It was always the five of us – ScrewDriver, Douchebag, Reddie, Black Guardian and The Star. Five children from all over Kanto, running away from their homes every day to find more adventures and even more problems. Of course, it is easy to guess that ScrewDriver was me back in days. Douchebag was a douchebag – that`s not even a doubt. Actually, he tried to make us call him DeathBringer, but no one listened to him. Reddie, of course, was Misty, when Black Guardian was my brother, and mysterious Star was his girlfriend. He never told us her name, and so did she.

We were a real gang back then. All possible laws were broken, and all possible punishments were suffered. We were afraid of nothing, except for Drowzees. They are creepy. We were real pain in the ass for everyone around, but we were always together, no matter what. We were united as one. And only the big horror separated us. It was quite good to see that stupid but still acquainted Douchebag again, but to see Misty the Reddie was a real thing. Besides, we were really close back then. She was my girlfriend at the end of school, and, I, guess, we never break down…

"It`s good to see you too, Misty." I hugged her too. First time for so many years I hugged somebody, I thought I forgot how to do it.

We stood there nearly for a minute, in silence, just trying to keep emotions. During my long journey I learnt how to do it perfectly, but for Misty, I guess, it was very hard not to start crying. And so we are – me with a stone face and her, squeezing my arm, so girly and emotional.

"Hey, come on, one minute for all these years is enough." I said and released her. But she didn`t release me yet. "You know, I`m not a hugging person. You are a very big exception, but still… Have some shame, girl!"

"Six years…" She whispered.

"Yeah, six years." I felt sorry for her. Six years ago, after the horror, I had to escape from Cerulean City. I couldn`t tell anybody the reason of it, so I just vanished, like a ghost. I left Kanto and couldn`t even contact my old friends. No one of them, even her. By the truth, I even had no time to think about them.

She looked at me and after some seconds released me too.

"Why did you leave?" She asked. Despite the age of hers, she looked like a young girl at this moment. Her big wet eyes were staring right into my soul. There was something cute and awkward in that.

"Had to. Can`t tell." I guiltily turned my head to the side, but suddenly she rushed to me and kissed. For that moment I could forget all my problems and wish this to last forever, but I had to concentrate. No time for this, not now. I could hardly unstick her from my face just to look in her eyes.

"Listen. I`m here for a reason. I… I understand your feelings, I have them too, but… I have some work to do in Cerulean City. And this is really urgent." The last thing I wanted to do now was to miff her.

She turned back from me, to small lake near us. Just now I noticed how close we are to the precipice.

"I remember us hanging out near this place." Misty said looking down the water.

"That was an awesome time. I wish to return it, but I can`t." I came closer and looked at the lake too. Some years ago we stood right in this place, looking at our reflections in the water – and, I guess, reflections stayed where they were.

"Will you come to my place? After… you`re finished with your work?"

"Of course. The first spare second I will spend with you, I promise."

With a sigh I turned back from the lake and headed to the road. After a few steps I realized Misty isn`t coming with me. She was standing near the lake, still motionless. She… changed a bit. And that scared me for a moment.

"See you soon, Misty!" I said her a goodbye and turned around. But sudden loud water splash startled me. I immediately turned back and ran to her.

Misty was in the water, swimming near the precipice and smiling to me.

"Damn it, Misty! What the hell are you doing?"

"Swimming, what does it look like? Am I not allowed to swim when I want?" Eh, that girl really is into swimming. I don`t know if that was her hobby or addiction of some sort, but she always liked water, I should say.

"Of course, you are, but… You`re swimming in clothes!"

She looked down on her small top and jeans shorts.

"Yes, I am. What`s wrong, do you want me to swim naked?"

"Oh, my dear, later. Later. Swim as much as you like." I had no time to waste now. Without any more time left for something good and nice, I had to return to dark and brutal reality and my quest.

Meeting with Misty was really good thing. I absolutely didn`t expect her to wander around our "childhood playground" but she was doing something there. I wonder what exactly, I doubt she came there just to swim. Although… Maybe she did came there just to swim. She can be strange sometimes, but not as strange as I am.

Actually I thought she left Cerulean City. Hoped, maybe. Meeting with her wasn`t my plan at all. This can be not a good thing. As I think I can still be watched, and I really do not want to involve her in my dangerous business. Maybe the best thing for both of us will remain on distance, until I finish everything. If I finish everything.

So, I finally reached Cerulean City. The place where I was born. It changed quite a lot since I was there last time. In some years the citizens managed to rebuild it completely. I guess, they were using pokemon power to build, otherwise the city would still be in ruins.

I remember this city as it was before… Too bad I still remember this city as it was after… Too many bad memories are connected to this place, too many. Maybe it was a mistake to come here, as I can lose my mind again.

Okay, need to concentrate… Follow the plan. Firstly I`m going to find Pokemon Center – to leave Zubat for recovery and give Dumpling and Reaper a quick check-up. These two will really be needed in the place where I`m going to head after. There I can get some clues about Team Rocket, and there`s no better place for it.

As I remember, the Pokemon Center was a bit south from center of city. It became even larger than I remember, turning into a real megalopolis. Of course, it is nothing compared to Celadon City and definitely not a match to Castelia City, the biggest city I`ve been in, but still the size change amazes me. It`s been just six years, and so much changed… When Pallet town - on the contrary - remains absolutely unchanged.

