Chapter 6:

Bane of the heart

…

"What? Didn't you guys hear that...that fucking loud voice!?"

They shook their heads.

"I only heard you mentioning 'dying again'." Insisted Ginger.

Oh crap, I said that out loud?

"I...I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Wait...you can understand the combusken?" Asked Ash, with an odd mix of incredulousness and apprehension on his face.

"Grey, we only heard you, no one else," stated May, looking worried herself.

"What do you mean 'where will you end up next?'" Asked the archeologist all of a sudden, leering at him intently.

Grey held a shaking hand in placation as he reached for something in the outer pocket of his backpack, pulling out the container with blue-red pills and rattling their content in his convulsing hand. "I-I'm sorry guys...I take SSRI's, I sometimes get p-panic attacks, ya' know? I f-forgot to take one today." He lied in part, pretending to have a stutter, while he didn't actually take one after Dr. Freud gave them to him. He hated the idea of over-relying on these things, but to excuse himself for his manic outburst, now was as good a time as any.

Understanding dawned on everyone's faces, except Ginger's.

Of course 'she' wouldn't buy my bullshit.

But much to his relief, the fowl pokémon chose not to pursue the issue, for now. He quickly gulped one of the pills in a show of truth.

"Oh, sorry Grey, w-we had no idea," said May with a sad ring in her voice.

Alden remained unconvinced for a moment, but as soon as Grey took the pill, the professor's gaze softened.

Great. Pity from other fucking people. The shit I have to resort to just to keep a secret...

Sirens resonated from a distance as several police vehicles were approaching the site.

"Oh good! The cops are coming," said May. "I called them over here before I came."

Saved by the cops, what a twist.

"S-Someone should go let em' know everything's ok, guess that'll be me, heh," falsely stuttered Grey as he power walked the fuck out of there, ignoring any protests.

Ginger was right beside him in a flash, giving him a look. "We're not avoiding the subject."

"What subject?"

"What really happened back there?"

"Nothing happened, Ginger, drop it," he gritted out as they climbed the ancient stairs.

"I see your 'stuttering' stopped, must be some good meds you got there, why are you even taking those?" She interrogated as they entered the main area.

Oh for fuck's—

He whirled around, stopping Ginger in her tracks, "Shut up! Why do you care!? Mind your own fucking business!" he snapped with his yell echoing in the chamber, causing her to recoil, but she stood her ground.

"I care because I feel responsible!" she yelled back.

Now he was the one to be surprised.

"What? How…"

The hurt in her crimson eyes was evident. "Because, asshole, I have to know...Did you die, because...Of me?"

Is...Is that what she thought? Oh…

Now he just felt like absolute dog shit for reacting the way he did. "What makes you think that?"

"Well...Something happened at the tree, back at that hill in the beginning...I thought you fainted. But then you mentioned dying again, and...after what you said to me now, back in the pines when you were healing me with the potion, I...I've never…felt..." Her voice wavered as her shoulder spasmed for a moment and her breath was uneven. Her eyes became watery but she looked away with a sniff.

What's this?

He reached out, "Ginger, no, that's not—"

"OPD! Identify yourself, sir!"

Came a voice from the entry. It was a woman wearing a skirted blue police uniform, heeled shoes, and a kepi cap on top of her wavy teal-blue hair. Grey was almost more distracted by her fully exposed—and shapely—legs, than the baton she held in her hand. No wonder Ash's tanned friend from Kanto went head over heels whenever he saw the policewoman. Though bizarrely close to being scantily dressed for an officer, she was already attractive in the anime, but in person? She was fuckin' hot. And clearly, this had to be a strategy to distract the male eye.

Before his mind went to 'places' he struggled to pull his vision upward. "Grey Wilson's the name, babe'—I-I mean officer! Yes officer! Everything is ok," he stammered.

Fucking pills...

A little confused at his reaction, she lowered her baton, placing it in her holster right as a few male officers—more appropriately dressed—rushed into the ancient room. She turned to them, "I want a clean sweep of the area, search for any clues or civilians and make your inquiries if you find any," she ordered.

"Yes ma'am." And like that, several more entered the room while Grey could see some more outside, searching the area, accompanied by small orange furred canines he remembered to be 'growlithe'.

Jenny relaxed her shoulders. "That's a relief. Nurse Joy told me about your group before Miss Haruka called us urgently over here, mentioning your name along with others. Do you know where the criminals went?"

"Up in the air in a copter, they left before we could arrive. I know it was out of our jurisdiction, but we couldn't just leave professor Alden alone."

She seemed more confused now. "Out of your jurisdiction? But aren't you a lab trainer? That's what Nurse Joy told me."

...Huh?

"Well, yeah but, aren't the police meant to...Handle it?"

...She stifled a giggle and relaxed her posture, placing a hand on her hip. "Well sure, but if you're a lab or league-sponsored trainer, then you've been doing the right thing this whole time. No need to be so modest, Mr. Wilson, Nurse Joy told me all about the way you handled the situation. Frankly, I'm impressed."

"Uh. Thanks, officer, I guess?"

"Jenny's fine, though I have to ask...Is that your combusken?" She pointed to a mildly growling Ginger who had her arms folded. What was up with her all of a sudden?

"Eh, yeah. She's with me."

Why does everybody assume I own her? Oh right...I forgot. I feel as though pokémon are a little more objectivized than I initially thought...Why am I not surprised.

Jenny's demeanor changed from his answer. "Where were you last night, Mr. Wilson?"

Last night? But it's still the same...Oh, the sun's up, that's right. How long were we screwing around in that forest? I don't think that many hours passed so quickly…The' hell…does it have to do with the ruins?

"Well, me and Ginger here were on our way through the woods of route 101, having arrived late to Oldale town. Why the sudden question?"

"Well, in case you haven't heard, there was a significant wildfire not too long ago that took our local firefighters several hours to put out. It managed to burn well over 10000 square meters of forest land, and I got witness reports of a combusken with its trainer leaving the forest at around that time, and combusken is a fire-type." She stated, crossing her arms.

Suddenly Jenny wasn't so hot anymore.

Grey gave a dangerous narrowing of his eyes. "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm not suggesting anything. I merely want to ask if you know anything about what's been happening. Did the criminals you stop at the center mention their identity?"

"Huh? I thought you stopped by the center, haven't your men interrogated them?"

Jenny looked to the side. "Thing' is, the thugs found at the center...They're dead."

Grey's heart sank. "What? But we only knocked them out—"

"I know. Forensics have yet to analyze the poison, but it's safe to say they committed suicide by cyanide pills before my men could grab them."

Grey's gaze dropped to the ruined floor in distaste. Even though he didn't cause their deaths, his interference was the reason they...

"Shit..."

They're more zealous for their beliefs than I thought…Is this really the same pokémon universe as the anime? It seems so...

"Mr. Wilson. Who were they? Your combusken is injured and looks weary, yet no pokéballs were found on the criminals. I doubt they could have done much to it,"—Jenny approached him, with Ginger grunting in annoyance, but she ignored her—"What happened in that forest, Grey?"

I can't just keep being tight-lipped about it. And these people are dangerous, now I'm likely to be a target for both. The sooner the authorities are on it the better...

The rest of the group came up the stairs, including Ash, May and Alden, along with the policemen.

Grey sighed. "I ran into a group of people calling themselves 'Team Aqua'. Ring a bell?"

Jenny shook her head but kept quiet for him to continue.

"Well, needless to say, they're an aggressive bunch. They started the fire with one of their fire-types when they attacked me,"—he lied partially, considering 'Aqua' were the first offenders—"Ginger defeated one of them with a fighting-type move. As you know, she's also part Fighting-type. We used their wildfire as a cover to escape after I overheard them mentioning 'Team Magma' would be launching an assault on the pokémon center. One of the Aqua agents mentioned 'Magma' being their competition, so I'm assuming I wrecked Aqua's plans to stop 'Magma', the latter of whom I assume to be the people behind the assault at the center and ruins, and hence, here I am."

"'Team Aqua', and 'Team Magma'...Never heard of them, but it's clear they're dangerous. I'll take your word for it Mr. Wilson, you did us a solid favor, after all, and at least we've got some idea of what's happening." She smiled with her demeanor returning to a casual one. "Your actions prove your valor."

Grey only nodded.

"Holy crap. You stopped two criminal groups on your own?" breathed out May who, like ash, gaped at him with renewed incredulousness.

"I wouldn't say I stopped their group entirely, just some of their members. Ash stopped Team Rocket on his own, after all."

"Team Rocket? Who's that now?" asked Jenny with a raised brow.

