[ EU ] The Region of Kanto has a 24/7 hotline for new Pokémon Trainers who get lost , homesick , or otherwise in over their heads . You 've taken hundreds of calls , but this one tops all of them .

`` My Pokemon are eating each other,'' the young male trainer says. 
 
 `` Wh-What?'' I ask. 
 
 `` It started with Raichu eating Bulbasaur, when we ran out of food,'' the trainer on the other end explains. `` Where does Pokemon food come from?'' 
 
 `` Umm,'' I say, `` it's a soy product, of course.'' 
 
 Long silence. 
 
 Then: `` I do n't believe that,'' he says. 
 
 `` Why would n't you?'' I ask. `` It's what PokeCorp says, is n't it? It must be true.'' 
 
 `` PokeCorp uses children to enslave Pokemon,'' the trainer says. `` And we must do battle with one another, pitting boy against boy and even boys against girls, while harming what we love.'' 
 
 `` They're not pets, young trainer,'' I try to tell him. `` They're Pokemon.'' 
 
 `` Exactly.'' 
 
 `` Say again?'' 
 
 `` They're *gladiators*...'' he says. 
 
 `` Listen,'' I tell him. `` I do n't even know your name.'' 
 
 `` It does n't matter.'' 
 
 `` Then, where are you calling from?'' I ask. 
 
 `` I do n't know.'' 
 
 `` Is this a cell phone?'' I inquire. 
 
 `` There is no phone,'' he answers. 
 
 `` Then how --'' 
 
 `` Do you know that tower where dead Pokemon spirits reside?'' he asks. 
 
 `` Oh no,'' I breathe. `` Listen, do n't touch anyth --'' 
 
 `` I ca n't,'' the trainer says. He sounds so calm. 
 
 `` Yes, you can,'' I tell him. `` You obviously have a phone.'' 
 
 `` I'm dead.'' 
 
 Now the long silence is mine. 
 
 `` This is a really bad prank,'' I tell the young trainer. `` Go to the local police station or find a Nurse Joy, and --'' 
 
 `` I'm dead,'' he says. `` They ca n't bring me back.'' 
 
 `` I...'' I swallow. `` Did you die in the tower? Pokemon do n't hurt human beings.'' 
 
 `` Raichu did,'' he tells me. `` When he got *real* hungry.'' 
 
 Shoot... 
 
 `` Where is Raichu now?'' I ask him. 
 
 `` He's dead, too,'' the trainer replies. 
 
 `` Young man, did you...?'' 
 
 `` He tried to kill me,'' the trainer explains. `` So I killed him first. I strangled Raichu with Mom's rubber cleaning mitts. The ones she gave me, because I could n't afford real mittens.'' 
 
 Another long silence on my part. 
 
 Then: `` You're not pranking me, are you?'' 
 
 `` No,'' he replies. 
 
 `` Please, young man, if there's --'' 
 
 `` Will you catch me?'' he asks. 
 
 `` What?'' 
 
 `` Will you come catch me with a Pokeball?'' 
 
 `` You're not a Pokemon,'' I tell him. 
 
 `` You can catch spirits of Pokemon with Pokeballs,'' he tells me. `` You can come catch a human spirit, too. After all, I'm no longer human.'' 
 
 `` I do n't...'' 
 
 `` Come catch me... And bring me back to my Mom...'' 
 
 `` I...'' I look around for my supervisor, but I'm too afraid to ask. `` Are you in the tower now?'' 
 
 `` Yes,'' he replies. 
 
 `` I'm bringing an Onyx.'' 
 
 `` For Raichu?'' he asks. 
 
 `` Yes.'' 
 
 `` That's smart,'' he tells me. `` You'd make a good trainer.'' 
 
 `` Just hang in there, all right,'' I tell him. `` Will you let me catch you, and not resist?'' 
 
 `` Yes.'' 
 
 `` Then I'll bring the best Pokeball I can find.'' 
 
 `` Thank you, Miss.'' 
 
 `` Yeah, sure...'' I say, then hang up. 
 
 I find Pokeballs and my supervisor. `` I've got ta go,'' I tell him. `` There's a trainer having a serious problem being... He's having capture issues, and he's really sad and alone.'' 
 
 He looks down at my Pokeballs. `` You're going to help him catch?'' he asks. 
 
 ``... Yes.'' 
 
 He smiles then. `` You're such a wonderful assistant, Miss Winters.'' 
 
 I swallow. `` I...'' I shake my head. `` I got ta go! He needs me soon.'' 
 
 `` Go, then,'' my supervisor tells me. `` And show that trainer a thing or two about capture.'' 
 
 `` Yeah...'' 
 
 I set out with Onyx in tow. I do n't know why I believe the trainer's story, but I just know, you know. 
 
 The tower looms overhead, and inside is a dead trainer's spirit and a rabid Raichu spirit that eats other Pokemon. 
 
 I'm scared, but that trainer needs me!
