As the fishing boat drew up to the dock, two men leaped off, carrying ropes. Quickly and efficiently, they wound the ropes around mooring posts and secured the boat. One of these men seemed a typical sailor, in a stereotypical outfit, but the other was very different. He looked young - he was only 18 - and was wearing a green coat, glasses, and clothing which looked like it would better fit the mountains than the sea. As he finished securing his rope, another sailor appeared on deck, carrying a backpack in one hand. He tossed it over to the young man.
"We'll be fine from here, so you go and get breakfast," the sailor called.
"'K," replied the man, "Thanks for the lift, captain."
"You're welcome, but thanks for helpin' out anyway."
As he turned away, Seth swung on his backpack and glanced at his watch.
"05:37"
It wasn't even 6 yet. This was the only downside to his trip. Because of the the relatively shallow fishing dock, the boat could only get in at high tide, which had happened to fall at quarter to six in the morning, meaning an early start. He could have stayed in a pokemon center, but after the problems he faced last time he'd been in one, he wanted a pokemon first. That, however, would likely have to wait. Very few trainers would be up at this time, and he figured he'd need to borrow someone else's pokemon to catch one of his own. He wandered up the dock, and came across a small cafe, open mainly for the fishermen.
***
"20 minutes later, Seth left the cafe with a fuller stomach than when he went in. It was almost 6, and after he walked through the town he might find a bug catcher or something. As he wondered along the street leading out from the harbour he glanced at the houses around. She likely lived in one of them, unless she'd left. No matter. That wasn't why he was here, and even if it was he wasn't about to start knocking on random doors at 6am. He continued up the street until it ended at a junction. He saw a sign for a 'Bastion City', and decided on that being the best option to leave this town. As he turned, however, he saw a large building up ahead.
As he reached it he found a sign by the roadside, which read:
"Anchore Town Pokemon Reaserch Facility
incorporating
Pokemon Factory League Trainer's School"
A Lab, Seth pondered, Now they may have some spare pokemon. And if it's a trainer's school, they'll almost certainly have some so kids without pokemon can learn to battle. I can probably borrow something from here.
It seems quiet, but then that doesn't mean there's no-one in. Lots of these professors get up early anyway, for whatever reason. And I could probably do with this region's pokedex files anyway.
Seth walked up and tried the door. It was open. He pushed it half way, gave half a dozen knocks, and went inside. Within was the standard array of computers, machinery and lack of comfortable seats that were to be expected of a research facility, but no-one seemed to be around. Seth took off his backpack and sat on the floor with his back against a wall. Fishing within his pocket he pulled out what looked like a large pocket calculator, with a colour screen and about 40 or so buttons. This was Seth's pokedex, very different to the ones that were given out in many other regions, but he had it since he first became a trainer, over seven years ago, and he wouldn't change it for anything. He tapped a few buttons, checking that everything was still working after the sea journey. He expected it would, and was satisfied when it showed the three types he was here to study were still registered.
