"Wow," breathed Slowbro. "We're really here."

"Can you re-start my heart first?" asked Shellder. "I'm never getting into any vehicle with that thing again!"

"We won't have to!" grinned Slowbro. "This is our new home! We won't need to leave now!"

The conjoined duo entered the gym. No trainers were around, but their Pokemon were all sparring, getting ready for future matches.

"I'd like to apply for a job here!" Slowbro proudly announced.

A few of the training Pokemon glared at him.

"You don't apply," snarled a Kadabra. "You get caught by a trainer who then uses you in battle. We don't take wild Pokemon off the street, you know."

"Besides," a Venomoth sneered, "we already have a Slowbro."

Another Slowbro stepped out of the shadows. He had a strange look about him…a nasty look. "That's right," he said quietly. "And I know moves you only wish you knew."

The first Slowbro looked around nervously as the group of psychic Pokemon closed in on him. "Hey now," he weakly managed to say, "I was just wondering, that's all…but I'll just be going now…"

"Oh no you won't," said Mr. Mime, stepping in front of the door. "We need to teach you a lesson about your place in the world."

"Everyone use Psychic!" shouted Alakazam. The group of Pokemon used their powers to twist, contort, and throw Slolwbro around painfully. He was smashed into walls, thrown across the room, and possibly had his internal organs rearranged a few times (it certainly felt like they had, at least).

When the Pokemon were through, they grabbed Slowbro and laughing, tossed him out the door.

Slowbro landed hard on the pavement and looked up to see the other Pokemon cackling down on him. After what seemed like hours of humiliation, the other Pokemon finally retreated into the gym, slamming the door shut behind them.

"Are you okay, Shellder?" Slowbro asked after a moment.

"Now you ask? Now?" snapped Shellder. "After taking me out of my home, hitting me against a tree, putting me in a train with an insane Hoothoot, and getting my brain turned sideways by those psychics, nay, those psychos! Now you ask me if I'm okay?"

"I was just trying…"

"I QUIT!" shouted Shellder. "I'm out, I'm done, I'm finished!"

With that, Shellder opened his mouth wide and unattached himself from Slowbro. Suddenly, he was a Slowpoke again.

"What are you talking about?" asked Slowpoke. "Admittedly, my tail feels better than ever and this is literally an enormous weight off of me, but…"

"Very funny," Shellder hissed. "I'm leaving!"

"How can you leave?" cried Slowpoke. "We're in the middle of the city! It's foggy out! There's no water anywhere!"

"Big whoop!" called Shellder. "I don't wanna be attached to you a minute longer! Who knows what you'll do next? You wanna try to join the Elite Four? They'd kill us! I'm tired of your crazy schemes and total disregard for my feelings! Adios!"

Grumbling to himself, Shellder hopped off into the fog, leaving Slowpoke standing alone.