Alex stared at his newly evolved Pokémon, a small smile forming on his face.
"Wow… you look incredible," he said.
Ceruledge stood tall in front of him, its dark armor reflecting faint blue flames that flickered like quiet spirits. The blades along its arms burned with ghostly fire, sharp and elegant.
"You've become really strong, haven't you, Ceruledge?" Alex added, still smiling.
Ceruledge did not visibly react. Its face remained calm, almost unreadable, but Alex had spent enough time with Charcadet, now ceruledge to notice the subtle signs. The way the flames along Ceruledge's shoulders burned slightly brighter. The relaxed stance it held.
It was proud.
And maybe even happy.
Alex nodded approvingly before turning toward the rest of his team.
Riolu stood with arms crossed, still alert but clearly satisfied with the victory. Grovyle leaned against a cracked stone pillar, breathing steadily after the fight with Arbok. Larvesta crawled slowly along the ground, tired but unharmed. Zorua sat quietly nearby, watching everything with its cautious yellow eyes.
Alex stepped into the center of them.
"You all fought well today," he said calmly. "Let's go home, okay?"
His voice softened slightly.
"We already got our new teammate. There's no reason to stay here anymore."
One by one, his Pokémon nodded or reacted in their own way.
With that, Alex began the long walk out of the Ancient Capital of Sinnoh.
The ruins slowly faded behind them as the forest swallowed the broken city again. The air felt lighter once they left the heavy atmosphere of the ruins, though Alex's mind was still replaying the battle against Team Rocket.
By the time they reached the road leading back to Sunrise Town, the sun was already beginning to set.
Their first stop was obvious.
The Pokémon Center.
The familiar red-roofed building welcomed them with warm lights and the quiet hum of healing machines. Nurse Joy greeted Alex with a professional smile, taking the Poké Balls and quickly beginning treatment.
After everything his team had endured, they deserved proper rest.
A short time later, Alex retrieved them all fully healed.
"Thanks," he said quietly before leaving.
From there he returned to the small apartment he had rented earlier that day. The moment he entered, exhaustion hit him all at once.
Without even bothering to change clothes, Alex collapsed onto the bed.
Within seconds, he was asleep.
Hours passed.
When Alex finally woke again, the sky outside the window had turned completely dark.
Night had taken over Sunrise Town.
Alex groaned softly as he sat up, running a hand through his messy hair.
He walked to the sink, brushing his teeth and splashing water over his face until he felt awake again.
Then his stomach growled.
"Right," he muttered.
Food.
Alex grabbed his jacket and stepped back outside into the cool night air.
Sunrise Town looked completely different at night. old worn out lights illuminated many streets, and a lively atmosphere filled the air. People gathered around vendors, music played faintly from open restaurants, and Pokémon moved freely alongside their trainers.
As Alex wandered through the town looking for something to eat, he eventually found a small port area filled with food stalls. The smell alone made his stomach tighten.
Grilled Magikarp skewers.
Rice bowls.
Sweet fried dough.
Alex bought a simple meal and sat down at a quiet table near the water, eating slowly while watching the dark ocean.
For a moment, everything felt peaceful.
Then someone sat beside him.
Alex didn't even look up immediately.
"Who are you?" he asked calmly.
The stranger didn't respond.
Alex frowned slightly and turned his head.
"Hey. Did you hear me?"
The person beside him finally spoke.
"Hello. My name is Violet. Nice to meet you, Alex."
Alex froze.
His eyes narrowed immediately.
"How do you know my name?"
The girl smiled calmly.
"Well… when you hear two Team Rocket members screaming for mercy," she said casually, "it becomes pretty easy to learn someone's name."
A cold feeling crawled down Alex's spine.
"How do you know that?" he asked quietly.
Violet's smile widened slightly.
"I know a lot about you, Alex," she said.
Her eyes were sharp and observant.
"I know your team. I know you want to win the League. I know you want to become Champion."
Alex's expression hardened.
"What do you want?"
Violet leaned back slightly in her chair.
"I have a proposal," she said. "I want to join you on your journey."
Alex blinked once.
"…What?"
"I want to see how you grow," Violet continued calmly. "You're interesting."
Alex's voice grew colder.
"And why would I accept that?"
Violet shrugged lightly.
"Because you don't hesitate to kill when you need to," she said bluntly. "Because your team is strong. And because you're improving faster than almost any trainer I've seen."
She leaned closer.
"Do you know how many people earn three badges within their first month as a trainer?"
Alex said nothing.
His eyes studied her carefully.
"And what exactly are you?" he asked.
Violet smiled.
Then she reached up and pulled back the hood of her cloak.
Long purple hair fell over her shoulders.
She was tall, almost as tall as Alex. Her posture was confident and relaxed, and she looked older than him, probably around twenty years old while Alex himself was only eighteen.
Her violet eyes shone with quiet amusement.
Alex stared at her for a moment.
Then he stood up.
"I'll think about it."
Without waiting for a reply, he finished his meal and walked away.
Back at his apartment, Alex lay down on the bed again.
But this time…
Sleep didn't come easily.
His mind kept replaying the same questions.
Who was Violet?
What did she really want?
Why him?
Hours passed before exhaustion finally forced his eyes closed.
Alex eventually fell asleep.
But the mystery of the strange woman would have to wait for another day.