Hello! Welcome to Promises, the third saga. I'm still finalizing the last revisions in Back to the Basics, which will be up when they are done. Until then, I decided on posting this intro chapter into the saga. Enjoy!

The cool mist of the forest tickled my nose as I jogged by. It felt relaxing, or it would've, if I wasn't in the middle of a jogging workout. Here I was, in Arrowroot Forest, working out at the crack of dawn. It's surprising how one small thought about football back home could turn into something like this! Coach needed his players in tiptop shape, so I figured a jog couldn't hurt.

Looking around my surroundings, I couldn't notice much besides the shrubs and trees hiding behind the mist. Besides my pounding feet, the forest was silent, minus an occasional rustling noise or two. It was a bit unnerving, but just thinking about happy thoughts and moving along did wonders for me. Huh... happy thoughts? My thoughts shifted to what happened in the 'happy place' from a week ago. It felt odd. Actually, it was absurd. Exploring my mind for memories? If it happens again, I'm getting to the bottom of things. "Carter" and "Taylor" should have some answers for me...

My jog slowed down to a walking pace as I began to catch my breath. I closed my eyes as I took a deep exhale in... and a deep breath out. My pounding heart relaxed as I felt sweat drip down my face. It was a successful workout, considering I broke a sweat. But... there was another reason sweat was pouring.

I opened my eyes, seeing the gate to despair... at least, that's what I called it. Especially since that day. I knew the cave entrance led to ancient ruins, but it's what happened down there that... I shook my head. It wasn't the time to think about it, especially since Eevee and Umbreon were still out of it. They were physically fine, but according to Nurse Joy, they would need a long time to recover emotionally. Probably could've figured that out myself... Wouldn't want to meet anyone who would still be in one piece after being forgotten by their mom. I started to wonder if Brock knew anything that could possibly help, until I remembered.

He left, along with Ash and Dawn, to continue their journey. They wanted to stay and help out as much as they could, but when Brock found out the Sinnoh League Tournament was in less than a few weeks, I knew I couldn't let them stay. Ash hadn't even earned his last badge yet! With that realization, they had to leave and go on without me. As much as I would've enjoyed journeying along with Ash, there were more important things for me to take care of. Before they left, they promised to give me a call when they arrived at Sunyshore City. I haven't gotten that call yet.

Facing away from the cave entrance, I sat down for a small stretch. I needed to relax, otherwise, I might end up like Professor Maple.

For the past week, the professor's been in his study, deciphering away. His assistant, Emily, told me and his nearby family, Leaf and Daniel, about his recklessness. According to her, he's been getting only an hour or two of sleep a day, which worried her. Emily tried getting Professor Maple to take longer breaks, but it was to no use. He just kept working on the hieroglyphs, retorting Emily's requests with the urgency of having them fully translated.

Nearly a few days in, it proved too much for him. Emily came into his room and found him unconscious on the floor. He's been hospitalized in the Pokemon Center since.

I don't blame him for being paranoid about this, though. The hieroglyphs could lead to some sort of ancient civilization conquering weapon or something! Then again, there's a reason stuff like that's only in the movies. It doesn't happen in real life. Well, minus what's happened lately...

After taking a deep inhale and exhale, I began to jog back the way I came. I had to hurry, since Squirtle was probably wondering where I went off to. The only good thing that came out from that day was that ever since, Squirtle's been friendlier to me. I'm not talking like, hugging friendly... more like getting to know someone friendly. But at least it's a step in the right direction.

It'd help even more if I could understand what Squirtle was saying. I mean, I've had to resort to yes or no questions to get a "conversation" going! Even then, it's like Spanish class all over again. Just me shaking and nodding my head and just going along with it... without a clue.

And for some odd reason, during dinner last night, Leaf told me that Professor Maple wanted to give something to me later today... I wonder what it could be?

I sped up my jogging pace, despite my crying sore legs. I reasoned with them, or rather, with myself... there was going to be breakfast waiting. It felt like my legs stopped their aching protest, which let me pick my pace up. Who says you can't run on an empty stomach?

A sigh rang through the air as Ryan stared up at the bunk bed above him. His mind had been wandering again... and he nearly dozed off again! He couldn't sleep. Not now. Everything was supposed to be packed and ready to go before six. It was five minutes before six, according to the wall clock.

"Do I have everything packed? Hmm..."

A last minute thought saved Ryan as he realized- he almost forgot something important! Ryan stood up from his bed and looked around the room. It was the same room he had shared with Ash and the others, meant for four guests, as the two bunk beds implied. Ever since they left, he had the entire room to himself.

Ryan's backpack was leaning against the legs of the small table in the middle of the room. It looked hastily packed, due to a couple of shirt sleeves hanging out. The top of the small table was empty, save for a flower vase. He fumbled around the floor near the table and found what he was looking for.

"Ah, here it is!"

He held a roped necklace that held a few old wooden beads on one end, with a strange symbol hanging on the cord of the necklace. It looked, somewhat, like a half yin yang symbol, Ryan thought as he held the necklace in the palm of his hand, glancing at it. He had no idea why he had nearly forgotten about this.

"Professor Maple told me to hang on to it, but for what?" The necklace's importance escaped him as he pocketed it away.

