Battle Scar 「POKEMON」

36 | VITA FESTIVAL

Trees.

It was practically everywhere. Each time he turned his head around, it was like every building he could think off was somehow made out of trees, houses, malls, apartments, even the Pokemon Centre seemed to be made out of trees.

"Wow," was all Ethan could say.

"It's so.... green," Chloe joked.

"So this is Fortree City huh,"

The group had finally arrived in Fortree City, home of the next gym and Battle Chateau, after the whole fiasco with the Weather Institute. Just thinking about it made Corvis instinctively grabbed his burned arm. He could still feel the bandages through the fabric of his jacket.

"Corvis," Sara walked up to him, "Does it still hurt? We should really get it checked at a hospital," she said.

Corvis gave a smile of reassurance. "Really it's fine, it's just burns, nothing I can't handle," he said, moving his arm around to add more to his words. It still winced, but it wasn't that painful for him. Sara narrowed her eyes at him, trying to see the truth behind his words as he gulped. He tried to avoid her gaze but failed when his eyes took a good look at her features when she got closer in on him.

Suddenly he stopped as his eyes flashed. An image appeared in his head, a smile of a small girl with her face covered by a sunhat.

"Huh?" he spoke out loud, catching Sara off guard.

"What? Anything wrong?" she tilted her head Corvis shook his.

"Ah no, it's nothing," he shrugged, but a serious look appeared on his face. What was that?

"Hey guys, is it just me or does everyone seem to be very... busy as this moment," Ethan broke the silence.

Corvis looked around the city and noticed that everyone seemed to be busy of some sort. There were people moving boxes around with pokemon helping them, cleaning the streets and some were hanging street lights among the top of the trees. A man carrying a box of fruits accompanied by a Machoke holding 2 crates of fruits walked pass by them.

Corvis walked up to him. "Excuse me sir," he said, "but is there anything going on today? Everyone seems to be busy today,"

The man smiled at the group. "Ahh you must be new to Fortree City, are all of you trainers?" he asked as the group nodded.

"Yeah we're here to challenge the gym and the Battle Chateau," he answered.

"No wonder, well, you kids picked the right day to come to our city. Today just so happens to be the day where the Vita Festival is taking place,"

"Vita Festival?" Ethan questioned.

"Oh wait!" Sara said as she reached into her bag and pulled out her tablet. "I remember reading about this before, it's the day where such a huge meteorite was supposed to land and destroy this city many years ago, but instead it's direction somehow managed to change., narrowingly avoiding this city," she explained as the man nodded.

"That's right, the people were so relieved that they decided to turn that day into a national holiday, a day where everyone exchanges gifts with each other with fireworks into the sky, we call it the Vita Festival since Vita means life in old Hoennese," he explained. "And it doesn't just apply to us, anyone is allowed to partake in this festival so go ahead and prepare gifts for each of you, come stop by my stall 'Fred's Fruit Smoothies' when you have the chance, I'll give all of you complimentary Oran Berry Smoothies," he smiled.

"Really? That's amazing, thank you so much!" everyone thanked him as he waved them all goodbye, walking away into another part of the street.

"Well, before we move on let's get checked in at the Pokemon Centre first, I don't know about you but I'm exhausted after everything that's happened," Corvis said as he stretched his arms, but suddenly winced as a sharp pain struck through his arm.