The morning sun rose over the desert like a physical weight, pressing down on our campsite with immediate, searing heat. There was no time for a slow breakfast or a leisurely pack-up. After a quick inventory, the reality of our situation was clear: our canteens were nearly light enough to float. The desert had claimed more of our water reserves than I had anticipated, and the shimmering heat haze on the horizon was a grim reminder that we were still a long trek from relief.
"We need to move," I said, hoisting my pack and tightening the straps. "Speed is our priority now. If we don't reach Lavaridge Town by nightfall, we'll be spending the night thirsty."
Clara nodded, but her attention was clearly divided. In her right hand, she clutched the Poké Ball containing her new Trapinch as if it were a rare jewel. She didn't just hold it; she stared at it with a gaze so intense and affectionate it bordered on the obsessive. Throughout the first hour of our trek, she barely looked at the path, her thumb tracing the curve of the red-and-white sphere over and over again.
After miles of watching her dote on the inanimate object, I couldn't help but let out a dry, exasperated huff.
"Alright, alright, I get it," I muttered, my voice raspy from the dry air. "You're happy. You're excited. But honestly, Clara, the way you're staring at that ball is almost… well, it's a bit much. It's starting to get a little 'disgusting' how much you're mooning over it. Watch where you're stepping before you twist an ankle."
Clara didn't look offended; instead, she turned toward me, her eyes bright with a dream-like shimmer. "He's going to be like the ones in the valley," she said softly, her voice filled with wonder. "He'll have wings. He'll fly through the sandstorms like a spirit. I can see it already."
I softened my tone slightly, though the heat made it hard to be truly patient. "He will, eventually. But it's a long road. A Trapinch doesn't just wake up with wings one morning. First, he has to become a Vibrava. That's the middle stage. They're faster, and they start to develop those ultrasonic hums, but they aren't the titans you saw back there yet."
I watched her process this, her mind clearly sketching out the evolution of her new partner. "The time you spend with him now, as a Trapinch, is what builds that strength," I added. "You can't rush the growth. It's fixed by nature. You have to earn those wings through the miles we walk."
She nodded solemnly, tucking the ball back into her belt, though her hand remained resting on it, a silent promise to the creature inside.
The terrain began to shift as we approached the jagged foothills of Mt. Chimney. The sand gave way to cracked earth and volcanic rock. Because of the uneven ground, I was trailing slightly behind Clara, keeping an eye on the rear.
Up ahead, a figure appeared from behind a large basalt pillar. They were moving at an aggressive pace, head down, seemingly oblivious to anything in their path. The stranger was dressed in a heavy, black hooded suit that looked entirely too warm for the desert climate. It was an odd, utilitarian outfit that masked their features completely.
"Clara, look out!" I shouted, seeing that neither of them was slowing down.
It was too late. The stranger slammed into Clara with enough force to knock her sideways. She tumbled into the dust, and the Poké Ball she had been holding so tightly slipped from her fingers, clattering across the hard ground.
"Watch where you're going, brat!" a muffled, harsh voice barked from beneath the hood. The man didn't stop to help her up. He didn't even check to see if she was hurt. He merely adjusted his hood, cast a quick, suspicious glance toward me, and continued stomping off in the opposite direction—toward the deep desert we had just escaped.
I rushed forward, my hand instinctively dropping to my own belt. "Hey! You want to apologize?" I called out, but the stranger ignored me, his silhouette quickly becoming a dark blotch against the shimmering sand.
"Clara? Are you alright?" I asked, reaching down to help her up.
She was already on her knees, lunging for the Trapinch's Poké Ball. She wiped the dust off it with her sleeve, checking for cracks with frantic movements. Once she satisfied herself that it was unharmed, she looked up at me. To my surprise, the shock had already faded, replaced by that same resilient, happy glow.
"I'm fine," she said, brushing the dirt from her knees. "He's fine. Let's keep going. Lavaridge is close, isn't it?"
I frowned, looking back at the receding figure in black. Who was traveling into the heart of a desert on foot, dressed like that, and in such a violent hurry? The identity of the man bothered me, but with our water running out, I couldn't afford to give chase.
As the afternoon light began to mellow into a soft amber, the air changed. The bone-dry heat of the desert was replaced by a heavy, sulfurous humidity. We crested a final ridge, and there, nestled in the caldera-like shadows of the great volcano, lay Lavaridge Town.
It was a sight for sore eyes. The entire town seemed to be breathing; thick, white plumes of steam rose from the ground, curling around the traditional wooden buildings. These were the famous hot springs—the onsens—that drew travelers from across Hoenn. The "white fog" hung low over the streets, smelling of minerals and wet stone, a stark and welcome contrast to the stinging sand we had endured for days.
"We made it," I breathed, feeling the moisture in the air settle on my parched skin.
Clara stared at the steam with wide eyes. "Is the ground on fire?"
"No," I laughed, the first real laugh I'd had in a while. "It's the volcano's heart keeping the water warm. It's healing. And more importantly, it means there's plenty of water."
We didn't stop to sightsee just yet. Our priority was clear. We moved through the misty streets, past locals lounging in the public footbaths, until the familiar red roof of the Pokémon Center came into view.
"First, we get the Pokémon checked out," I said, pushing open the glass doors and feeling the glorious blast of air conditioning. "Then, we find a place to wash off this desert dust. I think we've earned a long soak."
Clara followed me in, finally uncurling her fingers from the Poké Ball to place it on the counter for Nurse Joy.