Rattata and Raticate scurried across the filthy, mold-covered path. The stink of sewage filled the air, and the dim, flickering lights above provided lighting akin to a cheap horror movie. Roy considered more than once releasing Ponyta, but she’d probably kick him in the groin if he took her out in such a grimy location just to use her as a torch.

    To Roy’s surprise, he’d spotted zero Grimer. This felt more like a sewer than a public underpass. A giant sewer. Wide enough for five semi-trucks to drive through side by side, and high enough to stack three flag poles atop each other.

    A decent amount of human traffic passed through. Roy wasn’t the only one opting to journey under Saffron rather than through it. The travelers were predominately women, many of whom gave Roy a wide berth and watchful eyes. Any hello he offered was met with fearful gasps and a step away. Okay, he thought. Cool. Guess I’ll go fuck myself. You have a lovely day too.

    Roy sighed. He shouldn’t feel too irritated. Considering Saffron’s reputation, he couldn’t blame anyone. Even if it made for a lonely walk. Combined with being underground, the resulting silence haunted the place with a grave atmosphere.

    Just that morning, it had felt like being on a road trip with a group of friends–everyone so talkative and conversational. Genny’s absence on its own left him melancholic enough, but after learning of her ability to speak with Pokémon, she’d as good as taken his Pokémon’s tongues with her. Not like he hadn’t been unable to understand them before, but… well, you never truly craved a food until having a taste.

    But even linguistically cutoff, he still had their presence to enjoy. Except none of them were exactly springing out of their balls to suffer with him in this rank tunnel. Which left suffocating solitude as Roy’s only companion, surrounded by nothing but wariness and mistrust from every passing stranger.

    He’d entered around 9:30. Roy should be out the other end before the day was up. Vermilion was supposed to be visible from the hilltop exit. Perhaps he’d catch the sunset; Vermilion advertised itself as having the most beautiful in Kanto.

    Traffic slowed as Roy walked for an hour without passing anyone. Until 11:30, when a tiny spark caught his eye and he came upon a skinny girl huddled by a pitiful campfire too small for a Pidgey. In her arms, she cuddled a pink balloon with ears.

    No, not a balloon. A Jigglypuff. What else would have such big, round, teal eyes. The bulbous Pokémon seemed to have inflated itself even bigger in an attempt to generate as much warmth as possible for itself and the girl.

    Where’d she get the wood down here? A yellow handbag hung from her shoulder. It must’ve been a Trainer Bag, which could fit about anything a traveler needed. The girl looked fifteen or sixteen, but if she was a Trainer, she had to be eighteen at least.

    She offered a smile and wave as Roy approached. No wonder she was cold in that sleeveless black top and high-rise jean shorts. But he supposed her head kept warm under that enormous mass of untidy brown hair growing down her back. Her green eyes shone like emeralds in the dark.

    “Hey!” she called in a voice every bit as dainty as the Pokémon she held. Roy waved, responding with his own hello. Nice to pass a woman who didn’t glare at him as if he was a known sex offender. “You look like a Trainer. Are you on your way to Vermilion too?”

    “I should hope so. Don’t tell me I got turned around on a straight path?”

    “Well, it’s a long hike.” She scooched over, leaving a seat by the miniscule fire. “Not much, I know, but it gets chilly down here.”

    Roy smiled and plopped beside her, bag sliding off his sore shoulders. He was just considering sitting down for lunch, and this was the friendliest treatment he’d found down here. “Thanks. I’m Roy, by the way.”

    “My name’s Alice. And this is Jigglypuff.”

    “Jiggly!” The Pokémon spoke in a sweet, girly voice that matched Alice’s.

    “Want some food?” Alice fished through her bag.

    “I have my own.” But they ended up sharing and exchanging foods anyway as they chatted around the fire. Roy was quick to provide one of his sandwiches, considering most of her stock looked like snack foods (and not the energy kind). No way she thought those were fit for a hike such as this?

    She noticed his belt of six Poké Balls. “You have a full team. Have you been a Trainer long?”

    “About a month and a half.”

    Alice’s eyes stretched almost as wide as Jigglypuff’s. “And six Pokémon already? You must be pretty good. I’ve been at it a while, but Jigglypuff and I are still getting the hang of it. Are you going for the Gym Badges?”

    Roy answered by pulling out his father’s journal, opening it to show the two he’d collected and explaining the other four belonging to his father, whose journey Roy had taken up.

    Alice reacted to the story with puppy dog admiration. “That’s so sweet. And impressive. I could never do the Gym Challenge. One of them is in Saffron, and I get nervous enough passing through this tunnel. Mostly it’s me, my Pokémon, and life on the road. But a battle here and there is fun too. Even if I stink at it.”

    “You sound like a friend of mine. Going on a journey with her Pokémon to see the world and make friends.”

    As Roy finished his sandwich wrap, Alice sprang to her feet, hopeful eyes glistening. “Hey. If it’s not rude to ask… will you have a battle with me and Jigglypuff? I’m not very good, but you must be to have two badges already. So… would you teach me some things? Please?

    She wanted his help? Two badges, sure, but Roy didn’t claim to be an expert. But how could he say no to those eyes? “Uh… yeah. I can give you a few pointers.”

    “Really!? Oh, thank you so much!” Alice scurried to put out the fire, grabbed her bag, then rushed into position. “Ready, Jigglypuff?”

    Roy smiled and got into place as well.

    “I haven’t got a proper Poké Wagerer yet,” Alice said. “And I don’t have a lot on me, so I hope a small cash wager is okay.”

    Roy laughed. “We won’t bet. Not for a practice round.”

    Alice breathed out in relief. “Oh, thank you. That’s very kind of you. Most guys I battle make me.”

    “They don’t,” Roy said with incredulous indignance. “There’s no compelled gambling law!”

    Alice shrugged. “Well, I’m not the most confident or capable looking girl, and this area’s… Sorry. I’m not trying to say you wouldn’t understand, but…”

    But Roy understood clearly. “Next time a guy tries to intimidate you, I, as a guy, hereby give you permission to knee them in the dick.”

    She fought to hold in a giggle as her face reddened, but gave him a thankful smile, then looked down at Jigglypuff. “Okay, girl. You ready? Let’s do our best.”

    The Pokémon puffed herself up for battle, trying to appear fierce, which proved impossible with that pink puffy body, small knobby hands, and cute swirl of hair on her head. A single look told Roy Alice hadn’t been modest. Even by Jigglypuff standards, the Pokémon looked about as threatening as a toddler with a balloon sword. Roy never thought himself a boaster, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t recognize when a Trainer was of a… slightly… of a much lower skill level than himself.

