Bottle for curing poison stuffed into my bag and upside-down orange bug with pincers by my left foot, known as Paras, I stood face to face with another cave's entrance. Further to my left, the light snow-covered path continued.

I reached into my bag, pulled out Ilk's flip phone, and typed in his number. I put the screen side to my ear as I listened to it ring. "I'm sorry, whoever you are," he responded, "but if this isn't an emergency, can you call me back in a few hours? I'm expecting an important call and I need my line free."

"Oh, was this a bad time?" I asked.

"Ah, Brenda? No, no, no." I heard some static, probably from his head shaking. "The call I'm waiting for is the one from your mother. If you have a concern, please contact me with that phone. It's why I gave it to you."

I pursed my finger on my lips. "Thinking back, are you sure you don't need this? What if someone else calls you on it?"

"Don't worry about it," Ilk reassured me. "The phone is mostly for calling out. It's got terrible service. I just bought it in case I needed to leave the lab. Turns out I don't. Probably doesn't say much good about me. Heheh." His forced laughter sounded static-y through the phone.

"Huh," I blurted out. "You're quite the hermit." My god, Brenda.

"It's what I agreed to when I sold my soul to Giratina." A more genuine laugh resounded through the speaker. Many likened Giratina, pokemon ruler of an alternate dimension, to Satan. I never saw that dimension as hell, but different strokes for different folks. "Oh, right," he continued. "That's an inside joke a fossil reviver told me and my brother after we saw a group of Varaneous evangelists. May the kook one day find a method to reanimate his own ancient bones."

I nodded. "Yeah, I agree." Teachers don't like repeating themselves, and professors are sort of teachers, right?

"So, why'd you call me?" Ilk asked.

"I'm at this cave," I said while putting my hand on its wall. "You didn't mention a cave. I should take the walkway on the left, right?"

"Don't go through the cave," Ilk told me. "It's the transition between Naljo and Rijon. I don't think you're looking for solo foreign travel this soon, are you?"

"Right, got it." I stood at attention, then relaxed myself. "Then I'll take the left path."

"Mm-hm. Sorry if I wasn't clear before." The static whatever seemed to stop. "Further along the walkway, you'll encounter a border check. Once you exit the building, take a left and you'll find the risen land Darren built his house on. Anything else I should clarify?"

I shook my head. "I think I'm good. I won't use up any more of your minutes for stupid things, I swear."

"I gave you that phone for emergencies," he reassured me. "If you feel the need, don't fear calling me for any reason you deem important. Anyway, I'll get back to deciphering the gobbledygook on the disk." The static returned. Though, upon a closer listen, it sounded more like clicking. "See you soon!" The phone buzzed as he hung up.

I clenched my fist while my other hand put the phone back into my backpack. "I can do this," I told myself again. "I'm awesome."

I took one step left and stopped. My eyes focused on the cave. They then went back the path, then back to the cave. "Just a quick look inside," I told myself. "No more, no less."

I took a step inside the cave. Unlike the one I rode the cart into, this one had no discernible features. It was less of a cave and more of a large tunnel. The sunlight allowed me to get a light grasp on the entrance. Many pokemon wandered around the cave. I identified a Machop, a fighting pokemon that resembled an athletic 7 year old, pounding its fists against the wall, but barely making any sound. Geodudes, the moving rocks with arms, rolled around the floor. Zubats croaked after collision with the cave. One flew around in an upward spiral until it banged against the ceiling.

"Pffft," I laughed. Unlike the punching or head slamming, this noise echoed throughout the cavern. All Pokemon eyes focused on me. "Yee!" I dashed outside to the path.

I quickly made it to a one story building a couple of steps along the walkway. My legs started moving and my lack of oxygen hit me as I leaned on the wall. I glanced behind me. None of them followed me, I remarked. But I clearly irritated them. Was it not that much? Or… I glanced at a nearby patch of grass. Another Pidgey flew in a circle while never taking its eyes off me.

Maybe it's location, I realized. Pokemon are just not comfortable leaving where they live. But if that's the case, what does that make me with Sir Tyrant? What does that make all trainers? How do they feel, getting taken from their homes after an external force makes them get all defensive? Can I justify taking Sir Tyrant from his home? "Ah," I said. Would his home be Professor Ilk's lab? But that other Larvitar was apparently his brother.

I released Tyrant from his pokeball. I raised my right arm. He followed suit with his left arm. "Gotcha!" I shouted and rubbed his head. He smiled and…friendly-growled. "How do you feel being separated from your home?" I asked. "Is traveling with me unnatural?"

"Ah, that feels good," Larvitar thought. "It's worth the struggle to know master cares." He opened his eyes and saw me grinning. "Oh. Hmph. I suppose I'll let you pet me. Be grateful I'm –" His thoughts cut off when I lifted my hand off of him, recoiling from the light scrapes on my fingers. Why is rock skin so hard, anyway? I gritted my teeth and put my hand back. "Stone cold rocker, gonna fight till there's no survivors. What, again, Master? That's not nice!"

"But I didn't react that time," I replied, if one can reply to thoughts. "How'd you know?"

"There's a feeling behind my ear." Sir Tyrant pointed up. "It twinges when you're infecting me."

