Paul let out a sigh as he looked at the clock for what he believed had to have been the hundredth time in the past few hours. In reality it was the hundred and fifty-seventh time, so his estimate was more than a little off, but given how he was barely able to stay awake due to boredom, it was understandable.

"How much longer?" Paul asked.

"You just asked that a little while ago," Nurse Joy said.

"I know, but it's tough waiting for my friends to get out of what basically amounts to surgery."

"My answer is the same it was five minutes ago: not much longer."

"Thanks," Paul said.

"You know, there's stuff you can do in town. Why not go to the Game Corner for a bit?"

"I don't like to gamble. Plus, if it was me in one of those pods and them waiting out here for me, they wouldn't leave this building until they knew I was finished. Well, Gaz might try, but Sako would stop her."

"Fair enough, I suppose."

Paul looked around for anything to do that would prevent him from staring at the clock or bugging Nurse Joy again. His gaze settled on the television, which he had avoided watching because it had mainly been playing nothing but infomercials for the longest time, something that made him want to strangle whoever owned the broadcasting network. For now, the infomercials had ended and were replaced with a news program.

"And we're back with another update on the Champion of Champions, Chris Richardson!" the news anchor said excitedly. "We're here with, of course, Chris Richardson! Chris, what are you planning to do now?" she asked as she handed the microphone to the trainer in question.

When the camera settled on the Champion, Paul was struck by just how young he was. Greg had told him that Chris wasn't even twenty-one yet, but it hadn't really meant anything to him until he had a chance to see the man with his own eyes. Chris stood a few inches shorter than Paul did, with brown eyes and matching hair. He was wearing a thick jacket and pants, both colored black. A thin layer of stubble lined his face, which contrasted with his hair which looked as though it had been freshly cut. Other than his age, he looked unremarkable, which surprised Paul.

"This is the guy who's made every region his bitch?" Paul wondered aloud. "He still looks like a kid."

He watched as Chris took the microphone from the reporter and held it up to his mouth, then began to speak.

"Well, now that I've selected some Pokémon I'd like to train, I'm going to take them out and do exactly that," the man said, in a voice that was slightly lower than what Paul expected to hear from someone of his stature.

"And why the winter gear?" the reporter asked.

"Because we're heading up north for this part of our training," he answered simply.

"Any specifics?"

Chris grinned at that. "Sorry, but that's my secret. Can't have anyone interrupting us, after all. Before anyone gets too concerned, I'll be taking a Fire type with me, so all my Pokémon will be kept warm until it's really time for them to toughen up. I also plan to check in with some friends of mine every couple of days just to let them know I'm okay, but I doubt anything bad will happen to me since I'll also be taking a special Pokémon with me who will help with the training."

"Which Pokémon would that be?" the reporter asked.

"Well, let's just say that everyone made a big deal out of it when they heard that we had teamed up."

"You mean Arceus?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that the Pokémon I'm taking with me is Arceus, since he asked specifically that I not tell people where he's going. So, as far as you're concerned, it's a secret."

"That's a yes, then," Paul said to nobody in particular.

"Anyway, I'm sorry to have to run out on you all so suddenly, but I've really got to get going if I want to get to Snowpoint on time," Chris said, before realizing his mistake. "Oops," he muttered.

"Smooth," Paul said.

"Well, you heard it here, folks," the reporter began, "look for Chris up near Snowpoint if you're able to."

"Please don't actually do that," Chris asked.

"Anyway, thanks to Chris for joining us for this brief interview. We'll be back shortly with the weather," the reporter said before the show cut to a commercial.

"And just like that, they've lost my interest," Paul said.

He was about to go back to staring at the clock when he remembered that he still had his Pokénav in his pocket. He briefly wondered if Greg was around before deciding to simply give him a call and find out for himself. He dialed the number, then held the device up to his ear. There were a few rings before his friend picked up.

"Paul, is that you?" Greg asked.

"Yeah, it's me. What's up?" Paul responded.

"Nothing much. Arceus is out of the office for a little while, but we're still having these fucking meetings. Can you believe that shit? The boss isn't even showing up any more, yet we're still expected to show up."

"So that was Arceus that Chris was talking about on that news report I was just watching?"

"Probably, yeah. What'd you think of Chris himself?"

"Shorter than I expected. Younger, too."

"Hey, I told you he was young."

"Yeah, I just didn't believe you," Paul said. "He also fucked up massively during his interview and revealed to the whole damn world that he was going up towards Snowpoint."

Greg started to laugh, confusing Paul. After a few seconds, the Mew came back to the phone. "That little bastard," he said with a hint of respect in his voice, still trying to hold back laughter.

"What's going on?" Paul asked.

"He just lied to millions of people on national television. He's not going to Snowpoint, believe me. Arceus told us where they were planning to go, and that's not even close to where they're headed, unless someone decided to move the entire city to the Alaskan wilderness. No doubt his crazy fans and the media are going to head to Snowpoint and freeze their 'nads off looking for him while he gets to train in relative peace and quiet somewhere else far away. Well played on his part. Anyway, enough about that shit, how'd your Gym battle go?"

"We lost," Paul said. "You were right about the Elektross. Gaz was able to take down Faraday's first two Pokémon before fainting, but she was unconscious by the time that Elektross came out so I had to use Sako. Not that Sako's a shitty battler or anything, it's just that she wasn't fast enough to dodge his attacks when he tried to grab her."

"Damn, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you planning on going after him again later?"

"Not for a while, no. I think we're going to head to Rustboro, then Dewford. I'm hoping to catch some more Pokémon along the way that will help."

"That's probably a good plan. Oh yeah, I wanted to tell you that I was going to head back to your world for a bit and see if I can't unfuck our friends over there somehow. I can bring you back some stuff if you need any of it. You want anything?"

Paul thought for a bit. "Yeah, I've got some stuff, but you've got to promise not to steal any of it."

"That complicates things."

"It's all stuff I have in my house so it should be easy to get."

"Then that makes things a little simpler. What did you have in mind?"

"My old GameBoy DS and a copy of Pokémon Emerald, plus my laptop."

That earned a chuckle from his friend. "And what do you plan on doing with that stuff?"

"I'm going to share a little bit of my world with Gaz and Sako, of course," Paul answered.

"I don't know about this, man. You might cause some sort of interdimensional multiverse paradox or some shit by showing them that stuff. Hell, I'm already surprised some dimension-hopping wizard hasn't popped in to lay the fucksmack on me for breaking all known laws of reality."

"Well, if you're too much of a pussy to get it, then…" Paul said.

"Oh, you want to talk about being a pussy, Mr. Not-Allowed-To-Steal-Anything? Well, look in a mirror," Greg responded.

"Alright, fine, you're not a pussy. Can you get the stuff for me?"

"Of course. I mean, I've gotten stuff from your place before, so I know where everything is."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Paul asked.

"It means I've got your missing set of power tools, a couple hundred dollars that used to have a cozy home in your wallet, a tub of chocolate ice cream that was just sitting in your fridge, and that old picture of you when you were nine."

"The one of me at that birthday party? Why the fuck did you take that?"

"Because it's the one thing that can't be replaced," Greg answered simply.

"Damn dude, you put a lot of thought into this. Just for that, you can keep that picture."

"Well, now that you're not torn up about losing it, it's not worth anything to me. Anyway, I'll talk to you later, bro. I'll give you a call once I'm back from our world with your stuff."

"Alright, talk to you later," Paul said as he ended the call. He picked a good moment to do so, as right as he finished putting his Pokénav back in his pocket, Nurse Joy returned with his Pokémon.

"Here you are," she said.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," Paul said as he rose from his seat to greet them.

Sako looked happy to be out of the machine, while Gaz's expression was unreadable.

"Why are we still in this fucking town?" the Grass type asked. "We ought to get moving now that we've won."

"Funny you should mention that," Paul began.

