Hilbert stretched his neck back until he felt it loosen. Then he stretched it in the opposite direction until equal result. He was standing in a line at a small coffee shop he found. There were only two people ahead of him. Cress had said they were leaving some time in the evening, so until then he and his sister could do what they wanted. Hilda went to hang out with her new friend and he didn't feel like tagging along. So he decided to explore a bit. After a while he felt hungry.

At first he would've gone to any fast food place he went to at home. But Hilbert decided to try something new. The shop boasted it was family owned and seemed inexpensive, so he went inside. The interior was small. Hilbert thought he could have a conversation with someone across the room without even yelling. There were a handful of tables with two chairs at each. The only patrons in the shop were the two that were just ahead of him.

Hilbert didn't know the majority of the drinks on the menu and some of the food was just as foreign. He decided to go with something simple and get a breakfast sandwich with a cup of water. After giving his order to the cashier, who was a girl not much older than him, he went to sit down. While waiting for his sandwich to be ready he looked at the girl a few times. He didn't notice at first, but she was attractive.

There weren't many girls Hilbert thought looked nice. Least not any that he had known personally. Most girls he knew growing up were similar to him. Poor, bad home life, and ill-mannered. Not to mention every girl he had known was friends with his sister. No matter how nice a girl looked, if they were friends with Hilda, he wouldn't want to touch them.

But this girl was different. She wasn't a friend of his sister. She wasn't someone he knew. She was a stranger. Hilbert wondered about her background. Wondered if she was like him, involved with crime. Or if she was cleancut. Wouldn't even steal a candy bar if she could get away with it. Was nice even when she didn't have to be.

Hilbert wanted to talk to her. Wanted to know her better. But he kept thinking. If she knew what he had done last night. Would she be nervous of him for being involved? Or was she the kind of girl who would find it exciting, never being around anything like it. Hilbert snapped out of his thoughts when the girl looked right at him and said his sandwich was ready. He wanted to talk to her. To ask for her name or contact information. Yet all he could say was thanks after he got his sandwich and paid.

When sitting at the table again he wondered how he should talk to her. Maybe he could order another sandwich. Refill his water. Something. His plan to talk to the cashier was foiled when a boy, obviously a bit older than him, entered the shop and talked with the girl. She smiled as they talked and even laughed a few times.

Hilbert angrily took a bite of his sandwich. "Damn it."

Hilda's anxiety from waiting for Bianca was cleared when she saw the blonde running towards her while waving. Bianca revealed that she had been a little lost but eventually found her way to their designated meeting spot.

The girls exchanged pleasantries then wondered what they should do. Bianca, trying to be polite, offered Hilda the position of deciding how they'll spend the afternoon. If she was back in Striaton, Hilda wouldn't have minded this at all. Would've even preferred it. However, she was in Castelia. A city she had been in for just a couple days. She didn't know where to go for entertainment or if they had enough money for anything interesting.

The only exciting things she had done were one time events and free. Such as the award ceremony, watching Grimsley battle, or fighting in a turf war. The last of which she didn't want to do again even if there was one happening.

There was only one thing Hilda thought that they could do. And that was to simply walk around looking for something to do. Luckily Bianca agreed.

As the two walked, Hilda asked the blonde if she lived in Castelia. Bianca revealed she's actually from Nuvema Town and is a trainer on her journey. She, along with a neighbor, had even received a starter pokemon from their town's professor. Hilda told the story of how she got Whirlipede, leaving out the detail that her brother had gotten his by stealing him from a man who later turned up dead.

Bianca changed the subject a bit, which Hilda was glad for, by saying she was in Castelia to challenge the gym. A small medal badge which loosely resembled a bug pokemon's wing was proof she succeeded. There was another rectangular badge beside it in Bianca's case. She said there would have been a third, however the gym in Striaton had been closed when she passed through. So, she'll have to return to it in due time. Hilda hoped she would. She would like to see her again.

The two girls walked and talked for much longer than they expected. To the point the sun had begun to set without them realizing. Instead of doing some activity other teen girls do together, they had just talked for hours. Though neither seemed to mind. Hilda said that she enjoyed the day but that she had to go back to her hotel. The two said their goodbyes and headed off in different directions.

Hilda had to take a right. Before she did, she turned around to get one last look at Bianca. There were quite a few people on the street. But Hilda still saw a patch of yellow with some green on top in the crowd. With a smile, Hilda turned down the street. 'I hope I see her again.'

