"That's not what I was thinking...I was feeling Virizion or
something like that. Why else would it be following that Keldeo?"
Just to make sure, though, he took a closer look at the tracks
“I...didn’t think of that.” Emerald admitted. “That would make more
sense...it’s just that you always get a scent of herbs around a
Bayleef or Meganium...that’s why I thought it could have been one
of them...”
"Maybe that's just the scent of some nearby...I know a lot of grass
pokemon live in these woods..." Just as they were talking, there
was a flash of pink fur through the trees, and they could feel eyes
on them.
Emerald looked around once more. His aura was telling him something
was nearby. But because he had the sense of a Riolu and not a
Lucario, he had no way of discerning what that thing was. “Hm....”
The creature was still, standing behind the greenery. The sound of
hooves hitting the ground could be heard behind them as Deerling
and Keldeo skidded to a halt, panting. Winter turned his head
toward them.
“Hm?” Emerald turned around to see the Keldeo and Deerling. “Huh?”
Now he was a little confused...had they done a lap around them? Or
perhaps the hooves didn’t belong to them?
“Wha, huh? Was it a race?” Emerald stuttered, unexpected by the
sudden questions. He certainly wasn’t expecting to suddenly become
the referee to a race that he had just found out about
"Yeah! Me and Keldeo do races all the time! We run laps around the
inside of the woods! Didn't you see our tracks?" She flicked a
front hoof at the hoofprints
“Yeah we did..” Emerald slowly nodded before briefly looking at
Winter. He wasn’t sure what to say... “We did notice them...Didn’t
know that they were your racing...@
“Y-Yeah...we were too focused on the tracks...” He murmured. That
was mostly true...wasn’t it? He thought it was at least. They were
looking at the tracks...just not theirs.
"Focused on the tracks?" The Deerling took a closer look...
"Someone else came across our tracks while we were running! Look,
Keldeo!" The Secret sword pokemon took a few steps closer,
muttering.
Emerald was now looking at the tracks also. If it wasn’t any of the
pokemon he or Winter had came up with, who could have came across
their tracks? He wasn’t sure but he hoped it wasn’t bad
"Lavender...those are Lavender's tracks...she patrols the
forest...I suppose she caught us racing..." Keldeo explained.
Before anyone could ask who Lavender was, the pink creature leaped
out of hiding to join them. Actually, it was a little bit more of a
purple-pink, now that the light hit it.
It was Virizion all right. Albeit an oddly colored one. They
stepped forward, carefully avoiding stepping on the smaller
pokemon. "I saw who won." Came a low, commanding feminine voice.
"You show promise, Jazz." She praised the Deerling before turning
to the younger sword. "As for our apprentice, I hope this isn't a
sign of you slacking off in training." Her voice was stern as she
talked to Keldeo, who looked rather dejected.
Emerald looked at Winter. “I guess you were right after all.” He
smiled cheerfully and playfully nudged him. He felt a little sorry
for the Keldeo though...but that’s what it means to have a strict
master