"Don't tell me that you two lost the battle after all the hard work I put in to it," Gaz said.

"Well, that's exactly what happened," Sako said. "I admit, I fucked up. I underestimated that Elektross and got my ass handed to me. Here's your heartfelt apology: I'm real fucking sorry."

"So, let's go battle him again," Gaz said.

"I've got a better idea," Sako told her. "Let's not do that, because I've had enough electric shocks for one day. I feel like I was used to complete the circuit between two power lines. My only hope is that one day you both learn this pain so I don't have to suffer it alone."

"Very melodramatic," Paul complimented.

"Thanks, I thought of that one while I was having tens of thousands of volts pumped into my body by an oversized electric eel with boundary issues. I've got another one lined up for when I get burned by a snail whose body is hotter than magma, which I'll probably get to use at some point if this journey continues down its current path."

"So where are we headed, if not to the gym?" Gaz questioned.

"I'm glad you asked. I planned on going through the tunnel in Verdanturf Town to Rustboro, then to Dewford, then back to here after going through Slateport for a second time," Paul answered.

"Does that mean more boat riding?" Gaz asked, earning a nod from her trainer. She let out a long, drawn-out groan after seeing his affirmation. Sako did the same next to her.

"I'm glad you're both so excited about the prospect of getting back on the high seas," Paul said.

"Fuck you, I'm in no mood for sarcasm right now," Gaz said as she stormed towards the front doors. "Let's just get going, I'd like to get to Rustboro as fast as possible since this town is unbearable."

Route 117 has a reputation as being one of the more peaceful routes in the Hoenn region, and as far as Paul was concerned, it was living up to its reputation.

"This is nice," Paul said as his group continued down the path towards Verdanturf Town.

"I guess it's alright," Gaz said. "Can't wait to see what interrupts the peace and quiet. I really do hope that whoever it is puts up a good challenge."

"I'd prefer not having to battle, since I just got out of one of those damn pods and don't want to go back in after only a little while," Sako pointed out.

"That's only a problem if you lose, which I don't intend on doing any time soon."

"Oh, I'm gonna laugh if we get to Rustboro and the Gym Leader uses Fire types."

"You won't have to worry about that, the Leader there uses Rock types," Paul said. "Well, that's assuming she's still the Leader there."

"Damn, and here I was hoping it would be a good fight," Gaz said, somewhat disappointed.

"You never know, she might throw out something that's fucking crazy," Paul said.

The group continued down the route, which managed to remain peaceful for a long time. Wild Pokémon occasionally crossed their path, but were quick to continue on their way after Gaz gave them an angry glare.

"You know I need to catch something, right?" Paul asked as Gaz scared away another Zigzagoon, the third one in two hours.

"If they're not willing to stand their ground, then they're not worth having on the team," Gaz stated. "Besides, none of them are strong enough to travel with us. They'd get chewed up and spit out during their first battle."

"Well, the idea is that you raise them to get stronger so that that doesn't happen," Sako pointed out.

"Sounds like a good way to waste time when you could just catch something that's strong to begin with."

"That's assuming that you can actually find something that's strong to begin with. Unless you know where I can get something like a Garchomp with minimal effort, then we're going to have to settle for something that can be trained."

"Speaking of getting stronger, look up ahead," Paul said.

Down the road was a big, wooden building with a large fence behind it. Pokémon were wandering around inside the fence, and some humans in uniforms were out there training them.

"What's that place?" Sako asked.

"I think that's the Day Care," Paul said. "I'm only operating with the most basic knowledge about them, but I'm pretty sure that's where trainers can drop off their Pokémon and have other people train them."

"That's the laziest fucking thing I've ever heard of," Sako said. "I bet the people who do that are the same types of people who set up a pully system for scratching their ass."

"The man is absolutely correct!" came a voice from the bushes on the side of the road.

"Oh fuck, not this bullshit again," Paul said as an old man jumped out from the bushes. "Look, pal, we just want to get to Verdanturf, alright? We're not interested in battling."

"Speak for yourself," Gaz said. "I'll take the old man on any day of the weak."

"You're not helping," Paul told her.

"Maybe not helping you, but I'm certainly helping myself."

"Which is a problem."

"If you guys are quite finished, I believe this old guy wants to say something," Sako said.

"Hey! Who are you calling old?" the man said. "Anyway, yes, I did want to say something! We're running a special over at the Day Care right now! Drop off two Pokémon for the price of one!"

"That's actually not a bad deal," Paul said.

"What's the catch?" Sako asked.

"There is no catch!" the old man said excitedly.

"I call bullshit, there's always a catch. What is it?"

The old man leaned in close. "Well, it's not much of a catch, but you've got to promise not to tell anyone."

"Alright, I've heard enough," Sako said. "Whatever this catch is, I don't think I want to hear it. Therefore, I'm out." She turned back to Paul and Gaz. "I strongly advise you both come with me before it gets weird."

"It's not too weird! We just videotape the Pokémon doing the horizontal boogie and then sell it to perverts for extra cash! They pay top dollar for that kind of thing!" the man said.

"Looks like we weren't quick enough," Sako said. "Can we get going now?"

"Absolutely," Paul said as he continued walking, quickly leaving the old man in the dust. "Fuck, is the whole world like this? Because if so, then I'm really going to have to reconsider staying here for the rest of my life."

"I don't know, and I don't want to find out. But if you do leave and go back to your world, please take me with you."

"Why? You want to see it?"

"I'm just curious, is all. What's it like not having any Pokémon around?"

"Not as exciting, I'll tell you that much. There's a lot more fighting that goes on between humans, though."

"Well, now I want to go," Gaz said. "I've always wanted to fight a human in hand-to-hand combat, just to see how they compare to me."

"Well, if you did go back to my world and try to fight someone, they'd probably call the police on you or something, so it's not a very good idea."

"Damn. Well, I suppose I could always fight you."

"Not wise," Paul said.

"Why? Because you'd beat me?"

"No, because there wouldn't be any challenge there for you. I've never been in a fight before, so you'd probably win no problem."

"Good to know, in case we ever do get into a fight," Gaz said with pride in her voice.

"If that happens, I'll just send you back into your Poké Ball," Paul said.

"Hey!"

"What? I'd prefer to avoid getting punched in the face, and if that means sending you back in there, then that's what'll happen."

"Killjoy," Gaz said.

"Can you blame me?"

"Yes. Fighting is great! Can you at least tell me what it looks like when humans fight?" Gaz asked.

Paul shrugged. "Why not? I've seen enough videos on the internet to explain that much, at least. Well, for starters, there's a lot of uncoordinated flailing around and kicks to the nuts. Occasionally you'll come across some guys who actually do know how to fight, but for the most part nobody knows what the fuck they're doing."

"What about wars? How are those?"

"The same, except with a lot more shooting and explosions. The weapons people in my world are using are decades ahead of what they've got in this world, for better or for worse. And before you ask who would win in a fight, I can tell you that without question mine would win."

"Oh," Gaz said. "Well, now I want to see what it looks like when humans fight each other."

"Well, you're in luck," Paul said. "Greg went back to my world to help our friends out, and I asked him to get some things for me while he was over there. One of those things is my laptop, and I happen to have some things on it that might give you an idea."

"Well, it looks like you've given me a good reason to stick around," Gaz said.

"Oh, please," Sako said. "If you wanted to leave, you would have left a long time ago. You can drop the whole bitch charade, by the way."

"Who are you calling a bitch?" Gaz asked angrily.

"Who else do you think? I wouldn't be calling you one if there wasn't some truth to it, so why not drop the act? I bet you're a really sweet girl underneath that rough exterior."

"Now, there's a thought," Paul said. "I bet Gaz has a nice, big soft side she's keeping hidden," he said.

Sako let out a laugh. "What, you mean like she likes to wear dresses or some shit?"

