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Ben sat up on his bed, rubbing his eyes while half-asleep. Today was when he'd be sent to Celestic, and while he wasn't looking forward to traversing a dangerous land, he did want to go and return alive to prove a pointless point.

It wouldn't matter in the long run, but Ben wanted to show the guys here that he could carry himself. Perhaps it was mostly to prove it to himself, as he knew no one would care.

He got up, grabbed his backpack and rifle, and then put them on his shoulders, covering his mouth to yawn. Ben then put on his shoes and left his room. He assumed he had to go to the hall to be assigned to the mission publicly, so that's where he was headed, bracing for degrading comments.

However, upon exiting his residence, he saw the boss standing on the road and stopped several feet before him.

"I'm assigning you here." Not even he was in the mood for his men today. "Since you are choosing to work alone, I am reducing the hours you are required to fill from five to three. Take a bike, scout from a scraper, and good luck. You'll need it." He tossed Ben a key and an additional magazine for his rifle while turning around.

"Uh..." Ben started.

The boss stopped and turned around, holding a stern gaze.

"Who were you?... Before all of this."

"Why are you asking?"

"Just wanted to know, I guess." Ben didn't know why he was asking, truthfully. This boss guy just seemed so different from the idiots that he controlled.

"Hm." There was no harm in spilling a bit. None of his one-dimensional men had ever asked. "I spent half a year in community college, dropped out to join Sinnoh's military from nineteen, and left after fulfilling my contract. Realized how pointless it was to me after being deployed and working on planes, then put in conflict against Hoenn, another first-world region riddled with as much gov corruption as ours, where I watched countless innocents and soldiers psyoped against us and vice versa get killed by bullets, bombs... everything, and vice versa.

I had to kill some as well, and it fucked up my head. I was no longer willing to fight another cowardly man's wars I didn't even know the name of and murder the masses we're told to perceive as the enemy in order to keep him in power, as I've stated. When it's all said and done, I have chronic trauma, my friends are dead, the corrupt gain money to further fuel their evil, and no one cares. The people on the ground weren't my enemy. They were, in their heads, the honorable and courageous dying for their country, but in reality, they were dying for the true enemy."

He folded his arms. "I worked at the Oreburgh mines until SRC hit and wiped out my wife, kids, everything I knew. It was difficult, but I stayed composed and took action after somewhat recovering while everyone panicked and died around me. Gathered this group of burly men I knew from the mines that would follow my every word after I proved my credibility. There is nothing special about me, Ben. I just perceive the world the way that I do. Good luck."

Ben watched him walk away. He wanted to know more about how the boss saw things, but not enough to continue the conversation. Ben also wasn't inclined to violence under any circumstance and was probably too nice of a person at times, but he didn't want to change like many did.

Anyway, he was just grateful he didn't have to attend the hall. He went east down the pavement toward the weapons depot. A few buildings before it was where the bikes and equipment were stored.

He'd do everything in his power to ensure he lived today, but Ben wouldn't be missing out on much if he didn't. It was a preferable alternative because there wasn't a chance he'd spend the rest of his days in Sunyshore. Something had to give because there was only so much more he could endure.

He didn't feel he'd meet anyone in the wastelands of Sinnoh. Not a girl or boy, and Ben couldn't trust any pokémon he came across. Most of them likely carried the virus. If only his friend were still here. They could run together if Peter was up for it.

Ben reached the building in around five minutes and stopped at the door, unlocking the padlock and entering. He set it and its key on a shelf by the entrance and took one out of many bikes lined up by a wall on kickstands.

He also grabbed a pair of binoculars and a flashlight from off the shelves, putting them and the extra mag in his bag before leaving.

"Ben's up, eh?"

He looked back while walking the bike and saw a chubby, bald older male watching the grounds whose name he couldn't recall. They were all the same to Ben.

"Most've us betted on you dying when it was your go. Prove us wrong, and maybe we'll consider respecting ya'!"

No one had faith in him, did they? Whatever. Ben just wanted them to leave him be for once. They had nothing better to do and had to pick on the weakest link. He kept walking and hopped on the bike, riding it west toward the exit. Forget proving a point. He didn't need their respect and would never gain it, nor did he want it.

He was going solely for himself. Ben was going to grab loose supplies and see what the base was all about. That's all.

---

In two hours, unscathed, he saw Celestic ahead from Route 210. Ben had been pursued by a group of infected back in Veilstone, but he was able to lose them easily enough on his bike. He would have had to shoot them and create more trouble if he were on foot.

Ben pedaled quicker and entered in minutes, looking at the city's buildings' ledges that starly perched on and cried as he rode into the town. He wouldn't get off his bike in case he was ambushed again by bodies at any turn. He barely wanted to search homes or shops at this point since the horror had set in but may after his shift. Ben first wanted to get to safety and scope out the environment from above.

He looked up and saw Celestic's tallest building some miles west, where he'd set up for the day.

It was a breath of fresh air to be away from Sunyshore. Despite it being ten times as dangerous out here, riding down the silent roads felt freeing and held a different aura entirely. There was less stress and less depression influenced by obnoxious people.

The downside was that he had to scavenge for food and water, but Ben was leaning toward preferring it. Plus, he wasn't purely dependent. He'd arm himself, stock up, and only harm or kill if he absolutely had to-- at least he'd hope to have that kind of strength.

Upon arrival, which went by quickly since he was in his thoughts, he got off his bike before the building and guided it inside so it wasn't in view, then stood it in the lobby and took the stairs by the elevator to the right.

He had a lot of flights ahead of him. Fortunately, Ben was more than comfortable using his legs after countless guard shifts. He'd start slow and build up to a steady jog as he went so he wouldn't fall.

While walking up, Ben weighed what he needed to live on his own out here. He'd require a bike, a weapon, and he already had his backpack. He could find everything else on his own, but he needed to start with those three items that would aid his survival substantially. Ben could steal them from Sunyshore and never look back, but the boss could send a group after him for it, and they wouldn't let up until he was dead. He would have to find something out.

He reached the top in just fifteen minutes and had broken a heavy sweat along his collar during the climb, but he could handle at least twenty more flights if he had to. He was in good shape, so the infected would have to work to catch him even on foot.

Ben went down a short corridor and opened the door to the roof, where he set his backpack down and slumped beside it. After settling, he unzipped a compartment to grab water. He still needed to rest after cycling for over two hours.

Ben took out and held his binoculars while opening and sipping from his bottle, then sighed and put it down. It was time to scout. He would watch the sun to track when three hours had passed.

He stood and walked to the building's edge, bringing the binoculars to his eyes and first looking upon the dead city. No infected spotted on the roads so far, just overgrown greenery, more starly, and beaten structures, but before long, he saw it.

Farther east in the distance, Ben squinted and saw what appeared to be high walls built between and around buildings. He raised his hand and used the knob on the binoculars to zoom in.

There were guards stationed on a platform, and he was at an angle to see people living beyond it. He even saw some pokémon on the grounds.

"Love it," he grinned, crouching while gazing at the base. It was beautiful. Life had to be just excellent there. It seemed sophisticated, but all of it would be destroyed in less than a week, which killed him to think about.

Ben lowered his binoculars. It wasn't right. He wanted to run over and live that instead of the pathetic existence he lived currently, maybe warn them of what was to come, but depending on who won the battle, he'd probably be killed for betrayal. There was no guarantee that the base would let him in anyway.

However, getting a glimpse was largely tempting.