The three thieves hit the ground and lost consciousness immediately; Eichi had struck them far too hard. Given his physique, which was constantly tempered by Bug Force, he would have likely killed them with a single kick if their physical constitutions hadn't been somewhat decent.
The red-haired boy stared at Eichi in shock. When Eichi glanced back, the boy instantly recoiled like a startled rabbit, his body tensing up. Looking at him, it was clear he was a bit afraid of Eichi.
Eichi picked up the wallet that had fallen on the ground and brushed off the dust before carefully tucking it into his pocket. Then, he turned and walked toward the red-haired boy.
"I've already called the police. Officer Jenny should be here soon," Eichi said. "These three are your responsibility now. Once you get to the police station, just tell them the truth. I won't be going."
"Why aren't you going to the station?" the red-haired boy asked, puzzled. "You might even get a reward."
"Going to the station is too much trouble," Eichi replied indifferently. "It's getting late, and I have things to do tomorrow."
"I see. Don't worry, leave it to me," the red-haired boy promised.
Eichi patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "Try to be more mindful in the future. If you lack the strength, don't go meddling in other people's business. The world isn't as beautiful as you imagine."
With that, they passed each other. Beedrill followed behind him, and in the red-haired boy's sight, the boy and the Pokémon slowly vanished into the darkness.
The red-haired boy felt conflicted. He was just a youth who had recently set out on his journey. He had grown up in a beautiful environment and was full of longing for the outside world, believing it to be a wonderful place. However, the events that had just unfolded shattered his illusions. For the first time, he was confronted with the darkness and cruelty of the world.
But then, his thoughts took a sudden turn. That person's Beedrill was incredibly strong!
"Wait!" the boy suddenly shouted. "Damn it, I forgot to ask for his name! I don't even know where he's staying!"
He chased after him, but Eichi was already long gone. The boy felt a sense of loss and began to sigh.
After a while, the sound of sirens echoed as the police arrived. Officer Jenny strode over, looked at the red-haired boy, and asked, "Did you call the police? Where are the thieves?"
"I wasn't the one who called," the red-haired boy replied while pointing toward the three unconscious men in the corner.
Officer Jenny signaled to the officers behind her. A few went to examine the three Pokémon, while others checked on the status of the three thieves.
After a moment, one officer reported, "Commander, these three Pokémon are in critical condition and need immediate treatment."
Another officer added, "Commander, these three guys are also seriously injured and need medical attention right away."
"Quickly contact the Pokémon Center and the hospital," Officer Jenny ordered. Then she turned back to the boy. "You said you weren't the one who called the police?"
"That's right," the boy finally realized.
"Very well," Officer Jenny said. "Come with me to the Pokémon Center first and give us a detailed account of what happened."
The red-haired boy hesitated for a moment before agreeing. "Okay."
Suddenly, the sound of an ambulance rang out. One of the officers remarked, "The ambulance got here fast. I only just contacted them!"
Officer Jenny looked at the boy suspiciously. "Did you call them?"
"I didn't," the red-haired boy replied, looking bewildered.
A few medical staff members then ran over and lifted the three men onto stretchers. A short while later, Nurse Joy arrived with a Chansey. Once the three men and three Pokémon were taken away, Officer Jenny told the boy, "You're coming with me."
The emergency calls had, of course, been made by Eichi. He had originally intended to ignore them, but upon further reflection, he felt there was no need to be that cold. By now, he was already back at his hotel and asleep. His claim about having things to do tomorrow had been a lie; he simply found going to the police station to be a hassle and genuinely didn't want to go.
Thus, Eichi spent the entire next day at the hotel. He had expected a relaxing day, but fate seemed determined to find him work. In the afternoon, sirens wailed outside the hotel. Several officers stepped out of a police car, Officer Jenny among them. They asked a few questions at the front desk and then took the elevator upstairs.
Upon reaching the fourth floor, they walked to the door of room 403 and knocked.
Knock, knock.
There was no response. Officer Jenny knocked again. Still nothing. Just as she was about to knock a third time, the door to the neighboring room, 404, opened.
Eichi stepped out. As soon as he saw Officer Jenny, he knew exactly what was happening, but he feigned ignorance. "Why are you knocking on my door?" he asked with surprise.
"Hello. You are Eichi, correct?" Officer Jenny asked. "Please come with us to the police station."
At that moment, Professor Kant also stepped out. Seeing the police, he asked with a puzzled expression, "What is going on?"
"It's nothing," Eichi smiled. "I did a good deed yesterday, and they want me to go to the station to give a statement. I'll be back in a bit."
Professor Kant turned to Officer Jenny. "Officer Jenny, is that true?"
"Uh, yes, that is correct," Officer Jenny replied after a brief pause.
Officer Jenny then led Eichi downstairs and into the police car. The sight of the police drew the attention of the other students, who began to gossip. Other teachers also came over to inquire. Even Professor Kant was a bit confused about how to explain it to them.
Eichi was soon delivered to the police station. This was already his fifth time inside one. It wasn't much different from any other station, except that it was quite crowded. Goldenrod City was already the most populated city in Johto, and with the Junior Breeder assessment approaching, it was even more packed. This led to more disputes, and the place was full of people and officers handling cases.
Officer Jenny led Eichi into a room. As they entered, he saw a familiar figure. It was the red-haired boy from last night. His eyes lit up when he saw Eichi, and he smiled. "We meet again."
"Mm," Eichi grunted and sat down beside him.
Officer Jenny sat across from Eichi and asked, "Do you know why I brought you here?"
Eichi glanced at the red-haired boy and said calmly, "It should be related to my good deed last night."
"Akira has already told us everything," Officer Jenny said seriously. "We know you were acting as a good Samaritan, but why did you strike so hard? Do you realize that those three Pokémon are still in the Pokémon Center being resuscitated? It's the same for the three men. They might end up with permanent disabilities."
However, Eichi was not intimidated.