Jasmine followed to the stairs leading out of Steelix's mouth. Watched Joe leave. She'd never thanked him properly for all the help. Not just with Amphy and the lighthouse. He'd assisted Jasmine in many ways over the couple of years they'd been friends. She put her hands around her mouth. Shouted for the first and only time in her life.

"I love you, Joe!" Jasmine was surprised, but not unhappy, at the words she'd spoken. She paid attention. Maybe he'd heard. Maybe he'd come back. But he didn't. He was long gone, into the sea of buildings.

People walking nearby were startled by the sudden shout. They looked her way. A lover's quarrel, perhaps? They returned to walking.

The receptionist came out. Stood beside Jasmine. Put a hand on her shoulder. "There's always next time."

Jasmine didn't know it yet, but her confession caused a stir for fans of Pokemon Trainers. People asked if she'd always been this cute. A woman in love looked different. Rumours were created. Word spread. Johto's steel-type Gym Leader had confessed to someone. This created curiosity. People realised they didn't know much about Jasmine. They started paying attention to her livestreamed battles. They saw just how crazy strong Jasmine was. She cultivated a fan base without knowing. These new fans were like the receptionist. They cheered on both her career and love life. Her fanbase steadily grew over the course of months. Jasmine had avoided the spotlight until now, but this was inevitable. She was a Gym Leader. They all became popular celebrities. It was just a matter of time.

* * * * *

Joe ran through the streets. Aimed for the sea South of Olivine. His chariot awaited. Sprigatito had never moved so fast. She was enjoying the sensation of rushing wind on her face.

Joe liked using his own feet to travel, but it'd take a month to reach Mt. Silver. He'd seen Johto. He wanted to rush and see Kanto. He was catching a ride to a town called New Bark. It sat at the base of Mt. Silver. Travelling along the sea, Joe knew of places he'd see. Goldenrod. Azalea. Cherrygrove. He'd already visited them.

He arrived just in time. One minute to spare. He walked up a long metal walkway. Reached the deck of the ship. It was a large white vessel with red accents. On the deck was a swimming pool and Pokemon battle arena. Those were just two forms of entertainment he could enjoy while aboard. He expected to get to them all eventually.

A stewardess stood at the end of the walkway. She greeted customers with a polite smile. Then Joe appeared. Her smile faltered. She looked at him with pleading eyes. Joe ignored it. He knew how he looked. She was begging him not to cause trouble.

He went below deck. Found his room. Gold numbers on the door. He ducked inside. He heard a child pass by. The boy laughed at the giant. Joe barely fit through the door. The boy's mother hushed him. Joe smiled. Looked at his room. Joe realised why the stewardess had looked at him funny. He expected a tight fit, but even he was surprised. The bed was literally too small. The end of the bed had a wall connected to the bathroom. His feet couldn't dangle over the end. He'd have to sleep on the floor. Lay the quilt on the carpet. Use a blanket from his backpack to cover himself. It'll do.

Joe tossed his bag into a corner. Left to explore the ship. Went to the deck. The ship jolted. It began to move. He stood at the railing. Watched Olivine disappear. Turned to watch a battle. Fire and water collided. Wind washed over him, pressure from attacks colliding. It was better than watching a battle on television. Feeling the attacks. The excitement from the crowd.

Once the battle finished, Joe kept moving. Found a casino. Partook for a while. Lost a bit of money. Gamble long enough and everyone's a loser. He found a cafeteria. Enjoyed an early meal. A juicy steak. Sprigatito sat on the table. Watched with wide eyes. That could've been her if Joe were as scary as he looked.

It became night. Joe was in his room doing push-ups. No fitness center on the ferry. Sprigatito sat on his back. Yipped every time Joe reached the peak of his ascension. She was frightened of Joe yesterday. Now look at her. Joe liked having someone around, even if they were an animal. He couldn't converse with her fully, but the comfort of a pet was not to be underestimated. Joe wanted a family one day. Raising Sprigatito would be like training to raise children, but without the hard work.

Joe stood up. Wiped his sweat. Looked out the oval window. Saw the moon. Got his bed on the floor ready. As he lay there, Sprigatito curled up beside him, he thought of Jasmine. He had heard her confession. He wanted to go back to her. But instead he'd run away. He liked Jasmine, but he wanted to fix his problem first. But he had no idea how to fix himself.

A couple of years ago he'd gone to his mother. Asked for help. There was something wrong with his memories. His adult years were fine. Middle school was patchy. Single digit years were unavailable. His mother was a doting parent, but in that moment she was unusually stern. Told him to drop it. Don't worry about it. Joe obeyed even though he didn't want to. He had no free will on the subject. It sounded like brainwashing. Joe was hypnotised to avoid certain topics.

He didn't feel right accepting Jasmine's feelings. What if he forgot her? What if she entered their home and he thought she was a stranger? It would ruin the relationship. He couldn't put this burden on her.

Joe sighed. Rolled over. Closed his eyes. He wanted to remove the brainwashing. Wanted to be in a relationship with Jasmine. But he knew when he woke up, he would have no desire to solve his own problem.