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[PKMN OPEN] Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]

Geras

Geras

Roleplayer
957
Posts
13
Years

    • Winston Ines and Isla Wright - Catching Up Route 5

    Spoiler:

    Winston sat under the twinkling stars at an old roadside cafe. They weren't open, but they didn't have a problem with him using their outdoor seating and it was a recognizable place where the person he was waiting for could easily find him.

    And find him she did, the girl in the red ponytail casually strolling along the route without a care in the world. That's how it seemed, at least. She didn't react much to the things in her life, but he knew she always had a lot on her mind. It was a mind that worked a lot differently than his, and one of the things that drew him toward her, that fascinated him about her.

    "Sorry I'm late," she said with a soft smile as she sat across the table from him. It was a face she'd worn the whole way to him, unchanged with her words. The face she wore most of the time he'd known her. He couldn't tell how sorry she actually was. But he'd also never known her to lie, a fact that was valuable to him. "I'm glad you're here. I was getting worried about you, ever since you didn't show up at the ceremony."

    "Were you, now?" He asked, not looking for an answer. The slightest tilt in her brows. "Sorry about that, I got caught up taking in the sights. Sketching different pokemon, Wild Area landmarks, interesting people, my own ideas... It's a big world past Postwick and Wedgehurst. Though I guess I don't need to be telling you that."

    "Makes sense," she said. Her brows returned to their original position. Subtle changes like that were the only indication of her real feelings. Anything more was likely one of her practiced imitations. Imitations that might also represent her feelings if she were any good at them.

    "If anything, I was more worried about you. No offense but I wasn't sure how well you'd manage as a trainer without my help. Watching you lose to Milo didn't exactly quell those fears either."

    Her eyes narrowed a speck. "Yeah. I think I can beat him next time though. Now I know the Flapple has dragon moves for Woop to copy."

    "What if he changes his strategy?" Winston asked. "Are you going to just be passive until you can think of something again? You've seen that a gym leader isn't going to give you that time."

    "...Yeah, you're right. I almost forgot how smart you were. Are you sure you don't want to be a gym leader or something?"

    "I've told you before that I'm not that smart," Winston said with a dismissive chuckle. "I just watch a lot of battles. I can't write good ones for my comic if I don't know what I'm doing."

    "Right." Isla pulled out her pokedex and searched through it, obviously trying to think of another approach for her next gym battle.

    "I'll help you figure something out for your next battle later," he stopped her. "Don't worry. I'll try not to make a habit of it, but maybe we can think of it as thanks for helping me out today."

    Isla looked up from her dex. Her eyes were widened a bit, probably in confusion or surprise. "Okay. I wouldn't call telling you about my journey helping you, but if you say so."

    "Thank you." Winston pulled out his notebook, a thing worn from constant use, and flipped to one of its later pages. "I was able to catch you at the ceremony on stream, so how about we start after that?"

    "After the ceremony?" Isla asked. That would have been a couple of months ago by now. Her memory wasn't too good so it would take her a moment to remember, but she knew Winston was a patient person.

    "I remember getting a message from you about money, since you were losing a bunch of trainer battles."

    "Oh yeah, so that's probably when I joined Blackspear. They were hiring and I needed more money if I was going to battle more. I wanted to get stronger with my team, and also Fuzz starts to steal things if she gets bored since she's used to battling so much. Woop actually likes battling a lot too, but he throws tantrums when he loses." He could see a little curl of her lips when she talked about her pokemon.

    "Blackspear Industries, eh? So how did that go? Did they treat you well? What did they have you do?"

    "It wasn't bad. I was able to do trainer stuff, like together with my pokemon, and get paid. They said I was easy to work with so I think they liked me. I made enough that I could even send some home to dad. We did all kinds of things. Woop modeled some clothes, Om helped a lady with her garden, Fuzz helped with some construction work… Then there was the Aggron thing."

    Winston's pencil stopped. "Hold up. Aggron thing?"

    She nodded. "I was getting bored with the work they were giving me so I asked for something harder, maybe with battling. They paired me with another Blackspear trainer and we tried to stop some Aron that were eating some railroad tracks. It was snowy and we couldn't really tell where they were coming from, but we figured out that they had a whole cavern dug under the tracks. We fell down there and got attacked by an Aggron, probably their leader."

    "Okay let's slow down a sec. Tell me more about this other trainer that you fought the Aggron with first, I wanna set the stage in my mind better." Winston noticed himself leaning forward in his seat as he took in her story. He couldn't help it though, he always got excited hearing about a trainer's adventures.

    "The trainer?" Isla closed her eyes as she recalled what she could about them. "A girl with glasses and black hair that covered her eye. She liked Normal type pokemon and I think she wanted to be like a gym leader from another region. Unova I think. She was kinda serious but nice, she talked to me a lot. Her Herdier and Dunsparce were really strong."

    "Herdier, Dunsparce, glasses… It sounds like Noel Misca. I skimmed through her battle footage against Milo when I was watching the challenges."

    "That sounds right, yeah." Isla hadn't quite remembered her name, it seemed. She struggled to remember things that didn't leave much of an impression on her, so he was surprised she remembered as much as she did. But he supposed she did always pay more attention to battle and trainer stuff.

    "And? How did it go against the Aggron?"

    To Winston's surprise, she lifted her shirt a bit to reveal a new scar on the side of her abdomen. A lot of that area was discolored too, like a recently-healed bruise. "It was tough but we managed to hold it off until some rangers arrived. We actually caused a cave in on top of it to hold it down when we realized we probably couldn't beat it. It had a bunch of dents and scratches on it already. The rangers said it came from the mountains the mines were in but got pushed out by the other Aggron."

    "Wow… But shit, that looks bad. Are you sure you're okay? It doesn't hurt?"

    "No," Isla said curtly. "I'm fine."

    Winston had his doubts, but without any evidence he decided not to press further. "Either way, be careful with that kinda stuff. Try not to bite off more than you can chew, or you might regret it."

    "I'm glad I took on that job though," she countered. "My pokemon got stronger I think, and that's where I met Whirr."

    "Your Klink?"

    "Yeah. I think the Aggron and its pack were eating the local Klink. Whirr was still alive so I took them with me."

    "I guess there's not much metal around away from the mountain, huh…" It was a grim thought to Winston but it didn't seem to bother Isla at all. But such was the pokemon world, so maybe he just needed to man up a bit. "Well it sounds like a hell of a time. I didn't think there was much at all on route 3. But I'm glad you made it out of there okay. So what's next?"

    Isla searched her memories once more. "Next was the mine. I didn't really do anything there except battle Oleana. It was a double battle. She had a Snorunt and a Trubbish, so I sent out Fuzz and Whirr. I had the advantage with two steel type pokemon so I was able to win. We talked a bit and then she left."

    "Whoa whoa whoa, Oleana, like, from Macro Cosmos?" Winston asked bewildered, at the edge of his seat. "What was she doing in that mine? It's not Macro Cosmos property anymore. And she just battled you? What did you talk about?"

    Isla shrugged. "I don't know why she was there or why she battled me. She challenged me though so I wasn't going to refuse. When I won we talked about my mom a bit."

    Winston tensed up a bit, suddenly more conscious of his words. "Your mom? So they uh, used to know each other?"

    "Yeah," Isla answered unperturbed. "Mom worked for Macro Cosmos before she died. Oleana said she was one of their best and that she was sorry she couldn't go to her funeral. She also asked if I had any interest in doing what she did but I told her no. I don't think I'd be a very good scientist anyway."

    "So she worked for Macro Cosmos…" He wanted to ask more about it, like how high up her mother was or if she had anything to do with the incident a couple years ago but he held his tongue. He doubted Isla knew anything about that anyway. "Is it really okay to tell me about this? It sounds pretty private. Especially since you didn't say anything about it at school."

    "It never came up at school," Isla said. "I think it's fine though. Oleana didn't tell me to keep it a secret or anything."

    "If you say so…" Winston tapped his pencil against his notebook as he took in everything he'd heard. Isla had always been pretty open about whatever she was asked, hence him calling her out here like this, but he couldn't help but feel like he was hearing things that should be more private. He'd felt the same way when she first told him about her mother's passing last year.

    "So how do you feel about them? Macro Cosmos, I mean?" He feared he might be overstepping his bounds, but was curious nonetheless.

    She paused, processing the question. "I don't really feel strongly about them. Mom didn't like to talk about work at home, so I don't know that much about them. I know they were responsible for the Darkest Day stuff, but I thought that was just Rose and Oleana. Oleana doesn't seem that bad though. I guess I don't really know how to feel about it?"

    Similarly, Winston didn't know what to make of her answer. He scanned her face to try and glean anything more, but there wasn't anything. Somehow, she really didn't feel very strongly about it all.

    Winston shuffled back into his seat before continuing. "I guess all that's left is Route 4 and Turffield, right?"

    She nodded. "I didn't really do anything on Route 4 though, and all I did in Turffield is fight Milo."

    "Right, and I've already seen how that's gone. What about here on Route 5?"

    "I saw a fish pokemon I wanted but I didn't have a rod so I swam in the river to catch it. But then I saw what it evolved into on my pokedex and I didn't like it so I threw it back."

    Winston blinked, then he laughed. He supposed that after everything that she'd encountered on her journey, she was still the Isla he knew. The strange girl he'd once followed to get ideas for his stories before growing strangely attached to her. He didn't even have to ask to know what the pokemon was, knowing her and having seen what the route had to offer.

    He stood up and stretched, letting out a long groan of relief. He put his notes back into his bag and drew his starter's pokeball, releasing his trusty Tynamo. "I guess that's enough of the interview. So how about we get to some battle practice like old times? Figure out how you're gonna tackle your second try against Milo?"

    Isla stood up too, releasing her Mime Jr. from his pokeball. "I'd like that," she said, her smile widening.

    Spoiler:


    ​
     
    Last edited:
    Jay

    Jay

    [font=Brawler][color=#91a8d4][i]Here comes the boi
    904
    Posts
    9
    Years
    • Raphael Allard
    > Route 5 - West Side
    > Mood: Intense
    > Your Biggest Fan - Part 2

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    As Raphael half stumbled out of breath into a clearing further down the Hulbury Channel, the river took a serious dip. The rushing fresh water flowed towards a cascading waterfall that dropped a solid forty feet to a rather shallow and rock ridden basin down below. Carmen quickly altered her course, she splashed from the water quickly and plunged into an oxbow lake a safe distance from the drop, poking her head out and turning to look from her trainer, to a situation unfolding at the very location in question.

    A young man wore a panicked expression as he stood by the edge of the drop. Raphael immediately recognized the uniform he wore from the distinctive red jacket, a Pokémon Ranger, though this one was green as grass. He looked like he was younger than Raph himself, maybe even younger than-

    "H-Hearto-s-san…" The exhausted mumblings of the girl that just popped into his head assaulted his ears. Himari Sato, Raph's supposed number one fan, stumbled out of the woodwork a few paces behind him. Considering her short legs, she had proven surprisingly capable of keeping up with him. He had to pace himself, as always, to stop his heart from reacting poorly, but even still he had expected to leave her lost somewhere in the wetlands behind him.

    Regardless, Raph was ignoring her for now. The young ranger, a mess of fluffy brown hair on his head, turned to face the two and his eyes widened with surprise and hope as he spotted them. "Y-You? Are you trainers? Please I need-"

    "L-Loooomb-bre…" A disgruntled cry could be heard coming from the water and Raph quickly moved a few paces forward before responding. A water type pokémon, Lombre, was situated at the edge of the falls, his feet wedged between two rocks and his hands holding a vine which descended into water rapidly rushing past him, threatening to toss him down the falls any second.

    "What's going on here?" Raph asked, his brow furrowed and his tone urgent, but his best effort benign made not to stutter or waste time. "Y-Yeah..!" An idea clearly missed by Himari, who rushed to re-affirm the gym trainer's words.

    "T-There's…" The young ranger was already out of breath but he forced himself to answer quickly as he could. "There's water types from a smuggling ring, they're not used to the wild yet so we were looking for them but-"

    "K-Kip!" A tiny squeaking could be heard and as Raph pushed forward to get an even better view of the situation his eyes widened further. The vine Lombre was holding was dangling over the edge, tied loosely wrapped around… wait, what was that pokémon?

    Raphael struggled to rack his memory, it wasn't a species native to Galar. Small sparks of understanding burned as his thoughts shifted back to Arrietty, Vito and Wren. This pokémon was from Hoenn, it was a classic starter of the region alongside Torchic.

    "A Mudkip?!" Himari blurted out, clinging to Raph's arm for solidarity as she peaked over the edge. "W-We're talking that rare?! Those things are cultural icons in Hoenn, how did this happen?"

    The Ranger seemed taken aback but quickly furrowed his brow. "Yes, it's rare, that's not the point! I captured Lombre with my styler to help search but we were a second too late before it went over-"

    "We don't have time for this, Vito!" Raph cut off their conversation to act, Lombre was barely holding on as was, there wasn't any time to discuss logistics and he knew all he needed to know. Himari let out a barely contained squeal seeing her idols partner pokémon, but even the Sealeo could tell from his trainers tone of voice that this was a situation where he needed to be sure not to goof around.

    "Vito use Powder Snow at the edge of the water, try to freeze the water to give Lombre more space to pull Mudkip to safety!" The command was clear and concise and Vito responded immediately, summoning small buffets of snow, the water took the ice and chilled quickly, small pieces of ice forming atop the rushing current. Yet the power of powder snow was not enough. The water either flowed over and around the ice too quickly, or carried it away downstream. When one piece struck against Lombre's back, threatening to damage it, Raph called off the attack.

    "Enough, Vito! Damn it… that's not working!" Raph grit his teeth, all three humans stood there helpless, the Ranger quickly looked through the trees and called for help again, gripping his styler in the vague hope that a potential pokemon would appear and be caught before it was too late. Raphael simply stood and stared at the water… while Himari unbeknownst to herself had let go of his sleeve and had started to stare at him with concern.

    She had seen Raphael on TV, seen him lose to Kabu, felt a sense of relatability in him she didn't feel with other challengers. She knew what it was like to fail and be embarrassed, to feel like you weren't good enough, in front of everyone you knew and cared for. When he had defeated Milo, in a triumphant return, she had felt a strong desire to meet him. Now she had and she was watching his struggle, unable to do anything as she watched him struggle with his own inability. It wasn't as pleasant an experience as she hoped. If nobody did anything right now, that small pokemon would suffer, maybe even die. Himari knew Raph's team and her own, however… and if Vito couldn't do something about this, then it was unlikely that any other pokémon around could. She felt her body tense and her eyes well up, panic settling in. She wasn't used to the intense situations these trainers subjected themselves too. "H-Hearto-sa- MMPH!"

    Mid thought, Raphael had dropped his bag and flung his jacket into Himari's face. She was caught in a moment of brief euphoria from the scent, before her better judgment caused her to pull it awkwardly from her face.

    "Hold that."

    His words took a second to register with his meaning as Raphael looked at her, now kicking off his shoes. The meaning behind his actions took a second to register and her eyes widened as he returned Vito to his pokéball and she realized what the trainer had meant. The young ranger, now turning back towards the pair hearing the commotion, reached out his hand and called for Raphael to wait, but of course he didn't listen.

    The freezing cold water shocked Raphael's senses as he plunged into the river. It was deeper than he had expected, the water had barely coasted over the top of his head as his foot hit the bottom. He felt himself tense up and his chest clenched painfully, but he had taken the time to mentally prepare himself, allowing him to actively lessen the blow to his senses. Still, it hurt like a bitch.

    After a second of acclimation, he burst his head out of the water, hair now plastered to his face, he quickly leans forward and begins to swim, only a few strokes are needed with the force of the river before he finds himself a moment away from teetering over the edge. He lets the current carry him until his feet collide with the two rocks at the drops edge, his body positioned beside the suddenly stunned Lombre who looks back at the unfamiliar human with shock and trepidation.

    That shock vanished when Raph reached around and grabbed the vine tightly with the grass type pokémon. Together the pair pulled tightly, fighting the current at their backs to try and gain ground. Mudkip was by no means a heavy pokémon, but the water ploughing into the pair constantly meant they weren't fighting the weight in front of them, but the one behind them. By pulling the small water type below, they were pushing constantly against the rushing force at their backs.

    "C-C'mon!" Raphael grunted, gripping and pulling with all his might, the efforts of Lombre boosted further as well, as Raphael's body blocked most of the incoming water from slamming against the wild pokémon. "L-Lomb-bre…!" It struggled under the immense pressure even still however, but together the pair were making ground, pulling the vine upwards, inch by painful inch.

    That was when disaster struck.

    The pair had been using a set of two large rocks to ground themselves against the rapidly flowing water, yet with the extra weight of Raphael now applied, one of them could no longer take the pressure. With a loud rumbling and crack, the rightmost rock plummeted off the edge, slamming with an echoing splash into the basin of water below. Lombre stumbled forward first, with a lock of shock and a cry of panic it sprawled off the edge, barely managing to grab the vine before falling to its demise. It hung now at the edge with Mudkip, grasping onto the other water type and the vine itself for dear life.

    Up above, Raphael cried out in pain, barely managing to dig his heels into the dirt and struggle backwards. With the additional weight and lack of footing, there was no more gaining ground in this battle of tug and war, it was all he could do to fight to hold his imager footing… a fight he was now rapidly losing. Over effort he made to pull back, lead to him grinding closer and closer to the edge. His eyes went wide with panic and frustration. If he let go of the vine, he'd be able to pull himself to safety… but he'd be consigning both of these wild pokémon to their deaths. Was that a worthy sacrifice? Even if he had more than a few years to live he couldn't say it was. So he dug his heels in deeper and struggled desperately, fought a losing battle, hoping for something to change in the few moments he had left.

    A little further upstream, Carmen watched with wide eyes of panic. Her trainer was struggling at the brink of a watery grave, as were two fellow water types in danger. She lamented her own lack of ability, if she were anything else, could do anything else, then she could help him! Her heart sank and her eyes grew dark. She wasn't any of that however. She was a Magikarp. Common as muck, weak as a light breeze and barely able to survive in this world, let alone thrive or help anyone. She was born to the bottom of the food chain… and that was to be her lot in life.

    That was all she had.

    Those dark thoughts and emotions began to rise in her and drown her thoughts of assisting. The self doubt she had forced away her whole life was rearing its ugly head as she watched the one person who believed in her get slowly washed away.

    The one person… who had believed in her?

    "If Magikarp are so strong, I don't see why anyone would skip out. Maybe you're just a special case or something, Carmen."

    A special case.

    Those words still hung with her from earlier that day. They seemed so offhand, so uncaring, but perhaps they were something more. Was he really that dense…? That strange human of hers. Did he not know what Magikarp were? What they were known for? Was she alone his only direct experience with her kind?

    Had she alone been enough to shape his odd opinions?

    The thought washed away the dark feelings brewing in her and brought back an old memory from long ago, before the scar on her tail had been made, before she had met Raphael at all.
    ​
    By the shore of Route 2's lake, a strange old man sat on a bench, with well defined eyebrows and a little green hat. He was unafraid of wild pokémon patrolling nearby, instead content to sit alone on that bench, tossing scraps of bread into the water before him.

    Carmen had always hated handouts, but scavenging had been hard that day, she was hungry and it was late. So food, in this case, was food. Despite her efforts to go unnoticed, she and her school were spotted by the man, who gave a warm smile to the water below. "Aha.. so I have some takers after all, that's brilliant." He had a thick accent like most people of Galar, but his words were kind and his eyes were kinder. He seemed content as the Magikarp took the pieces of bread and watched warily for more, more that he happily gave.

    "Oh but I've always respected the Magikarp." He said, barely audible like a mumble, but Carmen, at this point in her life just another nameless fish, heard him all the same. How could she not when he spoke such nonsense? "Despite what others see as weakness, you have always thrived, I find that marvelous heehee!" He grinned and gave that same sort of laugh that the old male humans liked to. A mischievous old timer like any other, yet his words were so different to anything she had heard before. "So plentiful and prosperous despite that supposed weakness… and the potential to become something stronger than most other pokémon I've ever seen."

    Carmen froze. The man's words stunned her, shocked her to her core. A powerful Magikarp? Could such a thing really exist? Despite the wary eyes of her peers, she swam closer, poking her head out the surface of the water… and grabbing the old man's attention. "Oho, interested are we? Here, look at this my friend." Reaching into his pack, he pulls an old storybook, flicking through the pages he shows to the fish, one of the most beautiful things she has ever seen.

    A gorgeous illustration, depicting a fierce dragon. A long blue serpent, that spiralled through raging waters, directing the currents as she pleased.

    "This is Gyarados." The man said pleasantly, seeing that Carmen was enraptured by the image in his hands. "The most powerful of your kind, little one, become this pokémon by evolving. An old legend states that a Magikarp with the strength to swim up a flowing waterfall will evolve into Gyarados upon reaching the top." With a chuckle he quickly shuts the back with a snap, causing Carmen to startle and retreat a few feet back into the murky lake below.

    "But you're kind enough to listen to an old man's ramblings! Such patient creatures, you Magikarp, another reason you've earned my respect!" Standing, he dusts himself down and makes to leave, but a moment before departing, he looks back, catching Carmen's gaze for the last time and tipping his small hat in farewell.

    "The curious ones always go far… so I wouldn't be surprised, you know? If a dragon sleeps in you as well."
    ​
    Carmen's gaze narrowed and she leaped high from the ox-bow lake, plunging into the rushing river and letting the current take her to the plummeting falls beyond. She heard the desperate fangirl and the hapless ranger cry out, trying to stop her, but she was tired of letting people underestimate her. In response to their words, Raphael's head whipped around to meet her approach. She knew what he would say, the selfless idiot, how he'd tell her to turn back for her own safety, but this time she wouldn't-

    "Hurry, Carmen!"

    Her eyes widened a little further at the affirmation. He called her closer, rather than telling her to turn around and flee, he was calling out to her to help him. He really did… believe in a Magikarp to save his life. She almost sneered at him, her trainer, oh but he really was an idiot. Her idiot, who she had no intention of letting fall to an early grave.

    Rushing along with the water she doesn't slow down even as the edge approaches. She passes Raphael and turns, she shifts her whole body until she faces the way to safety and her tail is dangling off the edge. She wasn't exactly swimming up a waterfall, sure… but for now this would do. Forcing against the current she tackles forward, pushing against the raging water with nothing but her own strength, she ploughs her head hard into Raphael's stomach, causing the human to grit his teeth, but he holds fast. His energy goes into the vine alone now, his knuckles turning white and his hands rubbed raw as he grasps it tightly.

    With the weight of her trainer now placed upon her, Carmen's whole body begins to ache. The sheer size of Raphael would cause her to struggle by itself, but the added pressure of the rushing water made the act nigh impossible. The keyword being 'nigh', however, if the alternative was Raphael falling to his death then 'impossible' wasn't something she would allow to exist. She pushed, she shoved, she forced herself with every ounce of might she had until every scale she had was burning with the effort, screaming at her to stop going beyond her limits, she wouldn't listen.

    And Raphael began to move.

    Silently she pursed her lips and her eyes held wide with fury, inch by painful inch she pushed, forcing him back pace by pace, fighting the water with all she had. She was the one destined to become that beautiful dragon… and so the current would obey her whether it wanted to or not.

    Slowly, pace by pace, seconds felt like hours. Until eventually the waterfall was a foot away, then two, then a few. Just as she felt herself giving out, just as her energy started to disappear, the weight became far less. Looking up, she saw Raphael had released the vine with one hand and was now grabbing the end of a royal blue scarf. At the other end, the incessant fangirl and the inexperienced ranger were holding it tightly, crying out for her trainer to hold on. Their force added to hers, she knew it would just be a little bit further. Taking a second to float in the current, she surged forward, doing her best not to hurt him too badly she tackled into Raphael's gut again, giving one final push backwards..!

    And as she did, by Arceus' blessing, his feet found solid ground, he stood holding that vine with his chest above the water, finding purchase away from the raging current. She was… exhausted, more exhausted than she'd ever been in her life. Carmen's eyes began to close as she lost the strength to fight the waves, seeing Raphael safe gave her the relief she needed, but she couldn't keep fighting, not anymore.

    Thankfully, she didn't have to.

    Having released the vine and given it to the other two on the shore to pull the rest of the way, Raphael had quickly surged to the edge of the walkable ground available to him, his arms around Carmen, pulling her in before she could be carried away.

    Even as he said something to her, she could barely hear… and her eyes shuttered closed in relative safety.
    ​
    The sound of idle conversation echoing in her mind brought Carmen back to attention. Her eyelids slowly rose and she found herself in a small pond off the beaten track,the sound of the rushing river water now just a memory. This place was peaceful and still. As she gazed up from the surface she spotted something that warmed her heart.

    Raphael sat on a small rock by the water side, close to where she rested. He was dry and warm now, a towel around her shoulder, no worse for wear than a cold for the journey ahead. That was something to be thankful for, she had done it, she had saved him. She had saved her trainer.

    "So you ARE that gym challenger, you were the first from Wedgehurst to beat Milo! I'm from the town myself so I made sure to watch your battle!" The young ranger was speaking to Raphael, who sat with an awkward smile and a lazy gaze. The expression he so often wore. "Yeah, that's me… I've not seen you around, um..?"

    "Ah, Rory's the name! I've been at the ranger academy some few years on now, so I've not been home in a while. Was heading there myself when all this happened." The ranger, Rory, scratched his nose bashfully and looked down to see the Lotad by his leg, the wild pokémon had still not left and all present had to wonder why. It looked up at the Ranger with some trepidation, before the young man smiled down at him with glee. "Can't say I'd mind some more company on the way… why don't you come with me? Rangers are permitted partners too you know?"

    That seemed to do the ticket and the Lombre rose its arms in joy at Rory who continued to smile awkwardly in turn. Rory seemed like a good enough guy, he reminded Raphael of Simon in some ways, if a little bit more put together in exchange for some confidence. "You left quite the impression it seems." Raph mused, when he felt a splash of water on the back of his hand. Looking down quickly to the pond, he saw the watchful gaze of Carmen gazing up at him, alerting him that she had awoken once more.

    "There's my hero, risen anew." He said, his face forming a genuine smile. It was such a rare thing to see on his face and the first time Carmen felt, she had earned one just for her. That made her happy. "I knew you were something special, Carmen. The strongest Magikarp there ever was, I'd say." The words meant more to her than he could realize… and before she could let that show on her face, she quickly shuffled beneath the waters surface, to which Raph could only smile a little wider.

    "Looks like I'm not the only one Mr. Allard." Rory joked with a cheesy grin, interrupting Raph's thoughts. He assumed that the ranger was talking about Carmen, but as Raphael turned back around, he found another set of eyes ready to meet him. Sitting on its hind and yawning a little, but smiling all the same, was a vaguely familiar pokémon. The Mudkip from before was gazing at Raphael expectantly, seemingly too lackadaisical to stand and walk the rest of the distance towards him. Still, the intent in its expression was clear.

