Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, but I do own my OCs.

Nervousness weighed on my mind while I filled out the application in the corner. Most of the questions were simple like name, age, home region, and overall experience as a trainer, but that wasn't the problem. The idea of potentially exposing myself to the world under my circumstances terrified me until a metaphorical light bulb went off in my head. Pokémon Services never took my information. I wasn't in any public trainer database, so nobody could look me up. Their shady business practices of paying me under the table benefited me just as much as it did them.

Jon and Jen probably knew I was alive, but I didn't think they would try to pursue me unless I walked into the clinic. Aside from Ardos' name being mentioned, I didn't remember him revealing damning evidence about the company or anyone else. The locked "Ein File" portfolios were more red flags on top of the other things Maddie mentioned in her note. Despite all I had gone through, I didn't have any evidence of what was really going on. All those factors combined, and I think they had bigger things to worry about, like trying to get money for the business.

Nurse Joy was milling around behind the counter until I walked up with a completed application. She looked it over before typing away at a computer. After a few clicks of the mouse, the screen was turned my way.

"Congratulations! You are now a registered trainer for the Hoenn League! I just need you to step back so I can take a picture."

"Actually, can I use the one from my time as a gym trainer?"

She became skeptical. "Let me run your information through the league database." I was nervous since she didn't use the keyboard or mouse as much as before. "Just curious, what can you tell me about your experience?"

"My fellow trainers at the gym were Shawn before he left, Vivian, and Ben. I had a 70-57 record in four months all in Mauville City. Also, Linoone was my only Pokémon at the time." Nurse Joy went back to searching and nodded.

"Ah! There you are. I could see why you would want this picture." I had shown up like that to picture day a week into the job in a red button-down dress shirt and white tie. I figured if it was going in the league database, I should look presentable.

There was a slight difference in appearance since it had been taken over a year ago, but it wasn't enough to tell up close. Now if they were interested in looking me up, they would have an older photo and might not be able to spot me on the street. Jen and Seven hadn't seen me enough times to remember my face, but Jon and Ardos interacted with me more. Hopefully a long journey combined with them spending their energy to run Pokémon Services would cause some amnesia regarding what I looked like.

"Hey, you never know when it might come in handy," I said while shrugging my shoulders and smiling.

"If you had pointed out your league employment before I gave you an application, you would've saved yourself the trouble of filling out the paperwork."

"Sorry about that. I'm a little anxious at the moment." I was curious to see what else was on my page after my time there. "Do you mind if I look at my profile? I never knew how to access it from home."

"I don't see why not."

Everything a normal business would ask for personal information wise was on there. Records for each month were listed along with what tasks I knew how to do. There was a "in the news" section for which there was only one article. Some tabloid picked up on how I made a kid with a team full of Trapinch cry. The memory of me easily defeating the first two before he ran out of the gym was enough to make me chuckle. A footnote at the bottom of my profile caught my eye.

A very hard worker all around. Left on good terms to pursue other opportunities.

Did… did Wattson do that? I clearly remember him telling me I was fired. Not only that, all my performance reviews stayed positive from the first one to the day I got fired. I had to hold back tears and pretend that something was in my eye.

"Now that you're a formal trainer, I'd like to give you your official Hoenn League starter pack," Nurse Joy said while pulling out a drawstring bag. "Take a look and don't be afraid to ask questions."

A paper map and compass were the first things I noticed which would allow me to get home. Go-Goggles allowed me to maneuver through the desert on route 111 if I decided to cut through there. There was a list of the gym leaders, their type specialty, their TM prize, any programs they participate in, and an overview of their badge. Due to Devon Corporation's constant work with technology, HMs were in all marts selling for 15,000P each as told on another piece of paper. Finally, I was handed a Pokédex.

"Devon mass produces these too?"

"They do! However, this is arguably the most important item. It contains your trainer ID number, milestones, and it will provide information on all Pokémon in your party with a quick scan. You could request a new one at any Pokémon Center if it gets lost for a fee. If you want to upgrade it with more features, go to Littleroot Town."

I didn't even try to hide the mix of joy and relief on my face. Guessing about wild or opponent's Pokémon was now a thing of the past. Knowing more about my team would also make the gym challenge easier. The basic features needed to be tested on the way back to Mauville.

"Great! I think I'm all set," I said while packing everything up.

"Good luck and enjoy what Hoenn has to offer!"

