After telling his purpose to the man, as well as a few bits of backstory, Samuel was not happy.

"Do I look like a black market dealer? How do you expect a merchant to find a Kanto citizen card fer you?"

"What about somebody who can make them?"

"Make them?? Do you even know what they are made of? Nobody does!"

"Then how does someone get a Kanto Citizen card in the first place?"

"Around here they don't. When a child is born, the chief of police in a town will take a drop of blood from the child, and then send a flying messenger to a city."

"What's the blood for?"

Samuel shrugged,, "...It's easier if I show you."

Pulling a small white card from his pocket, Jared noticed it began changing from fresh white into a ink black colour!

"You see? It changes colour, but if anyone else but me were to hold it, then nothing would happen. Some believe the blood is stored on the Porygon network, and that's how they can endlessly replace lost cards."

While Samuel was pocketing the card, Jared asked, "Then I would need to go convince the chief of police in this town to help me?"

"Do you even understand what yer saying?!"

"No?"

"I already told that ranger you were part of my caravan, do you want to implicate me!?"

Upon realizing that he had caused a few eyes to turn his way, Samuel leaned in to whisper, "Acquiring a card this way is illegal, if I'm implicated by you, then all my goods can be seized, and everyone in the caravan could end up imprisoned. "

"Then what should I do?"

"Simple, I'll go through a third party, but I'll need you to stay with me. I trust Davos, but I don't fully trust you. Come with me back to the camp, but don't speak a word of this matter to anyone, understand?"

"Yes."

He heard Samuel mutter under his breath, when he thought he couldn't hear, "Just what kind of mess am I getting myself into?"

.

A young man in his twenties walked up to meet Samuel, while a large ape like creature hopped in the muddy footsteps he left behind, "Hey Samuel, who's this kid?"

"This is Jared, he's... staying with us for a little while. Don't ask why, this is my personal matter. Just set him up with a tent for now, but don't let him wander off."

"Uhm, okay then?" Turning, to Jared, the lean leather-clad man offered his hand, "Nice to meet you, I'm Terry, and this big guy behind me is Primape."

Although he called the creature big, the pokemon in question was only three feet tall. It looked like crossbreed between a pig and a furbee.

"Likewise."

The ape like creature then copied Terrys actions, and went for a handshake of his own.

Bending over, Jared had just received the strong hand, when he heard Terrys panicked voice, "Primape no!"

"What the!" Primape pulled Jareds hand hard, sending the young man straight into the mud.

Laughing, Primape hopped around Jared's body while chanting, "Prim prim prim primmm ape! Prim prim prim primmm ape!!"

Cursing, Terry returned primape to his pokeball, while Jared pulled himself up.

Seeing Jared covered in dirt and leaves, Terry's face turned red with embarrassment, "Sorry about that, I should have warned you about shaking Primapes hand. I don't know why, but he loves doing this..."

Not bothered, Jared dusted himself off, "It's fine," Then he discovered that Samuel wasn't there.

With a quick glance around, Jared saw the scarred man taking the one kilometer trip to the arena.

Perhaps the man was already off to settle the matter...?

"Jared?"

Turning back, Jared replied, "What were you saying?"

"I said I was thinking of showing you around the camp."

Jared had no reason to refuse, "Sure."

The tents were being set up around a glowing fire. Jared could smell something good wafting out of a bubbling pot.

A young woman was stirring the stew. When she turned around, Jared could see her face was covered in freckles.

After being introduced by Terry, Jared learned her name was Sanny.

"Did Samuel bring you in for the tournament?"

"No, he's helping me with something."

Sanny raised an eyebrow, "Helping you with what?"

Terry spoke up, "It's a personal thing, so I hear."

"Personal? fine, forget it, I didn't really wanna know anyways. I need to finish cooking, so keep showing him around or something. "

Seeming to lose interest, the woman went back to stirring the pot.

Jared was introduced to a few more people, and he discovered that this caravan seemed to have some unspoken rule. As long as he replied with, "That's personal" nobody would question further.

