around--figurines of ghost-type pokemon, thick leather-bound books, incense burning and creating a hazy atmosphere, stacks of cards littered about, even some large glittering rock formations. A yelp involuntarily left her lips as the Spoink from before seemed to multiply, the little grey pigs suddenly pouncing around her in greeting.

"Ah, don't worry about my crystals. We don't usually get many visitors during this festival--Halloween is our more busy time of the year," A voice chuckled from deeper inside the tent, a person sitting at a table at the center. The table had a beautiful black cloth over it with constellations decorating it and a large pink crystal ball atop a throne--it looked like a larger version of the pearls atop the Spoink's heads.

Margo made her way closer to the table to get a better look at the fortune teller, despite a slight nagging feeling of keeping her distance from this strange person. Crowne didn't seem too skeptical, chattering among the six Spoinks that were circling him excitedly while his trainer went to take a better look at this psychic reader.

"W-who are you? Do you read tarot cards or something?" Her eyes scanned the table for anything else besides the crystal ball and found nothing, an arched brow towards her new companion. "The whole crystal ball thing is a little over-played at this point, don't you think?"

"W-who are you? Do you read tarot cards or something?" Her eyes scanned the table for anything else besides the crystal ball and found nothing, an arched brow towards her new companion. "The whole crystal ball thing is a little over-played at this point, don't you think?"

The old woman across from Margo, wore a deep purple cloak that hid most of her features. In fact, it would almost be impossible to tell she was a woman. It was her grandmotherly voice that gave her away. "I suppose it is." The lady agreed calmly. "But this is not a crystal. It's a pearl. So it's fine... Please, have a seat." Upon saying this, the woman waved at the chair across from her, which moved on its own to allow Margo enough room to sit. "You have more pressing questions to ask. Do you not?"