    "You want to come with me, do you?" He muses, his eyes focussing on the little one before him, though the only reaction is a lazy close of its eyes and a big smile to follow. Seems Himari wasn't the only one to steal his aesthetic today. Still, it was charming in a way.

    "If you'd rather I can bring him back to base camp but… the only objective I really had was to make sure this pokémon is safe. Can't think of a much safer place than with a Gym Challenger eh?" A comment made by Rory, to which Raphael shook his head with a resigned smile and a sigh. "No need to convince me… we're getting a bit full here, but I've no intention of denying this little guy. I think I know a certain Hoennian who'd be intrigued to meet him."

    Reaching into his pouch, Raphael pulls a pokéball forth and lightly tossed it forward. It gently bonks on the top of the Mudkip's head… and with a contented, tired smile, the mud fish pokémon is drawn inside. One shake, two shakes, three shakes, click. Just like that, another member added to the team. "I'll have to think of a name on the road, three water types though… at this rate Leader Nessa's going to think I'm gunning for her job." The joke earned a smirk from the Ranger and the two shared a knowing nod.

    "Then this is 'mission complete' for me! I should thank you both for your… help." Rory looks around with a confused expression searching for the third human supposedly present, but seeing no sign. "Where did she pop off to… that was sudden." He mumbles, a little put off by her sudden disappearance… but Raphael got the feeling he'd get to pass along the well wishes soon enough.

    "Keep up the good work Pokémon Ranger, maybe I'll see you around again." Raph waves flippantly with the words, then returns a smiling Carmen to her pokéball to leave. "Or maybe not… we'll see." The sudden shift back to apathy catches Rory off guard for certain, especially as he's not seen that side to Raph before, but as the trainer walks away quickly, eager to avoid further interaction already, the rookie ranger calls out after him.

    "I-I'll be watching your matches mate! Wedgehurst represent!"

    Gotcha! Mudkip was Caught!
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]


    Nickname:
    "Roe"
    Moveset:
    - Tackle
    - Supersonic
    - Water Gun
    - Rock Smash
    - Rock Throw
    - Protect
    Ability: Torrent
    ​


     
    Sonata

    Sonata

    Don't let me disappear
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    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
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    5020 ♦ Pokemon: 5

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    CHAPTER 7 - WORK FOR A PROMISE
    Ft. Melody Argent
    Rosa walked out of Turffield/along the river of Route 5. The girl looked over the package that had been left at the front desk and furrowed her brow. It didn't look to be anything special… just a rock in a box. But what did she really know about precious gems? The only thing she could remember off the top of her head was a geode that had been pictured in one of the textbooks that her father had brought her from Hoenn. How something so pretty could be hidden behind such a bland exterior was beyond her…

    But what she really didn't understand, is how people figured out which rocks were worth something and which ones were better left in the bottom of a lake. Not that any of it really mattered to her. She didn't see herself taking up a pick and joining the mining brothers anytime soon. It sure would be nice if she could find some more nuggets just laying around though… this job wasn't exactly paying that well, but she shouldn't have expected it to, given the short distance she had to go to deliver the package.


    Me: What do you know about rocks?

    "My Benefactor": What do you want to know about rocks?

    Me:Is it normal for jewelers to order a single rock?

    "My Benefactor": Really, really not. Why?

    Me: 'Cause a really pretty blond guy is paying me to bring a single rock to a jeweler.

    "My Benefactor": Does the rock have drugs in it?

    Me: It's pretty small. Probably not.

    "My Benefactor": Watch your back. This seems like a trap.

    Melody slides her phone into her pocket to look around at the route's landmarks. Zelkova said the jeweler wasn't too far into route five, and they've been walking for awhile, so they should be close. Delivering a stone across a route seemed like a slightly more challenging venture than her last Black Spear job, albeit... not that much. This job wasn't going to pay fantastically well either, but since this little pit-stop was on the way to Hulburry, she really had no reason not to take it. Melody finds herself looking inside the small container once more. Yep. That's a rock alright. There's really nothing impressive about it. "Do you think he'd notice if we swapped this a different one?" Melody asks the Doom Noodle hanging on her shoulder.

    "Pyy..." Nightshot says with a disapproving frown.

    "I'm just asking! I'm not gonna do it."

    Movement in the distance catches the punk teen's eye. A familiar white sweater and golden hair. "Rosa?" She asks, suddenly picking up speed as she heads towards the figure.

    The girl turned to look at the voice calling out to her, immediately losing her train of thought as she saw Melody almost jogging over towards her. "Hey," she replied back with a little wave. It had only been a few days since they'd seen each other, but it was still nice getting to consistently meet up with people she actually got along with. "What're you up to out here?"

    "Another episode of JoJo's Bizarre Delivery Service." Melody says once she comes to a full stop beside the smaller girl. Nightshot holds his nubbed arm up and gives a little wave to the other trainer while Melody shows the small container. "Some jeweler up ahead wants a rock. One rock-- I probably should have asked more questions."

    Rosa raised her eyebrow, slowly producing her own mostly empty box. "I… also, was asked to deliver a singular rock. This… kind of seems like a setup."

    "... This might be some kind of trap." Melody thinks aloud as her eyes glance back down to her phone. Nightshot gives off a nervous tremor as he looks at his trainer with wide eyes, as if asking what they should do. Can they put the rocks down and walk to Hulburry like this never happened? Please? "How do you want to handle this?" Melody asks her fellow trainer.

    Rosa shrugged, placing her hand on her pocket as she felt the balls stored within. "Well… if it is a setup, I think it's safe to say they picked the wrong people to try it on. We worked pretty well with that cult, after all… and I think it's safe to say we both have gotten stronger since then." The girl smiled, putting the box back in her pocket. "What's the worst that can happen?"

    "I might have to sucker-punch another cultist into another body of water." Melody says with a small smirk. Nightshot lets out a displeased sigh as Melody slides the small box back into her satchel. They're doing this, then? Even though it's a trap? If he wasn't already technically dead, Melody would have put him in an early grave.

    "Dree…" The dragon protests.

    "We'll be fine." Melody says, giving Nightshot's head a small pat before bowing towards Rosa. "Might we escort you on this mission, M'lady?"

    Rosa smiled and nodded, performing a playful half-curtsy back to the girl. "If you'd be so kind, I'd love to have your company on my mission." She wasn't too worried, though. Given her involvement in the mafia that ran the last two cities, even if this "jeweler" turned out to be a thug she had no doubt she'd be able to hold her own. Maybe… just maybe, she'd be able to show off a little more for the girl than she'd been able to back the last time they'd battled together.

    Melody finds herself smiling without thinking about it. She straightens her spine and begins walking back down the path, her stride a little slower so she can stay beside Rosa's shorter legs. "Did your rep tell you anything about this guy?" Zelkova just said a jeweler needed a rock by tonight. Come to think of it... he didn't even give a name. Just a few landmarks that would guide the way to the building.

    Rosa shrugged. A rep? Was… she supposed to have a rep of some sort? She never talked to anyone when she'd signed up for the license, but then again, the person that handled her paperwork was in quite a rush. Maybe she'd unknowingly skipped an entire step of the process… maybe that was why she hadn't been getting more job offers through her stay in Turffield. "Not really. All I know is I'm supposed to head to someplace called… 'Carbink Jewelers'? Supposed to be just outside of Motostoke, so I can't imagine it's anywhere fancy."

    "Must have spent hours racking his brains to think up a name like that." Melody says with a small roll of her eyes. For some reason, that strikes her as even more shady. Like… someone asked what the name of the shop was and the owner thought to himself, What's a Pokemon associated with jewelry? Carbink? Or… maybe this is some old guy who's lonely and wants some trainers to come visit. Maybe they're both a little extra suspicious because of everything they've been through in their journey thus far. Not that she'll be letting her guard down, but she'll refrain from looking for a massive stick to pummel someone with… for now.

    Rosa laughed lightly as she looked down at her feet. "Yeah, not the most creative, huh?" She shrugged her shoulders, not really sure if she could have thought of anything better if it had been left up to her. "At least if Blackspear recognizes it as a 'legit' business, it takes a little bit of the worry off our shoulders."

    "Here's hoping." Melody encourages. She's not so sure herself, does Black Spear check these places out before they take them on as clients? They should, sure, but when you're the biggest company in the region and everyone is clambering for your business, maybe you start taking shortcuts.

    That being said, there's really no reason to try to make this place out to be bigger or badder than it is before they even lay eyes on it. Rather than getting Rosa stressed out, she sort of just wants to… talk to her. About nice things. With their current track record, this could be the last time she gets to see Rosa for weeks to months. "But it's fine, we can handle it, no matter what's going on."

    "Yeah," Rosa said softly, walking slowly down the path. She dragged her feet a little, kicking at the rocks as she perused her own thoughts. She felt… weird... when she was around Melody. It had gotten easier to talk to her since they'd run into each other a few times now. But at the same time, as the obvious topics of conversation died away she found it increasingly uncomfortable to find something to say that she was satisfied with. "So," she started, sucking her bottom lip in as she bit on it. It was the topic of the season, but she'd never thought to bring it up before now. "I guess it's that day, huh?"

    " That day? Oh." Melody gives her shoulders a small shrug. "Yeah, I guess it is." Melody didn't pay much attention to dates, even her birthday came and went without her noticing due to trekking through the wild area with only a vague deadline to get to Motostoke. The punk teen raises her arms and folds her hands behind her neck as she glances over to see Rosa kicking her feet against the pebbles on the ground. "I take it you're not a fan?"

    Rosa shrugged. "I don't really know. I've never had a reason to get into it before. With my shrine training and all the lessons I took with my mom, I just never had time to think about it I guess." She raked her hands through her hair, burying her fingers beneath her buns as she gently flexed them back and forth. "What about you?"

    "I won't go on and on about how it's a fabricated holiday to brainwash the masses into buying candy and flowers-- I mean, it's no better or worse than any other holiday with that sort of thing," She says with a little shrug, "but I guess it's not really my thing either I guess. I mean…" She pauses, her nose wrinkling. "Ugh. There's really no way to say this and not sound cliche as hell, so I'll just say it: If you care about someone, why wait for a particular day to show them? And… I dunno, I'm not saying I'm against the whole candy and flowers thing, but I'd rather do that for someone as a surprise rather than 'cause the calendar told me I have to."

    Rosa nodded her head. "Yeah, that makes sense." Something else to add to her notes, at the very least. It wasn't as if she'd ever romanticized the idea of Valentine's Day, but personally, she felt that if the moment ever did arise it would make it easier to put her feelings out there. At least then if she was rejected, she'd be able to just blame it on the pressure of the date. "I only ever really got to celebrate it once, and I was still really young. I baked a cake for my dad since my mom was busy with work… so I think at some point it would be nice to experience some of the candies and stuff that everyone always talks about."

    "When we left Motostoke…" Melody looks to the road ahead as she thinks aloud, "there was a festival goin' down route 3 for the yule holiday. Lots of vendors selling presents and decorations." It was smart, really. If trainers won't stop their journey to shop, bring the shops to the roads. "I bet there'll be something like that down the road from here too." Melody turns back to flash that surprisingly easy smile back to Rosa. "So, if we come across one, I'll buy you some chocolate." It doesn't seem fair that Rosa's never gotten to celebrate the holiday. While Melody hasn't either, that was her choice, she didn't want to. Rosa wants to, so damn it, she's going to make this happen for Rosa.

    Rosa laughed lightly and shook her head. She wouldn't necessarily mind getting chocolates from Melody, but at the same time… "Oh, don't feel you're obligated to just because I brought it up." She looked over at the girl, letting her gaze linger for a second too long before looking back at the road ahead. "Even if you felt like…" She paused, picking out the words she wanted to use as they slipped and fumbled out of her mouth. "I wouldn't want you to feel forced into buying into something like that if you don't believe in it. It's just a silly holiday, after all."

    "It doesn't have to be for the holiday." There's a chance the implications of the holiday are flying over Melody's head. The way she sees it, as trainers, they have limited opportunities for luxury items like baked goods and hot water. She might not like the holiday, no, but she likes candy. Come to think of it… she isn't very big on the Yule holiday either, but she still went out and bought a present for Haleigh because the holiday made plushes considerably more affordable. There's nothing wrong with accepting the positives of a situation, even if the situation as a whole isn't something she's chomping at the bit to celebrate. "Besides… I want you to be able to say you had a nice Valentine's day way more than I want to… stick it to the man or whatever."

    Oh. Rosa's eyes widened slightly as she turned away from the girl. Her cheeks started to feel slightly warmer as she began to tap her fingers against her palms in the comfortable cover of her sleeves. She wetted her lips, turning her head in the opposite direction of Melody as she feigned searching for the jewelry store. "Oh… well… if you don't have anyone else you'd rather buy them for today, then I suppose it would be rude to say no."

    Melody tilts her head to the side as Rosa's face turns that bright red and she abruptly looks away. Shit, did she say something dumb? No-- no she doesn't think it's anything she said-- it's-- something she implied. Realization snaps into her head and her own eyes cut to the opposite side of the road. Did she just-- yes, yes she did. She asked Rosa to be her Valentine, and perhaps what makes this whole thing even weirder is that… she's… sort of happy about that. Melody slowly glances over just a bit to make sure Rosa's still looking in the other direction and, if only for a second or two, watches her. The punk teen's arms fall back to her sides and quickly shove into her pockets as she looks back to the road ahead, giving off a very soft, nervous laugh. "Nah, I… want to buy them for you."

    Rosa pursed her lips, stuttering in her steps as she quickly came to terms with Melody's confirmation of what she'd said. "Oh," she whispered, fighting against the smile that was creeping onto her face. No no. Keep it under wraps. Don't get ahead of yourself. She still barely even knows you. "I'd like to… to get you some too."

    "That… would be really cool." And that might be the stupidest thing Melody's ever said, given the situation. Before she can mentally kick herself too much; however, a small tap on her cheek from Nightshot thankfully brings her attention from the situation she just fumbled them both into. "Hm?"

    "Py?" The small dragon asks as he points up ahead towards a building. "Oh. Is that it?"

    Rosa looked off down the hill that they had just reached the top of. She pulled the note from her pocket, looking at the name of the building she was supposed to be delivering the package to. The girl glanced back up, seeing what looked to be a sign just up ahead. "I think so? I think… that sign says 'Carbink Jewelers'. I guess that makes sense - it wasn't supposed to be a hard delivery, after all."

    "Easy money." Melody says as she looks around the surrounding area. Nothing seems too suspicious yet. "Let's give a guy two small rocks." The punk teen declares confidently before making her way down the hill. As she walks, Nightshot clutches more tightly to her shoulder and continues looking back and forth.

    Rosa surprisingly made it to the front of the store first, mostly due to the fact that at one point while going down the hill she managed to trip over herself. In that moment, she'd decided that instead of just letting Melody know she'd almost bit the pavement going down a hill, she would instead carry on with that forward momentum and jog awkwardly the rest of the way to the building, leaving behind the girl that had been walking beside her since they'd met up. She stopped at the front door, looking at the finely painted lettering on the otherwise blacked out door as she caught her breath.

    "Yeah," she nodded her head, doing her best to not sound like she was dying as Melody stepped up beside her. "I don't know, this looks pretty legit to me… but I can't really see inside."

    "Do legit businesses usually have blackened doors?" They do in Spikemuth, yeah, but Spikemuth is… a special place. Huh. Maybe their jeweler is from Spikemuth. That would explain the weirdness of this entire mission. Everyone from Spikemuth's got to have some kind of gimmick, it's… a thing. Melody gives the door a gentle knock. "Anybody home?" She asks.

    Rosa shrugged her shoulders. She didn't really know, to be honest. She still hoped that this was just a regular delivery job, but the more that Melody insisted it might be something else, the more that the consideration seemed plausible. "I don't know… I've never been to a jeweler before." She retorted, leaning around Melody as she pushed the door open.

    A bell jingled at the top of the entrance as the door swung past it, opening up into a brilliantly shiny room. The floor was pristine - far cleaner even than Priscilla's marble had been - and all along the floor were clear cases, creating a maze through the store which seemed to utilize a great deal of its space while still making it easy to see everything that it had to offer. Above each case was a dedicated magnifying glass attached to an adjustable arm, and each case was filled with LEDs which reflected off of the precious gems stored within and helped to illuminate the room.

    "Welcome!" A voice called out from the back of the room. A rotund little man waddled out from behind one of the glass cases, getting up on his tiptoes as he squeezed through a small gap that separated one of the nearby cases from the wall. "What can I help you ladies with today? Earrings? Necklaces? Pendants? Maybe…" he paused, taking a second to look the girls over once more now that he was closer. "Perhaps, instead, you're looking for a ring?"

    "Uh… I get the vibe that there's nothing in here we can afford." If he had one of those little machines you put some change in, maybe they could afford one of those on those. So far, being a Pokemon trainer is not the lucrative business venture so many make it out to be. "We brought rocks." Melody reaches into her satchel, taking just a second to feel the shuddering egg that's nestled against the side, and retrieves the small container. Maybe this guy can explain why it took two two people to carry two tiny rocks.

    The guy looked at the rocks, taking them slowly with shaking hands. He looked down at the stones and then back up at the two girls. His eyes widened, and his lips began to quiver as his mouth contorted rapidly between a smile and a look of surprise. "Ooooh!" The man whispered, placing the boxes together as his face grew flushed. He took in a sharp, excited breath as he took a step back. "So you're the ones that took on my job! Well… at least my eyes didn't deceive me."

    Rosa looked over at Melody, and then back at the man. He didn't seem shady, just… kinda weird. "Yeah, so… the job's done, right?"

    "Oh!" The man whispered, stepping back towards the girls. "No no. I actually have something for you outside of your payment, you'll just have to give me a little while. And in the meantime… I may actually need you to do something else for me. See… there's this one unruly customer I've been dealing with…"

    Rosa's Party










    ​

    Rosa's Journal

    Simon Dansen
    My childhood friend. Absolute idiot. Can't ever get a read on him anymore. Buttface. Always there when I need him. Always there when I least expect him. JERK. Showed me up in battle and evolved his Pokemon before me.

    He came to "rescue" me after I coerced Ruben into protecting me in the underground casino. I told him off... and then didn't apologize until much later. He came to wish me a late merry christmas after Ruben gave me his spare room. He reminded me of our promise from before our journey started, and gave me my christmas gift which was a traditional Johtoan kimono and fan - all to prepare me for the upcoming contests. He also told me I should call his mom and dad since they're so worried about us both now that we're gone, but... I'll figure it out later.​

    Jasper
    An ex-classmate. He took my bait and threw me for a loop when we were fighting a group of Munchlax together. Not as bad a guy as I thought. Because of him, I have to re-evaluate my notes on everyone else just in case. I'm interested in trying a different approach with him when next we meet.

    Helped out a wrongfully arrested girl. Really smart. Observant. Kind, but doesn't like to show it. Isn't a terrible cook.​

    Charles the Biker
    An eccentric, but strong man. Indulges in bad puns. Love for bikes. We left on good terms.​

    Nat the Ranger
    A doting older brother to several sisters. A strong trainer who follows their duty. Only spent a day with them. Not sure if I want to meet again or not since I stole a broken styler from his scene of investigation. We left on good terms, I think? Unless he notices that something's missing.​

    Budew Girl
    Never got her name. Apparently she's a challenger like the rest of my classmates. Comes from a family of Budew fanatics. They breed Budew in their hometown and journey around with all three forms of it. She seems endearing. It might be interesting to meet her again in the future. As long as she's not being accused of theft, that is.​

    Achille Béringer
    Rich kid. Pays his debts. Is keen on rich kid things. Doesn't seem much different from how he was in school, but still need to reevaluate.​

    Melody Argent
    Cute and kind. She keeps to herself kind of like I do. Loves music. Feels similar to Simon. Still need to reevaluate because of interactions with Jasper. Kind of maybe, possibly, a small amount of a badass. Finger guns - super corny. Don't harp on the idea of being in contests. If that culty stuff doesn't get figured out by the time we come back to Motostoke, I'll have to remember to find her around town. She's much more attuned to pop culture than I am.​

    The Family // Damien(?)
    Not the family himself, I don't think. I still haven't got his name or what role he really plays in all this. He's a shady motherfucker - pardon my Kalos. I still don't know how much of the stuff I've gone through in Motostoke has been orchestrated by him, but for the moment I'm not planning to try anything. I still don't know enough about him to make any real guesses. The longer that I stay around this town, the further behind the veil that I see. I'm scared even to go to sleep at night so long as I'm here. They have eyes... everywhere.​

    Buggy Simon

    Some kind of freak of nature. I guess he understands Pokemon in some way that I can't; like, he understands what they're actually trying to say when they speak? Kind of cool, but also weird. Him and Simon used to hang out every once in a while at school. He knows about my "secret styler".​

    Valerie

    An absolute ray of sunshine and happiness. She's also a streamer, and earns enough money from it to show it off. Not put off by literal ghosts. Has some kind of dream of meeting Mew.​

    Aeliana Kekoa

    Alolan dance girl. She's supposed to teach me sometime. Pretty much just how I remembered her in school. I didn't get to spend much time with her when we all hung out. Didn't seem too bothered by the ghosts.​

    Pia McGuire

    Pia... definitely is afraid of literal ghosts. I had a few choice words for her, but... after we saw Jirachi, it just felt like the time had passed, so I gave up. She's seen me without my mask, so next time we meet up is probably going to be awkward.​

    Haleigh Windsor

    A friend of Melody's. I intentionally ran into her after failing to catch up with Melody, due to the addition of Haleigh. We had a short battle, and then made a promise for drinks with Melody after I urged her to drag the girl along with her to the contest in Turffield. She seems quite naive, so I may be able to get some more use out of her as long as I stay true to her persona. She's battle hungry, the same as Simon, but her Pokemon are still a little lacking - that coming from someone who still has no idea what she's doing here herself. She might end up being a good sparring partner in the future since she knows a little of what I've got and we're on relatively equal footing.​

    Mother Priscilla

    The leader of the Turffield Sisterhood. I thought at first she was just an escort, but once we got to their hideout, I slowly started to realize what she really was. She's an incredibly dangerous woman who has no trouble pulling a gun on important people or those that she may need. There's still too much I don't know about what's going on to get a good grasp on what her and Damien's goals are, but given what I've already seen I really could do without finding out.​

    Ruben Sancho

    Truth be told, I hadn't cared for Ruben when we went to school together. I thought he was your average rich celebrity who was forced into something he didn't really want to be a part of. After getting involved with the family and finding myself in that gambling hall, and then finding Ruben there as well, I felt that my suspicions were true. I had no second thoughts about what I was going to drag him in to. But as time went on, I found myself feeling more and more regretful with each time that he said Pia's name. And then because of me, news about him and Pia got out before either of them were likely ready to go public. And after all that, Simon attacked him out of the blue... but even after all that, he still offered me a free room at the local hotel. I already apologized to him about Simon, and about lying to get him to go with me. But, I should apologize again. He's not as bad of a guy as I thought he was.​

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    LinearAxel

    LinearAxel

    That Dream...Make it Come True!
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    • Working for a Promise - Part 2
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]


    Rosa sat on the steps leading up to the jewelry shop, looking up at the sky as she rubbed Zorro's head. Dahlia was nuzzled into one of the buns on her head, and the rest of her Pokemon waited patiently in her bag for this "problem customer" that was supposed to be coming. She glanced over at Melody from the corner of her eye every so often, wondering if she'd come into anything new since their last meeting just a week prior.

    "It's a nice day out." She muttered, not really sure how to pass the time without making things more awkward than they already were. Her thoughts were stuck on what the jeweler had asked just before they'd passed off the rocks… and how Melody hadn't immediately shut him down. She looked down at her hand, wondering what she would even do with a ring at this point. Their adventure was surely too hectic to be able to keep something nice like that in good condition, even if it was a memento between friends.

    "Yeah, I'm sorta glad spring's right around the corner." Melody says with a small shrug as she looks over her shoulder to give Rosa a small smile. Though trying to hide it, she remains slightly on edge; the portly shop owner seemed nice enough, and this place was way less shady on the inside than she thought it would be. Still, said shop owner managed to dance around the question when she asked why it was so important that two people deliver a package that could have easily been delivered by one-- or, you know, sent by the regular postal service.

    Now they're waiting around because someone is rumored to come here and start trouble? Or are they waiting for someone to come for them specifically? Melody is about to resume her intense stare into the distance when another movement from inside her satchel catches her attention. The egg is now moving around so much that she can feel it brush against her. "Hey, Rosa? Do you… know anything about Pokemon eggs?" Maybe she should be doing something to help the little guy out?

    Rosa shrugged slightly. "I hatched one before for Zorro… but by the time I got him, I think he was already on the verge of coming out anyways. Why do you ask?"

    Melody crouches down so she can set her bag on the ground and slowly remove the egg from its nest of clothes and blankets. As she takes it out, Nightshot begins to wriggle excitedly against her shoulder, his eyes hyper-focused on the egg. "I got this back in Motostoke. It's starting to…" As she holds it against her chest, the egg visibly sways from side to side. "Yeah, that."

    Oh. OH! Rosa watches the egg as it wiggles back and forth, clearly on the verge of hatching. Zorro quickly waddled over, clearly excited by the new commotion. "Bud?" The Pokemon questions, tilting his head to the side as he places one of his vines against the Pokemon which had yet to be hatched. Zorro paused for a second, waiting for the egg to wiggle again. "Budew!" He cried out, laughing as he retracted the vine the next time the egg shifted.

    "Wow… you've been holding onto it for so long." Rosa whispered, leaning in closer now that curiosity had gotten the better of her as well. She hadn't been able to catch the actual hatching of her own Pokemon, so this was a first for her as well. She thought back onto how Budew had been with her just after hed been born and she stifled a little laugh. "I think you'll be a great mom."

    "Py py!" Nightshot cries happily as the Budew laughs. He slithers off of Melody's shoulder to float beside the egg and give it a gentle tap with his nubbed arm. They have been looking after this egg for a long time, and he's very excited to see what it will be!

    Melody smiles sheepishly and shyly glances to the side at the compliment. She can feel that warmth trying to rush back to her face but manages to force it back down-- she thinks. "I dunno if I did something wrong to make it take so long… or maybe it wanted to wait until it wasn't so cold?" Melody then blinks as the egg in her arms twitches again, though this time, rather than swaying from left to right, it sways towards Zorro.
    "Wow," Budew whispered, reaching his vine back out towards the egg once more as it rocked towards him. "Has it ever done this for you, Nightshot?" Zorro looked over at the Dreepy and tilted his head, feeling… something for the first time since he'd hatched due to the egg's sudden connection with him.

    "Mmmmh. No? I don't think so. Wait. Maybe once?" Nightshot liked to snuggle up next to the egg at night or while Melody was walking in the cold. It wiggled sometimes. Did it wiggle at him? It's hard to tell what an egg is thinking-- if an egg thinks at all. Did he think as an egg? Was he ever an egg? He doesn't remember hatching. He doesn't remember being alive either, but he must have been alive at one point in order to be a ghost now. Hmmm. His nubbed arm remains on the egg, and when the vine touches it again, he can feel the little creature inside moving around faster. Oh, wow, did it just kick? He must really-- "Wah!" Nightshot flies back in surprise when he sees a crack in the egg just to the side of Zorro's vine. Did-- did they break it? The egg wiggles and the crack splits even more. "I-- is it happening? Zorro! Melody! I think it's happening!"

