After beating the Cerulean Gym, the next stop was naturally the Vermilion Gym. Before that, Xiao Yan had ended Xiao Ming's ninety-eight-win streak. Before leaving, he told Xiao Ming, "These things happen in life." Xiao Ming then gave Xiao Yan a reward for defeating him: a Pokémon Egg. Great. Who knew what would hatch from it?
"Where's the Vermilion Gym?" Standing on a forest path, Xiao Yan looked left and right, then discovered something startling.
"Pikachu, we're lost!" Xiao Yan said with a smile to Pikachu on his shoulder.
Just then, someone rushed over and knocked Xiao Yan down.
"Ouch..." Xiao Yan landed on his backside, and the egg on his lap-the Pokémon Egg-nearly broke.
"I'm terribly sorry. I got excited when I saw you had a Pokémon and rushed over," the elderly gentleman said as he helped Xiao Yan up.
"Did something happen?" Xiao Yan had a feeling something was about to happen.
"Could you come with me?" And so Xiao Yan followed a stranger. (Good children, don't copy him.)
The elderly gentleman then brought Xiao Yan to a rather grand mansion.
Maybe this old gentleman is going traveling and wants to give me his mansion because I'm handsome and have a bright future. But how am I supposed to turn him down? I'm traveling too! Xiao Yan let his formidable imagination run wild.
Xiao Yan followed the elderly gentleman into the mansion and entered a room, where he saw a young girl lying listlessly in bed, gazing out the window at the scenery.
"This is the young miss. Her parents are merchants in the import business. They work away from home all year round and haven't come back for several years, so she's unhappy every day. Today happens to be her ninth birthday. I wanted to find a Pokémon to keep her company, but as you can see, I'm getting on in years. It wouldn't be surprising if I passed away at any moment. I hope you can lend a hand," the elderly gentleman said, looking at Xiao Yan with a troubled expression.
Please don't look at me like that. I can't take much more, Xiao Yan thought.
"All right. I'll make her smile." After a long internal struggle, Xiao Yan finally said those words. Once the elderly gentleman knew Xiao Yan would help, he went off to another room, reassured, leaving Xiao Yan alone with the little girl.
"My name's Xiao Yan. Could you tell me yours?" Xiao Yan broke the silence with the usual words for a first meeting.
"Xiao Lan. I'm nine this year."
"I'm ten this year." Once they had introduced themselves, silence fell between them again.
Xiao Yan thought for a moment, then let out his Pokémon. Of course, he didn't let out the Legendary Pokémon.
"So these are your Pokémon," Xiao Lan said, looking at Xiao Yan.
He's really comfortable leaving me alone with such a cute little girl. What a pain... I'll win her over and make her my little sister. It's settled!
Charmeleon and Pikachu got along surprisingly well with Xiao Lan. With a little more effort, he might manage to make her smile.
Xiao Yan whispered into Pikachu's ear. At first, Pikachu gave him a resentful look, but Xiao Yan kept whispering, and Pikachu finally nodded.
First, Pikachu found a pair of bamboo chopsticks somewhere and handed them to Xiao Yan. Taking them, Xiao Yan stuck one into each nostril and pulled faces as hard as he could to make the little girl laugh. The result was just as expected.
"Young miss, you've finally smiled."
"I've learned that Pokémon aren't just for battling. They're friends we can live happily alongside." Her powers of understanding were surprisingly strong; she had changed her outlook on life in three minutes. Xiao Lan smiled at Xiao Yan, and he smiled back.
"Xiao Lan, how about coming on a journey with me?" Xiao Yan held out his hand to Xiao Lan. She nodded and took it.
Xiao Lan packed her belongings into her pink backpack, then set off hand in hand with Xiao Yan. And just like that, Xiao Yan had caught himself a little girl. Congratulations.
The Old Butler stood at the door and watched Xiao Lan and Xiao Yan leave, then turned and walked back into the empty house.
My dear, did you see that? Our young miss has set off on a journey now, with a dependable young man at her side. Now I can join you without any worries...
The Old Butler slowly lowered his wrinkled hand, and a bottle of painkillers fell to the floor. Terrible pain wracked his entire body. These days, he had only managed to keep going thanks to the painkillers. After all, he was over a hundred years old.
He leaned back in his chair, growing sleepier and sleepier. In his final moment, an image of Xiao Lan at five years old appeared in his mind. She stood in the garden, smiling at him. The corners of the Old Butler's mouth rose slightly, and he passed away peacefully.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan and Xiao Lan had just emerged from the forest. He glanced back at the woods behind him, then continued onward, holding his little sister's hand.
"Rustle, rustle..." Just then, something stirred in the bushes behind Xiao Yan, but he was too busy chatting with Xiao Lan to notice.
"Lord Ho-Oh, is that the Trainer you've acknowledged? He looks like an ordinary child."
Their journey to the Vermilion Gym continued...
Before you continue