The sun beamed high overhead in a cloudless sky this warm afternoon as June, Courtney, and I walked down the sidewalk of a small city that was the outskirts of our next destination where me and Courtney would be battling for our next Badges.

I looked away from the Town Map in my hands to the buildings on the block we were currently on, which were mostly food stores, the occasional clothing or strictly shoe selling store popping up rarely. Across the street to my right, I could see similar stores.

A teenage boy who was walking by glanced up at us before looking at the ground and walking around us quickly.

“Where are we?” Courtney asked quietly, her eyes scanning the city.

“Not far from the next city with a Gym,” I answered, staring firmly ahead.

“You never did tell me where we’re headed to,” Courtney said gently.

I could tell by the somber tone of her voice that she was still deeply troubled by what had occurred recently with Team Solace and was trying hard to hide it and move on.

Ever since I had decided that we would continue on our journey back in Verdew Town, despite the warnings for everyone to beware of Team Solace’s return, as well as the warnings to be on the lookout for any prison escapees, the tone in our group had started to get more serious.

Back in Kanto, when Team Solace had first emerged, I was confident that they’d be put to a stop, even by my own two hands. They were stopped, but in the process, many people and Pokemon were killed or injured, including me and my Pokemon.

But now, Team Solace had returned, and I no longer felt any confidence in being able to stop them myself. I knew that they had to be stopped, and I was certain that someday, they would be. I just wasn’t sure how, or when. I sometimes even found myself fearing a world where Team Solace was unstoppable and had achieved their victory and vengeance on the world.

“Gary?”

Courtney’s voice made my heart jump and I turned to her. “Huh?”

“Are you going to tell me at all?” she asked me, her eyes on the street ahead of her. “I’d like to know where we’re headed to.”

“We’re just outside of Virbank City,” I answered her, looking down at the Town Map. “That’s where my eighth Badge and your tenth Badge are located at.”

“I wonder where the Unova League Conference will be held this year,” Courtney muttered.

“After I get this final Badge, we can figure out all that, I guess,” I said. “It’s the middle of April. We still have a few more months to go until that time arrives.”

Courtney simply nodded.

June rarely spoke the past couple of days, which meant no arguments with Courtney, thankfully. But her obvious sadness was weighing me down, making me feel depressed. After what had occurred during the last Team Solace attack we had encountered, I knew that June was going through a lot, mentally.

I stared at her sadly, wondering if there was anything I could say or do, or if I should just be quiet and let her handle this on her own. If I say nothing, will I seem like I don’t care? I questioned. If I ask how she is, she may not be ready to talk and end up snapping at me. I turned my gaze to the pavement, feeling even worse as I chose not to speak.

“Virbank City is where rock music superstar, Roxie, lives, right?” Courtney asked, looking at me.

“That’s right. She’s also the Poison type Gym Leader,” I said, turning to her.

“She’s the bassist and frontwoman for the band Wheezing and the Explosions,” Courtney added.

“Yeah,” I muttered. I wasn’t a huge fan of their music. It was just too loud and hectic.

“It’ll be cool to meet a celebrity,” Courtney said softly.

A loud scream made me jump and I looked around, Courtney and June gasping.

A woman was shrieking at the top of her lungs, pointing across the street at a building.

“It’s on fire!” Courtney pointed at the building as well.

Indeed, one of the taller buildings on the block was entirely on fire!

“Whoa!” I looked around to see if anyone was calling the fire department.

Several people in the area were already on their cell phones, yelling urgently for help.

Screams called out from several of the windows near the top of the building, and I could spot people reaching out desperately from the windows, begging for help as the flames on the building burned even stronger, engulfing the building further. I watched in horror as the entire building became coated in nothing but burning, red-hot flames, and the people reaching out from the windows were no longer in sight behind the fire. My eyes were stuck on a woman with a baby in her hands, her body still hanging outside of a window near the top of the building, and with a scream, right before she vanished inside of the fire burning her, her baby fell from her arms!

The crowd around me screamed, June and Courtney included.

I covered my mouth and watched, taking a few shaky steps forward as I watched the child fall, shrieking all the way down.

