It could be overwhelming, contemplating the world’s approaching end. About how small they were in the grand scheme of things. About how little he knew, and every question answered left him drowning in more.

Good old physical labor always helped stave those thoughts off. Same went to hanging with his close friends.

Here was the perfect chance to combine the two.

“People can be dicks.” At the worst of times, people did the most bizarre of things. Even he’d found himself at that point, just trying to run away from everything when they were caught in cyberspace. But at the very least, he hadn’t done anything to hurt others. “If everything really does end, then what’re they gonna do with a bunch of necklaces?”

Or whatever was sold around here. Hideo didn’t know Mauville (or Old Mauville) very well. This area was more Doug’s expertise. He’d been here for a while, after all.

Hideo’s made sure to bring plenty of muscle with him. “So where’re we gonna work first? I got Pokemon that can fix stuff, or help make sure stuff doesn’t get broken into again.”

Then there was the other pressing question that was running through his head, something he’d caught on to by the way the people had been talking to Doug.

“And when were you gonna tell me you're not a gym leader anymore?”

John Sullivan

Mauville Healers

Healing Old Mauville with Hideo Kino

"I told you as soon as it was made official." The youth replied with an eye roll, grasping a couple of net balls. "I had been debating it for a while... finally decided to just go for it on a whim. Sorry 'bout that?"

This wasn't his first rebuilding rodeo; a select few of his Pokémon had received special tutoring at League Seminars in order to assists with these ventures.

"All the work was gettin' to me and the gym leader stuff was the least important." He admitted with a sigh. "Now I've finally got some time to actually rest m'brain for once."

Kappa the Orbeetle, Cobra Jr. the Machop, Toripo the Kabutops and Misterio the Mr. Mime all took to the field, each wearing a sweat absorbing bandanna around their forehead as they turned towards their trainer.

"Gentlemen. We've got much to do." The youth said, before turning to Hideo. "Ya can leave yer guys in Kappa's hands, Hideo. He's received special training."

“Geez,” Hideo sighed, “Well, I’m glad I got your badge before you got out.” Granted, that was, what, a year ago? Before he’d even ran away. “Would’ve hated if I missed it. At least you must have a lot more free time now.”

Hideo missed getting to hang out with Doug this much. He’d gone through a lot lately, that he wasn’t sure Doug was even aware of yet.

By request, Hideo let out a few Pokemon of his own: a Rhyperior, an Aurorus, and a Drampa. More than enough muscle, with just a bit of direction needed to them pointed in the right direction. “Alright guys, listen to Kappa there.” He didn’t actually know which of Doug’s Pokemon was Kappa, but if Doug trusted it to keep Pokemon guided properly, he’d trust Doug.

Though it did leave a question in his head, one which he already had a possible answer to.

“So if our Pokemon do all the hard work, what’ll we be up to? We just gonna walk and talk and look around some more?”

A short pause. “‘Cause I’ve been doing a lot lately.” It felt like they’d only just caught up a little ago, and so much happened since then.

John Sullivan

Mauville Healers

Healing Old Mauville with Hideo Kino

"No." Doug replied softly. "This place's issues can't be fixed with just physical labor, Hideo."

Hideo couldn't see it, so it was up to Doug and neighborhood itself to paint a picture for the boy- so the youth led his young friend through the streets of the roughened market place, letting Hideo's walking stick be the brush.

From cracked asphalt to displaced brick, to fallen tarps and up turned hydrants and cars, a story of chaos was told.

"There's a lot to be done." He said, reaching over to ruffle Hideo's hair. "The meteor is comin', and lotsa folk don't trust the league or rocket to be able to take care of it."

And so, they rioted in the streets, causing pain and mayhem in what they thought might be their last moments on Earth. Doug didn't understand it. Not yet- but he would. Eventually.

"We gotta bring peace o' mind to the locals. Let's go."

Without any of his Telepathic Pokemon around, he had to use his cane to keep himself oriented; easier to use in a city than the middle of a forest. Also because he had Doug to guide him around, so he could trust they were going in the right direction.

Whatever direction that was.

It made it easier to notice all the debris lying about, all the damage that had been done. It was his first time going through post-riot streets (and fully aware of it), so it was a lot to take in. “They really flipped cars too?” he asked. “Don’t think flipping someone’s car’s gonna make the meteor go away.”

And if they did get rid of the meteor? All the damage would be for nothing.

“So we gonna go around and talk to people? Put on a bit of a show for them? I got some healing Pokemon with me if anyone needs medical care.”

John Sullivan

Mauville Healers

Healing Old Mauville with Hideo Kino

"It ain't uncommon, if what I've read is right." Doug said as Hideo noticed the chaos, tone forcefully neutral. "There's been a few other so called 'end of the world' incidents in the past. Most people ignore them. Those who don't... Well. It tends to be messy."

"I don't think we'll find many injured- but if we do, leave it to me. I need the practice." He said simply.

The Valor initiative was responding to cries for help across the region, but that didn't mean they were all particularly recent. This one he knew to be something of a long running issue in Mauville; an steady increase in criminal activity that Doug had intended to violently stamp out in recent months.

Unfortunately, gang violence wasn't always related to Rocket, and going full throttle on it, while viable, might end up in a lots of misguided youths injured... or worse.

He wasn't sure of how to approach it humanely.

"Just be ready to be yerself." Doug said as he reached over to ruffle Hideo's hair. They now stood in front of another small, family owned shop. This one had a couple of broken windows and a shattered lock. "N' take some notes. We're gon' be askin' lotta questions, probably gettin' some back as well."

