Arthur ran out of Azalea Town, and stopped just past the Slowpoke Well. Around the well there were large rocks positioned, where Arthur picked one out of to lean against. He slowly dropped down to his haunches, and laid his head to rest on his crossed arms.

"…What is she blathering about…?" Arthur sobbed. "My dad is dead, nothing will ever change that!"

Arthur kept crying for a couple of a minutes. At a given moment, Arthur could hear a cry from his Sandshrew. The Poké ball in his back pocket opened, and a red beam of energy shot out from his pocket. Arthur leaped out of terror, and landed flat on his backside. The red energy gathered, from which Sandshrew eventually appeared.

"Sandshrew…?" Sandshrew said puzzled.

"Leave me alone, Sandshrew… I want to be alone for a while…" wailed Arthur.

Sandshrew turned away from Arthur. " 'shrew?" Sandshrew brought his claw to his chin. Then he snapped his fingers. " 'shrew!" said Sandshrew confidently. He turned to Arthur again with his chest forward. Sandshrew punched Arthur on the shoulder.

"Never say die, buddy!" Sandshrew tried to make clear. Then he pounded himself on the chest.

Arthur looked inconsolable. He tried not to look Sandshrew in the eyes. He thought Sandshrew handled the subject way too lightly. Then Sandshrew let his shoulders hunch. Still, he wasn't about to give up. He laid a paw on Arthur's shoulder. "Sandshrew…" Sandshrew said comforting. Arthur let out a gasp.

"I appreciate the help, Sandshrew. But… I just don't want to see anyone now." said Arthur.

Arthur grabbed his Poké ball, and was about to return Sandshrew to his Poké ball.

"That'd be a little blunt, no?"

"Huh…?"

Before Arthur could call back Sandshrew, he heard a voice coming from the close by Union Cave. A young man with green hair, dressed in a dark-green blouse and shorts exited the cave. Arthur stood up at once. He knew exactly who just walked into him.

"G-gym leader Bugsy!?" gasped Arthur.

"Honored." Bugsy smiled.

" 'shrew?" Sandshrew scratched his head.

Bugsy looked at Arthur for a second. He instantly noticed the red color around his eyes.

"I can see you're sad." said Bugsy. "And now you refuse Sandshrew's attempts to cheer you up, because you think Sandshrew has no idea what you've been through?"

Arthur couldn't counter this accusation. Normally he was a very clever guy, who could place a smart remark on pretty much anything. But against someone like gym leader he couldn't start anything. And certainly not Bugsy, the gym leader from his hometown.

"I don't know what you've been through…" Bugsy went on. "…but I'm willing to bet that Sandshrew knows like no other."

"B-but… he doesn't know that-…" Arthur started. Bugsy interrupted him.

"The moment you caught your Sandshrew, you and him have shared a bond together."

Arthur looked at Sandshrew. Sandshrew smiled friendly.

"The experience you gain as a trainer, you share with your Pokémon." Bugsy nodded towards Sandshrew. "And in its place, when the Pokémon grows stronger,"

Sandshrew took on a heroic pose, and placed his paws on his side.

"the trainer grows stronger with their Pokémon…" Arthur completed Bugsy's sentence.

"Exactly. You wouldn't say so, but… The moment you've caught Sandshrew, he gained all your experiences."

Arthur gasped. He looked at Sandshrew, who looked back at him. "You… know everything, don't you?" Arthur asked to Sandshrew. Sandshrew nodded in compassion.

"He understands what you've been through. And as a sincere friend, here he is trying the best he can to comfort you. You won't reject a friend for being there for you, would you?" said Bugsy.

Sandshrew winked at Arthur. Arthur took a few seconds to decide how to react on this. He rubbed with his left arm the last tears out of his eyes. He let out a smile, and winked back openly. He got down on one knee, and reached his hand out towards Sandshrew. Sandshrew gave Arthur his hand, and smiled back.

"You and me, Sandshrew! We will become the best of friends!" Arthur said with a smile.

"Sssandshrew! 'shrew!" Sandshrew replied.

"I see the bond between Sandshrew and you is already quite strong!" Bugsy said with admiration.

"I don't think I got your name… What is your na-…" Bugsy didn't get the time to finish his sentence.

"My name is Arthur! It is a super honor to meet you, mister Bugsy!" Arthur said energetic.

"Haha, don't praise me into the heavens, I'm barely older than you are!" Bugsy laughed.

"Arthur… Nice to meet you! I just returned from a journey to Dragon's Den at Blackthorn City. It's good to be back agai-…"

BOOM!

Right before Bugsy could finish his sentence, he got interrupted again. This time by a large explosion, coming from Ilex Forest…