Seven days later, and a few more visits from the Natu, the day for the "Solution" has finally come.

(...Oh god, let's hope it's not the *final solution* like back on earth because that would be all kinds of messed up... At the very least they gave me a few more sets of clothes and changed my sheets every day, so at least my treatment was quite good!)

Hearing a knock at the door, a man pulled himself from his bed and opened a door with half excitement and half trepidation.

Police Chief Christa was at the door wearing her trademark gaudy outfit, and she was holding a few papers in her hands. For some odd reason the Natu was along for the ride as well. The Natu made its presence known by chirping happily from her shoulder.

Jared inspected the bird closely, (...Hmm, is that the same natu?? I can't tell, he seems happy? and ... uh... as bird..like as ever? Yep, birdlike is a word, oh god why am I this nervous, usually it takes more than this to make me monologue in my head!)

"Hello Mr Jared, will you please come with me?"

After a minute, the two are sitting across from each other in a small room.

(...This looks like the exact same room they used to interrogate me before.)

Breaking Jared from his thoughts the chief spoke, "Mr. Jared, it's unfortunate that you were unable to recover your memories, however, I have some good news for you",

She paused to smile, "We rushed out an order for temporary citizenship, and we are going to give you subsidized residency here for four months along with a monthly stipend. During that time you will be required to attend the Halu High School to fill in your missing knowledge, or until such time as you find work."

Ugh...

"Is it really acceptable to have me attend school with kids?"

"There is no problem, we make no such restrictions here"

Jared's eye's widened, (ok even if they are okay with it I'm not, I didn't like school when I was a kid, and I definitely will hate it as an adult, and I'm not good with kids, won't I just become their glorified babysitter?)

Ignoring the man's unease, she shoves the papers she was holding into his hands "This is your temporary citizenship paper, and underneath that is your new address and bank number. Just underneath you'll find a housekey taped on as well.

From within her pocket, she pulled out a small tablet phone and handed it over as well, "Officer Brian's number is already registered on this device, please don't hesitate to call in the event you remember anything. You can make as many calls as you like using that device, but don't abuse it."

She gave a few minutes for Jared to read through the papers and fiddle with the phone, then she escorted Jared outside the building.

Once outside the sliding glass doors, she gave a few parting words " It was nice working with you Mr Jared, and I hope during these months your memories return to you, now please excuse me"

(...I'm on my own again...)

Shielding his eyes from the sun, and with unsure steps, Jared brought his pale and only slightly blistered self down the smooth stone steps, leading away from the police station.

He looked up at the warm sun and sighed, (I've been outside for two minutes and I already miss the air conditioner...)

The area in the direct vicinity of the police station was somewhat deserted, but a few pokemon and their handlers could still be seen going about here and there.

(I thought it was a coincidence, but most of the pokemon I see are all common water types such as poliwags, woopers, and merrils, although... I guess there are a few sprinkling of some others like pidgey's, rattata's, and machops, NO WAIT... THOSE ARE COMMON TOO!)

The sun rays prevented the phone's screen from being seen, so Jared wisely found some shade under a nearby palm tree so he could take a look.

Orienting himself he begins following the arrow that marked the location of his new home.

As he moved closer to his destination, the wide beautiful streets begin to narrow, and while the number of people walking the streets didn't decrease, there were fewer pokemon to be seen.

Further still, proper streets ceased to exist and were instead replaced by alleys.

Finally, he found himself standing in front of a small house. There was graffiti plastered on the side. A few steps away from the house was a street pole, but no light. It was now acting as nothing more than a monument.

A combined total of twenty cramped homes occupied this ally, and it reeked of disrepair. There was a vibe of poverty and desperation that Jared knew all too well.

(Ah... the neat and beautiful red-tiled roof houses, and the beautiful gardens started to give me the impression that poverty and crime didn't exist here, but how wrong I was huh... and even for a small city of only maybe twenty thousand people, poverty and crime still seem rampant enough...)

Looking his new home up and down, he remarks, "My new home has already been vandalized..." Jared takes another quick look around, and he noticed he was the only soul in sight. All the houses had their doors firmly shut.

Before returning the key, he by chance looked next door. Behind a broken glass window in the house next door there stood an unhealthily thin child, he was no more than three years old.

Jared averted his gaze with a sigh, then he decided to double-check the GPS hoping he made a mistake, but he clicked his tongue at the result.

(...At least my windows are intact, small as they might be! Not bad, not bad!)

Feeling the depressed air that seems to hang over like a fog, despite the bright sun, Jared couldn't help but whisper to himself "But... this is no paradise..."

Turning the key to the door, it clicked open without even turning the handle.

"Door needs work... maybe I can buy some tools?" Jared muttered to himself.

Upon opening the door, a stream of humid air escapes out, forcing its victim to let out a cough.

The door won't close on its own, so its new resident was forced to struggle it shut. He managed to lock it from behind, after finding out the trick to it.

Noticing the windows inside were barred with strong metal strips, the new resident mumbled sadly "I guess this explains why none bothered to break in..."

Taking a ground tour of the house, there was a sigh from the bedroom, "Well... beggars can't be choosers I guess, a single dirty mattress is better than nothing... a bit weird how there's a single chair without a desk though.

Jared inspects the bathroom,

"Well, it's cleaner than I thought at least, and the toilet flushes, but it's going to be more difficult to bathe without a bathtub or shower."

The new resident then turned on the hot water faucet,

"No hot water... I won't live like this forever, so I guess I can make do..."

After finishing the grand tour, Jared finds himself before a small stove in puzzlement.

"Since when do they make stoves with only a single burner?! Eh... then again, why would I need more than one? efficiency!"

A thump is heard as an exasperated man winces, now regretting his decision to flop himself down on the hard mattress.

"Hard as a rock... that hurt..."

Ten minutes later, a cursing man can be seen on his porch steps attempting to battle his door shut, and eventually succeeding.

He then sat down on his cracked porch steps while fiddling with his phone.

(There are no stores within a fifteen-minute jog from here? Oh man, and the bank is even further... no use waiting around though, not like my situation is going to suddenly improve by being idle!)

Zooming all the way out with the GPS, the cities circular shape comes into view.

"As expected..."

Jared noticed the rich homes and business are all focused near the center, or closer to the beachfront, while the further inland you go, and especially on the outer ring, the quality of the homes go downhill.

(Just like earth I'm once again living in the outer ring of poverty huh... not like this is a bad thing though, when you are at the bottom, the only place you can go is up!)

With another sigh, the man felt he had seen enough.

Getting to his feet, he pulled the phone's GPS in focus once more to get his bearing, before jumping off the porch.

At the end of the alley, three eight-year-old ragamuffins can be seen wearing ragged clothing. They whisper to each other as Jared approaches, then they duck inside another nearby alley.

With steps echoing down the hot alley pavement, a man feels his own steps hammering into his mind, like nails.

(I guess it doesn't matter which world you live in, as long as there are humans there is poverty and injustice... even innocent children are not exempt...)

As the man turns out from the alley, he can suddenly hear three footsteps coming up from behind him.

He turns around with a frown to find it was the same three kids.

Predicting their purpose, the man holds his belongings tight and puts on a deterring scowl.

The three children freeze in their tracks upon meeting the fierce gaze, and after looking at each other unsurely, they sprint back the way they came.

(My experience on the street is telling me those kids must be pickpockets hoping to sell my stuff for food...)

Jared lets out a sigh as the children leave his sight, then curses under his breath, "No... this really isn't paradise"