Twinleaf Town, a tranquil little town, often called the place where new leaves sprout.
Nestled in the southwestern corner of the Sinnoh region, its unique geographic position has led the people of Sinnoh, and even the official authorities, to regard it as the starting point for Trainers embarking on their journeys.
Of course, Twinleaf Town earned its status as a starting point partly because of its proximity to the Sandgem Research Lab.
The Sandgem Research Lab is where official Sinnoh Trainers receive their starter Pokémon, and Twinleaf Town, located even further south, naturally took its name from this association.
Though called a small town, Twinleaf Town actually encompasses a fairly wide area.
The houses in the town are mostly standalone bungalows, making it an ideal place to rest during one's life journey.
The only slight downside might be that the residential area is quite far from Twinleaf Town's recognized small commercial street, making shopping a bit inconvenient.
But this is a common inconvenience shared by many small towns. Compared to places like Jubilife City, Twinleaf Town could even be considered relatively bustling.
In Twinleaf Town, inside a house with green-tiled roofs and ivory-colored walls—
A second-floor window was pushed open by a girl with shoulder-length hair. She leaned on the windowsill, taking a deep breath of the fresh outside air while stretching lazily with contentment.
"Tomorrow, I can finally set out," she said.
A sweet smile spread across the girl's face.
Her name was Dawn, a rookie Trainer set to debut this year. To prepare for her upcoming journey, she hadn't slept well for days.
Even in her dreams, her thoughts were filled with things she might encounter on her travels, places she might visit—
Forests and meadows, snowy mountains and deep valleys, beaches by the sea…
These were places she had only seen on TV or in magazines before, but now she was about to embark on her journey and witness them with her own eyes. Nothing could be more exciting than setting out to travel on her own!
Thinking of this, Dawn's heart couldn't help but throb with anticipation, wondering what the future held for her.
"Hey! Dawn! Come downstairs for a bit!"
"?"
Just as Dawn was still immersed in her daydreams, her mother's voice suddenly floated up from below.
"Dinner? No… that's not it…"
Though it was almost dinnertime, the tone of her mother's voice… it sounded like she had some errand for her to run.
It was the same gentle voice as always, but to a child, there was always something more hidden in the seemingly unchanging tone of an adult.
Just like how a kid staying at home could clearly tell whether the footsteps at the door belonged to their parents.
"Sigh, this probably isn't anything good."
Dawn thought to herself, heading downstairs with a bit of dejection.
No helping it—even if she didn't want to, this was her last day at home before leaving.
Even if she was sent on an errand, she couldn't really complain.
…
Downstairs, Dawn saw her mother, Johanna, standing in the kitchen with a troubled expression. Seeing this, Dawn knew her instincts had been spot-on.
"That was quick! I thought you'd still be upstairs packing your bag. Not bad, not bad," Johanna said with a smile, as if Dawn had just grown up.
Though being told she'd "grown up" was meant as praise, Dawn didn't see it that way.
"I finished packing ages ago! I'm just waiting to head out tomorrow."
"Impressive! Back when I was leaving, I only decided what to bring the morning of my departure. Looks like you're much better at this than I was."
"Of course!" Dawn puffed out her chest proudly, declaring, "Knowing what to bring is just common sense. You're the one who lacks common sense, Mom!"
Maybe because she was leaving tomorrow, Dawn's tone with Johanna was getting a bit cheeky, completely unafraid of post-dinner dishwashing or floor-mopping retaliation.
But Johanna was clearly in a good mood today and didn't take issue with it.
"Yes, yes, yes, I'm the one lacking common sense. So, Miss Dawn, with all your common sense, could I trouble you to run to the nearby commercial street and grab some soy sauce? We're out."
"Ugh—"
"Don't 'ugh' me. Since you came down so quickly, doesn't that mean you're ready to help? The commercial street is a bit far, sure, but for the mature Miss Dawn, that's no big deal, right?"
"Fine…"
Dawn pouted, replying reluctantly.
If she'd known it was an errand, she would've lingered in her room a bit longer before coming down.
It's not that running errands was tiring or bad.
It's just that in a town so familiar she could walk to the commercial street blindfolded, there was nothing exciting about it. Plus, Twinleaf Town didn't host any special events, and the commercial street was full of familiar faces.
On a normal day, Dawn wouldn't have felt so disappointed.
But comparing today's task to tomorrow's adventure, the sense of letdown hit her instantly.
"You don't have to look so glum about it. It's just a quick errand—half an hour, and you'll be done…"
Johanna looked at the sulking Dawn with exasperation, then shared news that instantly brightened her mood.
"By the way~ I think I heard there's some kind of event going on at the commercial street today~"
Johanna tapped her lips with her index finger, tilting her head as if puzzled, but under Dawn's curious gaze, her expression shifted to sudden realization, and she clapped her hands, saying:
"Oh! Right, right! I remember now—it's a raffle, I think."
"What? That's it?"
Dawn's excitement fizzled out. Raffles were the most common event at the commercial street, and the prizes were usually just okay.
She remembered the best prize she'd ever seen was a three-day, three-night trip to a small island.
Back then, young Dawn had really wanted that prize, but now, even if she won it, she wouldn't care.
Her priority was tomorrow's journey and heading to Sandgem Town's Sandgem Research Lab to pick up her starter Pokémon.
"Hmm… not interested? But I heard this time's prizes include a full set of Contest Seals for Pokémon Contests…"
"Let me go! No—please, please let me go!"
Dawn instantly changed her tune.
As expected, your mom's still your mom—you can't outsmart her when it comes to mind games.
"Take your time~"
Johanna leaned against the door, smiling as she watched Dawn ride off on her bicycle.
"But it's probably not happening," Johanna murmured after Dawn's figure vanished from her sight:
"After all, Poké Ball Seals are the grand prize. With that girl's luck, she'll probably just get a consolation prize like a box of tissues."
Though Johanna was convinced Dawn wouldn't win the big prize, she felt no regret.
She was just telling the truth, after all.
Whether Dawn could win the prize she wanted was out of her hands.
Besides, it was just soy sauce—Johanna could've gone herself. Sending Dawn wasn't about laziness; she just wanted Dawn to make a few more memories of home before leaving on her journey.
She also wanted to hold onto a few more memories of Dawn.
Time passes quickly, and growing up happens in an instant.
Especially for Trainers traveling abroad, how many days do they spend at home in a year?
A week or two, if they're lucky.
Those out in the world live fulfilling lives, while those at home wait every day for their return.
So, using this errand as a way to connect a bit more with her daughter was Johanna's sly way of being a mom.