18

Different

Gold's POV

The wood creaks underneath Winter and I's feet. The bridges are built to do their job with the minimum amount of materials. They're no bigger than a metre wide and the railings only go to about my hip.

Around us is an endless amount of swamp. Vegetation and water mix freely, making the perfect environment for bug Pokémon to hide and live in. There's a few places shallow enough for willow trees to survive in but they are very spread out.

Unlike the smaller normal section route, the swamp seems to go pretty far as the spruce tree border is a little hazy. Plus there's a whole other half to this route. 

"There's a lot of Pokémon," I watch many Surskit slide over the water with their blue bodies and strange yellow top. "Are those Ludicolo?"

A characteristic of this swamp is that it has giant lily pads and equally sized water lilies with them. Three Ludicolo dance around on one of the round pads. Their big happy pineapple designed bodies move in harmony, hopping along to an imaginary beat.

"They're actually famous," Winter giggles. "Known to greet all passing trainers with song."

"Cool," I wave at them and continue observing the area. There's a few more Pokémon poking their heads out of the blooming pink and white lilies. "There are a lot more Pokémon showing their face compared to the normal routes."

"They can live freely here," Winter says. "Alongside people but far enough away that they won't be randomly taken away. The rules of this section allow us to experience bug types but not get in their way."

"It's a nice idea," I nod. "Honestly I think that's how it should be everywhere. Let Pokémon choose their trainers."

"I agree," Winter smiles while fixing her bandana for the fifty-second time, not that I'm counting. "Pokémon that actually want a trainer will approach, whether for a battle or just to be caught."

"Yea. Are you gonna take off that bandana or keep fixing it every three seconds?" I catch her touching the blue and black piece again. I don't know if it's working because her brown hair is going all over the place.

"It's actually more of a headband," She corrects me. "And in case you haven't noticed it's really hot and humid, and this is the only thing keeping it down."

Should I tell her it's not working?

"Okay," I chuckle and she glares at me. "That's what we get for going to a swamp at the start of summer. Hopefully the next town has air conditioning."

"The houses there are very climate controlled," My walking Diciotto encyclopedia says. "Even in the winter."

"I didn't know the sections got all four seasons," I say.

"Yea it can snow or rain anywhere but the fire section," Winter explains. "Which causes a lot of weird weather to hits its neighbours."

"That'll be fun," I look ahead at a piece of solid ground coming up. "Campsite."

"Lunch site," Winter laughs. "Come on I'll cook."

"I can't let my tour guide cook," I joke and she turns towards me with a very, very shocked reaction. "Come on."

"What?" She tries to act innocent.

"I saw that look," I shake my head. "You don't think I can cook."

"Not necessarily," She says without any reason to back her up. "How about we cook together? It can be our thing."

"Our thing?" I question while pulling out the vast amount of cooking equipment my mom packed. "Why do we need a thing?"