The sun was beginning to set, low on the horizon west of Phenac city. Enigma and Katarra, both full of food, we're too pumped up to settle down for the night. The population of the city had headed for the most part, indoors. a small trace of people were left in the streets, the waters of Phenac glowing a beautiful pink and orange tint, the tickle of moving water softly adding a veil to the murmured sound of conversation. Enigma stood in the middle of the main street of Phenac, his hair blowing slightly in the breeze. His eyes were locked on the path out of town, and he wrestled with the thought of venturing the desert at night. It couldn't be too dangerous. He'd seen several people leave already. But, then again, they probably knew the area. There could be unknown dangers out in the vast unknown dessert between here and pyrite town. He pulled out his map, checking the distance. Only a few miles. It should take no more than a few hours of travel. And then he could get a room in Pyrite, and get some rest.
"what do you think, Katarra? Should we go for it?" Enigma asked, looking to the bulbasaur clinging to his shoulder happily.
"Bulba buh Bulba buh Saur!"
Enigma chuckled softly at the Bulbasaurs enthusiasm, and nodded once, "Well then. Lets get going!"
Placing Katarra atop his head, he adjusted his backpack, shifting the weight to a more comfortable location. It was much heavier than it had been when he arrived, seeing as he'd found time to do some shopping with the money he'd saved before he left Lavender Town. H'ed bought several potions, and was lucky enough to find a full heal sale, stocking up on a handful of the amazing medicinal products. He'd stocked up a few more pokeballs, and a weeks worth of non-perishables. He was ready this time. Pulling a dark black headband out of the side pocket of his bag, he slipped it over his head, in an attempt to keep his wild hair out of his face, before stepping out into the sandy hills and meadows of the dessert.
About one hour, three battles and two snacks later..
"Well, we should be about a third of the way there. If we managed to keep our sense of direction right." Enigma said out loud, looking up at Katarra. It had proved fairly difficult to manage a straight line through some of the more dune littered ares of the dessert, but they had done their best. He had pulled off a few battles with some wild pokemon, having a few close calls, but managing to pull out on top with nothing a potion couldn't help with. He wondered how the other trainers were doing. And as he thought that, he was quickly distracted, by a small blue penguin-like pokemon-piplup- scurrying back, soon followed by distant shouts, quickly approaching him.
;What the..; Enigma began thinking to himself, staring off the way the piplup had come from.