With a determined cry, a man ran towards the flaming building with his arms outstretched. His eyes were glued to the falling baby, his feet pounding pavement as he got closer. He was mere inches away...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The building suddenly exploded!!

I covered my face with my arms and dropped to my knees instinctively, holding my body sturdy as I prepared for the oncoming force of the explosion to throw me back.

Screams filled the air, the sound of sneakers and shoes beating against the pavement as people ran in a panic.

I looked up and gazed around me. “OW!” I was knocked over by somebody as they ran into me.

The man soared over me and collapsed, scrambling quickly to his feet and running away.

June was sitting on the ground, breathing hard as she gazed where the building had stood.

Courtney was on her knees, shivering as she turned to me, her eyes bulging with terror.

Something overhead darkened the area quickly, and the three of us, as well as those still in the area, looked up into the sky.

Pitch-black clouds had formed above, and they were flashing continuous, bright beams of lightning that forced me to close my eyes. What’s happening? I thought as I squinted. “AAAAAHH!!” I screamed as a beam of lightning crashed into the ground with a loud BANG! several feet away from me, and I scrambled backwards in a panic.

Smoke rose from the hole in the cement that had been created by the bolt of lightning.

BANG!

ZAP!

BANG!

“AAAAHH!”

“NO!”

I turned at June and Courtney’s screams and closed my eyes against a bright flash of light that shone in front of the girls.

When the flash faded, there were holes that were billowing smoke in front of them, as well.

The three of us stared at each other with fright, unsure of what to do next.

I wasn’t even sure if running was the best option right now.

“Come on!” Courtney yelled to me, and she grabbed June’s wrist, pulled her to her feet, and ran, June crying out as she stumbled behind her.

I looked around, not feeling safe to follow after them.

Lightning was now striking the ground all around the city, people running and shrieking as they tried to get to safety.

A lady ran past me, screaming her lungs out.

One bolt of lightning landed right where she was running, zapping her in a bright flash.

I closed my eyes tight with a gasp so deep and sudden, I choked. I tried to swallow, but my throat had closed entirely, and I couldn’t even breathe. No! I thought to myself as my body shook, scared at what I had just seen. No way! No! A loud growl froze my thoughts before they could continue, and even my body refused to move. My heart beat even harder in my chest at the noise behind me, wondering exactly what it could be as I tried once again to swallow, but my saliva remained in the back of my mouth, no room for it to fit down my tight throat. The loud series of roars that followed was almost enough to make me piss myself. I whipped my head around and didn’t move again for a moment.

Lions?!

Yes.

A long row of lions stood several feet behind me, blocking the street and snarling ferociously at me.

I racked my brain for any memory of any helpful tips I might have picked up on what to do if encountered with a large pack of lions in the middle of a city, but nothing came to mind! Don’t run, was all I could come up with. So I remained still as the lions stared back at me. Maybe, don’t look them in the eyes? I thought. My eyes lowered to their large paws. Real lions, I said to myself fearfully. How are lions all the way out here?

“My gooooooosh!!” a lady screamed from close by.

It was at her scream that I turned and noticed that there were several people behind me, all staring at the lions with mortified faces.

The lions roared, causing us all to scream.

Many people started to run away.

The lions roared again.

The lions ran at us.

Every single one of us screamed as we all split up into different groups, running in different directions.

Some people ran down alleys to the left.

Some people took off down alleys to the right.

The rest of us, including me, ran straight ahead.

That was when I spotted June and Courtney near the front of this crowd I was a part of, running together, Courtney still gripping June’s wrist.

Every group was screaming for their very lives which were in immediate danger.

The lions followed whoever they wanted, splitting up and following those who ran down the alleys, while the remaining group of lions ran after my group.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the oncoming threat, my breathing now blocked by my heart that made its new home in my throat, thumping rapidly, my throat feeling as if it was expanding from the pressure.

A lion leaped away from its pack, towards my running, terrified group, and its paws forced down a man right next to me.

His scream tore through the air sharply as the lion roared victoriously.