    Zorro stumbled backwards. It's happening! Is this… was this a "poggers" moment? Rosa had whispered the word a few times since meeting up with Valerie, but he never actually figured out what it meant. It sounded like something you'd say if you were excited, but he couldn't know for sure.

    "I don't think we broke it…" he whispered, trying to ease his own nerves. "It was kind of like this for me when I hatched. I went from one dark place to another… and then found out I was just stuck in Rosa's bag of all things!" The pokemon laughed, focusing on the crack that had formed by it. "Are you… okay?" He whispered, trying to peer through the hole.

    Oh, okay, phew! This is normal. Totally normal! Nightshot nervously taps the ends of his nubbed arms together as he inches just a smidge closer to the shaking egg.

    Grr…!

    He can hear the baby inside making a very impatient sound. "Do you think he needs help?" Nightshot asks Zorro, but before the rose bud can answer, the sound of electricity crackling can be heard. Nightshot jolts upward in surprise when he sees vibrant, yellow static crackling from the split-- and then the whole egg lights up! Oh no, don't blow up! The small dragon shields his eyes.
    Shards of egg shell break away, flying in several different directions as they continue to spark with electricity. Not hearing any screams, Nightshot slowly lowers his arms and opens his eyes to see a slightly glowing, purple Pokemon in Melody's arms. The baby Toxel lets out a wide yawn and stretches his arms, legs, and tail. Phew, that was exhausting!

    Zorro waddled closer, slowly uncovering his eyes as he looked at the newborn Pokemon. He glanced up at Rosa, then to Melody, and finally back onto the new Pokemon. "They're so cute… does that mean… You may be younger, but I'm still baby though!" He cried out, waving towards Rosa in a display of his cuteness. But she ignored him, focusing entirely on the newborn.

    "Heh, are you sure about that?" The cutiefly called down mockingly from atop Rosa's head as she watched the two babies' first interactions.

    Zorro focused his attention on the Toxel, staring at it for a few seconds longer before his face contorted into something he felt seemed more masculine. The Budew tried its best to lower the pitch of its voice as much as it could, as it turned its back on Melody. "You're right. I wish to retract my statement." He lowered his head and spread his vines out defensively in front of the Toxel. "The time for baby is over."
    ]

    "That was one hell of an entrance." Melody murmurs, unable to hide her excitement as she looks down at the newborn Pokemon. The Pokemon Piers gave her because he believed she could raise it right. The Toxel doesn't seem to notice Melody at first, instead reaching out with his tiny hand to grasp at one of the vines Zorro had placed in front of him. His tail waves slowly behind him as he observes his surroundings beyond the vine.

    "Toooox?" He asks as his eyes adjust to the light. There's a lot to see here, and a lot of eyes on him. Who are all of these things? Wait. The one that's holding him. He knows that voice! That's the voice that he hears all the time! "El." With his other hand, he grips onto Melody's sleeve. This is mama, and… he doesn't know who the ones with the vines are, but he likes him a lot already. This is his now.

    Rosa looks on with a smile. "He's adorable," she whispers. "And that attack was so strong for a baby! Good luck training him up," she laughed lightly as she looked down at Zorro for the first time. "Guess you get to be kind of like a big brother now, huh?"

    "Bud!" The Pokemon replied, feeling the light squeeze and tug on his vines as he kept a lookout. "Bud bud!" He cried out, turning back towards the path they'd come from earlier. "Budew!"

    Rosa looked off in the direction that Zorro had turned, catching sight of a man roughly twice their age making his way towards them. "Well howdy!" The man called out, waving at the girls as he walked down the hill. "Y'all're quite young to be hangin' 'round a place like this, ain't'cha?"

    Rosa glanced back at Melody and her new baby Toxel. They were supposed to be keeping watch for a certain customer, but they were only given vague details like his age, name, and-

    "Name's Gabe Lincoln, in case yer wond'rin'. The courteous thing to do when you meet someone new is to give 'em yer John Hancock y'know." Gabe extended his hand towards the girls, searching for a handshake and shared greeting before he was even in arms reach of them.

    "You're not welcome here, Gabe." Rosa stated bluntly.

    The man slowed in his pace momentarily, his face twisting into one of confusion before immediately snapping back to a cordial smile. "Ah, you must be confused. There was a slight misunderstanding here the other day, but I assure you that I-"

    "- Tried to harass a girl into going out with you after she told you to buzz off? Demanded this jeweler dude make you something so you could bribe her into liking you?" Melody speaks dryly. She holds the baby Toxel to her chest and attempts to shield as much of him as she can with her arms, though the infant is less than cooperative. He peeks out and twitches his tail at the intruder, his grip on Zorro's vine tightening a little.

    "I'm sure you're a 'nice guy,' and I'm sure you have a nice, long explanation for why we don't understand," Melody's eyes narrow, "and I'm sure someone, somewhere will love to hear all about it. Why not go find that person?"

    The man continued to smile, shaking his head. "Ah, 'f course i shouldn't expect lil' girls like y'all to understand the intricacies of love 'n marriage." Gabe shook his head and shrugged as he pulled his pants up by the belt. "But if you're intent on getting in the way of business, I suppose I could ease your nerves with a quick double battle seein' as how the two'v you've such amazing pokemon." He stated in a facetious tone as he motioned towards Zorro and Toxel.

    Rosa held her tongue, not wanting to lose her composure in front of Melody or the newborn. She looked down at Zorro, who's entire demeanor had changed in the time they'd been waiting for the egg to hatch. And now… he reminded her of Simon, standing in front of Toxel as a wall to protect it from whoever might threaten it. "Yeah, okay." Rosa nodded, not alluding to the fact these were among their weakest Pokemon. "So we win, and you give on your quest for love, and if you win, we get out of the way. Fair's fair, yeah?" She looked at Melody from the corner of her eye and winked at the girl, letting her know that she did actually have a plan.

    Melody catches the wink and stops herself from tilting her head. Rosa's got a plan? That's enough for her. Melody looks from Rosa to the stubborn older man and gives a small but determined grin. "Sounds fair to me."

    "Well a'right then, let's get at it! C'mon out, Ton-Ton, Buffy!"

    Gabe pulled the balls from his pocket and released the two Pokemon, smiling as he watched the Tauros and Bouffalant appear since they towered over the other four Pokemon that were in front of him.

    "Well, why don't you introduce us then?" He chuckled motioning towards the two girls. "I've shown you mine, now why don't you show me yours!"

    Rosa shook her head, certain that he hadn't meant to put it that way. "All's fair in love and war, yeah?" Rosa muttered, smiling as she pulled a ball from her pocket. "If you're sure you want to 'tussle', then there's no backing out! Come on out, Wyatt!"

    "Louuuud!" The Pokemon cried as it burst free from its ball, staring down the two bulls in front of him before turning slowly towards the new addition to the company. "Loud," he cooed, reaching out to pat the head of the Toxel.

    "W-what?" Gabe stuttered, clearly caught off guard by the choice of Pokemon. "That's not fightin' fair now! You done tricked me into-"

    "You never said we had to use our babies, Gabe." She said with a little spite in her voice. "Besides, I'm sure with such amazing pokemon at your disposal, you'll have no trouble taking down a couple of little girls, right?" She questioned, her voice dripping with forced enthusiasm.

    She looked down at the Toxel, hoping that Wyatt would be able to imprint some good habits onto the Pokemon as it watched its first battle. This was the plan, after all. Strictly speaking, they didn't have to fight fairly or using only two of their Pokemon. She could have led out with something weaker and gotten the better of him, but-

    "Bud!" Zorro cried out, stepping in front of Loudred as it pulled away from the baby Toxel that had been holding on to it. The Pokemon flared its vines, trying its best to make itself look as big as it could as it positioned itself between Gabe's Pokemon and his friends.

    "Buddy," Rosa whispered, kneeling down next to the Budew. "You're not strong enough to go up against guys like these yet. You're still just a-"

    "Bud!" The Pokemon stated bluntly, taking a few awkward and wobbly steps forward. "Budew!" Zorro glanced back at the Toxel, making sure that it was watching him.

    "Loud," Wyatt walked in front of Rosa and wrapped his arm around the girl, ushering her back to the sidelines as he shook his head. "Loud loud…. Loud?"

    "Bud!" Zorro replied, lowering his head and curling the ends of his vines into little fragile clubs before motioning mockingly towards the Tauros. "Bud-dew."

    Melody looks down to the baby rosebud hesitantly. She is all for the little dude's fighting spirit, and in a normal battle she would probably encourage him to go out and give them what-for; however... the last thing she wants to see is Rosa's baby getting trampled by two giant bulls.

    "Py." Nightshot says as he gives his trainer a gentle poke to her cheek. "Dree-py." He says as he looks into her eyes, giving a determined nod.

    "You think he can do it, huh?"

    "Dree!" Nightshot proclaims, clapping his nubbed arms together.

    "Toxel! Tox tox!" The baby in her arms cheers out, raising his tiny hands in the air to cheer on the brave Budew.

    "I think we're getting out-voted." Melody says to Rosa. As she speaks, Toxel peers up to Rosa with a pleading expression-- for a few seconds. Shortly after he gets distracted by Wyatt, who is purple, like him! And he has really, really cool ears. The baby Pokemon reaches his arms out towards the larger Pokemon and makes a grabbing gesture.

    Rosa sighed, shaking her head as she let Wyatt drag her back. "Well… I can't say that he couldn't use the battle experience. But…" she pursed her lips, looking down at the tiny plant. She'd feel terrible if he got clobbered and lost the heart to battle again. But, then again… She looked down at the Toxel that was cheering him on in between its grasping for Wyatt. The egg had hatched when Zorro placed his vine on it… and Zorro looked like he really wanted this… The girl let out a sigh as she looked down at the Pokemon in front of her. "Just… be careful. Okay, Zorro? Set a good example for the baby."

    "Bud!" Zorro replied, tapping one of the vines against the floral print just below his face.

    Gabe tried his best to not look relieved at the new development. When Wyatt had come out, he'd seemed to lose all confidence in his choice of Pokemon. But now that Zorro had taken to the field, that cheerful grin also returned to his face. "Hey, look at the lil' guy, trying his best to be chivalrous 'n all. Don't you girls worry, I'm sure we'll set a good example together for the lil Toxel you got there."

    "Kick his ass, Zorro." Melody mumbles under her breath. She then reaches for the blue Poke ball hooked to her belt loop. At first, she was going to use Nightshot for this battle-- problem is that his best attacks aren't going to land on a normal type. Sure, their moves won't land on him either, but she can't shake the image of one of those bulls charging through the ghost-dragon and right into the jewelry store. She needs something that can hold these two bulky things back. Mind over matter it is.

    "Let's do this, Celeste." Melody calls out as she tosses the Great Ball into the air. The Gothita bursts from her ball in a dramatic flare of light and lands gracefully beside Zorro.

    "Ta!" She shouts angrily at their opponents. She heard what was going on from inside her ball. How dare this... this... bumpkin try to get in the way of the fine art of craftsmanship! And to say such things in front of their impressionable infant as well!

    "Oh," Gabe smiles, seeing that she'd also chose a smaller Pokemon to go up against the two of his. "Well, out of the frying pan I suppose." he laughed heartily as he cracked his knuckles. "My love for Emilia can't be stopped by little ones like those! Let's show these girls what love means to us, yeah?" The man slapped the rears of both his Pokemon, sending them charging towards the girls. "Fury Attack!"

    Ton-Ton the Tauros rushed at Zorro, rearing up onto his hind legs as he took aim at the tiny Budew. Meanwhile, Buffy the Bouffalant had lowered her head, scraping her horns against the ground as she rushed the gothic Pokemon.

    "Zorro, use Stun Spore!"

    The Budew looked up at the Pokemon towering over it and quickly waddled between its legs, getting behind the Tauros quickly before releasing a cloud of paralyzing spores. The practice they'd done leading up to the contest had paid off. He was releasing many more spores now than he'd been able to before, actually creating a cloud of them instead of something more akin to a shotgun spray.

    Ton-Ton crashed into the ground, repeatedly stabbing his hooves at the dirt as the spores collected on him. The Pokemon was much too large to see exactly where the smaller Pokemon had gone, and so instead of making sure he was actually hitting the intended target, the Tauros simply continued his attacking spree blindly.

    "Celeste, use Psyshock!"

    The tiny goth Pokemon stares down the charging bull as she holds her hands outward. Small spears of psychic energy begin to collect around her as her eyes glow with a dangerous intensity. "I… ta!" She cries as she thrusts her hands forward, the shards flying towards their enemy and crashing into her full force.

    While the attack does not stop the normal type's furious charge, the dirt and debris that rose from the ground from the combination of the attack and Buffy's powerful hooves colliding into the ground throw the large Pokemon slightly off course, and she charges right past her tiny target.

    "Ta." Celeste scoffs. Pathetic.

    "Bud!" The Pokemon cried out, happy that he'd triumphed in the first exchange. He turned to look at Melody and the Toxel, smiling happily as the baby watched. "Buuud."

    The Toxel stares at Zorro with wide eyes and an open mouth. He's… he's so cool! That Pokemon is so much bigger, and he's kicking his butt! "Tox! Tox!" He cheers, small sparks shooting from his body.

    "Errr, good goin' girls. I suppose I shouldn't be takin' it easy on ya then, even if yer usin' such small'ns. C'mon kiddos, let's capitalize on our strength! For Emilia's sake, and our future! Ton-Ton, if yuh can't see the target, just hit it with a Body Slam! Buffy, you can take whatever lil girl over there throws at yuh, just hit'r back with a nice Payback once yuh do!"

    Payback: That's a move that doubles its power if the opponent moves first… and it's a dark type move. Melody grits her teeth. She can't let a super-powered-dark-move make contact with her tiny psychic type. "Celeste, use Hypnosis!"

    As Buffy stands her ground and waits for Celeste to make her move, the lolita Pokemon locks eyes with her and begins to sway her arms. "Goth-i-ta… Goth-i-ta…" She chants. The larger Pokemon's head follows the hypnotic movements and before long, her eyes seem to grow heavy. Rather than charge for Celeste after her attack is complete… she merely closes her eyes and hangs her head. Celeste covers her mouth and giggles before teasingly waving at the opposing trainer.

    The Tauros turned slowly, clearly suffering from the paralyzation that was taking its toll on him. "Tu-ro!" The Pokemon cried out, rearing up and stretching its legs out over the Budew, making sure that it would land on the Pokemon this time.

    Zorro waddled backwards slowly, outspacing the bull Pokemon by a narrow margin. The Budew looked up at the Toxel and waved excitedly. "Buuuud!" he cried out before looking back down at the Tauros. The Normal type flinched, inching its way backwards as the Budew hit it with the Extrasensory attack.

    "Toxeeeel!" The baby Pokemon cheers, clapping his hands together in excitement as he cheers for Zorro.

    Gabe hurriedly grabbed up a handful of rocks and chucked them at his Bouffalant, a worried look creeping up onto his face. "Get up, Buffy! C'mon, you can't just be lyin' there like that! Ton-Ton, help yer sister out right quick!"

    The Tauros turned away from Zorro, rushing towards the Bouffalant while paying no attention to the other Pokemon around it. "Tu-ro!" The Pokemon cried out as he crashed into Buffy, shoving her over and causing her to quickly wake up. "Bouf!" The Pokemon responded, shakily rising to its hooves.

    "Atta girl!" Gabe called out, taking a second to see where each of the Pokemon were at now. Both of his Pokemon were closer to the Gothita than they were to the Budew, so this was the perfect opportunity to get a little dirty. "Both of yuh, use Horn Attack on that lil Psychic type!"

    Zorro looked over with a worried expression, having been left in the dust by the Tauros. Their mobility was completely different, and there was basically nothing he could have done to keep up. Now, both Pokemon were about to team up on his partner… and there was nothing he could do to stop them. The Budew waddled over as quickly as he could, his gaze darting back and forth between the Toxel and the Gothita. He had to be stronger… he had to be faster… he couldn't stay a baby forever if he wanted to protect his friends. He had to…

    "Buuuud!" Zorro cried out, causing the two Normal types to glance back at him as his body filled with light. "Buuuuselia!" The Grass type leaped through the air, projecting itself off the ground with its extrasensory attack. Zorro landed on the back of the Bouffalant, assuming that it was the stronger of the two. "Roselia!" he cried, as his vines formed into actual arms now with small flowers as hands. A point appeared in the center of each rose, dripping with Poison as he Stung Buffy repeatedly, causing the Pokemon to rear up and turn away from the gothic Pokemon as she started attempting to buck him off instead.

    "Wow," Rosa whispered to herself, pulling out her dex to see what about him had changed. He'd gained a few new moves by evolving, and he'd definitely gotten much stronger than he was before. "Roselia, huh?" She nodded her head, glancing back over to the Toxel herself. This probably was for the best, given that her plan had been to set a good example for the baby - Zorro was doing a bang up job of it.

    "Taaaaa!" The Toxel shouts out in sheer awe. He peers up at Melody briefly before latching onto her shoulder and using it as a launch point to leap for Wyatt's head. He needs a better view! This is so cool! Zorro just… he just… changed! He got bigger and stronger and faster and and and… cooler!

    "Py--" Nightshot winces at the sudden lunge towards Wyatt. The Dreepy taps his arms together and flashes an apologetic look towards his fellow starter-mon.

    "Woah…" Melody breathes out. She clenches her hand into a fist and thrusts it forward. "You rock, Zorro!" She too cheers the newly-evolved grass type on. "Celeste, help him out! Use Confusion on Tauros!"

    The little psychic type, not to be outdone (though admittedly impressed) turns her attention to the bull with less-stupid-hair. Her eyes and body begin to glow as she cries out, "iiiii-ta!"

    The glow that surrounds her consumes Tauros as well, and when Celeste shoves her little arms forward, the Tauros is flung backwards. Phew… Celeste breathes an exasperated sigh when the large Pokemon hits the ground. He… is… fat!

    "Rose!" Zorro calls out as he hops off the back of the Bouffalant, watching as it winces in pain from the poison it'd just been injected with.

    "Buffy! C'mon girl, I know you can take that lil plant's beatin's! What's he got on you, nothin'! Fight through it, hun! Circle back with another Horn Attack, both of yuh! Don' let 'em get the better-uh yuh!"

    "Tu-ro!" Ton-Ton replies, trotting up to nudge Buffy back on course. Both Pokemon are clearly weakened and seem to be feeling defeated, even though the battle hadn't been finished yet.

    "Gabe! You ****head, get off my property!" The jeweler waddled out the front door, a broom in his hand. "Leave these girls alone and get out of here! I already told you I wasn't going to make you that ring, no matter how much you paid me! You aren't even in love with the woman!"

    "How d'you know I ain't in love? You been inside my head? C'mon, Arty. Just do this for me… how long have we been friends?"

    "I don't need to see inside your head, I just need to look at your pants when you talk about her!" Arty spat, kicking up a dried patch of earth at Gabe as he waddled closer with his broom. "Now look at what you've done. You already lost this battle, showing that your love wasn't that important to you to begin with. Now these girls, on the other hand-"

    "Arty, please… don't tell me that you think these girls are-"

    "Oh, shush you! I'm the one runnin' this shop! I think I know my customers quite well. Besides, they did me a favor." Arty props the broom up against his shoulder and reaches into his pockets. "Look at what they brought me… Gabe, this is destiny. You can't fight that, no matter how much you think you might love someone. Until you can find something like this, I don't want you coming around this shop anymore, you understand?"

    Gabe looked down at the items in Arty's hands, hidden out of view from the two girls. The Unovan glanced up at Melody and Rosa, and then back down at the ground. "Well… shoot. After all I said to 'em… guess I'm the one that ain't know nuthin' bout love 'n marriage." He paused for a second before pulling out his pokeballs and recalling the two normal types. "Aright. You got the better of me." He waved at the girls, announcing his defeat. "You really know how to tug on the ol' heartstrings, Arty."

    "Yes, yes. Comes with the job…" he leaned in, lowering his voice, "Now, run along so you don't ruin this moment! They need good memories of this, not the picture of some burly Unovan trouncing about while they do the thing."

    Gabe grew red in the face and looked back at the girls before putting his hands into his pockets. "Well, suppose I should apologize for the trouble I caused y'all." he nodded in the direction of Rosa and then once more at Melody. "Guess'n I'll get on up outta yuh hair now 'n leave yuh be." The three watched as Gabe trudged back up the hill leading to the main route, not once turning back to look at them.

    Rosa sighed, walking slowly over to Zorro who was still standing and staring off in the direction that Gabe had left in. "Rose!" He proclaimed, placing his flowers on his waist.

    "Yes, you did great, Zorro. I think your new little friend enjoyed your battle too," she whispered into the Roselia's ear, winking and nodding in the direction of Melody and Toxel.

    "Toxeeel!" The baby Toxel cheers from atop Wyatt's head, punching his fists into the air in excitement.

    "Heh. You liked that, huh, li'l dude?" Melody asks. She's choosing to focus her attention on the baby Pokemon and the excitement of the battle rather than… what Arty just said. Was he just running his mouth to make Gabe leave or… yeah, maybe dwell on this later… and not in front of people.

    "Ta ta!" Celeste gives a polite clap. That was such a dramatic evolution! Very stunning, very lovely! She will have to make sure she tops that when she decides it's time to evolve. The lolita Pokemon then waddles over to Arty and tugs on his pant leg. What does he have in his hands? It must be something valuable.

    "Celeste, down, girl." Melody says with a small snicker.

    Arty looks down at the small pokemon and then back at the two trainers. "Yes, of course." He glanced down at the chains in his hands and then back up to check where the girls were standing before swapping them. "I have your gifts for you, by the way." He said calmly, trying his best to suppress the smile on his face. "These are what I made from the stones that the two of you brought to me earlier." He said softly.

    Arty started by placing a silver pendant with a black stone into Melody's hand, helping her to wrap her fingers around it before moving her hand against her chest. "These stones hold a certain type of magic, but its useless if you don't follow the proper ritual." He whispered with a smile as he waddled over to Rosa, placing a similar golden chain with a white stone in her hand before following the same steps he had with Melody before.

    His face was tight with excitement as his eyes quickly darted between the two girls. "These stones were yours, and you've carried them rightly. Now that they've felt the beat of your heart, the magic is nearly activated. So now… place your pendants on each other's shoulders, so that the ritual may be complete."

    Rosa's face was completely flushed. This ritual… was romantic? She certainly felt flustered as she stepped slowly towards Melody, holding the pendant with both hands as she got ready to put it over the girl's head. Her heart was pounding, and she would have welcomed any distraction if it meant she could have gotten away in that moment. But then… Melody had also stepped towards her at the same time. What would she have thought about her if she'd just bolted off in the middle of… this moment.

    Woah, wait, what? These were for them? She didn't order anything, she didn't ask for anything to be made… is this a mistake? Are they going to be charged? Melody has a lot of questions-- all which seem to vanish from her head when she looks at Rosa and the pendant in her hands. Black and white…

    A light unto my darkening…

    There's got to be some mix up here, but she can't bring herself to care. This is kind of perfect for them. And besides… who would turn down a magic necklace? A magic necklace that… does what, exactly? Makes them friends forever? … More than friends forever?

    Melody glances away as warmth floods to her cheeks. Would that… be so bad? She gently squeezes the charm in her hand before reaching up and hooking it around Rosa's neck.

    Rosa stared at Melody's chest as she dropped her pendant against her. The chain fits perfectly around her neck, and the white jewel shines brightly amidst the rest of the outfit surrounding it. The girl smiles, her gaze rising to meet Melody's as she feels for the two pendants now hanging from her own neck. There was a story that she faintly recalled her father telling her about the pendants that he and her mother wore… but for the life of her, she couldn't recall the details.

    "And now your chains bind you, holding your hearts near to each other for so long as you should wear these pendants." Arty whispers, inaudible to the two girls as his own cheeks flush. "Another Valentine's day success! Goodness, you two look so cute together!"

    "W-we're not-" Rosa stutters, glancing over at Melody before she clasps her hands together and purses her lips. They still barely even knew each other… she couldn't deny that she liked the girl, but she didn't know anything about… dating. Her face flushed even further as she began to panic. "Oh, oh no!" She whispered loudly, checking the watch on her wrist that didn't exist. "I left something back at my hotel! You'll have to forgive me Melody, but I'm afraid someone else might claim it if I don't hurry back."

    The girl bowed, her two pendants tapping against each other as she leaned over, not wanting to meet Melody's gaze as she quickly rose back up. Her entire body was on fire, and she felt like her heart was about to explode. "We'll have to catch up in Hullbury if we can. Sorry again, Zorro, say goodbye to Toxel for now."

    "Roselia." He nodded and bowed towards the baby before climbing into Rosa's bag, still being small enough to fit comfortably beside the Cutiefly.

    "B- be careful out there!" Melody calls out before bending down to pick up the baby Toxel, who is now waving goodbye to his new pals. As Rosa darts off, Melody can't help but watch her go, her left palm clasping the half-heart pendant and the silver skull charm. Once Rosa is out of sight, the punk teen awkwardly glances over to Arty.

    "So, uh… you said these things are magic? Wha'do they do?"

    "Ah, yes. Magic indeed." Arty nodded his head as the smile on his face grew larger. "Seeing that girl's pendant reminded me of it… If you'd believe in the tales of the old country, you'll hear sometimes of people who were bound by fate through a set of complimentary stones. Nobody ever said what the stones were exactly, but it's a superstition that's held even now… Though it's just tradition in some families now, there's still meaning behind the ritual leading to the exchange." He paused, turning to look at Melody. "It's seen as a promise between two people… to create a future together."

    Well that's… vague. Creating a future together can mean a lot of things: Opening a business together, traveling together… getting married-- wait, didn't this guy ask if they were looking for a ring when they first walked in? Woah, boy, slow down, mate. Rosa's great, and she's beautiful… and, well, okay, Melody is pretty fond of her. Is she fond of her in that way? And...Marriage? She should probably… ya know, ask her to coffee first. Clearly, she's got a looot to think about on the way to Hulbury. "That's real nice." The punk teen says with a shrug before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks for the necklace." I'm not paying for it.

    Melody looks down to the Toxel now nestled in the crook of her arm and smiles faintly. What a wild ride. She never could have predicted this is how her night would go. "Guess we should be goin' too."

    Melody bids the jeweler goodbye and heads back down the path that had delivered her here. Once Toxel has settled comfortably to sleep in her satchel, Melody takes her phone from her pocket and begins to type out a new message.

    To: "My benefactor" -

    I think I just had a Valentine's day date. Maybe(?) Call me.