"Hey, you never know," Paul said.

Gaz's face went bright red, something that Sako picked up upon.

"Whoa, looks like someone's a little embarrassed," the Absol said. "Don't worry, I'm sure Paul will get you a dress if you ask for one."

"Alright, fun's over!" Gaz said.

"Oh no, I think it's only just begun," Paul said. "Though, you shouldn't be so quick to judge, Sako; after all, I never did get an answer as to whether or not you liked belly rubs."

This time, it was Sako who went bright red, and Gaz who started laughing.

"Are you kidding me? Belly rubs?" the Grass type said between gasps of air.

"I thought you were on my side, Paul!" Sako said angrily.

"I'm on nobody's side, it's my job to remain unbiased and make fun of everybody equally for their eccentricities," Paul said.

"Well, thanks for telling me that now!"

"Look at it this way: if you're ever feeling down, I can rub your belly, and if Gaz is ever feeling down, I can buy her a dress."

"Fuck no!" both Pokémon said at the same time.

"It's not clear if that means you're both just embarrassed about it but still want it, or if you both genuinely loathe the suggestion. Either way, I'll drop it for now," Paul said.

"That's more like it," Sako said. Gaz didn't say anything, but her expression did soften slightly.

The rest of the way to Verdanturf was easy. There were a few trainers, but none of them proved to be much of a challenge, something Gaz was quick to vocalize her disappointment about. By the time the group actually reached the city gates, it was just after noon.

"Anyone else hungry?" Sako asked as they entered the small town.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Gaz said. "Can we get some real food for once, Paul?"

"I don't see why not," Paul said. "After all, we're a few thousand bucks richer after that encounter with those thugs. Well, I guess it's not really a thousand when it's compared to an American dollar, but everything's relative. Let's find a restaurant."

After a few minutes of searching, they were able to come across a small Italian restaurant next to the Pokémon Center. The three were seated next to a group of trainers loudly discussing the various Gyms in the region, though everyone was too focused on their menus to care except for Sako, who was listening intently.

"Order anything you want," Paul said. Seeing a glint in both of his Pokémon's eye, he quickly added, "within reason, which is to say I'm only going to let you order one thing, since I'd prefer we still have some money left over for the next town."

After a few irritated grumbles from the both of them, they all went back to reading. Out of the corner of his eye, Paul was able to get a view of the entrance to the cave leading to Rustboro. He thought nothing of it until he saw a group of men enter it single-file. There was something off about them, but he couldn't put his finger on what. Still, he figured, what was the worst that could happen?

"So, this is the Rusturf Tunnel?" Paul asked. "I thought it would be more spacious."

"Hold up, motherfucker," Sako said, "we're not even going to talk about that food?"

"What's there to talk about? We established that it was the best food any of us have eaten while on this trip thus far. There's not much to discuss beyond that."

"You know, I bet that food was pretty high in calories," Gaz pointed out. "You guys know what a good way to burn calories is?"

"Gee, what physical activity could Gaz, the battle-happy Grovyle, possibly have suggested?" Sako asked. "Could it possibly be 'jacking off on your couch at home'? Or maybe it's 'run a marathon'. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's absolutely not battling, because that would be a crazy thing to suggest of Gaz, who's normally so very reserved about that kind of thing."

"Are you done?" Gaz asked.

"Well, I can keep going, but I think I'll spare both of you for now since it would be a shame if I ran out of material this early on in our journey."

"Good, because it got old after the first couple of words."

"Let's not do this now," Paul said.

"Why not?" Gaz asked. "We're currently wandering through a tunnel that stretches on for miles. It's a straight shot from here to the exit, which can be easily seen by just fucking looking ahead and seeing the damn exit. There aren't any wild Pokémon that we can find, and there aren't any trainers, either. It's just a straight, boring walk to the other side. Knowing this, I'd say that it's a perfect time to argue and get it out of our systems, unless you've got a better idea."

"As a matter of fact, I do," Paul said.

"Lay it on me, then."

"I spy with my little eye."

Both of his Pokémon let out a collective groan, causing him to snicker.

"What, you guys don't want to do that?" he asked.

"I'll shut the fuck up for the rest of the trip through this fucking tunnel as long as we don't have to play that fucking game, I promise," Gaz said.

"I'm with her on this one," Sako said.

"Alright, then I guess we're getting through here silently," Paul said.

True to everyone's word, the rest of the trip through the tunnel was completely silent. That changed the instant they were out of the tunnel, however.

"Fucking finally," Gaz said once they emerged from the path. "Can we not do that anymore?"

"That depends entirely on whether or not you two plan on arguing anymore," Paul said.

"What, you want us to go this entire journey without arguing once, or else you'll subject us to annoying children's games? Is that what you're implying, Paul?"

"That's not exactly how I would have put it, but that's basically right."

"Well, I think that's stupid. I'd rather be in my Poké Ball than have to do that."

"What Gaz means is that we have a really complex relationship with each other," Sako interrupted.

"How complex are we talking? You guys aren't fucking each other, are you?" Paul asked.

"Be serious, will you? Anyway, banter is an important part of our friendship. Isn't that right, Gaz?"

"I'm not sure if we have what can be considered a friendship. I tolerate you, you tolerate me, and occasionally we verbally roast each other over an open fire. If it means anything, you and Paul are some of the least intolerable people I've ever met," Gaz said. "Don't get me wrong, you're still both completely unbearable for the most part, but I don't want to slit both of your throats in your sleep most of the time, so that's an improvement over most other people."

"See what I mean, Paul?" Sako asked.

"You're right, that is a complex relationship," Paul said.

"What's so complex about unyielding hatred?" Gaz asked.

"We could start with the fact that every noun, verb, and adjective in your last giant-ass paragraph was an act, for one. We could do that, but something tells me that it would just cycle back to you wanting to wear a dress eventually," Sako said.

"I don't want to wear a dress, dammit!" Gaz shouted, her face once again going red.

"Clearly you're never going to admit your desires, so it's going to take some coercing from the two of us," Paul said.

"Fuck you!"

"How about a bet, Gaz? A friendly wager, if you will," Sako said.

"If it involves me wearing a dress, then absolutely not!"

"You'll only have to wear a dress if you lose, that's the beauty of it. The bet is this: I bet that you'll lose against the Rustboro Gym Leader's first Pokémon. If I'm right, then you'll have to wear a dress for a night."

"And if you're wrong?" Gaz asked.

"Then I'll let Paul rub my belly," Sako said. "There, I just thought of something that's thoroughly embarrassing for the both of us. You in?"

Gaz let out a laugh. "You're joking, right? Paul, am I correct in saying that the Gym Leader for Rustboro uses Rock type Pokémon?"

"I can't confirm until we get there and see for ourselves, but to the best of my knowledge, you're correct," Paul said.

Gaz gave Sako a smug look. "You still want to go through with your bet, despite knowing that?" she asked.

"I sure do," Sako said.

"I don't know about this, Sako," Paul said.

"Trust me on this one," Sako told him.

"Alright, I'll take your bet," Gaz said.

"Oh, this is either going to end really well or really badly," Paul said.

"Shut up, pussy."

"There you go with the act again," Sako said, starting another argument between the two of them.

Paul let out a sigh as the two Pokémon shouted at each other. "I just can't win, can I?" he muttered to himself. "I should have let myself get caught by the CIA. At least I wouldn't have to put up with this shit if I did that."

After the trip from Fortree to Lilycove, every other route seemed easy to Paul. Route 116 was no exception. None of the wild Pokémon were able to stand up to Gaz's death glare, and most of the trainers were much of a threat save for a few who were using Flying type Pokémon. Despite that, Paul and his Pokémon were able to enter Rustboro relatively unscathed and few thousand poké richer.

