I can hear the sound of the massive tree monster crashing back through the woods away from here. A sigh of exhaustion escapes me as I let my head fall back against the grassy forest floor.

Looking behind me I can see the woods thinning out by the light of a small campfire. Next to it is a camp chair big enough for two people to share. Some marshmallows are melting from sticks, and there's a single cozy little tent.

Lifting my head up to face the pair that's still wondering if I'm ok, the fella's belt is undone and the girl clearly has nothing on under her mostly zipped up jacket. Two plus two Kurt…

I chuckle, "Ya I'm alright thanks to you kids, just a few scrapes and bruises. If you can point me towards town I'll let ya get back to your date."

The girl, Mary turns a shade of red visible even in the low firelight.

Berke has a grin like he just won the lottery, "I'd appreciate that but first you sure you're alright?"

After I give him a nod he points past the tent, "Follow the trail a quarter mile that way and you'll hit the parking lot at the woods entrance, you'll be able to see the Poke Center from there."

He gives me a hand standing up then grabs a bottle of water from an ice chest while I dust myself off.

Tossing it to me, "Well you should be alright on the walk, nothin but a few bugs this close town normally. Welcome to Petalburg!"

Mary waves a shy goodbye as I head off down the clearly marked trail. Barely a minute later on the way and I hear the sound of a girl giggling echo in the dark woods.

Ah to be young and unfazed about fooling around in dark forests filled with haunted trees the size of houses and bats big enough to eat the family dog. However, like Berke said nothing bothers me further and after twenty minutes I can see town lights through the trees.

The trail opens up to a small dirt lot. A single truck is parked nearby and walking past it I can see a 'Just Married' sign across the tailgate.

Well then, "I feel like an ass."

A little ways away I can see houses and just past them the light from a PokeCenter sign. Walking down the road the first building I come to is a victorian manor like home with a large front garden next to a massive greenhouse the size of a school gym.

The next building is a large warehouse type facility with a large front sight 'Petalburg Gym'. Then another large house, definitely compared to the rest of the small homes making up what appears to be a small, quiet town. The type that only has a single road going through the middle.

When I reach the center I find a massive red camel looking creature with two humps seemingly made of bone asleep out front. Smoke rises out of the humps and I bring it up on my dex app.

Miss hotty voice dictates, "Camerupt, the volcano pokemon. It has magma running through its body that may erupt from the miniature volcanoes on its back when angered."

Right… That's bull shit, "How in the living fuck is that even possible?"

Quietly, so as not to wake the walking disaster, I walk over to it's side and try to peek in the top of the humps.

The air smells of sulfur and I can feel a scalding pressure on my face as I glance in at an angle just enough to see a minor red glow against the inner bone walls. Listening carefully I can hear a gurgle of something liquid like boiling water.

I place my hands on the animal's side and it's very warm to the touch, "This is crazy, how could this even evolve to be like this,"

My thoughts are cut short by a loud snort, the camel looking face has turned back and is staring at me. It gets up with a growl, his height the same as mine, a plume of black smoke bursts out in a ring from his hump!

I slowly back away toward the center doors, "Sorry for waking you up buddy, Nice camel, go back to sleep please."

It makes a small lunge forward and I dart into the door behind me. He stops just outside and glares at me as I walk inside.

A woman's voice, "You!... Bothering my Camerupt?"

Trying to not act like a scared child, "Ah, sorry I just had never seen one before so I wanted a closer look."

It's sweet sounding but her speech is somewhat broken, I turn to see a short nurse with light purple hair. Her uniform seems more fitting than Cindy's back in Rustburo, and shorter. Just above her heels on her ankle is… a police tracker?

She shakes her head, "Eyes up here fella… You new in town?"

Nodding, "Ya just made it through the woods, you know I'm a bit curious how a lady with an ankle monitor got a nurse job. Sorry I know that's super rude."

With a shrug she turns around and walks back to her counter, I swear she's intentionally showing off her hips as she walks.

She plops into her chair, puts her feet on the desk and starts picking at her nails with a butterfly knife she picked up off the counter, "Long story... got my degree before … made some bad choices...Friend got me this job."

Pointing the knife back at me, "You here to admire my legs ...or need something? … hard to get a date when… only home and work."

Chuckling a bit, "I imagine the boys in a small town like this would be afraid of a girl like you. My pokemon could use a patch up."

I take Tesla off my head and put her in her pokeball then place the other two on a tray.

Glancing to the side I notice an empty basket with a small sign offering fruit for a few bucks, "I could use a bite to eat while I'm at it."