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    Orx of Twinleaf

    Orx of Twinleaf

    Branch into Psyche
    273
    Posts
    8
    Years
    • Team:
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Rij
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Henj
    Tim T
    Tim really wanted to find someone to battle. It was like a bad joke that he'd graduated from a Trainer school and yet all this time had never battled another Trainer without rental mons. It was a worse joke that he'd only relatively recently even caught a mon at all. It was a particularly offensive joke in poor taste that he'd walked at the League's opening ceremony and honestly probably only qualified as a Trainer on a technicality.

    But Tim could not battle anyone. Not right now anyway. He hadn't immediately noticed since the days flowed together for him, but it was apparently Valentine's season at the moment. There was no chance anyone would want their season of love marred by being challenged by Tim. Tim knew better than to even ask: he decided he'd just save himself a verbal lashing and wait for a better opportunity. Surely there would be other opportunities later.

    Tim looked up from where he was sitting in the grass. Henj was looking at him again. The great Stonjourner would do that sometimes: look silently at Tim. Tim couldn't read the mon's expressions, but he had the sensation of being under particularly-critical scrutiny. "I'm alright, Henj," Tim said. Henj went back to watching Rij grazing down by the waterside.

    What would Henj say if he could speak? Tim couldn't help but wonder about it. If Tim spoke to Henj, got these thoughts off his chest, it would do no good because of course Henj wouldn't be able to give any advice Tim could understand. Tim could only speculate what such advice might be. Would it be helpful? Spiteful?

    If Tim said to Henj "We can't battle anyone right now, it's not a good time," would that critical gaze yield a judging "Then when would be a good time?" or would Henj be harsher and say "There's never a good time where you're concerned"? Was Henj the sort to rub salt in the wound? He certainly didn't seem particularly warm. Tim hadn't questioned Henj's decision to allow himself to be caught. It seemed like it would have been ingracious at the time. Now though Tim wondered about it.

    Tim had been trying, without success, to get Rij to practice charging. The Rhyhorn had been roundly ignoring him. And then a Stonjourner had strode into the clearing without announcing itself. Tim had returned Rij immediately and started to back away, aware he would have to yield to something of such size. It was one thing for Tim to brawl small mons when they tried to bully him out of a clearing or off plants, but trying to push off a large stone creature with giant legs had seemed like a good way to get a concussion. Tim had been quite prepared to simply find a different clearing altogether.

    But the Stonjourner had called out when Tim had made to leave. It hadn't been a threatening sound, and it hadn't been a plaintive sound, it had had the sort of authoritative tone Tim associated with stern teachers. The Stonjourner had babbled something at Tim and then stood expectantly. It had taken a few minutes of further pantomime to get the point across, but the Stonjourner had asked to be caught.

    That Stonjourner, Henj, was presently walking down to the water, where he would likely spend a while gazing into the river silently. Why had Henj asked Tim to catch him? That had been outside Turffield: there had been no shortage of proper Trainers in the area for an aspiring mon to choose. And Henj had chosen Tim. Tim wondered if Henj regretted that choice.

    Tim didn't spend so much thought on Rij these days. The Rhyhorn seemed nearly dead to the world. He seemed to only respond with any gumption when Tim was in visceral danger, and Tim was careful not to be in visceral danger very often so Rij spent most of his time grazing or napping. And what Rij apparently considered to be "visceral danger" was far from inclusive. He wouldn't help Tim chase off any mons smaller than himself, no matter how many marks they left on Tim, and never tried at all to help Tim forage no matter what noises Tim's gut made. In the rare event Tim found himself pinned under the business end of something like a large dog, Rij would just punt it and then roar at it. He wouldn't take Tim's orders even in situations of such magnitude.

    Tim understood this behavior was not normal for Rhyhorns, which otherwise had a reputation for being short-tempered and aggressive. But they were also known to be quite dim, so could Rij really be depressed? The accident had been so long ago now. It still left Tim awake at night, but surely Rij had forgotten it by now? Rij didn't seem sad anyway, so much as just lazy, but Tim admitted he wasn't the best judge of such things from inhuman mons.

    Tim wished his friend were here. Rij used to bark, and bounce, and cough happily. He used to be so energetic. Her being gone had also taken a part of Rij away. It had taken a part of Tim away. Tim supposed that was just evidence of how amazing a person she had been. He was quite certain there would be no one so affected if he were to fall over dead. He couldn't even be confident Rij would so much as notice.

    "Jouron," Henj said strongly, pulling Tim out of his thoughts.

    Tim looked up. A couple of crustaceans had come up out of the river—Corphishes. They were brandishing their claws unhappily at Rij, who had evidently drifted a little too close to the water for their liking. Tim recalled Corphishes could be aggressive and territorial. Well, Crawduants could be anyway, maybe that wasn't true of Corphishes. Seemed true enough of these two though. They were probably getting ready to attack Rij and Rij, true to form, was roundly ignoring their threat displays. Henj had turned to look expectantly at Tim.

    "Rij, come away from there," Tim said as he stood up. Rij snorted unconcernedly and waddled away from the water. The Corphishes seemed incensed at being so flippantly blown off. One scuttled forward and slapped Rij on the rear with a purplish swipe from its claw. Rij jumped a little, but continued on his way, snorting over his shoulder at the little mon.

    Tim came sliding in and grabbed the offender by its crown with both hands. It yelped in surprise as Tim stood up, dropped it, and kicked it with his boot back into the river. The other Corphish stared at Tim, gaping insultedly, offended by his behavior. "Don't go starting things," Tim said, pointing a long finger at it. "Get back in the water."

    The Corphish mumbled unhappily and swatted Tim's shins out with a one-two claw swipe that struck with a crack of noise. Tim stumbled at the cheap shot and dropped to his rump. The Corphish leapt on him and started pinching at his face. Tim punched it on the shell, but it seemed hell-bent on pulling his mustache off. Tim jammed his thumb in its mouth and it let go of his face in surprise, pinching at Tim's hand and arm. Tim wrapped the rest of his hand around the side of the mon's head and stood up with it. He shook it savagely a moment so it opened its claws and then he flung it into the river.

    Tim looked at his hand, catching his breath. Not so bad. He'd had worse. At least he wasn't bleeding. But wow would his shins be bruised after that. Double Hit into the legs, and for what, sitting near the river? Real classy. And he hoped his mustache hadn't been rendered lopsided. Tim had no way to shave—he could evidently only grow facial hair on his upper lip and at his brows, he'd otherwise be quite hairy—so he wouldn't have been able to get the rest of the mustache off or even it out if it were messed up. He felt at it with his fingers though and it seemed to be alright.

    Tim threw his hands up as he was drenched by two streams of water. After the gushing passed he saw the Corphishes treading water a ways out, laughing at him. They disappeared under the water as Tim started heading back to where he had been sitting. Water Gun had probably done more damage than getting his face pinched. Spring was coming, but the nights were often still brisk, and this late in the day there wasn't enough sun left for Tim to dry off. And he didn't want to swap to his other change of clothes yet, it was too early in the week, it would throw his dress schedule all out of whack. Another cold night then. Damned Corphishes.

    Tim was suddenly aware of being observed. He looked over at Henj, who was studying him with that unreadable gaze again. Henj hadn't moved to assist and didn't seem concerned for Tim's well-being. What was Henj thinking right now? Was he impressed? No, of course not. What was there to be impressed about? That Tim had brutalized two wild animals less than half his size? More likely Henj was offended and disgusted by Tim's behavior. It had been the first time Tim had had to chase mons off since catching Henj. Tim wondered what Henj would say if Henj could speak. Tim imagined it would be scathing. Maybe Henj regretted his choice of Trainer after all.

    Henj turned and started walking away from the water. Tim followed the Stonjourner back up to where he'd been sitting. Rij was over by the treeline sniffing at some bushes. The Rhyhorn hadn't so much as looked in the direction of the scuffle since Tim had engaged. "You alright, Rij?" Tim asked. Rij glanced at him and went back to sniffing at the bush.

    Tim sat back down and looked at Henj. The Stonjourner was looking at the river. Tim followed his gaze. About a half-dozen Corphishes were coming up, glaring unhappily at Tim. Tim sighed tiredly, forcing himself to get back up. And this had been such a comfortable spot, too. "Time to go," Tim said, quickly whipping out his Pokéballs and pulling Rij and Henj back in. He shoved the balls away into his pocket and grabbed his backpack out of the grass before bolting away into the forest as streams of bubbles flew after him.
     
    Fen-Fen

    Fen-Fen

    Me but more fabulous
    359
    Posts
    8
    Years

    • (Not) Lucid Dreams


    Blackness. That was how Corey's sleeping had started. He was as comfortable as could be, cuddled up with Haleigh in their sleeping bag. It should have been a peaceful, uneventful slumber.

    However, even with all of that warmth, a chill started to overtake his senses, a scene starting to formulate. Frigid cold, a chill that even a fire type could not seem to keep warm enough in. Howling wind, gusts that threatened to blow him down and keep him pinned and helpless. Fog, a dense haze that blinded him so that not even his paw was visible to him. He felt smaller than the form he had started getting used to upon evolving, seemingly having reverted back to a Scorbunny. Even with the lack of visibility, he could feel a malevolent presence watching him, hiding in the shadows and waiting for an opportunity to strike while he was cold, alone, afraid and weak.

    He started to walk in an indertiminable direction, feeling the crunching of snow beneath his feet. There was no familiar spunky purple haired human to give him any directions or any reassurance against the environment he was in. Had he been forsaken by her? Had she left him here, to tough it out alone?

    A high pitched laugh echoed through the foggy landscape, airy yet unmistakably filled with malice. Corey's spine started to tingle as the familiar sound started to register with him. No, that wasn't possible, it couldn't be. He had to get out of there, now.

    Corey started to lift up his feet to try and book it, anywhere but this brutally cold and unforgiving place. To his horror, however, his feet were leaden and slow, feeling no faster than a Shuckle stuck in quicksand. Another malevolent chuckle erupted from behind him. Panic started to build in him, shooting through his every nerve and swallowing him whole.

    Now, despite the dense fog enveloping everything else around him, the form of his tormenter started to mold themselves out of the fog and became visible to Corey. That accursed Froslass, the one that had very nearly stricken him, Haleigh and Coraline down with ease back in the wild area, here to finish the job.

    He yelled out in panic, desperate to search for anything to get him out of this situation. The icy specter continued advancing forward, speeding up as she went in for the kill. No no no no no, this couldn't be how it all ended, he was going to die before he even had the chance to properly experience the world. He was going to die, he was going to die, he was-

    As soon as the Froslass struck him, the scene abruptly shifted. He was no longer struggling in the bitter cold, but instead was on the pitch of a stadium, facing down another foe of his: Milo's Eldegoss. He could now properly see himself, still a small Scorbunny. The glint in the grass type's eye was just as malicious as the Froslass', all too eager to strike the poor fire bunny down. Standing right by her side was Milo, sharing the malicious expression with her, the pair drilling into him. Looking behind him, he still could not find his beloved trainer among all of the chaos.

    "Use Cotton Spore on that little Scorbunny." The normally cheery and friendly gym leader's voice was distorted with sadistic glee.

    The Eldegoss complied with her trainer's command. He tried to get out of the way, but again his leaden feet failed him, seeming to run in place as the Eldegoss drew nearer and started to puff out bits of cotton into the air. The torrent of the white fluffy spores increased in intensity, becoming as torrential as rain as they fell back down and stuck to Corey's body, slowly burying him in and entrapping him. Soon, his legs - useless as they already were - stopped moving altogether under the weight and bulk of the cotton. The panic started really setting in as he could sense his impending doom, his mind already restricting his airflow

    This couldn't be how he of all Pokemon would fall. He searched in himself, thinking of anything he could do to break free of his white tomb. The cloying cotton started to make its way up to his face, threatening to block his airways and vision. No no no NO, anything but this! He pleaded to the Eldegoss, eternally sorry that he had so much as even crossed her. His pleas went unanswered as the cotton bloom Pokemon looked on with one last triumphant smirk on her face before his vision was swallowed completely.

    That last surge of terror finally broke the nightmare's spell over the sleeping Raboot, bolting up and panting. His sudden movement stirred Haleigh from her sleep, who woke up and slowly lifted her head up, blearily looking over at Corey before starting to register what had happened.

    "Mmh, Corey? You okay?"

    Still reeling from the dream, Corey let out a startled noise at Haleigh stirring from her sleep and jumped up a bit, ending up distancing himself from her.

    With a note of concern in her voice, she repeated, "Corey? Are you okay?" Corey nodded reluctantly, looking less terrified but still very clearly shaken up.

    "I reckon you had a bad dream then." Corey nodded again in response.

    "Aww, I'm sorry 'bout that. But don't you worry, ain't nothin' gonna hurt you so long as I'm around." She gestured for Corey to come to her. Corey looked to his trainer for a second. Did he really need to snuggle up with Haleigh like a little baby Pokemon? He was a Raboot now, he didn't-

    "Oh c'mere, you're never too big for cuddles ya big big baby." Haleigh took the initiative and reached over to scoop him up and snuggle up to him in a firm embrace.

    He felt silly for even grousing about it. New form notwithstanding, it still felt just as nice, especially after the nightmare that he had been subjected to. Haleigh started to stroke some of the fur on his head, whispering, "See, ain't this much better?"

    He didn't need to vocalize his response; his calmer breathing and contented expression told his trainer all that she needed to know. She let out a small, airy chuckle. "You may be a stronger and faster Corey, but you're still a baby to me. All of you are, really."

    The Raboot, comforted and soothed, started to feel himself being lulled back to sleep. He started to close his eyes, focusing on the pleasant feelings that being with his trainer brought and leaving the unpleasant dream far behind him.

    Before he nodded off for good, he could hear Haleigh whispering to him, "Sleep tight, love." With that, Corey's state of mind was eased enough to drift off into a more peaceful slumber. Anything that had been on his mind that led up to his nightmare was forgotten about for the time being. He preferred it that way, not dwelling on the unpleasant. Like Pokemon, like trainer.

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    Last edited:
    gimmepie

    gimmepie

    25,540
    Posts
    12
    Years
    • Catherine Carlisle and Achille Berringer

    Burn and Wither

    With Turffield behind her, Catherine had set out across Route 5 at a fairly leisurely pace. It was strange, but the more she travelled, the less comfortable she became in large cities and towns. As it was, she wasn't in any hurry to reach Hubury and take on the next gym.

    Instead she found herself sitting comfortably alongside the Hulbury Channel, watching Stampede and Indra swimming about in the river while keeping an eye on Holo as the energetic young Electrike ran about. Vessel simply sat on her shoulder, not exactly the most playful or expressive of Pokemon.

    The sky above them was overcast and grey, light rain intermittently falling over the route. Unlike the torrential downpour Catherine had experienced in the Wild Area, this was quite pleasant and she found herself enjoying it and the moment of peace she had been allowed. With only her team around and nobody else present to hamper her enjoyment, it was bliss.

    Until the sound of feet slapping mud crept up from the distance, accompanied by some sort of grunting. Charging up the riverbank through the soggy grass was a long dead species of Pokémon, Tyrunt. The ancient dragon carried a human-sized satchel in its mouth, the strap dragging in the mud behind.

    A second set of sounds followed not long after: more feet hitting mud and a stream of Kalosian curses. A similarly soggy Achille chased the prehistoric Pokémon, holding a poké ball holster sans one poké ball. "Catherine," he shouted, seeing his former classmate. He was never so happy to remember a name immediately in his life. "Please stop her!"

    Catherine turned at the sound of her name to see, of all things, a Tyrunt charging in her direction. Her immediate desire was to get up and leave, but she couldn't do that anymore. She sighed audibly, before looking at the Paras on her shoulder. "Can you Spore it?"

    Without making a sound in response, Vessel quickly scurried down from their perch and ran towards the Dragon type, releasing a large cloud of yellow-gold spores in its vicinity.

    The Tyrunt charged through the cloud of spores at full speed, at first just shaking the loose plant matter from her eyes. The effect kicked in after a few more steps, bringing the tyrannosaurus to a deep sleep and causing her to fall over. Her jaw still clenched the bag, sparing it from flying into mud or, Arceus help him, the river itself.

    Achille stopped right next to the bag, huffing as he caught his breath again. The satchel itself was mostly fine, but the strap was filthy after being dragged through the mud. He picked up the bag, fishing out a single poké ball that he returned to the holster.

    "Merci," He said, walking towards the river to clean the bag off. "I guess she saw me slip up and put the poké ball in the bag, and knew I couldn't return her if she tried to make off with it." He crouched by the riverbank, dipping the mud-soaked strap in the cool water and brushing off what mud his hand could clean. "... anyways. How are you, I guess?"
    "Up until recently, I was thoroughly enjoying the pleasant atmosphere and some peace and quiet with my team," Catherine responded. "If you don't keep a better handle on your Tyrunt in the future, you're going to keep causing problems for others. You should work on that."

    She held out her arm and let Vessel climb back up to her shoulder before turning back to watch the rest of her team… only to find they'd all frozen in place to watch the commotion. The moment had been definitively broken.

    "Hey, she's only like, three weeks old," Achille snapped back. "Tyrunts are hard to handle anyways, all energy and hunger. What am I supposed to do, K.O. her for playing a game?" He now remembered why he wasn't exactly in a hurry to meet up with her again.

    His bag was about as clean as he was going to get it. He continued carrying it for now, not exactly excited at the prospect of soaking his clothes. "Hey, are you awake?" He nudged the Tyrunt with his foot, getting a snore in return.

    "I seem to manage." Catherine pointed at Holo. The Electrike was eyeing Achille and the Tyrunt curiously, seeing potential playmates. "She's only a little older than that. She hatched outside the mines. You should try getting your team to help out and give her less destructive places to direct all that energy."

    She wasn't going to be nice about it given the circumstances, but Catherine figured the right thing to do in that situation was at least give advice from her own experience. "She probably won't wake up for a little bit longer, maybe take some time to think about it."

    "We're currently spending one on one time." Achille was actually getting a little mad, not just peeved. "Again, this was her playing, it just got a little out of hand. Nothing was even damaged. Can you please spare me the lecture?"

    He considered carrying the Tyrunt instead of returning her, but carrying a Rock type just seemed impractical. He sighed and withdrew Aliénor, grabbing another poké ball. "I guess I'll spend some time with Proudhon since we're near the water." The fish pokemon stared up at him confused for a moment, before doing the fish equivalent of a shrug and set to exploring the river.

    "Fantastic," Catherine responded dryly. "This is why I hate people. You mess up my afternoon because you can't manage your Pokemon and then when I try to help you, I'm the bad guy because you can't possibly be decent and actually take responsibility. Is the plan to hang around now and continue to be an annoyance out of retribution? Or do you just take pleasure in bothering others?"

    "Excusez, did I 'mess up' your afternoon?" Proudhon floated back to the surface of the river, suddenly much more interested in whatever had Achille worked up. "You did a small favor to another person, not some grand gesture that took any real effort on your end. In the future, if you need something from me, I will remember that favor. Simple human interaction."

    The Kalosian looked over at the Magikarp, giving an exaggerated sigh. "Sorry ami, I guess we're ruining her entire week by existing around her."

    "I don't want anything back for helping you," Catherine responded, "There's no point in that. That's not what messed up my afternoon either. The problem is you lost control of your Tyrunt, barrelled over here and interrupted what was a moment of peace and instead of apologising and leaving me to resume enjoying that peace, you're continuing to buzz around like a Volbeat with no consideration. Why is it so hard for you people to just leave me be?!"

    "Look… I… Just…" Achille stammered, "UGH. I wanted to check in with someone I recognize, maybe see about having a practice match, casse-couilles. I'm trying to be friendly."

    Catherine sighed, resting her head in her hands for a minute. "Well, good job so far. You want a practice match? I'll make you a deal then. A one on one single battle. If I win, you leave me alone."

    Achille mulled the offer over for a moment, still mad about the situation leading up to it. "Alright, I guess that is what I came here for. How are we doing this? I've got a full team, but I don't think either of us particularly want to be stuck in a six-on-six."

    "Let's keep it at one round," Catherine replied.

    "Fine with me." Achille looked over his poké balls, trying to decide which one would be best for this match. "Well, I'd normally use Aliénor here, but she's passed out," he muttered to himself. "I'll go ahead and declare I'm using Terrot."

    He plucked the last ball off of his bandolier, expanding it and tossing it to the ground. A flash of light solidified into a grassy goat, who bleated with happiness and did a few quick laps around the trainer before noticing the strangers across from him. The Skiddo stopped and moved in front of Achille's legs, giving a curious stare at the unfamiliar person and Pokémon

    "Alright, new game, Holo." The Electrike bounded forward, eager to show her stuff to her trainer.

    Achille backed off a ways, giving the two Pokémon enough space to battle. Terrot backed up a bit himself before bleating once more and stamping his hoof, ready to fight. Proudhon watched from the river, surprisingly silent about not being chosen to fight once the electric type came out. "Why don't you go first," Achille said, feeling a smile creep onto his face as his frustration began to clear. "As a token of goodwill."

    "Right," Catherine said, not buying into that supposed sentiment for an instant. "Your funeral then. Flash and then Thunder Wave."
    She'd made use of the Flash Technical Machine just the day before, now it was time to see it put to use. Holo barked excitedly as a violently bright, blinding light exploded out of her electrically crackling fur. A moment later, several rings of electricity were flying towards Achille's Skiddo.

    The light blinded Achille as well, although he knew Thunder Wave was a slower attack that could be dodged still. "Move to the left and start using Growth until you can see again."

    The grassy goat stumbled to the left, avoiding the first ring of electricity just in time. Terrot bleated as the ring passed him; the little static electricity that did make contact wasn't enough to paralyze him, but it still tickled. Blinded as he was, any attacks would be wildly off target and, in the case of Razor Leaf, potentially dangerous. Once stable on his hooves again, the Skiddo raised his horns high in the air and began to draw in light. The leaves on his back seemed lusher, more vibrant in color and voluminous.

    "Flame Burst!" Catherine countered. Terrot could not be allowed to boost too much with Growth. She was lucky it was an overcast day.

    Holo barked enthusiastically agai rushing forward and spitting a fireball from her maw. The projectile flame reached the Grass type before exploding into several smaller fragments and scattering across the Skiddo's general area.

    No amount of fancy footwork could save the Skiddo from the shower of cinders. Terrot pulled his head back down and caught several of the embers on his back. The growth-infused leaves thankfully were too fresh to catch flame, just leaving burnt holes in the foliage where the flames landed and burned through. His coat was similarly sooty from the Flame Burst.

    "Well, if they want to hit an area, we can too." Achille snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. "Go ahead with that Razor Leaf now, and throw in a Leech Seed too."

    No longer completely blind, Terrot lifted his head high and shook his head. The movement shook his leaf coat, causing a flurry of sharpened leaves to shoot forward in a small cloud. It wouldn't cover the same area as the Flame Burst, but it'd be nearly tit for tat. With another large shake of his head the goat sent a flurry of large seeds towards the Electrike, right behind the wave of Razor Leaf.

    "Again!" Catherine ordered. Her Electrike, all too happy to comply, spat another ball of fire into the oncoming grass-type barrage. The Flame Burst scorched its way into the centre of the projectiles before detonating, taking out most of the razor leaves and the entirety of the Leech Seed assault behind it.

    Unfortunately, the leaves on the outskirts of the assault were spared, curving in to batter Holo. The Electrike winced, taking a minor beating but standing firm.

    "Howl and then Spark." Catherine commanded.

    Holo howled loudly, her power rising as the sound grew louder. Electricity surged across her fur and she started sprinting confidently towards Terrot, the crackling electricity growing in intensity as she made a B-line towards the Grass type.

    "Match them again," Achille shouted, "Tackle!" He didn't have to be a tactical expert to see that trading a powerful attack that, admittedly, could have kept him on the back foot for a much less effective one was a bad trade for her. Terrot was both older and larger, even with the Howl matching the Growth.

    Terrot bolted towards his charged foe with a crash of hooves. The goat wasn't going to lose at a running contest if he could help it. "Throw on some more Leech Seeds after contact!" Achille shouted as the two drew close in their game of chicken, hopefully before Catherine could even back out.

    It seemed like Achille had gotten a similar idea to her own. The two Pokemon clashed and, although she did some damage, Holo was knocked back.

    As Achille called his attack, Catherine also gave a command. "Thunder Wave."

    As she flew back, Holo launched more of the electric rings at Terrot. The rings passed over the incoming Leech Seed, the status moves passing each other. Even as the Thunder Wave was reaching Terrot, Catherine's Electrike was hit by the Leech Seed and wrapped in sapping vines.

    The electric rings hit Terrot dead on this time, hitting him with a lingering shock. It wasn't enough to hurt him, but it occasionally made one of his muscles spasm or otherwise not respond. Still, the leaves on his back that were damaged by the Flame Burst were now visibly closing their wounds. Slowly, but surely.

    "Keep the pressure going," Achille ordered, "another round of Razor Leaves!" Terrot was able to give another wide swing of his head, launching a barrage of newly reformed leaves towards Holo. He moved to let fly another volley when the last attack caught up to him, a neck spasm stopping the attack in his tracks.

    "Flame Burst again!" Holo dashed to the side, wincing as the Leech Seed drained her health. She avoided the worst of the Razor Leaf and shot a fire ball at Terrot's side.

    Catherine watched with a scowl. It was a race against the clock now. Could Holo deal enough damage against the slowed down and vulnerable Skiddo to defeat it before it could drain her dry with Leech Seed?

    The bolt of flame hit Terrot this time, no Razor Leaves to protect him. It left a good amount of singed fur and burnt foliage, but as soon as the flames faded the wounds began to close up again. Terrot winced from the flames, but avoided falling over after an ill timed leg numbness.

    He's a target out here. Achille could direct him to counter the Flame Bursts with Razor Leaves all day normally, but each missed attack due to the paralysis means an attack that actually goes through. Leech Seed was too slow to allow too many of those. "One more Razor Leaf and follow it with a Tackle!"

    Terrot regained control of his muscles long enough to let loose another volley of sharpened leaves. He took advantage of this moment of limberness by charging Holo from behind the wave of flora.

    Catherine gave the order for another Flame Burst, Holo incinerating the incoming leaves and raining embers over Terrot. That did little to protect the Electric type from the full force Tackle though. Terrot slammed into Holo and sent her flying across their makeshift battlefield, the vines around her only worsening the damage.

    "Flash and then Spark." Holo flared with bright light as she sprung back to her feet and then charged at Terrot in a wide zig zag.

    "Did you just learn that combination or something?" Achille grumbled as he had to hide his eyes from the flash again. She was just being unfair with this. "Razor Leaf!"

    The Skiddo attempted to shoot another round of leaves, but paralysis kicked in and rooted him in place once more. With Terrot blinded and Holo closing in, only one idea came to mind. "Tackle her again!" Terrot shook off his paralysis and forced himself forward again. Charging straight ahead blindly.

    Holo running in a zig-zag meant a blind forward charge wasn't the best strategy. She dashed across Terrot's trajectory and rammed into his head from the side, an electric surge passing between them.