Eventually he was back at the fire, as terry offered him a bowl of food.

Before he sat down, Jared asked, "Do you have any food for a pidgey?"

Stuffing a potato in his mouth, Terry blinked, "What do you mean? this is food isn't it?"

Jared shook his head, "I meant elemental food."

Sitting across from them, Sanny joined the conversation with a laugh, "You think we just carry around high class food? If you want something good, then go find the mart, and there ain't no mart in this dump."

Shrugging, Jared released Pidgey from his pokeball.

The bird slowly became alert, as he located Jared.

When Pidgey hopped on Jareds shoulder, Jared held up the bowl of food for the bird to inspect.

"You want some?"

Cocking his head, Pidgey's eyes lit up when he spied a piece of meat in the bowl. Pidgey grabbed the morsel with his beak, and in one swift motion, he swallowed the piece whole.

While Pidgey continued to pick at the food, Sanny came over, with her hands stretched out.

She seemed reluctant to go closer, "I love Pidgey, is he tame? can I touch him?"

Turning, Jared exchanged eyes with the bird in question as he hesitated, "I... wouldn't."

As Sanny sat down on the same log to appreciate the bird, Terry spoke with a mouth full of food, "Whher diwd yew twwo meeeat?"

"Pewter city..."

.

As people finished their tasks, more people joined the fire. All in all, Jared found that this caravan consisted of no more than twelve people, and four wagons. It actually seemed excessive for so few people, but perhaps this was normal.

Jared listened in on a conversation between two men who were clearly drunk.

One man bragged as he patted the two armed hunk of rock next to him, "Geodude is gonna get top ten in singles tomorrow, he's already broken through into intermediate stage!"

The rock pokemon smiled in agreement, as it pumped it's arms, "Geeoool!"

The other man couldn't help but add, "Ted, do you even know the difference between novice and intermediate?"

"Of course I do, Geodudes punches are extra strong, I definitely feel like he's intermediate level!"

Some people stopped their conversations to laugh and jeer at him.

"He's not even evolved, isn't it a bit too soon to go after the top ten?!"

Ted was now red-faced, "I'm serious, you'll see tomorrow!"

"Yeah yeah, you said that last year."

"Hahaha"

Jared didn't get why this was so funny, but he wasn't going to ask either.

Instead, he just faked a smile in solidarity with the others.

Seeing Jared's smirk, Ted got up, and pointed at Pidgey, "You think that's funny do you? fight Geodude and I'll show you he's definitely intermediate level!"

This time every single person laughed, "He's just got a little pidgey, what are you going to prove even if you win?"

One man was bawled over laughing, "A pidgey! ahahaha"

Pidgey normally didn't care about noisy human chatter, but this time he took offense! He had defeated another pokemon in a single hit! Did they not know he was a proud strong warrior? How dare they laugh at him!"

Chirping loudly, Pidgey left Jared's shoulder and flew around the rock pokemon with menace. However, the cute actions just caused more people to laugh.

The man on the ground, cursed, "Hahaha Damnit, stop making me laugh, my sides are hurting ahhahaha!

"Pidgey come back here"

Jared didn't want this fight to take place. Rock resists flying, and flying is also weak against rock based attacks. The geodude also weighed at least ten times more, what if Pidgey was seriously injured?

However, Pidgey was having none of it! and began charging a gust!

As the three dozen little wind blades shot forth, the two others sitting next to Ted and his Geodude moved away.

Shielding his body with his arms, Geodude easily tanked the ineffective wind blades.

Meanwhile, the drunken Ted shouted, "If he wants a fight, he'll get it, Geodude, hit em with a rock throw!"

Pidgey's head seemed to cool, as he narrowly evaded flying rocks.

By now, most people had moved far from the action.

"Pidddiigeeey"(Give me power)

'To hell with it then!' after cursing inwardly, Jared yelled, "Pidgey, weak gust!"

"Rock throw again!"