I couldn’t bear to watch and didn’t dare look back, keeping my eyes on the street ahead as the victim’s screams intensified.

“Can’t we use our Pokemon?” Courtney shouted out from way ahead of me.

“I can’t reach mine!” June insisted. “They’re in my bag!”

“Why don’t you keep those things on your belt like the rest of us?” Courtney grabbed a Poke Ball from her waist and looked behind her before turning her head to look forward.

A large group of creatures scurried quickly out of an alleyway ahead of us, taking every one of us by immense surprise as we came to a collective stop, gasping and crying out loud.

The sight of the beasts in front of us was the only thing that could have possibly made me, and I’m sure any of us, stop in my tracks while a pack of ravaging lions were behind me.

Courtney’s Poke Ball dropped from her hand and she fumbled with it as she struggled not to lose it. “Bears? Bears?!”

The black bears roared again and charged at us.

I looked behind me and saw the lions all leap into the air towards us.

With a determined yell, I ran towards June and Courtney. I took a strong leap at June, yanking on her arm as I ducked down, causing her to scream for I’m sure was multiple reasons.

“Gary!” she screamed at me, dropping onto her knees with me. She swallowed, her eyes wide.

“Courtney!” I yelled at her as I pulled June with me, crouching down low and scrambling uncomfortably on one hand and both knees.

Courtney screamed a bloodcurdling scream before taking off on her own, running across the street to the sidewalk and opening a building door, slamming it shut behind her.

She’s safe, I thought with great relief. At least, I think she is… What is going on here?!

The lions leaped right over me and June’s heads and collided with the oncoming group of bears and the humans in front of them. Blood was instantly splattered as the bears and lions attacked every living thing before them, slaughtering the humans in the way, and each other, viciously.

I staggered up to my feet as I backed away, a shocked, disgusted look on my face as I watched the massacre.

The bears were slashing into the lions’ faces while the lions sunk their deadly jaws into the bears’ claws, ripping into the bears’ faces with their claws as well.

Humans in the midst were torn through with ease as the fighting ensued.

The roars made me feel as if I were in the middle of an earthquake, though my body was the only thing quaking, not the ground. I couldn’t take anymore of the visual and turned to June.

June was gripping her bag in her arms, her face pressed against it, her eyes shut tight as tears flowed from them.

“June, we need our Pokemon! Get all of them out of your bag! Now!” I grabbed her shoulders strongly as she continued to cry and I gave her a demanding shake. “Right now, June! We don’t have time for this! Come on!”

June’s eyes opened and she turned to me, fresh tears still streaming down her cheeks. “Is that safe? Fighting against animals, I mean! Are our Pokemon safe doing that? Are the animals going to be alright? What about those people?? I can’t kill again, Gary! I never meant to send out Electivire against those Golbat. His Poke Ball was the first one I could grab in such short notice!” June shivered in front of me, crying harder than ever, shaking her head. “I can’t, Gary! I didn’t mean to do what I did back there to those Golbat and those people! That baby! I can’t do it again! I just can’t, Gary!”

“June, that wasn’t your fault!! That was Team Solace’s fault!” I yelled at her impatiently. “And this isn’t the same thing! This… I don’t know what this is! But we need to stop it, June! People are-!” A shrill whistle rang through my ears, and for some reason, I felt like the sound had been ringing for several minutes, and only now had I finally acknowledged it. I stopped my words and stared at June silently, my mouth hanging open mid-sentence.

June stared at me with a confused look on her face, tears still rolling quickly down her face.

We both looked up into the sky, towards the sound we were hearing.

“Huh?” I gasped in disbelief.

Despite the deadly battle that was taking place before June and I, my eyes were taken by the blazing ball of fire that was shooting through the sky.

My open mouth tried to say something, but I couldn’t find the words to describe what I was seeing, and I couldn’t exhale the slightest bit of air out of my mouth to speak the words, even if I had them.

A large meteorite was flying down towards the city, billowing large clouds of black smoke behind it, the blazing rock dazzling under the dark clouds that were still covering the sky, lightning flashing their warnings within them.

