The walk down the hillside was easy. A well-worn path that curved around the steeper sections. Whoever had originally cut it knew what they were doing at least. Way better than the odd ledges that were depicted in the games.

  As I walked, I kept my eyes open for any sign of wild Pokémon. I'd have to catch a Pokémon. Preferably here before I made it to town. Although, each and every one that I saw just felt... wrong. I couldn't even explain why.

  A Wurmple had crawled across the path just minding it's own business. Easy target. Practically a guaranteed catch... Beautifly and Dustox were great Pokémon. I'd used both before and knew each could be a fucking menace in their own right. I shook my head and passed by.

  Three minutes later, a Zigzagoon. It poked its head out from a hole in the side of the hill. This one was a bit more bold than the one from the woods. It chittered at me directly. Even taking a zigzagged step towards me. I stopped and crouched down, it came right up and let me pet it. It gave a bark like sound when I stopped petting it, zigzagging off to do whatever it came out of the hole to do in the first place.

  What the hell was I waiting for? A shiny legendary to just walk up and ask to be caught? I actually chuckled at the thought. A shiny Raquaza coming down from the sky to be my partner like something out of an anime.

  The path eventually leveled out and looked up at the sky with a smile. Like that'd ever happen. I'd have to be some summoned hero for that or have some Isekai system or something. I looked around, for any sign of another human. "Open system.... Menu? Hmmm... Open menu... Status?" I wait for a minute and sighed. Nothing happened except a slight breeze shifted the grass. "Yup, thought as much. I couldn't get that lucky now could I? Not that I'd need one anyway."

  I had maybe about an hour of walking ahead of me. That is, if I took my time looking for a partner Pokémon. The town still didn't look familiar but I could guess that I was in the Hoenn region at the least. The species present told me that much already.

  I started walking again, following along where the grass has been trampled down either by humans or larger Pokémon passing through. It was relaxing really, listening to the rustle of the grass. The soft cry of bird Pokémon in the distance. I focused on the sounds for a moment and I swore I heard what might have been a Wingull. "Huh... I can think of a few routes that have Wingull as encounters in Hoenn. The first that come to mind are Route 104 and Route 103. Perhaps that town over there is Oldale town? It seems right... Although I haven't seen a single Poochy-

  My trail of thought shattered when I heard a cry of pain.

  Sharp, pained, and desperate. A yelping sound that made my blood run cold because I knew exactly what it was. I'd heard dogs make that sound before, usually when they'd been hurt badly. But this wasn't a dog. This was a Pokémon.

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  I broke into a run without thinking, following the sound off the main path and into a cluster of trees. The yelping came again, weaker this time Clearly whatever was happening was continuing.

  I found it maybe forty yards into the tree line, and the sight stopped me cold. I felt the need to throw up again.

  A Mightyena laying on its side, panting heavily. One of its hind legs was caught in what could only be described as a bear trap on steroids. A massive, cruel-looking thing with jagged metal teeth that had clamped down just above the Pokémon's ankle. The trap was chained to the base of a nearby tree, and I could see where someone had tried and succeed at camouflaging it with leaves and dirt.

  Someone had set this deliberately. Knowing a Pokémon would step on it, knowing it would cause exactly this kind of suffering. What the fuck... Pokemon can be dangerous sure, but a bear trap?

  The Mightyena's eyes locked onto mine as I approached. The whining growl it let out pulled at my heart. Mightyena are big dogs... Sure when they are wild and untamed they have to hunt to survive but is treating them like this necessary?

  Seeing one reduced to this made me sick. It had attempted to move away from me, causing it to whine in pain as it jostled the trap clamped to its hind leg.

  "Easy girl, don't move," I said softly, though I had no idea if it was actually a girl or not. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help."

  The Mightyena's ears flicked. It clearly heard me and it stopped attempting to move.

  "What kind of monsters would do this?" I whispered moving closer and kneeling down a foot away, studying the trap. The mechanism looked old but well-maintained, the kind of thing that would take serious strength on my part to pry open manually. Strength I definitely didn't have. Even if I could get it open, I don't know if the trap is stopping a majority of the bleeding.

  But I did have something that could help.

  My hand went to the Pokéball in my pocket. If I caught the Mightyena, I could get it to the Pokémon Center in town. Nurse Joy should be able to treat this. I just had to convince them, that being captured was the best thing for them right now.

  "Listen," I said, pulling out the Pokéball and holding it where Mightyena could see it. "I'm not strong enough to get that trap off your leg. I'd probably hurt you if I tried, but I know that this should be able to get you free from the trap. It will also let me carry you to a safe place to make it better."

  Mightyena looked from the ball to the trap holding it's leg. It closed it's eyes and laid it's head down. I wasn't sure if that was acceptance or refusal but I wasn't going to let them bleed out on the forest floor. Even if I had to pick the likely eighty to ninety pound dog up onto my shoulders after the ball failed. I would get them to a Pokémon Center. Pulling out the ball, I enlarged it and pressed the button against their side. With a flash of light the Mightyena vanished causing the trap to finish snapping shut. The ball didn't shift even once in my hand and it clicked signifying a successful capture.

  I glared down at the trap and how it was anchored. I may not have had the strength to pry the trap open but I was going to take the trap with. Pulling off my hoodie, I used it to keep from leaving any fingerprints on the chain that could cause a minor issue later on.

  Trap in hand, I rushed off towards the town. I had a Mightyena to get treatment and a trap to hand off to Officer Jenny.