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The sound of the massive tree monster crashing back through the woods echoes in the distance. I return my exhausted Zubat to his ball.

Looking behind me I can see the woods thinning out by the light of a small campfire. Next to it is a camp chair big enough for two people to share. Some marshmallows are melting from sticks, and there's a cozy little tent.

Lifting my head up to face the pair that's still wondering if I'm ok, the fella's belt is undone and the girl clearly has nothing on under her mostly zipped up jacket. Two plus two Kurt…

I chuckle, "Ya I'm alright thanks to you kids, just a few scrapes and bruises. If you can point me towards town I'll let ya get back to your date."

The girl, Mary turns a shade of red visible even in the low firelight.

Berke has a grin like he just won the lottery, "I'd appreciate that, but first are you sure you're alright?"

After I give him a nod he points past the tent, "Follow the trail a quarter mile that way and you'll hit the parking lot at the woods entrance, you'll be able to see the Poke Center from there."

He gives me a hand standing up then grabs a bottle of water from an ice chest while I dust myself off.

Tossing it to me, "Well you should be alright on the walk, nothin but a few bugs this close town normally. Welcome to Petalburg!"

Mary waves a shy goodbye as I head off down the clearly marked trail. Barely a minute later on the way and I hear the sound of giggling echo in the dark woods.

Ah to be young and unfazed about fooling around in dark forests filled with haunted trees and bats big enough to eat the family dog. However, like Berke said, nothing bothers me further and after twenty minutes I can see town lights through the trees.

The trail opens up to a small dirt lot. A single truck is parked nearby and walking past it I see a 'Just Married' sign across the tailgate.

Well then, "I feel like an ass."

A little ways away I can see houses and just past them the light from a PokeCenter sign. Walking down the road the first building I come to is a Victorian manor like home with a large front garden next to a massive greenhouse the size of a school gym.

The next building is a large warehouse type facility with a large front sign 'Petalburg Gym'. Then another large house, definitely compared to the rest of the small homes making up what appears to be a small, quiet town. The type that only has a single road going through the middle.

When I reach the center I find a massive red camel looking creature with two humps seemingly made of bone asleep out front. Smoke rises out of the humps and I bring it up on my dex app.

The voice, which will be hence forth be known as Dexa, dictates, "Camerupt, the volcano pokemon. It has magma running through its body that may erupt from the miniature volcanoes on its back when angered."

Right… That's bull shit, "How in the living fuck is that even possible?"

Quietly, so as not to wake the walking disaster, I walk over to it's side and try to peek in the top of the humps.

The air smells of sulfur and I can feel a scalding pressure on my face as I glance in at an angle just enough to see a minor red glow against the inner bone walls. Listening carefully I can hear a gurgle of something liquid like boiling water.

I place my hands on the animal's side and it's very warm to the touch, "This is crazy, how could this even evolve to be like this,"

My thoughts are cut short by a loud snort, the camel looking face has turned back and is staring at me. It gets up with a growl, his height the same as mine, a plume of black smoke bursts out in a ring from his hump!

I slowly back away toward the center doors, "Sorry for waking you up buddy, Nice camel, go back to sleep please."

It makes a small lunge forward and I dart into the door behind me. He stops just outside and glares at me as I walk inside.

A woman's voice, "You!... Bothering my Camerupt?"

Trying to not act like a scared child, "Ah, sorry I just had never seen one before so I wanted a closer look."

Her speech is somewhat broken, I turn to see a short nurse with light purple hair. While standing out in front of the counter in the dimmed lobby lights, it's impossible to miss an addition to her nurse uniform… a police tracker on her ankle.

She shakes her head, "Eyes up here please… You new in town?"

Nodding while wondering how anyone wouldn't look at the plastic brick with blinking lights, "Ya, I just made it through the woods."

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The gal turns around and walks back behind the counter. Sitting down she puts her feet on the desk and starts picking at her nails with a butterfly knife that was sitting there, "All the rookie kids ask about it," she points to the monitor, "You know how it goes, made some bad choices... Friend got me this job."

"So," Pointing the knife back at me, "are you here to admire my legs ...or do you need something?"

Chuckling a bit, "My pokemon could use a patch up. I imagine the boys in a small towns like this are terrified of you."

She just laughs and pulls over a ball tray for the machines, "They think I bite, but I leave that to my Camerupt."

While placing my pokeballs I notice an empty basket off to the side offering fruit for a few bucks, "Speaking of bites, I could go for a meal if you know anywhere open this late."

"Cafeteria closed for the night…" The nurse gets up and takes the tray over to the magic microwave of healing, "I won't tell if you grab something ... employee break room."