    But everyone started at the beginning, and it was okay that some learned slower than others. They meant this to be a practice battle, so he had no intention of going all out. A lightbulb flashed in his brain. This was the perfect time to work with his new Eevee. Then he and Alice could learn together.

    Roy threw his Poké Ball, and, with a flash, out came the fluffy copper-brown cat, who skipped and pranced in circles to warmup his body, crying out his name in that adorably cliché Eevee way.

    Alice’s green eyes lit up and she squealed. “Oh my gosh! He’s sooo cuuuuute!”

    “Hey, let’s focus. This is supposed to be a battle.” But Roy couldn’t help laughing a little.

    “Right, right! Sorry.”

    “Okay, Eevee. This is only a practice match. Alice and Jigglypuff are still beginners, so let’s take it easy.”

    “Eevee!”

    Alice took a deep breath and tightened her fists, eyes narrowing in seriousness, showing a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

    “You have the first move,” Roy said.

    “Okay. Jigglypuff! Pound attack!”

    “Jiggly!” Her legless feet ran with slow, feathery steps, and Roy ordered a Protect to block. It wasn’t a damaging move, but Jigglypuff somehow hurt herself throwing a punch at the crystalline energy shield that sent her bouncing backward like a kicked beach ball, ground splotching her pink body with dirt.

    “Oof,” Roy said. “All right, all right, some work to do. But that’s okay.”

    “Try Double Slap!” Alice said.

    Jigglypuff rolled onto her feet and came at Eevee again, but the cat sidestepped the attacks with ease, then switched to running in circles around Jigglypuff, confusing the Fairy Pokémon as her eyes tried to keep track.

    “Come on,” Roy encouraged. “Stay focused.” Yes, he definitely needed to go easy on her.

    “Uh… try to catch it, Jigglypuff. Rollout!”

    Jigglypuff folded in her hands, feet, and ears, and gave chase, rolling across the ground like a weightless bowling ball. She managed a hit, and Eevee sprang back with a grunt but shook it off with minimal damage.

    “Yes!” Alice cheered.

    “Good. But don’t get too confident.” Time to see how she responded to an attack. “Give her a basic Tackle, Eevee.”

    “Uh… D-Defense Curl,” Alice said in a half-panicked tone.

Jigglypuff curled up, body glowing white, but took the blow head on. The Defense Curl lessened the damage, but she still wobbled around like she’d been slapped silly. Roy chuckled. Oh boy, these two needed work. But Roy was no stranger; Aria had started out the same way.

    He stood by while Jigglypuff regained steadiness, then waited to allow Alice another attack.

    “C’mon, Jigglypuff! Try Pound again!”

    Eevee ducked the attempted punch and responded with a light Swift, spitting only five star-shaped energy bullets that made glistening pings as they struck. Jigglypuff rolled back and tried to get up, but toppled once more.

    Dang. Roy hadn’t intended to hit that hard. But Jigglypuff likely needed to work on her defense the same way Aria had.

    “Okay, that’s enough!” Alice rushed to her partner’s side. A good call. She probably could’ve continued, but calling the match showed Alice cared for her Pokémon.

    Roy gave his neck an awkward scratch. He’d really tried to go easy, yet felt a bit like a bully. He petted Eevee’s head. From the drooped ears, Eevee felt bad too. “It’s okay. You did well.” Roy returned the cat.

    Alice rubbed Jigglypuff’s swirl of hair as she cradled the balloon Pokémon and sighed. “I’m sorry. I must look pathetic.”

    “Don’t worry about it. Lots of people struggle starting out. Is Jigglypuff your only Pokémon?”

    “She is.”

    “You should try using her sound-based moves. Sing is excellent. It makes your opponent drowsy, which hinders their ability to fight. As for offensive tactics, does she know Round?”

    “Uh… I think so?” Her face scrunched up as she tried to remember.

    “If not, she should learn it soon. It’s an early move for Jigglypuff. Basic but powerful. A great beginner attack.

    “I appreciate your help so much. And thanks for not making me wager. I’ve lost almost all of my money to other battles, and Jigglypuff just ends up getting hurt. I try, but I know I’m failing Jigglypuff as her Trainer.”

    “You knew when to stop. That’s the mark of a true Trainer more than any level of battle talent.” Roy offered his hand to help her up, and she took it. “Buuuut, maybe get a liiittle stronger before coming to a place like this alone.”

    “Hey, I was wondering… could I ask you to come with me the rest of the way through the underground? It’s the safest route through Saffron, but there’s still some shady people down here sometimes.”

    “Accompany you? Ooo, I don’t know. I was having all kinds of fun traveling this dark, dreary path as a lone man. You wouldn’t believe the friendly looks I get.”

    She giggled. “Thank you so much. I have family south side, which leaves me no choice but to take this tunnel now and then. But even after multiple trips, I still feel uncomfortable going through by myself.”

    “It’s cool. I understand.”

    “But this is your first time through, right?”

    “And last, Arceus willing.”

    “Oh! You haven’t seen then! Come on!” With a light bounce, she hurried forward. Confused by her sudden change in excitement, Roy didn’t move, and she stopped to smile over her shoulder at him. “People say every rose has its thorn. But every thorn also has its rose. This tunnel is more than just an empty passage.”

 

***

 

Alice led the way with a skip in her step. What silver lining could she want to show him in a sewer like this? After an hour’s walk, distant lights twinkled into view. They hadn’t reached the exit already?

    The echo of chatter mixed with music drifted down the hollow.

    “It’s right up ahead,” Alice said.

    Roy speed walked to keep up, the bright glow coming into focus as they neared. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but certainly not what lay before him. His first thought as they approached their destination was of a street fair. It looked like someone had set up a festival in the middle of the underground. Carnival games, colorful tents, and booths selling a variety of souvenirs. Lamps on the ground and hanging from the ceiling dazzled the place with color, as if Roy had stepped into a pirate’s treasure cave.

    Even the choking sewer stench smothered out under the overpowering aroma of fresh pizza, burgers, hot dogs, cotton candy, and deep-fried foods. Alice grabbed Roy’s wrist in her gloved hand to make sure he didn’t lose her as they squeezed through thick crowds, her other arm keeping a close wrap around Jigglypuff.

    Stage magicians, clowns, and performers generated an energetic cacophony of laughter, music, and clamor. Traveling vendors wandered up and down with open suitcases, arms laden with fake jewelry, cloaks winged out to flash glittery watches, voices shouting out the cheap junk they had for sale.

