"Something that'll kill me." Lin Hao's hands began to shake.
May leaned over curiously to look at his phone screen. A long electronic bill filled the display. "What's this?"
"Are you blind?" Lin Hao shouted in despair. "It's the bill for damage to the Indigo League battlefields!"
May froze, then took a closer look. "Battlefield 1: severe structural pulverization caused by Pikachu's shoulder throw. Repair cost: three hundred thousand!"
"Battlefield 2: severe lava damage caused by Charizard's flames. Repair cost: eight hundred thousand!"
"Main Stadium: severe crater damage caused by Pikachu's heavy punch. Repair cost: one million five hundred thousand!"
"Finals Stadium: severe destruction of the entire facility caused by Charizard's Seismic Toss... Repair cost: two million three hundred thousand!" May's voice grew quieter with every word.
Lin Hao's pale face had turned livid. "How much does that add up to?" He swallowed hard.
"Four million nine hundred thousand in total," May said.
"Pika?" Pikachu guiltily shrank into a corner of the sofa.
Inside system space, the Legendary Pokémon all fell silent in unison.
"(Not my fault.)" Charizard innocently raised a claw. "(Master told me to put on twice the show.)"
(Good thing I didn't go out.) Ho-Oh privately counted his blessings.
Back in the real world, Lin Hao collapsed onto the sofa. With trembling hands, he pulled the five-million check from inside his clothes.
"I busted my ass competing all these days," Lin Hao said, staring hopelessly at the ceiling. "I worked overtime every day and even fought the villains, and all I earned was a hundred thousand?!"
"A hundred thousand is still money," May cautiously consoled him.
"A hundred thousand wouldn't even build a bathroom in Pallet Town!" Lin Hao sat bolt upright. "That shameless old man! He definitely did this on purpose!"
"So what do we do now?" May asked.
"Run!" Lin Hao decisively began packing. "I can't stand another second in this dump! Kanto is practically my nemesis!" He shoved his clothes haphazardly into his backpack.
"Where to?" May hurried after him. "Back to Pallet Town?"
"We can't go back to Pallet Town." Lin Hao slung his backpack over his shoulders. "Team Rocket and Team Galactic have definitely sent people there to wait for me. If I go back now, I'll be an easy kidnapping target."
Lin Hao pulled open the door. Someone stood outside, dressed in ordinary casual clothes and wearing a red-and-white cap, with an ordinary fishing rod in his hand.
"Are you heading out?" Lin Hao asked, startled.
Red raised his head and looked at Lin Hao from beneath his cap's brim. "Here to see you off."
"Off to where?" Lin Hao asked.
Red took two finely made ship tickets from his pocket and handed them to Lin Hao. "Johto."
"Why Johto?" Lin Hao asked in confusion. "Do they have a free seafood buffet there?"
"It's an ancient region," Red said. "Team Rocket's reach doesn't extend that far, and Team Galactic is wary of the local powers."
"Sounds like a good place to kick back and do nothing." Lin Hao rubbed his chin.
"Professor Oak needs you to make a trip there," Red added, taking out an advanced red Pokédex.
"The new Pokédex. There are plenty of rare Pokémon in the Johto Region. The old man wants you to collect data."
"I'm not his errand boy." Lin Hao took the Pokédex with a look of distaste. "Is he covering travel expenses?"
Red slowly turned away. "There's more to Johto than meets the eye. The Gym Leaders there have strange temperaments. Watch yourself."
With that, Red lowered his cap's brim, and an enormous Charizard appeared in the hallway. He climbed onto Charizard, smashed straight through the hallway window, and flew into the night sky.
"That bastard!" Lin Hao roared furiously. "He smashed the window! They're not going to charge me for that repair too, are they?"
May helplessly covered her face. "Probably."
"Run!" Lin Hao sprinted toward the elevator. "Before security gets here!"
An hour later, at a secluded private harbor on the Indigo Plateau, a luxury cruise ship sounded its horn. "Toot!" Lin Hao and May scrambled onto the deck.
"Phew." Lin Hao leaned against the railing, utterly drained. "Finally safe."
May panted as she watched the Kanto mainland recede into the distance. "Lin Hao, are you sure we're going to Johto?"
"Yep." Lin Hao yawned. "The tickets were free. Might as well use them."
Just then, Lin Hao casually slipped his hand into his pocket. The hidden mark on the back of his hand gave a faint glow, and Arceus's scale vibrated for once.
Inside system space.
Groudon roared excitedly, "(Roar! Such a powerful aura of laws! There are strong ones in Johto!)"
Kyogre looked utterly dismissive. "(Who cares how strong they are? Just charge into the sea and drown them.)"
Mewtwo opened his eyes. "(Johto? There's an aura there I hate.)"
Back in the real world, Lin Hao impatiently rubbed the back of his hand. "What's this stupid scale flashing for? Don't you know glowing wastes electricity?"
May walked over. "What are you muttering about?"
"Nothing." Lin Hao looked out at the dark sea. "I just hope things are cheaper in Johto."
The sea breeze swept past as the cruise ship cut through the waves, heading at full speed toward the mysterious Johto Region.
The following afternoon, the cruise ship docked smoothly. A sweet female voice came over the speakers. "Dear passengers, we have arrived at Violet City in the ancient Johto Region."
Lin Hao stretched luxuriously. "Let's go." He picked up his backpack.
"Where?" May asked.
Lin Hao turned to her with a serious expression. "To eat authentic Violet City barbecue, then find a big, soft bed and sleep for three days."
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