Grey's stomach rumbled something fierce and everyone just stared at him.

And there's my escape, though embarrassing.

Grey flushed despite the convenience. "I'll leave that one for Ash and May."

"Huh? Eh, sure," Mumbled the shorter teen.

Grey nodded to both of the young trainers and turned to leave. "Now, if you don't mind, officer, I'm about to pass out from fatigue. I need food and a day's sleep. And right now? God help anyone who stands in the way of that."

He didn't wait for an answer and simply brushed past a bewildered Jenny, ignoring everyone in favor of his desperation to satiate himself, leaving the ruins for a warm, sunlit grassy plain to welcome him. He was glad that no one followed, having heeded his half-hearted warning. Ginger swiftly followed, in apparent deep thought.

But Grey didn't head for the town. Instead, after checking for any pursuers, he went back into the woods.

Ginger looked up at him in question, having spoken for the first time since the ruins, "Where are we going?"

"There's something I have to do first, before finally dropping dead on a bed."

"And what's that?"

They arrived at a clearing in the pine woods, not too far from the town. Grey checked the area for any bystanders. No one. He put down his pack and took out five pokéballs. The first two were from Aqua and the latter three from the Magma grunts who didn't even have a chance to use them, thanks to Ginger's pre-emptive strike on them. Of course, since they all looked the same, he didn't know in which order they'd come out.

"I'm going to free these pokémon."

Ginger looked surprised for a moment before then reconsidering. "Are you sure that's what they'll want?"

He stopped for a few seconds, before gazing at her in thought.

"...I suppose it would be hypocritical of me to enforce my wish on them, as much as I hate the idea of them continuing to be humanity's tools. I'll give them the option of adoption or freedom, it'll be a good chance to test a theory, actually. Either way,"—he placed them in his hoodie pouch and took one out at random—"they're free from the clutches of overzealous and suicidal idiots."

To think I have the blood of a race that practically invented suicidal bombings running in my veins...Jesus.

"That's true." She remarked.

"I'll be releasing one at a time, be ready, they might retaliate."

Ginger nodded in confirmation.

With his pokédex on the other hand at the ready, he pressed the button and tossed the ball, which opened and dispersed its red energy, forming into the first pokémon. Already a familiar face from much earlier.

—"Poochyena, the bite pokémon. Poochyena is an omnivore, it will eat anything. A distinguishing feature is how large its fangs are compared to its body. This Pokémon tries to intimidate its foes by making the hair on its tail bristle out. Male, of adolescent age."—

I suppose it would be too much for the pokédex to know its exact age. Wait...earlier today, it said Ginger is 'mature'...Question for later. This one is obviously a Magma member...Ex-member.

"Man, what is it now, Bra—Huh? Who are you?" Asked a surprised 'Bite' pokémon, looking up at him. More like a hyena or wild dog. Seriously, what kind of canine doesn't 'bite'?

"I'm the guy who's now in possession of this pokéball, that's who."

The poochyena just blinked.

"Wait, you can understand me?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. That's...new...W-where's Brad?"

Grey sighed. This was the part he was going to hate.

"...Brad's dead."

The canine's red eyes went wide before flicking to Ginger, then back to him. He lifted a paw and inched backward in fear.

"O-oh...did...did you—"

"No. He killed himself with the 'pill'. He decided to abandon you in this world and preferred the protection of his radical belief over you as an individual. Hell, he might've even killed 'you', considering the police may have psychic pokémon to extract information out of you, before putting you up for adoption, or putting you down for having been exposed to villainous habits."

Ginger glanced at Grey in disbelief. "Hey, isn't that a little much?"

Grey glared back at her. "No, it isn't. Think about it, there's no way an authority body like the police wouldn't have psychic types to extract the information from his mind."

The canine took a step forward. "B-but I'm a Dark-type, I don't think they can—"

"News flash, that doesn't guarantee anything. They'll still drug you to get the truth out, and then the psychics will just translate. When it comes to authority, they always get their way. So you're lucky I snatched you away before he could kill you. Now,"—He leaned closer—"as I see it, you have two options."

"W-what's that?" asked the frightened pup.

Grey placed the pokéball on the ground by his feet and placed a foot on it. "One, I can free you now, and you can live your life as you want; an unbounded individual, as things should be. Or two, I'll leave you at the pokémon center for them to find, and for you to eventually end up in an adoption program. At least I think that's what'll happen. But even if it does, chances are, you'll just get another stupid human to think you're an object to be owned, used, and if you're really unlucky, to be disposed of after getting bored of you."

"Grey, too dark."

Again he turned to Ginger. "Oh? Too dark? Well, in the best case, he'll be given to a kid that'll actually treat him like a family poképet. Of course, if he misbehaves and disobeys, well, he'll just get time out in this cramped, fucking blood-stained pokéball,"—He turned his gaze to the poochyena—"Is that what you want? Your choice, make it now."

The poor canine looked shaken to its core, and indecisive, staring continuously at the ground.

"I...I-I don't know...Brad was annoying sometimes, but—"

"Fuck Brad! He's dead! He abandoned you, and he used you like the typical human he is! Can't. You. Fucking. See!?" Grey exclaimed, causing the canine to recoil.

"W-why are you so…Against your own kind? Why do this?"

Ginger gazed at Grey with curious eyes.

He angled his vision to the forest bed. "Sometimes...I wish I wasn't human." He refocused on the dark type who was shocked at the answer. "Now make your choice before I make it for you."

"I see...Can you remove your foot from the ball?"

Grey understood the request and did so, backing away. The Poochyena approached the device, staring at it for a few moments in contemplation before holding it in its jaws, and the ball was squeezed, beginning to deform with cracks rushing along its surface. Some small wires poked out as the crumpling of metal was the only thing keeping the silence at bay, before it completely shattered in the poochyena's maw, with some electric buzzing as its final death throes before it was spat out in pieces…

"A wise choice. Now off with you, I have four more to deal with."

Grey observed closely as the 'bite' pokémon's eyes seemed clearer, with its mood significantly improving already.

So my theory has 'some' merit, though that might just be an emotional release and nothing more...Still, interesting.

"Thank you. I'll never forget this. Your compassion is rare, and appreciated, human or not." The poochyena turned to leave, before gazing back once more at Grey, with a softness in his eyes. "I really hope you find true happiness one day."

The comment struck Grey in his core, and the canine seemed to have noticed the effect if its tiny fanged smile was anything to go by. It trotted away and disappeared into the woods…

Grey breathed in and exhaled hard as though the exercise would clear the aching in his heart, but he froze it over again and regained his usual composure.

Ginger shifted on her feet. "Grey."

"What?"

"You did the right thing."

He gazed at the forest ground again, finding the combination of dry brown pine needles and fresh green ones blended suddenly fascinating.

"...I wonder about that."

"Why?"

"Maybe existing in an illusion, blissful in ignorance, might've been the best way to live."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"If happiness can only be defined as positive emotions, which are produced by a chemically balanced mix of dopamine, oxytocin, endorphins, and serotonin, then 'happiness' is nothing more than a bunch of chemical infused signals our body generates whenever it fulfills a particular desire, short or long term...And our non-carnal desires are heavily influenced by our environment during childhood, and based on our educational indoctrination by our elders…"

"Uh…"

He examined the lines and grooves of his hand. "So is 'happiness' just an invention of the body? A biologically self-imposed 'carrot-stick approach' designed to keep its genes living on? Is it just...Another lie? A fruitless endeavor that stems from the curse that some god laid on all creation? Or is it simply all a cosmic joke?"

"Grey?"

He turned to her. "Yeah?"

Ginger gave a deadpanned gaze. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

He stared back at his hand, closing it into a fist. "...Nothing. I'm just hungry. Let's get this over with."

He repeated the same process for the other two ex-Magma members. It was another poochyena who was more eager to be free than the last. Though the fire-dark type houndour that came after it was in aggressive denial and took a bit longer to convince before it gave up, and left for freedom as well, having lost its trust of human beings, and in Grey's eyes rightfully so.

"Well, somehow we got the 'Magma' members first before the Aquas', and we know who's in the Aqua balls. I'm getting rather antsy from hunger, so, think' you can handle both at the same time in case they retaliate?" He asked Ginger.

"Yeah, if I can run literal circles around them, they can't be too tough," she confirmed, puffing her chest in pride.

"Alright." He pressed the button on both and the two energy condensed beings morphed into their true forms.

The sneasel, and the salandit. Which reminded him that he needed to ring Birch about the update.

The two looked around in confusion before recognizing him.

