Silver’s Journeys Chapter 3: The Gym Leader and The Egg They set out to Floaroma on a cold Saturday morning. The air was crisp, frost lay on the ground. Webs were stuck in between the trees. Cleo was nibbling Silver’s ear once again. Magenta was talking to Frea, trying to teach her gust. They reached the cave where Silver had first met his new best friend, Huey. They were going to visit him now so they could start their new adventure. His Poliwag, Tadpole, had tied with Cleo, Silver’s Spinarak, in their first ever battle. Huey was an amazing trainer and an even better friend. Magenta was Silver’s sister and had already beaten Gardenia and Roark with her Butterfree, Frea, and Sonic, Zubat. Silver had only won the Jubilife Tournament and had a ribbon to prove it. The duo arrived in Floaroma not long after leaving their own home. Tadpole was there to greet them as they left the cave. Huey was waiting at the mouth of the town. “You guys ready?” he asked. “Yeah, I think so” Silver said, “Cleo couldn’t sleep last night! So excited, the little devil.” “Frea! Gust!” A huge wind came from the Butterfree and blew Cleo away. She was thrown to the other end of the street. “Cleo!” Silver called. He ran down the narrow path to end up face to face with a guy in a hood. Cleo was in his arms. “What! Who are you? Why have you got my Cleo?” “To answer your questions in order, I, am Dreklin, Pokémon collector. Your Cleo, as you call her, is a very rare kind of Spinarak. This mark on her back, a butterfly, am I correct?” “Yes.” Silver never left his eyes. “Hmm… Your sister?” He gestured toward Magenta. “Is it just a coincidence that she has a Butterfree? Does it have a strange marking on its back?” “Yes. It does. It has a… spider” He whispered the last word to himself. “How do you know this?” “So many questions, so little time. Have your Spinarak back. But next time, it will be mine.” He turned away and threw Cleo above his head. She shot her string at Silver and landed on his shoulder. “Oh yeah. A friend told me to give one of these to all three of you.” He turned around again and walked towards them. He handed Magenta an egg with the top half pink and the other half black with red spots. To Huey, he gave a yellow egg with red zigzagging lines. To Silver, he gave a glare, then he stroked the Spider. “You will be mine, precious. Here. This yours.” He handed him a white egg with what looked like red and blue leopard print. “These Pokémon eggs represent life. The more you live as a trainer and care for them, the quicker they will hatch. My friend trusts all of you. So don’t fail! Or else.” He pulled his cape round and ran away. “Well that was… weird” Huey said. “Huey, I’d recognise that egg anywhere!” Magenta said, “You could be the proud owner of a…” “Hey! I recognise you! Come here! I want a rematch… or a date.” “Roark. Oreburgh Leader. Likes me. I don’t though. “Is that your brother you told me about? Ill battle him instead.” Roark said. “OK! You’re on!” Silver said. “No! Are you crazy? You have a bug-type. Useless against rock.” Huey said. “So I’ll just have to be careful then won’t I?” “We can’t battle here. Meet me in Oreburgh. Then we’ll get the party started.” Roark nodded down the road. Follow this path down, in Jubilife, turn left. Then follow the path again. Got it?” “Got it! And, you can’t go out with my sister. Ever heard of a guy named Falkner? Well… you figure it out.” Silver laughed and watched Roark walk away. “Idiot!” Huey said, “You need a water or grass type to fend off Roark’s Geodude, Onix and Cranidos! And you’re not borrowing Tadpole!” “Relax!” Silver said. Magenta was already half way up the road before she called. Cleo was on Frea’s back. Silver and Huey hurried after her. The small lakes were glistening in the sun. Magikarp were attempting to swim. Quilfish were stopping them from swimming. Route 204 was a lovely place. Trainers were teaching Pokémon how to battle. Then one guy ran up to another. “Wanna battle?” the kid asked. “Go away!” the other one screamed. “Sorry. I just wanted to…” All of a sudden the other kid rose up in a cloud of black smoke and appeared in the form of a legendary nightmare Pokémon. Darkrai. Darkrai then backed down and turned into a tiny Totodile. “This is your next Pokémon, Silver” an eerie voice said, “I know this for I am your guardian, Darkrai. I can sense that you are influenced by the night. I want you to go off this night and catch the Pokémon I told you to. I am only your guardian. Your destined helper. I do not serve any other trainer. I feed on nightmares and grow stronger, and wiser. Help me and you shall make many friends. I may not seem trustworthy, but I am your closest friend. Believe me.” With that the Darkrai faded away again. The light returned. Then blackness again. Silver was sweating, lying in his sleeping bag. He got up, woke Cleo and set off into the night. A single person was sitting, crying at one of the lakes. Silver approached him. The boy got up and walked away. A Poké Ball was lying where he was sitting. “Hey! You left your Ball!” The boy did not look back. He carried on and faded away. Was he sent by Darkrai? He shouldn’t tell his friends about this. But what did he mean ‘I am your closest friend…’? Scary. Silver opened the ball to find a Totodile inside. “OK. Scary.” The Totodile gave a yawn and fell asleep at Silver’s feet. Silver returned it and whispered to it: “Goodnight, Gator.” “Oreburgh City! I love it here. So much history.” “Yeah, right. See you later, Magenta!” Huey said. “Where are you going?” she demanded. “Training” Silver said, “Let’s go.” The two ran off into the mines. Magenta went to the museum. “Tadpole! Use Water Gun!” “Gator! Swallow it and spit back out!” The crocodile opened his jaws, swallowed the water, and then spat it out with twice the force. Tadpole fainted. “Awesome fight, Gator.” Silver picked him up and rubbed his head. “Good catch wasn’t he?” “Bloomin’ marvellous!” “Come on then, Roark! Bring it on!” Confidence was the key, the key to victory, and the egg.