Pokémon: A Tale Of Time (Volume One: Zephyr)

Chapter Five - Old Farewells and New Beginnings!

As Raido stood at the front doorstep of the house he grew up in, his heart was heavy with both excitement and apprehension. Turning to face his Mother, he could see her eyes shimmering with tears, emotions swirling within her - sadness at the imminent departure of her youngest son, and pride as he takes the first steps on his journey as a Pokemon trainer.

"Mom," Raido began, his voice trembling with emotion as he struggled to find the words to say goodbye.

But before he could speak, his mother enveloped him in a tight embrace, her tears staining his shoulder as she held him close. Raido felt his own eyes welling up with tears, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment at his inability to hold back his emotions.

"Raido, my dear boy," his mother whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You've grown into such a strong and capable young man. I couldn't be proud of you."

Raido's heart swelled with warmth at his mother's words, his arms tightening around her in a silent promise to make her proud.

Lowering herself, she reached our her hand and tenderly patted Nidoran's soft head. She She would miss Raido dearly, it was evident, and her voice was choking with emotion as she spoke.

"Nidoran," she said softly, her gaze softly exchanging with the Pokemon's large emotional eyes. "Take care of my boy, won't you? Keep him safe on his journey."

Nidoran let out a soft cry, nuzzling against Raido's leg as if to offer reassurance.

Like a protective Mother, she rattled off a list of reminders, making sure Raido had everything for his journey - his PokeGear, supplies like potions and food, and triple checking her number was programmed into his device. Her words tumbled out in a rush, as if she were trying to delay the inevitable departure of her son.

"Mom," Raido interrupted gently, reaching out to grasp her hand. "I'll be okay. I promise. And I'll call you every chance I get."

His mother's eyes softened with gratitude, her hand squeezing his reassuringly.

She let out a deep breath, wiping a tear from her left eye with her sleeve. Reaching out, she slid her hand under the crystal hanging from his neck, examining it briefly. "I'm going to miss you Raido, I'm going to miss you all," she resigned.

"I'll miss you too Mom, but don't worry, you'll have all the company you'll need" he replied, switching his gaze to Typhlosion and Piplup stood just behind her, "won't she guys?".

Typhlosion and Piplup both responded excitedly, as Mom smiled softly, appreciating her son's attempt of reassurance.

With a heavy heart, Mom advised Raido to take the path through Cherrygrove City, a quaint mid-stop for trainers on their path to Voilet City. In Voilet City, Raido, like many other trainers from all over Johto, could gather for his early stage of his Pokemon journey. She mentioned her friend, Elara, who would also offer him a place to stay for a few days.

"After that, you'll be on your own, my boy," she said softly, a bittersweet smile tugging at her lips. "But I know you'll do great things, it's in your blood."

Tears welled up in Raido's eyes as he hugged his Mother once more, he felt a surge of determination fueled by her unwavering love and support. "Your brother will be checking in on you from time to time though, and make sure you're okay".

With a final farewell, Raido and Nidoran turned to leave, their footsteps echoing down the road towards the path out of New Bark. Raido's Mom remained on the doorstep, her tears mingling with the gentle breeze as she waved them off, her heart heavy with both sadness and pride.

Raido passed by the humble houses of his friends, some of which had already departed on their own journeys. He passed his childhood school, the park where he would play hide-and-seek with Mom and Dad's Pokemon, and even the Pokemon Lab he used to dream of working when he was younger. As Raido made his way past the large structure of the lab coming up to the outskirts of New Bark, he spotted the familiar sight of Professor Elm.

The Professor, who now appeared noticeably older, sporting a tuft of grey hair at the top of his head, was accompanied by his passionate future successor, Megane. Raido's heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of Megane, the object of his long-standing crush, and he felt a flush of warmth spread across his cheeks.

As Raido walked past, Elm and Megane waved warmly, prompting Elm to come running, albeit stiffly, over to meet him. Raido smiled as a flood of good memories of his childhood rushed back to him.

"Young Raido!" Elm exclaimed, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "You've grown so much since the last time I saw you. I remember when you were just a little tyke barely old enough to walk."

Elm's eyes twinkled with fondness as he examined Raido's Nidoran, checking her horn and admiring her form and health. Raido chuckled nervously as Elm poked her legs with the blunt end of a pen, causing Nidoran to squirm in confusion.

"And your Father," Elm continued, a hint of mischief in his voice. "I remember when he was your age. Quite the trouble-maker he was. Whilst our first impressions weren't the most positive, I eventually grew quite fond of him and his... unique quirks."

Raido couldn't help but grin at the mention of his father, memories of their misadventures together flooding his mind.

Elm's tone grew more serious as Elm continued to ramble on in floods of advice, stories and warnings of the journey that lay ahead for Raido. He warned him of the difficulties of the Violet City gym and reminisced about the simpler times when gym challenges were "significantly easier" in his day. Despite the challenges, Elm wished Raido luck in his journey, his words a blut of excitement and encouragement.

As they prepared to part ways, Elm's gaze fell upon the strange crystal hanging from Raido's neck, a curious expression crossing his face.

"Where did you get that?" Elm asked, his tone suddenly serious.

Raido hesitated for a moment before replying, "It was a birthday gift from my Father. I'm not entirely sure what it is."

Elm's expression remained unreadable for a moment before he muttered, "Interesting," and swiftly changed the topic of conversation.

With a final wave, Raido bid farewell to Elm and Megane, feeling a little flustered by their whirlwind conversation. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered after Elm's reaction to his father's gift, but Megan's warm hug and words of encouragement pushed those thoughts aside, and refocused them on the adventure that lay ahead.

Raido eventually reached the outskirts of town, and stood beside the large wooden sign pointing West.

"Route 29, here we come" he announced. With a focused nod from Nidoran, they took their first steps out of town, and into the unknown.