    “Getcher hand-carved festival masks here!”

    “You there! Little lady! Can I interest you in a fancy bracelet!?”

    At one booth, a man shouted his self-promotion beside a tank filled with bright orange fish. Roy recognized at a glance the logo on the poster hanging from the table and scowled. Of course they were down here.

    “Boy! ‘Ey, you, boy! You look like a Trainer with a taste for powerful Pokémon! You’re in luck! With a little hard work, you could turn this feeble carp into the most feared opponent in the league!”

    Roy bit his tongue to avoid arguing with the man shelling out for a well-known scam business that had gained infamy for oversimplifying one of the most arduous tasks a Trainer could attempt. Shoving down his loathing for con artists, Roy turned away and continued to follow Alice through the carnival filled with rapture and festivity.

    Beyond the bright lights and colorful displays, Roy took in a more somber side of the underground culture. Along the tunnel walls stood tents of a different kind, not selling games, food, or trinkets, but housing dirty, bearded people in tattered clothes. A mixture of characters had taken shelter down here. Some appeared to be the homeless and unfortunate. Others appeared to be druggies–thin and scraggly, with shriveled faces and bony arms covered in needle marks. Roy spotted what he suspected to be the source. Hidden behind the tent shadows, a pair of huddled figures engaged in a suspicious trade.

    A merchant with a massive pack and folded table under his arm stopped among the cluster of poverty and set up shop beside a man wrapped in a blanket along the wall. His wears included long, cylindrical bags Roy recognized as…

    “Would any of you kind souls like to purchase a tent for this poor fellow!?”

    Roy’s lips tightened with a mixture of emotion, caught between conflicting feelings of appreciation for a sort of charity selling tents for the homeless, and anger at someone so shamelessly taking advantage of the poor and people’s compassion to make a quick buck.

    But through the good and the bad, it was impossible to keep his eyes from wandering in a futile attempt to absorb everything that surrounded him. The place was like a miniature city, overflowing with casino-style razzle dazzle. He’d never heard of this in any writings or talk about the underground. How was this even possible? “Has this always been down here?”

    “I think it just kinda built over time,” Alice said. “When the underground was first constructed, it drew a lot more people than anticipated. The traffic attracted merchants and street scammers. Pretty soon, bigger and bigger businesses were setting up shop. Plus all the homeless seeking shelter. And once a community formed, women began taking refuge here from the Saffron slums.” Alice pointed. “Oh! Look at that! Wanna try one of the carnie games?”

    Smile returned, Roy followed her. Halfway to the booth, a haggard woman called out to Alice. “Oh! Sophie! Lovely ta see ya again. Thanks so much fer the gracious offerin’ the other day. My daughter n' I'll eat fer a month.”

    “Uh… you’re welcome,” Alice said in an awkward tone.

    Roy gave her a look as they walked away. “Sophie?” he said with a chuckle.

    Alice shrugged. “Probably mistaking me for someone else. Or… well, some folk down here are… I mean, you know… people that…”

    “Nut jobs?”

    Alice blushed as if that was the precise word she’d been looking for a nicer version of. “Well… people who are confused. Stuff like that’s normal. It’s sad, really. Uh… let’s check this out here.”

    She stepped up to a tent displaying a row of cardboard cutouts depicting Mr. Mime, and Roy guessed it required throwing balls at the targets to knock them down. “It’s twenty dollars to play,” the carnie said, and Alice made a face like she’d forgotten the game wasn’t free.

    Roy chuckled again, pulling out his wallet. “I got it.”

    “What? Oh, no, I can’t…”

    “Don’t argue.” Sure, it was expensive, but Roy was feeling extra kind.

    “Thank you so much.”

    The carnie passed her a bowl containing seven balls. Alice threw and missed. Then missed again and again. Jigglypuff stood on the counter, cheering her on. Alice scrunched her face in focus, the tip of her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth. On her last ball, she struck the Mr. Mime target, but not with enough strength to knock it over, and it simply wobbled back and forth a few times before returning to an upright position. “Dang it,” she said in a disappointed whine.

    “Let me give it a shot.” Ignoring his better judgement’s protests, Roy paid another twenty dollars. It took a few throws, but on his fourth ball, he knocked one flat. Lights flashed alongside a series of victorious dings and whoops from the machine.

    “We have a winner!” the carnie shouted, then stepped aside to ask Roy what prize he wanted, gesturing to the rows of stuffed Pokémon hanging above.

    “What do you want?” Roy asked, turning to Alice.

    “Really? Are you sure?”

    “Of course.”

    Her face lit up like a child in a toy store and she looked over the fluffy collection of options, pointing at the Snubble. “That one’s super cute.”

    Roy doubted cute was the word most would use to describe a Snubble, but confirmed with the carnie that’s what they’d get and he handed Alice the stuffed pink dog with a grumpy face.

   “Jiggly!” Alice’s partner cried.

    “Jigglypuff thanks you too,” Alice said before getting distracted again and pointing out a snack stand. “Ooo! Those look delicious!” This time, before running off, she hooked her arm around his. The sudden intimate gesture took Roy aback, and he almost fell when she tugged him along.

    Again, Roy offered to pay and bought corn dogs for both of them. Alice gave Jigglypuff a bite, then took a bite herself.

    They found a nearby bench and Alice scooted up against him, shoulder to shoulder. Roy’s heartbeat accelerated at how close she sat, her body warm against his. He kept quiet, unsure what to say or do, while Alice happily went on sharing her corn dog with Jigglypuff.

    For once, Roy was glad Genny wasn’t here. She was always pushing him to get a girlfriend, trying with aggressive determination to set him up with every girl that blinked his direction. Roy knew his life as a Trainer would take him across the world. He doubted he could ever stay in one place. Any girlfriend he got would likely have to be a fellow Trainer or someone able to travel with him.

    Might Alice be that girl? Did he even want a relationship at the moment? So focused on taking up his father’s long awaited dream, he’d barely considered it. They only just met, but did he like Alice that way? She was nicer than most he was likely to meet in his life and… rather cute. And she seemed to like him. Roy’s eyes fell once more to how close she sat. The bench provided ample space, but she kept right up against him, elbow to elbow, hip to hip, sending goose bumps up his arm.

    Stop it, Roy told himself, embarrassed at his childish reactions.

    His thoughts were thankfully distracted when a couple of sour-looking women passed, staring at him as they would an ugly stain on a fancy carpet. They wore lime green jackets over uniforms of matching color. It almost resembled police attire, but not quite. As if they wanted to give that impression, but had made intentional design changes to set themselves apart. Both women had identical pixie cuts, as though that too was part of the uniform. The jacket shoulders displayed emblems of Shiny Nidoqueen, with the imprinted initials GN.

