It had only been a few hours since Alex and his team emerged from the ruins with the Malicious Armor tucked away in his pack. The sun had barely dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the dirt road that led to the next town: Duskmire.
From a distance, Duskmire looked almost picturesque—stone houses with flower boxes in the windows, cobbled streets, and a gentle stream that cut through the center of town. Lanterns glowed a soft amber, casting warm light on the narrow roads. A few people milled about, laughing, shopping, walking Pokémon. It seemed… normal.
Too normal.
Alex walked slowly, Larvesta nestled in a cloth sling across his chest, dozing peacefully. Riolu and Charcadet flanked him, eyes sharp despite the peaceful setting.
He stopped by a general store to buy some dry food and gauze for Riolu's sore leg because the league doesn't let unauthorized trainers use the Pokemon center till he has at least 3 gym medals, then made his way to the local rest spot—a public bench near the fountain at the town's square. He sat down and stretched his legs, closing his eyes for just a moment. His body ached.
But something felt off.
Charcadet's flames crackled faintly. Riolu's ears twitched.
From the alley just behind the fountain, muffled voices carried through the air. Alex leaned back, pretending to rest, and listened.
"…Heard the League ain't even checking this place anymore."
"Course not. After the war, they pulled their scouts. Nobody's watching. That's why we're safe. That's why the boss set up shop here."
"Still, you hear about that kid? The one from Emberhollow? Took out a gym. Might be trouble."
"Doesn't matter. If he sticks his nose in, he ends up like the others. No one's safe from the Black Market's reach."
Alex's pulse quickened.
He stood and turned away quickly, pretending to walk off down another street. Charcadet followed him closely, Riolu still limping a little. His mind spun.
The League wasn't watching Duskmire. That's why it seemed peaceful. It was a mask—a calm facade hiding something darker. Something dangerous.
And then it happened.
He didn't see the man until it was too late.
A hand grabbed his arm and yanked him into a side alley, slamming him against the brick wall.
"Give me the pack," the man growled, a knife pressed to Alex's chest. "Now."
Alex stared at him, wide-eyed, heart pounding. He could see the desperation in the man's eyes—wild, hollow, twitching.
"I said now!"
Larvesta squirmed and chirped in his sling, sensing the danger. Riolu barked. Charcadet flared up.
"Back off!" Alex shouted, twisting his body away.
The man lunged forward.
There was no time to think.
Alex shoved his hand into his jacket, pulled the sharpened survival tool he'd bought in Emberhollow, and thrust it forward.
There was a sickening sound—a muffled gasp. Blood spilled onto the alley floor.
The man collapsed, his weapon clattering to the cobblestones.
Alex stood frozen, the knife still in his hand. Blood on his sleeves. Blood on his shoes.
He backed away, eyes wide, mouth open.
Then he turned, dropped to his knees, and vomited behind a dumpster.
It wasn't just the act—it was the suddenness. The rawness. The pain. The heat of it.
He knelt for what felt like forever, shaking.
Riolu came to his side, placing a paw on his back. Charcadet stood silently, eyes flickering between the body and Alex.
"I… I didn't want to," Alex whispered, voice hoarse. "I didn't mean to…"
But his words faded. He stared at the corpse again.
And for the first time, he noticed the tattoos. The insignia on the man's shirt. The faint trail of blood leading from another, already dried pool farther into the alley.
He hadn't killed an innocent man.
This person had killed before.
He remembered the stories. The countless dead Pokémon and stolen partners. The hushed rumors of towns raided and burned.
His guilt didn't disappear.
But it dulled.
Because this was the world now. And sometimes, you didn't get to wait for justice. Sometimes, justice had to be immediate.
Alex knelt and checked the body. He took back his stolen coin pouch. Then, in a side pocket, he found something curious—a metallic card with a strange insignia on it: a red skull fused with a Poké Ball. It had a magnetic strip and writing etched in digital code.
When he tapped it on the mans Pokédex, a location blinked into view.
BLACK MARKET HUB – VERIFIED BUYER ACCESS
A message followed:"Unauthorized breeding. Illegal Pokémon. Modified TMs. Trainers for hire. Payment accepted in coin or favors."
Alex's grip tightened on the card.
So this was how they were staying hidden. This was how the world had gotten worse beneath the surface. And this man… had been a part of it.
He turned to his team.
"We're not done here," he said, voice still shaking "we need to get stronger and this place will help us do it"
He slid the card into his coat pocket and walked out of the alley, back toward the main road. No one stopped him. No one even noticed what had happened.
Duskmire remained calm on the surface.
But underneath, it festered.
And Alex had just taken his first step into its darkness.