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Zeno, a teen on the run from his past life, finds his way to Alola in hopes of restarting his life as a regular Pokémon Trainer with his partner, Growlithe. However, no matter how hard he tries, he can't full...
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"Head to the PMC for Ninetales," Alex finished as I shook my head.
I looked around. Everything was back to normal now, no sign that I was every on Gloomdweller Beach.
"You okay Zeno?" Hau asked, concern on his face.
I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Then why are you crying?" Lillie asked, touching my arm.
I wiped my eyes with my hands and was surprised to find tears.
"I-" I faltered, thinking of Willow. "I was thinking of something from my past..."
I dried my eyes. "Let's keep moving."
My friends looked like they wanted to ask more, especially Alex, so I said, "Don't we need to get Ninetales to the Pokémon Center?"
Alex nodded reluctantly and we all began running. On the way, Alex ran beside me and I heard her say softly, "Who were you thinking of Zeno?"
I kept my face void of emotion, holding back tears that I held back for so long. "No one."
Alex let it go, but I had a feeling we would be revisiting this later.
...
"Are you sure Ninetales will be alright?" Alex asked Nurse Joy.
Joy smiled. "Of course, but it will take a couple hours. Where did you say you found her again?"
"We didn't," I answered for Alex. "But we found her in Haina Desert in a cage. Most likely poachers."
Nurse Joy scowled. "Might have been those Night Hunters. Thank Arceus they left."
"They left?" I asked curiously.
She nodded. "One day their boat was here, the next it was gone. I can only hope Nanu caught them or else they might be heading to some other region to steal Pokémon."
I returned to the bench I had been sitting on next to Hau. Scourge must've escaped, which means he could rebuild the Night Hunters.
Growlithe nuzzled my leg and I rubbed his head. Thinking about Willow, I got up and went into the phone room. Growlithe padded after me and we got into a booth and I closed the door.
I took a seat and typed in a number, but hesitated to press the call button. It's been about a month since I last saw them and I had resisted calling them for fear of my emotions rising.
Growlithe butted my leg with his head and I nodded. "It feels like it's been so long."
I pressed the call button and the screen buzzed. After a few seconds it showed a dark room. Then it was filled with a face with long dark pink hair. Someone who I missed dearly.
"Zeno," Jessie exclaimed.
Then her face hardened and I quickly lowered the volume to a manageable level.
