The Petalburg Woods lay beyond the boundaries. A thick and twisted woodland. Any trace of the sky had been almost completely hidden by the canopy of hundreds of overgrown trees, giving it a dark and mysterious feel. With only small pockets of light visible, every now and again.

“Ryuu? Do you think I can do this,” she asked, the dragon-snake wrapped tightly around her neck. Before the dragon could reply, the noise of footsteps snapping against loose twig and woodland debris caused the girl and subsequently her dragon partner to jump, quite literally into the air.

“W-w-w-who is there?” She was, in fact, imagining a Giant Spider Pokemon patrolling around its nest, looking for tasty stragglers to drag into its web and feast upon. She let out a scream which echoed around through the thick trunks of the trees. Probably for quite-a-ways.

But it was something not spider-like at all. In the dim light, it was hard to tell but it was green and bipedal, slightly leaning forward. Large black eyes staring at Tilly as she shivered and looked back.

It took two steps forward into a narrow pocket of light. A curved head became visible, almost like a toadstool, followed by a beak-like mouth. Ryuu jumped down from her shoulder and looked as menacingly as it could at the Breloom. A difficult feat for a tiny, round, cute-looking dragon.

The Breloom took one look at Ryuu and then turned and walked away, deeper into the forest. “You showed him, I think...” Tilly muttered, picking up the Dratini and rewrapping her around his neck.

But as they stepped forward, in the path of the Breloom. It was clear that the Pokémon had not actually left the scene. It was waiting in the shadows, between the path. Eyes locked and focused on the girl. “Uh, that’s kinda intimidating… Does it want to battle, Ryuu?”

But, no, that couldn’t be right. If it wanted to battle, it would have done so when Ryuu jumped down from her shoulders. As Tilly edged forward, towards the Breloom, whilst trying her best not to get too close to it. The Breloom in return continued walking forward too but stopping every so often and then turning back.

Almost, as if it was leading them towards the exit of the woods. For some time, they’d continue in this manner. The mushroom Pokemon leading them forward, occasionally pointing at something that may pose as a possible threat or danger. A wild Pokémon or even an overgrown tree root.

“Are you… Are you...helping us leave?” The Breloom looked at her and then nodded, before quickly turning his head away in a stoic sort-of manner.

It was about forty-five minutes from entering the woods and them reaching what seemed to be the exit. Rays of light was now pouring down as the canopy thinned and the trees began to vanish, causing Tilly to blink. No longer used to the darkness.

The Breloom paused and pointed towards the exit with one red claw. Before it stepped back, almost into the shadows again. Tilly stepped forward. “Wait, uh, please. Don’t go yet… I, uh, want to thank you for all your help and, uh...” She paused, blushing slightly, unsure how to say what she wanted to say. “Do you, uh, want to come with us? It’d be nice to have a guide… and a new friend… If you’d like too.”

The Breloom tilted its head to one side, clearly considering the offer. After a few seconds of thought, it nodded with a little shrug.

“Oh, uh, I think this is right,” she said, fumbling in her bag for a Pokéball. Finally, she extricated the small red ball from between the amounts of stuff she had brought. She pressed the button and it enlarged to about the size of her palm. “Well, uh, here you go.”

She held it out, her arm clearly and visibly shaking. The stoic Breloom seemed to smile for a second before pressing its red hand against the ball. It burst open -- turning the Breloom into a white light – and then drew the Pokémon into it. It shook on her palm, one, twice, three times and then… fell still.

“Look, Ryuu. We got a new friend for our journey. Isn’t that great?” The little dragon let out a sleepy noise of happiness and then wrapped itself tighter around her neck.

“Okay… I guess, let’s carry on then.” Tilly said, feeling just a touch less nervous now.