While Rex was intensively training his Pokémon on his farm, Officer Jenny in Fallarbor Town received a request to help find some missing rookie trainers.
The residents who came to report were parents from Fallarbor Town. Their children had disappeared five days ago. Initially, these parents didn't worry much, as it was common for young trainers to venture out into the wild to train their Pokémon.
However, as time passed, they became increasingly uneasy, especially since they couldn't reach their children by phone.
Initially, these parents didn't want to bother Officer Jenny with a police report. Instead, they enlisted their relatives and friends to search for the missing trainers.
After a thorough search, the parents found some clues. They learned from the local Pokémon store that five days ago, the three rookie trainers had purchased a lot of camping equipment.
Not only that, they also bought a significant amount of food for both humans and Pokémon from the market. These findings led the parents to conclude that their children had likely headed into Petalburg Woods.
"These kids are really worrisome!" said Mrs. Smith, her face pale with worry.
"Mrs. Smith, don't worry too much. Although they entered Petalburg Woods, as long as they don't go too deep and have their Pokémon protecting them, they should be relatively safe," reassured Mr. Cortez, who was also worried about his daughter but knew it wasn't the time to despair.
"The reason they did this is partly our fault. If we hadn't restricted them so much, they wouldn't have left without telling us," said Mr. Rivera regretfully. He wished he had communicated better with his son to prevent this situation.
"We were only thinking of their safety. They just became trainers a few months ago and haven't been training their Pokémon properly. How could we let them travel alone?" Mrs. Smith said emotionally.
These families were neighbors and often interacted, so their children had been close since childhood. This year, after graduating from the beginner Pokémon school, the parents had bought them Pokémon eggs.
In this world, only a few people could get starter Pokémon directly from a recognized Pokémon Professor. Most people became trainers by purchasing Pokémon eggs from the Pokémon League's stores.
These families were no exception. Although they lived comfortably, they couldn't afford to provide their children with starter Pokémon. The situation was even worse for those who could only send their children to catch wild Pokémon with a bug net, hoping for the best.
Mrs. Smith's son, Michel, was 13 years old and had received a Geodude as his starter Pokémon. He was a bit clumsy and, being a year older than his companions, often took the blame when they got into trouble, resulting in frequent scoldings from his mother.
Mr. Cortez's daughter, Arisa, was 12 years old and had received a Shroomish. She was mischievous and loved causing trouble but appeared well-behaved and sensible in front of her parents.
Mr. Rivera's son, Charles, also 12, had received a Zubat. He was introverted but a top student, always wearing black-framed glasses, and was considered the brains of the trio.
The three kids loved Pokémon. Michel and Charles dreamed of becoming powerful trainers, while Arisa aimed to be a top coordinator.
After graduating from the beginner Pokémon school and receiving their starter Pokémon, they were eager to start their adventures and pursue their dreams. Unfortunately, their parents stopped them.
The parents weren't trying to stifle their children's dreams but were aware that many rookie trainers set out unprepared each year, often with regrettable outcomes. They wanted their children to train their Pokémon first before considering travel.
However, the kids' adventurous spirits couldn't be contained any longer. They secretly planned to travel to Rustboro City to challenge the gym.
They planned everything in secret, and five days ago, they set out, intending to cross Petalburg Woods to reach Rustboro City. To avoid their parents finding out and bringing them back, they chose not to take the main roads but rather navigate through the wilderness.
They believed their Pokémon were strong enough to handle the dangers of the forest. This overestimation of their abilities was a common rookie mistake, similar to the trainer with Machop before.
While their parents were searching for them, Arisa and her friends had already been lost in Petalburg Woods for two days. Despite having a map, the dense trees and overgrown grass made it hard to navigate.
This was their first time traveling, and they found everything in the wild fascinating. They often got sidetracked trying to catch wild Pokémon, straying from their planned route.
By now, they had been lost in the forest for two days, unable to find the right direction and aimlessly searching for a way out.
Fortunately, they were still in the outer region of Petalburg Woods, where the Pokémon were relatively weak. With their Pokémon by their side, they avoided major trouble and stayed safe.
"Are we never getting out? We only have food for a week. What if we can't find our way out by then?" Arisa said, her voice trembling with tears.
She was dirty and disheveled, her clothes torn by grass, and her hair a mess. She looked nothing like her usual cute self, appearing exhausted and on the verge of breaking down.
Arisa realized that their journey wasn't as glamorous as she had imagined, feeling her dreams shatter.
"Arisa, we'll be fine. I'll make sure we get out of here," Michel said firmly.
Despite his own worries and the rough condition he was in, Michel knew he needed to be the one to encourage the others, keeping their spirits up to continue until they found a way out.
"We were too overconfident. Traveling isn't as easy as we thought. If we get another chance, I'll make sure to plan everything better," Charles said, adjusting his glasses with regret.
Charles hadn't fully agreed with the idea of traveling in secret but went along at Arisa's request, confident in his abilities and Zubat's strength to handle any danger.
Unfortunately, the past two days' experiences had shaken his confidence in their survival skills.
(End of Chapter)