I walked down to the bottom of the hill that the laboratory was set upon, but when I got to the bottom of the hill, I started to jog. I headed north back to Pallet Town, even though it was just Misty's house and the burnt remains of the Ketchum property.

"Keep heading north, and stay in the open area, but I suggest you avoid the tall grass this time through. It will take you about an hour to get to Viridian from here, but you can see that the sun is going down. You don't really have time to get in any fight, or you are going to have a hard time seeing," Harry explained as I jogged past the house.

I headed north up to the Viridian forest, where a wide path with short grass waiting for me. The trail into the forest was so groomed and shaped that I almost expected to find grass clipping from it being cut.

"The world is a strange place. Grass never grows longer than things in places that people walk, just like in the game. Things like trees and grass never change, same with the seasons. The world is in a stasis lock, yet things like flowers and vegetables still grow, but I suggest you slow down. Unlike the game, there is no safe place that prevents  Pokémon from attacking you," Harry explained as I slowed down at his suggestion.

I came to almost a complete halt, ambling as I took a good look around me. 

I had been through this forest more than any other place on this map in the Kanto region, but to be where was something different. The trees and grass all looked healthy, but everything looked too good.

I walked closer to the tall hip-high grass and ran my hand through it, but the sheer thickness of the growth was impressive. I stopped and dropped down into a squat, examining the ground where the grass was growing out of it.

"The grass grows side by side, but it doesn't actually grow. Just take a step in, and then walk out, and you will see what I mean," Harry explained as I stood back up from confirming what he just said.

I looked around me, but there was still nothing anywhere. The most disturbing thing about the forest was devoid of sound, and to me, that meant that there was no life.

If there was no sound, there were no bugs or birds. I stepped into the tall grass, but there was no resistance at all, and I stepped back right away.

There was no disturbance in the grass; it was like I hadn't even stepped into it. If the grass was so close, there would be some trampled grass or some kind of disturbance.

"Exactly, this is why you need to be careful in tall grass. We are outside of Gallia's influence now, and I foresee Pokémon causing trouble for you. You won't see them coming if they come out of the grass or if they are moving around in it because of this effect," Hary explained as I moved away from the tall grass.

I started to jog again, but I slowed down from the speed I was moving before. If something did try to attack me, I would be better moving to get away easier.

I came to a bend in the path, but it immediately came to a halt. Something was blocking my path, and the short grass ended as soon as I got around the corner. 

A fifteen-foot rock wall was topped with grass ahead of me, but the tall grass headed to my left. There it looked like a path would get me up the hill, but I was more than likely to get attacked by Pokémon if I went that way.

Looking up at the rock wall, I raised an eyebrow. From up there, you would have been able to jump down to Pallet Town faster if you were in the game.

"Yeah, and you leaped off a fifty-foot cliff to use Surf. Shut the fuck up, and get up the wall, Pussy!" Dirty Harry shouted at me, and I groaned.

"Where can I find whatever I need to get to fix you?" I asked as I walked over to the rock wall. 

"Not a fucking clue. That is one thing that I can't do, but you are the one with all the luck. You are more than likely to just stumble on it then find it by looking for it. I also have no idea what they will look like, so you will just have to deal with me for now!" Dirty Harry growled as I reached up to a small ledge and started to pull myself up the wall.

It was pointless to spend too much time thinking about Harry. I would just have to hope that Lady Luck was on my side, and I needed to focus on what I was doing right now.

Although I was at risk of death if I fell, it was not likely that I would actually fall. Even so, it would not feel good, but then I froze three-quarters of the way up the wall.

There was a rustle in the leaves in the trees that were directly over top of me. This was the first time I had heard any noise since I entered other than the ones I had made.

"String Shot!" A high-pitched voice squealed.

I looked up, but it was too late to do anything as my face was sprayed with white stickiness. I tried to use one of my hands to clear my face, but my hand just became stuck to my face.

"Damn, bugs are attacking! You're the worst trainer ever! They are going to write about you in the legends! Azriel, first Trainer/Pokémon to be taken down by Caterpie!" Dirty Harry, as more high-pitched voices cried out, and I was hit with more sticky threads.