People who previously saw me running through town crying looked me over as I fiddled with my Pokédex. They probably shrugged it off as me having a bad day without knowing how bad it was. Once I had everything set up, I called out Swablu.

"Hold still while it scans." It stared in awe at the new technology and its information was displayed on the screen.

Name: Swablu

Hoenn Number/National Number: 126/333

Male/Female: Female

Ability: Natural Cure

Nature: Quirky

Moves: Sing, Round, Take Down, Cotton Guard

Other features like locations across the region appeared as I scrolled down. Knowing the attacks was all I needed. That being said, there was a lot of room for improvement. Round wasn't going to win any major battles. However, it was good enough to get us home.

I thought about leaving east until I realized it was going to get dark soon. Maneuvering throughout the night without proper gear was dangerous. Even if I bought a tent and flashlight at the mart, I would be more comfortable testing them out first. Nurse Joy was a little surprised to see me come back in.

"Is everything alright?"

"What you gave me works fine. Can I please have a room for the night?" I said while reaching for my wallet.

"Oh! You don't have to worry about paying for a room if you're a trainer."

"Really!?"

She put on a serious look. "It's a first come, first served basis when it comes to Pokémon Centers. If they're too full, you'll have to sleep somewhere else. Not all of them are as empty as this one. Anyway, you're registered to room 2A." I walked around to find my room.

There was a bunk bed to go with a small bathroom while the carpet was a little on the rugged side. A desk, lamp, and chair sat next to a small dresser to make it feel more inviting. The window faced north to the mountains. I felt an overwhelming sense of comfort knowing that I had my own private space to do what I wanted.

Planning out a route home was much easier with the PokéNav and the paper map. Latias made a break for Meteor Falls before she got captured which meant going that way would be risky. Her captors could exit the falls at route 115, take a boat to Rustboro City, go east to Verdanturf, then end up in Mauville. It would be hard even with whatever resources they had, but a lot easier than taking my way back.

Route 113 was essentially flat with some mountainous sections to the south and a large forest to the north. There was ash from Mount Chimney all over the place which could be turned into items, but I didn't have time for that. From there, I'd reach route 111, go south through the desert, then continue on the main path until I reached Mauville. The trip could be completed in one day if I kept a brisk pace with no breaks.

"Route planned? Check. Materials for the trip? Nope," I said while looking through my backpack. "It's not too late to stock up."

The mart was eerily empty although the man working the counter made me feel comfortable. Food was my primary concern followed by some healing items then a few Poké Balls. Swablu being the only member in my party made inventory portioning easy for now. My problem was the lack of other things available for a long trip.

"Finding everything you need?" the cashier asked.

"Do you have sleeping bags or tents?"

He shook his head slowly. "Not that I know of. We don't have a shipment of that kind of outdoor gear due for another few days."

"What about a flashlight?"

"There's one by the premade emergency kits." It was one that could be cranked for power instead of needing batteries. "Anything else?"

"Nope. Have a good night," I replied as I paid him.

Doctor Ellis' house and Mauville were one thing, but the feeling waking back to the Pokémon Center was an odd one. Bright lights on every corner had been replaced with dull street lights, yet I didn't feel threatened at all. The overwhelming sense of calm in the town put me at ease. Getting away from the hustle and bustle was something I always looked forward to on my journey. If I wasn't starting my journey, I wouldn't mind staying a few days in Fallarbor Town to relax.

My room had gotten cold in the time I went out which meant I had to turn up the heat. I called out Swablu to eat with me. The fluffy flying type stuck its head in the small bag of Pokémon food as I nibbled on some fruit. Something went off in my head and I started to quietly sob.

I didn't deserve any of this. A Swablu who was thrilled to travel with me, a warm room to sleep in, a shot at winning eight badges, and Latias saving my life after I nearly pissed it away for a job that I didn't need to survive. I think what got me the most was the idea of being forgotten if I died. Nobody knew where I was and there was a good chance my body would be tossed around the inside of Meteor Falls until I was unrecognizable. My Pokémon stopped eating to sit on my shoulder and rub against my cheek.

"Thank you Swablu. I think I need to turn the lights off and go to bed," I sniveled while petting her. She shook her head when I took out her ball and flew over to the top bunk. Kneading the sheets was her way of getting ready for bed. "We're not always going to have a bed, but I'm fine with you sleeping out of your ball tonight." I tucked her in for good measure.