The sneasel started and immediately extended its steely claws with a shing. "What the hell? What are 'you' doing with 'my' pokéball!? Where's Cloey!?" She demanded with a dangerous glower and a feminine, yet strident, taut voice, obviously being female now that Grey heard her speak for the first time.

Ginger took a quick step to Grey's front, but with a tap on her shoulder, he shook his head. She gave him a questioning glance but he gave her a stern stare. Aggression against an aggressive person would only escalate the situation. Ginger stepped back, but within two steps worth of distance.

"I asked you a question!" Hollered out the sneasel, sharpening her claws. Grey glanced at Ginger.

Well, 'this' seems familiar—

"Oh shut up, Neva, stop acting like 'Cloey' was worth it," said an effeminate, smoky and alluring voice, at least compared to the sneasel's. It was the salandit, obviously female as well. Huh, what were the odds?

The claw pokémon turned to glare at her colleague. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Cloey barely even gave you the attention of day, she only joined Aqua for the money."

Suddenly it seemed Grey's existence was forgotten and the sneasel called 'Neva' turned threateningly to the smirking salandit, who now stood on her hind legs crossing her arms in a show of confidence.

A facultative bipedal. I suppose it makes sense since she's a lizard...or salamander based on the name? Nah, looks more like a lizard. Meh.

"That's not true. You, Joanna, just don't give a shit about Aqua's goal, course' that's not surprising, considering you're a filthy ex-Magma member. Pfft, the only reason they stole and picked your ugly ass up is that you're lucky to be a rarity around Hoenn."

Ex-Magma too? Quite the résumé...

The salandit, now known as 'Joanna', rolled her amethyst eyes. "Whatever. Dylan was a weak piece of shit anyway, just like 'Cloeeey'." She teased in a morose tone, mimicking the sneasel's.

Neva stalked forward, "Why you—"

Grey had enough. "Hey!"

The two jolted at his shout and looked at him.

"As much as a catfight amuses me, I've got no time for this. Fact' of the matter is, neither of your trainers knew what they were doing. They pegged you two into a meat grinder of a fight against a combusken. They didn't care if you got hurt, and apparently, neither did Lisa or Nate for that matter."

They were surprised that he could understand them, but the sneasel quickly shook it off in her anger. "Tch. I can take your little bitch on by myself!" Hollered out Neva, brandishing her claws.

Ginger extended her own claws, with a sound like that of the simultaneous drawing of multiple swords. "Wanna' test that?" She challenged with a grin.

Grey stepped in with an idea. "I wouldn't try it. It's pointless, we defeated Nate."

Both ex-Aqua members reeled in disbelief, and like that, the sneasel's claws sank with shock lacing her teal face.

"W-wha? Bullshit!"

He grinned.

Bingo, they know who the shiftry is.

"Oh? How do you think we're here? It's impossible to escape a shiftry in a forest full of pines. And we set fire to the cabin, so Lisa was busy with her sealeo putting it out. How do you think we got away with it? Hmm?"

"N-no, you're lying! There's no way you could've beaten 'Sharif'!" She exclaimed in disbelief, but her face suggested otherwise.

Grey barked out a laugh, "Pfft! Wha!? That thing's name was 'Sharif'!? Oh that's fucking rich, to think he had an Arab name this whole time! Haha!"

They all gazed at him in confusion.

"What? As if that's not a Lebo's name."

"Grey, what the hell is an 'Arab'? Or a 'Lebo' for that matter?"

He froze.

Oh, God, I have 'got' to stop making that mistake...Guess I'm just too exhausted. No biggie, easy fix. Though the coincidence is just...

"Eh, sorry, just some terms we use where I'm from. Nevermind."

"Huh?"

"Anyway, we're getting way out of topic here. The truth is,"—He narrowed his gaze—"they abandoned you, and left you behind. They won't bother themselves with finding you. To them, you two are just a bunch of handouts that are easily replaced. Yes, even you miss 'Joanna'."

"No! You're lying!" Insisted the claw pokémon.

"Actually, he's got a point. There's no way they would have escaped without fighting at least one of the sergeants, also they don't have the time for 'us'." Answered the lizard pokémon.

"Shut. Up. Joanna!"

They started bickering amongst themselves again, one loud and aggressive, the other snide and dismissive. Grey just gave a look to Ginger who was amused at the scene.

"Can I just free them? The way they are, they're gonna' get put down."

"Yeah, no one's gonna' adopt these two."

"Freedom it is!"

"Huh?" let out the two ex-Aqua's before Grey and Ginger crushed a pokéball each under their feet. The salandit and sneasel watched as their previous 'cages' were smashed into pieces.

"Hey!"

"Oh my…"

"There, you're both free. I was going to give you a choice between adoption and freedom, but I think you'll do a lot better in the latter case."

Neva was outraged, while Joanna gazed at him intently with a hand over her dark snout.

The sneasel strutted toward them. "What the hell d'ya do that for, huh!? I'll kill you!"

Ginger stepped in. "No you won't," she said with a gout of flame escaping her beak, causing the ice-dark type to falter in her step.

Grey took the opportunity to observe the female sneasel more closely and in daylight. He could see her ribs poke out slightly from every flustered breath she gave, and her eyes seemed fatigued, despite not having battled. Speaking of which, now that he remembered, unlike the pokédex image, her long eyelashes were actually white, instead of black. A variation? The salandit didn't fare too much better in terms of nutrition, if only significantly.

"Neva? Was it?" He asked.

"Yeah, what's it to you, asshole!?"

"When was the last time Cloey fed you?"

She stopped dead in her tracks. "What?"

"You heard me."

"That...That's none of your busi—"

The salandit audibly hummed in thought with a black pointy finger to her chin. "Probably around half a day ago, considering it's morning and we were dispatched more than eight hours ago, and the fact that Cloey rarely even lets her out—"

"Shut the fuck up! Joanna!" Screamed the sneasel, now one-sidedly arguing with the salandit who didn't seem to care.

I see.

Grey went over to his pack that still lay on the pine needles, and took out a bundle of brown paper from a separate zipped compartment, before opening it and returning to the arguing duo, placing it on the ground before them.

They stopped upon noticing his movement and stared at him with their argument dying out.

In the middle between the two parties was an unwrapped bundle of pellets, sprinkled with colored cubes.

It was Pokémon food, dotted with these things called 'pokéblocks', whatever the hell they were. Something about blended berries of sorts.

Grey rose back to his full height. "Eat up and be on your way before people come by. I have some unfinished business and I'm starving myself, so I'm not gonna' wait around for you to finish or settle your differences. You're free and better off that way, and that's your situation now. You can either take advantage of that or be captured by another human if you miss being abused so much. It's your life. I only ask that you share the food equally and stop fussing."

They both just stared at him with wide eyes that went to the food and back to him repeatedly as though contemplating whether he was a mirage or not.

Picking up and slinging his travel backpack on, he walked away, with Ginger following him. The crunching of paper soon echoed from behind, fading with distance. No shouting. Good, at least they took the food.

"Guess it's to the pokémon center then." Stated Ginger.

They walked for several minutes in silence. Just before the edge of the pine forest, with the town's buildings peeking through the trees, Grey stopped. "Yeah. But,"—He turned to gaze at her—"I still have one pokémon left to deal with."

Ginger stopped as well, and seemed confused, cocking her head to the side. "Oh? I thought you only swiped five pokéballs."

"That's right. I did." He answered as he just stood there, staring at her with hands in pockets. Nothing was said before Ginger blinked and widened her ruby eyes with her proud head-crest feathers lowering by a few degrees. Huh. He hadn't noticed she could do that.

"Grey? What do you mean—"

"Your I.O.U is settled. You've escorted me safely to Oldale town. You don't owe me anything more, and your pokéball is already non-existent."

Her head crest lowered even more. "W-what? But...I…"

"You're free to come with me to the pokémon center to receive food and healing, obviously. But your I.O.U is done, and quite coincidentally, mine with May is also repaid. In fact, you paid me twice over by escorting me here and helping me out with my own 'IOU' to May. So, that's that," he said with a heavy heart.

"But...But you said you would think about letting me battle for you!"

"I did, and you already have battled for me, as a favor that you supposedly owed. That's what you decided to do, remember?"

"Wha...I...But that's not what I meant! I-I meant over a long period!"

"That wasn't part of the agreement. And that far outweighs any amount of debt you think you might owe."

"I almost killed you!"

"And now you've saved me. Your job is done, Ginger...I'm done. Trust me, you don't want me as a trainer, or as anything, really. Anyone else is probably a better option."

"What? What'd you mean!?"

He took a deep breath…

Oh boy…

"Grey?" Her voice shuddered.

Fuck it.