It was easily the most beautiful sight I had ever seen in my entire life. I was captivated by the beauty, as well as the horrifying sight, of the oncoming danger.

The screams and roars around me were not for the meteorite, but from the bears and lions and humans being torn apart, unaware of the relief of death that was soon to be given to us all as the meteorite’s whistle grew louder, my ears stinging painfully from the sound.

I grit my teeth together tightly, too petrified to even move my hands to cover my ears.

The meteorite got closer to smashing into the planet, ready to end a lot of lives.

I inhaled deeply and held my breath as my eardrums felt ready to explode. Contrary to how my mind works, not a single thought was in my head.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!

I closed my eyes and stumbled backwards, gasping in surprise that I didn’t actually feel the force of the explosion shove me back at all. My eyes widened in shock as I tripped over my feet and fell.

June screamed for her life and covered her head with her arms.

I’m… okay? I thought in confusion, checking out my body to see if maybe I had lost my legs or arms or anything at all and just hadn’t felt the pain from it right away. I was completely intact. I grabbed at myself all over, not understanding what was going on. “I’m okay?” I looked at June. “June! You’re okay?”

June lowered her arms slowly and turned to me, trembling. “Huh?” She looked down at herself. “Hey! What?” She patted her body, making sure she was alright everywhere.

The battle between the lions, bears, and the human victims was still ongoing as if a meteorite had not just landed mere feet away from them. I couldn’t tell what was human from animal. Everything was covered in blood, and it just looked like a crowd of red, slimy creatures roaring, screaming, and swiping at each other, running blood soaking the street underneath and all around the group.

I turned to where the meteorite had landed, and my mouth dropped open so wide, I was sure I had lost the bottom of my jaw. “COURTNEYYYYYYYY!!!” I bellowed at the remains of the building Courtney had run into.

The building was now nothing more than a burning heap of concrete and rising debris.

“NO! No! Courtney!” June screeched.

My eyes teared up immediately as I managed to my feet and slowly backed away from the building.

The huge cloud of dirt that was rising into the air from the wreckage was filling the area quickly.

I covered my nose and mouth with my shirt, my vision distorted by water continuously building up inside of my eyes and flowing out from them.

June was coughing loudly as the dust got to her.

Not Courtney! I thought as I frantically blinked away the tears. Courtney’s still in that building!! I inhaled deeply and then pulled my shirt down. “COURTNEEEEEEEEEEEYYYY!!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. I inhaled and exhaled rapidly, quickly choking on the air. Patting my chest, I kept my eyes on the building, unconcerned with whatever I was breathing in. Not Courtney… I let out a weak whimper, choking and coughing hard.

“Don’t worry! Everybody, remain calm!”

I inhaled and choked on the filth of the air as I turned to my right and spotted three people, one woman and two men, run by me.

They stopped a few feet away from me and turned to June and I.

The three wore matching brown jumpsuits. Huge, funny-looking metal devices were around their heads, resembling binoculars on some level. The lens were very thin and ended in a tiny red tip.

“They’re real!” the woman nodded before looking away with one of the men.

The remaining man kept his face at us. “Are you kids okay?”

“Who…?” I asked weakly, confused.

“Don’t worry, kid. Everything’s about to be alright,” the man nodded reassuringly.

A loud cry rang out, and the five of us turned swiftly.

“A Dragonite!” I pointed into the sky.

“Dragonite?” June said.

Another loud cry made me look into the air behind me. “Whoa! What’s that Pokemon?”

“I think that’s a Gabite! Or its evolved form!” June spoke up.

“It’s neither!” the man who had addressed us, shouted, staring up at the Pokemon. “Neither of these monsters are real! It’s Illusion!”

“What?” June and I gasped as we turned to the man.

“What are those?” I stared at the objects the three people now held in their hands.

They looked like silver toy guns. The triggers of the guns were black.

The Dragonite roared and opened its mouth, threatening to attack.

The other Pokemon roared as well and its body became surrounded by spiraling, orange streaks. A purple energy surrounded the Pokemon and it flew at us with incredible speed.

June and I screamed.