    The hit knocked the Skiddo away, but it also let the still blinded Terrot know her location in that moment. The grass type grit his teeth and charged the location he felt the hit from, his vision returning mid charge.

    Holo yelped in surprise, taking the surprise tackle head on and being smacked across the ground like a skipping stone. She was quick to hop back to her feet, but her stance was clearly shaky.

    Terrot attempted to make a wide turn and continue the charge, but the after effects of the Thunder Wave prevented it still. Midway through the charge the Grass-Type fell to the ground, but managed to scramble to his feet again.

    "Just finish it," Achille commanded, "Razor Leaf and don't stop!" Terrot set about sending flurry after flurry towards Holo, ffighting through the lingering shock when necessary. It wasn't going to be a pretty ending, but Achille wagered he could outlast the exhausted Electrike at this rate.

    "My thoughts exactly," Catherine replied, "Flame Burst."

    Powering through the effects of the Leech Seed still eating away at her, Holo released a series of Flame Bursts. Each ball of fire would burn the incoming leaf volleys to ash before exploding into a shower of cinders.

    Although a few cinders slipped through the leaf barrage and landed on the goat, Terrot continued his assault, eventually finding a groove where he was missing fewer and fewer attacks. The barrage shifted towards a complete stalemate as the Leech Seed sapped strength from Holo, until soon it was the Electric-type falling behind. Rearing back up for one final burst, Terrot stamped the ground and sent a final flurry of leaves shooting forward.

    Holo panted, exhausted from the draining Leech Seed. She put all her strength into forming the largest Flame Burst she could… but she never fired the attack. The fire dissipated as Holo ran out of steam, taking the Razor Leaf and dropping to the ground.

    Shit. Catherine side, collecting up her fallen Pokemon as from the river behind her Indra and Stampede made sounds of disappointment.

    "Not bad for your first try. You'll win next time." Catherine returned Holo to her ball before looking back at Achille. "Well, you won. What do you want? Wouldn't be fair not to give a reward of some sort since I was going to take one."

    "Thanks, but I think I'll just leave you be." Achille stretched his arms before walking over to the jittery goat. He patted Terrot's head, feeling a light feeling similar to static electricity when he made contact. He recalled the Skiddo, he'd have to take him to a Pokémon center. Alizé would probably wake up while he was there, too.

    Catherine furrowed her brow. "If you were going to leave anyway, you should have done so instead of giving me the run around."

    He didn't want anything? He wouldn't have wasted his time if he wasn't getting anything out of it. She was left to conclude that he just enjoyed messing with her.

    "Hey, I can see from your face you think I just wanted to hassle you." The look of this entire thing being a huge pain in her ass was obvious. Might as well try to save some face. "You've stopped Alizé and I got some training out of it. Merde."

    "...right."

    ​
     
    Turnip

    Turnip

    Magnificent Turnip
    693
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    Years

    • The Weather In This Makes Me Want To Stay Inside Good Thing I'm Inside
    Featuring Xan, Kass, Jerry, Tim, Rij and Henj    ​



    Ever since they had left the boundary of Turffield, Xan had wanted little more than to immediately head back to the hotel and crawl onto a chair. Such was the nature of their journey thus far - journeying, as it turned out, was exhausting and uncomfortable. The weather didn't help; it was cold, it was grey, and the rainfall was constantly shifting. Solid downpour easing up into light drizzle, just to give those below a hint of hope that the rain might be stopping, only to go right back to solid downpour again. Xan's meteorological experience told them that the technical term for this kind of weather phenomenon was 'absolutely effing miserable'. The picturesque views of Route 5 didn't prove much of a consolation, as the rain on the outside and condensation on the inside of Xan's visor made them too much trouble to admire - even as psychokinetic force banished the fogginess and batted away the offending droplets, their replacements were more than eager to step in at a moment's notice. The trainer's big winter coat certainly went some way to keeping them warm, but Galar's chilly winds tended to punch through most any clothing to some degree. Xan supposed that the helmet, as much of a pain in the arse it could be, at least meant that their ears and nose weren't freezing off.

    Kass didn't seem as bothered by the foul weather; their Magic Guard ability seemed to be protecting them somewhat from its worst effects, and the Abra was quite content to float along behind, dozing, occasionally semi-consciously peeking one eyelid open to gaze out upon the countryside that stretched off into the horizon. Jerry was resting in his ball after seeing off a rowdy Magby (Successfully seeing off another Pokémon! Good for Jerry) who was probably trying to seek shelter from the rain, attempting to claim the rainless territory for its own without realising that Jerry's presence was the reason for said rainless territory. Xan lamented the Psyduck's absence. Cloud Nine created something of a null zone for weather effects, which could be quite useful to have around at times like these. Stupid Magby. Could have just asked to come along. Bastard. Soggy bastard.

    Xan was aware of someone noisily trotting along behind them. Not really the sort of way someone trots when trying to be sneaky either. "Xan," came a deep voice through the rain. "Xan, is that you?" Xan turned, head tilted, the pitter-patter of raindrops atop their helmet having drowned out the meaning of the voice-like reverberations that reached their ears.

    "What!?" They shouted, slightly overestimating how loudly they needed to speak to be understood.

    The man approaching was a good deal taller than Xan. Or he would have been were he not nearly bent double in the cold. He didn't have a coat or even a hat, and the ragged poncho around his shoulders seemed insufficient for the weather and soaked through besides. He was so thoroughly soaked he might have been reasonably mistaken for a swamp monster with his ratty hair and thick mustache. His eyes were invisible behind shades dark like Xan's helmet. "You are Xan, right? I'm not mistaken?" the man said as he drew near enough to be heard evenly over the rain.

    "Er- sorry, I don't have an umbrella," said Xan with an apologetic raising of their hands, understanding the question this time but choosing to ignore it for the time being. Even as they said as much, the rainfall above the ragged man eased - the Abra to their sides had raised an arm, psychokinetic force forming a barrier of sorts. Kass shot their partner a telepathic image of an umbrella. "You don't count," Xan shot back.

    The man didn't seem to notice the reduced rainfall, but looked at Kass a moment. The man nodded a little, as if seeing the Abra was all the confirmation he needed for Xan's identity. "Xan, I don't mean to trouble you, but …" He trailed off a moment, frowning. "But," he started again, changing tracks, "what are you up to in this storm?"

    Xan took a little step back. "Well, I was walking," came the curt response. "I'm sorry, do I know you? Do you need something?"

    Even with his eyes hidden by shades and his mouth hidden by a mustache, the man was visibly crestfallen at this response, hurt. "I'm …" he started weakly before clearing his throat and trying again. "I'm Tim. I graduated from the Wedgehurst Trainer school with you."

    "Oh! That's… not sure why that didn't occur to me," Xan wondered aloud. If they were honest, they legitimately didn't recall ever seeing Tim a day before in their life, but to be fair they hadn't remembered much of anyone from their Wedgehurst class up until watching all of those Gym Challenges served to remind them. "Forgive me, I tend to pay very little attention to, er- people, don't worry about it - do you need anything, Tim?"

    Kass shot Xan another umbrella, but this time it had a frowny face on it. Xan ignored it. The man, Tim, looked at the ground for a long, awkward moment, frowning. Finally, he sighed and started walking past Xan, his big boots squelching in the mud like hooves. "I think I need to talk to you, Xan. Would it be alright if we walk together for a time?"

    Xan's immediate reaction - a shiver down their spine and a recoiling of the head - wasn't repressed, but as much as they were prepared to immediately decline Tim's suggestion a trifecta of realisations dawned upon them. Namely, the poor state of the man's clothing, the heavy chill of the rain, and the existence of hypothermia.

    "Agh, for fuck's- yeah, just give me a second," Xan muttered, pulling a Pokéball from inside their coat and letting loose the Psyduck inside upon the world. Immediately the rain in the group's immediate vicinity cleared, though it remained just a good few meters away, all thanks to Jerry who stretched and rubbed his eyes. "Hey Jerry, break's over, sorry."

    Jerry quacked. Kass waved at Jerry. Jerry quacked again.

    "Right, I can hear you a bit better now," Xan continued, unenthusiastically following Tim through the mud. "Is it important? I'm afraid I'm not much for pleasant conversation."

    Tim was looking at Jerry though. "I did not know you had a Psyduck," he said with interest.

    "You do now," the psychic murmured.

    Not only was Tim more audible without the rain, he was also more visible, and he looked positively ghoulish. His complexion was grey, it didn't seem natural. And he looked like he had a hump in his back: he must have had a backpack under his poncho or something. Honestly, if Tim hadn't called out first, most people might be inclined to run screaming from his approach, fleeing from the ragged wraith of the rains. "When did you get a Psyduck?" Tim asked, walking again.

    "Back in the wild area, it was a little ways from one of the lakes, Axewell I think," Xan answered by means of location rather than time. "Afraid my experience won't help much for catching one; Jerry was probably where they were just because of the weather. Place was frozen."

    Jerry quacked affirmatively at mention of his name, and Kass seemed to assure the Psyduck that he was not being called on.

    Tim shook his head. "I don't think I need to catch another mon," he said simply. "Xan, I need to talk to a Trainer. And I know you're not the social sort, and that you probably don't appreciate my bothering you, but …" Tim rubbed the back of his head. After a moment, he bit out, "But what with your visor I figured that at least I wouldn't have to see the way you look at me." He cleared his throat and rode on before this could be responded to. "I gather you and your Abra have known one another for a long time. Can you … I guess, can you tell when it's sad?"

    Xan had to pause for a moment to let the question sink in, surprised not only that they appreciated Tim's appraisal of the situation, but also that his query seemed like a genuine point of concern. After a few seconds, they spoke, "Right, well- thanks for understanding, I suppose, I wish I could personally help more, but my circumstances with Kass," they gestured to the Abra floating beside them, who waved merrily. "Are a little unusual, I think. I'm not too confident in my ability to notice anyone being sad, particularly, but I suppose it's likely I'd be able to tell if Kass were. Problem is, they're telepathic - we've got something of an understanding, so if they're sad they can quite explicitly communicate to me their sadness. I don't need to do much inferring."

    Tim rubbed his chin thoughtfully at this revelation, peering at Xan with some interest. "Well," he ventured, "what about Psyduck?" Tim gestured at Jerry. "Can you tell if Psyduck's sad?"

    "I, er…" Xan paused, thought about it, then turned their gaze to rest upon Jerry. The psychic tried studying the Psyduck's expression; the slightly bloodshot eyes that darted about at their surroundings, the slightly hitched breathing, the brows that were creased in intense focus… Jerry, as it turned out, was busy trying to figure out where air was. Xan could not have guessed that to save their life. "No," they answered, before chuckling lightly. "No idea in the slightest - but incidentally, Kass usually tells me if there is something up with Jerry. So perhaps they can help better than I can."

    Tim glanced at Jerry and then at Kass as he trudged thoughtfully along. "Hm," he hummed. "Well," Tim said now, his tone changing a little, getting a little somber, "I don't think Abra—Kass—can help with the next question. Xan, if Kass or Jerry were sad … If they were sad, what would you do?"

    "Hm, hypothetically? Fix whatever's making them sad." They gave a shrug. "Really depends on the nature of the problem."

    Tim frowned in thought for a long moment. When he responded, he kept facing forward, not looking at Xan. "I think my Pokémon is sad," Tim said. "And I don't think I can fix the problem." He took a deep breath. "I find I am emboldened by the anonymity of your visor, Xan. I don't mean to make you my confidant. I'm sorry if this makes you uncomfortable."

    Xan rolled their shoulders to keep from squirming, considering for a moment taking off their helmet with the intention of getting Tim to leave. Instead, they admitted, "I'd be lying if I said it didn't, but if it's important I can stomach it for a while. If you think I can fix the problem, you'd best actually tell me what it is. Otherwise, find someone else who can fix it. And if it can't be fixed, damage control."

    Tim nodded, straightening up. He was very nearly a full foot taller than Xan with his back straight, and suddenly seemed very imposing. "Then I guess we'll see if you can fix it." He turned to Xan. "Xan, I challenge you to a Pokémon battle. I, uh, can't pay prize money, so I suppose it would be a favor to me. And in exchange, I would owe a favor to you. Will you accept?"

    "I- why the fuck would that-?" Xan paused in their incredulity to notice Kass, who was decidedly awake and raring to go. The Abra dropped from floating-sitting to a standing position, a determined finger pointing determinedly at Tim, determined. "Well, Kass looks determined," the psychic trainer noted. "I guess fuck it, it's not really up to me, is it? Don't know how Jerry's feeling."

    Jerry did not respond - his gaze trailed from Tim's head to the trees that littered the roadside. His mind was occupied on a great quandary: were leaves tree-hair, or was hair people-leaves?

    "I think Jerry's sitting this one out."

    Tim nodded. "I wouldn't want to deprive you of your weather dome anyway, it's too wet out here, you might catch something," he said hypocritically. "We'll make it a one-on-one then."

    Tim stepped out of the weather dome, out into the wet, probably where he'd catch something, and walked some ways off before turning back around. He pulled a ball from his deep pocket and threw it forward. A Rhyhorn materialized on the road, eyes narrowed a little in annoyance at the rain, but seemingly ignorant of Xan or their Pokémon. "Come on Rij, it's a battle," Xan could hear through the rain as Tim tried to coax the Rhyhorn into a more battle-ready stance.

    "I guess this is the, er, sad one," Xan murmured. "Rhyhorn, right? Probably slowish, physical… Kass isn't listening- I'll look it up…"

    Kass was busy trying to get the Rhyhorn's attention with a few gentle telepathic greetings.

    For all the more Kass was getting in response, the Rhyhorn might as well have been a wall. It did look at Kass though after the Abra's greetings. It then snorted, turned around, and walked away. It turned back around to face Kass after reaching Tim's side, ignoring Tim's repeated orders to return to the field. The Rhyhorn lowered itself into the mud with a loud squelch that splashed Tim and then snorted obstinately.

    Tim was saying something to it but it just turned its head from him pointedly. After a moment Tim said, "Uh, sorry, it'll be Henj instead then." He threw out another ball and a second mon came out.

    It was more than eight feet tall, rain pouring off its massive form. The Stonjourner peered critically down at Kass and then turned to look at Tim. "It's a battle, Henj," Tim called. The Stonjourner seemed to be content with this and turned to face Kass, ready.

    Xan and Kass both seemed taken aback, the former more than the latter. "I'm sorry," said the human of the two. "Are both your Pokémon sad?"

    Tim shrugged. "I can't be sure, but if Rij won't battle, Rij won't battle. Maybe just being able to watch will help a little bit though." The Rhyhorn did seem to be watching, albeit not with particular interest.

    Kass looked back at Xan and shrugged, then turned back and gave Henj a friendly wave and telepathic salutations to boot.

    "If Kass is still raring to go, then I suppose it's all good," Xan said with a sigh. "I think they were more pumped up for the sake of helping than battling itself. If you still think it's helpful then I guess I'll just fucking do whatever… er, let's move back a little, Jerry..."

    "It's more help than you know," Tim called back, "this is the most attention I've seen Rij pay to something in a long time." Considering the Rhyhorn seemed to be struggling to stay awake, that was either exaggeration or the Rhyhorn really was deep in the depression ditch. "We're ready when you are."

    Henj returned Kass's wave unsmilingly: a polite, if stiff, response to the telepathic greeting. The Stonjourner was standing expectantly, waiting for Kass to make the first move.

    "Is it rude to look up an opponent's Pokémon before battling them?" Xan asked, tilting their head to get a good look at their Pokédex where they were looking up their opponent's Pokémon.

    "Not that I know of, I rather think it was encouraged for us." Tim noticeably didn't pull out his own Pokédex, but maybe he already knew about Kass's species. Xan wasn't one to pry, anyway.

    "Stonjourner are fun- right, Kass, you know the drill with similar Pokémon: Rock type, physical probably, speed on the low side. Distance good…"

    Kass' ears swivelled to meet the trainer's words and they jumped to attention - quite literally, as psychic force flung them upwards onto a low tree branch.

    "Alright Henj, open up with Rock Polish," Tim called. Henj had been winding up as if getting ready to charge at Kass, but, looking at Tim and the Rhyhorn next to him, decided to heed this order. Henj twirled his arms as white flashes went off here and there on his body. When they ended, he seemed to be sparkling in the rain.

    "That's a speed increase, Kass," Xan called out. "Won't be slow long- remember: high weight, high momentum! Jerry, you should be watching Kass' Confusion techniques here…"

    Kass was too high upon the tree to catch the rest of the trainer's conversation with the Psyduck - shame - and as they reached another branch they stopped and flung their arm forward as though throwing a curveball. Psychokinetic energy rippled out from their arm and towards Henj, cracking with a flash against the Stonjourner's leg.

    Henj again seemed ready to go running at Kass again, but Tim's order was instead "Get it out in the open, Henj: Stealth Rock into the trees." The Stonjourner seemed a bit interested at this order and he clapped his rocky arms together, spraying a small storm of pointed stones into the treeline, at the level of the canopies. The stones flew a ways before hanging dangerously in the air, turning the airspace into a veritable minefield around Kass's position. The Abra looked around warily for a moment, realised they were unhurt, then gave a jaunty shrug and flung a second wave of Psychic force against Henj's other leg.

    "Physical movement inadvisable!" Xan called out in warning.

    "They're not coming down," Tim said. Henj grumbled at this statement of the obvious. "Well then, give em the Gravity!"

    Henj grinned thoughtfully and clapped his arms over his head. A loud bass note sounded even through the rain, and some black orbs quickly shot out and disappeared. The air was suddenly absurdly heavy. Tim went to a knee in the mud. Kass's branch was suddenly creaking in complaint at the increased weight. The storm had grown even noisier, the heavy rain drilling with more force into the mud. Henj, with his kneeless legs, stood unbothered by the increased gravity. Over the sound of the rain a crack rang out, then two, then several. The branch with Kass on it (and also a few Kassless branches) gave out under the immense gravitational pull - the Abra clung to the branch as it fell, trying as they might to put the wooden limb between them and the assortment of sharp rocks that lay below. Alas, the limb was just too thin; pointed rocks struck Kass on the arms and legs as the Pokémon fell, disintegrating against the Psychic's passive shielding and ultimately causing them zero harm whatsoever. Kass and the branch plonked to the ground, unscathed. Kass was unscathed, that is. The branch was actually half rock by that point.

    "Er- physical movement fine!" Xan corrected themselves, realising their mistake. "Rocks are too small to get through Magic Guard. Ignorable!"

    Kass, grounded, looked down at the branch-rock next to them and giggled, placing one foot atop it. They were intrigued by the increased gravity they were feeling - the Abra span in a circle once and spread their arms - tadaa! - then a single potent finger-gun sent another bolt of Psychic energy the Stonjourner's way.

    Henj recoiled from the attack, surprised. "Magic Guard," Tim complained, "of course it's got Magic Guard! But that means no Synchronize, Henj: time to Stomp!"

    The Stonjourner couldn't walk normally with the gravity in effect and took small, halting steps to advance. But Henj came on quickly. To the humans it likely looked kind of silly, as if Henj were a stop-motion model being played on fast forward. To Kass though, seeing a pair of giant stone crater-makers come skittering in their direction like a frenzied bug was… still silly, but utterly terrifying at the same time. At least they were somewhat comforted in the knowledge that this wasn't a wild Pokémon and there were certain safety precautions involved - but even if this wasn't a wild one, if there was anything that Kass had learned from fighting wild ones, it was that charging left you vulnerable. The Abra, lightly taking hold of the rock-branch in their Psychic grip, put the trunk of the nearby tree behind them, swallowed their fear and stood their ground.

    Henj didn't balk at Kass's courage. As the Stonjourner came nearer, he reeled his leg back a small ways, evidently meaning to execute Stomp not with an actual stomping motion but with a punting one that would bash Kass backward into the tree. Mournfully as they could in the split second they had to react, the Abra bid farewell to their trusty branch-rock - it flew up from the ground towards them, and in the same moment the Psychic Pokémon disappeared in a flash of light leaving only stone and wood in the Stonjourner's way. Henj's foot caught the dutiful branch-rock and gave it a warrior's end, bashing it to ruin against the tree. The strike had been harsh enough to leave a splintered dent in the trunk and then, under the increased gravity, the tree began groaning in loud complaint.

    To no-one's surprise, the Abra had Teleported. The tree's grinding creaks reverberated all the way up its trunk to the very tip, where Kass had just appeared. They spun themselves about to the other side of the trunk even as the enhanced gravity pulled them down - with a flourish and an acrobatic kick, the Abra sent a psychokinetic thrum through the air that ruffled leaves and bent wood. Support was lost, gravity dragged, and something gave. There was an awful cracking sound.

    From below, Xan could only sigh as they watched on with something akin to horror.

    "Not again..."

    Henj tried to skitter backwards but was too slow to react. With a crash of noise, the tree landed over his head, throwing a mess of leaves and branches into the mud of the road and rendering the Stonjourner's main body invisible behind the sagging canopy. His arms, poking through the leaves, raised slowly and then lowered. "Jouron," he called out reluctantly. He didn't seem very hurt by Kass's improvised Wood Hammer, but was clearly quite stuck.

    "Oh," Tim said dismally. "Hm. Well," he called to Xan, "I guess that's Kass's win then." The Stonjourner's arms spun once and gravity went back to normal finally. With the reduced weight, Henj started to slowly walk the tree into the treeline and off the road.

    "Uh- if you say so, I suppose," Xan hesitantly agreed. They wondered for a moment if they should ask if the battle had helped. Perhaps look to the Rhyhorn to see if there was any improvement. Maybe ask if there was anything else they could do? In the end, they said, "I'm going to go help clear that up," and began telekinetically shoving loose twigs and branches to the wayside, boots squelching in the mud as they made their way into the crash zone. Kass reappeared from the underbrush, sheepishly pulling a few shards of wood their way as they returned to the road.

    Tim had gone to help clean up too, although he was pushing on the tree, as if that were going to do anything. Well, he was a pretty tall guy. He and the Stonjourner managed to get it rolled mostly off the road. "Xan," Tim was saying quietly to Xan, with a voice that seemed strangely happy after being so handily defeated, "I really appreciate it. I … I think it's worked a little." He said it quietly, and stole a glance over to the Rhyhorn as well.

    "Good," Xan droned. "I'd hate for the tree to have gone to waste."

    The Rhyhorn was still laying in the mud where Tim had been standing, but was looking between Henj and Kass. The Rhyhorn didn't seem very excited, but was certainly awake at least. Apparently Tim considered that an improvement. Tim wasn't lying to himself about that was he? The Rhyhorn did seem a little more invested in the world around it anyway. Even if it didn't move to help with clean-up.

    "Xan," Tim said, kicking branches into the treeline, "I owe you one. I … I don't have much. Or really anything I guess. But I hope you'll keep me in mind if you end up needing something down the line. We'll help as best we can, right Henj?"

    Henj gave a gruff reply and didn't look at anyone, arms crossed. He didn't seem downtrodden or angry about losing. He did seem incredibly embarrassed at the manner of his loss though. Were the Stonjourner capable of it, he'd probably be blushing. Kass approached the Rock Pokémon and seemed to be trying to communicate - post-battle banter, Xan supposed, or perhaps an apology of sorts. They paid the social encounter little mind.

    "I barely did anything, honestly - Kass did most of the work in what actually seemed to help," the psychic huffed. "Though I suppose I did suffer some lengthy conversation - in any case I really couldn't give a shit about favours. If you really want to repay me then just… I don't know- don't feel indebted, because then the both of us can just forget about it. Weight off the mind."

    Tim regarded Xan confusedly for a moment. "Well, if that's how you'd prefer it," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "Although that kinda means you really didn't get anything out of my pestering you." Tim shook his head and shrugged. "I guess I just gotta accept the charity then. Well, in that case I suppose we're done here. Henj, Rij, say goodbye, it's time to go."

    Rij the Rhyhorn looked at Xan directly before being pulled back to his ball. Henj gave a curt wave to Kass before similarly dematerializing. Tim seemed to mutter something to the Pokéballs before tucking them away, but he said it too low to hear over the rain. "Right," Tim said looking back at Xan. "Happy trails and good luck on your way. Nice to have met you, Kass, Jerry," he added, nodding to the mons. He turned and seemed as if he was going to disappear into the treeline instead of continue on the road.

    "Hold up a second," Xan called after him. Tim stopped and looked over his shoulder. "You're aware with those clothes in this weather you could get seriously ill, right?"

    "In this weather, you could probably get seriously ill in your clothes too," Tim said unconcernedly. "You'd best stay under Jerry's Cloud Nine."

    "And you'd best not?"

    "Jerry's not my Pokémon, and I've taken up enough of your time." Tim turned to face Xan and stood up straight. He managed, despite his ragged appearance, to puff out his chest a little and thump it with one of his wet fists. "I'm tougher than I look, Xan. I'll probably get sick, but I've never gotten really sick off something like a little spit and chill. I went through the Wild Area too you know, in these same clothes." If he was lying, he was a pretty good liar.

    Xan sighed, "And you're aware that the way I'm going is the way to Hulbury, and going some other way is just detouring?"

    Tim adjusted his shades and looked away a moment. "I, uh, don't usually walk on the road. Hulbury's not going anywhere, I'll get to it, no worries. I, uh, have other things to do here first though." Hm. Maybe he wasn't such a good liar after all.

    "Huh," the psychic folded their arms. "If you're just worried about bothering me, Cloud Nine's area is plenty spacious enough. If you're really dead set on going elsewhere, then that's all good. Up to you - works for me. So long."

    Twin feelings pushed against Tim's mind from an outside source: pleading and concern in tandem. The Abra next to Xan opened their arms a little, an invitation, before slowly following along behind their trainer.

    Tim hadn't wanted to admit as much, but he really had had "other things to do." He rubbed his empty belly a little to keep it from making noises. He didn't want to bother Xan any more than he already had, but that last invitation gave him pause. He rather felt it had been Kass's invitation, but Tim had noticed Xan's telekinetic handling of the tree branches. Xan was some kind of psychic: had the invitation come from Xan? Tim couldn't be certain. He rather felt that no one would ever invite him to walk, especially not someone as private as Xan. But he also felt that if someone had invited him, and he refused, no one else would ever invite him again. Tim couldn't imagine why Xan might ask for his company, but if that's what they were asking for, Tim would be rather churlish to refuse.

    After an uncertain moment, Xan could hear heavy, squelching footsteps following hesitantly behind.