After an hour of walking, I reached the Pokemon Center. When we were children, our gang often came here to feed some pokemon and have some fun. Well, our gang except for me. I had no fun with that sick pokemon, and as I grew up now I can see that a dangerous thing. Who knows what diseases have these creatures? Actually I don`t know whether pokemon can carry any diseases that can be dangerous for humans or not.

Anyway, this time I have my own pokemon to recover. I entered the building and headed to the nurse. There were some people in the queue in front of me, but the nurse worked fast sending pokemon to treatment, and very soon my turn came.

"Welcome to PokeCenter!" The nurse said to me, smiling fascinatingly. "Would you like me to heal your pokemon back to perfect health?" She looked a bit younger than the usual Pokemon Center nurse. Jane could be her mother. Hope she is experienced enough to do her job.

"Hello, young lady. Nice looking today." She questionably raised her eyebrow, but still smiled. "|Can you please take care of this guy?" I handed over her a pokeball of Zubat.

"No problem, mister…" She gladly took the capsule and then stopped for a second. I think, she noticed other pokeballs on my shoulder belt. "What about those?" She pointed at them.

"Yes, of course, I just wanted to talk about them." I unfastened two pokeballs and handed them over too. "These two are not very hurt, so just look through them, okay, just to be sure? Quickly, please."

"It will take some time. Please, have a seat." She pointed at the sofas in the hall, where trainers are waiting for their partners to heal up.

I obeyed her and followed to the sofa. There was a coffee machine, so I took my time to enjoy nice hot black coffee. When I finished my cup, nurse finished with my two pokemon. Very conveniently.

"You can take your pokemon back, mister!" She shouted to me. Unwillingly I left this comfortable sofa and headed back to the counter. She returned me my two pokeballs.

"Your Charmeleon and Beedrill are in perfect health now! But your Zubat needs some more time."

"No problem, I`ll be back later for him." I put my pokeballs in the belt and looked at nurse. "But be careful with him – he is a bit… Naughty nature. With sharp teeth."

"Oh, I see. Don`t worry, our modern technology lets us treat your pokemon while keeping it inside a pokeball during the process." She smiled, satisfied by her answer.

"Then it`s okay, I guess." I turned back to the exit and made some steps. "Some pokemon can open their pokeballs, they say…"

Heh, I wish I could see her face now, she definitely was terrified. Too young to work here, I think. Why do I like to scare Pokemon Center workers so much? Don`t know. I`m awful man.

I left the Pokemon Center and made a deep breath. I was a bit worried about what I`m going to do now. Yes, this is going to be dangerous, but I have to take the risk if I want to find the trail of Team Rocket and return my stuff. And survive. This is so strange sounds in my head right now, considering my new destination. So I turned left from the Pokemon Center and headed East of the city. If I`m correct, I will find the place very soon.

On the next street I found a very interesting building – it was not that big, but definitely exuding among all the rest. Near the entrance I met two trainers going away with disappointed looks on their faces.

"Damn it, I was so ready to this! Where is she?" One was shouting.

"We will return tomorrow. She will be back for sure!" The second calmed down the first one.

They passed me even without noticing. I wonder what is this and who were they waiting for? I came closer to this building and looked around. There was one familiar symbol over the entrance, resembling a pokeball with two spikes.

Wait! I guess I remember where I have seen this symbol. Is this a Pokemon League official symbol? I took out my case with license and badges. Yep, this symbol was there too. Does that mean this is a gym too? As I can remember there was no gym six years ago. Ah well, maybe I will return there later and challenge the gym leader. I wonder what type is it.

I came closer to the window and looked inside. And the inside of this building was equipped as a big pool. Both pokemon and human swim there, some of them are training and battling on the land, some – in the water. A water-type gym. Definitely.

Yeah, now I remember, Jane told me about Cerulean City gym being a water type. Not a very good thing. What can I do against water-type pokemon? Dumpling is a complete mismatch, even if he managed to defeat Onix, this is still a big risk. Reaper? He doesn't have anything super effective against water types, but still he isn`t weak against it. I`m not sure if I can use Zubat now, this guy still need some lesson to be taught.

I left the gym and headed to another side of the street, to the old abandoned building apart from the others. I still wonder why no one demolished or privatized this building. It has no host, so why not? And yet all authorities walk away from this building, and no one touches that. Maybe there is another dark mystery that I absolutely don`t want to be involved into.

I entered this building and cautiously looked around. Right, no one around, that means I`m good to go. Behind the counter there was a switch that closes the entrance door and opens another, behind the shelf, revealing the passage down. After another deep breath I started to go down, carefully looking under my feet. In a few seconds I could hear the door above closing behind me. This ladder is wooden and pretty old, creaking very loudly. There are some very old blood spots too, reminding me about some forgotten debt that I need to collect someday. Who knows – maybe this guy is still alive and can solve this problem of his?

And soon the ladder led me to a huge underground room filled with shaded places, suspicious people and awful music. This is the place where I started to look for problems, and I hope there I can finally find the end to them. If Team Rocket is stealing items and pokemon this is the place where I definitely will find a trace that will lead me to them.

The Cerulean Black Market.