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“Ah you are finally awake! Come to watch me perfect my game, have you?” Saleem repositioned himself for another swing and with a muffled clap, another white dotted ball was sent flying away into the vast sea of sand. Satisfied with the shot, he turned to regard Raskal who was slipping on the shifting top layer of the dune he was climbing. “Lean forward into the sand and you will find your footing,” the would-be golfer instructed.

Raskal waved his arms frantically, but lost his balance and tumbled away again. Spitting out a mouth full of sand and dirt when he righted himself once more he saw Saleem laughing at him, even as the desert dweller gracefully slid down the short dune to meet him at the bottom. “You will never find your way walking like a child!”

“What way is there to find? I’m a million miles from home with not a clue as how to get back!”

Saleem straightened, taken aback by the sudden shift in attitude from the strange youth. “You are afraid of this place because you do not know it,” he said with a stern face. “Fear of the unknown will kill you before you ever take the first step out the door.”

Still slumped down in the sand, Raskal heard the words and let them ring in his head a moment. This man was right; he was just making up excuses because things didn’t happen to go his way this time. He thought of Lilly and Amaya and Blaine and how he had let them down back on Cinnabar Island. He felt guilty for allowing the rockets to hold him up and not being able to fend off the swarm of ghosts that swept across everything like a black wildfire. Maybe if he was stronger things wouldn’t have happened the way they did, he thought.

“Saleem?” He asked, looking back up at the dark skinned man. “Will you help me-“

A hand flew up in response, cutting him off mid-sentence. “You needn’t ask. I have already sent word to a friend of your plight and once you get up onto your feet we will leave to find the answers you thirst for.”

Raskal’s eyes beamed wide with excitement and he quickly stood up and dusted himself off. He was ready to take the first step.

"So..." started Amaya after scanning area they were currently at. "Wanna grab something to eat? Cause my stomach is feeling pretty hollow and I'm guessing yours must be to." Said Amaya while smiling kindly at Lilly. "It'll also give us some time to relax and try to figure out how and where we're gonna find Blaine."

Stopping, Amaya waited for a bit so her new friend could catch up. "That's a smart idea. I'll call cab and have them take us to town. That way you won't have to walk and my arm won't be so bothered." Suggested the teen as she spotted a yellow cab driving by. "I would say lets use our Pokemon friends to take us there but...well you know, they need more rest then we do." She added while raising her one good arm to hail the taxi over.

Running the soft fabric through his fingers, Raskal couldn't understand how it managed to hold up against the punishment of the spraying desert sand. Its finely sewn seams and complex weave of thick threads, foreign to the boy's recollection, allowed for no particles, however small, to pass through it. Only air and light were capable of penetrating the fabric, which was why it made the perfect protection against the vicious sand storms in the form of a simple mask fitting snugly over the wearer's entire head.

He held it up to the sun and stretched it between his raised hands. "Its a little blurry but I can actually see through it!" He exclaimed yet again, "...incredible."

Saleem capped the last water skin and secured it with the others to Dodrio's saddle. The well he had chosen to stop and resupply their stock from was not filled this time of year, and it took the man some time to squeeze the life giving liquid from the mud he pulled up from the bottom. He turned to face his new friend when he had finished and called him to leave. "We must continue. There is still much ground to cover and the last storm put us off our desired path."

"How far exactly are we going?" Raskal asked with an air of boredom. He folded the wondrous mask and tucked it into his jacket pocket, which was tied with the sleeves around his waist. It was simply too hot for such a heavy article of clothing. After checking to make sure the mask was safe he ran a hand over his rump and flinched. It was sore and tender from the continuous bouncing on Dodrio's saddle and the slight reprieve had done little to ease his discomfort.

"We still have many miles to cover, and many more lumps to endure," the guide said with a smile when he noticed Raskal's displeasure. "Perhaps when we arrive I will add another blanket beneath the saddle?"

"Try adding shocks," Raskal mumbled in response as he rose to his feet and poised himself to remount the three headed bird. "At least it beats flying..."

Lilly laughed bit, "True that..." she agreed with a smile. Then stayed quiet for the rest of the ride. She leaned back and yawned still tired. Finally, they had reach the Pokemon center. Lilly was quite relived she wanted to get some more sleep and most likely go find Blaine later on that day. Sadly, walking would be a hassle for her but if her pokemon were rested enough, maybe she could use them.

