[center][h2]Seth Halen[/h2][/center]

	"What the- [i]you don't even understand disqualification and you've got a Machamp on your side?![/i]" Seth asked incredulously, "Where on earth did you-" 
	Things escalated far too quickly from there as another trainer, just as inexperienced and naive as the one he was trying to accost, carrying a [i]Garchomp[/i] of all things. Seth had never been one to be easily scared, but having one of the most potent of all Dragon Pokemon stare at him like that sent a cold shiver down his spine. What he wouldn't have given for Celes to still be with him then and there...
	 “Impressive Pokemon. Mind if I join?”
	Seth turned toward the sound of a third voice as a young lady stepped forward from the crowd in a seeming declaration of war. But something was different about her; the way she spoke, how she carried herself, and most of all the look in her eyes, it was all reminiscent of Dad the few times Seth had seen him go into the arena. This was not another beginner who'd gotten lucky with a powerful pokemon, she'd earned her stripes and her partner's loyalty. Her jacket opened and confirmed his suspicions, and the other two quickly disengaged. 
	Seth breathed a sigh of relief, then turned toward the two woman who'd bailed them out. "Thanks for stepping in to help, I guess I got in over my head a bit... By the way, my name's Seth. Seth Halen," he said as he extended a hand to shake. Not long after, however, he found himself accosted by the other trainer who'd punched the Machamp user. The white-haired boy proceeded to go on a quiet, wrathful tirade against him, ending with the coining of an age-old phrase before turning to walk away. Seth was beyond frustrated; all he'd done was step in to do the right thing, and now this guy railed against him when HE was the one who let his anger take control and threw a punch?!
	"And when good men stoop to evil to stop it," he snarled at the boy's back, "The amount of evil in the world remains the same."
	He exhaled sharply as he tried to reel himself back in. He'd done the right thing; had he not stepped in, the boy AND his Vulpix could've been attacked by the Machamp, and the emergency room would've been thrice as filled as it already was. He had to remind himself of that. Even if the both of them were ungrateful, it didn't make his actions wrong. 
	"Your jacket's on fire."
	Another voice behind him drew his attention; what looked like a Honedge had approached him and pointed out the small but hot flame that was burning at his jacket threads! He dropped the jacket immediately and stomped at the fire until he was sure it was out, then picked up his prized piece of clothing out of the dirt. The fireproofing treatment hadn't stopped the focused burn, but it had slowed it enough that it only burned a small hole near the small of his back. 
	"Well, isn't THAT just great. Dammit, I bet Dad's journey didn't start off this bad... Thanks for the help," he said as he tossed the jacket over his arm and gathered his backpack from the ground nearby. "I'm going to head for the Trainer's Lodge, hopefully take some time to cool off after this. See you around maybe, and good luck with your 8th Badge!"
	
	He made his way back toward the road, following the directions he saw on his map. He'd definitely need to find himself a partner, and soon, but with how irritable he was now trying to look for one was not wise. Hopefully there would be a room open and he could take a shower, maybe put his feet up while things blew over. 
	Unfortunately, no such rest was in store. His approach to the Lodge carried him into earshot of the man and woman who were entertaining a crowd... and what they had to say arrested his attention. He only caught the tail end of the spiel, but he did hear the bit about "dominating gyms with ease." The proximity of what they were spouting to that of the Machamp trainer wasn't just remarkable, it was downright uncanny. And from the buzz of conversation in the crowd, it sounded like they were promising some kind of pokemon to any takers. Could that be...?
	A high-pitched voice seemed to answer his question as the Vulpix from before leaped onto the table. She hurled accusations at the two, appeals to the crowd, and made quite a show of herself. Seth wasn't sure what was more aggravating; that these two seemed to be the source of the debacle in the park and quite possibly other situations, or that NOW the fox had decided to use her breath for words instead of fires. Part of him wanted to ignore the whole situation; the Vulpix and her trainer had already spat on his help before, and it was unlikely they would change their tunes so soon. And powerless as he was with no partner, if things came to blows he'd be worse than useless. He had every right to walk right past the spectacle and keep to himself. And yet...

[center][i]Dad's Words: No matter what happens, always hold fast to your principles. You won't be liked by everyone; you might even be despised by some for acting on them. But at the end of the day, you'll be able to live with yourself. And that's what matters most.[/i][/center]
	And yet, what those two were doing was inherently [i]wrong[/i]. Pokemon weren't meant to be soldiers or means to an end, they were meant to be friends, they were meant to be partners. And here they were, distributing Pokemon to anybody who wanted one as some sort of twisted scheme. The consequences had been plain enough in the park. It didn't matter that the Vulpix probably hated him or that her trainer thought him a cretin- he needed to stand against this. 
	"All it takes is for good men to do nothing, huh?" he said as he pushed through the crowd to the front. The irony of those words coming to mind forced a restrained chuckle from him, but by the time Seth was at the front his face was set with adamant determination. 
	"Is what she says true?" he asked the man and woman directly, his words weighted like a stone, "Are you the ones responsible for these... cowards that swing Pokemon around like tools? Like weapons?" 
	His eyes locked onto the woman's in particular, a fury dancing just behind his grim irises. "Are you the ones that are making a mockery of everything that Trainers stand for?"
 
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