Cress was pissed with himself. He wanted to have been out of Castelia already. He would have too, if he had just turned down Grimsley's request to talk about the fine details of their deal. Cress wasn't sure why he agreed. It would be at least few days, if not weeks, before Grimsley had to honor his end of it. Cress could've just told him that over a call. Yet he didn't. Instead he did it in person. And what should've been a five minute conversation turned into hours of talk.

Their conversation could've gone longer if Cress hadn't received a call from one of the twins. Either the girl or boy he couldn't remember. But they were wondering what they should do since Cress wasn't around and their room had expired. Cress said he'll be there soon, hung up, and said bye to Grimsley. Now he walked at a brisk pace through alleys and narrow streets trying to find shortcuts. The faster he got to the hotel, the sooner he can leave the city and be back home.

He wore his usual jacket with the hood up but his sunglasses were in his pocket. It was dark enough to where, unless they were close, no one could see his face directly. Plus had he worn them he wouldn't have been able to see well. Possibly wouldn't have been able to see the two thugs approach him until it was too late.

"Hey, what do you two want?" Cress asked aggressively. The thugs took half a step back. Neither of them expected Cress to react to them. There was only about fifteen feet between the three. Cress didn't like the situation. Last time he had to deal with two people causing trouble they were just random riffraff. But the two he stared at seemed more experience. Like they could actually handle themselves. A fight could prove bad. Not wanting to waste more time, Cress reached into his pocket and gripped a ball. Before he could pull it out, something poked him in the back.

"Don't try it," said whoever was holding a knife to Cress' back. Their vocie was low and rough and came directly behind Cress' head. Whoever the person was, they were at least as tall as Cress. With a scowl Cress tried to turn his head just enough to see the person. The knifeholder shifted away out of sight.

Looking back to the thugs in front of him, Cress took his hand out of his pocket and raised his hands to his chest. His palms faced away from him. "What do you want?"

There was a small chuckle. It was from straight ahead, yet Cress couldn't see who it was. Out from a dark spot in the alley, behind the two thugs, another man stepped forward. A man with long green hair tied in a pony tail. Unlike the thugs he was with, he wore an all white suit which made him shine in the alley light.

Cress' eyes briefly went wide before correcting. He asked for a third time. "What do you want, Tarnal?"

"It's good to see you too, Cress," the man, Tarnal, spoke quickly. "I was hoping we could discuss some important matters."

Cress didn't say anything. Only waited. If there wasn't a knife threatening to be plunged into his back, he would still be cautious. Cress has rarely had good dealings with him.

"How are your brothers?" asked Tarnal.

"They're fine."

"Are you sure? I heard Chili had an unfortunate run in with some unkind people."

"What? How do you know about that?" asked Cress. His tone was thick with anger but also something else. Something mild. "We kept it under wraps, even took him to a private hospital. No one in the public should know about it."

"I have my sources. They are rather...first hand."

"What? Did you-" Cress stepped forward. The knife was pushed into him. Not even to pierce his skin or even his jacket, but he could feel its point. He didn't try to get any closer.

"Now, I was hoping to ask, but I was made aware of a certain side project of yours. It involved a certain ex-scientist and her little assistant."

"What about it? Has nothing to do with you," said Cress. He was annoyed being held up and having a conversation.

"You know about most of my operations around Striaton, correct? Well, if you were to start pushing something new, then surely that will interfere with my businesses, would it not?"

"Maybe it would, maybe it wouldn't. I can't tell the future."

Tarnal chuckled. "No. No you can't. Very well. We'll talk another time. Hopefully with both your brothers present."

He said nothing more as he turned around and walked past the two thugs. They turned to follow him into the dark. Cress felt the knife leave his back. But just before, he felt two more knives, just under the first. It was quick. Almost didn't notice it. The physical feeling was replaced with a mental one. Confusion. When the first three men walked away, Cress heard all of their steps even when he couldn't see them anymore. But the person behind him didn't make a sound. Aside from when they spoke they made no noise, not even a breath.

Cress shrugged it off, thinking he was just tired. He had a long night drive ahead of him. Before he left the alley, he spat in the direction Tarnal had went.

"Cocksucker..."

Finally done with Castelia and can go back to Striaton and do some ideas I've had for many months. Favorite and follow. Peace

~~~Sikoh