    “Those are the Green Nidoqueens,” Alice said once they’d passed. “They’re a vigilante group that patrols this path.”

    “Vigilante group?”

    “The underground was built to be a safe passage. But once this culture popped up, it wasn’t long before trouble weeded its way down here too. Drug dealers. Black market sales. Stuff like that. After all, this place is out of the eyes of the Saffron law enforcement, and they’re too busy up top to bother with down here. That’s when the GN formed to patrol underground crime the police aren’t able to. As vigilantes, they have no official license, but the police above know they don’t have the luxury to manage both above and below, so they kind of just let them do it. They do a good job, though. They’ve even turned this place into a sort of refuge for women who want to escape Saffron but lack the means to move elsewhere. The nearest cities are Celadon, Cerulean, and Vermilion, and they aren’t the most affordable. And the roads out of Saffron can be dangerous as well. This is still the safest area near Saffron, but… bad things sometimes happen here too.”

    Alice looked down at her fidgeting toes, a guilty shimmer in her eyes, like she was on the verge of tears.

    “What’s wrong?”

    “Roy, I’m so sorry. I said I wanted you to accompany me through the tunnel, but the truth is, I need to ask a much bigger favor. I should’ve been more honest up front, but was worried you wouldn’t help because it’s dangerous. Are you mad?”

    “Of course not. I’m happy to help.”

    “Well… have you heard about that new Team Rocket terrorist group?”

    Roy’s fists clenched. “I was present at the lab attack.”

    “You were!? Then… you fought them!?”

    Roy nodded.

    “I knew you were a strong Trainer! Then you must know they’re taking Pokémon from people to build an army. A group of Rockets have organized a ring of illegal cage matches down here, away from the police. They made it to draw in powerful Trainers, but they’re stealing the Pokémon from everyone they defeat.” Alice hung her head again. “The truth is… Jigglypuff isn’t my only partner. Or she wasn’t. I was passing through when they cornered me and forced me into a match and took my Vulpix. Please. My Pokémon are like family to me.”

    Family. Where had Roy heard that sentiment before.

    “The only language these thugs speak is gambling and fighting,” Alice continued. “I have to save Vulpix. But Jigglypuff isn’t strong enough, and I can’t bear the thought of losing her too. I hate asking you to risk your Pokémon when you barely know me, but…”

    “I’ll get your Vulpix back.”

    Her head snapped up, watery eyes sparkling with hope. “Really? Are… are you sure?”

    “I got a score to settle with them anyway. Don’t worry. I promise I’ll defeat those Rockets and rescue your Vulpix. So tell me who I have to bury underground deeper than they already are.”

    Alice fought to hold in tears. “His name’s Kenji. He’s the one in charge of the cage matches. He’s the one you’ll want to challenge.”

    “Well, I hope this Kenji is ready, because I’m going to wear his ass on my foot.”

    Unable to keep it in any longer, Alice teared up. “I can’t thank you enough for your kindness.” Roy helped her stand, and she pointed down the tunnel. “The ring’s this way.”

    Alice’s pace slowed, but Roy didn’t rush her as she led him through canopies and vendors, both of them ignoring all the attempts to sell them stuff. She calmed down by the time they got past most of the carnival attractions and the subterranean culture had dwindled to clusters of homeless tents.

    Another hundred meters beyond those, they passed a tall column of rickety scaffolding spiraling up to the tunnel roof toward what looked like the underside of a manhole. Roy suspected the structure might collapse at the slightest touch, yet GN officers patrolled the area, as if the rusty construction was of the greatest importance.

    Roy said nothing, but Alice must’ve noticed the intrigue in his eyes. “There’s the two normal entrances to this tunnel, but both of them are ten kilometers outside Saffron City limits. That scaffolding marks the underground’s halfway point and leads straight up to the streets above. People call it Route 5 ½.” Alice nodded to the GN vigilantes patrolling the base of the stairs. A pair stood in front of the gate, blocking off the entrance. “Since it’s the only direct path to and from Saffron, they have to guard it to prevent smuggling.”

    They continued another half a kilometer before Alice stopped. “This is it.” Despite pointing it out, it took Roy a few seconds of close inspection to locate. Tucked away like a secret hideout behind a cluster of tents, someone looked to have dug a tunnel leading even deeper underground. A literal hole in the wall most would’ve walked by without ever noticing.

    Alice inhaled a deep breath to steady her nerves.

    “It’ll be okay,” Roy said.

    Again, she caught him unprepared by wrapping herself around his arm. “This way.” She led him down the stairs into the dark, clutching to him like she would a boyfriend at a horror film. He still couldn’t get used to that but tried to keep his eyes focused ahead as they descended into the depths, far below the surface and beyond any help that might save them from what lay below.

    Roy might’ve felt nervous himself, but memories of his previous encounter with Team Rocket and thoughts of how they’d stolen Alice’s Vulpix fueled him with a ferocious determination that kept any fears at bay. But even his anger disappeared as a faint clamor of noise and cheers filled his ears, growing louder as they progressed. Roy got the feeling he was approaching a rowdy football stadium, and a few minutes later, they reached a great iron door guarded by a couple of hulking men who looked like bar bouncers.

    Alice had fully moved behind Roy, but still hadn’t let go of him.

    “The fee to view the cage matches is a hundred bucks apiece,” said one of the guards.

    Roy would need to save his Pokémon’s energy for the leader, Kenji, so despite having already spent a bunch on Alice, he concluded it wiser to eat it. With little cash and no credit card herself, Roy paid two hundred in total for him and Alice. A heavy price, but worth it to get her Vulpix back. Even if she’d had the money, Roy wouldn’t have dreamed of making her pay to recover a Pokémon that was rightfully hers.

    The guards unlocked the metal door with a loud clang. They dragged the heavy slab aside, and the blasting noises from inside hit Roy’s ears with the force of a bullhorn. Roy and Alice stepped through and entered what appeared to be an underground boxing arena, complete with boxing ring itself and flashing lights. Bleachers surrounded the stage, filled with wild roaring fans. Deafening rave music vibrated the entire room and made Alice cover her ears as best as she could with one hand while still keeping the other gripped tight on Roy’s arm.

    Above the ring and against the back wall was a glass box resembling a sporting broadcast booth. Inside stood a colorful man dressed like a pimp in a wide-brimmed hat and fancy coat, smiling with white teeth between the golden strands of a horseshoe mustache drooping over a face that looked perfect for punching.