     
    Foxrally

    Foxrally

    [img]http://i.imgur.com/omi0jS3.gif[/img]
    2,791
    Posts
    11
    Years
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Simon Pearburgh
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Spewpa ♀ Tackle | Stun Spore | String Shot | Harden | Poison Powder Friend Guard
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Caterpie ♂ Tackle | String Shot | Bug Bite Shield Dust
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Burmy ♂ Protect | Hidden Power (water) | Electroweb Shed Skin
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Snom ♀ Powder Snow | Mirror Coat | Struggle Bug | Icicle Spear Ice Scales

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Princess ♀ Electroweb | Spider Web | Fury Cutter | Beat Up Swarm
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Larvesta ♂ Flame Charge | String Shot | Ember | Morning Sun Flame Body
    ​
    Spoiler: Inventory
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Xtransceiver
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokédex
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    ATC
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Blackspear License
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokéball x1
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Strange Rock
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Potion x3
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Nevermeltice
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Venoshock TR
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Bug Catcher Net
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Even less cinnamon buns
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Camping Supplies
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Badges: 1

    Spoiler: Memories
    ~ NPC LIST ~
    --- Wedgehurst ---
    #1 - Caterpie joins the team!
    #2 - The Mail Thief, pt. 1
    #3 - The Mail Thief, pt. 2
    #4 - Meet Sachiko
    #5 - Train Battle!
    --- Wild Area ---
    #6 - Burmy joins the team!
    #7 - Snom joins the team!
    #8 - Meet Raphael
    #9 - Spirits Entombed
    #10 - Meet Ruben
    #11 - Suited Men Encounter!
    --- Motostoke ---
    #12 - The Opening Ceremony [MEGA JP]
    #13 - Motostoke Gym Mission
    #14 - VS Kabu
    #15 - Lunch with Sachi
    #16 - Joining Blackspear
    #17 - A Mysterious Egg
    --- Route 3 & Galar Mine 1 ---
    #18 - Meet Rosa
    #19 - VS Rosa
    #20 - Christmas Delivery
    #21 - VS Catherine
    #22 - Meet Aurora
    #23 - Joltik joins the team!
    #24 - Meet Pia
    #25 - VS Oleana
    #26 - Ferrothorn Rescue
    --- Turffield ---
    #27 - Blackspear Delivery
    #28 - Turffield Gym Mission
    #29 - VS Milo
    #30 - Calling home
    #31 - An Unexpected Interruption
    #32 - VS Sachi, Rematch
    #33 - Contest Date
    #34 - Larvesta joins the team!
    --- Route 5 ---
    #35 - On the road again
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Jasper Grandiflora
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Faust ♂
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Dispo ♂
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Baba Hana ♀
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Regina ♀
    ​
    Spoiler: Inventory
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokédex
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    ATC
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokéball x2​
    Route 5

    It was about midday after a full three days' worth of Simon and Aurora traveling down route 5. The two young trainers had chosen to walk along the Hulbury channel for most of the journey, the calming river offering a good source of fresh water as well as a good place to camp every night. Simon's tent-pitching skills had been completely outclassed by Aurora's, who instead relied on her Pokemon's abilities to both set up her equipment and carry it for her - which left the boy rather miffed as he hauled around the weight of his own tent plus six Pokemon. The river was also a resting spot for the girl's Starmie, which Aurora had told him she'd caught not too far from Hulbury. She'd certainly opened up in the past few days, which Simon was grateful for, especially if they were going to work together long-term. He'd tried to challenge her to a battle numerous times on the way, but she'd dismissed each attempt rather quickly, giving no reason in particular. In many ways the girl was like Raph as a travel partner - minus the hyperactive ice-type rolling around.

    The two trainers had eventually been forced to move back to the main path after the river curved towards the wild area. They'd been traveling down it for a few hours now, Simon's Larvesta flying circles around them as they walked.

    "I'm just saying there's no guarantee there isn't a squadron of Joltik following her around, you know?" Simon said, motioning towards the trees beside them. "And by extension, that makes them my bodyguards!"

    "That's about the most ridiculous thing you've said all day, Pearburgh. And that says a lot." Aurora replied, closing her eyes.

    "Psh, you're just a hater. I'm sure your fam's got an eye on us, Princess." he looked at the Joltik on his arm, who squeaked happily in response. "Whoa, you mean that?!" Simon replied starry-eyed, turning to Aurora, "she said I'm family too!" Simon gave the fuzzy spider a slight-too-tight hug.

    "That's cute." The girl beside him raised an eyebrow but couldn't help crack a smile. She looked around for a moment. "Say, I'm still curious about how you manage to communicate with-"

    A loud ring from Simon's phone cut her off. "Hold that thought." Simon exclaimed as he pulled it out, "Oh, Mr. Zelkova's calling!"

    He answered the phone. "Hello, future champ speaking." he greeted, winking at Aurora who rolled her eyes.

    "Ooh, confident, I love it!" his boss chuckled. "How's my favourite bug aficionado doing? Travel treating you well? I realize I never congratulated you for your victory against Milo, bravo on that fantastic win."

    "Thank you, sir!" Simon responded, brimming with pride. "And I'm actually traveling with Aurora right now- she's right here if you want to say hi!"

    Aurora cast a death glare at him and shook her head frantically, mouthing a loud 'no'.

    The man let out an excited squeal. "Ah, my own two protégés, traveling as one! I'm so happy to see you two taking the time to get to work together." he said. "I don't want to take up too much of your time, so I'm sure you can tell her I said hello. I'm calling to ask about your delivery, have you gotten close yet?"

    "Not yet actually, but we're not far from the nursery! The package should get delivered by today." Simon replied.

    "Ah, good, good." Flynn's voice seemed to get more serious. "Just wanted to check in and make sure. We've had reports of some… characters trying to intercept Blackspear deliveries, and I wanted to be sure no harm had befallen you."

    "No need to worry, sir! If anyone tries to step up, they'll have to go through me and my whole team first!" Simon replied, grinning confidently.

    "Hah, that's the attitude I love! Keep it up and you're destined for great things, darling. I'll be in Hulbury next week, so we'll be seeing each other soon. Anyways, I'll leave you lot to it then; toodle-oo!"

    As the phone clicked off, Aurora let out a sigh of relief. "Piece of advice, don't ever try to do small talk with Zelkova. He'll talk your ear off and your phone'll run out of battery before you can hang up."

    Simon shrugged as he put it back in his pocket. "I dunno, you're probably just jealous he called me instead of you." he added with a smirk.

    Aurora held back whatever insult she was going to throw and pursed her lips as the pair continued down the path.

    ----------------​

    After some time, the two trainers neared a medium-sized cottage which looked similar to one Simon had seen in Motostoke: a Pokemon Nursery. The quaint exterior had the same design, but he could tell the yard and space for Pokemon was much larger given the countryside location.

    "Do you mind if I make a quick pit stop for some stuff here after the delivery?" Simon asked. "I Goomgled a bit about baby Pokemon and it turns out-" he paused mid-sentence to catch his Larvesta in the air, something he'd gotten pretty good at now "- that there's a ton of special foods that this little guy might need to grow well and stuff."

    Aurora sighed and pulled out her phone, checking the time and her schedule before looking back at Simon. "Fine. But make it quick, Blackspear doesn't pay us to babysit."

    "You got it!" Simon put the baby Pokemon on his shoulder before the pair entered the establishment. It looked just as similar to the Motostoke one as it did outside, albeit far less crowded and more spacious. There were a few trainers who were using it as a pit stop, making use of the free healing service and water refill stations at the front counter. Simon walked up to the front and noticed a young woman in overalls working at the desk.

    "Hey, Blackspear delivery!" Simon said cheerfully as he approached the employee and pulled out the box he'd been given. "Special package from Turffield."

    "Ah, thank you! We've been looking forward to these." the woman smiled, taking the box and carefully putting it behind her desk.

    "Just need to sign here and here." Simon handed her the tablet. As she signed off the delivery, he added, "Say, where do you guys put the supplies for baby Pokemon, by the way?"

    As the employee gave him the tablet back, she pointed to some shelves on the wall opposite the front counter. "Right there, we've got a sale on grooming products too, if you're interested."

    "Great, thank you!" Simon replied. He looked at the shelves, which were lined with Pokemon food products, ranging from fertilizer for grass-types, to special rock-type gemstones, and the hefty bags of Lax Snax at the bottom. He then spotted a single bag of food containing what he was looking for - baby Pokemon food. He approached the shelf and reached out for the blue bag-only for another hand to bump his.

    "Oi, you mind? I'm- oh great, it's bug boy."

    Jasper couldn't contain his annoyance at having competition for the baby food, or how much worse the identity of the interloper made it. The eternally grumpy trainer hooked a thumb to the Hatenna sitting on his head and grumbled. "I need this stuff to mix into my Pokemon's food, back off."

    Oh no. Jasper. He hadn't noticed the tall hooded trainer walk in, and this was not going to be a happy reunion. Simon's expression immediately turned to a scowl as he crossed his arms in defiance. "Oh yeah? Well it so happens I need it too! And I got here first, so tough luck." he snapped back.

    Simon and Jasper had a… tenuous history in Wedgehurst, to put it lightly. Jasper's disrespect of the art of bug catching always got on Simon's nerves. Their 'clashing personalities' (as Sonia described it) often resulted in heated arguments both in and out of the academy, whether it be about seating, assignments, battles, or whatever menial issue they'd found a disagreement on - with both of them being too stubborn to ever admit defeat - and any attempts by their professors to make them cooperate had ended in disaster.

    "Says who? I didn't see you before I got here." Jasper retorted. Nobody at the academy got on Jasper's nerves more often or more intensely than Simon Pearbugh, not even Melody. He had just the right amount of optimistic naiveté, silliness, and genuine pluck to push all of Jasper's buttons. Nobody who smiled that much could be trusted. Jasper didn't even hate bugs, just how singular Simon's dedication to them was.

    "I was hoping getting thrown out into the real world would kick you around a bit, curb some of that smiley sense of entitlement you have. What's a bug even need baby food for?"

    "Well I was hoping the 'real world' would teach you to stop walking around like you're better than everyone!" Simon glared at him. He could feel Spewpa trembling in his coat, as the Pokemon remembered Jasper from their academy days.

    "Better than- you fuckin' what?!" Jasper's voice rose in spite of their child-friendly surroundings. He took a step closer and Simon saw the look in his eyes become genuinely wild for a moment. "You listen here you little shit, I already had to deal with the real world before the academy, who are you to- whatever! Get out of my way, go let the world keep handing shit to you, I need this food."

    Simon stepped up towards the taller boy as well, determined to hold his ground. "Well so do I! And the only thing you're gonna be handed is an ass-whooping if you don't get out of my way!" By now, the small number of clients in the store all had their eyes fixed on the two, though none dared to intervene.

    Jasper dropped a hand right on top of the bag of food and held the other in front of Simon's face in a fist. "I'd like to see you try, you bug-infested little ape of a troglodyte."

    "Watch me." the boy put his hand on the bag as well, staring at Jasper defiantly. Without any verbal command from Simon, the Joltik on his arm suddenly crawled down onto the bag, and zapped Jasper's hand with a bite.

    Jasper's hand shook and almost lost its grip on the bag before reattaching firmly, and as if summoned by his gritted teeth, a lump shot over his shoulder and out of his sleeve came a Salandit. The little black firebug of a lizard spat a bit of flame to force the static spider back and bit Simon's hand in turn, her maw burning hot.

    Simon grit his teeth as well as he held on tight despite the pain, trying his hardest not to pull back. "If that's how you wanna play, then-!" he snarled, rearing his head back before headbutting Jasper's with all his strength.

    Unfortunately for the trainers, their skulls were as thick as the tension between them and both were sent reeling back, foreheads throbbing as violently as their confrontation. "Oh ho ho-kay, it's on now, asshole, you wanna fuckin' scrap, do ya? You're lucky we're in public." Jasper closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding his arm up and allowing Baba to drip some Life Dew straight on the electric bite mark, instantly soothing and closing it. "Sonia would be disappointed if I caved your skull in, so we're gonna settle this like trainers." He pulled a pokéball off his belt and pointed it at Simon for emphasis in a mirror of his trainer card - but angrier. "You. Me. Outside. Right now."

    Simon's scowl shifted to a smirk as he punched a fist into his hand - trying to ignore how much the motion hurt his burnt hand. "You're on."

    Joint post of Sephear and Foxrally​
     
    Last edited:
    Jay

    Jay

    [font=Brawler][color=#91a8d4][i]Here comes the boi
    904
    Posts
    9
    Years
    • Raphael Allard
    > Route 5
    > Mood: ...
    > "Happy Birthday, Raphael"

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    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
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    Another quiet morning.

    The air felt different for some reason, Raphael let it run through his hair as he tidied up his campsite. His pokémon were all tucked away in their pokéballs. He loved them, but he wasn't ready to see them yet. Not today. Not this everyday, average, unremarkable and quiet morning. He continued to walk the length of Route 5 alone and in silence, even the wild pokémon seemed to be keeping away from him. He was separate from everyone and everything, alone. This was a good thing. This was the worst part.

    The sounds of people milling about together reached his ears and a knot of dread grew in his stomach. His thoughts kept reassuring him, today was just a regular day, nothing else, just another day. Today didn't change anything. Today was just like yesterday, it would be just like tomorrow.

    He was passing the daycare, now of all times. Pairs of people were all around, pokémon too. Giving chocolate and exchanging fancy words. He stepped passed a small iron fence and into the plaza that sat in the midst of his journey across the road. A small set up was built outside of the daycare for the occasion. He saw a number of couples expressing their feelings. He thought of Ruben and Pia, of Simon and Sachiko too. He wondered, if they were spending the day together?

    His thoughts drifted to Arrietty... he shooed them away. Those were bad thoughts, he couldn't let those settle in his mind.

    Today was just a regular day, nothing else.

    Heart shaped decorations lined poles and walls, hell they were plastered on the ground beneath his feet. Subconsciously, Raphael started to walk faster. Why? Why did they have to be hearts? It was like some sort of sick, cosmic joke. He wanted to get out of here, he wanted to reach Hulbury already, he wanted today to just be another normal day, just like all the others. Why couldn't it be just like all the others?

    A few feet felt like a mile of walking by the time he reached the other side of the Pokémon Nursery's little set up. He didn't care about any fucking festivities, nor about any opportunities or missions they had in store. How many times had he been distracted as was? Couldn't he have five minutes of peace? His apathetic expression broke and he kept marching, faster now, his brow furrowed and his lip curled. Just another day. Just another day gone, vanished into nothing, wasted. Barely any progress made. The knot in his stomach kept growing, his self reassuring did nothing to quell it. His feelings were irrational and harmful, but even though he knew that, they wouldn't go away. Arceus he just wanted them to go away.

    He wanted it all to go away. How tired he was. How sorry he was. How much he hurt.

    Why couldn't he be the person he wanted? Whydid this day have to be different? Why couldn't it have been normal? Why couldn't HE have been normal? Born a normal, working, person. Not broken, defective and destined to fall apart. What sick God put him here, with the same capacity and ability to feel as everyone else, but in a shell that didn't work like it should?

    He was running now, as if running would make his problems go away, the physical exertion only brought them closer.

    His chest hurt.

    He kept running.

    He stumbled passed a pair of trees to a small forest glen, a lone hillock of emerald blades, topped by a crowning tree standing alone, he stumbled and struggled towards that tree, with a knot at its core, that stood all alone and slumped down onto his knees. His expression was breaking, everything was breaking, he was breaking. Why couldn't he keep it together today? Why was it always today? Why? Why-

    "Why?!" He chokes out the word, shouting it out as he's alone, his eyes watering now. He cursed how pathetic he must have looked but couldn't put the pieces back together. "It isn't fair! I just want to live! It's not like I'm asking for a lot!" He shouts up at the tree because no one will listen, sitting back on his knees and staring at the curled wooden knot at its center. "I don't want to be famous! I don't want to be rich! I don't want everyone to like me... or to be someone especially worthwhile! I don't want to be handsome, or talented, or loved, I don't want any of that, not for free!" He grips his hair and tears fall freely, coasting down his face and hitting the grassy ground beneath his body, hunched over in stress and pain. His chest grew tighter and tighter, the tension racking his entire body with suffering.

    "But the one thing-!" He sobs, unsure where to even look now. "The one thing everyone else gets for free! The choice to live as they like, the choice to live at all! That's the one thing... that I want..." He shuts his eyes and curls up in the spot, making himself small, trying to push away all the hurt boiling inside of him. "...that's the one thing I'm denied..."

    He remembered his dreams and watched as reflected in the droplets of his tears are a thousand memories and pathways he had dreamed throughout his life. Where he received his treatment at a young age, where a Doctor tells him the problem magically goes away, where he was never born with the pain he carried at all. A million dreams, from the day and the night, all of one thing. A world where Raphael got to be the person he wanted. Where he was given the freedom to pursue his dreams and passions without a sharpened claw gripping his heart and pulling him back.

    "...What did I do wrong..?" He laments, his voice is utterly defeated and his eyes are heavy, lacking the light of hope. He keeps running over his life in his mind, searching for missteps, searching for justification. Something he did every year, a hunt for a reason, on this normal, regular day.

    In a huddled pile of pain, Raphael sat there wasting away the hours, alone as ever, in the slow march of despair that dominated him, until that horrible, irregular day was coming to an end.

    "...four left." As the sun set, Raphael finally choked out a hoarse and croaking remark. He almost felt like laughing, almost, at the absurdity of it all.

    "Four left. Then one way or another, it ends."


     
    Sonata

    Sonata

    Don't let me disappear
    13,642
    Posts
    11
    Years
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
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    Poké:
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    5020 ♦ Pokemon: 5

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    ​

    CHAPTER 7.3 - BUDDING YOUTH

    Rosa walked over and picked the capture disc up off the ground, the sweat dripping from her forehead. She'd been at it all day, and had hardly a thing to show for it. Something she was doing with the device was off, but she couldn't figure out exactly what. She'd been contemplating what Simon had shown her in their battle, continuing to use his interactions with his Pokemon and those wild ones around him as a point of reference in her own training.

    But there was a world of difference between them - and she knew it.

    The girl threw herself onto the ground with a huff, clearly upset that even though she'd been practicing on and off for months, she'd still failed to make any progress. She pocketed the device and lethargically pulled out her pokedex. She still didn't have enough money for a phone, and carrying a mirror around in her bag with any of the smaller Pokemon she chose to shelter within it was an accident waiting to happen. She stared at her reflection in the screen of the dex and then tilted her head.

    Zorro looked up at his trainer, watching her as she quickly swapped between a natural resting face and a smile. Every so often, she'd open her mouth and close her eyes slightly, doing what seemed to be a laugh but without any sound. The Pokemon narrowed his eyes, uncertain of what he was watching as she put on a smile and then started to make minor tweaks in it over the course of a few seconds before dropping it completely.

    Rosa sighed, placing the dex in her lap as she looked down at the recently evolved Roselia. She smiled, matching the Grass-types' own expression before her hand moved towards the pendants hanging around her neck.

    Zorro's smile widens, seeing that even though she was smiling so many times at herself in the mirror, the one she showed him was still all his own. "Rose!" The Pokemon cried out, throwing his arms in the air in excitement.

    The girl's gaze slowly falls to the gems she's holding in her hands, and she seems to become lost in concentration. Zorro's seen this look on his trainer many times, and decides that as usual, it's best to just let her sit and think when she gets like that. For now, he has exploring to do.
    "Heya!" Zorro called out, waving his arm in the air as he neared Ezra.

    The Munchlax turned slightly towards the Grass-type, just enough to see him from the corner of her eye. "What do you want, kid?"

    "Not much…" he said nonchalantly, kicking at a nearby pebble as he slowly walked backwards towards her. "Whatcha up to?"

    Ezra breathed in deep, and then sighed. "Absolutely nothing. It's always… nothing."

    "You look upset."

    "Wow, detective Zorro, huh?"

    The Roselia tilted his head, trying to get a better look at Ezra's face as she slowly pushed herself in a circle, trying to escape his gaze. "What's wrong, Ezzie?"

    The Munchlax stopped, mulling over the question for a second before pushing herself off the ground. Ezra took a few steps away and then stopped, looking at each of the other newer additions to the team. "I've been here just as long as anyone else… even since before you were born." She started, pulling the leftovers from her cheek as she took a seat once again. "But what do I have to show for it? Everyone else gets to evolve, to become more useful… but me? I haven't had a battle since I went up against Simon and those bugs, and that was just-"

    "Oh yeah, you got the snot beat out of you there, huh?"

    "She didn't even help me… she just… she just let it happen. Why? Because I was giving her the cold shoulder? Why wouldn't I? I was just starting to get close to Wyatt and then-" she shook her head, sighing once more. "Just… leave me alone for now, okay? I guess… I need more time to think."

    Zorro shrugged, despite the fact that Ezra had her back to him. "She'll never know how you feel if you don't tell her. She doesn't always understand what we want to say, but I'm sure if you say it sincerely enough, then it'll get through to her." Zorro watched Ezra for a few more minutes, waiting an uncomfortably long time for any kind of acknowledgement from her, but earning none.

    The Roselia shook his head and wandered off, not wanting to get bummed out by the old girl. He should go and see what Wyatt thinks about things as they are now. After all, he'd been with Rosa the longest. Maybe he could sniff out some clues about how to mend the relationship between Rosa and Ezra by sneaking in a question or two to the guy.

    "Heyyo," Zorro called out, having waddled the short distance back to the center of their makeshift camp to find Wyatt. "How you doin' Wy?"

    "I'm fine. But… look at her." He nodded in the direction of Rosa.

    The girl had dropped her chin onto her knees and was staring out over the landscape. Some Flying-types made their way across the sky, catching her attention for a second as she swiveled her head around on the connection between her knee and chin. Zorro laughed a little, watching as she snapped her head back to center once the Pokemon were too far out of sight.

    "Why are you laughing?" Wyatt asked, his face full of concern as he looked down at the little Grass-type.

    Zorro shrugged. "I dunno. I thought it was funny how her head just- boop."

    Wyatt watched the Roselia as he mimicked Rosa, and then slowly shook his head. "Ah, yeah… I guess that was kind of funny." he trailed off, the silence between them forming a wall that one oblivious Pokemon was determined to continue attempting to scale.

    "So… what's got you down?"

    "I'm not down… I'm just worried."

    "Okayyy…. Then… what's got you worried?"

    The Loudred glanced at Zorro, and then fixed his gaze back on Rosa. "I'm worried about Rosa. She puts on a strong face for us all, but I know that's not the real her… I've seen the real her, because I… I was her, back before the professor captured me. Back when I was a Whismur, I thought we were so much alike. And now that I'm stronger-" he paused, clearly distracted by whatever thoughts were formulating in his mind. "I'm not strong enough."

    "I think the two of you are still an awful lot alike!"

    Wyatt grimaced. "I'm not sure that I like that take… but thank you. I'm just… I'm still worried about that night in the hotel. We all had those awful dreams, and we all slept almost an entire day. That's not right. Something was going on there, but I…"

    "So," Zorro started cheekily, not being the best at reading the room by any means. "What's the deal with you and Ezra?"

    The question clearly caught Wyatt off guard as he winced and then slowly turned his head back towards the other Normal-type of the team. "I… I don't know. We were starting to get close, and then she had that meltdown and… I don't think they've had a chance to really make up. I've been looking for a time to sit a battle out so they're forced to reconnect, but the timing just hasn't been…"

    Zorro nodded his head. "Yeah, probably would have been a good time to do it back when we were duking it out with those Pokemon the other day."

    "Yeah, it would have." He said, glaring at the Roselia who just couldn't take the hint. "Too late now, though."

    "Anyways," Zorro shrugged. "I think you're strong enough to protect her now. And… we've both got arms! I think that's pretty exciting."

    Wyatt nodded, turning his attention back to Rosa. "Yeah… it was pretty nice - getting to hold her for the first time… to be able to comfort her properly, like a friend should."

    Zorro nodded, smiling as he spun around and waddled away. "Let's see… who else do we have to- oh!" He whispered, moving a little quicker over to a rock which had frost forming over the top of it. "Yzy!"

    "Yeah?" The Pokemon replied coldly, staring at the stone that she'd taken from Rosa's bag and propped against the rock.

    "Whatcha up to?"

    "Just… chilling."

    "Haha, you're so funny Yzy! You still trying to figure out that rock?"

    "Yeah." Yzma nodded, her gaze unwavering.

    "You really like that rock, huh?"

    "Yeah."

    "Is it… supposed to do something? Or is it just pretty?"

    "Yeah."

    Zorro got into a thinking position, brushing the petals of his roses against his face as he thought. "So… was that a yeah to-"

    "Yeah."

    "Okay… Yzy…" Zorro walked slowly around the Snorunt, looking closer at her face. "You alright there?"

    "Yeah."

    Zorro stared into the Pokemon's eyes, failing to meet her thousand yard stare. It was like… she was looking through the stone, at something far behind it. The Roselia got down, squinting as hard as he could as he also tried to look through the stone.

    The activity lasted little more than a few seconds, as Zorro sighed and threw his arms up in the air. "Well, that's all the effort I've got for that. Good luck to you in… whatever you're doing!"

    "Yeah."

    Zorro turned back once more, taking another long look at the Ice-type. "There's something… chilling about her now." The Pokemon smiled a little, trying not to laugh at his own joke. "Well… onward, to adventure!" He stated quietly to himself as he started off down a nearby hill.

    Dahlia fluttered down, perching on a stone a few feet away from where Yzma and Zorro had just had their invigorating conversation and quickly looked between the two. "Hey, Yzma, you gonna go after the kid?"

    "Yeah."

    "Then what are you sitting around for?"

    "Sorry. Busy."

    "You and that damn stone are always so… gah! Just marry it already so I don't have to watch you anymore, it's creepy and it takes away from time that you could be practicing your contest maneuvers!"

    "You said… it's creepy?" Yzma questioned, her voice was quiet, but cut through the air like a knife as she turned away from the stone for the first time. "What do you-"

    "I'm sorry! Jeez," Dahlia shook her head, fluttering off of the rock as she headed down towards Zorro. "I guess I'll just go get the kid myself. Someone has to be an adult around here after all. You're all just so, ugh!" The Pokemon fluttered off, leaving Yzma to her stone as she searched for the budding Roselia. "Well… I guess this'll give me a chance to add another scent to my repertoire, at least. His smell has definitely changed since he evolved, but I just haven't had the time to- Zorro! No!"

    The Roselia turned to look at the Cutiefly as it flew through the air, meeting her with a wave and a smile as he released the tail of the Pokemon he was trying so desperately to drag out. "Ayy! Dilly dally! I almost forgot about you!"

    "Yeah, yeah, so what're you doing to that poor Pokemon?"

    "What am I doing?" Zorro questioned, turning to look at the purple Pokemon which was scrambling to get away. "I'm just helping my friend! I'm the big bro, after all!"

    "I'm not your bro! Just leave me alone!" The Toxel cried out, pawing at the damp ground as it tried its best to get away.

    "See, for some reason he doesn't remember Melody, or anything else that just happened the other day! But I can tell he's-"

    "Zorro, that's not the same Pokemon."

    "Whaaa?" Zorro turned to give Dahlia a look of utter confusion. "Of course it's the same Pokemon! What are the chances of running into two of the same thing within a day's walk of each other without it being the same Pokemon?"

