"What kind of favor?" I asked curiously.

"I have a friend in Violet City who has something she needs protecting," Priss replied.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Well I'm not too keen on what it is," Priss replied. "What I do know is that it has some sort of power to identify all ghosts. And in the hands of the wrong people, it could spell disaster for all ghosts."

"So why does it need protecting?" I asked.

"From what my friend told me, she's been hearing talk going around that the item is going to be stolen," Priss said. "By whom she has no idea. But the only people I know who would ever want to steal anything would be Team Rocket."

"Do you mean those guys in black uniforms?" I asked. Priss replied with a nod. "So they steal things and pokemon?"

"Unfortunately," Priss said. "Team Rocket is known for that. They'll do what they're told and have no regrets doing it. They mostly stay grouped together."

"So I'm going to get this item and give it to you?" I asked.

"Well I'm not entirely sure if you're bringing it back here," Priss admitted. "I guess I forgot to ask where my friend wants it. You'll have to ask her yourself. I'd ask but my friend seems to think she's being spied upon. So it's up to you to journey to the city and retrieve the item."

I nodded my head in response, understanding what was expected of me. "Don't you worry, Priss," I said. "You can count on me." I turned about and began walking off. However, something occurred to me as I was heading out. I stopped and turned around, walking back towards Priss.

"Something wrong?" Priss asked with a confused look on her face.

"Kind of," I said. "Which way is it to this city?"

Priss instantly chuckled to my question. I stared, not understanding why she was laughing.

"Forgive me," she said. "I just found that kind of funny. I don't really know how. But anyway, you might want to think about going North." She nodded her head in a particular direction. "You should be close to the city's leave by nightfall."

"O.K.," I said as I turned around again and began walking in the direction Priss showed me. "Thanks."

"Any time," Priss said. I was pretty much out of ear shot from her, but I managed to hear her say one little detail I forgot to ask. "Quil. When you arrive in Violet City, ask around for a Shuppet named Tess."

"Got it," I yelled back as I walked out of sight from her. It was hard to actually keep from being looked at. Frankly I was sick and tired of it already. For quite a while I walked, feeling like I was getting nowhere.

I stopped briefly to rest my paws from traveling. My nose smelled something wonderful. It smelled like something being cooked. The smell was coming from a nearby box looking thing. I blinked. Something wasn't adding up. This huge metal box-thing had the smell of food coming off it, yet there wasn't any food to be seen.

I noticed a human standing near the box on one side and a line of other humans on another. The one human was handing out, from the looks of it, a long brown thing. My mind registered a thought as food.

I slowly approached the food containing box and looked up at the human serving the food. He seemed quite busy giving all the food away to other humans. I tapped on his leg, getting his attention.

"Shoo," he said. Shoving me away with his foot. I was startled by this and tried again. "I said scram," the human said, shoving me a bit harder. The line of humans didn't bother to stop and care that I was hungry. They just took their food and walked away.

I walked around the mean human who shoved me and began rose on my feet, trying to find something to grab and climb. In that instant, I felt myself being lifted up, but went up too high for my liking. I felt something holding me by the scruff of my neck. I was then suddenly turned away from the food and thrown into something hard.

"Don't let me catch you trying to steal my food again," came the mean human's voice as I laid there, now thanks to a hurting back. I slowly got up, my back tensing up as a bit of pain shot through it.

"Ow!" I cried, rubbing it. My stomach growled hungrily. I sighed, sitting down to take a break. Life sure had it in for me. Everywhere I turned things just seemed to go wrong. I turned my head and looked as the humans happily walked off with all that good food they were getting. Just staring at it made me even more hungrier.

I was afraid to go back, though, incase that human did something even more meaner. I didn't feel like sticking around long, being that I had a mission to do. I got up, my back a bit better. I slowly walked away from the mean human and slowly trudged my way through the rest of the city.

After another long while of walking, the buildings ended at last. The sun was far on my right now, the air still too hot. But I was glad to know that I was now leaving the city, or so I thought. I walked on, leaving the big city behind me and ended up in a nice little field just outside.

I was glad to feel the soft grass under my feet again. I smiled at the touch. The sounds of honking behind me were a bit distant now that I was out. I continued walking, getting away from the city as fast as I could. My stomach growled hungrily.

Ahead of me was nothing but open field, except for a wide river before me. I stopped near the river, watching the water flow in one direction. The current was strong. I looked at the direction the river was flowing and found it leading back towards the city. Not wanting to go that way, I turned and began heading the other way in the direction the river was coming from.

I knew that wherever the river began, there would be some good food nearby to eat. Unfortunately, my foot gave way, causing me to slip and fall into the river. I yelled in surprise as I was dragged underneath the water.

I struggled to get to the surface, but the force of the current kept me from doing so. I felt all the air in my lungs leave me and my vision began fading. Just before blacking out, I saw a dark figure coming at me.