Alex walked beside Violet, his eyes shifting between the path ahead and the map in his hands. The road toward Crimson Town stretched long and uneven, cutting through forests and open clearings that felt quieter than they should.
"Violet," Alex said after a moment, "do you know somewhere we can rest? At this pace, we're not reaching the town today."
Violet glanced at him, then ahead.
"I think there's a resting spot nearby," she replied. "A place trainers use to camp. It should be close. Do you want to go?"
Alex studied her for a second before looking forward again.
"Sure… doesn't sound bad," he said. "But are you sure there won't be people there?"
Violet shrugged slightly.
"I doubt it. This season doesn't have many trainers traveling. Maybe two or three people… or none."
Alex nodded slowly.
"Well… I guess it wouldn't be a bad place to rest," he said, glancing at the map again. "And I could train a bit too."
They kept walking.
The forest around them shifted subtly as the sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting long shadows across the ground. After about ten minutes, Alex spoke again.
"Hey, Violet… according to the map, there are some interesting places around here. Could be worth checking out. Might find something useful."
Violet looked at him, thinking for a moment.
"…That's not a bad idea," she admitted. "But we'll have to be careful."
Alex met her eyes briefly.
"Of course."
A few seconds passed before he asked another question.
"By the way… what Pokémon do you have?"
Violet answered without hesitation.
"A Weepinbell and a Toxicroak. They've been with me since the beginning."
Alex stopped walking for a second, then smirked slightly.
"You know… you're more interesting than you look," he said. "How did you meet them?"
He started walking again, and Violet followed.
"I caught Toxicroak near a stream," she said. "And Weepinbell… my father gave it to me before… you know."
Alex's expression softened slightly.
"…I'm sorry."
Violet immediately looked at him.
"I already told you," she said calmly, almost coldly. "Don't pity me. That's in the past. Focus on the future. Got it?"
Alex nodded.
"Got it."
He gave her space after that, returning his attention to the map as they continued walking.
An hour passed.
By the time they reached the resting area, the sun had already begun to lower.
But something felt off.
There were people.
More than expected.
Around ten trainers were scattered across the area, some resting, others talking, a few training their Pokémon. Small campfires burned here and there, and tents were already set up across the clearing.
Alex sighed.
"Violet… didn't you say there wouldn't be many people here?"
She looked around, slightly confused.
"There shouldn't be," she admitted. "But… I guess there are more people than normal."
Alex didn't question it further. Instead, he scanned the area and found a spot that was slightly separated from the others. Not isolated enough to draw attention, but far enough to stay safe.
"Let's set up here," he said.
Violet nodded.
Alex dropped his bag and began unpacking his things, placing them neatly on the ground. He moved with efficiency, setting up the tent while Violet helped secure it properly.
Twenty minutes later, the camp was ready.
A small fire burned in the center. The tent stood firm, and inside were two sleeping bags placed side by side.
Alex crossed his arms, looking at their work.
It was simple.
But good.
"Hey Alex," Violet called out, catching his attention. "It turned out pretty well, right?"
Alex smiled slightly.
"Yeah… it did."
Violet returned the smile.
"So… what are we eating?" she asked.
Alex glanced at his bag.
"We could eat the food I bought earlier."
She nodded.
"Sounds good."
Alex grabbed some supplies and walked over to the fire. He placed a small pot above the flames and began preparing something simple but warm.
"I hope you like it," he said.
Violet sat nearby, watching him.
"I could say the same," she replied.
For a while, the only sounds were the crackling fire and distant chatter from other trainers.
Then Alex spoke again.
"Hey… Violet."
She looked at him.
"Has it ever happened to you… thinking about what things would be like if nothing bad had ever happened?" he asked. "Like… if no one in your life had died?"
Violet stared at him for a moment.
Then she answered.
"…That would be worse."
Alex blinked.
"What?"
She leaned back slightly, her voice calm but firm.
"In this life, you should never wish that someone had lived," she said. "Yes, they died. That's obvious. But it would be worse if they lived."
Alex frowned slightly, listening.
"My father died in the war," she continued. "Now imagine if he had survived. He would've come back broken. Traumatized. Not the same person."
She looked directly at him.
"You can cry all you want. But that won't bring them back. All you can do… is accept it."
Her voice softened just a little.
"I cried too. A lot. But eventually, I accepted it."
She paused.
"But that doesn't mean I've let go of my revenge."
Silence fell between them.
Violet looked at him again.
"I'm telling you this because I know you've thought about it," she said. "So accept it."
Alex stared at the fire for a moment.
Then he nodded slowly.
"…Thanks, Violet."
He looked at her.
"I never thought being around you would be this… interesting."
Violet smiled.
"And at first, you didn't even want me around."
Alex let out a small breath of amusement.
"…Yeah."
The fire crackled between them as night settled deeper over the camp.
And for the first time since they met…
The silence between them felt comfortable.