Chapter 76: Chapter 76: A Small Village at the Foot of Mt. Chimney
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"You were amazing, Gary! You were able to fight Sidney of the Elite Four to that extent!"
After the battle with Sidney, Gary, Rosa, and Hilda had no reason to stay in Lilycove City. So, after purchasing some travel supplies, they left and continued their journey through the Hoenn region.
Even after leaving Lilycove City for several days, Rosa still couldn't stop talking about the incredible battle between Gary and Sidney. She kept bringing it up.
"That Shiftry wasn't even Sidney's main Pokémon. Plus, I had to use three Pokémon to defeat it, so I'm still far from the level of the Elite Four," Gary said, shaking his head.
"True." Rosa had to admit that Gary was right, but as his girlfriend, she was confident in his abilities.
"But I believe in you, Gary. You'll definitely defeat him in the future."
"Of course." Gary grinned confidently. It wasn't just empty talk. With his family background and the system he had, Gary believed that it was only a matter of time before he stood at the top of the world.
"I believe in you too, Gary," Hilda added. She had developed a certain trust in him during their travels together.
"Thanks." Gary smiled warmly, feeling touched by the unwavering trust of the two girls by his side.
"No need to thank each other," Rosa said with a smile as she hugged his arm.
"Alright, enough with the affection! We should keep moving," Hilda said, rolling her eyes. She couldn't help but feel like a third wheel and thought maybe she shouldn't have tagged along.
"Hehe, okay!" Rosa laughed and pulled Gary to follow Hilda's pace.
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Time passed quickly as the trio continued their journey, and before they knew it, a golden sunset began to paint the sky.
"Oh no, it's already five in the afternoon," Rosa suddenly looked up at the sky and noticed the sun setting. She checked the time on her phone and quickly alerted Gary and Hilda.
"It's getting late, and we're far from any village or shop. Looks like we'll have to camp out tonight," Hilda remarked as she looked at the fading light.
"Maybe not," Gary said, catching the girls' attention.
"What do you mean, Gary?" Rosa asked curiously.
Gary smiled and explained, "I just checked the map. There's a village not far from here. We can spend the night there."
"Really?" Rosa's face lit up with excitement. She much preferred staying indoors than camping outside.
Hilda, though less vocal, gave Gary a look that conveyed the same excitement.
"Yep, it's about an hour ahead," Gary confirmed after studying the map closely.
"Awesome!" Rosa shouted joyfully.
"Let's hurry up!" she urged.
"Yeah, it'll be harder to travel once it gets dark," Hilda agreed, nodding.
"Alright," Gary said. The three of them quickened their pace, moving toward the village.
After about an hour of walking, they finally reached the entrance of the small village that Gary had mentioned.
The sky was already dark by the time they arrived, but fortunately, the moon and stars shone brightly, lighting their way.
"Finally!" Rosa exclaimed, relieved to see the village up ahead.
In her determination to avoid camping outside, Rosa hadn't asked for any breaks along the way and had walked straight to the village without stopping.
"It wasn't easy," Hilda agreed. They had pushed themselves to avoid sleeping outdoors.
Gary, on the other hand, with his naturally strong stamina, didn't seem tired at all. Even after the long journey, he felt fine.
"Alright, let's find a place to stay for the night," Gary suggested as he looked at the small village at the base of Mt. Chimney.
"Good idea," Rosa and Hilda both agreed.
The trio entered the village and walked around for a bit, but after exploring, Rosa's face showed disbelief.
"There's no Pokémon Center here! Not even a hotel!" Rosa exclaimed, a bit stunned by the discovery.
"It's not that surprising. The village is small, so it makes sense that they wouldn't have a Pokémon Center or hotel," Gary replied calmly.
"Then what do we do? Camp outside?" Hilda asked, turning to Gary, who was the group's unofficial leader.
"Let's try asking around the village first. Maybe someone will let us stay for the night. If not, then we'll camp outside," Gary suggested after a moment of thought.
"That's probably our best option," Rosa agreed reluctantly.
With Gary's plan in mind, they walked up to a house with its lights still on and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a voice called from inside.
Soon, the door opened, revealing a middle-aged woman standing in the doorway.
"Excuse me, who are you?" she asked, looking curiously at the three trainers standing outside.
"We're traveling trainers passing through the area. We were hoping we could stay the night. We can pay for the accommodation," Gary explained politely.
"Yes, we're willing to pay," Rosa added with a hopeful smile.
The woman eyed the three teenagers cautiously but soon softened. They didn't look like troublemakers.
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