"I manipulated you into coming with me…" He confessed.

"...What?"

"Your little self-imposed 'IOU' was something I counted on. I guilt-tripped you into coming with me from the start. Every word I said, every movement, and every one of my gestures has been carefully designed to make you think you have an obligation to come with me. Am I making sense?"

"...No, I...I don't understand."

"You're smart, Ginger, I think you do."

She gazed away in thought, considering something, before staring at him in disbelief.

"...You mean...You controlled my thoughts?"

"Not exactly, more like I used verbal cues and gestures to 'direct' your thoughts. The moment Professor Birch told me you waited outside the whole time for me? I knew I had you in my grasp. I just needed to make sure you felt enough 'guilt' to think you owe me enough to follow. But I've changed my mind, and...I think you've done more than enough for me to make up for what you did earlier today, err...Yesterday, I guess. Make' sense now?"

She gasped and looked as though she had just been slapped across the face.

There's the look.

"...Why?" She let out with an exhale, her breath shaking now.

He shook his head. "...That's something I can't tell you, Ginger. It's very personal. But hey, at least you're lucky I had a change of heart and even confessed. Right? You don't want to follow around a piece of shit like me. So, after the pokémon center…Let's just part way—"

"Why did you change your mind?" She narrowed her flaming eyes in suspicion.

"...What?"

"You heard me. Why change your mind, when you, as you like to say 'had me in the palm of your hands'?"

He averted her gaze. "...I...Can't tell you that either."

"So what can you tell me!?" She yelled now, with the air wavering around her as heat radiated out of her body. "What can you fucking tell me!? Why are you abandoning me!?"

"Ginger—"

"Is it because I'm weak!? Is it because I didn't do good enough against 'Sharif'!?"

"No, it's—"

"Is it because you caught me off guard!? Is that it!? Or maybe you think I'm a psycho and I might 'stab you' in your sleep!? Even after protecting your sorry ass all night!? Is that it!?"

"Ok stop—"

"Am I not good enough for you—"

"I don't want to see you hurt! There! I said it!"

She blinked as the air returned to its normal temperature.

"You don't...Want to see me get hurt?"

He slapped his forehead and dragged a hand across his hair, yanking it in a struggle to get his words out. "Goddammit, I...After seeing what happened to the Shiftry...And how he screamed...Oh God, his screeching was just...Fuck. Seeing him like that after 'my' command and watching him burn...I know you're a fire-type but...For a moment I...I…"

"You...Thought that might happen to me?" She guessed.

"Yes. Maybe not fire, but something else...I can't do that to you on account of my manipulating you. The very thought of that happening to you for my sake just made me sick to the core...and it made me realize very quickly that I'm not cut out for this, Ginger."

"...Is that why you didn't want me to fight the other two? Because you didn't want to see them get hurt?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you join Aqua then? They seemed like they wanted to help pokémon, even though those grunts didn't exactly take care of their own."

"Because as much as they want to praise themselves for helping pokémon, they're no better than team Magma. If they somehow flood the Earth, as crazy as it sounds, then many humans will die, yes...But so will pokémon. And like Magma, they're willing to execute their fanatic vision at the expense of their own pokémon. If anything they're even more hypocritical than Magma because they rely on man-made tech like pokéballs to enact their intention. The sneasel and salandit are perfect examples."

"And you think you won't be any better than them for using me to get what 'you' need. Is that it?"

He gave a weak smirk. "I told you you're smart."

"...So you don't want to be a trainer, at all, then."

Grey shook his head again. "No. I don't. I can't do it. I thought I could. But…"

'You're weak. Just like your fucking Arab' Father.'

In the end...He was right.

He chortled at the thought. "I guess in the end, I'm as much of a 'piece of shit human' as you thought."

"You think I'm so weak as to allow something like what happened to that shiftry happen to me too. Right?" She moped.

Again with that—

"No, Ginger. Far from it, you're so powerful and full of potential, that it's fucking scary."

"Then what is it?"

"...I'm the weak one."

She recoiled from that. "What?"

"I can't stand getting you hurt for any mistakes I might make. I'm not strong enough to take that responsibility. And if you like battling so much, then you certainly don't want a weak trainer. Hell, maybe you're better off with Ash. He seems really experienced, and that pikachu of his proves it."

She only gazed at him in silence, with a frown furrowing her brows in irritation.

Ginger said nothing more, so Grey continued, "Let's get you patched up at the pokémon center, have dinner, and rest for a while. You can think about joining Ash or May, or whatever you want. But for the sake of accessing the pokémon center, I'm your 'trainer' for the day. But when we leave, that'll be history. I've made my decision." He declared, albeit with a shaky undertone.

Ginger made no reply, so Grey began walking to the pokémon center, wondering if she'd follow. He didn't dare look back, but her footsteps resounded on the forest bed from behind; at least she'd be healed up, fed, and ready for the better part of the day.

He hoped she'd make the right choice.

They strode through the urban town, with its inhabitants going about their early morning routines. Some opened the shutters of their stores along with their poké partners, like a machop? Was it? Others pulling carts of their produce, or rather their 'Tauros', along with a cow-looking pokémon he didn't remember the name of. The rest of the people went about alone, looking like they were heading for work. For the whole way along the sidewalk, they received some hostile stares, no doubt the rumor of 'a combusken committing arson with their trainer was spreading like wildfire...Poor simile, but word did fly fast.

After an awkward walk in silence and hundreds of eyes staring daggers at their backs, they arrived at the pokémon center. Nurse Joy and her bubbly pink chansey were a ray of sunshine, and though he meant it as a joke earlier, the magenta-haired damsel refused any payment for any of the services for their stay as gratitude for his help.

And Grey wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth, or whatever passed as a horse in this world. There was one from the first-gen, but again, he couldn't recall, and it wouldn't have suited the saying anyway.

May and Ash, along with pikachu, were apparently asleep in their room, wisely getting some hours of shut-eye after all the drama.

He and Ginger received treatment and checkups, being cleared on the condition they had a few hours rest, and after an uncomfortably quiet dinner, they made for their allocated rooms within the large pokémon center.

They passed a wide window that showcased a simple, yet well-kept grassy pokémon battle arena at the back of the facility. Apart from training, its purpose was obvious. Ginger stopped by the window and gazed at the arena in evident thought. Grey rose a brow at her irrational behavior.

What's the big deal? It's not like I'm the only guy in the world she can consider a trainer, Christ. I don't get it. Ash would be a better fit. He has bullshit protagonist plot armor, after all, right?

His heart stung as Ginger glanced at him before looking down, with her lowered head crest betraying her emotions.

Maybe after a rest, she'll consider it...

He continued through the hallway with her following once more and entered the corresponding room, which had two double bunkered beds next to each other at the other end, with a window in between having a view of the outer perimeter of the pokémon center's left-wing. A wooden nightstand was below the window, and to the side of the door was a TV mounted on the wall, with the bathroom door next to it. It was small but cozy.

He breathed out in elation, with the scent of lavender air freshener being a welcome change from the pine woods. He tossed his backpack onto the smooth, carpeted ground with a muffled thud and opened his arms. "Here lays Grey, dead from exhaustion," he announced as he was about to flop himself on the right bed—

"Grey, wait."

Oh, bugger. He twirled around, with his body loosening up and bones screaming in anticipation of rest.

"Make it quick, Ginger," he groaned. "It's already morning and I need at least a couple of hours, you're already—Huagh—losin' me tah' sleep."

She gazed at him with her pleading rubies. "Will you...At least think about re-considering—"

"My decision has been made. 'You' need to consider your future. I recommend Ash, followed by May, and if not them, anyone else is more suited than me. Either that or freedom."

"But—"

"Get some rest, Ginger." He dismissed as he flopped onto the bed, and let the darkness take him…

...Intense sun rays struck his eyes. He unleashed a croaky yawn as he rolled off the bed, and with a whomp, hit his face on the floor with barely an ounce of pain due to his morning grogginess and the soft carpet.

"Nnn, freakin'..." he mumbled as he got off the floor. His vision passed over the bed next to him, still blurry but recognizing the pokécenter's lodging bed.

Yeah. Still in the pokémon world. Figures...

He rubbed his eyes to get a clearer view. "Ginger, you awake? Not sure what time it is but we should get breakf–" he stopped as his vision cleared.

The bed covers were messy, but with no one there.

She was gone.

"Oh."

Early bird gets the worm, I guess. Or...Fire-fowl, anyway...Good. Right?

He went through his morning routine; shower, teeth, and facial stubble; all with unfamiliar brands of soap, shampoo, toothpaste, razors, and shaving cream...And all disturbingly superior to anything he had ever used back on other-Earth.

