Taking stock after the battle, It turns out the Rufflet got out without major injury besides some cracked cartilage. From what I can find online, it should be fairly simple to heal, either at a Pokemon center or with a simple potion (which I’m unable to afford).
I think to myself, ‘Unless a inexplicable plot device shows up I’ll have to hike all the way ba--’
“Thank goodness you took care of those Timburr”, I hear a voice call out from behind me.
The voice continues, “I posted that bounty weeks ago at the center, its good to know someone finally got around to it.”
“Bounty?” I asked confused as I finally place the voice to the man.
“Let me introduce myself first, I’m Scott, the foreman for the construction project here,” the man I now know as Scott began, “This structure that Timburr gang built has been holding up construction on the road here for weeks! I put a bounty up at the pokemon center for any trainers to take care of it but I got no response, It’s a good thing you finally took it.” Scott explained.
“I’m sorry, I’m still lost, what’s a bounty?” You ask only for Scott to reply with an incredulous stare.
Scott sighs as he starts to explain, “Bounty are requests for trainers put up by the locals in the area, they can vary from something as simple as moving large loads, all the way up to dispatching wild pokemon, after completing the request, you can typically pick up there reward from whoever posted it. Come with me to my office and I’ll sort you out”
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Scott’s office was in a small prefab trailer that sat at the end of the developed area of the route. Inside was a fairly basic set up. A small wooden desk sat in the back with a couple of cheap chairs in front of it. In the corner sat a small pot with a fake plant in the style of a sudowoodo inside.
After briefly rummaging through his desk, scott slides me a small envelope and a couple of bottles, “Here’s the bounty, I’ll throw in a couple of potions as well so you can heal up any damage that Gurdurr may have caused you.”
Thanking Scott for his generosity, I quickly vacate his office. With a couple of quick spays from the potion, Rufflet is healed back up and ready for any battle. With the sun setting on the horizon, I decide to go ahead and make camp here before I start my trek into the undeveloped desert.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Here's a cool thing you might not know: Deserts don't have trees.
Crazy right, fortunately, only a fool would choose a desert as his first route on his journey when his only form of shelter is dependent on trees.
That fool may have also not considered just how cold deserts get a night. Checking the temperature reading on my phone, I quickly find out that fool is me when the forecast is 35 degrees (F) tonight.
With little other options, I don the additional layer that is my old cursed uniform, and wrap myself up in the crinkly tarp that I would normally use to cover my hammock from rain.
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Although it was the worst sleep I’ve ever had in my life, I manage to make it through the night unharmed (only if you don't count the sand that I think I will never be able to wash off).
Packing up my bizarre camp and making a quick meal for both myself and Rufflet, I start off the long hike in the desert.
Trudging through the desert, I begin to realize just how ill prepared I was for this journey. Somehow I forgot what is arguably the most important and the most obvious thing to bring to a desert - water. With no choice but to continue on, I walk despite my parched throat and weak body. My vision grew blurry, and I stumbled, feeling my legs give out beneath me.
I collapsed onto the sandy ground, my body wracked with dehydration. My mind grew hazy, and I could feel the world slipping away. Just as I thought I couldn't hold on any longer, a shadow fell over me.
I blinked, trying to focus my eyes, and saw a figure standing above me. It was a woman, with long flowing hair and a concerned expression on her face. She crouched down beside me, a water canteen in her hand.
"You look like you could use some water," she said, her voice gentle and soothing. "Here, drink."
I weakly reached out and took the canteen, bringing it to my lips and taking small sips of the life-saving liquid. The cool water trickled down my throat, reviving me with each swallow.
My vision clearing I look up at the figure only to see them smiling with a devious grin. “Now that I helped you, you have to help me!” The person that I can now tell to be a woman stated.
After a few moments of silence, I can only find myself blinking at the woman’s overt greed. Eventually, I gather my wits and introduce myself, “I’m Alex by the way”
“Liz.” The woman replies, extending her hand in what I assume to be a handshake.
Contrary to expectations however, the woman instead pulls me up by the arm in an unfitting display of strength. “I want to explore the ruins but the wild pokemon are too strong, you’re a trainer right?”
“Yes I am,” I start, not quite wanting to delay my trip longer than necessary, “But I really don’t think I have time to help you explore the ruins.”
“Oh, are you sure, I have more water back at camp…” The woman says trying to hide her intentions.
With no choice if I want to make it through the desert, I reluctantly conceded to helping the woman.