    “There,” Alice said. “That’s him. Kenji.”

    He watched over the arena from above like a king overlooking a colosseum, eager to watch the Pyroar tear apart the next victim for his entertainment. Spotlights zoomed around the room before settling on a figure inside the boxing ring. A huge, muscular, shirtless man standing beside a mean, scarred up Raticate. Standing at seventy centimeters, the normally brown furred rat had decked out in black and white war paint, its face painted to resemble a skull.

    Kenji’s high, abrasive voice squealing over the speakers was so rat-like, Roy thought for a split second it had come from the Raticate. “WHO WILL BE THE NEXT TO TAKE ON MY CHAMPION!? THE MIGHTY TAIKI AND HIS RATICATE, THE GREAT IIIROOON FAAAAAANGS!?”

    “These are the Rocket thugs who stole your Vulpix?”

    Alice nodded.

    They differed from the Rockets Roy encountered at the lab. None of them wore the black uniforms and flat caps. “How do you know they’re Team Rocket?”

    Even shouting, Roy had to lean in to hear Alice’s soft voice over the noise. “Well, they obviously don’t want everyone aware of who they are. Especially now that their group has gone public and the police are after them. But when they took Vulpix, they bragged about using her for their Pokémon army. They said they were gonna force her to evolve into Ninetails. But my Vulpix wants to stay as she is. I’m terrified they may have already...”

    As if Roy needed more motivation to rip off that scum’s hideously garish coat and stuff it down his throat.

    “WHOOO, I ASK,” Kenji boomed, a flamboyant flair in his overly dramatic voice, “WILL BE THE NEXT DARIN’ CHALLENGER!?” The rowdy crowd roared, eager for the next battle.

    Roy stepped forward and felt Alice loosen her grip as he slipped out of her hold. He stopped and looked back at her.

    “I’m sorry,” she said, Jigglypuff hiding behind her. “I’m afraid they’ll try to take Jigglypuff. They stole her Poké Ball along with Vulpix, so I can’t recall her. She managed to escape with me, but since those Rockets have her ball, I fear Jigglypuff’ll be captured if they see her. I’m so sorry. Here I am asking you to do all this for me while I cower on the sidelines.”

    “It’s fine. Stay out of sight and I’ll take care of these thugs.”

    “I owe you so much. Kenji will have the stolen Pokémon. But he normally watches from his viewing box above. You’ll have to draw him out somehow.” Roy nodded, then walked down the stairs as Alice called out one final time. “Be careful!”

    Kenji and the champion below locked eyes on Roy, and the spotlight moved to shine on him as he approached. “WHAT’S THIS!? IS THIS BOY STEPPIN’ UP TO THE CHALLENGE!?”

    Roy answered the question by leaping into the ring. He looked past the champion, Taiki, and pointed at Kenji. “I challenge you!”

    Taiki laughed. “No one gets a free battle with the boss that easy.”

    “Fine,” Roy said. “I’ll just have to steamroll through you first.”

    “LLLLADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WE HAVE OUR CHALLENGER!” A loud rumble and clang followed Kenji’s voice, and a cage came down on top of them, locking Roy and Taiki in the ring with the Pokémon. “ONE ON ONE! ANYTHIN’ GOES! GET READY FOR A SHOOOOOOW!”

    So they wanted a show? Roy would give them a show. With Alice’s stolen Vulpix (and now his own Pokémon) on the line, he had no plans to fight with any sort of restraint, so he reeled a Poké Ball back and threw out the big guns. The crowd went wild as Ponyta landed in the ring and showed off her mane of shiny blue fire.

    “IIINNNCREDIBLE, FOLKS! WE GOTTA SHINY POKÉMON COMPETIN’ TODAY!”

    “Yer Shiny Pokémon’s impressive,” Taiki said. “But flashy appearances don’t win a battle.

    Ding! Kenji rang the bell. “BATTLE… STAAAAAAARRT!”

    “Iron Fangs!” Taiki ordered. “Give that Ponyta yer Hyper Fang!”

    “Raticate!” The rodent came at Ponyta with open jaws, snapping repeatedly with the powerful move. But none came within arm's reach of Ponyta.

    Taiki laughed. “What are ya? A coward? We don’t tolerate that kind of borin’ behavior ‘round here! Iron Fangs! Show this boy what happens to those who try to play safe in this ring! Giga Impact!”

    Body radiating energy, the Raticate barreled toward Ponyta with the devastating move, but neither Roy nor Ponyta flinched.

    “Stomp its face in.”

    Ponyta turned and kicked her hind legs in the rat’s face. It flew back, slamming into the bars and collapsing on the mat. No count was necessary. Everyone saw it wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon.

    “Iron Fangs!” Taiki cried, hands flying to his head in shock.

    “INCONCEIVABLE!” Kenji bellowed.

    The cage raised, and the crowd roared in amazement, chanting the victor’s name. “Po-ny-ta! Po-ny-ta! Po-ny-ta!” The foal rose her head high and brayed with pride.

    Roy turned his eyes to Kenji. “Ready to come out of hiding, Vizzini!?”

    Voices switched to chanting Kenji’s name, craving the same thing. Kenji sneered, then exited the booth and strutted down the stairs. He stretched his arms wide to the audience, drinking in the applause as he threw off his coat and hat, stripping to a more tightly fit suit of various clashing colors and revealing a shiny head, bald except for a ridiculous tuft of blond hair hanging in front of his face in a style that made him look like a Jigglypuff. He vaulted over the ropes with an energetic leap.

    “Impressive, boy,” Kenji said as he stretched his arms and neck. “Been awhile since I’ve stepped into the ring. Hope yer ready.” He unclipped a Great Ball bedazzled with jewels and flung it forward.

    The ball flashed open, and light materialized into what looked like a fat body with no head. Just a blue-skinned torso with the round shape of a tire, standing around 130 centimeters. It flexed arms and legs of pure muscle. Atop the curve of its shoulders, where a head might’ve been, a pair of tiny eyes narrowed at Ponyta, ready for a fight. It cracked the knuckles of its white hands that gave the illusion of wearing gloves. A transparent layer of skin covered its stomach, through which Roy saw its interior organs, shaped in that familiar hypnotizing swirl. The crowd changed its chant yet again.

    “Po-li-wrath! Po-li-wrath! Po-li-wrath!”

    The dual-type Water-Fighting Pokémon echoed its own name back at them in a low, toad-like voice, punching a fist into its palm.

