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“And that’s all for this morning’s forecast. After the break, we’ll have an update on the mysterious disappearance of celebrity idol Ezra Grey…”
Valencia shut off the television, sighing slightly to herself as she unfolded her legs from underneath her, stretching them out with a gymnast’s grace before setting them softly down on the ground and propelling herself upwards. Today was the day. No more lazing around at home watching celebrity gossip shows. No more studying any time her parents were around, just in case they checked in on what she was doing. No more feeling relentless pressure to do everything perfectly. Today was it—the day she’d been waiting for her whole life.
At least, in one sense. The opportunity was definitely one she’d been looking to seize, but the exact form of it was more Aria’s doing than hers. Her best friend wanted to undertake a pokemon journey, something that these days people were only able to do once they reached the age of majority. Since Aria was a little older, they’d had to wait for Valencia’s birthday before they could go, something she’d felt a little bad about. Aria had been waiting forever and a day to go on hers; Val felt like she was only going so that she wouldn’t have to live without her best friend—her only friend and the only reason she hadn’t buckled at the knees from all the weight of her parents’ expectations.
She wandered down to the kitchen, bag in one hand and shoes in the other, setting the latter down on the floor as she double-checked that all her survival gear was in place. It would likely be a while before they hit any major patches of actual wilderness, but even the route between New Bark Town and Cherrygrove City took the better part of a day, and she wanted to be prepared in case of emergency. Aria probably wouldn’t be, and one of them had to take care of the practical things.
Pursing her lips, Val added a few more meal bars to her bag and cinched it closed. Her parents wouldn’t miss them. She doubted they’d even really miss her. Perhaps once in a while, when they actually came home to the empty house. Pushing her glasses up her nose, Valencia sighed at the bitter direction of her thoughts and resolved to ignore them. There were more important things to be concerned about today than the fact that they couldn’t even be bothered to stop home for once to see their only child off on her way. She knew they didn’t approve of her decision, but the empty silence of her house stung in a way that she had not expected it to.
Hefting the bag over her shoulder, Valencia decided that she’d swing by Aria’s house on her way to the pokemon laboratory. Knowing how disorganized Aria was, she was probably still running around and trying to pack last minute necessities, and even then she’d forget something. Val had even backed an extra of a few really important things, just in case. Her bag was a little heavier than she would have liked, but she was sure she’d get used to it.
Stepping outside of her house, she turned around to lock the door, pocketing the key. Her parents had duplicates, and she didn’t want to just leave it here, in case of theft. Aria’s house wasn’t far away—just a few more down the same street. They’d grown up together, and never had they been far apart. It seemed… right, that they would do this together.
Mounting the steps in front of her best friend’s home, Valencia raised her hand and rapped sharply three times, just to make sure she could be heard over any possible chaos inside.
Valencia shut off the television, sighing slightly to herself as she unfolded her legs from underneath her, stretching them out with a gymnast’s grace before setting them softly down on the ground and propelling herself upwards. Today was the day. No more lazing around at home watching celebrity gossip shows. No more studying any time her parents were around, just in case they checked in on what she was doing. No more feeling relentless pressure to do everything perfectly. Today was it—the day she’d been waiting for her whole life.
At least, in one sense. The opportunity was definitely one she’d been looking to seize, but the exact form of it was more Aria’s doing than hers. Her best friend wanted to undertake a pokemon journey, something that these days people were only able to do once they reached the age of majority. Since Aria was a little older, they’d had to wait for Valencia’s birthday before they could go, something she’d felt a little bad about. Aria had been waiting forever and a day to go on hers; Val felt like she was only going so that she wouldn’t have to live without her best friend—her only friend and the only reason she hadn’t buckled at the knees from all the weight of her parents’ expectations.
She wandered down to the kitchen, bag in one hand and shoes in the other, setting the latter down on the floor as she double-checked that all her survival gear was in place. It would likely be a while before they hit any major patches of actual wilderness, but even the route between New Bark Town and Cherrygrove City took the better part of a day, and she wanted to be prepared in case of emergency. Aria probably wouldn’t be, and one of them had to take care of the practical things.
Pursing her lips, Val added a few more meal bars to her bag and cinched it closed. Her parents wouldn’t miss them. She doubted they’d even really miss her. Perhaps once in a while, when they actually came home to the empty house. Pushing her glasses up her nose, Valencia sighed at the bitter direction of her thoughts and resolved to ignore them. There were more important things to be concerned about today than the fact that they couldn’t even be bothered to stop home for once to see their only child off on her way. She knew they didn’t approve of her decision, but the empty silence of her house stung in a way that she had not expected it to.
Hefting the bag over her shoulder, Valencia decided that she’d swing by Aria’s house on her way to the pokemon laboratory. Knowing how disorganized Aria was, she was probably still running around and trying to pack last minute necessities, and even then she’d forget something. Val had even backed an extra of a few really important things, just in case. Her bag was a little heavier than she would have liked, but she was sure she’d get used to it.
Stepping outside of her house, she turned around to lock the door, pocketing the key. Her parents had duplicates, and she didn’t want to just leave it here, in case of theft. Aria’s house wasn’t far away—just a few more down the same street. They’d grown up together, and never had they been far apart. It seemed… right, that they would do this together.
Mounting the steps in front of her best friend’s home, Valencia raised her hand and rapped sharply three times, just to make sure she could be heard over any possible chaos inside.