Takehara swallowed nervously, his eyes flicking to the Cramorant perched on Aiden's shoulder. "W-What do you want to know?"
Aiden could tell the man was terrified. Honestly, he'd never been in a situation like this before face-to-face with criminals but years of watching TV dramas made it surprisingly easy to play the role of an interrogator.
Expression blank, voice steady, he asked, "What region is this?"
Takehara hesitated. The memory of that devastating attack flashed in his mind, and cold sweat ran down his back. Finally, he answered, "This is… the Hoenn Region. More specifically, the Petalburg Woods, west of Petalburg City."
Relief washed through Aiden. At least they weren't lying. He pressed further.
"Who are you?"
Takehara gritted his teeth. "We're Pokémon Hunters."
Aiden's stomach twisted. Pokémon Hunters…
Unlike Teams Magma or Aqua, who pursued grand schemes like reshaping the world, Pokémon Hunters were nothing but poachers. They captured rare Pokémon and sold them on the black market.
The communication device earlier had mentioned an "auction." That meant… they were planning to sell Ralts.
Everything clicked into place, and Aiden quickly understood the situation.
He had been lucky in his previous life; crime had never touched him directly. Now, confronted with it head-on, he hesitated for a moment unsure how to deal with the hunters.
After a brief silence, he asked, "How long would it take to walk from here to Petalburg City?"
Takehara swallowed again. He could sense Aiden was deciding their fate. "On foot… about two hours."
Aiden nodded. That matched the direction Greedent had pointed out earlier. Standing, he collected the loot scattered on the ground Poké Balls, a ferry ticket, medicine, and a wallet.
"H-Hey! That's mine!" Takehara protested, eyes wide.
Aiden smirked faintly. "Your Mightyena attacked me. Consider this as compensation for medical bills and trauma."
Takehara's jaw dropped. He was used to robbing others, never the other way around.
Aiden ignored him, pocketing the goods before turning to leave.
"You can't just abandon us here!" Takehara shouted desperately. "At night, the wild Pokémon will tear us apart!"
Aiden glanced back, voice calm. "Don't worry. The police will find you. This kind of scum is their job to clean up."
With that, he walked away without hesitation.
...
As Aiden moved closer to the forest's edge, the Pokémon around him changed. Gone were the larger, aggressive species. Instead, he saw Caterpie crawling along branches, Wurmple clinging to leaves, and Weedle poking around the underbrush.
Weak Pokémon curious, but with little desire to attack.
He quietly observed them, studying both their data and their emotions. And then it struck him.
This was why most people never became trainers.
The journey itself was brutal. Children as young as ten set out alone, facing forests filled with danger, hunger, and poison. Many quit before even reaching their first badge. Others faltered at the gyms, worn down by constant setbacks.
Only a tiny handful persevered long enough to reach the League stage and fewer still could stand at the top.
Hours passed. Finally, sunlight broke through.
Aiden stepped out of the dense trees, onto a winding road that stretched toward a bright horizon. His chest tightened with relief. "Finally…"
At the forest's entrance, a sign stood: Please keep your Pokémon with you at all times when entering Petalburg Woods.
Clutching his bag, Aiden licked his dry lips. For the first time since arriving, he saw other people on the roadside.
Pedestrians. Civilization.
The sight filled him with such raw excitement that he momentarily forgot his exhaustion. Following the signposts, he soon reached the bustling streets of Petalburg City.
Crowds of people, Pokémon trotting happily alongside their trainers, the calls of shopkeepers it was almost enough to bring tears to his eyes.
"I made it…" he whispered.
But hunger gnawed at his stomach, and his legs ached from all the walk. Pushing through, Aiden asked a passerby where the police station was.
The man, smiling warmly, said, "You're a traveling trainer, right? You should rest first at the Pokémon Center!"
Trainer. That word hit Aiden like a stone. He wasn't one yet.
He forced a polite smile, declined, and headed toward the police station.
Inside, Officer Jenny listened carefully as he reported the two Pokémon Hunters in the forest. Efficient as always, she mounted her black-and-white police motorcycle and sped off.
Not long after, she returned dragging the two bound men behind her, both crying and cursing.
After confirming his story, Jenny thanked Aiden sincerely.
But that was it. No reward. Aiden blinked, disappointed. "Really? That's all?"
Before leaving, he asked, "Excuse me… if someone loses their Trainer ID, how can they replace it?"
Jenny tilted her head. "Are you a traveling trainer?"
Not yet. But he could lie.
She assumed he meant a lost Pokédex and replied, "No need to replace it. Just show your badges and registered name at the League to enter the Conference."
Aiden nodded slowly. That meant only certain people ,those chosen by Professors, given Pokédexes were considered official "holders." They gathered data for the League, earned free Pokémon Center access, and carried a higher status.
Ordinary civilian trainers, however, received none of those benefits. They had to pay for Pokémon Center services.
"What about… ordinary people?" Aiden asked cautiously.
Jenny blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I know someone who grew up in seclusion with their parents. Never left the forest, so… no ID."
Recognition flickered in her eyes. She'd heard rumors of children raised by Pokémon or isolated families.
"That's simple," she replied. "If their parents are alive, bring them to the station. We'll register the family's information and upload it to the League system."
Aiden pressed, "And if the parents… aren't alive?"
Jenny's expression softened. "Then the child must handle it themselves."
Her serious tone left no room for doubt.
.....