    Water might’ve worried most, but if Ponyta had proved one thing to Roy, it was that type disadvantage did not concern her. She pawed at the ground like a Tauros ready to charge.

    Kenji clearly saw that the fire burning brightest and hottest from Ponyta was not from her mane or tail, but from her eyes. “I dig yer Ponyta’s attitude. A Shiny Pokémon strong enough to get me down here. WE’RE IN FOR A TREAT TONIGHT, FOLKS!”

    The crowd cheered, and Poliwrath beat its chest in show, lights flashing all around, rave music vibrating the arena as the cage lowered once more.

    “Enough theatrics,” Roy said. “Take Down!”

    Ponyta charged, but Poliwrath held out its arms and stopped the foal in her tracks.

    “It’ll take more than that!”

    “She’s got plenty more.”

    Ponyta continued to push. Poliwrath growled its name as it maintained hold but slid back.

    “Iiimmmpressive! But not enough! Submissioooon!” Poliwrath tightened its grip, and, with a twist to the side, threw Ponyta into the ground. “Dyyynamic Punch!” Kenji struck a pose with every command he gave.

    “Stomp!” Roy responded.

    Poliwrath punched down. Ponyta rolled aside, then kicked up, striking the walking tadpole in the center of its swirl. It grunted with a retreating step, but didn’t falter.

    “Flame Charge!”

    Ponyta flipped onto her feet and her body burst into blue flames. She rammed into Poliwrath, who slid back and dropped to a knee, leaning on a fist for support.

    “Now that’s the spirit I like to see!” Kenji yelled.

    “Take Down!”

    Kenji struck another dramatic pose. “Low Sweep!”

    Ponyta charged. Poliwrath squatted and swung its leg with a spin, sweeping her feet out from under her, and she plowed face first into the mat.

    “MmmmmmBody Slam!”

    With a soaring leap, Poliwrath threw its weight atop Ponyta, who gasped as she took the 54-kilogram blow to the back. She snarled and pushed up, throwing Poliwrath high with a powerful buck. Spotlights followed the Pokémon as it spun through the air. Ponyta fired a string of fiery bullets over her shoulder.

    “Bubble Beam!” Poliwrath thrust its arms forward and a stream of bubbles fired from its palms. The two moves collided, exploding in a hiss of steam. Roy covered his face as a mist of heat spread outward. Poliwrath landed. “Cllllose Combat!”

    “Agility!”

   Poliwrath charged, closing the distance, and threw a series of rapid-fire fists with the speedy repetition of a well-oiled machine. Ponyta ducked and sidestepped every blow until one hit her in the cheek. She staggered but crouched under the next attempted punch, responding by ramming her head into Poliwrath’s stomach. She turned and kicked, hitting the dead center of its swirl. It grunted, but almost immediately recovered and launched another Close Combat punch, which Ponyta sprung to avoid, flipping over Poliwrath and landing behind.

    “Ember!”

    Ponyta sucked in air through her nostrils, bracing her feet and reeling her head back in a level of preparation that seemed excessive for a simple Ember. Poliwrath turned in time as Ponyta whinnied and let loose not a series of fiery bullets but a torrenting stream of flames, breathing fire like a dragon and enveloping Poliwrath’s body in a blue blaze of heat.

    “Whoa!” Kenji dove aside to avoid getting scorched himself.

    Roy had kept a seriousness the whole match, but for the first time, he smiled at Ponyta’s new move. “Or Flamethrower. That works too.”

    Ponyta stopped, and the flames dissipated. Poliwrath panted, having taken a heavy blow, but it remained upright, eager to continue.

    Kenji swung his fist in an excited gesture. “Yyyyyes! This is the type of rumble we like to see here!”

    “Enjoy it while you can, fucker! You’ll pay for the Pokémon you’ve stolen!”

    For the first time, Kenji’s exuberant attitude faded, and he cocked his head at Roy. “Heh?”

    Before either of them could say more, the ground trembled. A shudder that wasn’t the vibration of the deafening music. Roy almost fell over, his feet fumbling to regain balance as he reached back to grab hold of the cage bars. Shit! Was this arena rigged? He opened his mouth to shout an accusation at the dirty cheater, but Kenji looked equally surprised.

    A second tremor that felt akin to the move Earth Power knocked both of them and their Pokémon off their feet. Gasps and screams of surprise responded from the crowd, and Roy heard a commotion from behind that sounded like a struggle involving the thugs guarding the entrance.

    With a third resounding bang, the heavy metal door fell forward, crashing to the floor in an explosion of dust, clanging as it rattled down the stairs. A trio of Nidoqueen burst forth from the dirt cloud, rushing into the room. Giant one-and-a-half-meter bipedal rabbits covered in blue armor-like scales. They were followed by a group of green-uniformed women Roy recognized as the underground’s vigilantes.

    “Nobody move! This is the Green Nidoqueens!”

    “Aw, shit!” Kenji said.

    The women swarmed inside, surrounding the place in moments.

    Two of the Nidoqueen’s hands glowed with the move Superpower as they grabbed the cage and forced the bars apart, opening a hole through which they and several officers entered. Two women tackled Kenji, pressing his face against the mat as they cuffed him. “Ay! Hey, watch the hair!”

    At the same time, one of the Nidoqueen pinned the Poliwrath to the ground. Roy was halfway to his feet, about to give a cheer of victory, when a pair of bodies slammed into him from behind and his face hit the floor. Someone yanked Roy’s arms back, and cold metal clamped around his wrists. “Ow! Hey, what the fuck!?” A vigilante stripped Roy of his bag and belt. Ponyta brayed in furious anger and charged to defend him, but the woman unclipped her Poké Ball from Roy’s belt and fired the red laser that absorbed Ponyta inside. “Hey!”

    The GN moved to apprehend Taiki, as well as all others associated with the Rockets running the place. It thrilled Roy to see, but why was he getting taken in too!?

    After apprehending the Rockets, an officer turned to yell at the bleachers. “The rest of ya clear out! Consider this a warnin’ and count yerselves lucky we don’t arrest the lot of ya!”

    Roy scanned the cluster of moving heads for Alice but didn’t see her. Was she okay? Did the GN get her too? Hopefully, she’d already escaped with the crowd.

    An officer then addressed Roy and the Rockets. “The rest of ya are under arrest for illegal cage matches.”

    “You don’t understand!” Roy protested. “I was trying to retrieve the Pokémon these people stole!”

    Kenji looked at Roy. “Whaaa!? What’re ya talkin’ about!?”

