Martin Vickers
Pachirisu Gijinka
Sunnydale Town

Sleeping out in the open using only a pile of newspapers wasn't something Martin had been used to. He barely slept at all during the days he had spent in the ruins of Sunnydale Town, but he did manage to find and kill a few mutated Pidgey and Rattata. The idea of eating these kinds of Pokémon wasn't pleasant, but it was necessary. As the days passed on, it was getting easier and the thought of it bothered him less and less.

He had built up some makeshift cooking equipment, using broken wood piles from fire and a metal ventilation grate as a grill. He hated to admit it, but the cooked meat from a Pidgey and from a Rattata actually tasted good. And it was keeping him alive in these desperate times.

Days were spent scavenging for anything of value. Martin found he had better luck when he dug through piles and moved rubble away from areas. Things that weren't already claimed by other scavengers before him hadn't been found yet, including gold jewelry, electronic equipment, and even a shotgun that seemed to still be in serviceable condition. And he was hoping someone would like these in exchange for helping him with his EvoTox problem. As the days passed, he knew his time was running out.

And he could feel it. He had to take what he had now and find any scientist or doctor he could. The chances of him being able to find everything he needed were very slim, if even such a cure existed, but he was not going to give up easily. With Sunnydale Town behind him, he left and headed out further into the wasteland, trying to find anyone or any town he could.

Several miles into his walking, he came across two members of a caravan, along with a team of two-headed Tauros, pulling a large wagon of supplies. Martin had approached them, not sure if they would be able to help, but it was definitely worth a try.

"Hello there," Martin called out to the caravaners. "Maybe you could help me?"

"Depends," the older male in his 70s told him. "Have anything to trade for caps?"

"I do, but I also need directions," Martin told him. "Are there any towns around here that have a doctor or a scientific researcher?"

In truth, it wouldn't be the first time the caravaner had run into someone in need of medical help. He didn't see anything wrong with Martin and the only injuries he had were minor scratches from encounters with wild Pidgey and Rattata, but it wasn't really his business asking.

"If you head north and follow the road, it'll take you to Rustwall," the older man told Martin. "They have a few people skilled with medicine. Not sure about researchers, but you could ask around. Now then, you said you had something to trade?"

"Right here," Martin told him, taking out the jewelry and the shotgun he found earlier. "I'm sure you know someone who would like some of this."

The older man looked it over, trying to act unimpressed. Bartering was a game of poker faces and acting. He couldn't appear to be impressed at the merchandise of others. It helped him get a much better price if he pretended to act like he wasn't interested. A desperate customer might just give their bartering items away if they badly needed the money or wanted something else in exchange.

"People don't need jewelry these days," the older caravaner told him. "Food, water, and medical supplies are way more in demand. As for the shotgun, does it even still work?"

"Oh, I'm sure someone rich would love this jewelry," Martin smiled, not falling for the older man's ploy. "It's been made and sought after throughout all of history! That never changed! As for the shotgun, take a closer look! All intact, all parts there, and it hasn't been fired since it was last cleaned."

While Martin was fresh out of the vault, that didn't mean he didn't know how to secure a good deal.