"Maybe I'll have some time to think on the way to Canalave City."

It was 6:02 PM, Ryan observed from his newly acquired Pokegear. Professor Maple's assistant, Emily, gave him the Pokegear before he left, as a present after last night. It might have been an older model that lacked a few features that Leaf's had, such as a radio or video calling, but it didn't matter to Ryan. At least he had a working Pokegear in place of his phone, Ryan happily thought.

He stood in front of the Pokemon Center's doors, waiting for Leaf to come out with her healed party of pokemon. Ryan had picked his pokemon up a minute ago, with Umbreon and Eevee inside of their Pokeballs. Umbreon had shown signs of improvement in his mood, but Eevee was still stagnant in her down mood. Nurse Joy remarked that she had never seen a case like their's before. All she could recommend for Ryan to do was to spend more time playing with them and see how it would go from there.

Squirtle, on the other hand, refused to go inside of a Pokeball, as Ryan witnessed several times. Each throw seemed to result in an earlier break out, even though Squirtle wanted to be captured. No one had a clue as to why it was happening, until Leaf remembered something. If Squirtle was truly the Pokemon Hunter's pokemon, he probably had Squirtle's Pokeball. And thanks to the way the Pokeball Transport System worked, a pokemon could only be "marked" by one Pokeball at a time. Until another solution came around, Ryan decided to let Squirtle sit in his backpack... while they flew. He shuddered as Leaf emerged from the Pokemon Center. It was time to fly.

"Come on, we'd better get moving so we get there by sundown!"

Leaf enlarged a Pokeball and released Pidgeot from inside. As Pidgeot stood ready, Leaf brushed her companion a bit before climbing aboard it's back. She looked back behind her. Ryan hesitated for a few seconds before nodding and also climbing onto Pidgeot's back. As Pidgeot ascended into the air, Ryan accidentally held a tight grip around Leaf's waist, repeating what happened during last night's flight.

"S-Sorry!" Ryan felt scarlet red on his cheeks as he loosened his scared grip.

Leaf excused it as she said, "Flying's not that scary, you know..." She lifted both of her hands off of Pidgeot, making Ryan's heart skip a few beats as he closed his eyes tightly.

"I'm not opening my eyes until we're on solid ground!"

The time was 6:57 PM, as Ryan observed from his Pokegear. He stuffed the Pokegear into his jeans' pocket as he took a few gulps of water from his bottle and took a bite from his sandwich. It had taken the past hour for him and Leaf to cross over to the west side of Mount Coronet, due to the fact they had to do it on foot. He was relaxing, sitting across from Leaf and the campfire she had made from kindling they gathered.

"I think I can finally feel my fingers again," Ryan thought as he switched between eating and warming his hands against the fire.

"Hopefully the pokemon are faring better than I am at the moment..."

With that thought, Ryan looked beside him. Squirtle was busy munching on the half sandwich Ryan had given him. He didn't look like he had just crossed a mountain range, considering Squirtle was warm inside of Ryan's backpack the entire time. Eevee and Umbreon were quietly finishing the last of their batches of Brock's Pokemon Food next to the fire.

"How was the food guys? Brock made it himself," Ryan cheerfully began. He had hoped he could start some sort of conversation to cheer them up, but Eevee and Umbreon simply nodded and kept to themselves. Their sadness was contagious, Ryan thought as he felt his smile droop. Leaf subtly cleared her throat, getting his attention.

"I think we'd better get going again," Leaf said as she stood up, packing her food back into her messenger bag. Ryan nodded in agreement. Perhaps he could think of something that would help them before the next break, he thought as he returned Umbreon and Eevee back into their Pokeballs. Ryan couldn't help but sigh as he pocketed the Pokeballs and began packing up.

"We have our work cut out for us..." Squirtle thought as Ryan helped him back into his backpack. He shared Ryan's glum look as he racked his mind for any ideas. Squirtle thought about brainstorming with Ryan, but the distinct language wall prevented that from being a possibility. Although... it felt like it was cracking a bit.

"Come on out Pidgeot!"

Leaf released Pidgeot from it's Pokeball, letting Pidgeot stretch it's wings for a bit. Before she embarked onto Pidgeot's back, she turned to Ryan suddenly.

"I think I have an idea that might help! Matt gave you that necklace, right?" Ryan nodded as he felt around his jeans' pocket and pulled out the wooden necklace Leaf was talking about. Professor Maple did give it to him without explaining what it was...

"Good. I'll help you out next time we land, but for now, we have to keep moving. Professor Redwood is waiting for us at the Canalave Library," Leaf said as she climbed onto Pidgeot's back.

"How is the necklace going to help? Is it magic or something? I guess I'll find out after we get Professor Maple's translations over to Canalave City." Ryan swung the necklace over his neck and climbed onto Pidgeot's back, holding onto Leaf tightly. They ascended into the sky once more- although Ryan couldn't see through his closed eyes.

"Eevee... Umbreon... got to help..."

Through the whooshing of the air, a faint whisper made it's way to Ryan's ears. It didn't sound like Leaf at all... it didn't even sound human! As Pidgeot accelerated through the skies, the whisper was no longer audible. He simply shrugged the whispering voice off- airsickness must have finally got to him, he reasoned.