I stumbled back in fear, bumping into somebody, but too afraid to look away from the Pokemon as it got closer to us. Dragonite roared behind us, but I couldn’t look away from the deadly bullet that was the other Pokemon ready to finish us off. I closed my eyes and prepared for the impact, gritting my teeth tightly.

“FIRE!” the woman behind us shouted.

Several sharp noises rang out.

I heard June gasp. “What?!” June cried. “Wait! No! Stop it! What are you doing to those Pokemon??”

More sharp noises tore through the area.

My eyes opened and then widened, followed by my mouth.

The threatening Pokemon were gone.

“Noooooo!”

June’s scream made me turn around. “June?”

June was running towards two dark figures on the ground.

The three people were holding their guns at their sides.

“Dragonite…” I squinted into the sky where the two Pokemon had been, but they were both gone. My head lowered at a small noise, and I stared at the two creatures on the ground that June was now kneeling next to.

“What are those things?” I asked, taking a couple of steps towards them.

“Zorua and Zoroark,” the lady from the trio answered me, removing her strange glasses.

“Zoro…” I pulled out my Pokedex.

Zorua. The Tricky Fox Pokemon. They are about as tricky and playful as Ditto, using a similar tactic to remain hidden from predators and Trainers, called Illusion, which allows it to duplicate anything it desires.

Zoroark. The Illusion Fox Pokemon and the evolved form of Zorua. With the Ability of Illusion, they can duplicate anything they wish, although their true move sets are only the moves they know how to use themselves. However, they can create illusions of other moves to fool others.

“Zorua and Zoroark…” I muttered as I stared at the two Pokemon that were lying in the middle of the street.

“These creatures were causing chaos throughout this city, and we have put an end to it, once and for all,” the women of the mysterious three spoke solemnly as the two men with her removed their glasses from their faces.

“Illusion…?” I looked around me, and for the first time, I realized that the smoke from the collapsed building was now gone, the air completely clear! I actually gasped as I looked around me and realized that the entire area was different than it had been just moments ago!

There were no bears anywhere!

The lions were all gone!

The bloodshed and death that had been taking place just feet away was replaced with confused looking people on the ground, looking around, stunned and scared.

The sky was cloudless and blue, the sun beaming brightly overhead.

The building that was on fire and had exploded earlier was fine, standing tall and posing no threat to anyone!

The building that had been hit by the meteorite was now standing tall, showing no signs of having been demolished whatsoever!

The front door to the building opened…

“Courtney!” I shouted. “Courtney! You’re okay!!” I ran towards her immediately and hugged her extremely tightly, as if checking to make sure she was real.

“Gary!” Courtney gasped, hugging me back. “Well, this is a nice surprise! What’s going on?”

“You’re okay!” I squeezed her even tighter.

A low rumble rang out in the distance, barely noticeable to my ears.

“I am! But, I’m really not sure what’s going on here,” Courtney said.

“Who are you creeps?” June shouted angrily.

I released Courtney and turned around to June.

She was glaring at the three people with the guns, fury on her face.

The three people looked up into the sky before looking back at June.

“We’ve stopped the terror of the Zorua and Zoroark,” the man told June.

“No! You were terrorizing these two Pokemon!” June screamed furiously as she got to her feet.

“We did no such thing,” the woman responded.

“Zoroark told me!” June fumed. “She told me what you three did! Zorua and Zoroark were trying to escape from you three this entire time, using illusions to hide from you three! Now, who the hell are you three?!”

Nobody spoke as all attention seemed to focus on June.

The sound of sirens was heard in the distance.

“You saved my life!” a weak voice yelled, and I spotted a tiny old lady with a wooden cane hobble over to the three individuals with guns. She stopped in front of one of the men and extended her shaky hand towards him.

The man slipped his gun into his pocket and knelt down on one knee, grasping the old woman’s hand in both of his. He kissed her hand and spoke to her in what sounded like Spanish.

The old lady spoke back to him in the foreign language, nodding her head at him, smiling.

“Thank you for stopping them!” a younger woman cried out as she stumbled towards the three people. She clasped her hands in front of her face and smiled at the strangers.

