Chapter 20: My Biggest Fan


     I was so happy to leave the next morning. I wasn't too keen at the
thought of going through the Petalburg Forest, but I was dying to get to
Petalburg and battle my father.

     Nathan and I spoke nothing of what had happened the night before,
but instead told our companions of the odd people that we had met
previously at route 104, like the girl who wanted Nathan to marry her
and the boy who wanted me to sign his shorts. By the time we got into
the forest, we were rolling with laughter.

     I, however, had flashbacks rolling through my head. Flashbacks of
when we had run into Taylor here. He was undoubtably pissed at me for
seeming like I didn't care when he apologized. I really did care, I
thought it was sweet, but even if I did tell Taylor that, he wouldn't
much care.

     I wondered if Taylor would be waiting for us to pass through so
that he could ambush us, but I doubted it. I hadn't seen any Team Magma
members lately, though we typically passed one or two on every route.
They had to be planning something big.

     We all talked the whole time while we were in there, and the forest
didn't seem so intimidating with all the constant chatter. I'm sure we
annoyed the trainers there, but I didn't really care. It was making me
feel better.

     The sunshine was bright as we walked out of the forest. It was like
being dropped inside a lightbulb. I had to blink and even through the
talking of my friends, I heard a small, hopeful little voice. "Are you
Jenn Frost?"

     I looked to both sides of me and finally, down in front of me, was
a small girl, probably no older than seven. She had the saddest eyes I
had ever seen and wispy brown curls, a little lighter than my own. She
was adorable, a living doll. "Yes, I am. What's your name?"

     "Danielle. I'm your biggest fan!" she exclaimed and she was
beaming. I, however, was absolutely and completely lost. So were my
friends, judging by the looks on their faces.

     "Um... I'm sorry to seem dumb, but what are you talking about?"

     "Didn't you used to live in Sunnydale?" she asked me and I nodded.
"I used to, too."

     Then, suddenly, I got it. Or I thought I did. "Wait a minute... Are
you talking about when Team Rocket was there?"

     She nodded vigorously. Josh, Vicky and Zach still looked confused.
I had failed to tell them about my triumphs in Johto. Only Sam and
Nathan knew what I was talking about.
I had gone out with Sam just barely two weeks after the first time they
had been defeated.

     "My parents used to love you. They said you brought such honor to
our city. They were proud to live in Sunnydale." Why was she talking in
past tense? Had something happened to her parents since then?

     "But," she continued. "The second time Team Rocket came, they died.
So did my sister, Alex." Alex... Wait a minute! That was Brooke's old
friend! Brooke had been walking home with her the day that they had
returned and Alex had been shot.

     "Did Alex have blonde hair?" I asked her delicately and she nodded
again. I hadn't been able to stand Alex, but I wished that she was
alive, for the sake of her younger sister. I hadn't even remembered that
Alex had a younger sister.

     "They shot her while she was walking home with her friend, Brooke,"
Danielle told me and it made me overwhelmingly sad. 

     I looked down and saw the sun glinting off my silver necklace. It
was my favorite thing in the world, I didn't know why that was so, but
it was. It was a simple chain, and I loved it to death. Ryan Nickels,
one of my ex-boyfriends in Johto, had given it to me and even after he
broke up with me, I hadn't been able to throw it away.

      I unfastened the clasp on the necklace and clasped it again, only
it was hanging over Danielle's neck instead of my own. It was breaking
my heart, but I knew what I had to do.

      "There. Some people get an autograph, but you can have my most
favorite necklace. Now you can say that you've met me and if other
people give you sh- I mean, crap, then don't listen to them. Just
believe in yourself and you can do anything. Maybe one day you'll save
the world." 

     "Thank you," she said quietly. "Maybe one day I'll be as great as
you." I grinned down at her and she beamed up at me.

     "Danielle!" called an older woman's voice. A woman with a strict
face ran to where we were standing, followed by half a dozen children.
 
     "I'm sorry, was she bothering you?" asked the woman, out of breath. 

     "Not at all. She's delightful," I said with a grin. 

     "That's nice to hear. Now come along, Danielle."

     "Yes, Mrs. Thorenson," she said politely and then she looked back
at me one more time. I gave her a final smile and a little wave and then
she left.

     I turned back to my friends. "Is there something you're not telling
us, Jenn?"

     I smiled innocently. "Well, you see, it all began a year ago..."