Walking down the dirt path towards a city that lied ahead, at least according to his map, Desmond looked up at the blue sky with a small smile on his face. The day was new; It was fairly warm, and his Pokemon were in good condition. A perfect time to travel if there ever was one, that was for certain. Though... Desmond couldn't help but feel it was a little quiet. He liked quiet, mind you, but the silence of the area around him was almost bothersome. An idea as bright as the sun in the sky came to mind, as he stopped, and pulled the pokeballs containing his friends off his belt.

"Come on out!" He cheered, breaking the silence as the pokeballs opened, his three companions appearing in bright white flashes. They all let out cries of joy as they were released, Pip in particular wagging his tail. Desmond's smile became wider, the sight of his Pokemon always made him happy. They were all loyal, and he couldn't put how he felt about them in any way besides that he thought of them as family. They had been his only friends out here, aside from running into Ramona on occasion. He never really had anybody to talk to when on the road, having never traveled with another trainer, either due to disinterest or the fact they were going different ways. Not that it was a big problem, but the thoughts were there.

He put the pokeballs back on his belt before he got down on one knee, gesturing for his Pokemon to approach. Fluff and Pip ran up to him and allowed themselves to be pet, though Klauser flew over and landed on Desmond's shoulder. The young man responding by looking over to him a giving him a small scratch, which seemed to please the Crobat. "We've got a bit of a walk ahead of us until our next destination," He told them, looking at the road, then to his Pokemon. "It'd be good to get some exercise, so how about you travel outside with me for now?" He would feel a bit better having his Pokemon out of their pokeballs, traveling with him. Thankfully they all agreed, Fluff in particular hugging Desmond's leg and rubbing her head against his knee, causing him to chuckle. "Heh, alright. Glad to know you guys think it's a good idea." 

Desmond soon stood up, dusting off his pants before slipping his hands into his pockets. Pip stood to his left, while Fluff was on his right. Klauser stayed on his shoulder, seeming to be acting a tad lazy as the others walked. Desmond didn't mind, though. As his Crobat seemed satisfied, and that mattered more than a little flying exercise he'd surely get later. Desmond kept his view focused on the path ahead, now more comfortable. 

'There's supposed to be a Gym where we're going...' He thought to himself, considering challenging the Gym Leader to a battle once he arrived. He didn't have any information on the Gym Leader, but knew all he needed to for the moment; The Gym Leader was powerful, and had strong Pokemon to match a strong trainer. He wasn't certain they could handle it, but knew Fluff wouldn't be happy if they didn't try. 'I can't back out of this chance. Defeating that Gym Leader will improve our abilities, and bring me closer towards being strong enough to travel where I please in the world without making them worry...' He thought about his parents, and how they worried about him being on this journey. He wanted to become strong enough to ensure them he'd be safe, wherever he went. Then they'd allow him to travel where he wanted; To other regions, to learn of the Pokemon and people in other places... Just thinking about it made him excited. 

Breaking past his thoughts and excitement, his stomach growled. The small group paused for a moment as Desmond looked down at his stomach, before letting his head hang momentarily as he realized he skipped getting breakfast for an early start on the road. He sighed, grumbling something to himself.

"T-There are some things we do, that we regret..."