Although his initial plan was to return to Oak Town, he would pay a visit to Crocus, the capital of Fiore. He had some research he needed to do before returning to the guild. With Crocus being one of the largest towns in the country, his belief was any answer he sought could be found there.
Taking time to adjust his clothing and stretch, he began to walk southeast with his companion Gastly by his side. The creature was nearly hidden in the darkness of the forest. Up until now, Gastly had simply been an onlooker in everything. The few requests Shin had embarked on with his creature usually ended with Gastly just tagging along and doing nothing. He was beginning to question whether it served a purpose. Although he did not plan on abandoning the creature, the thought had surely passed his mind. However, he believed Gastly simply needed to garner strength similar to him. If anything, this was the perfect bonding opportunity. This search for power could serve as the motivation for both Shin and Gastly.
Walking through the moonlit path, Shin observed the forest one last time as he looked back. He was unsure whether he would ever have a reason to return but whatever little time he did spend here was enjoyable. Playtime was now over though. It was time to get serious. Tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans, Shin and Gastly walked off into the distance with goals of reaching the capital before dawn.
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