    Dahlia shook her head and sighed, lighting herself on a nearby pebble. "If you're searching for a Rattatta, it'd probably be easier than you think," she muttered, shaking some dirt out of her fluff. "Sorry, I forgot you never got to experience life in the wild… see, there's probably thousands of Toxels out there, and so the likelihood of-"

    "Why are you running? I just want to help you!" Zorro called out, quickly waddling to catch up with the Toxel that had put some distance between them in the time that Dahlia tried explaining that not all Pokemon are the same.

    "Come back, friend! I'm sorry I don't know your name yet, we had to leave before Melody could decide on one!"

    "I don't know who you are, and I don't know any Melody, so just leave me alone, okay?"

    Zorro got ahead of the Toxel just as he started to speak, and then stared at him with a look of utter heartbreak. "Bu-but how could you say that? After everything we went through together… after I put on that show for you- evolved for you!" Tears began to fill Zorro's eyes as he covered his face with one of his flowers. "You really should be more considerate of your big brother's feelings, y'know."

    "Look, I don't know who you think I am, and I don't want to know." The Toxel took a step backwards, sparks covering his body. "Even if I did know you, I wouldn't admit it anyways. Running with other Pokemon only ever brings trouble and heartache. Take it from me, kid - get away from that trainer as quick as you can, and seclude yourself somewhere that you don't ever have to get to know anyone. It'll make your life that much easier."

    "Come on, bud! You can't call me kid when I literally helped to hatch you!"

    "Zorro…" Dahlia shook her head, having caught up with the two of them. "That's. Not. The same. Toxel."

    "Yeah, listen to your pink little girlfriend. I'm not the Toxel you've been looking for, so just shove off and leave me be! I'm trying to mope and-"

    "Oh! I know a lot about moping! Everyone at camp seemed so down today, that I-"

    "I-don't-care!" The Toxel cried out, his voice bouncing with the words as he took a few more steps back. "Jeez, kid… just take a hint! I don't know how much more obvious I have to make it to you that I don't know you and that I don't want to get to know you! Just leave! Please! I won't bother you, so just do me this favor and don't bother me right back!"

    Zorro frowned, not really sure what was going on. This was his first younger sibling, after all - even if it did belong to someone else. And everything this Toxel was saying was just… it broke his heart to hear the words coming out of the mouth of someone so much younger than him. "C'mon… guy. I guess I know it can be weird to just come into life and immediately find yourself in the arms of someone else but like… my mom's super nice, and the rest of my family is pretty cool and strong too. And my mom likes your mom, and her other Pokemon like her too, so why don't you just-"

    "Aaaaaaghh!" The Toxel cried out, covering his ears as he shook his head. "Please, just stop!"

    "I know it can be kind of weird… hard even, to accept at the start but… those first few days after hatching can be a pretty wild ride. Even looking back now I have to think really hard to remember much of any of it. Just… let me help you, bud. Tell me, where is Melody?"

    "I. Don't. Know. Aaaanyone. Named Melody. I'm wild and free, and I've always been wild and free. Your little mind games aren't going to work on me! I'd be much happier if you'd all just… leave me… let me be alone!"

    "No, no. You're just confused." Zorro shakes his head, putting both arms around one of the Toxel's legs as he tried to pull him back towards camp. "We'll go get Rosa. I'm sure she can find Melody if she tries."

    "No!" The Toxel cried out, the sparks around its body intensifying as an expression of absolute fear overtook its face. "Just let me go!"

    Zorro let go of the Toxel and stumbled backwards, shaking the numbness out of the rose at the end of his arm from the shocking attack. "Why…" he started, his usual smile had been replaced by a full-on frown as he looked at the Toxel. "Why did you turn out this way?" He whispered, feeling his heart breaking as the feeling of betrayal from what had just transpired began to sink in. "Did Melody abandon you? Is that why you're like this? Were we all just wrong about her, or… I don't know what happened to make you like this, bud… it hurts… it hurts a lot, right here." he said softly, doing his best not to cry as he placed his flower over his chest.

    "Look, kid…" the Toxel stated, rubbing the back of his head a little as he watched the Roselia starting to cry. "Like I said before… I don't know any Rosa or Melody… I don't care about being grouped up with other Pokemon either - anytime you come to rely on someone else it just… it never ends well, for anyone."

    Zorro shook his head, recalling a few of the things that both Ezra and Wyatt had said about how they were feeling. The Roselia glanced over at Dahlia, who did a little dip - which was as much of a shrug as she could manage in her current position - and then fixed his gaze back on the Toxel. "Being around other Pokemon doesn't invite trouble or danger…"

    "It's true. In fact, since I'm most likely the oldest out of the three of us here, I'll let you know that it's much safer going along with others than roughing it alone." Dahlia fluttered over closer to the Toxel, not really sure herself what she was getting herself into, since she knew from the start this wasn't the same Toxel. But, the flow of the conversation was changing.

    It didn't matter if this was the same Pokemon or not - this Toxel was clearly hurting… and he needed someone to prove to him he was wrong. "Back before I grouped up with the kid here and our trainer, I'd get chased on the daily by wild Pokemon and trainers just looking to get their grubby hands on a pretty little bug like me. But then, I met Rosa. And I just… kinda vibed with the aura she was giving off."

    The Toxel groaned, shaking its head against as it took a few more steps back, putting itself up against a tree. "Look… I don't care how good you guys think you've got it. Once you get captured, that's it. No going back. Brainwashed. Game over."

    "Brainwashed?" Zorro questioned. "I don't think I've ever heard that word before."

    "Yeah, well I would think you hadn't." The Toxel shook his head. "It all came to me in a dream a while back… I used to have so many friends, but one by one they each got picked off by travelling trainers. Now, I'm the only one left and the only time I see them is in those dreams…" The Pokemon shuddered, clearly remembering something uncomfortable that it was struggling with.

    "So, what do your friends do?" Zorro questioned, interested in what kind of dreams his friend had, even if they weren't actually about his friends. After all, he'd only just hatched. There was no way he could have had all these friends he was talking about and also have had enough time to dream about them like he was saying.

    The Toxel looked up at the Roselia, uncertain of whether he was genuinely interested or just taking him for a ride. But nonetheless, he'd started in on the dream, and there was no going back now. "They come back to me, so much stronger than they were when they left. Sometimes they're in different forms, sometimes it's just their voices… but then there's the trainers… and their voices. Their voices are the ones that stay with me - hundreds of voices echoing in my head all at once, begging and ordering and pleading with me to change into something else… and then, I give. I give in, and I change, only to be told it wasn't good enough. And then I-"

    "But it's only a dream, isn't it?" Zorro cut in, not sure what everyone's deal was lately with these nightmares they were having. "Dreams aren't real, they can't hurt you."

    Dahlia thought back to the hotel room as Zorro spoke. Clearly, whatever he'd dreamed that night hadn't been as traumatic for him as it had for everyone else. Then again, he hadn't been given many chances to fail since he'd been born from what she'd heard. But even still, those nightmares certainly did hurt - they'd all slept for nearly an entire day, not just her, or him, or Rosa or the others; but all of them. But - it probably wouldn't be very constructive for her to put that out there right this minute.

    "How about this," Zorro smiled, clearly plotting something. "Let's settle this with a little battle."

    The Toxel paused for a second, considering his options. "It's not like I have much of a choice… what are you thinking?"

    "Since you think grouping up only brings trouble, me and Dahlia will take you on. If we can beat you two on one, that should prove that there's some merit to teaming up with others, yeah? Then once we win, we can take you back to Rosa and have her talk some sense into you!"

    The Toxel once again weighed his options. He'd already failed to escape a few times before, and now whether he took the challenge or not, there would be two of them to deal with. The Pokemon let out a shallow sigh and shook his head. "Even if I agree to the challenge and lose, I have no reason to follow through with it on my end. Besides, it's not like the two of you are going to be able to drag me off anywhere fast."

    "What's that? You don't think we have other ways to make you do what we want just because we're small?" Dahlia puffed up, trying her best to look intimidating. Now she was irritated - even though this wasn't the same Toxel, they still had to win now. They could always drag Rosa down here later to care for the loner. But for now, she supposed they did have a point to prove.

    The Toxel shrugged. "I didn't exactly say that, but sure, take it how you will."

    "Fine. Then as long as you accept, I'll work with the kid to take you down." Dahlia shook her fluff out, wondering what kind of moves the Toxel would have to show them.

    "Yeah! Let's get on with it!" Zorro cried out, getting into a battle stance. "Let's see how you like our spore attacks!"

    Rosa's Party










    ​

    Rosa's Journal

    Simon Dansen
    My childhood friend. Absolute idiot. Can't ever get a read on him anymore. Buttface. Always there when I need him. Always there when I least expect him. JERK. Showed me up in battle and evolved his Pokemon before me.

    He came to "rescue" me after I coerced Ruben into protecting me in the underground casino. I told him off... and then didn't apologize until much later. He came to wish me a late merry christmas after Ruben gave me his spare room. He reminded me of our promise from before our journey started, and gave me my christmas gift which was a traditional Johtoan kimono and fan - all to prepare me for the upcoming contests. He also told me I should call his mom and dad since they're so worried about us both now that we're gone, but... I'll figure it out later.​

    Jasper
    An ex-classmate. He took my bait and threw me for a loop when we were fighting a group of Munchlax together. Not as bad a guy as I thought. Because of him, I have to re-evaluate my notes on everyone else just in case. I'm interested in trying a different approach with him when next we meet.

    Helped out a wrongfully arrested girl. Really smart. Observant. Kind, but doesn't like to show it. Isn't a terrible cook.​

    Charles the Biker
    An eccentric, but strong man. Indulges in bad puns. Love for bikes. We left on good terms.​

    Nat the Ranger
    A doting older brother to several sisters. A strong trainer who follows their duty. Only spent a day with them. Not sure if I want to meet again or not since I stole a broken styler from his scene of investigation. We left on good terms, I think? Unless he notices that something's missing.​

    Budew Girl
    Never got her name. Apparently she's a challenger like the rest of my classmates. Comes from a family of Budew fanatics. They breed Budew in their hometown and journey around with all three forms of it. She seems endearing. It might be interesting to meet her again in the future. As long as she's not being accused of theft, that is.​

    Achille Béringer
    Rich kid. Pays his debts. Is keen on rich kid things. Doesn't seem much different from how he was in school, but still need to reevaluate.​

    Melody Argent
    Cute and kind. She keeps to herself kind of like I do. Loves music. Feels similar to Simon. Still need to reevaluate because of interactions with Jasper. Kind of maybe, possibly, a small amount of a badass. Finger guns - super corny. Don't harp on the idea of being in contests. If that culty stuff doesn't get figured out by the time we come back to Motostoke, I'll have to remember to find her around town. She's much more attuned to pop culture than I am.

    AAAAAHHH! We did so much in Turffield, and even more just after! I still can't believe that she wont that contest and made it look so... so easy! She's just, like, wow. I still don't know what to do with all of my thoughts, but after that delivery we did together especially I just. Wowee. Jeez.​

    The Family // Damien(?)
    Not the family himself, I don't think. I still haven't got his name or what role he really plays in all this. He's a shady motherfucker - pardon my Kalos. I still don't know how much of the stuff I've gone through in Motostoke has been orchestrated by him, but for the moment I'm not planning to try anything. I still don't know enough about him to make any real guesses. The longer that I stay around this town, the further behind the veil that I see. I'm scared even to go to sleep at night so long as I'm here. They have eyes... everywhere.​

    Buggy Simon

    Some kind of freak of nature. I guess he understands Pokemon in some way that I can't; like, he understands what they're actually trying to say when they speak? Kind of cool, but also weird. Him and Simon used to hang out every once in a while at school. He knows about my "secret styler".​

    Valerie

    An absolute ray of sunshine and happiness. She's also a streamer, and earns enough money from it to show it off. Not put off by literal ghosts. Has some kind of dream of meeting Mew.​

    Aeliana Kekoa

    Alolan dance girl. She's supposed to teach me sometime. Pretty much just how I remembered her in school. I didn't get to spend much time with her when we all hung out. Didn't seem too bothered by the ghosts.​

    Pia McGuire

    Pia... definitely is afraid of literal ghosts. I had a few choice words for her, but... after we saw Jirachi, it just felt like the time had passed, so I gave up. She's seen me without my mask, so next time we meet up is probably going to be awkward.​

    Haleigh Windsor

    A friend of Melody's. I intentionally ran into her after failing to catch up with Melody, due to the addition of Haleigh. We had a short battle, and then made a promise for drinks with Melody after I urged her to drag the girl along with her to the contest in Turffield. She seems quite naive, so I may be able to get some more use out of her as long as I stay true to her persona. She's battle hungry, the same as Simon, but her Pokemon are still a little lacking - that coming from someone who still has no idea what she's doing here herself. She might end up being a good sparring partner in the future since she knows a little of what I've got and we're on relatively equal footing.​

    Mother Priscilla

    The leader of the Turffield Sisterhood. I thought at first she was just an escort, but once we got to their hideout, I slowly started to realize what she really was. She's an incredibly dangerous woman who has no trouble pulling a gun on important people or those that she may need. There's still too much I don't know about what's going on to get a good grasp on what her and Damien's goals are, but given what I've already seen I really could do without finding out.​

    Ruben Sancho

    Truth be told, I hadn't cared for Ruben when we went to school together. I thought he was your average rich celebrity who was forced into something he didn't really want to be a part of. After getting involved with the family and finding myself in that gambling hall, and then finding Ruben there as well, I felt that my suspicions were true. I had no second thoughts about what I was going to drag him in to. But as time went on, I found myself feeling more and more regretful with each time that he said Pia's name. And then because of me, news about him and Pia got out before either of them were likely ready to go public. And after all that, Simon attacked him out of the blue... but even after all that, he still offered me a free room at the local hotel. I already apologized to him about Simon, and about lying to get him to go with me. But, I should apologize again. He's not as bad of a guy as I thought he was.​

    ​
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    PastelPhoenix

    PastelPhoenix

    How did this even happen?
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    • Seen Nov 20, 2022

    Achille Béringer and Haleigh Windsor
    Location: Route 5
    A JP with Fen-Fen​

    ​


    For one energetic trainer, the next step of the journey was looking bright. A hard-earned victory versus Milo, rejoicing in Melody's contest victory and busting the weird pinwheel guy, Haleigh was on top of the world, living it up and making quite a splash as a trainer - if she did say so herself.

    And yet…

    She looked over at the river that snaked its way across Route 5. A small smile works its way on her face. It just occurred to her that it was Valentine's Day, the day of romance, chocolate and flowers. Haleigh just saw the holiday as an opportunity to gorge on chocolates and enjoy platonic company. She wasn't opposed to having a romantic partner, it just...hasn't happened yet. Who could blame her, when she lived life in a whirlwind and was constantly trying to move forward with no brakes.

    Hey, are you busy?

    Haleigh felt vibrations coming from her coat pocket. She fished out the device from her phone, looking down to see what the notification was. Her face lit as she saw it was a message from Achille.

    no, just chillin by hulbury channel. Hbu?

    Same. Remember wanting to do something more normal?

    Haleigh laughed as she remembered her remark to him after the smuggler takedown on Route 3. Between that and the Skiddo race, she and him had a way of getting involved with things that got the blood pumping. Something about the idea of actually changing up the pace was appealing to her.

    haha yeah, i remember. not feeling up to rescuing some baby pidgey or takin down a crime syndicate? :P

    Nah, if you're free there's an actual restaurant on this route that I see good things about. Normal hangout without needing to punch people, at least at first.

    you mention food and i'm there! what's the name of the restaurant, i'll find it and meet you there

    Le Petite Tylton, about halfway to Hulbury. Small brick building, can't miss it.

    kalosian food eh? alright, i'm headed there

    The purple haired girl put away her phone, taking out her Pokeball and coming up with Cerise's. She could use the air, and was the only one of her Pokemon who had yet to be introduced to the Kalosian.

    "C'mon girl, let's get a move on. There's someone I want you to meet."

    The Eevee tilted her head, her expression curious. The way her trainer talked about the other person made her think that she was quite fond of them. "Evah?"

    "Yeah, Achille. I've been meetin' up with him a lot. We're gonna get some dinner."

    Haleigh got out her phone, looking up the restaurant that Achille had mentioned. She got a result after only typing in "le petite". The restaurant lay further to the east, already in the direction she had already been walking. She chuckled as she said, "Well, that's convenient. C'mon!"

    --------------------------------

    Achille waited outside of a small, red brick building along the pathway of Route 5, checking his phone. Inside was not too busy, from what he could see. He could see where the restaurant got its name, with its walls painted the same light blue as the Pokémon. A stream of white smoke coming from the restaurant's chimney accented the comparison even further.

    He hadn't been aware of the date when he first sent the message, and looking inside inspired some amount of dread. Of course he would miss today was Valentines, and this restaurant looked kitted to match. Well, there was no way out of it now. He'd just have to see how this went.

    Haleigh had walked up to the brick restaurant, dressed in her usual attire. She scanned the surroundings until she found the familiar shape of the Kalosian boy among the faces of the people milling about the restaurant. She called out to him, exclaiming, "Oi, Achille, over here!" As usual, her smile was wide and cheery.

    "Bonjour, good to see you." He pocketed his phone and walked over towards his old classmate. "I went ahead and checked, they should be able to seat us just fine." He stopped and took notice of the Eevee in her arms. Definitely wasn't there last time they met up. "New addition I'm guessing?"

    "Yup!" She chirped. "This is Cerise." The Eevee in question looked up at the other boy, narrowing her eyes. She cried out defiantly, "Ev-ah!" The message and her protective stance she took indicated the meaning behind her cry.

    "Oh you silly girl, he's a great guy, no need to protect me from 'im."

    Achille laughed. "Yeah, I'm harmless." He put his hands in the air for emphasis. "Bonjour Cherise." He returned his hands to his jacket pockets. "Well, anyways, want to go inside? We can catch up more in there."

    "Sure!" She glanced up at the type of restaurant that she was about to go into with Achille. The girl sighed. "Ah, sorry Cerise, they're probably not gonna let you in with us. You're gonna have to go back in the ball."

    The Eevee flicked her tail in annoyance and pouted. Just great, she was being brought out to meet him and she couldn't even have her fun testing him?

    "I know I know. I'll make it up to ya later though, I'll order a treat for you. There ought to be somethin' you'd like." Haleigh returned the Pokemon to her Pokeball, assuring her with the promise of something tasty.

    "Alright Achille, let's go!"

    Achille led the way inside, grabbing the door for his companion on the way in. He told the person at the reception area his name, ignoring the glances towards Haleigh from the staff. Regardless, they didn't make a scene and grabbed a pair of menus, guiding the two teens to the back.

    Achille screamed a bit inside when he saw the tables were decorated for the day as well. A large decorative heart made from fake marble sat at the end of the table, alongside two Swanna-folded napkins facing each other in the middle. He thanked the host, taking a seat at one of the ends while fighting the color rising in his cheeks. "So… I kind of forgot the date when I texted you." He explained.

    Haleigh chuckled nervously, scratching her head. "I-I was thinkin' about Valentine's before I came here, actually. I erm…" She cleared her throat, blushing herself. "It didn't quite register for me when you asked me to dinner though. But uh…" Arceus, why was she acting like a Meowth got her tongue? Valentine's or not, it was just a dinner between her and Achille, nothing more.

    Achille's mission failed, his face did flush a good pink color as he had to look away for a second. "Yeah…" Now he was feeling self conscious about it too. "... How about let's eat and… uhm… deal with that after?" He suggested, grabbing one of the menus to hide behind for a moment.

    "R-right, right!" Food, that was a great way to get the teen to take her mind off of the awkward situation at hand. Unbeknownst to Achille, she did know a fair amount about the dishes that were on the menu. However, Haleigh figured it might serve her best to play dumb and center the conversation on Kalosian cuisine rather than the elephant in the room and explain exactly why she knew about fancy Kalosian food.

    "Kalosian food...can't say I know too much about this sort of thing apart from the basics or stuff I've seen on TV. There's baguettes, wine, crepes. There's gotta be more than that though. Educate this Galarian girl about some haute cuisine." She emphasized the Kalosian word, her accent contrasting sharply with the correct way of saying the word.

    "Well," he began, looking over the menu. "Key part of it is the freshness of the ingredients. Some of the ones to avoid would be stuff that doesn't grow here. They'll have to bring it in and the transport will already not make it taste as good. We're near Hillbury, so there's probably some good fish in the area."

    Cotriade, that seemed like a good choice for him. It was difficult to find a truly good version of that dish outside of North Kalos, but he'd been away from home for long enough that painfully average cotriade was appealing. "Suivant, keep it simple. No gimmicks, they're trying to cover something up if they have to market it as something new. Thankfully this menu seems to list ingredients for a lot of it." Probably because we're in Galar. "That's about the basics of it. What you read is kind of what you get for a lot of things. Pretty straightforward place.." This place seemed acceptable on that front. No special names for food, no weirdly out there ingredients. He'd bet the chef was Kalosian.

    Haleigh looked at the list of ingredients. This was one of the ones she didn't actually already know. Her parents weren't the biggest on seafood, but she liked seafood a fair bit. With the proximity to the sea and Achille's recommendation backing it up, it seemed like a good choice. "I'll get myself one of those, then. Let's see...ooh, gougeres sound like a great starter to that! Anything with cheese is bloody good."

    Having made some selections, she looked back up from her menu, her cheeks no longer flushed. "You must be glad to see a slice of home right about now, eh? I'd probably be the same if I were in your shoes. Say what you will about Galar, but it's home. It's got me in it too, so that's a big plus!"

    "You can say that," Achille closed his menu, confident in his choice now. "I'm happy to see some stuff more from the Coastal Region here. It's closer to home than just Lumiose City fare." He caught eyes with a waiter, nodding as the man silently mouthed 'ready'. "And I do have to admit the company has been better here in Galar, believe it or not."

    Haleigh raised an eyebrow at his response. "Really? You've seemed so fond of Kalos, I kinda figured you'd maybe have some friends from there you miss." She turned to see that the waiter was waiting on their order, pausing the conversation to give him her order.

    Achille gave his own order, tacking on some wine as well. "I do love Kalos… But some people in Kalos are not so… Fond of me. There's a few friends I do miss, but being away has caused a few issues in and of itself. Besides, there are a few things in Galar that have made being away not as bad. My team for one…" He allowed himself to trail off before he said too much.

    People that weren't so fond of him, huh? With the way he made it sound there was definitely more to the story, though Haleigh was hardly in a position to ask, nor did she want to ruin the mood of their dinner. "Well that's good to hear! Pokemon are an absolute joy to be around, so it makes sense being a trainer here would make you happy. It's what makes me happy, that's for damn sure. It's all I live for these days. The heart-pumpin' action, gettin' to form a real bond with your Pokemon, makin' out all on your own..." She gave a little chuckle, adding, "It's a bit cheesy, I know, but it's the truth."

    The waiter returned with the wine Achille ordered, popping the cork and placing a pair of glasses at the table before leaving. Achille took the bottle himself and began pouring a glass. "Oui, I didn't have the chance to really become a trainer before Galar, so it's been incredible. I used to have to sneak out to the local gym and borrow Pokémon to even battle." He finished his pour and motioned towards Haleigh's glass. "What about you? Have any growing up?"

    Haleigh accepted some of the reddish liquid into her glass. It was only fitting that she was going to try out some wine in a Kalosian restaurant. She was surprised neither she nor Achille were carded, but she wasn't about to correct the waiter about her age. Besides, her birthday was coming up in a few days anyways, it's not like she was breaking the rules by that much.

    She picked up her glass, taking a sip of wine. "Nah, didn't have much in the way of Pokemon. My parents weren't really much for them, sadly."

    Her expression beaming with pride and joy, Haleigh added, "It's why I was so excited to get one after graduation. It's been my dream since I was a little girl to be a super strong trainer, and then you get someone like Corey and it's like, even better than the dream! And of course, the rest of my team is just as amazin' too!"

    "We'll have to have a friendly match sometime." Achille took his first sip of wine, letting the smooth and slightly sweet liquid envelop his tongue. It was only a few seconds later that he felt the alcohol start to work it's effect.

    "I don't know when I wanted to become a trainer myself," he continued, "probably from watching the league on TV or some cartoon or something. Either way my father doesn't like trainers very much, so it wasn't an option for me until recently. It was be a trainer in Galar, or not be one at all."

    Haleigh knew all too well what that was like. Her expression shifted to a more serious one, nodding at his words. "Yeah, my dad was kinda the same way. I've done all this despite him."

    She took another sip of wine, this one quicker and bigger than her previous initial sip. Not wanting that to linger and direct the conversation, a more confident, self assured expression replaced her serious one. "But it's alright, I got my team, I've got people like you on my side cheerin' me on. It's all great!" She gave Achille a wide, close eyed smile.

    He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or what, but Achille felt his face grow redder. He hid it behind his glass, downing a good amount himself. It wasn't going to help him not look like an embarrassed kid, but it gave him a moment to think of something other than his own flushed face. "Success all on your own, huh?"

    He wished he could say that about himself, but he really couldn't. This entire bill was going to be footed by his parents after all; a nigh-invisible blip in the bank account. "Sadly I can't say the same. I think people would eviscerate me publicly if I tried to pass myself off as a self-made man."

    Haleigh was also starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. She was a bit surprised by how quickly it had started to pile up, her head already feeling light and fuzzy. "Yeah, I guess you can say I'm self made. For battlin' and stuff, anyways. I'm arse at stuff like fashion and anything hoity-toity like that. Hard as it is to believe for someone as awesome as me, we all got our weaknesses." She started to break into a fit of giggles, her cheeks flushed a bright pink.

    After those giggles, Achille was going to put 'alcohol' in the weakness category. Still, he cracked another smile and chuckled. He probably should keep her from overly strong wine in the future, but the giggles were cute. "I'm pretty sure we can exclude punches from that list. 'Sides, fashion isn't exactly my forte either. Mostly just followed brands my brother bought." The waiter stopped by once again, this time with a platter of food. He placed the items on the table and slunk away like a ghost.

    Haleigh managed to compose herself long enough to examine her starting dish - gougeres - and started popping one in her mouth. The cheesy pastry was just as delicious as she was hoping it'd be. She let out a sound of contentment, exclaiming, "Mmm, that's some bloody excellent cheese in there."

    Then, she took another sip of wine to compliment the pastry. "And it goes great with the wine."

    Going back to the conversation at hand, Haleigh said, "Just as well you aren't big into fashion, I reckon you look great no matter what you wear. Winter, summer, spring, you're...great. Have I mentioned that already?" She gave him another goofy, cheery grin. This was...going in some interesting places for Haleigh. Though she was no stranger to being cheery and talkative, there was something else that was going on with how she was feeling. Sure, Haleigh could blame the (in her opinion) deceptively strong wine, but that'd be a copout if she was being honest.

    Well, Achille found the wine certainly was a conversation opener. Still, he had Max's word from Turffield in his head. Maybe he should start looking for the upsides of Galar. "Hey now, don't go stroking my ego too much." He said as he downed the last bit of wine in his glass, grabbing the bottle to pour himself another. "I grow cocky. Besides, you can't call yourself 'arse' at fashion and look as good as you do."