The mirror reflected the waves of his raven hair being less shaggy, and without a speck of dandruff, which was something he struggled with for years. His teeth were sparkling white as though he had never smoked or drunk in his life, and his face not only without any indication of there having been stubble but also without a single bleeding shave-nick, despite his numerous micro-scars or bumps. Though it was unlikely it would stop facial hair from growing. Now that would be miraculous.

Yet oddly, none of it mattered...even though it should have…

Because she didn't even say 'goodbye'...

He stared at his image, glancing at the scar on his right brow...

"Pfft. What does it matter? It's not like we knew each other past a day or two anyway…"

He shrugged it off, freezing his stupid egregious emotions under another layer of 'I don't give a fuck', packing everything into his backpack and leaving for the cafeteria.

There was no sign of Ginger throughout the hallway, not even on the training field through the window. Passing the lobby, a voice called out to him. "Good morning Mr. Wilson, or Midday I should say."

He turned to see the same Nurse Joy, smiling away at him with her magenta hair loops bobbing from her light bow in greeting, "I know it's been only a few hours, but have you rested well?"

"Morning Ma'am. The bed was very comfortable and I think I'm alright to go. Never been much of a sleeper anyway, not since...Anyway, thanks for asking."

"Of course. I saw your combusken pass by earlier, though she left the lobby without so much as having breakfast. Is she alright?"

Grey's chest became heavy and his pack weighed bricks all of a sudden. He didn't understand, but he was convinced he didn't care.

So in the end you chose freedom as well, like everyone else…Good choice. Seems like pokémon really are smarter than humans...Heh. Best wishes.

"She's just taking a stroll. She likes that," he said with a false smile.

"I see. The Breakfast menu should still be available. Your friends Ash and May are currently having theirs. Perhaps you should join them."

"Right. Thanks again, you sure I shouldn't pay—"

She stopped with a raised hand. "I insist, it's the least we can do. Please."

"Thanks again, Joy."

She shook her head and placed the same hand on her chest. "No, thank 'you' for your bravery as a trainer and your pokemon's valor as a fighter. Together you fought bravely. You two deserve the best." She finished with a serene smile and a shine of her sky-colored eyes.

Now 'that' was just unfair.

He only nodded while gritting his teeth, wishing he just died right then and there, before turning for the cafeteria.

He selected his main dish of hashbrowns, with eggs and asparagus on the side; extra-hot coffee as his beverage, and biscuits for the sugar levels. Carrying his tray, he found the two teens at their table. They chatted away with Ash wolfing down his meal like his pikachu, while May and her, now healthy, mudkip gawked at the two with disgust.

For a moment he considered dodging them, but as soon as he did, May saw him and waved at him a little too enthusiastically.

Ah crap…

He sighed, resigning to his fate, and walked over, masquerading his sourness masterfully with a grin.

"G'day kids, sorry about disappearing yesterday, had a whole bunch of unfinished business to get through. I trust all went well with the cops?"

"Hey Grey, yeah—mmph—Wash' awl' gewd'—mmph."

May glared at him. "Ash! Don't talk with your mouth full! That's rude!"

"Mmph—sowy'." He apologized as he shoved a sausage in his gullet.

She rolled her sapphire eyes, before gazing at Grey who sat at the table and himself began eating. "Yeah, it was just a few questions regarding that annoying trio, but Ash knows them better, so...Yeah, hehe."

"Right, well, cops can be a handful, but glad to hear they didn't pester you too much. Where's Professor Alden?"

May put a hand under her chin. "He's at the ruins. He said he forgot something there and he'd be back to see us off, but that was a while ago. I guess he's, 'glued to the walls', get it?" She asked, proud and amused at her terrible joke.

Ash just deadpanned from his plate while Grey only forced a little chuckle to be polite.

She giggled, then looked around for a moment. "Where's your combusken? Has she eaten?"

Better stick with the story, but then they might not see her return...Fuck I hate tiptoeing.

"She had breakfast earlier, now she's in...My pokéball."

Can't exactly tell people she's 'wild', that would paint a target on her back...And...I can't do that to her.

Though May seemed quite glad to hear that, with her shoulders relaxing. Guess he couldn't blame her after the first incident. Oddly convenient.

"Ah, I see."

"Glad to see your mudkip's back to health."

The little quadruped lifted his face from the plate of poképellets and observed him with those beady little eyes, before it muttered out in a youthful voice, "Mud—ch appreciated," before returning to its meal.

He smiled at him. The little guy was, admittedly, kind of cute.

"What'd he say?" Asked May casually with an amused leer.

"He said 'much—eh'! I-I mean, I guess he said 'thanks'? Hehe, I mean why ask? You know him better right?" he quickly corrected unmasterfully. However, May seemed convinced, or at least 'acted' like it.

Ash gazed up from his near-finished meal.

Oh shit, they figured it out.

She smiled in amusement. "Oh I just thought human and pokémon boys might understand each other better. Just a tiny experiment I'm undertaking. Ash and pikachu seem to understand each other, though in their own way. Right, Ash?"

"Mhm. Yeah."

Grey only nodded as he returned to his meal, but was aware they knew. They had to, they may be teens, but they're allegedly smart in their own right. Or at least enough to have been selected as lab trainers.

After some idle chit-chat, and done with their meal, the trio were about to leave the lobby, but the archeologist, Alden, came jogging toward them through the auto-sliding doors.

"Hey, guys! Leaving already? Sorry for almost being late. Ah if it isn't one of the heroes of the day, how'd the morning treat you, Grey?"

"Great, thanks, I see you can't get enough of those ruins."

"That's right, you know 'me', heh, hey guess what! After a bit more research of the stone chamber's hieroglyphs and paintings, every indication has pointed, so far, that ancient pokémon and man have been interacting peaceably!"

"Wow! That's great!" Exclaimed Ash.

"You've learned so much and so quickly!" May added.

The professor gave another one of his goofy smiles. "I can hardly stop working, even to sleep! There are so many undiscovered secrets in the world with regards to pokémon."

Speaking of walls...

Grey took this chance to ask him about a part of the mural. "Professor, by chance, do you have any idea what the ancient mural of the humanoid with the baby and the man meant?"

They all looked at him as though he grew a second head. "Oh? Which mural was that? I didn't see it."

"Me neither."

"Not me."

...What?

"It...It was the one to the left wall, in the corner. How did you guys not see it?"

Alden frowned in concentration, peering at him with that 'inquisitive eye' every researcher seemed to have. "I've looked extensively over those ruin walls, Grey, I haven't seen anything like what you mentioned."

What the fuck!? First the voice, and now the mural? But wait...Ginger saw it too, didn't she? Or...Maybe she saw whatever Alden and everyone else saw over it, I never had to describe it to her because she was already looking right at it…

What the hell was going on here? Grey made note of the oddity and brushed it off for now. "Umm, sorry, I've never been that good with art and stuff, guess I might've just looked at it the wrong way, heh."

For a moment, Alden seemed unconvinced but then smiled. "Ah, that's alright, sometimes the pigmentation and the mineral deformation can throw one for a loop, it's perfectly normal. I once mistook pokémon manure for a fossil, so I can't judge."

...Is...Is he being a smart ass or being serious? I genuinely cannot tell and that's concerning.

But the innocent smile on the professor's face suggested the latter. It had better be.

"So what's next for 'you' three?"

Ash fist-pumped the air. "Off to Petalburg city to get my first gym badge of the Hoenn region!"

Gym Badge? Oh that's right. You need eight to participate in the league championships.

May's face contorted to a nervous facsimile of a smile at Ash's comment. "Yeah, well...Good luck with that,—"

"Uh…" Ash rose a brow at her comment, and Grey found it odd too—

"—For me?" her eyes sank to the floor. "I'm...I'm not sure. I just started my journey, unlike Ash."

Alden smiled. "That's alright, at first I wanted to be a trainer, but I had no idea I was going to end up an archeologist, so there's a start to everything. How about you, Grey?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "...I have no idea."

The three seemed surprised at his answer, but May of all was gawking in disbelief. "What? I thought you seemed so…so…"

"Sure of myself? Well, May, the thing is, I'm not sure I want to be a trainer, but at the same time, I don't see many other options, considering I'm a lab assistant and trainer. But for now, I'm not sure about this pokémon league and neither of the 'coordinator' contest thing. So I'm in a rut, heh." He shrugged.

Alden for a moment considered his words before snapping a finger. "Hey! I know, why don't you head for Rustboro, and join a 'pokémon guild'?"