For a place that was shared by trainers across Hoenn, the bed was comfortable. The linens smelling like citrus was a nice touch. I easily fell asleep to the sound of rain hitting the exterior of the building. Unfortunately, the peaceful atmosphere didn't last long.

Latias' capture replayed in my mind before the nightmares got worse. I imagined she was pinned down on some operation table like in a cliché mad scientist horror movie. The hallucination shifted to her being forced to battle to the point of exhaustion. Another shift in tone as I saw her moving heavy materials while being whipped. It felt like a never-ending cycle of quick snippets until I saw a shadowy figure slam her head into the ground and whisper something in her ear. My instinct was to beat the shit out of him.

"Come here you bitch!" I yelled before throwing a punch in my sleep. "Shit! Dammit… that hurt," I moaned while rubbing my hand. I took a second to wake up then turn on the light. Luckily, the wall was fine.

My body was covered in a cold sweat, my heart was racing, and breathing was shallow and quick. Apparently, I had thrashed in my sleep the entire time seeing as my covers were on the floor. Swablu had moved to the foot of my bed with a concerned look on her face.

"Just had a horrible nightmare. Sorry about that." I remade my bed then tried to settle down. My flying type hopped next to me. A soothing melody came out of her mouth; it wasn't like when we first met. "So… sleepy." She used my head as a pillow before we fell asleep. Her humming reverberated in my head to keep the nightmares away for the rest of the night.

Fog was the only thing I could see out the window when I woke up at 9:30. Putting up with that would be fine since there was no rain. Swablu already had scattered food on the floor for breakfast; I wasn't feeling hungry. Once I tidied up, I went to the front desk to check out and heal my only Pokémon. Nurse Joy wished me well and I unceremoniously started my journey.

Walking through route 113 was a quiet experience. Groups of Spinda preferred to run away from me or put in extra effort to hiding in the tall grass. Sandshrew had it easier because they could dig to avoid confrontation. I messed up by tripping over one that was sleeping, but Swablu easily defeated it with Take Down. The thought of catching it crossed my mind until a few more came up from the ground looking to defend their friend. I walked away; getting home was more important.

Maneuvering through the ashy landscape got annoying once I reached a steep cliff. I had to go north, east, then south to continue. After going down some manmade stairs, a pair of Skarmory was on the edge of the grass. One was clearly younger than what I presumed was its mother. The young flying type was practicing a takeoff when it noticed me. A loud screech came afterward.

"Oh no. Please turn around. I don't want any trouble," I whispered to myself. The mother immediately saw me as a threat and her talons glowed. "No! No! No! Not Metal Claw! Swablu, Cotton Guard!"

Its puffy wings glowed in response to my command. Even an adult Skarmory's metal talons couldn't severely injure my little ball of fluff. Sure, it wasn't as strong as the champion's steel bird, but Swablu's defense was stronger than I thought. What the hell did I inherit?

"Sing! Try putting it to sleep!"

It took a lot longer than I wanted, but the mom took a nap. The younger one instantly became terrified at the sight unfolding in front of it; it charged as out of anger. Round and Take Down would take too long to whittle down even the lesser experienced bird. I was happy to run away; it turned back once I got out of the falling ash. We needed a break as the sun started to set.

One option was to find a tree nearby to set up a camp while the other option was to keep going until I got back to Mauville. My PokéNav indicated there was a cottage nearby although there was a good chance the people living there wouldn't let me stay the night. The desire to get back home swayed the pendulum in favor of walking through the desert. I had a change of heart when I got to the edge of it and my flashlight wasn't as strong as I thought it was.

"There's at least one better way to die," I joked to myself. "Guess I'm finding a tree to sleep under. Swablu, return."

A dense forest southwest of my location was an ideal place to set up camp. The sounds of nature were scarce, yet I was okay with it. People who loved the constant hustle and bustle of Mauville would probably panic at how quiet it was. I fell asleep knowing the skies were clear and the air was warm.

Waking up was more frustrating than normal because I ended up facing east. I referred to my map for the best path home once I packed everything up. Hoenn's desert was more enclosed than a traditional one which meant I could hug the rocks south until I got out. The worst thing I could do was get away from the wall.

Go-goggles fit snugly over my eyes and allowed me to see when the wind picked up too much sand. I cursed at how much sand was in my shoes; the beach back home was annoying enough. Cacnea were bouncing around in the distance enjoying the hot sun along with some trainers looking to catch them. There was a trainer coming closer to me.