    “I’m talking about the Vulpix you took from Alice! And all the other Pokémon you’ve stolen to build your army for Team Rocket!”

    Kenji’s face twisted in disgust. “Team Rocket!? Those terrorists can shove a stump up their bum!”

    “Wha…”

    Kenji craned his neck at the GN officers holding him. “Is that what this is about? We ain’t stealin’ no Pokémon down here! Okay, fine, maybe we’re holdin’ illegal cage matches, but we were tryin’ to raise money for the Saffron Police!”

    “Save yer excuses,” said the officer, and they hauled Roy and the rest to their feet and frog marched them upstairs.

    Roy must’ve had a million protests, but found himself speechless. None of this made sense. This couldn’t be right. But as they led him out, he glanced back, up at the many billboards and signs hung around the arena. So focused on the match, he hadn’t noticed before. One of them read: Support the Saffron Police. Help the understaffed law enforcement make Saffron safer.

    Again, Roy searched for Alice, but it was impossible to find anyone in this commotion. This had to be some sort of mistake. Had she brought him to the wrong place? But she’d identified Kenji by name. Had she been mistaken somehow? What happened to her? Had she escaped with the rest of the crowd or had the GN taken her away too?

    “Must admit,” an officer taunted as they led them above, “You were well hidden. Might not’ve found ya if we hadn’t received an anonymous tip informin’ us of yer illegal cage matches.”

    An anonymous tip. Roy should’ve figured with all the attendees down here, someone would slip. Come to think of it, why hadn’t he and Alice gone to the GN to begin with? It seemed so easy as opposed to getting themselves caught up in the trouble. Had Roy’s mistrust of vigilantes really blinded him to such an obvious answer?

    “I’m tellin’ ya!” Kenji said. “We were raisin’ cash to support the Saffron Police! Really!”

    “Supportin’ the law by breakin’ it. What a laugh.”

    “Aw, that’s rich, comin’ from a buncha vigilantes!” The officer shoved his head forward. “Ow! All right, look, I know! Cage matches are illegal, but they used to be real popular ‘round these parts! They were the best way to generate a lotta money, dig!? I swear, we kept ‘em regulated and safe! It was all show and spectacle! I can prove it! The funds we raised are in my office!”

    “Aw, shut up, ya loudmouth,” the officer said. “Yer givin’ me an earache.”

    Every further attempted protest, the GN met with a sharp slap to the back of the head. When they reached the main tunnel above, an officer came running up, an urgent look on her face as she stopped to salute the woman holding Roy. “Ma’am!”

    “What is it?”

    “Route 5 ½ has been accessed by an unauthorized individual!”

    “What!? How!?”

    “We had to lessen the security to dedicate women to the mission below!”

    The officer cursed, then turned her hostile glare on Roy and Kenji, as if they’d somehow planned this. Dragging the two of them behind, everyone rushed into the open for a clearer view and looked up at the scaffolding. Sure enough, Roy spotted a lone individual climbing toward the top.

    It was Alice. What was she doing up there?

    Jigglypuff was with her, but Roy didn’t see the stolen Vulpix. She did, however, carry what appeared to be a sort of chest under her arm.

    “Hey!” Kenji yelled. “Those’re our fundraiser earnings! There’s over ten thousand dollars there! That’s supposed to be for the police!”

    “Stop her!” an officer shouted.

    A Nidoqueen charged glowing yellow energy in her mouth then fired a devastating Hyper Beam up at Alice.

    “No!” Roy cried.

    Jigglypuff threw herself between Alice and the oncoming attack. Roy gasped for the weak Pokémon, but it proved unwarranted. Suddenly looking much less helpless than before, Jigglypuff unleashed an impressive Hyper Voice.

    Hyper Voice!? That was a high-level move! How…

    “PUUUUUUUUUUUUFFFFFFF!!!!!”

    The deafening wail resounded throughout the tunnel. Roy gritted his teeth against the pain but couldn’t cover his ears with his hands bound. Sound waves rippled outward from Jigglypuff, colliding with the Hyper Beam in a blast that stopped the attack midair. Roy grew more confused by the second.

    When the smoke cleared, Jigglypuff landed on Alice’s shoulder. Roy called out to her. “Alice!”

    The girl’s eyes locked on Roy, cuffed and in the hands of the GN vigilantes, desperately looking to her for help or anything resembling an explanation. Rather than speak any kind of answer, she looked down on Roy from above, seeing him in his helpless state, and smiled. Not the cute, timid smile from before, but a sly, cunning smirk.

    As Roy stared slack jawed at her, Alice raised a hand to her face, then, with a wink, pulled down an eyelid with her middle finger and stuck her tongue out at him before whirling around and escaping up through the exit to the Saffron streets without a second glance back. She appeared to be laughing to herself.

    That…

    That…

    That bitch!

    That lying, lowdown, sleazy, thieving, deceitful, scum-sucking, two-faced, Nickit-whoring bitch!

    “After her!” an officer barked. The GN gave chase, feet clanging up the spiraling scaffolding. Despite her orders, the officer scowled as if she knew it was useless. That Alice would be long gone, and the GN had no authority up top. She turned her frustration on Roy and Kenji. “This is all yer fault!”

    Roy tried to argue, but she gave his head another forceful shove and marched him forward. He didn’t bother lifting his eyes, glaring down at the filthy ground, grinding his teeth and suffocating under the feelings of anger, stupidity, and humiliation.

 

***

 

The GN led the bunch of them to an area surrounded by mesh fence topped with barbed wire. They entered through a rusty metal arch bearing a sign that read: GN Headquarters, which was just a long line of dusty old military tents, arranged to give the vague impression of a makeshift police station. Several lime green motorcycles parked in a row outside. Roy would’ve loved to see the looks on the women’s faces if he were to kick one of them and watch them topple like dominos. GN officers patrolled the base, armed with tasers and partnered with Nidorina or the occasional Nidoqueen.

    No, not offices. Vigilantes.

    What did they plan to do with them? They had no official power. Then again, Alice had mentioned the Saffron police relented to give them free rein since they had no time themselves to patrol down here. Of all the lies she’d told him, Roy doubted that to be one. Exactly what he needed: to be brought into the custody of anarchy cops who probably had no rules or regulations on what they may or may not do with them.

    Roy and the rest of those karp-brained hooligans from the ring were taken to separate tents, where Roy ended up chained to a post and left there overnight like a prisoner of war.