Hideo raised an eyebrow - Doug already had healing covered? “Didn’t know you became a doctor too. Was that what you were learning all this time?” It wouldn’t shock him if that had actually been the case, what with how much time Doug was studying for.

One of the upsides of getting to hang out with Doug more: more hair-ruffles. He hadn’t realized how much he was missing those until Doug didn’t have the time to give them.

He nodded as Doug prompted him to be ready. “I take it we’re gonna be asking people what they’re feeling anxious about? Between the meteor, how the League’s handling it, Rocket, and everyone causing trouble, we gotta get down to what’s really scaring people.”

Grumblings about the League’s answer to the meteor - sending it off to another dimension - were hard to miss. Even he wasn’t a fan of the idea, even if he didn’t have any other solutions at hand.

“Among the other stuff that’s been going on? ‘Cause I know there’s a lot of stuff going on at once. It can get kinda overwhelming.”

John Sullivan

Mauville Healers

Healing Old Mauville with Hideo Kino

"Something like that." Doug replied simply.

"Nope. Matter o'fact- let's try n' not talk 'bout the meteor if we can help it. People are stressed as it is..." Doug said with a sigh. Not like they could help with that, and the censuses and polls spoke for themselves. "Think of us as... detectives. We're gonna figure out exactly what's goin' on 'ere and who's causing it."

He tried to fashion it in the most engaging way he could think of, if only so Hideo, too, could get his head off the meteor. Gods knew Doug didn't want the boy's thoughts linger on that stupid rock.

"Let's try n'focus on stuff we can do somethin' 'bout, yeah?" He said, coming to a stop in front of yet another small shop. The next several hours would be a flurry of questions, answers, and new voices for Hideo.

"An army officer and a doctor. You really are a hard worker." He could just manage to hold back a laugh - how could Doug manage both of those at the same time? Might've been a factor for why he stopped being a gym leader.

Hideo nodded as Doug told him not to mention the meteor. "Makes sense," he shrugged. Not much help getting people to think about something they barely understood anything about.

The next few hours were a lot busier than he expected, interviewing many, many people, and finding out detective work wasn't nearly as straightforward as he'd thought. Many different people were getting blamed for the issues going on, from Rocket to the League to that giant monster that appeared to wild Pokemon to that old lady down the street.

And the occasional visit by a Drampa, just to make sure he was alright.

"Being a detective's harder than I thought," Hideo groaned. He felt like they should've found the source and solved everything by now with how much work they were putting into this.

John Sullivan

Mauville Healers

Healing Old Mauville with Hideo Kino

"Tell me 'bout it! Fiction don't do it much justice. And this ain't even a lotta legwork." Doug said let the other boy know chattily.

They had been speaking to people for what felt like hours now, and despite his words, the ever extroverted Doug seemed reenergized after every conversation. Every time he helped put someone at ease, he felt a little better himself.

"Buuut, think we're finally done." He proclaimed with a grin. His notepad was several pages full by now, several accounts, names, faces and feelings written upon its pages.

A comprehensive image had begun to form in his head.

"The good news; we can sort out the damages by ourselves; just gotta call in a few soldiers to fill out our numbers." Doug said as he began to look through his notes with a hum.

Repairing the damage wasn't really a problem; such things could be managed on the cheap with enough pokemon and a skilled enough foreman, like Kappa.

"The bad news; that would just be a Band-Aid on the real problem." He finished with a pensive frown, lightly tapping his pencil to his lip in thought.

Vandalism, thievery, arson, assault, extortion, jaywalking... Though not particularly well coordinated, the crimes described by the residents of Mauville, when put together, could be roughly divided between what seemed to be a number of crews or gangs.

"The hell did these guys come from...?" The wondered, brow furrowing deeply.

"Well, I know where they are going." He finished a scowl, eyes flashing neon magenta as he reached for his pokenav. Somewhere out there, oscar clayton might have sneezed.

The youth turned to his friend.

"Think we're done'ere, Hideo." He said, just as they came back to where they had started. Their pokemon had all laid some good groundwork and foundation for those that would be finishing the job.

As FERNANDO SILPH had said, it had been a good experience, watching things through to the end, learning closely from people who knew what they were doing.

It taught Doug whom to delegate, at any rate.

"We helped calm the people's nerves, put down some good foundations, and got all the statements we needed." Doug said airily, reaching down to ruffle Hideo's head. "I'll be takin' over from here."

What remained was simpler, violent part of his job. Hideo did not need to take part in that ugly work.

Hideo could breathe a sigh of relief when they were done. He didn’t dislike talking to people - he was just way out of his depth with this kind of work. Dealing with Pokemon, surviving out in the wild, and dealing with more immediate issues like fires were more along the lines of what he was good at, not investigating to find the root of issues plaguing a city.

Thank Arceus Doug had more experience in that regard. “Sorry to make you take all the notes,” he said, “but I’m pretty sure you couldn’t read my handwriting if I did them.”

All said and done, Doug was right. “Yeah, I don’t really know how to deal with gangs of people. ‘Least not in a way that’ll last long. Or not need me to stay here and deal with them whenever they show up.”

That was what the police were for. Or military, in Doug’s case.

At least they got to help in some way, temporary as it was. Hideo nodded as Doug assumed full control of the situation. “Alright. You can give me a call if you need any more help, from me or my Pokemon.”

He’d gladly lend a hand. He was sure his Pokemon would too.

Even if he didn’t know what Doug had planned.

John Sullivan