Rustboro is unique in that it is the one city in Hoenn to have an airport. This means it is also one of the loudest cities in Hoenn, much to the chagrin of almost everyone living there. The airport also means that is the business capital of the region, with almost all of the region's big corporations making their headquarters there, including Charles O'Hanrahan, who insisted that his lab be built there because "the sound of the planes taking off will wake all of the lab workers up better than a cup of coffee ever could" according to him. While there are those who doubt his methods, there are very few who doubt his results, as his lab is one of the most productive in the world, even with the local union attempting to sue him over unsafe noise levels.

"This place looks like a shithole," Gaz said as the group entered the town.

"Don't you ever have anything good to say?" Sako asked. "It must be rough going through life as a cynic unable to see the bright side of anything."

Gaz actually looked somewhat offended by her statement. "Of course I'm able to see the bright side of some things!"

"Name one thing," Sako challenged.

Gaz thought for a bit before retorting with, "Well, there will eventually come a time when Paul has to step out for a bit, and then I'll finally get to kick your ass."
Before Sako had a chance to respond, Paul interjected. "And until then, you'll both remain relatively civil towards one another, or else I'll put you both back in your Poké Balls, which I'm sure neither one of you wants. Especially you, Gaz, despite what you may say about it."

Gaz let out a small grumble at that, but didn't talk back to him.

"That's what I thought. Anyway, where's the fucking Gym in this town? Let's get this shit over with so we can leave."
"Not a fan of big cities?" Sako asked.

"Fuck no, I can't stand big cities, and that's not just because I spent pretty much my whole life in a small town."

"Really? Because that sounds like a pretty good reason why."

"It is, but it's not the only reason."

"What other reasons are there?" Sako asked.

"Well, for one, everyone in these cities is an asshole."

At that moment, a young woman dressed in business attire strolled past Paul and his Pokémon. She flashed them all a smile, then said, "Good day! You look like a trainer. Are you here to challenge the Gym? If so, I wish you luck, although you certainly don't look like you need it. Goodbye!" She then continued on, leaving the group dumbstruck.

"You were saying?" Gaz said.

"That proves nothing!" Paul said.

Gaz scoffed. "Sounds to me like you're just a little bitch not willing to leave his comfort zone."

"You do remember how I got here, right? Fuck, this whole journey is the definition of me leaving my comfort zone."

"Maybe you should try leaving your comfort zone of being a bitch, Gaz," Sako said.

"What did I just say?" Paul asked. "Let's all just calm down and search for the Gym."

"Fuck that!" Gaz exclaimed.

"Gaz," Paul said sternly, causing the Grass type to falter.

"Alright, fine," she said with resignation.

"That's more like it," Paul said. "Now, let's all keep our cool until we can get through the Gym. I'm sure finding it won't take that long."

It took two hours to find the Gym. Rustboro City was constructed more like a maze than an actual city, and the directions Paul received from people generally proved to be too cryptic to be of much help.

"Fucking finally," Gaz said as the group approached the doors to the Gym. "I swear, if there's a line, I'm going to kill someone."

"If there's a line, I wouldn't stop you," Paul said as they entered the Gym.

Thankfully, there wasn't a line. All three of them breathed a heavy sigh of relief upon seeing that they were the only ones there, aside from the front desk receptionist.

"Oh, a challenger!" the receptionist said excitedly, dropping the magazine she had been reading as the group approached.

Paul looked at her, confused. "Do you not get a lot of challengers these days?" he asked.

The receptionist shook her head. "Not this late in the League tournament, no. Most people have already gotten past this Gym. Or, as is the case this year, failed on this Gym and gone home, resigned to their fates as eternal losers, never to rise above crushing mediocrity. The point is, nobody really cares about the Rustboro Gym these days."

"You're not doing a lot to encourage me," Paul said.

"Oh, sorry," the woman said. "Anyway, go on and head into the back, Roxanne should be ready for you."

"Thank you," Paul said as he did exactly that.

The back of the gym had an arena in the middle of it, with bleachers on each side. The bleachers were completely empty, reinforcing the receptionist's statement that nobody cared about the Rustboro Gym. The group walked over to one end of the arena and waited for the Gym Leader to show up, something which didn't take more than a few minutes.

Roxanne stepped onto the arena, and Paul was hardly able to recognize her from her in-game counterpart. As opposed to her appearance in the games, she was much older, appearing to be just a few years younger than he was. In addition, she was very attractive. Her shoulder-length, brown hair flowed freely down her back, and her tight-fitting clothes served to accent her curvaceous figure.

"Quit drooling over the enemy," Gaz hissed, snapping Paul out of his stupor.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Are you ready over there?" Roxanne called, prompting Paul to nod.

"You're up, Gaz," he said. The Grass type grinned widely as she stepped further out into the arena.

"Remember our bet," Sako said.

"Oh, I will," Gaz responded.

"A Grovyle, huh? Nice choice," Roxanne commented. "Go, Aerodactyl!" she said as she threw out a Poké Ball.

"Wait, what?" Gaz asked, confused. The Pokémon materialized in front of her, and it was indeed an Aerodactyl.

Sako began laughing uncontrollably.

"I take it you knew that this would happen?" Paul asked.

"Hell yeah," Sako said as she composed herself. "I overheard it from those guys sitting behind me at that restaurant in Verdanturf. They were trainers who lost against Roxanne, and were discussing the finer points of her strategy. According to them, she had an Aerodactyl she liked to send out first. So, knowing this I decided to take a gamble, and it looks like it's paid off."

"Ancientpower!" Roxanne commanded.

The Aerodactly let out a roar as it picked up some of the large stones scattered around the Gym and began to hurl them at Gaz. The Grass type was able to dodge most of them, but took one to the shoulder that sent her back a few feet.

"Agility, Gaz!" Paul said.

The Grovyle relaxed her body, just like her trainer asked. When she moved again a few seconds later, she was moving much faster than before. She took a running start, then leapt at the hovering Flying type, blades outstretched. She managed to slash him across the belly before landing again, then quickly rolled out of the way to avoid the rock that he threw at her in retaliation.

"Two can play at that game!" Roxanne stated. "Agility, then Wing Attack!"

"Shit," Paul said.

The Aerodactyl took a moment to relax, then flew towards Gaz faster than the Grovyle could track him. He hit her with his wings, then quickly came back around for another pass, hitting her again. This continued for a little while until Gaz was finally able to counter his strikes. She managed to grab ahold of one of his wings, then lift herself up onto his back and slash at him. This wasn't to last, as the Aerodactyl was able to shake her off. She landed on her feet, but was unable to move quickly enough to dodge the incoming Ice Fang from him. With his jaws shimmering with ice, the Aerodactyl clamped down on her arm, causing her to scream out in pain.

"Gaz!" Paul shouted.

"Finish her off!" Roxanne said.

With Gaz still in his jaws, the Rock type flew up into the air. Just before hitting the ceiling, he dropped her. While she was falling, he hit her with Wing Attack once more, sending her flying towards the back wall. Just before she was about to hit it, he managed to intercept her, catching her in his jaws. It looked like he was going to bite down on her once again, but instead he gently lowered her to the ground, where she laid motionless.

"Damn, she got her ass kicked," Sako stated as Paul returned the unconscious Grass type to her Ball. "Also, why wasn't that fucking Elektross as considerate to me when I battled him? I fucking wish he let me off that easily. What do you think, Paul?"

"What the fuck, why is the first fucking Gym so fucking hard?" Paul exclaimed.

Sako laughed at that. "Don't worry, I've got a plan for dealing with this. Gaz softened him up a little bit, so it should work."

"If you're sure," Paul said.

"Oh, I'm sure. I'm not about to lose any time soon; I want to see Gaz in that fucking dress. Shit'll be hilarious. Anyway, just kind of let me do my own thing at first, then join in when you feel it's right."

Paul paused. "We're still talking about the battle, right?"

