Alex woke up slowly, his body heavy from a deep, dreamless sleep.
For a few seconds, he just lay there, staring at the ceiling.
Then it hit him.
Last night.
Violet.
"...God, I wish I could sleep more," he muttered to himself, dragging a hand over his face.
But he knew better than to stay in bed. In this world, standing still meant falling behind.
Alex forced himself up and went through his routine. He brushed his teeth, took a quick shower, and changed into clean clothes. By the time he stepped out of the apartment, the morning sun had already begun to warm the streets of Sunrise Town.
He reached for one of his Poké Balls and released Ceruledge.
The tall, armored Pokémon materialized beside him, silent and imposing as always. The faint blue flames along its arms flickered softly in the daylight.
"Walk with me," Alex said.
Ceruledge nodded slightly and followed at his side.
As they walked, Alex's mind drifted back to the conversation from the night before. Violet's words echoed in his head.
I know a lot about you…
I want to join you…
I want to see how you grow…
Alex frowned slightly.
Something about her didn't sit right.
But at the same time… she wasn't wrong either.
He pushed the thought aside for now as they approached the mall.
Inside, the noise and movement returned instantly. Trainers browsing items, vendors calling out deals, Pokémon moving through the aisles. It was overwhelming, but also full of opportunity.
Alex walked straight toward the sections that mattered most.
TMs.
Potions.
Battle items.
He carefully examined each one, thinking strategically. A Flying-type Gym was his next target.
That meant speed.
Mobility.
Aerial pressure.
His current team had advantages, but also clear weaknesses.
"I'll need better coverage," he muttered.
After a while, Alex moved to a quieter corner and opened his bag. From it, he pulled several items he had taken from the Ancient Capital. Metallic fragments, rare stones, and other valuables scavenged during his exploration.
He sold them.
Not all of it.
Just enough.
The money he received wasn't huge, but it was enough.
With it, he bought essentials. Potions, antidotes, and a few basic items that could help in battle. Nothing fancy.
He couldn't afford luxury.
Only survival.
Once he was done, Alex stepped outside again, adjusting the strap of his bag.
"Next stop… Crimson Town," he said quietly.
The Flying-type Gym awaited him there.
And this time…
He was ready.
At least, that's what he told himself.
As he walked toward the exit of Sunrise Town, he slowed slightly.
Someone was standing there.
Waiting.
Violet.
Alex's expression hardened immediately.
"What are you doing here, Violet?" he asked.
She turned toward him, completely calm.
"I'm waiting for your answer," she said.
Alex crossed his arms slightly.
"Why are you so interested in me?"
For the first time, Violet's smile faded.
"I already told you my reasons," she said. "Now answer."
Silence stretched between them.
Alex looked at her carefully, analyzing every detail. Her posture. Her tone. Her eyes.
She wasn't lying.
But she wasn't telling everything either.
Still…
Alex thought about everything ahead of him.
The Gyms.
Team Rocket.
The war-torn regions.
The League.
And the truth he had already accepted.
He couldn't do everything alone.
"…Fine," Alex said after a moment. "I'll accept."
Violet's smile returned instantly.
"But only because I think I'll need help for what I'm planning," Alex added.
"Of course," she replied, stepping forward to walk beside him.
They began moving down the road together, leaving Sunrise Town behind.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Alex broke the silence.
"How did you get to this point?" he asked. "I want to know your story."
Violet didn't answer immediately.
Her expression shifted slightly as she looked ahead.
"When I was very young," she began, "I lived with my parents. My mother and my father."
Her voice was calm, but there was something buried underneath it.
"They were everything to me."
Alex stayed silent, listening.
"Then came that day," she continued. "The day of the war."
Alex felt a chill run through him.
He had read about it.
The conflict between regions.
The destruction.
But hearing it from someone who lived through it…
It felt different.
"My father was sent to fight against Unova," Violet said. "He never came back."
She paused briefly.
"We received a letter from the government two months after his death."
Alex clenched his jaw slightly.
"My mother couldn't handle it," Violet continued. "After months of depression… she killed herself."
Silence fell between them.
The forest path stretched ahead, quiet and endless.
"…I'm sorry," Alex said after a moment. "No one deserves that."
Violet glanced at him.
Her expression didn't change.
"That's in the past," she said. "I don't care about it anymore."
There was no sadness in her voice.
Only something colder.
"And I don't want your pity."
Alex didn't respond.
"Do you want to know the real reason I approached you?" Violet asked.
Alex looked at her.
"…Go on."
She smiled.
But this time, it wasn't friendly.
It was sharp.
Dangerous.
"I want revenge," she said.
The words hung in the air.
"And for that… I need strong allies."
She met his eyes directly.
"Don't you think?"
Alex stared at her for a moment.
Then he let out a quiet breath.
"You're crazy," he said.
Violet laughed softly.
"I know."
And just like that, the tension eased slightly.
The two of them continued walking down the path toward Crimson Town.
Two trainers.
Two ambitions.
Two very different reasons to grow stronger.
But now…
They were walking the same road.