She grins and chomps her teeth at me, "The local boys think I bite.. they're right...I'll fix up your pokemon. Cafeteria closed for the night… I won't tell if you grab something ... employee break room."

My stomach growls, "I won't be shy about it then. My name's Kurt, what's yours?"

While starting up the pokecenter equipment she bends a bit further than needed and looks back over her shoulder, "I'm Courtney… You staying the night?"

At your place or here? No pretty sure I'm spoken for though we never confirmed it.

I look away, "I'll take a room upstairs, been a rough hike from Rustburo."

She takes the hint from my evasive tone and picks a room key from a lock box for me, "Will be done... ten minutes."

Weird girl, I head back towards the employee area, no one else is up at this time it seems altho the room key box seemed full.

In the small break room I open up the fridge and check out the few forgotten lunches, each one labeled with someone's name. I pick a pasta from Wanda and put it in the microwave.

If I have to be honest, it was gross. I'm pretty sure it was okay as far as not having been in that fridge too long but someone sucks at cooking.

The rest of the night passes peacefully, well unless you count falling asleep in the shower and falling on my ass. I hope they don't make me pay for the ripped curtains.

When I reach the lobby in the morning I find Courtney packing up her things into a bag while chatting to the oncoming nurse and a woman in trainer gear.

The Trainer has a red bandana in her hair and a sort of gym skirt thing, I don't know women's clothes. Either way she looks super familiar. She's currently off loading a bag of berries into the basket on the counter.

Once I'm halfway across the lobby to turn in my keys I hear her ask back to Courtney, "He's the one that came in last night?"

Courtney just nods and walks around the counter to leave.

The woman sizes me up while I turn in my keys, I can't help it, "You here to admire my legs or do you need something?"

I hear Courtney snort laugh as she walks out the door.

The Trainer gal seems surprised as she glances past me before speaking, "I haven't ever heard her laugh before, but as for your legs I'm just surprised they're still attached. Mary came by the gym this morning and said they rescued some idiot that was being chased by a trevenant out in the woods last night."

Ah, "Right the newlyweds, they seemed like they were having a good time, I'll apologize if I see 'em again."

She shrugs, "They both work at the gym so if you hang around long enough you might. But I figure you won't, most folks just pass through this part of Petalburg. I'm May by the way, were you intentionally coming to Petalburg or did you just get lost?"

I nod, "I was hoping to challenge the gym."

With a grin she heads towards the door, "Follow me then, I'm heading there now. You're a bit old to be a fresh trainer, you from around here? My little brother will be excited for a veteran challenger."

Before I can answer she gets cut off by the door as a young man enters on a wheelchair being pushed by a woman in a sundress.

He smiles, "Ah morning May, you still planning on leaving town today? Let's not block the door Wanda."

May seems on guard, "Morning Wally, Wanda. Yes I'll be headed out in a little while, got one delivery to make then I'm going to hit the circuit. I probably won't see you again till Ever Grande City."

The woman named Wanda starts pushing again, "Come on cousin let's pick up your meds and get to the market before the morning catch is sold out. Have a safe trip May."

I wonder if her cooking is what landed him in that wheelchair.

May grunts and walks outside, "I'll show him, he's here all uppity while Brendan has to work in another city."

Suppose I'll just mind my own business there, "You said you're taking me to the gym?"

She snaps out of it, "Ah, right. What did you do to find that big scary tree anyway?"

We barely turn the corner past the center and the gym is already in sight, "I caught a Phantump, guess the big guy didn't like that."

May shivers, "I hate ghost types, cute pokemon are much better. What else have you brought with you? I don't imagine you'll battle a gym with a little stump you caught last night."

I nod, "Well the rules say I'll only need two for my first three gyms so I'm planning on using my Joltik and Zubat."

She falters as she reaches for the door, "A spider and a bat, lovely. Um, those are a bit, well, weak for battling a gym leader. My little brother is no slouch and to be honest he can get carried away."

With a shrug, "It can't be that bad, I would think they're supposed to take it easy on first timers."

May laughs nervously, "You're a bit old to be having your first gym battle, I don't think Max will be as nice as he is to the runts that usually pick Petalburg for their first gym. My father used to turn trainers away unless they had three badges already. He's one of the elite four now and he definitely taught Max a thing or two."

I mean it can't be that bad, right?

We walk past an empty lobby and into the main hall.

Boom!

A massive black bear looking creature the size of a semi truck gets knocked in the chin by what could pass as a balding King Kong.

May shouts in excitement, "Don't take that Snorlax, show Slaking how you throw your weight around!"

The walking wrecking equipment charges forward and tackles the big ape against the wall causing the entire building to shake.

Right... I've got this?