"Hey! Want to battle?"

"No thanks."

"Come on… you're really refusing a battle?"

"Uh, yeah. Move along." The trainer didn't appreciate my answer and grabbed my arm.

"We're doing this. Lombre, come out then use Rain Dance!" The hybrid water-grass Pokémon summoned a local raincloud to negate the sandstorm.

I yanked my arm away. "Nope. Bye." I took four steps before exploding bubbles landed next to me.

"Last chance."

Guess I was going to battle. "Swablu, use Sing!"

"Bubble Beam!"

Sing had no effect as Lombre took advantage of the rain. It effortlessly dashed across the landscape firing streams of bubbles at my Pokémon. Swablu took a heavy hit before ascending higher.

"Take Down!"

"Nature Power!"

Swift Swim allowed Lombre to put itself in a better position to launch its attack. Pillars of sand came from the ground that Swablu easily dodged. She rammed into her opponent's chest for a direct hit.

"Round!" A soundwave sent Lombre to the ground.

"Don't take that lying down! Bubble Beam!" The attack grazed my flying type despite its best effort to escape. I was tired of battling.

"Get in close then use Sing!" The attack worked the second time. "Ram into it!" Lombre was helpless as the force of the attack sent it a few feet backwards.

My opponent knew the round was over. "Return! Go-!" I rushed in for my own tackle then pinned him in the sand.

"Get off me!"

I got in his ear. "I told you I didn't want to battle! Also, I'm fucking tired of being around rain. Now I don't feel bad about doing this." His goggles were tossed well outside the rainy area.

"Hey! I need those!"

"You have two choices. Either continue the battle like you wanted while I guard your goggles or get your goggles while I run away. Keep in mind the rain is going to stop soon."

The trainer was let go and getting the goggles was more important to them. I recalled Swablu before running south as the sandstorm overtook the rain. A few other trainers asked for a battle along the way back to town, but I declined each one. They were a little older, so they understood about how I was trying to get home; still got mocked for it. Once I passed the Winstrate family house around noon, I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I realized I was entering from the north; I had to walk past Pokémon Services.

I waited until mid-afternoon to make my move into the city. Large groups of people were passing through the area and it was easy to blend in. Another thing regarding my escape from Jon crossed my mind and I sprinted to the bank. The teller pretended like there was nothing wrong.

"What can I do for you?"

"Can you show me my account balance on the screen? Here's my identification." The thought of them raiding my personal account went away when I saw my balance hadn't changed. "Thank you. Can I withdraw 100,000?"

"Debit card not working?"

"I'd rather pay for my items in cash this time around."

Money exchanged hands and I went home knowing my parents were at work. As much as I wanted to have a big sendoff, I didn't have time for goofing around. My Pokémon were inside their balls on the kitchen table along with a note. I'd be willing to bet they wrote that immediately after they saw mine.

Ryan, we tried calling to check up on you, but you never answered. Also, your Pokémon were visibly upset about you leaving them here. Maybe try the PC system next time? Hope the business trip went well and give us a call after you've recovered.

-Mom & Dad

Talking to all three of them separately would be too much for me. Introducing Swablu would be easier if they all saw her as well. I moved to the living room for the big news.

"Alright guys, out you go." Any hope for them being happy to see me was instantly squashed.

Linoone grunted in frustration then turned his head to the side like a child pouting. Aggron gave me a long stare before completely turning his back to me with his arms folded. Magneton was conflicted on how happy it was to see me; it started to float to me only to back up while still facing me. I couldn't believe it. I lost the trust of all my Pokémon.

"Guys, I'm really sorry about making you stay behind." I truly meant it, but they didn't see it that way. "After what happened on my trip, we're done battling for Pokémon Services."

The news made everyone even more upset; Magneton turned around with its magnets drooping. I dug through my backpack for the paper on gym badges. Words weren't going to get them back.

"We're going to take the Hoenn League challenge. Eight badges stand between us and Ever Grande City," I said while placing the paper on the ground.

Ramming that thought into Linoone's head for years caused him to crack first. I had always showed him the badges from books in the hopes he wouldn't think his battling was going to waste. He carefully looked over each badge to make sure they were all there although he didn't forgive me entirely. My other two Pokémon didn't budge at the prospect of collecting badges.