“Not a problem at all, Miss,” the female member of the trio nodded and smiled at her.

The rumble got louder and it started to grab my attention, but I was more focused on what was happening before me.

“I can’t believe it was those crooked Pokemon who did all of this!” A man stepped up quickly to the three people and extended a beefy palm at the last man who was still standing on his feet. “Thank you.”

The two smiled as they shook hands strongly.

“All in a day’s work, sir,” the man nodded with his gun still in his hand.

“You’re all heroes!” a woman exclaimed. “You saved us all!”

The ringing of sirens was getting a lot closer and louder.

“To think such evil Pokemon truly do exist!” a man shook his head in disgust.

“They’re all evil, sir,” the woman with the group who had stopped the Zorua and Zoroark told the last man who had spoken.

My heart stopped as I squinted at the woman who just spoke. “Excuse me?” I had meant to speak louder, but my question came out in a weak whisper.

Multitudes of police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances turned the corner at both ends of the street we were all on and roared towards us, screeching to a stop near us.

Officer Jennys, firefighters, and EMTs piled out from their vehicles, hurrying down the street in confusion, looking around.

“What’s going on here?” one of the Officer Jennys shouted sternly.

The rumbling above got even louder and closer, and I looked up into the sky. At first, my eyes squinted at the familiar looking craft flying slowly through. Only seconds later, my eyes widened and my heart dropped as I recognized the helicopter as it flew above us all, the bottom half that was colored black, the top half colored a glimmering silver.

The helicopter soared by everyone swiftly.

I didn’t take my eyes off of it until I saw the aircraft behind it, colored in the same pattern, a long rope swinging from the open door, dragging along the ground.

“Remember Team Solace for having saved you in your time of need!” the man who was still holding the old Spanish lady’s hand said as he got to his feet calmly.

The rope lifted off of the ground as the aircraft soared past the helicopter and ascended quickly into the sky.

The man who had just stood up, smiled at the old lady before him and nodded, and then startled the woman as he jumped and grabbed the rope, climbing up it with ease, and he was followed by the other man and woman wearing jumpsuits.

“Be on the right side of the fence when Judgment Day arrives!” the woman declared, looking down at us all from the rope she clung tightly to as she and her partners rose higher into the sky.

The aircraft flew away quickly, carrying away the three members of Team Solace, the helicopter flying away at a slower pace as it ascended as well.

The crowd comprised of bystanders, June, me, Courtney, EMTs, firefighters, and Officer Jennys watched the skies as the aircraft and helicopter flew out of sight.

People were just now starting to exit the buildings they had been hiding in during the attack from Zorua and Zoroark.

June looked back down at the two dead Pokemon.

“So-lace... So-lace... So-lace... So-lace, So-lace, So-lace, So-lace,” a man chanted firmly. “So-lace, So-lace, So-lace, So-lace, So-lace, So-lace.”

I turned in anger and disbelief at the chant, ready to rage at the man, but I paused as more people joined in.

“So-lace! So-lace! So-lace! So-lace! So-lace!” People were beginning to chant even louder, clapping to the beat. “So-lace! So-lace! So-lace! SO-LACE! SO-LACE! SO-LACE! SO-LACE! SO-LACE! SO-LACE!”

I turned around in alarm as nearly everyone was now chanting the name of Solace.

Even some of the officers and a couple of the firefighters were joining in the cheering, while everyone else watched the crowd in awe.

*

“Astilbe Town, best known for its Battle Club, had been under attack for the past week by a group of Kabutops and Armaldo,” the newscaster, Martin Space, said seriously from the TV screen, dressed in his brown suit. “The town has been evacuated entirely. After having defeated powerful Pokemon Trainers’ entire teams, as well as chasing out police officers who were sent in to shoot down the Pokemon after the situation could no longer be handled civilly, which resulted in a few officers being killed, special SWAT team forces were brought in. While a few of the Armaldo and Kabutops were stopped and killed in the process, some of the Kabutops and Armaldo had managed to escape and the hunt for them is still ongoing. Officials are demanding that anyone in the nearby areas, such as Mistralton City or Icirrus City, remain indoors until further notice, whether you are a traveling Pokemon Trainer or not. Astilbe Town is currently in ruins and has been labeled as uninhabitable for the time being.” The screen showed images of destroyed buildings and upturned earth before returning back to Martin in the newsroom. “These attacks are only one of many involving otherwise considered extinct Fossil Pokemon who once thrived millions of years ago. The appearance of multitudes of different, living Fossil Pokemon have investigators stumped. Meanwhile, these deadly creatures that have been in the news lately are continuing to attack people, cities and towns, wildlife, and also other Pokemon. We will be right back with more right after this break.”