    He hardly slept. It was impossible to be tired with his blood boiling so hot. Roy had never felt so fucking stupid! All that flattery! That overexaggerated helplessness! For fuck’s sake, underground or above, he was still technically passing through Saffron. He should’ve known better than to trust anyone around these parts. If he ever saw that conniving bitch again…

    When morning came, he’d slept barely a half hour. Day and night made no visual difference underground, but a clock stood on the table across the tent, staring Roy in the face to ensure he was constantly aware of the time. It had never moved so slow. Every minute felt like ten, as if Dialga had slowed the passage of time especially for him. He sat on the cold, hard concrete, chained to the post the whole next morning without a single visit from anyone.

    The overdue exhaustion finally came, but this time, Roy’s growling stomach kept him awake. For fuck’s sake, even if he’d been guilty of murder, they could at least have done him the decency of providing food! Did they plan to starve him in here!?

    Not until 12:00 did he overhear the GN outside welcoming a woman they addressed as Captain Felicia. After straining his ear to eavesdrop, Roy made out the officer explaining what happened and thought he heard the captain respond that she would speak to each of them individually.

    She must’ve taken her sweet time and saved Roy for last, because she didn’t walk through his tent flaps until two excruciating hours later. The name Felicia Robinson imprinted itself beneath a captain’s badge. Stone-faced, with her brunette hair in a bun as opposed to the pixie cuts of the others. She had to be a few years older than Roy, but looked young. “What? You hire captains fresh out of high school down here?”

    She ignored his comment and pulled up a chair, sitting down to face him and resting folded hands over crossed legs. “What’s your name, kid?”

    “Jack Mehoff.”

    “I see. Your ringleader pal thinks himself a comedian too.”

    “He is not my ‘pal’!” Roy launched into a winded explanation, which the woman only seemed to listen to out of obligation. He tried to mention Alice, describing her claim to have passed through the underground multiple times.

    “I’m quite familiar with all the regulars that pass through here. Never heard of any girl by that name.”

    “Bright green eyes and big brown hair. Tiny girl. She had a Jigglypuff with her.”

    This seemed to ring a bell in the captain’s mind. Her surprised face split into a beaming smirk. Then she laughed in amusement, as if everything had clicked into place and she thought it a hilarious joke, of which Roy was the butt. He got the impression she now knew who he referred to. But if she believed him, she should want to go after Alice, shouldn’t she? Oh, who was Roy kidding? These were vigilantes. They were no doubt as corrupt as whatever half ass cops above had allowed Saffron to remain such a haven of crime.

    Safe passage. What a joke. This underground was probably every bit as much as Saffron just another wretched hive of scum and villainy. Roy had not been cautious.

    “All right, all right,” Felicia said in an amused tone. “You say this ‘Alice’ girl tricked you into distracting Kenji by making you believe he’d stolen her Vulpix. I think I understand what happened.” She stood, and her eyes now held a subtle expression Roy read as… nostalgia? “I expect I’ll be back soon.”

    “Hey! Wait!” Roy yelled at her back as she walked out, but she ignored him. “Fucking… Gah!” He kicked at the air.

    She returned twenty-five minutes later, still with that infuriating, smug smirk. Roy had half a mind to think her in cahoots with Alice. “Your stories match up. Kenji and his lot are banned from the underground for good, but you’re free to go.” She moved behind to unchain him. “Your belongings are a few tents down.”

    Metal fell away from Roy’s hands, and immense relief graced his shoulders as he brought his arms forward, rubbing his wrists. But he glared up at Felicia as she walked out, glancing back and waving for him to follow. “Well c’mon. You want your gear and Pokémon, don’tcha?”

    She led him a few tents over, where Roy grabbed his stuff and, without waiting to put any of it on first, spun around to storm out. Before he could exit the tent, Felicia held up a hand to stop him. Now what?

    “I’ll still have to fine you for partaking in an illegal cage match. Regardless of motive.”

    Roy fumed, fighting to keep his mouth shut. As if he didn’t regret all the money he’d wasted on Alice already. They were a bunch of distorted vigilantes. As if the city would benefit from any fines they charged. It took every ounce of self-control to restrain himself from flinging his credit card at her face.

    By 3:30, they allowed him to leave, and Roy stormed out of the GN Headquarters, eight hundred dollars short. Eight hundred fucking dollars! Once he got past the fence, he paused to reequip his gear, nearly throwing his bag as he chucked it over his shoulder, white-knuckled fists tight on his belt as he clamped it around his waist. Roy shoved his phone back in his pocket and his fingers brushed against a piece of paper. One that wasn’t there before and which the GN must’ve missed when they searched him. He pulled out the scrap and unfolded it to find a note scribbled in pink with loopy girly lettering.

 

Hey, cutie! Thanks for being the perfect distraction!

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                                   ♡ KP

 

    Roy ripped the note into as many pieces as he could, tossing the shredded fragments down the filth-ridden lane. A woman barked at him from behind. “Hey! Littering is another hundred dollar fine!”

    Roy screamed.

 

***

 

Starving, Roy found the nearest food booth and choked down a grease-soaked burger as quickly as possible so he could turn around and get the fuck out of this rat hole. Maybe it was his anger pushing him forward, but he made it through the second half of the passage in a few hours. There would be no journal entry on this.

    He emerged from the tunnel and squinted against the evening light–extra harsh after nearly two days underground. The hill sloped down into gradually returning greenery, sun setting over a sparkling orange ocean in the distance. True to the stories, a single glance captured Roy’s breath. It seemed almost too beautiful to be real, calming the rage of his emotional storm, his heart rate pacifying.

    On the shore, some fifteen kilometers away, sat the colorful port city of Vermilion. Far-off foghorns sounded as cargo and cruise ships pulled in and out of the harbor.

    He’d made it. His next Gym Badge lay in sight. Plus, his chance to meet Professor Cerise. They’d interacted a few times through video chat. (Well, Cerise and Oak had–Roy just happened to be in the room on occasion.) But it would be nice to see and talk to the man personally. Sighing out in overdue relaxation, a slight smile eased the tension in Roy’s face.

    The sun had about set, so Roy would camp outside tonight. But he may as well use the last thirty minutes of light to put as much distance between him and this underpass as possible. Roy looked over his shoulder at the tunnel exit.

    Vigilantes, cage fights, scammers, drugs, and a plethora of homeless.

    That tunnel… was the safe way through Saffron. The city he’d have to visit to obtain the Marsh Badge required to challenge the Elite Four. That passage had been but a taste.

    Sooner or later…

    Roy swallowed, then returned his attention to the port below. You’re not at that bridge yet. So he adjusted his pack and took the first step down Route 6 toward the city with a much more pleasant reputation.

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To be continued...

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