Opening the door to the cab she stepped out and waited for Amaya to get out as well. She handed the cab driver the money and once Amaya was out the cab drove off. with another sigh, the coordinator made her way into the pokemon center.

(( I'm just moving it along, sorry for the slight godmoding..))

The three grunts eased after seeing Silver's ID card, then each in turn flipped out their own as a show of good faith. "I heard you were coming but thought you'd get here a little sooner. I'm Wallace and these two are Glitch and GD," he said with a thumb thrust into the air, pointed at the two younger Rockets. "I'm from the Cerulean branch but these two are fresh out of Lavender town."

Behind him the younger boy and girl exchanged mild looks of worry. It seemed as though the novices were still getting used to working with the more obtrusive grunt.

{(,_,,T+R,,_,)}

"Them hooligans done gone rode off without paying for the last time!" The old man rolled up his sleeves in a determined display and rushed over the counter where he reached one hand behind and produced an old blunderbuss, rusted in several places and clinking from loose screws. "I'ma going after em this time and don't you try to stop me!"

"Henry please! Come to your senses and sit down," pleaded Joyce, his silver haired wife of forty six years.

"Ain't no way I'ma gonna let them get away with it this time woman! You shut yer yappin and fetch me my ammo belt. I'm going-" The screen door creaked open, drawing the riled old man's attention to the two weary travelers standing before him.

As if someone had flicked a switch Henry's demeanor quickly shifter to surprise and joy when the first stranger uncovered his face and stepped in through the open door. "Saleem its great that yer here!" He exclaimed. "I'ma bout to go head huntin in the dunes and could sure'n use yer help trackin down them weasels!"

"Oh Henry!" Joyce sighed dejectedly. "Ignore him son, he's lost his marbles."

"I ain't lost nothin woman, cept for a few tanks of gasoline and my favorite pair of sunglasses!"

"Calm down my friends, what is troubling you so?" Saleem asked as he moved further into the small diner, giving Raskal room to enter behind him.

"Them bikers went and stole more of my gasoline for their god awful machines. Its the third time in a month!" Henry raised his ancient rifle to accentuate the point. "And I plan on headin out there and puttin a stop to it this time!"

Joyce pulled out a handkerchief and blew her nose. "We can't afford to take another loss like this. Just having that nasty gang around drives away customers, but now they're... they're..." She began sobbing and couldn't finish. Henry slumped his shoulders and walked over to his wife, comforting her with a gentle hug and a kiss planted on her wrinkled forehead.

Raskal wondered if it was really the bikers that drove customers away. Surely there wasn't a soul around for miles in this arid wasteland, let alone customers stopping in for leisurely coffee and pancakes. He decided to remain quiet and allow Saleem to talk this one out, not wanting to say anything that would get him in trouble.

"I will be happy to bring you extra gas the next time I make a delivery. I just wish there was something more I could do to calm your nerves." Saleem offered with a wide comforting smile spread across his face.

"Isn't there?" Raskal caught himself a moment too late. All eyes had turned to regard his question as though he had just asked for Joyce’s secret recipe for Aspear berry pie.

"I mean... er, couldn't we go after them Saleem? Maybe if we do something now they'll stop bothering these people."

"Hmm..." Saleem put a hand to his chin and scratched at his beard stubble. "Perhaps we should."

"Oh bless you child!" Joyce sang out, startling her husband and causing him to drop the old iron rifle to the ground, where the trigger clicked and everyone suddenly found themselves choking back a breath in anticipation of a loud bang. The weapon did not discharge however and instead laid there on the wooden floor as silent as it had been behind the counter.

"Well it looks like you'd do a better job then I would anyway!" Henry blurted out with a laugh. He picked up the rifle and stored it back in its original spot. "Now go get those two before they get too far! They only left what ten minutes ago so you should be able to catch up to em with that over-gown chicken of yours."

Saleem offered a low bow and turned to leave, motioning for Raskal to follow. When the two were back outside the weathered desert dweller shot Raskal a wary look that told the boy he was close to overstepping his boundaries. The pair quickly saddled up and rode off along the long stretch of deserted highway though, eager to finish the little side adventure before once again becoming delayed in their main objective.

Silver acted like he let his guard down and smiled gently. "I'm from Viridian City. Everyone there were pushovers, must've won just about every battle they threw at me, you?" He said in a warm but protected tone in a desperate chance to lighten the mood.
He threw a nod at the girl, she couldn't have been more then 1 1/2 - 2 years younger then him, and she wasn't half bad looking either...