Author's Note: The story is going to get a little bit darker from here on out. Probably safe for now, but I may end up having to bump the rating up to M.

Chapter Six – The Incident

I woke up with a start to the sound of my PokéNav ringing. What time is it...? Oh, it's past noon. I slept in again. Oops. I pick up the phone and answer, not bothering to pretend I wasn't just asleep.

"Hello? Samiel speaking."

"Sammy! Good morning, or should I say afternoon? It's Dr. Rock Smash Dude! I was just calling to let you know I saw your message and I just finished up with recreating your sketchbook. Great job on your gym battle! If you wanted to stop back by and pick your book up, I'll be here all day, and that way you wouldn't have to make a separate trip back here before your ship leaves for Unova.'

Wow, he really doesn't give you a chance to respond. That's the intellectual type for you.

"Great! I appreciate the heads-up. I'll be there in just a few, my team and I were hoping to get a move on to Slateport this afternoon."

"Fantastic! I'll see you soon!" And then he hangs up abruptly. I wonder if his social skills (or lack thereof) are why he wants people to call him the Rock Smash Dude. Makes him seem a little more laid-back than he really is. Either way, he's starting to grow on me.

I wake up the boys and get started with packing up my room, making completely sure my PokéNav is fully charged this time. It doesn't take long at all before we're all ready to Rollout, so I recall Saul and start making my way to go see the good doctor. Before leaving the Center, I make the executive decision to stock up on supplies before heading south. Potions, Escape Ropes, a good supply of Fresh Waters, and most importantly, I buy a heavy-duty power bank to charge my PokéNav. That's the last time I'm caught in the middle of nowhere with no possible contact with society.

One uneventful trip later, we've made it to our destination, and I knocked a couple times on Dr. Georgio's apartment door. Thankfully he was expecting me, so there was no need to lock up fully, and he invites me inside warmly.

"Ah, Sammy! Great to see you, my boy! How was your gym battle? I heard about Mr. Wattson, a terrible shame what happened to him, but he's a stalwart old soul so I'm sure he'll be back up and running in no time."

"The battle went well! I fought the interim leader, I think his name was Joules - bright red hair, you may know him. The team did a phenomenal job, I'm so proud of them. Got my first official badge! So, the next stop is Slateport, and I've got a good feeling about it."

He smiles happily in response, before digging through his mess of a coffee table and handing me back my sketchbook and a little slip of paper.

"That right there is the number for that contact I had mentioned. His name is Clay, he's actually the gym leader in Driftveil City, and he's the foremost expert on the surrounding ruins and caves. I went ahead and gave him a call to expect to hear from you, because I have no doubt in my mind you'll be in Unova before the month is over. I know you're probably in a bit of a hurry, so I won't keep you today, but be sure to keep me updated about your journey, okay? Not even just the research parts, either. Speaking with you these past few days has reminded me how much I miss the roving lifestyle of being a trainer and explorer. No matter what, you've got a supporter in me."

Aw, man. I love this guy. I nodded firmly and shook his hand, reassuring him he'll hear all about my journey. He then shot up in alarm, darting off to a back room for a moment where I could hear him pushing things over trying to find something, before he came back and pressed something into my hand.

"I can't believe I forgot. They don't call me the Rock Smash Dude for nothing, you know. This is the Technical Machine for the move, I'm sure it will come in handy in your adventures ahead. Now take care of yourself, you hear?"

"Absolutely. You'll hear from me soon. Thanks for everything, Doc."

We said our fond farewells, then I started making my way down south to head towards Cycling Road and Slateport. It's a lovely afternoon out and I'm going to be on the road for a few days, so I might as well take my time and walk.

I found myself at the southern exit of Mauville City with time to spare; thankfully the streets weren't as busy as they could have been. I handed Toothpick a snack and grab myself a granola bar out of my pack, and off we went. I didn't care to take Cycling Road; the triathletes up there can be a little... intense.

I would come to regret that decision.

A few people challenged me to a battle on the way, and it went as well as it could have, we had fun and made a little money out of it. The terrain was pretty flat, a handful of trees and bushes along the way and tall grass for plenty of wild Pokémon to hide in, with ocean spread out on either side of the wide path. It hadn't ever occurred to me that this road was probably at one point years ago just a sandbar. I had Toothpick walking on his own like he normally does while we're out on a trek like this one.

At one point, though I lost sight of the little guy. I ended up having to stop for a moment, calling for him and keeping a close eye out. Soon enough, instead of seeing him, I heard him - except, this isn't his normal growling and chattering. This one was usually reserved for when he sensed danger before I did. With pokéball and Styler at the ready, I crept up behind him with apprehension, when I caught sight of what had him all worked up.

That's a dead body. That's… that's not good. Understatement of the decade.

I jump into professional mode, clipping my Ranger badge onto my chest the way I did before I retired and taking some of my emergency caution tape and bordering off this section of the path. I haven't been an active Ranger in years, but this training is as ingrained in me as my own name at this point.

I take a few deep breaths to calm my nerves. It can't have been a very long time at all since this happened, since the stench of decay hasn't begun to spread too far past this immediate vicinity. I call Toothpick over to me and have him stand out of the way. I know it isn't procedure, but I've done this routine before - as much as I wish I hadn't had to - and there's a few things I needed to know before proceeding.

Just from a first glance, I don't think this is a murder. I can't rule it out definitively, but people usually use guns or other weapons to do the job, and this just looks like wild brutality. I see very distinct claw marks across his chest, and his face, or what's left of it, is basically unrecognizable at this point due to the sheer violence put into the a Pokémon do this…? A rough guess would be an angry Ursaring or Beartic, but those don't live around here.

Beyond all that, however, his belt and party are nowhere to be found. I quickly check his pockets, looking for a PokéNav, trainer card, phone, some sort of identification. My stomach turns when I realize I can see his badge case inside his vest where it had been slashed apart. Gritting my teeth, I reach in and grab it delicately, before rinsing my hands in the nearby seawater. This is a mess. Thankfully these cases are built for extreme durability, unfortunately thanks to cases exactly like this one, and I find his ID inside. He had seven badges. His party is nowhere to be seen. What the hell is going on here?

I make sure there's no passersby coming to rubberneck at the scene, so I go ahead and call the emergency line on my PokéNav.

"Hello, is this the Slateport City police department? Retired Pokémon Ranger Samiel of the Pueltown Ranger Base in Almia speaking. I need a coroner and officer presence on Route 110 below Cycling Road. I've found a body. It looks like a Trainer, but he's missing his party. I've got the vicinity cordoned off, but you know how busy this path gets. I'll be here."

The woman on the other end of the line sounds a little shaken, but she's still a professional, so she responds in kind.

"Thank you, Ranger. Authorities are on the way now."

I hang up, and after making sure I'm not going to be caught red-handed, I put my face in my hands and sigh. Toothpick sidles up next to me, and I pet him for a job well done. He's seen this alongside me as often as I have, but I never feel good exposing him to this kind of thing.

I thought this was going to be a good day. So much for that.