My stomach growls, "I won't be shy about it then. My name's Kurt, what's yours?"

"I'm Courtney…" She takes her seat while the machine does it's work, "Will you need a room for the night?"

"I'll take a room, sure." finally acknowledging the burning in my leg muscles, "It was a rough hike from Rustburo."

She picks a room key from a lock box for me, "Will be done... ten minutes."

It doesn't escape my notice the room key box seemed completely full. Which means it's probably just me and the weird girl here tonight.

I head back towards the employee break room. Inside the fridge are a few forgotten lunches, each one labeled with someone's name. I pick a pasta from Wanda and put it in the microwave.

The couple minutes gives me a chance to pick a splinter from my sock while double checking myself now that the adrenaline has fully passed.

If I have to be honest, the pasta was super gross. I'm sure it was okay as far as not having been in that fridge too long but someone sucks at cooking.

The rest of the night passes peacefully. Well, unless you count drifting asleep in the shower and falling on my ass. I hope they don't make me pay for the ripped curtains.

When I reach the lobby in the morning I find Courtney packing up her things into a bag while chatting to the oncoming nurse and a woman in trainer gear.

The Trainer has a red bandana in her hair and a sort of gym skirt thing, I don't know women's clothes. Either way she looks super familiar. She's currently off loading a bag of berries into the basket on the counter.

Once I'm halfway across the lobby to turn in my keys I hear her ask Courtney, "He's the one that came in last night?"

Courtney just nods and walks around the counter to leave. She's got that end of nightshift haze in her eyes.

Meanwhile Miss Trainer sizes me up as I turn in my keys, I can't help it, "You here to admire my legs or do you need something?"

I hear Courtney snort laugh as she walks out the door.

The Trainer gal seems surprised as she glances past me before speaking, "I haven't ever heard her laugh before, but as for your legs, I'm just surprised they're still attached. Mary came by the gym this morning and said they rescued some idiot that was being chased by a Trevenant out in the woods last night."

Ah, "Right the newlyweds, they seemed like they were having a good time, I'll apologize if I see 'em again."

She shrugs, "They both work at the gym so if you hang around long enough you might. But I figure you won't, most folks just pass through Petalburg. I'm May by the way, were you intentionally coming to Petalburg or did you just get lost?"

I nod, "I was hoping to challenge the gym."

With a grin she heads towards the door, "Follow me then, I'm heading there now. You're a bit old to be a fresh trainer, you from around here? You're a day early but I'll bet my little brother will be excited for a veteran challenger to kick off the season."

Before I can answer she gets cut off by the door as a young man enters on a wheelchair being pushed by a woman in a sundress.

He smiles, "Ah, good morning May. Are you still planning on leaving town today? Let's not block the door Wanda."

May seems on guard, "Morning Wally, Wanda. Yes I'll be headed out in a little while, got one delivery to make then I'm going to hit the circuit. I probably won't see you again until Ever Grande City."

The woman named Wanda starts pushing again, "Come on cousin let's pick up your meds and get to the market before the morning catch is sold out. Have a safe trip May."

I wonder if her cooking is what landed him in that wheelchair.

May grunts and walks outside, "I'll show him, he's here all uppity while Brendan has to work in another city."

Suppose I'll just mind my own business there, "You said you're taking me to the gym?"

She snaps out of it, "Ah, right. What did you do to find that big scary tree anyway?"

We barely turn the corner past the center and the gym is already in sight, "I caught a Phantump, guess the big guy didn't like that."

May shivers, "I hate ghost types, cute pokemon are much better. What else have you brought with you? I don't imagine you'll battle a gym with a little stump you caught last night."

I nod, "Well the rules say I'll only need two for my first three gyms so I'm planning on using my Joltik and Zubat."

She falters as she reaches for the door, "A spider and a bat, lovely. Um, those are a bit, well, weak for battling a gym leader. My little brother is no slouch and to be honest he can get carried away."

With a shrug, "It can't be that bad, I would think they're supposed to take it easy on first timers."

May laughs nervously, "You're a bit old to be having your first gym battle, I don't think Max will be as nice as he is to the runts that usually pick Petalburg for their first gym. My father used to turn trainers away unless they had three badges already. He's one of the elite four now and he definitely taught Max a thing or two."

I mean it can't be that bad, right?

We walk past an empty lobby and into the main hall.

Boom!

A massive black bear looking creature the size of a semi truck gets knocked in the chin by what could pass as a balding King Kong.

May shouts in excitement, "Don't take that Snorlax, show Slaking how you throw your weight around!"

The walking wrecking equipment charges forward and tackles the big ape against the wall causing the entire building to shake.

Right... I've got this?

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