As the news faded away, a commercial for Pineapple laptops came on.

The chants for Team Solace from the crowd earlier echoed in my head as I reflected back on the moment. I hadn’t forgotten it for a second, and it was undoubtedly one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I had witnessed Team Solace convincing people that what they were doing was right.

Back when I had been traveling through Kanto on my first Pokemon journey, there was a news report proclaiming that a small amount of people did believe in Team Solace’s goal.

On some level, my mother was one of those people.

Team Solace was clever in their own way. They made Zorua and Zoroark out to be the bad guys when all they had been doing was defending themselves.

I could feel a resurgence of determination inside of me telling me that I needed to be the one to help stop Team Solace the very next time I saw them. I couldn’t let them get away with this anymore. Members of Team Solace were in my grasp, and I let them get away, once again.

Never again, I promised myself.

“And we’re back with your daily news coverage as constant news continues to flood in,” Martin returned. The bottom left hand side of his screen had a smaller screen containing a young woman who was standing with a microphone to her lips, staring strongly at the camera. “Bealice Manta is currently in Accumula Town, and has reportedly been gaining some rather surprising information for us. What do ya have, Bealice?”

The section of the screen that Bealice was in expanded and took over the entire screen, Bealice standing near a familiar spot in Accumula Town, dressed in black pants and a white, button up blouse. She stood next to an older man with graying hair. “Thank you very much, Martin. Recently, I was asked to conduct a survey asking about the feelings of the return of Team Solace and how people have felt about their goals and attitude regarding the species of Pokemon. This survey has been conducted multitudes of times over, even since their reign about three years ago. The public has had very mixed reviews, but the majority of people back then agreed that Team Solace needed to be stopped. It would seem, however, that this consensus is swaying strongly! We have Mr. Elian Vatay with us right now, a citizen of Accumula Town, who wishes to express his opinion. Good evening, sir!” Bealice moved her microphone over to the man next to her.

“Hello, Miss!” the man spoke firmly, glaring at Bealice, and then turned awkwardly to the camera.

“Sir, please, explain to us your opinions about Team Solace!” Bealice insisted.

“Right! Well, at one point, I wasn’t sure what to think of those guys,” Elian admitted in his creaky voice. “They were slaughtering Pokemon left and right, and as the father of a Pokemon Trainer for over thirty-five years, I defended Pokemon and opposed Team Solace. But, I was secretly conflicted on the inside. What they were doing seemed wrong, but… I kind of understood what they were trying to do! I couldn’t admit it, especially to my son, who loves Pokemon with his life, so I went into denial, refusing to accept anything Team Solace was doing as reasonable, even to myself. Even when I could feel that, deep down, I did kind of get it! But, now, I can’t hold my tongue anymore, Miss! Especially after these latest events with the Zoruark and whatnot. I truly am starting to see what that group is getting at! These guys are like our guardian angels, not the terrorists they’ve been labeled as! They’re protecting us from the things they’ve been warning us about! Pokemon are indeed a threat and are the destruction of the good old-fashioned definition of ‘family!’ Allowing our children to roam the world at the tender age of ten? Our kids should be in school, learning something! Not getting killed! And the words that that that Prof. Oak said about fighting against Team Solace, or whatever it was he said, was nothing but reckless! I was shocked to hear him demand such a thing of our youth! I used to respect that man, but he’s clearly gone off the edge, if you ask me! Enough is enough, ma’am!”