"Oh, fuck you. Just start issuing commands when the time is right."

"Sure thing," Paul said as the Absol stepped into the arena. As she walked forwards, he saw that she was becoming enveloped by a faint, blue light, and he cracked a small grin as he realized what she was going to do.

"Wing Attack!" Roxanne shouted.

The Rock type flew towards Sako, but at the last moment, her gambit paid off. The Detect acted as it was supposed to, enabling her to dodge the incoming attack. She moved out of the way, but as she did so, she latched on to the Aerodactyl with her claws. The additional weight made him off-balance, and given his close proximity to the ground, it was enough to send him crashing down. Sako was upon him in no time, slashing at him as fast as she could. The Flying type was unable to defend himself, and soon succumbed to Sako's assault.

"Not bad," Roxanne said as she returned him. "But how will you handle this?" She sent out her next Pokémon, a Probopass.

"Damn, talk about a Hitler moustache," Paul commented as the Pokémon materialized on the other side of the field.

"Don't worry, I'll trim it down to size," Sako commented.

"Be careful, if I'm remembering correctly, Probopass is part Steel."

"I can handle it," Sako said. "God, you worry too much."

"Flash Cannon!" Roxanne said. The Probopass did as he was told and fired a Flash Cannon at Sako, who was so caught up in talking to Paul that she didn't notice until it hit her. She was dazed, but otherwise alright.

"You were saying?" Paul asked as she picked herself up off the ground.

Sako glared at him before turning back to her opponent. "Hey, ugly! Don't hit me with your purse this time!" she challenged.

The Probopass let out a grunt and began firing off more Flash Cannons towards her. This time she was better prepared, and was able to dodge them all. The Probopass was too slow to get out of the way, and his attempt at fleeing left him wide open for an attack, something which Sako seized upon very quickly. Rather than try Slash, Sako imbued her claws and horn with Dark energy in order to use Night Slash. The Dark type attack was very effective, sending the Steel type reeling.

The Probopass tried to fight back with Earth Power, which sent pillars of rock up out of the ground towards the Absol, but he was simply too slow. No matter how much he tried to attack Sako, she would just move out of the way and re-engage once the attacks cleared. After a few minutes of this, he finally gave up and collapsed to the ground.

"Good job, Sako," Paul said as the Dark type walked back over to him.

"Thanks," she said. "He was just a big pushover. Don't get a Probopass, they're useless."

"Duly noted," Paul said as he approached Roxanne. "So, do I collect my badge from you?" he asked.

"You do," Roxanne said. She fished around in one of her pockets for a bit, then returned with the badge. "Here you are," she said as she offered it to Paul.

"Thank you," Paul said as he accepted the badge. He put it in his pocket and turned to leave.

"Goodbye," Roxanne said.

Paul waved at her, then continued on his way.

"What, that's all?" Sako asked. "I'm surprised you didn't ask her out or something."

"No time, we've got places to be," Paul said.

"Like where?"

"Well, we've got to find the Pokémon Center and drop Gaz off, then I figured we'd go to the store in order to pick up some things."

"Sounds good to me," Sako said.

It was night time when Paul and Sako returned to the Pokémon Center. When they got there, they found Gaz waiting for them, visibly angry.

"Where the fuck have you both been?" she asked, barely-disguised malice in her voice.

"We went out and bought some things," Paul said. "Sorry. We would have liked to stay here with you, but we really needed to get to the store."

"Yeah," Sako said. "Paul got this new backpack. Show her, Paul."

Paul turned around to reveal that he had indeed gotten a new backpack.

"Oh, well, gee, thanks a lot for fucking caring," Gaz said.

"Hey, if it makes you feel better, you and I can go out and get some stuff the next time Sako's in the pod," Paul offered.

"Whatever," Gaz said. "Let's just head back to the room already."

"You already got a room?"

"Not like I had anything else to do while I waited for you pricks to get back. Room 104."

"And it's empty, right?"

"Are you still hung up on that? Yes, it's empty, I checked myself."

"Then let's head back."

True to Gaz's word, the room was empty.

"Thank fucking God," Paul said as the three of them entered. Seeing Gaz intended to sit down on the couch, he said, "hold up, Gaz."

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Got something for you," Paul said as he threw a dress over to Gaz. The Grass type's face went bright red once she realized what she was holding.

"Y-you can't be serious!" she stammered.

"Hey, a bet's a bet," Paul said.

"I hate you both so fucking much!" Gaz protested.

"Hate us as much as you want, but you're the one who took the bet in the first place, so it's your own damn fault."

"Well, I'm not going to wear it! So now what?"

Paul gave her a stern look. "If you were to do that, I'd have to voice my disappointment," he warned.

"Then do it! See if I care!"

"Alright, you asked for it," Paul said as he took a deep breath. "Gaz," he began, "I'm very disappointed in you."

The Grass type's expression fell. She gave Paul a quick glance before gathering the dress in her arms and retreating into the bathroom with it.

"I'll be out in a minute!" she called as she shut the door. "B-but both of you have to be looking in the other direction until I say you can look!"

"That's just fine," Paul said as he and Sako turned around so they were facing the window. "Whenever you're ready, Gaz."

"O-okay," the Grass type stammered.

Paul and Sako turned around, and their jaws dropped. Gaz was wearing the dress, though if the look on her face and her blush was any indication, she was doing so very reluctantly. The dress was a light blue, which contrasted nicely with her green-colored body. It went as far down as her knees before stopping. Two straps held it up at her shoulders.

"Geez, it actually doesn't look bad on you," Sako said. "Hell, it's actually rather cute."

"Fuck you!" Gaz spat. "When can I take this fucking thing off?"

"In a bit," Paul said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the battery life on it. It had gone days without being turned on, so it still had a bit of a charge left. He switched to the camera function and aimed it at the dress-clad Grovyle.

"What are you doing?" the Grass type questioned.

"Nothing," Paul said as he snapped a few pictures.

"It certainly looks like you're doing something. What is that?"

"My cell phone from my world," Paul said, continuing to take pictures.

"Why do you have it out?"

"Just felt like checking my messages," he responded. Having taken a sufficient number of pictures, he put the phone back in his pocket.

"Whatever. Can I take this fucking thing off now?"

"Sure," Paul said. Before Gaz had a chance to do anything else, he quickly added, "but make sure it stays in one piece, I'd like to return it the next time we go into a store."

Gaz let out a few angry mumbles, but did as she was asked and kept the garment in one piece.

As she was stripping off the dress, there was a knock at the door. Paul opened it and was met by a distraught-looking nurse.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Oh, it's dreadful!" she cried. "Some thugs have taken over the Devon Corporation!"

"The Devon Corporation? The one that's worth a fuckton of money?" Paul asked, earning a nod from the nurse. "How come the police aren't doing anything about it?" he questioned.

"There aren't enough officers on-duty to take on a whole building of thugs! Oh, if only there was a trainer willing to risk their Pokémon to free the people trapped inside!"

"Let me just stop you there," Sako said. "Now, I know what you're trying to pull, and let me just say that it's not going to-"

"We're in," Paul said.

"God fucking dammit. Need I remind you that it's our lives you're risking, not your own?"

"Would you rather we leave those people in there to suffer?" Paul asked her.

"I'd rather not go in there and get my ass kicked, thank you."

"Did that Elektross scramble your brain or something? Usually you're quite willing to rush headlong into a dangerous situation in order to get a good fight."

"Well, since you asked, yes, I think that electricity knocked a few screws loose. But that's irrelevant, this is just common sense speaking. You want us to storm a building owned by a multibillion dollar company, possibly causing grievous destruction to it along the way, all in the name of beating the shit out of a group of common thugs, who may or may not prove to be a challenge…" Sako trailed off at the end.

Paul caught her mistake. "Sounds fun, doesn't it?"

Sako sighed. "Fuck it, let's go rescue some nerds."