What the hell is that? I've never heard of that. Not even from my annoying colleagues who play this thing competitively. Strange.

"Pokémon Guild?"

Ash seemed just as confused, though May didn't.

Alden continued. "Yeah, that's right. I'm no expert and they'll give you a far better insight on what it involves, but overall? A pokémon guild is a coalition of people that share common pursuits, and interests. And in the lower guilds cases, oversee the craft practices and trade of their specific area specialty. But the top three ruling and governing pokémon guilds are above these and have some form of authority over the others, legislated by and affiliated with the Hoenn government and PA together, due to being the representatives of their own set of affinities and trade power."

"Why would people join one of these?" Asked Grey.

"Well, the answer ranges anywhere from hobbying, to passion, and money."

Money?

"Don't they all earn some kind of income, being craftsmen of their trade, disregard being in a guild or not?"

"In business terms, yes, but the thing they all have in common, as well benefiting themselves, is that they make great contributions to society, together as a whole, like undertaking their own guild missions, which can be self-beneficial to the guild, or requested by 'clients'. These are often referred to as 'quests'. In either case, the members that undertake these assignments get paid."

Oh? Interesting...

Alden continued. "Of course, the three leader guilds make the most money as they are the regulatory body of the system who make sure this stays consistent and fair, as well as keeping the 'guild' system intact. Some people earn a lot of money in these major guilds when they increase the prestige of said guild by making accomplishments, completing assignments, and participating in competitive pokémon activities, like 'Contests' or the 'Pokémon league' as well as other competitions."

I've been wondering about the political standing of a non-World war Earth...So this particular world's political stance, or at least Hoenn's, is beginning to sound like a derivation of 'Guild Socialism' alongside a government operating under what seems to be a 'liberal representative democracy', at least that's what it looks like, for now...I never thought I'd see the day, though it makes sense, in a way...

Well, there's something I can do. Perhaps in one of the big three—

"Catch is though, Grey, if you want to join one of the three leader guilds, you have to be registered for the pokémon league, though you don't have to run the entire circuit and participate in the 'Ever Grande Conference'. It's only for the sake of licensing and being recognized by the PA as a trainer since all members of the three leader guilds are trainers—"

"Well, that's not too ba—"

"And have at least one gym badge earned."

Oh.

"Which usually, though not always, means the very same Rustboro one, as the central guild registration post resides there. Of course, if you don't want to be part of the leader guilds, you can always hone a craft and be part of one of the lower guilds."

But...But I don't have a particular craft! Hell, I don't have any other life skills besides 'that' from my previous reality. I don't even know what people do 'here'! And who knows what's expected of a 24-year-old in this society! This 'craft' thing sounds like something borrowed from 'Runescape', with all the basic artisan, support skills, and stuff.

Well, there goes my idea...

"Don't worry, Grey, with your skill? And being in both Oldale's officer Jenny's and Nurse Joy's good books? Not to mention mine? You're already on your way to paving some favorable rep. I have no doubt you can make it to one of the big three." Cheered Alden with his starlit smile.

"Uh, thanks. Are you by chance part of a guild, professor?"

The similarly aged man smiled. "Yep, of course, I'm part of the lower, humble but well-known guild, 'United society of pokémon archaeology', that's how I know about the concept, and I'll throw out a good word about you the next time we have a meeting at HQ. Though my knowledge of the inner workings of the leading three guilds is limited, at Rustboro, you'll find out all there is about them."

"I see. Thanks for the info professor, I'll have to pass by Rustboro and check it out."

"Aww, that's too bad, and here I was gonna' ask you to join us on our adventure," pouted Ash. Oddly flattering, coming from the protagonist.

Grey pulled a smile. "That's nice of you Ash, but I have a feeling we'll cross paths again."

If anime logic runs this universe, that is…Not to mention it'll look 'odd' for a grown man to be walking around with two teens...

May seemed even more disappointed but remained silent.

They left the pokécenter, waving their goodbyes to the nurse and archeologist. After buying food provisions for themselves, with Grey explaining to Ash that he already had Ginger's bought as an excuse for not buying any pokémon food, they headed to the town outskirts. The temporary trio came upon a broadleaf forest, with two different paths labeled, 'Route 102-to-Petalburg City' which pointed to a more defined dirt path leading toward some clear hilly plains, while the other, 'Route 103-to-Rustboro City', pointed to a grassy track, with more shrubbery and wild growth creeping onto the pathway that streaked into the forest itself.

Of course, my path leads to yet another fucking forest...again. At least it's 'broadleaves' and not 'pines' this time.

Grey sighed, turning to the two teens. "Well guys, and gal, I'll be seei—"

"U-um, Grey? Can I have...A word?" Asked May as she fidgeted with her gloved hands.

Hmm?

"Sure? I guess?"

"Ash, could you wait for a second? I promise I won't be long."

The younger teen gave her a confused twitch of his head, before nodding. "Ok, we'll wait here, right buddy?" He asked his pikachu.

"Yeah! Of course!" The electric-type squeaked. God, pikachu's actual voice was so surreal, it broke everything Grey had experienced from the first season of the show in his childhood.

"Great! I-If you don't mind Grey." She smiled falsely, indicated by the lack of eye creasing a genuine smile would make.

Oh. I see what this is about. Shit. But if she wants to speak about it in private, then Ash won't be in on it. In his excitement for his next destination, the best-case scenario, he forgot.

"Right. Sure."

They walked for a few minutes into the forest, with Grey being aware that it was a bit sus' for their age difference...How old was May anyway? Meh, it didn't matter.

"Here's good enough." She decided, pulling out her pokéball, and releasing Mudkip with a pop and red flash onto the forest ground.

I fucking knew it.

The orange and blue mudfish pokémon observed them both for a moment, without saying anything. May turned to Grey and predictably started with—

"I know you can talk to pokémon—"

"And you want me to act as an intermediary between you and your mudkip, right?" he cheesed out with a deadpan gaze, causing the teen brunette to freeze in surprise, with mudkip widening its beady black eyes at him.

"C-can you read minds too?" she asked in caution.

"Maybe." He lied in amusement at her reaction, as she forced a nervous laugh.

"Funny. Erm...I-I don't want to bombard you with questions like 'how the hell', so I'll get to the point."

Oh, thank fuck.

She nodded in consideration of his gladness. "You see, mudkip has been difficult since the beginning, and well..." She gazed at the mudfish who only returned an annoyed glare, realizing what she was up to. "I need help understanding why."

Grey took the opportunity to test something with a resounding: "No." Which again caused May to reel in surprise.

"W-what?"

In Grey's peripheral, Mudkip cocked his head to the side in curiosity.

He shook his head. "I refuse. How do you think Ash and Pikachu have achieved incredible synergy? I only saw them battle yesterday with Team Rocket, yet I can tell they're very close and well-coordinated. Do you think they achieved that with a 'get-out-of-jail-free' card?"

May considered his words. "I guess not, but…I'm not as gifted as he is."

"What makes you say that?"

"He's fourteen, and according to his records, has already attended three different pokémon league conferences, two being main Pokémon Association events in Kanto and Johto, while actually winning the 'Orange archipelago challenge league'. The main leagues are held once every year. So, he must've started when he was twelve or maybe even eleven years old! Considering he went through the Orange Archipelago. If his mom let him go at such a young age, then he must be gifted! While I'm 17 and just starting..." She said with a frown.

17 huh? Quite studious of other people's track records. She must've looked into me and found nothing. Unless the professor decided to go ham on my profile...I'll look into it later.

"I see. But you're forgetting something, May."

"And what's that?" she pouted.

He grinned. "I'm twenty-four and starting out with you. What does that say about me?"

She flushed profusely, her face almost matching the tone of her bandanna while she held her hands out in placation. "Oh no! S-Sorry! I-I-I didn't mean it like t-that—"

He held a hand up to stop her. "I get it, don't worry, and that's not really the point. What I'm trying to say is, that everyone has their time. We're not all the same, May. Some people are gifted and take full advantage of that, whether they're aware of it or not. Others aren't, and they work much harder to get where they're at, without the aid of such a gift. Then there are those who...Aren't strong enough to endure those hardships, and quit somewhere between the start and the middle. Which one are you, May?"

"I...Don't know."

"Neither do I. But since you've taken the first step, you're already better than those who haven't. Now you just need to keep going without giving a fuck about where anyone else is. Worry about yourself. Simple."

She flinched at his cussing but didn't comment on it. "But I can also argue that not taking the chance to fix something important to me is just as counter-productive."