“I see,” Bealice nodded, smiling at Elian as she took back her microphone and the camera zoomed in to focus only on her. “We appreciate your perspective.”

A little screen appeared on the bottom right hand of the screen, Martin staring out from it with focused eyes.

“I’ve been receiving a lot of responses like this, recently, not only showing support for Team Solace, but hatred towards Prof. Oak for the now infamous speech he gave,” Bealice said. “Back to you, Martin.” Bealice’s screen vanished and Martin’s took over.

“That’s not even what the Professor said,” I muttered, glaring at the TV.

“I agree with that man,” someone in the Virbank City Pokemon Center burst out. “Ever since that old coot said that thing about getting ready to fight back, I felt kind of strange about it. Glad to know someone else feels the same exact way.”

“Yeah!” another man said, turning to the first man. “Those words angered me! I have a thirteen year old kid out there and I’ve already told him he has to come back home, right away! His journey is canceled!”

“Good luck with that,” a woman shook her head. “I let my eleven year old out, and I’m lucky if I hear from him once a month! It’s like I just don’t exist anymore! I gave birth to him, housed him, fed him, for over ten years! And this is the thanks I get? Oy!” She raised a hand to her forehead with a sharp slap! and shook her head, lowering her head in distress, her eyes closed.

“That Prof. Oak is a nuisance,” a different woman shook her head angrily, her curly red hair bouncing. “I have twins out there that I worry about every day! The last thing I need is to worry about them fighting against a very determined, powerful group that is only out there to keep them safe. I think Prof. Oak needs to retire and the Kanto region could use a new professor.”

“Prof. Oak is one of the most highly respected professors in his field!” another man stated.

“Well, I think it’s time he stepped down and let someone else fill those shoes!” the redhead snapped impatiently at the man. “I’m sure another professor could do just as well, okay?”

The man nodded and lowered his head, unwilling to get into an argument.

“In fact, I think all of this Pokemon nonsense just needs to come to an end, already!” the woman continued ranting. “I’ve had about enough of all of this!”

Everyone was silent now, staring at the woman as her voice broke with emotion at the end of her sentence.

She sniffled and wiped at her right eye. Her hand lowered into her brown purse and she pulled out a small cell phone. After pressing the touch screen a few times, she stopped and stared at the screen. I couldn’t see what she was staring at, but I could see the tears streaming down the woman’s cheeks. Her finger swiped at the screen again. “Sam and Adam,” the woman cried in a low voice, swiping at the screen again. “My babies. What was I thinking letting them go off on their own like that?” Her face lowered against her phone as she wept painfully.

My heart stung in my chest at the sight of this woman undergoing so much stress.

One man walked up to the woman and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, staring sadly at her.

A couple of other people in the Pokemon Center glanced over at me, June, and Courtney.

My eyes met with the people and we stared at each other uncomfortably before they both looked away and walked over to console the crying mother.

June and Courtney turned to me, but I didn’t move. They know, I realized. They know we’re Pokemon Trainers. This entire debate is all about us, basically. Me, a kid with little contact with his mom, traveling the world as a Pokemon Trainer. This is the stress we all put our parents through. This is what it looks like. It’s not just my mom being crazy. Any parent would lose it and probably even lock their child up in their house to keep them safe. Out of love. But does that justify the actions of Team Solace? Does that justify what occurred today with Zorua and Zoroark?

Any other day, I’d have an immediate answer of “no.”

Any other day, I’d have some kind of thought in the back of my mind trying to view the situation without bias, trying to understand both sides of the situation to at least be able to see things from both perspectives, even if I knew the other viewpoint was wrong.

Any other day, I’d have stood confidently behind what I believed, regardless.

But today was a different day.

Today, I had parents that weren’t my own, in the same room as me, viewing the same situation I was, and reacting to it.

Today, I had conflicting feelings about Team Solace’s main objective, and how good or bad it was.

Back in Kanto, Team Solace often angered me. Provoked me. Instigated me. There were days when they even scared me.

But I was never afraid to fight against what they believed. Not even once. Because I knew that they were wrong in what they were doing.

Today.

I was afraid to fight.