"Is that the Devon Corporation?" Sako asked as they approached one of the larger building in the center of the city.

"I think so," Paul said.

"How can you tell?"

"Well, the crowd of people and news cameras surrounding it makes a compelling argument."

"Or it could be the fact that the fucking building has 'Devon Co.' written on the side of it," Gaz pointed out.

"That too."

"Now, the question is, how do we get inside?" Sako asked.

Paul thought for a bit before responding. "Follow my lead," he said before heading towards the front of the crowd.

"Oh, this ought to be good," Gaz said as she followed him.

Paul looked around for the police officer in charge. He saw a man dressed in a police officer's uniform with a handlebar moustache and ten-gallon hat on, and assumed that was him.

"Are you the officer in charge of this operation?" he asked.

The officer nodded. "Yes, sir. That is me. What do you want?"

"I'm Special Agent Dan Wilson, of the International Police. I have reason to believe that the men inside are a part of an international criminal organization who plan to use the fossil restoration technology owned by Devon to create an army of Pokémon with which they will attack all of the world governments and overthrow them in order to institute a one-world constitutional monarchy. I am asking for your permission to enter the building and apprehend the suspects. Which floor are the hostages being held on?"

The officer scoffed. "Yeah, right. Like I'd believe that story."

Paul narrowed his eyes. "Now, you listen to me. There are men in there, good men, with families, who want nothing more than to go home and see their loved one again, something that all of you lazy jerk-dicks down here are doing nothing to help them achieve. So either you let me in there and save them, or I'm going to let my agency know just how incompetent you guys are. You ever heard of the great layoffs in Kanto a few years back?"

"N-no," the officer said nervously.

Paul laughed. "It was great. My agency shut down a whole department of lazy pricks just like you. Oh, when I let my boss know about the shit that went down here, he's going to have a field day. He'll make the Kanto layoffs look like child's play in comparison."
"Alright, alright!" the officer said. "You can go through. Just don't get me fired, please. I need this job. The hostages are on the top floor."

"That's more like it," Paul said as he casually strolled towards the building.

Once they were out of earshot, Gaz said, "I can't fucking believe that worked. Just how stupid are these people?"

"We're going to need a plan," Sako said as they entered the building.

"I've got one," Paul said.

"What is it?"

"We wing it and hope we don't cock things up somewhere along the line."

"Sounds good to me."

The three rounded a corner and came face-to-face with a young man. He was wearing casual clothes, but he looked out-of-place given that the rest of the building was under siege. Paul looked at his waist and saw a few Poké Balls hanging on his belt. He quickly put things together and decided to act fast.

"Gaz, get this guy!" he ordered.

Gaz did as she was told and tackled the man. The man cussed loudly as Paul stripped him of his Poké Balls.

"You motherfuckers!" he shouted.

"Cussing will get you nowhere," Paul admonished. "Now, I've got a few questions, and I expect some answers."

"Fuck you!" the man spat.

Paul sighed. "Alright, looks like we're doing this the hard way. Gaz, do me a favor and put the blades to him, medium-style."

"The fuck does that mean?" Gaz asked.

"Just shake him up a little."

"You could have just asked," Gaz pointed out as she extended one of her blades and pressed it against the man's throat. He gulped loudly as she did so.

"Well, now that you're sufficiently frightened, I'd expect you to be in a talking mood," Paul said. "First and foremost, it's painfully obvious that you're all most likely a part of some international criminal organization. Which one is it? Team Aqua? Team Magma?" Paul paused for a bit. "Team Flare?" he added cautiously. "God, even thinking of those guys makes me feel weird. Fucking fashion Nazis."

"You wish I'd tell you something like that!" the man said defiantly.
Paul shook his head. "Very poor choice of words there. See, the way you said it implies that you actually are a part of a criminal organization."

"I'm not!"

"That's a lie. Tell me who you work for."

"Me, myself, and I!"

"This is going nowhere. Gaz, if you'd be so kind?"

Gaz bashed the man's head against the floor a few times, dazing him. Then she held his head up and placed one of her blades in front of it.

"You've got five seconds to start talking, or else this blade is going underneath your fingernails," she threatened.

"Okay! I don't know who I work for, alright? I've never met the boss! All I know is that some guy paid me and a few of my friends to stir up some trouble over here at around this time!"

"And how many friends do you have with you?" Paul asked.

"Four!"

"Good enough for me. Gaz, put this idiot under."

Gaz smacked the man upside the head, causing him to slump down, unconscious.

"How come she always gets to do shit like that?" Sako asked as the three of them continued towards the stairs.

"You can handle the next one," Paul promised her as they ascended the stairs.

The staircase led to an empty reception area, though the area itself had a few elevators in it. The group entered the nearest one, and Paul pressed the button for the top floor.

"I've never been on an elevator before," Sako said as the doors closed and the elevator began to ascend.

"First time for everything," Paul said.

The group remained silent until the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Gaz leapt out of the elevator, searching intently for any enemies nearby. Paul and Sako casually strolled out, not caring.

"You don't have to be so dramatic," Paul said as Gaz peeked around a corner.

"Shut the fuck up, you're going to give away my position!" Gaz hissed.

"Whatever," Sako said as she rounded the corner Gaz had taken point on. Someone shouted in surprise as she did so, but was quickly cut off by a loud bang. Paul and Gaz exchanged a look with each other before rounding the corner. There they found Sako standing over an unconscious man.

Paul breathed a sigh of relief. "Fuck, you had me worried," he told her.

Sako grinned. "Look on the bright side, I got his wallet," she said as she handed it to Paul, who casually took a few bills from it before placing it next to the man.

"Normally I'd be against doing this kind of thing, but he won't need money where he's going," Paul said as he pocketed the bills. "Now, where's the conference room?"

"The sign on the wall says that way," Gaz said as she pointed to one of the signs on the wall, which directed them down a long hallway.

"Suspenseful," Sako said as they moved towards the conference room.

"Let's keep it down, alright?" Paul said as they reached the doors.

"Fuck that, I'm going loud!" Gaz said as she kicked in the door closest to her and entered the room. Sako followed her, and together they managed to subdue the two men watching over the hostages.

"That seemed easy," Paul said as he entered the room.

"Because none of these dumbasses had their Pokémon out, that's why," Gaz said with contempt. "Seriously, you people are idiots."

"Can we just knock them out already and move on with our lives?" Sako asked.

Paul nodded, and his Pokémon proceeded to do exactly that. Sako reached for their wallets, but Paul ended that with a quick shake of the head. She shot him a questioning glance, and he simply motioned towards the hostages, who were eyeing them all intently.

"What the hell is wrong with you people?" Gaz asked. "We just rescued you! Go home already."

The hostages didn't need to be told twice. They began to file out of the room. One of the men, who was dressed in a nice suit, accidentally bumped into Paul, sending both of them falling to the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" the man said, before pausing. Paul wondered what had given him pause before looking over and seeing that the man was holding his cell phone.

"Hey, that's mine," Paul said.

"What is it?" the man said.

"It's a… uh… I don't know," Paul said, thinking quickly.

"Smooth," Sako said.

"Where on Earth did you get something like this?" the man asked.

"Found it," Paul lied.

"Well, it's simply magnificent! I've never seen anything quite like it! I simply must have it!" the man said as he began to mess with the phone. He tapped something on the screen, and his smile faltered. After a few seconds, he turned back to Paul. "Not that it's any of my concern, but why do you have pictures of a Grovyle in a dress?"

"Paul, you fucking asshole!" Gaz shouted.

Paul threw up his hands in surrender. "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," he said weakly.

Gaz was fuming with anger. "I knew I shouldn't have fucking trusted you! God, I hate you so fucking much right now! Fucking fuck! I can't believe you went and did something like that!"

"I'm just so confused," the man said. "Is this some kind of weird fetish thing I've never heard of?"