"You also have a new teammate. Meet Swablu." She looked around to get a feeling for her partners.

Magneton was stoic after it inspected her which came as a surprise considering how friendly it was to everything else. Maybe it was jealous of another peppy Pokémon. Linoone gave it a good sniff over before happily crying out in approval. Aggron still hadn't budged since I called him out, but took an interest when Swablu sat atop his head. They communicated for a few minutes before he gently tapped the two feathers sticking out from Swablu's head; never would've guessed he was a bit of a softie.

The new addition wasn't going to immediately make things better. How long was it going to take to regain their trust in me? What would I have to do? Winning badges would be a good start, but I made them feel like I questioned their strength. Had I told them the reason for why I left them behind, the bridge might have been burned completely.

"Rustboro City is home of the first badge if we take the traditional path of new trainers. We're leaving for Verdanturf Town later tonight. Maybe we'll get to Rustboro depending on how fast we move." I took the chance to scan everyone else with my Pokédex for more details.

Name: Linoone

Hoenn Number/National Number: 13/264

Male/Female: Male

Ability: Quick Feet

Nature: Impish

Moves: Covet, Slash, Sand-Attack, Pin Missile

Pickup wasn't it because I never received anything from him during our travels. Gluttony might've been it after I found him, but he stopped scarfing down his food once he realized I was going to keep him. I didn't even consider a third potential ability since he was rarely affected by a status ailment. Magneton was up next.

Name: Magneton

Hoenn Number/National Number: 85/82

Male/Female: Neither

Ability: Sturdy

Nature: Jolly

Moves: Flash Cannon, Tri Attack, Metal Sound, Spark

Nothing came as a surprise to me. If I paraded it around to anyone, they could at least guess its nature. Aggron was the last one I had to scan.

Name: Aggron

Hoenn Number/National Number: 74/306

Male/Female: Male

Ability: Rock Head

Nature: Adamant

Moves: Rock Slide, Double-Edge, Iron Tail, Iron Head

With all the information at my fingertips, I could go to the shopping district to better prepare for my journey. I left a note for my parents saying my PokéNav broke and I would call them as soon as possible. A pile of cash worth 30,000P was put next to the note as thanks for all they had done. I stared at it wondering if it was enough. Was it a fair amount or was I holding back? Did my siblings need any extra money? How much did I really need for a journey? I took the other 70,000 to the shopping district.

The outdoor stores had more than I asked for. So many tents, sleeping bags, emergency kits, and stuff I didn't even know existed. One thing I noticed was that the most expensive things weren't always suited to my personal preferences. Were they worth the price tag? Absolutely. I just bought what I needed then moved on to other stores. I did splurge on the latest PokéNav model since it was more durable; my SIM card from my old one was unsalvageable.

Once I got what I needed, I had two things left to do. Maddie had some information for me and I still had to go to my apartment to pick up any last-minute things. Her apartment number was still in my memory even if her number wasn't. It was coming up on 5:30pm so there was a chance she was already home.

I casually walked into the complex, took the elevator up to her floor, and knocked on her door. Nobody answered so I sat outside her door. For a place that was seemingly uptight about security on the ground floor, the residents didn't seem to care about me. They probably thought I was someone who was upset about getting dumped. She finally showed up an hour later.

"Ryan? What are you doing here? And why didn't you call me?"

"Hope you're not too tired to talk because I've got one hell of a story." I gave her time to get settled. "You should start first because I want to hear more about the note."

She sat down next to me. "When I asked about the late nights or aggressive Pokémon, some of the higher-ups shrug it off while others were unaware of what's going on. I can confirm that incorrect advice about rehabilitation has been given. Wrong exercises, moving too quickly, stuff like that. The scary part is that the physical therapists yell at each other when someone catches wind of it. The company still helps many people, though."

"Does the arguing lead to anything?"

"Beats me. Disagreeing with a method is one thing, but the ones giving bad advice plug their ears and scream. Luckily, I work with reasonable people."

A light bulb went off in my head. "Cecil working there too?"

Her eyes went from me to the floor. "Yes. He hasn't been the same these past few weeks. At work he pretends I don't exist then doesn't tell me why when he comes home. Then he says it's for my own good." She started to sob.

Cecil might have been in on whatever Pokémon Services was trying to do based on her account. I couldn't walk up and ask him with Maddie next to me; doubt he would talk to me about that anyway.

"Do you think you'll keep working there with everything going on?"