Feeling the buildup of energy, Jared prepared for the pain, meanwhile, Geodude was charging up a handful of stones.

The 'weak gust' was released much faster, so Geodude was caught unwares.

Seeing the pitiful three wind blades, Ted pointed and laughed, "Is your little pidgey already tired?!"

Geodude was winding his arm back to aim at Pidgey when two of the wind blades accurately impacted his body.

Dropping the rocks in surprise, Geodude lost his focus.

Someone commented, "What's wrong with him?"

"No idea."

His trainer questioned, "Geodude rock throw?"

Only Geodude knew just how strong that attack truly was. As a small amount of blue blood trickled from his two wounds, Geodude looked up with new wariness in his eyes.

Gathering the stones he lost, Geodude charged them once more.

"Pidgey weak gust!"

Shooting out the gusts one after another, Jared was beginning to feel the pain build up.

Tanking two more quick gusts, Geodude reared back and threw.

Pidgey avoided most of it, but one rock still struck the tip of the birds wing.

"piididddddgg"

Hearing Pidgeys screech of pain, Jared yelled, "Pidgey, fly higher!"

Pidgey flew higher and higher, and when the next rock throw came, Pidgey found it much easier to dodge! What a smart human to come up with such a good plan!

"Weak gust!"

Pidgey released the three wind blades, but from this height, he was wildly inaccurate.

"Wait for the rock throw, then dive down to release another gust before flying back up!"

The bird once more dodged the projectiles, and then dived down.

Jared gave a rare smile, Pidgey was actually listening to his words!

Diving downwards Pidgey focused to prevent the weak gust in his wings from dissipating.

Ten meters from the ground, Pidgey finally released the projectiles, then began frantically flying back up to do it again.

Although, Ted was drunk, he wasn't stupid, "Geodude, wait for him to come down before releasing rock throw!"

Jared nodded as he thought, 'Of course the same trick isn't going to keep working.'

The drunken Ted complained upon seeing Pidgey not coming down, "You can't stay up there, it's against tournament rules!"

"What rules, and why is this a tournament?" Jared asked.

"Well, uh... You can't... uhm you know, the rules..." - Someone answered for him with a laugh, "He means that in a normal tournament match, you can't intentionally stall a match by digging underground, or flying out of range."

"Yeah that!"

Jared nodded, then looked up, "Pidgey, change of plan, we are going to fight in a different way!"

As Pidgey began losing altitude, Jared continued, "Use the trees for cover, then hit him with a gust!"

The plains around the old arena ruins were sparse with trees, but there were enough for Jared's plans.

Pidgey flew into a pine tree, as a pile of rock-elemental charged stones followed after him.

The tree rattled, and some branches were broken, but Jared was happy to hear no pained squawks.

"That's no fair, there's no trees in a tournament!"

Some laughed at his misfortune, while the majority just gave out sarcastic words.

"Hahaha, you got this Ted!"

"Wow, what a battle, who knew flying types were so strong against rock types!"

"Shut up!" Ted was growing angry, as he gave out the same order, " Rock throw!!!!!"

Jared didn't care about Teds complaints, after all this wasn't a 'tournament', and neither was this a fair fight.

"Pidgey gust!"

From the lower branches of the tree, three wind blades shot forth. Immediately, Geodude put up his arms in defense, but whether the wind blades hit his arms, or hit his body, they still stung.

Geodude fired off another rock throw after taking one more gust, but he was frustrated when his attacks were blocked by the tree once more.

After taking three more direct hits, and yet another failed exchange, Geodude wasn't feel great.

"Geeeooodd"

Ted was surprised, "What, you're hurting? Just from that?"

"Geeeoo..."

"Hahahaaa, those were barely attacks, but his Geodude wants to quit?"

A man nearly choked on the stew, as he blurted out, "Haha, what?"

"Is Ted's chance at the top ten going to end here!?" Said a man, after slapping his knee.

.

Raising his arm for another rock throw, Geodude groaned, and then fell backwards!