A vision flashed by Grey's eyes. A man with navy eyes bolstered a steely, yet rusted conviction in his worn and irate visage as the girl he was teaching failed to even hold a pokéball properly or to command the newly caught sloth-like pokémon. The girl of brown hair, maybe six or five years old, aggravated him even more with her failure before the man shook his head in disappointment.

The vision faded, and he jerked his head back at the abruptness of it before May's adolescent face came into view.

What the hell was 'that'?

"Why is it important to you?" He suddenly asked.

"Because...I…" She couldn't answer, and after a few moments, went wide-eyed in transparent realization.

Oh dear, did I just uncover a plot hole?

"You don't know, do you?"

"I...I…" She visibly shook.

"You don't see the point. You don't see the reason to continue what you think you've been forced to undertake."

She exhaled.

Grey sighed. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"Can you actually read...Minds?"

His lips twinged. "Nah. But I know a pointless endeavor when I see one. The truth is, May,"—He lowered his gaze into a glare—"people are fucked in the head, and do things without even knowing why. Worse is when they convince others to follow them, despite being in such a mental conundrum themselves."

Grey gazed at the bewildered mudfish. "And you, mudkip, being more in tune with your instinct due to being a pokémon, can sense that same condition from May. Am I right?"

May whirled to the starter. "Is that true? Mudkip?" she asked shakily.

The bluish quadruped, shocked at Grey's deduction, nodded. "Yeah. I can. And it pisses me off!" He hissed at May who, though not understanding, recoiled from his vehement behavior. His light voice continued. "She has the scent of a leader, a fighter, and a predator all in one. Something she just inherited, since she squanders it by being a spineless idiot!"

Another vision flashed in Grey's already aching mind.

Oh no, no-no-no not another—

It was of a smaller baby mudkip, taken from a bloodied nest of sorts in a swamp filled with his dead relatives. Some of them had lethal gashes on their sides, others missing entire limbs from the evident struggle that occurred in the swamp. But all of them had missing 'head fins' and 'tail fins'; cut off cruelly in extreme wanton avarice. A syringe pierced his thigh while getting packaged into a wooden cargo and thrown onto a vehicle before falling unconscious. They arrived at a facility and he got sealed into a pokéball by a stranger.

Grey couldn't see the face, but it made sense how the labs had a fresh batch of identical starters every year. Trainer after trainer tried choosing the mudkip, but he always refused, spraying water at their faces, which inevitably led them to pick a different starter. Mudkip's fury was outlined with the steam coming off his body in tiny dotted swirls…Grey assumed professor Birch handed the ball to May and told her to not release it until they were further away. Now mudkip's sourness made sense.

Grey's reality melted back to the surrounding forest with an abrupt wave of nausea close to making him keel, though he stood his ground.

But what the hell was up with these visions? How was he seeing them? It was just like the vision of that Team Rocket woman back at the tree in Little Root...But more frequent, and with these two in them…

He shook it off, before refocusing. "Calm down, mudkip. It's not her fault, you know. This world's society has made her that way."

"How so!?"

"Well, people that are mostly her elders, took you and forced you into a system that you had no desire to join. Right?"

Mudkip nodded with a grunt.

"Well, it's those same people that have created the workings of said society, not her. So in a way, you both are actually in the same boat. No one chooses to be born under a fundamentally flawed system. Yet, you're criticizing her for involuntarily suffering in the fallout of their destructive management, when you too are doing the same right now. Huh. Funny that."

"What!? I'm not like her!"

"But you're in a very similar situation. Don't you want to change the system? Don't you want to strike back at it for what it's done?"

Now mudkip was the one that was shaken, while May just observed from the side in wonder.

Grey's disposition turned manic as he spread his arms and clawed his hands while stalking toward both of them, inciting them to inch back in apprehension."Don't you wanna' just get em' back? Don't you feel the anger writhing in your veins!? I know deep down you just want to tell all your personal tormentors to fuck off and leave you be! But their phantoms lurk in the recesses of your very mind, twisting and turning you over on your back at every corner, and raping your ears with their voice of disappointment in self-righteous justification for indoctrinating you into something you didn't want!"

Red enveloped his peripheral with a tinge of black, and his blood churned under his skin. "Don't you wanna' just say 'Screw you!' and stab them in the fucking eye!?" May and Mudkip almost recoiled at his demeanor, but gazed at each other for a moment, before staring back at him.

Grey turned to the brunette, regaining his composure as his vision became clear again. "May."

"Yeah?"

"You need to stop caring about who other people are or where they're at and fight back against the pressure of a society that condemns you for not living up to their standards. Do whatever the fuck you want, and to hell with an emotionally blackmailing human socio-structure."

"I...I guess you're right."

"And the first step is to realize that only you can decide whether you're good enough or not, to make a difference. And you have to realize as well, that Mudkip has his own agenda as an individual being, right?"

The little water-type nodded.

"Then will you help mudkip fight against his pain? Will you help him become stronger so he can one day break the vicious circle of 'poaching'?" He tested in curiosity.

"Poaching? What's that, exactly? It's not capturing, is it?" She asked, worried at the terminology.

I see...It seems social conditioning and education in the pokémon world have used different terms carefully to not confuse two differing concepts while maintaining discretion...

Grey considered his vision and limited knowledge of the issues in the pokémon world he had read about. "Well, unlike simply 'capturing' a pokémon to keep or train, 'poaching' can have very different implications. Poaching can mean the avaricious mass hunting or mass capturing of species considered 'rare' by some questionable groups of people, to be trafficked to potential buyers consisting of these same people. It could mean the culling of some of these pokémon, skinning them and/or dismembering them of some of their features considered extremely valuable for over-luxurious human needs..."—Grey eyed the mudkip—"like 'fins', for example."

The mudfish shivered at the word.

Though May's face had distorted into that of horror, understanding dawned on her, before she gazed at the little blue pokémon, furrowing her brow in renewed determination.

"I have no idea what you told him, Mudkip. B-But I think I understand. If you'll let me, I'll help you, mudkip. I don't know how we'll do it, or who took you from your home, but I'll help you get stronger to fight against them."

Mudkip seemed befuddled, likely wondering how Grey figured out an integral part of his past.

"And mudkip. Will you help May to fight her fears and prove to her 'father' just how much of a superior person and trainer she can be to him? To put him in his place for his spiteful dubiousness against his daughter?"

May was gobsmacked at his deduction. No doubt she knew something was up, but it didn't matter, because mudkip nodded and May's eyes pooled and glimmered in her sudden evident passion.

"If she helps me, then I'll help her in turn."

Grey stood straight and placed his hands in his pockets, scrutinizing them for any doubt.

"Good, May?"

"Yeah?"

"Break his pokéball."

They both seemed shocked at his statement, with a breeze filling the silence.

"Sorry?"

"If you're going to help him fight against his past, especially when it involves 'poaching' which ironically brought you two together, and hopefully, one day being its undoing as a result, then you must be willing to set mudkip free, and make it his own choice for whether he wants to stay or part ways with you."

"...Ok."

Mudkip's eyes widened as May chucked the ball on the ground and stomped on it several times, smashing it into a mess of metallic fragments and wires.

Mudkip shed a tear, as he was freed.

"She...She actually...Went through with it," mused the mudkip in disbelief.

"Now it's your turn to trust her, and give her a chance to help you get stronger."

"...I will." He nodded.

Grey breathed out. "Then that's that. Now figure each other out and learn how to communicate. I won't be around to translate for you, so you better start now."

"Oh my gosh, thanks so much, Grey!" May squealed as she leaped at him and crushed him in a hug.

Ahhh! I'm not a pedo- I'm not a pedo-I'm not a—

"Eheh, right. You better get back to Ash."

She let him go. "You're the best Grey, I don't know how you did it, mind-reading or not, but you've opened my eyes. It's too bad you're not coming with us," she said with a sad smile.

"Like you, May, I...have my own path to follow. And as I said to Ash earlier, I think we'll meet again."

"Now I see why combusken followed you. It makes complete sense."

And there it is…

He only painted a smile on his visage, as May and Mudkip were about to leave thanking him with every step.

"Oh and May?"

"Yeah?"

"...No one else can know that I can speak with pokémon. This was just a one-time thing because you saved my life."

And to shut you up about it...Can't have a target on my back either.

"I see...Can I ask why? You seem so good at this bonding thing."

'Grey, no one can know you can talk to pokémon.'

'Well, that would be weird and attract unwanted attention, professor...But why exactly?'

'...Meta-humans are so rare, Grey. So much so, that people in high places pay fortunes to have such individuals gathered under their wing quickly. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the government of each region has pokémon trainers as their peace-keeping enforcers...and military. The 'International police' or 'Interpol', are no different. However, there are those that would 'oppose' the PA, and the government, and create absolute chaos with innocent people caught in the crossfire. Usually, and inevitably, Meta-humans are rounded up and forced onto one side, or the other.'