"I can assure you of two things," Sako said, "the first is that it's not a weird fetish thing, and the second is that it's a long story. Basically, she lost a bet."

"Ah. It all makes sense, then," the man said. "Anyway, I'm Devon. As you probably guessed, I own this company. I suppose I ought to thank all of you for saving us from those thugs."

"Speaking of which, we should probably get the fuck out of here, since those guys could wake up any minute now, and they all still have their Pokémon," Sako pointed out.

The man laughed. "That will happen as soon as I finish doing business with this fine young man right here," he said as he motioned towards Paul. "By the way, what is your name?"

"Paul Stanton," Paul said.

"More like Dead Meat!" Gaz shouted. "I'm going to fucking murder you so God damn hard! Your parents won't even be able to recognize you after I'm finished!"

"Actually, his parents won't be recognizing much of anything at all, since they're dead and buried," Sako pointed out.

"Fuck you, Sako!"

"Anyway, what would it take for me to get this device from you?" Devon asked Paul as the two Pokémon bickered in the background.

Paul shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted.

"Well, surely there must be something you want. You name it, and it's yours. It's the least I could in exchange for saving my company and giving me such a fine piece of technology. How about a rare Pokémon?" Devon offered.

Paul grinned. "Now you're speaking my language. What have you got for me?"

"I can give you my Breloom, if you'd like. We were using her to test some technical machines, so her moveset is a bit odd, but she still has the ever-important Mach Punch."

"What does she know?"

"Mach Punch, Energy Ball, Power-Up Punch, and Swords Dance."

"Sounds good to me, although there's one more thing I want."

"What would that be?"

"For every unit of anything you produce using the technology in that device I just gave you, I want five percent of the profits."

Devon laughed. "It's a deal," he said, as he offered Paul his hand. Paul accepted it, and the two shook on it. "Give me your Pokénav number, and I'll call you once the first unit rolls off of the assembly line, then we can discuss business further."

Paul exchanged numbers with the man. After that, the man reached into his pocket and handed Paul a Poké Ball.

"That's the Breloom I told you about," Devon said. "Her name's Belle. I'd tell you to treat her nice, but I don't think I have to worry about that."

"You had a Pokémon on you this whole time?" Sako asked, having ended her fight with Gaz. "Why didn't you use it to free everyone?"

"I'm not much of a trainer. Plus, Belle is a little… well, you'll see," Devon said.

"I've got a bad feeling about this, Paul," Sako warned. Paul was too busy thinking of all the money he was going to make off of the new products to care about anything she had to say. Gaz also didn't care about what she to say, since she was still too angry at Paul to care about anything else.

"Nice doing business with you, Devon," Paul said as he accepted the Poké Ball.

Devon flashed him a smile. "Any you too, Mister Stanton!" he said. "Good luck on your journey."

"Thank you," Paul said as he headed towards the elevators with his team. On their way there they passed a few police officers and their Pokémon, who paid them little mind. Once they got in the elevator and the doors closed, Gaz punched Paul in the shoulder as hard as she could.

"You fucking asshole!" she shouted.

"Okay, I deserved that," Paul said as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Damn right you did!"

"But can you honestly say that you wouldn't have done the same thing if you were in my position?" Paul asked, earning a low grumble from the Grovyle.

"Why don't you let that Breloom out?" Sako asked.

"In this elevator? Fuck no, it's crowded enough in here already, I feel like a fucking sardine packed into a tin. How about once we get back to the Pokémon Center?"

"Works for me."

Back in the Pokémon Center, everyone was trying to relax. Sako was watching TV, and Gaz was still fuming about Paul taking pictures of her. Paul had dropped his backpack on the ground next to the table and was about to let Belle out of her Poké Ball when his Pokénav started to ring.

"Hello?" he asked as he picked up the call.

"What's going on, bro? It's Greg. I'm back here and I've got the stuff you asked for. Where you at?"

Paul grinned. "Nice to hear from you. I'm at room 104 in the Rustboro Pokémon Center."

"Alright, hang on," Greg said before ending the call. Paul put his Pokénav back in his pocket and waited. A few seconds later, Greg materialized in the center of the room in his Mew form.

"What's up, my man?" he asked cheerfully.

Paul shrugged. "Not much. Just freed the Devon Corporation from a group of thugs, got a new Pokémon from a millionaire, beat the Rustboro Gym, and may have secured my financial future through a good business deal. How about you?"

Greg laughed. "Sounds like you've been busy. Where's that new Pokémon at? I'd like to meet her."

"Right here," Paul said as he held up Belle's Poké Ball.

"Well, let her out."

Paul nodded and pressed the button on the center of the Ball. It opened, and a few seconds later, a Breloom stood a few feet away from him.

"Hello, there," Paul said.

"Hiya," the Breloom said, taking him by surprise.

"Devon didn't mention that you had a translator," Paul said.

The Breloom giggled. "Oh, I don't need one. My mom taught me how to speak English when I was little. She was smart like that."

"Okay, then. That's one less thing to worry about, I suppose," Paul said. "You're Belle, correct?"

"Correctamundo!" the Fighting type said happily. "Belle's my name, and my name is Belle! I told that to Mister Devon when he caught me. He was surprised I could speak, too! Where is he, anyway?"

Paul exchanged a glance with Greg. "Well, he gave you to me," he said gently.

His trepidation proved unwarranted, as the Breloom let out another giggle. "Oh, that's okay! If Mister Devon gave me to you, then he must really, really trust you! And if he really, really trusts you, than I really, really trust you, too!"

"This is so adorable it's stupid," Sako called from her position in front of the TV.

Belle let out a gasp. "Oh, you have an Absol! I've always wanted to meet one! I've heard that they're so wise!"

"You'll be disappointed by that one, then," Gaz said.

Belle let out another gasp. "And you have a Grovyle, too! Hey, my dad was a Sceptile! That means we could be sisters!"

"No," Gaz simply stated.

"Wait, how could your dad have been a Sceptile?" Greg questioned. "Sceptile and Breloom are in two completely different egg groups. They aren't supposed to be able to breed."

"It sure beats me, but they made it work somehow!" Belle said with a giggle. "Also, wow, a Mew! I've never seen one before. What's Arceus like?"

"He's a fucking prick, I'll tell you that much," Greg stated. "Anyway, Paul, I think I might have succeeded in my quest."

"Do you mean the one where you helped out our friends, or the one where you brought me back my stuff?" Paul asked.

"Both. I won't go into the details, but I popped into the FBI headquarters, the Pentagon, and the White House, so they ought to be looking for an explanation somewhere. Just to be sure, I popped into the CIA headquarters disguised as one of their agents, and I got confirmation that they're letting our friends go. They should be in the clear now. I'm not entirely sure how that worked out, but I'm not complaining. As for your stuff, I've got this bag here filled with it," he said, motioning towards a small bag that sat on the floor beneath him.

"Thanks, Greg," Paul said before turning to Belle. "I suppose we owe you an explanation," he said to her.

"Oh, no need," Belle said. "I've got it all figured out."

"You do?" Sako asked, surprised.

Belle nodded happily. "I sure do! Paul's an interdimensional traveler brought here from a world where Pokémon don't really exist thanks to his best friend, who happens to be a Mew. And he's here mainly to dodge a government agency that would torture and imprison him for a very, very long time if caught."

"What the fuck? How did you know?"

"I actually didn't know, but thanks for confirming it for me," she said with a smile.

"You mean that you guessed all of that? Fuck, the odds of that happening are probably something like-"

"Three-billion, four-hundred and ninety-nine million, six-hundred and fifty-seven thousand, one-hundred and three to one," Belle pointed out. "But who's counting?"

"How the hell do you know all of this stuff?"

Belle shrugged. "I don't know, I just do. My mom used to say that I was special."