"I don't know!" she yelled; probably not a good question to ask. Maddie calmed down shortly after the outburst. "Taking things one day at a time is all I can do at this point."

The frustration boiled over and she kept punching the couch. Nothing was being done and I had a feeling that any suggestions from her would result in her firing. Suggesting a different order for cleaning at my janitorial job got me a stern talking to. Hard to imagine what would happen if Maddie called bullshit on everything she saw.

"Believe me when I say that there's something going on too," I sternly said. She took deep breaths to regain her focus. "Did anyone mention me going on a business trip?"

"No. I didn't know you worked there until we met in the lobby a few days ago. You're not on any schedule either." Big red flag. If I wasn't a listed employee, neither was any of the other battlers.

I leaned back. "Convenient. If you were to kill someone who never was an employee, would the company acknowledge that they were dead?"

"You can't be serious," she whispered.

"Due to some actions that didn't sit well with upper management, someone was hired to kill me."

Maddie slowly nodded although I didn't think she believed anything. I thought it was more out of shock than anything. "Who did it?"

I slowly rubbed my eyes. "Can't say because…" I tailed off not knowing how to phrase the rest of the sentence. Telling her would cause more harm than good because she would start to act different at work.

"What's with everyone hiding things from me!?" Now I knew how to finish it.

"Because I'm not dragging you into my problems!" I walked around the living room. "Cecil might be doing the same thing… to protect you. If people associate him with you, that could cause problems down the road. Whether you want to believe that or not is up to you. The good news is that neither of you have paraded me around at work as a good friend. Both of you are fine now and will continue to be fine."

Her head plopped on the back of the couch. "I'm relieved to hear that. My question is do they know you're alive?"

"They probably do… which is why I'm leaving town tonight and taking the Hoenn League challenge. Here's my new number. If there are rumblings about me, I'd appreciate a call. I need to get stronger so that I can fight when the time comes."

"Should I go to the police?"

My heart skipped a beat. "Let me handle my situation on my own and you handle anything that happens to you."

We exchanged numbers again knowing that I wasn't coming back to Mauville anytime soon. The conversation shifted to me explaining my team and how they were doing. Part of me still wanted to come clean on everything, but I didn't give in to temptation. She sincerely wished me well and I walked back into the city.

After healing up at the Pokémon Center, I made my way back to my apartment. Lostelle's was as entertaining as ever with the flashing lights on the sign. Going in for a round at the machines was another temptation I had to avoid. All the fun I had in there before meant nothing now. The money I won there all those months was a different story. My door was unlocked when I turned the key.

"Those motherfuckers!"

Every square inch of the place had been ransacked. Furniture was against the wall, contents of cupboards were all over the kitchen floor, my electronics were missing, and my room got the worst of it. The clothes I bought with Ardos' money were gone along with some of my nicer clothes. Old textbooks from school had pages ripped out regarding behavioral patterns. None of that compared to arguably my most important items.

All my notes on Pokémon were stolen. Months of staring at a computer screen or encyclopedia pages in my free time were wasted. Basculin was the last Pokémon I took notes on; they would have to deal with the other 250 or so on their own. Having a Pokédex was nice, but I had more specific data like popular move combinations and ideal hold items.

The odds of someone coming back were likely since I was alive and they knew where I lived, but I reluctantly cleaned the place up. Once everything looked halfway decent, I took a hot shower to clear my head. The worst outcome was avoided because I took my Pokémon to my parent's house. Had they gotten stolen, I wouldn't have a problem charging through the front door declaring war on Ardos.

I locked the door then went to the lobby to ask for a new lock, set up an autopayment system for rent in case I needed to come back, and demanded that nobody was to be directed to my room. There was a small chance the people who raided my apartment didn't remember the exact number in their rush to steal my things.

Walking through the east side of the city past the gym one last time gave me mixed emotions. My parents kept me on the right path long enough to get my dream job only for me to get in a fight and lose it. Despite all that happened in there, I had to return for the Dynamo Badge at some point.

The last thing on the edge of the city was the police department. I just didn't have the heart to walk in and say how I was nearly murdered. The idea that it would happen to me would sound absurd, I had no proof aside from my word, and I would probably have to stay close by while they conducted an investigation. I took a deep breath and walked past it into route 117 under a warm and clear night sky.

My journey had officially begun.

Have a good day and I will see you next chapter... in 2018 :)

-W4f