'Shit.'

''Shit' is right, Grey, be very careful with who you trust...'

"...Let's just say, it might paint a target on my back. You know, corporate and human blackmail and all that." He answered May, who in turn gave him a thumbs up and an enthusiastic wink.

"No worries, your secret's safe with me. I wish you the best on your path, Grey. Hope to see you around!"

He smiled, giving her a subtle wave. "You too May. Good luck. See you around."

Finally, May left in the direction from where they came, leaving Grey alone in the forest, musing to himself.

Such psychological pep talk...Coming from a weakling…

After several moments, he let out a dry huff in exhaustion, before he jolted at a voice—

"Well 'that' was dramatic."

He whirled around with his kitchen knife in hand. Only the trees met his vision for a moment before he angled his vision downward—

"Whoa-shit-what-the-fuck!" He staggered back with a start as two figures stood there, having been right behind him, one a meter or so tall and the other being slightly past half the prior's height. He didn't even hear them sneak up on him.

It was the same Sneasel and Salandit. Neva and Joanna.

"What the hell are you two doing here!?" He exclaimed as he pocketed his knife.

The lizard pokémon clasped her scaly hands. "Isn't it obvious, master? We've decided to follow you," she purred with a wink of her gem-like eyes.

"'Master'? I'm not your master. And why would you follow me?"

The Sneasel growled. "Speak for yourself, bitch! I didn't agree to follow him—"

"Oh hush, Neva, the moment you stuffed yourself and listened to my words for once, you totally caved in," said Joanna with a smirk lining her dark serrated snout.

"Did not!"

But Grey found the behavior odd. "Then why are you here in front of me?"

The sneasel was about to retort, but another voice echoed from behind them—

"Because she knows like I do that you're trustworthy, ironically."

His heart leaped at the familiar passionate voice. Striding toward them from within the forest and with a serious demeanor, was—

"Ginger? What...I thought you—"

"Left? I won't lie, I considered it while I was out tracking these two. They had followed us to the pokémon center earlier, and they thought they could outrun me by keeping their distance. Once I realized why they followed us, it all made sense..."

"What did?"

"The fact that you can be a great trainer, despite how much you deny it."

Exasperated at her insistence, he dragged a hand along his face with a grunt. "Ginger, Look. I said, I don't—"

A whirl of white energy zoomed into his space with an abrupt force striking his chest and the clear sky streaking into view. It was only a moment later he registered he was on his back, with the humidity seeping onto his neck from the damp grassy ground, thanks to a weight on top of his torso that caused slight difficulty to breathe. It was Ginger, sitting on top of him with fury painted on her face.

"What the f—"

"Shut up. Just shut the fuck up, and listen to me, Grey."

Not like I have a choice now—He wanted to say but her furrowed brow and her erect orange crown feathers made him reconsider in an instant, as though it were a warning like she had read his mind...

"Grey, we heard that little pep talk you gave May, and what you convinced her to do. At first, unlike Joanna who seems open-minded in contrast, I almost had to drag Neva over here. But when we saw what you did, that's when I gave her the option to leave. Now look over there."

Grey turned his neck to attempt a glimpse to their side.

Neva had her hand-claws behind her head and looked to the side with a grunt, while Joanna gave him a little gentle wave of her hand and a smile.

Grey remained silent and turned his gaze back on the combusken.

Ginger continued, "Case' you haven't noticed, Neva is still here."

He raised a brow in question, as though to ask if she'd threatened the sneasel.

Ginger rolled her eyes. "No, I didn't threaten her into it. She's free to leave, honestly. What does that tell you?"

"It tells me that she's unsure of what to do since I'm the one that took her away."

"And why'd you take her away?"

Grey only averted the fighter-fowl's unrelenting glare.

"I'll answer for you. The fact that you refused to allow me to hurt her, that you gave them nourishment and allowed them a 'choice' tells us everything...It tells us you care."

"And it's because I care that I don't want to send you to get hurt. I can't do it. Period. Now let me go—"

He made to push himself up, but Ginger swiftly leaned over and slammed his arms back on the grass with her clawed hands, pinning him down and leering into his eyes with her fiery rubies inches from his ambers.

"Oh my…" let out Joanna, sounding more amused than worried.

Ginger ignored her. "As you like to say, 'News flash' when people fight for something they believe in, they get hurt. It's inevitable. Or are you too much of a 'pussy' to admit it?"

"That doesn't justify what I did to the Shiftry. I didn't think a third form pokémon would be that badly hurt."

"You told me to do it, and if I didn't, then we'd be dead, Grey. You told me that we had to do everything possible to survive, yeah? Backing out of your own words so soon?"

"I don't refute that, but I'd have preferred to burn Nate more than the shiftry."

A light gasp escaped one of the girls behind.

"Sure, but what if the shiftry was too far fallen into Aqua's vision? What then? What if we did get Nate but his shiftry attacked anyway? We wouldn't have escaped him."

He only grunted in annoyance.

"So would you have both yourself and 'I' die, rather than defend ourselves?"

He tried evading her gaze but hers followed, so he shut his eyes.

"I guess you do care then," she stated.

"No, I don't! I'm selfish and I don't give a damn! Now let me go!" He yelled with his voice almost breaking, but she didn't move.

"No. Fact is, Grey, you claimed I saved your life and did more than enough to repay my I.O.U...Right?"

He opened his eyes and glared at her.

Nooo…No-no-no—

He shook his head, "No…"

She grinned. "So that means, 'you' owe 'me' now."

He tried desperately to pull his arms free, but she had him solidly planted. "Don't you fucking dare!"

"And I want you to repay me by being my trainer. Pokéball or not."

"This can't be happening..." He mused to himself at the ridiculous scenario he found himself in.

"Oh and now you owe the other girls too, I mean you did take them away on a whim, and they've got nowhere else to go."

"That's not fair, Ginger."

She smirked evilly, just like the first time they met. "Oh? I remember a certain someone saying 'unfairness is an irrational concept'." Ginger quoted with an attempt at mimicking his voice.

"How dare you twist my words...I refuse! Kill me if you want!"

"Oh? That's too bad. Guess I'll just have to go back and make the Chimecho back at the lab spill every little secret she gleaned from your mind."

He gasped.

"Oooh, sounds like you have juicy information for the authorities to read my mind and exploit."

That's right...She was eavesdropping from the clinic window the whole...time...

'And Grey, do not, under any circumstances, tell anyone else about your being from another world...There's no telling the severity of the consequences, should word of it leak out...'

Oh no!

If every bit of my knowledge about my world leaks out onto a non-World war alternate Earth dimension, despite most of it being secondary and general knowledge...There's no telling the catastrophic effects it could have…Fuck!

"Grey. You're an enigma. Even those two can tell your scent is unlike any other human they've ever encountered. And this 'Meta-human' concept I hear about you, all the hiding about your ability to talk with us...I've no doubt you have information you don't want leaking out."

He narrowed his eyes. "...You bitch."

"It's for your own good. Fight for what you believe, survive however you can. I don't know where you come from Grey, but in this part of the world? The best way to do so? Is by being a trainer. Period."

He seethed in silence.

"Well? What's it gonna' be?"

"...What's your goal, Ginger? Why go so far to throw yourself in harm's way?"

"Hmm? Oh, that's easy." She gave an eerie, calm and gentle smile. And it was disturbing.

Ah shit…

She leaned in closer, with her smile deforming into a manic grin splitting her visage, and a passionate resolve burning in her eyes. Inexplicably, Grey could vaguely 'detect' something bizarre and invisible overflowing from her. It was like a sixth sense of sorts that combined every other sense of his body in that instant.

He could only describe it as a strange sense of vengeful ardor oozing out of Ginger's very being. It was iron on his tongue; it was burbling blood getting carbonized under a hellish flame; it was the rending and snapping of veins and nerve fibers; it was the acetous yet saccharine scent of charcoaled and conflagrating flesh. His every sense rang in alarm as they perceived this vindictive aura Ginger unleashed.

"I want to know what it feels like to participate...in the 'Ever Grande Conference'..."

Oh, fff—

She lifted a hand, and with care, pulled his cheek. "And you, mister, are going to help me do just that," she whispered with an amused smile.

He couldn't believe it.

Despite the warmth that this fiery being on top of him irradiated, Grey's face went cold at the fact that...from the very beginning, he wasn't the one doing the manipulating…at all.

Ginger had this trump card, all along...

...Clever girl.

...