"She was right, but in an entirely different way than you might think," Gaz said with a smirk.

"Oh, did you just call me special?" Belle asked the other Grass type.

"No, I-"

"Well, thank you! That's just about the nicest thing anyone's said to me for a long time! Why, it makes me want to just hug you!"

"Do that and I'll-"

Gaz didn't get to finish her sentence as the energetic Grass type suddenly embraced her. For a moment, she wasn't sure how to respond. That all changed when she noticed Paul, Greg, and Sako forcing themselves to hold in their laughter.

"I'll give you three seconds, exactly three fucking seconds, to let go of me before I get mad," Gaz growled.

Belle let out a giggle. "Okay!" she said as she released the other Grass type. "All you had to do was ask."

"Gaz, I think she likes you," Paul said.

Gaz simply growled at him.

Greg let out a yawn. "Well, I'm pretty tired, so I think I'm going to head back home. It was nice seeing everyone, and it was nice to meet you, Belle," he said before teleporting out.

"And just like that, he's gone," Sako said.

"Pretty much," Paul said as he picked up the bag. "Anyway, I've got some stuff in here I think you guys might be interested in."

"Ooh, what have you got?" Belle asked excitedly.

"Well, you all remember how I said Pokémon only really exist in fiction back in my world?" Paul asked as he pulled out his DS and Pokémon Emerald cart. "I've got with me a copy of one of the pieces of fiction they exist in. You guys interested in seeing how my world sees you?"

"You fucking know it," Sako said as she tapped the power button on the remote with a claw, turning the TV off. She got up from her position next to the couch and joined Paul over near the table. Gaz didn't say anything, but she also joined Paul.

"Alright, here it is," Paul said as he switched on the game and loaded up his save file. He had left off in Lavaridge Town, and was about to fight Flannery.

"Where is this supposed to be?" Gaz asked.

"Lavaridge Town," Paul answered as his character entered the Gym.

"Well, I've never been there, but I can assure you that it doesn't look like that."

"Hold on, let me battle someone," Paul said as he walked up to one of the Gym trainers and began to battle him. His character sent out a Swampert, which earned a laugh from Gaz.

"Is that supposed to be a Swampert?" she asked. "He looks kind of fat."

"I'm more concerned with that guy's Numel," Sako said. "He looks like he's got problems."

"I don't get it," Belle said. "Why are they taking turns hitting each other?" she asked as she watched Paul battle.

Paul shrugged. "That's just how the game works, I suppose."

"Well, that's stupid," Gaz said. "No battle has ever gone like that. Do they even dodge?"

"Some moves have perfect accuracy unless something like Sand Attack has been used," Paul explained.

"That's the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard of in my life. So you just take turns hitting each other and hope the other guy loses first?"

"Pretty much."

"Sounds boring."

"It's actually pretty compelling. Although I will say that it's nothing compared to the real thing," Paul said.

Sako laughed. "Damn right. This game sucks. Why don't you show us some of the other stuff you brought?"

"Hold on, I want to see what other Pokémon Paul has," Belle said. Paul did as she asked and brought up the screen showing his party members. Belle looked disappointed when she didn't see a Breloom among them.

"Don't worry, Belle," Paul said. "I usually use a Breloom, I just wanted to try something different this time around."

That seemed to make her feel better, as she was back to smiling not soon after.

"What else do you have?" Sako asked.

"I've got a Swampert, a Mightyena, a Manectric, a Swellow, and that's it," Paul said.

"What, no Absol?"

"I'm not at that part of the game yet."

"Why no Grovyle?" Gaz asked.

"Because you can only pick between Torchic, Mudkip, and Treecko at the start, and you can't get the other two once you pick one. I usually pick Treecko, but I wanted to try out Swampert this time," Paul said.

"You can't catch them in the wild? That's so unrealistic."

"Hey, you won't hear any complaints from me," Paul said as he shut the game off and reached for his laptop. "Anyway, since you wanted to see what wars back in my world were like, I had Greg bring me my laptop."

Gaz perked up at that. "You have my attention," she said.

"What's a war?" Belle asked.

"It's fighting, but on a large scale," Paul explained as he opened up the laptop and typed in his password. He then searched for his video folder and loaded up one of the movies he had saved.

The movie was about a Navy SEAL who was severely injured in a firefight that killed the rest of his team. Paul skipped the beginning exposition in favor of getting directly to the fighting, since he knew that everybody wanted to see that first. He skipped around until he found the scene of the four men walking through a forest, then let the movie play.

It wasn't long before fighting broke out on the screen. The sound of gunfire and explosions filled the air as the men on-air fired at their enemies. Belle took one look at the screen and turned away.

"Too much blood," she simply said.

Sako seemed somewhat disgusted by the events on-screen, yet was unable to look away. Gaz was similarly entranced.

The action on-screen intensified. The group of men all began to take rounds and get pushed back until they jumped off a cliff in order to flee from their attackers. There was a brief lull in the action, then the fighting continued.

Paul paused the movie when the men left one of their team mates behind, which snapped his Pokémon out of their trance.

"What'd you think?" he asked.

"Fuck," Sako said. "That shit didn't actually happen, did it?"

"Based on a true story," Paul said.

"Fuck," she repeated.

"That was intense," Gaz stated. "Are all human wars like that?"

"Just the ones in the modern age," Paul said. "That scene left out things like air support, artillery strikes, and mobile armor. I'd show you some more of that stuff, but it's getting kind of late."

"I'm still good to stay up," Belle said cheerfully.

"Yeah, well, I'm not. Liberating a building takes a lot out of you."

"You didn't even do anything," Sako pointed out. "Just let us keep watching for a bit longer, will you?"

"Alright, fine," Paul said as a devious thought crossed his mind. "I've got a good one for you. It's a World War Two movie, and it has one of the most intense war sequences ever put on film."

"Now I'm interested," Gaz said.

"Belle, you should probably look away."

"Okay!" the Fighting type said.

"Right, here we go," Paul said as he loaded up the next movie.

It opened with a shot of a beach with barricades scattered around it before transitioning to soldiers riding in boats. This scene wasn't to last, as the instant the boats hit the beach and dropped their ramps, the men were cut down by machine gun fire.

What followed could best be described as pure hell. Ten minutes of men being sawed in half by gunfire or blown up by explosions shown in gruesome detail. Paul watched the color drain from his Pokémon's faces, with the exception of Belle, who was humming gleefully to herself as she stared off into the opposite direction of the laptop. Paul paused the video once the men got just underneath one of the pillboxes.

"So, what'd you think?" he asked.

Both of his Pokémon looked like they were about to be sick. He let out a laugh.

"I warned you," he said.

"Oh, is the movie over?" Belle asked.

"Technically it's only just begun, but I don't think they're interested in seeing the rest," Paul said. "Which is a damn shame because it's actually a really good movie."

"M-maybe s-some d-day," Sako stammered, which got a nod from Gaz.

"Anyway, I guess now it's a good time for bed," Paul said. "Gaz, will you be taking the bed?"

The Grass gave a small shake of her head before wandering over to the couch. Paul shrugged before tossing her a blanket, which she didn't even bother to try and catch.

"How about you, Belle?" Paul asked. "You can have the bed and I can sleep on the floor, if that's what you want."

"Oh, no! You can have the bed and I'll sleep on the floor!" Belle said.

Paul thought for a bit. "How about we share it? You take one side, and I'll take the other. That way nobody has to sleep on the floor. Well, Sako can, unless she wants to lay at the foot of the bed like a dog."

"F-floor is f-fine," Sako said, clearly still shaken up.

"Okay, then I guess we've got it all figured out," Paul said as he climbed into bed. Belle did the same on his other side. "Goodnight, everyone," he said as he turned off the light and closed his eyes.

"Goodnight, Paul!" Belle said cheerfully. Nobody else said anything. Paul couldn't imagine why.