"Infecting?" My hand retreated to my gaping mouth. "Am I hurting you?" Sir Tyrant scratched his side. "Right, contact for mind reading." I reached forward, but pulled back right away. "I'm invading your privacy and possibly hurting you, Sir Tyrant. I shouldn't stress test it."

Sir Tyrant gazed down wards. He closed his eyes, then looked up and pounded his chest. Never knew Pokemon cared as much about impressions as people, I wondered. At least his need to impress didn't endanger his life.

"Anyway, I mean what I asked," I told Sir Tyrant. "I want to know how you feel about not being in your home. But neither of us want me to grill you for an answer." I held up his poke ball. "Care for a walking break?" I took whatever gesture he made next as yes.

Ball in one hand and door handle in the other, I twisted and pulled. "Hm," I muttered aloud as I stared at the poke ball. It'd be the easiest thing to ask Sir Tyrant these questions again. But what if I'm really hurting him? I'll hold off until professor Ilk can give me a straight answer. Not that I could let him go until –

"Halt, citizen."

My forward motion stopped. An odd pressure pushed lightly on my forehead. I looked up to see an outstretched arm blocking my stride. I looked past the arm to see a plaid straightjacket being worn by a border patrolman. When did he get in here? "Whoa!" After realizing I was falling, my butt colliding with the marble floor. Tyrant's ball fell out of my hand. I glared up at the assaulter, his hat blocking his eyes. "What's the deal, jerk?" I snapped.

His body jostled. "Oh, I'm so sorry, m-miss!" the inspector stammered out. "I didn't mean to push, I mean, I thought you would stop. Oh god, I've become the cop I swore to differentiate from!" Head grasped in his hand, he repeated 'Oh god' over and over.

I raised my hand. "Uh, I'm not bleeding. I just fell over. It's fine."

The cop lifted his head from his hands. "Phew," he sighed. "She doesn't hate me." He shook his head and regained his original posture. "I mean, good to hear, miss. Do you need a hand getting up?"

I glanced at the hand, then it's owner, whose eyes somehow remained hidden. "I can get up myself, but it's nice of you to offer."

"Yes! I'm nice! I'm good at greeting people!" He grabbed my outstretched hand and pulled me up. My feet momentarily lost the ground. My heart returned once I touched the floor and he let go. I shook my wrist, which alleviated some of the pain from his tight grasp.

"Now, answer my question," he demanded. "I mean, would you please answer my question? Sorry, I hope that wasn't too harsh. First time positioned at a border."

It shows, I didn't say. "I'm in a bit of a hurry. If it's just one question, then maybe."

"Great!" He clapped his hands. "I just need to know your business past here."

"That's why you stopped me?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

"Sorry to inconvenience you," he replied. "Just under an hour ago, another cop reported a kid with red hair and a white headband run past his station without a bag check. He ran after the kid, but got overwhelmed."

"This regul-" Hiker Richard's words flashed through my mind, along with Nurse Whatever-name. Would this plaid guy's demeanor go south if I told him I wasn't from Naljo? "There's a lot of criminals around Naljo, huh," I replied. "How did a kid get past him? He have weak pokemon?"

"He never got the chance," plaid guy replied. "Doug 2 said he got his pokeballs stolen. Kid apparently nabbed them and threw them into the river. I'm Doug 1, by the way."

"And he couldn't run after the punk?" I asked.

Doug folded his arms and gritted his teeth. "I got the call from his substitute. Doug 2's currently nursing a ram to the kidneys."

"Oh." I glanced down. "Sorry to sound insensitive."

"No worries. It's all in the line of business. Ha. Ha." I heard disjointedness in his laughs. "But I digress. What brings you out of Caper City, little miss?"

"I'm doing an errand for Professor Ilk," I replied. "His brother should be just past this station."

"Good to hear." Doug pulled a baton looking object and ran it up and down my body. "Alright, you're good. Good luck with your errand."

"Thanks," I smiled back. "Where did this attack occur, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Doug 2's post is at Heath Village. A couple clicks north of the raised house just north of here."

"That close?" I asked. "What if that criminal's in the area?"

"I wouldn't worry," Doug replied. "The only way up the raised platform is a stairway on this side. And the only way around is blocked by a regenerating plant. Damn nuisances sprout at random places, take specific methods to cut down, then grow back almost immediately afterwards. I'd have crossed the area if I could've." He stared at his clenched fist. "There for you, Doug 2."

"Right. Well, if you're sure, I'll trust your judgment." I dashed towards the door. Darren, I think that's the brother's name, isn't in danger, right? I can trust this novice cop, right? I can't afford to waste time. I pushed the door with all my strength and ran out.

"Wait!" Doug replied, holding the door open.

I focused my glare 180 degrees behind me, towards him. "What?" I asked.

"If you're in a hurry, I suggest you power walk." He enacted some weird march slash skip, yet caught up to me before I could blink. "It's faster than walking and less energy than all out dashing. You'll get where you need to faster and not be out of breath." He sped to the counter, picked up a folded piece of paper, and handed it to me. "Here's a map, in case you get lost again. Sorry if I'm annoying you again. I just want to help."

I took the map from his hands. "Thank you." I curtsied by bending both my knees, then attempted this odd style of walking. Each stride felt weightless, but with purpose. I turned around and gave him a smiling goodbye. He mirrored my face and waved back.