    He took the first bite of his food, feeling slightly homesick despite his prior musings about Galar not being so bad. The feeling soon passed as he realized his own food was, to put it bluntly, pretty damn good. "Merde, I could believe the chef was from Cyllange himself."


    Hearing Achille compliment her, Haleigh's face lit up even more. "Y'know that saying 'flattery gets you nowhere'? Well, that's absolute rubbish with me, 'cause I gotta say, it's workin' quite well right now."

    She took a final sip of the glass of wine, downing it and helping herself to more of it from the bottle. "It's a shame I don't drink more often, this stuff is pretty damn good. Can't be helped though, don't wanna be pissed and tryin' to battle at the same time. It'd be hard to command anyone if I'm seein' three of 'em and I 'aven't even used Double Team." She broke into another fit of giggles.

    "Oh I'm sure we can make time to do this more often. It's not like we have to be battling all the time." Achille swirled his wine in the glass, watching the crimson liquid make a small vortex. "It's been a lovely evening so far, I'm more than eager to continue this on."

    "I'm sure as hell glad you've been enjoyin' yourself! It's been pretty fun." The purple haired girl decides to take a break from drinking the wine and starts digging into some more of her food - the cotriade that Achille was raving about - and coming to a similar conclusion that it was pretty damn good.

    In between bites of food, she continued, "It feels different when I'm doin' stuff with you. When we did that Skiddo race, it was just so much fun to feel that rush and feel like you're on top of the world. That's kinda how it is when I'm around you."

    She started to look down and played with a strand of her hair, realizing how it sounded when she vocalized that train of thought aloud, "S-sorry, I'm rambling a bit here, I erm, blame the wine."

    "Don't worry," Achille leaned his face against this hand, "flattery gets you everywhere with me." He let that statement sit for a moment before breaking into his own set of giggles."Sorry, that was a little embarrassing, even for me. Let me blame that one on the wine as well."

    He took a drink from his own glass, if he was going to be cheesy at least let him have an excuse. By now he was feeling pretty damn good, all sense of shame from misreading the calendar gone entirely. To hell with it, rambling sounded good too. "Feeling different, huh. Dangerous words. Might get a guy feeling he's more than a friend."

    Any remaining justification that Haleigh might have had to chalk this up as a meetup between two friends went right out the window as soon as Achille uttered those words. Haleigh might not have been the most astute girl out there - least of all on things revolving romance - but by now, the intentions were unmistakably clear.

    Trying to outmatch him, she said with a smirk, "Dangerous...I do like myself a fair bit of danger. I think it suits us quite well."

    Achille giggled a little at the thought of him being dangerous. "No offense, but what am I going to do to them? Throw Poke until the weight of it stops their breathing?" He took another sip. If they were going this route, might as well continue with his all. "Now you, my dear," he said, placing his hand over his chest in a dramatic fashion, "know how to throw a hell of a hook. Self made and deceptively dangerous. What is a poor Kalosian boy to do?"

    Damn him and his charm! Haleigh turned really red and started to stammer, "O-oh u-um, I uh...you…" She looked down at her wine glass, picking it up to take another big sip out of it as if to quench her mouth.

    Achille let out a cocky grin as the girl stumbled over her words. "I guess I won that round. The attempts to out-flatter me were still adorable though."

    After finishing her sip of wine, she replied, "Yeah, you certainly have a way with words." She suppressed a hiccup, before continuing, "Guess this ain't just a 'dinner with friends' anymore, is it?"

    "If you can believe it, it was supposed to be," Achille said in defense of himself. "Genuine mistake on my part." He stopped for a moment. Just tossing teasing compliments back and forward was one thing, he just had to emulate the smoothness he learned from his brothers.

    Having to go back to being serious was surprisingly difficult, though. Fuck. "I guess call it seeing an opportunity and taking it. Like those dangerous words, 'It feels different'". He went in for a drink again; drinking gave him an out to keep her from seeing him getting all red in the face.

    "Well, it was probably one of the best mistakes I've ever had." She gave him a warm smile. "Wine, a nice Kalosian dinner, seeing you, I wish all my mistakes were as pleasant as this."

    She took some more bites out of her food, scooping up the last bits of broth and finishing the cotriade. "Mmm, that was so good. Me and Mel's trail mix on the road is great and all, but this is one hell of a step up."

    "I'm glad you enjoyed it." Achille sat back and just enjoyed the company, realizing the unintended date was coming to an end. "And thanks for not taking off immediately after suddenly arriving to a scene like… this." He motioned towards the heart decorations.

    Haleigh chuckled. "Ya think some hearts and cheesy decor were gonna stop me? Think again!" The waiter came by to collect the pair's dishes and leftover wine, leaving the two to wrap up their date as he handed the bill over to Achille.

    "We gotta meet up again. I reckon Hulbury would be a nice place to do it, gettin' an ocean view and all that. Maybe a bit nippy out this time of year for the beach, but who knows? I'm lookin' forward to seein' more of ya all the same."

    Achille paid with his family's account. It was a food expense after all. "Trying to take me in a nostalgia tour, huh? It's been a fair bit since I've seen the sea myself." The prospect excited him. It was… Nice having someone like her here with him in Galar.

    "Then let's do it!" Haleigh started to stand up, stumbling a little bit from the wine but still able to keep her balance. "I guess we'll be parting ways for a little bit though." She giggled before adding, "Adieu, monsieur. I'll be thinking of you out there!"

    And with that, their date was over. For Haleigh though, it was far from the end of exploring her feelings towards Achille. They had so much fun together and yet so much more to learn about each other. It was one kind of adventure she hasn't quite anticipated when picking up her Pokemon for the first time. It's funny that that's what it all came back to. It made her all the more happy that she chose this path.


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    Stinging Bea

    Stinging Bea

    865
    Posts
    13
    Years
    • Age 38
    • Seen Feb 24, 2024
    Aeliana Kekoa
    Route 5
    Chapter 7-1 | An Apple A Day






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    "Alright crew, time to get this show on the road!"

    There was a spring in Aeliana's step as she stepped out of the Turffield city gates and onto the dirt trail of Route 5. The events that had transpired within the farm town still weighed heavy on her mind, but a feeling of excitement prevailed over all else. Everytime the pink-haired trainer the Grass Badge she had received from Milo, she couldn't help but smile like a child who just received that new bike on Christmas morning. Aeliana constantly carried it tightly in her hand, as if putting it out of her sight would simply make the badge disappear.

    In her other hand, Aeliana carried her phone. She took a few steps, analyzing the town map as she planned for their journey towards the next city which also happened to hold a gym, Hulbury. She smiled down as she put her phone into her bag and addressed her team.

    "According to the map, the bridge to Hulbury is just straight ahead," Aeliana explained. "If we don't get sidetracked, we can probably make it there by tonight, maybe even early tomorrow morning."

    Elia, who was trotting beside the trainer, perked up upon hearing this. Getting a chance to sleep on a comfortable bed again so soon as opposed to the dirt and grass was something she could really get behind. Sleeping in such squalor was far below her stature. Of course, part of this quick trip was also reliant upon her traveling companions. The Eevee turned to look over her shoulder, rolling her eyes at the spectacle she saw.

    Tampa was strutting proudly, her chest puffed out as she gurgled a recount of her battle against Milo's Appletun. By her side, Clara stares in amazement. Despite playing a role in the battle, the Ralts was acting as if she missed out on the entire ordeal. A faint blush would grace her cheeks, one that Clara would try to hide whenever Tampa would turn to look in her direction. On the Totodile's otherside, Jet walked with crossed arms and a huff at the gator's table. Either the Tyrogue didn't believe all of Tampa's story or he was jealous over the fact that the power gap between them had grown following her evolution into a Croconaw. Maybe it was a bit of both. Regardless, it was clear to Elia that none of her companions shared in her desire to rush to the next town.

    The Eevee rolled her eyes at the trio. Sometimes she really did wonder what she was thinking when agreeing to be escorted by these charlatans. Elia turned, mouth opening to begin giving the others a piece of her mind when a sudden squawk reached her ears. She paused, said ears twitching as she heard another squawk, followed by the sound of a solid thud. The sight of the Eevee's distraction did not go unnoticed by Mahina.

    The Clefairy, who was nestled into Aeliana's arms as per usual, watched as Elia suddenly began to run into a nearby pair of bushes. A wave of panic rushed over Mahina's face as she began to furiously poke on Aeliana's arm to get the trainer's attention.

    "Hmm? What's up, Mahina?" Aeliana asked. She soon received her answer. Lavender eyes widened as she saw the tip of Elia's tail disappear deeper into the shrubbery. "Elia! Come back here!"

    The pinkette's calls fell on deaf ears, however. Aeliana sighed motioning for the rest of her Pokémon to follow behind her.

    "So much for not getting sidetracked…"


    Thwack!

    Not yet…

    Thwack!

    Almost…

    Thwack!

    A proud grin graced the Galarian Farfetch'd's beak. With every swing of his mighty stalk, he could feel himself getting stronger, and every cut would get more accurate. Still, he felt it wasn't enough. If he truly wished to become a master of the leek, then the Galarian Farfetch'd knew he would have tol further refine his form. His steely gaze moved over towards a nearby stump, a bundle of apples sitting atop of them. They were all firm and picked at the peak of their ripeness.

    At first it would seem as though the wild Pokémon had planned on having a small snack. However, that thought was quickly put to rest as he picked an apple up and tossed into the air. His eyes narrowed as he watched the apple fall, brandishing his mighty leek before quickly swinging it forward. The vegetation struck the apple with a fierce blow, sending the fruit sailing into a nearby tree where it smashed into a sticky, sweet-smelling mess.

    Unbeknownst to the Galarian Farfetch'd however, he had a spectator. On top of his pile of apples, set a particular apple that stood out from all the rest. While it appeared to be an ordinary apple, save for the fact that there was a pair of small, black eyes attached to the leafstalk protruding from the top of the apple. In the back of the apple, was a stubby tail, almost worm-like in appearance. Two small hairs poked out from the tip of the tail. It was in fact, an Applin. It sat quietly, minding its own business atop the pile. Occasionally, the tail of the Applin would twitch slightly as the Farfetch'd reach in its direction, only to grab another apple close by.

    Several more apples would come and go, each meeting their end as they were smashed into a fine paste against the bark of the tree that served as the Galarian Farfetch'd's target, before the rustling of some nearby bushes would catch its attention. The leek-weilding Pokémon paused in his training, looking on in disinterest as Elia came stepping out from the shrubbery. The Eevee looked around curiously, quickly taking in the sight of Galarian Farfetch'd. She took note of the way he proudly carried himself. She observed the shine on his beak. The Eevee even took notice of the way he toted the leek around.

    The Galarian Farfetch'd decided to return to his training, ignoring the presence of his spectator so he could focus on strengthening his swing. Eyes grew wide as she watched the wild Pokémon take one of the apples and toss it high into the air, before effortlessly swinging his stalk and sending it smashing into the tree. Elia was quite impressed. She could tell this wild Pokémon was strong, very strong indeed. Yes, he may prove to be more useful than the lot of clowns she currently found herself traveling with. Elia pranced forward, tapping the wild Pokémon on his back to gain his attention.

    Galarian Farfetch'd turned, raising an eyebrow in mild annoyance. Couldn't this Eevee tell that he was busy? Clearly, that answer was a no as Eevee began to speak with the wild Pokémon. She explained to the Farfetch'd how she was currently on a voyage and needed someone with elite skill and strength to escort her to her destination. She explained how someone of her breeding and calibur could not be forced to travel alone, lest they be accosted by those of lower class and how her last group left a bit to be desired, going into a bit of detail about their antics that she had experienced up to this point. The longer she rambled on however, the more annoyed the wild Pokémon got.

    As Elia stood there, chest puffed out proudly and a bold smirk stretched across her mouth, she waited for the Farfetch'd to agree. She waited for him to sympathise with her plight, take his leek stalk, and pledge loyalty towards her cause. What she did not expect however, was for the wild Pokémon to suddenly swing his stalk wildly, sending the Eevee tumbling back in both pain and surprise.

    The Farfetch'd glared at Elia. What an obnoxious Eevee this was! Couldn't she see that he had for more important things to do than to listen to her drag some forced conversation on and on. Slowly, Elia picked herself off the ground, shaking her head as she tried to regain her senses. Had she done something wrong…? No, no… that wasn't it. This Farfetch'd was a warrior after all. It was simply his way of showing his strength to show he was worthy of escorting her. Elia forced a smile to her mouth through the pain, before motioning for the wild Pokémon to come so they could begin their journey. The Galarian Farfetch'd groaned, his wing gripping the leak tightly as he took aim. This Eevee was either hard of hearing or just plain stupid. Perhaps a bit of both. If she wasn't going to take no for an answer, then he'd just have to make her leave of his own accord.

    Without warning, the wild Farfetch'd suddenly zoomed forward. He raised his leek stalk up over his head, preparing to slam it down on the Eevee's head in an attempt to literally knock some sense into her. Elia stared with wide eyes. Had she misjudged this Pokémon's motives? He was no brave warrior! He was nothing more than some rogue ruffian! The Eevee's eyes snapped shut, lowering her head as she braced herself for impact…

    "TYYYYYYYYYY!"

    Elia suddenly looked up, an audible gasp escaping from the Eevee as she saw the familia form of Jet now standing between her and the wild Galarian Farfetch'd. His leg was raised high in the air, using his foot to not only block the attack from striking Elia but to also hold the leek back. The Farfetch'd raised an eyebrow in surprise, hopping back as he lowered himself into a combat stance. Was this a challenge? Did these two know each other? He could only assume so, as the Tyrogue looked over his shoulder at the Eevee with an annoyed glare that much resembled that of his own.

    He stood quietly, watching as Jet returned his attention towards him and motioned for the wild Pokémon to bring on whatever challenge he wished to muster up. A small, confident smirk came to the wild Farfetch'd's beak. If it was a beating this Tyrogue wanted, then he'd be happy to oblige.

    He dashed forward, leek stalk ready as he zigzagged towards Jet. The Tyrogue watched his opponent with intense focus, quickly launching himself at the wild Pokémon in an attempt to deliver a Tackle. The Farfetch'd smirked in response. He quickly brought his stalk down, using Detect to repel any of the damage that the Tyrogue might have been planning to unleash. Jet slammed into the stalk, being repelled back in with minimal effort. As Jet was shoved back, he didn't even have a chance to regain his balance before the Farfetch'd launched forward, his leek stalk slashing down quickly in the form of a Fury Cutter. Jet winced in pain, but remained focused as he attempted to deliver as Rolling Kick to the wild Pokémon. He spun around, slamming his foot into the back of the wild Farfetch'd which in turn sent the wild Pokémon tumbling to the ground. Jet charged to the downed Farfetch'd, preparing to try and tackle him again. The Farfetch'd remained on the ground however, his wing slowly scraping in the dirt. Just as the Tyrogue prepared to slam into him, the wild Pokémon let out a loud squawk! His wing shot up into the air, unleashing with it a handful of dirt that was tossed into the Tyrogue's eyes. Jet stumbled back in irritation, wiping at his eyes to try and get the dirt out of them.

    The Farfech'd knew his chance was now. He propelled himself forward, driving his beak right into Jet's noggin. The Tyrogue stumbled back in surprise, eyes still clenched shut from the irritation of the dirt that had been lodged into them. The scrappy fighter tried to wipe his eyes clean, only to be met with a wildly swinging leek stalk colliding into his gut. Jet was sent flailing onto his backside, right into the wild Pokémon's pile of apples. They toppled over as a result of his impact, fruit rolling all over the shady grove's floor.

    "Tyyyy…" Jet groaned, finally managing to lodge the dirt from his eyes.

    Was this the best he could muster? He thought that by traveling with Aeliana and her team that he might finally have a chance to grow stronger. Yet despite all of his battles since joining her he still felt the same. He was even having trouble dealing with this punk of all Pokémon…?

    "Eeee… Eevee!" Elia's voice called out.

    Eyes snapped open, the Tyrogue sitting up through the pain. He saw the Farfetch'd once more turning his focus onto Elia. The Eevee took a step back as the wild Pokémon raised his leek stalk over his head once more. No… No, he had to get stronger. This was not his limit. Jet refused to believe it.

    The Tyrogue staggered to his feet, eyes narrowing in contempt as he took a deep breath. He felt a surge of energy burn through his body. "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOGUE!"

    The Farfetch'd spun around, a look of shock in his eyes as the Tyrogue was already in front of him. Before he could even react, Jet had slammed his body into the leek-wielding Pokémon. The wild Pokémon staggered back, only to receive a Rolling Kick to the stomach. He squawked in pain, slamming his leek down at Jet in the form of a counter attack, only for the Tyrogue to spin to the side and dodge with ease. Farfetch'd was hit by another Rolling Kick, this one slamming into the back of his head and sending him tumbling into the spilt pile of apples. The fruit continued to roll about, one in particular rolling all the way to the Eevee. The wild Farfetch'd groaned in pain, head throbbing from the force of the blow that had been dealt from the Tyrogue. Before he could gather his bearings however, he noticed the imposing shadow of the scrappy fighter standing over his own. He gripped his leek tightly. The Farfetch'd realized he was on the losing end of this encounter. He grunted under his breath before jumping to his feet and making a mad dash towards the shrubbery that surrounded the Pokémon. As he ran, the Galarian Farfetch'd sent a sharp glare in Jet's direction. This wasn't over, not by a long shot.

    Jet chuckled under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest with a proud smirk on his lips. It was a small celebration, one that was short lived as he remembered the reason he was even in this shady grove in the first place. A look of annoyance retook his facial features as he spun around, eyes narrowing on Elia. Elia nervously took a step back.

    "Tyyy! Ty! Tyrogue rogue! Ty, ty!" Tyrogue began to lecture. What in the world was she even thinking?! Did she not realize that she could have been hurt? This Eevee had quickly become a pain in his side, more so than that clown Tampa ever could have been! The Eevee lowered in her head in shame. "Rogue! Rogue Ty!"

    Elia's ears seemed to droop. Her mind raced to find some kind of explanation. As she looked at the ground, she happened to finally notice one of the apples… with a tail…? Wait, was this a Pokémon. Her eyes lit up. Perhaps there was a way out of this situation and to make this grumbling rapscallion look like a fool after all! Without wasting a further moment, Elia nudged the Applin laying on the ground, causing it to roll towards Jet and gain his attention.

    "....Ty…?" Jet questioned. A look of confusion briefly raced across his face before being replaced by his usual angry one.

    "Eeevee! Eeeeee!" Elia retorted. Of course she had come here on a rescue mission! After all, it was the duty of noble Pokémon such as herself to aid those less fortunate than herself!

    Before the two could discuss (or argue) the situation much further, a familiar voice reached both their ears. "Jet…?! Elia…?! Where did those two go? I swear to Tapu Lele!" Aeliana exclaimed.

    She wore a look of concern as she stepped into the grove, which was quickly replaced by one of relief as she spotted her two missing Pokémon. Tampa smiled brightly. Both of her friends were okay after all! What a relief! Mahina smiled just as happily. Everyone was all together again!

    "There you two are!" the pink-haired trainer sighed, placing a hand on her hip in annoyance. "Jet, I appreciate the haste but maybe next time wait on everyone else? Elia, what in the name of Arceus was so important that you just took off like that?!"

    Elia nudged the Applin towards her trainer. Her chest puffed out proudly as she pranced towards the pinkette. Aeliana glanced down at the apple that her Pokémon had presented her with curiously.

    "You went running off for fruit…?" Aeliana questioned. She knelt down, scooping the apple up into her hand. Wait… did this apple have… a tail? Was it looking at her? "No, an Applin…?" The Alolan took a better look at her surroundings. She inspected the smashed fruit against a tree. She noticed the rather scuffed and disheveled look of her Tyrogue. She took note of all the other apples littering the grove floor. "...Was this little guy in trouble? Elia, did you come to save him?"

    "Ee! Eevee!" Elia declared with pride.

    "I see… I guess you were trying to be a hero and you got a bit in over your head. I guess then Jet came into save you from whatever was attacking?" the trainer questioned.

    Elia nodded yet again.

    Aeliana sighed. "I appreciate the concern guys, but give me a heads up next time." She then returned her focus to the Applin in her hand. While it was safe for now, there was a chance that it might not be so lucky next time. Judging from the smashed apples on that tree, its number was almost up this time. Reaching into her bag, the trainer pulled out a poké ball. "I'd feel bad just tossing you back out here… Here, let's see if we can find somewhere safe for you for now."

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    Applin was caught!
    Male | Docile | Likes To Relax | Gluttony
    Astonish | Withdraw
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    Stinging Bea

    Stinging Bea

    865
    Posts
    13
    Years
    • Age 38
    • Seen Feb 24, 2024
    Aeliana Kekoa & Valerie Amity
    Route 5
    Chapter 7-2 | A Valentine's Exchange






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    "Haaaapy Valentine's Day, my lovely fam!" the squeals and cheers of Valerie echoed throughout the route, as she was streaming from her X-Transiever. It was one of her favourite days of the year: Valentine's Day, as well as her very own birthday. She had received message after message of people wishing her a happy birthday, and in turn, she gives them heartfelt Valentine's Day messages. "Thank you, Weetok26! Have a happy V-day to you too! Valentine loves ya!"

    The familiar voice reaching her ears, Aeliana's eyes lit up as she stepped out from the shady grove. Elia was hot on her heels all the while, the Eevee letting out a small huff as the duo walked. What a noisy human.

    "Valerie…?" Aeliana questioned as she looked around. She spotted the girl in question looking down at her X-Transeiver. Who was she talking to? "What's up?"

    "Nothin' but love in the air, bae!" Valerie answered happily. She turned back to her stream. "Air Aeli-sis has safely landed within Valerie's sights! Catch you all later soon!" By putting her stream on hold, she turned to Aeliana with a bright eyed smile. "Wazzap, girl! Always good seeing you!"

    "Just making our way towards Hulbury," Aeliana replied. Her cheeks wore a small tinge of blush. Did she just call her 'bae'? Wait, was she streaming when she did? "You weren't streaming, were you? I didn't interrupt did I?"

    "Naaah, I was bout' to take a small break anyway,'' Valerie said without a care. "Oh! BTW! Happy Valentine's Day, sis!" Valerie clasped her hands together. "If there's one thing that your girl Valerie likes, it's… VAL-entine's Day! Hah, get it? Anyway! Lovely V-Day to you girl, loads of love from me to you, yeah?"

    Aeliana's eyes widened. She had completely forgotten it was Valentine's Day. The pink-haired trainer quickly laughed at the streamer's joke. "So, it is! Yeah! And loads back from me too! Any special plans?"

    "I've been on a roll!" Valerie replied. "Sending V-Day letters and messages to all my streamer buddies! Though I hadn't really met anyone from school yet to send some, but… hey! You're the first!"

    Aeliana smiled in response. "Well, I guess that makes two of us. I haven't seen anyone else yet either."

    Elia glanced up between the two trainers. Why is her trainer speaking so awkwardly? Does this loud human have something to do with it? Elia slowly made her way towards Valerie and began to circle around the streamer. She carefully sniffed the girl, as if trying to inspect Valerie for something she might have missed.

    "Heeeey, is this a new friend?" Valerie squatted downwards, meeting the young pokemon with another grin. "Totes adorbs!"

    "Oh yeah, I guess you've never met her," Aeliana said. "That's Elia, I caught her back on Route 4 with Melody."

    Elia stared up at Valerie with mild disinterest. While she didn't see Aeliana's interest with this human, she figured it was her duty to allow Valerie to pet her. After all, it's not often that commoners can rub elbows with someone of noble blood like herself. "Theeeere's a good girl!" Valerie, with an uncommon gentle touch, petted her. Her fur was soft and well-maintained; she hasn't had a Pokemon who had such fur, so this was a nice surprise.

    "Oh! I almost forgot!" Valerie reached for her bag - and like on cue, her Morpeko, gave her a small box, laced with a brilliant red ribbon. "Ta-daaaa! V-Day Chocolate for my favourite Aeli-sis!" she held out the box of chocolate right in front of her.

    "You made me chocolates…?" Aeliana questioned, surprise evident in her voice.

    "Course! Sweets for the sweetest of gals I know!" Valerie replied with a wider grin. "Well, the old man at the shop helped me make em', buuuut they all turned pretty good!"

    Aeliana's mind went blank. The Alolan didn't know what to say or do. When she had set out from Turffield this morning, the last thing she had counted on was getting a gift. She wanted to reciprocate the feeling and act. Lavender eyes traced down to the poké ball holding her new catch. While Aeliana didn't mind having the Applin along for her journey, she knew that chances were he wouldn't do much to assist in battling or dancing. She really wasn't comfortable with the thought of him just sitting in storage either.

    "...I have a gift for you too,"Aeliana finally replied. The blush on her cheeks grew darker as she pulled out Applin's ball and held it out for Valerie. "It's… not homemade or anything like that, but… Well, here."

    "Ooooh wow, iiiiiit's...." Valerie inspected the ball in question. "A Pokeball?"

    "A Pokémon, actually… I caught it, but… I think he'll fit with you more," Aeliana explained.

    "Eh? Really?" Valerie asked, perplexed. She wasn't one to think on what Pokémon would 'fit' her more, but a new friend is a new friend. "Awww, well thanks so much, sis! I'll be sure to take care of 'em'!"

    "No problem!" Aeliana replied. Elia watched the two girls carefully. Why was her human giving the other one that Applin? Why did the other human give her human chocolate? Humans really are a strange lot. Elia returned her focus back to Aeliana, watching as the pinkette opened the box of chocolates. "Woah… These look amazing, Val!"

    "Hehe, only the best for ya!" Valerie beamed as she gazed happily at her new Pokeball. But then, in a sudden act of subtlety, she gazed into Aeliana's eyes in an delightful, more relaxed look. Perhaps it was taking in the moment, but…

    "Hey, sis?"

    "Hmm…? What's up?" Aeliana questioned, a warm smile gracing her lips as she gave the streamer her undivided attention.

    Valerie then gave her a wide grin. "Look out, cause heeeeere comes a V-Day hug attack!" she spread her arms and slowly wrapped her arms around her friend. "This hug attack is for making this an extra special day. Thanks a bunch!"

    Aeliana felt her heart skip a beat from the sudden contact. Lavender eyes were filled with shock. Her brain raced to process just what was going on. Slowly, her arms raised up as she returned the hug. "Anytime, Val."


    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    TM Case:
    Spoiler:
    ​
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Inventory:
    Spoiler:
    ​
     
    Last edited:
    gimmepie

    gimmepie

    25,540
    Posts
    12
    Years
    • Catherine Carlisle
    18 | Female | From Wyndon
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Indra (Male, Swift Swim) - Rain Dance, Hypnosis, Bubblebeam, Double Slap, Mud Shot, Refresh
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Stampede (Male, Swift Swim) - Water Gun, Smokescreen, Twister, Focus Energy, Dragon Breath, Icy Wind
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Holo (Female, Lightning Rod) - Tackle, Thunder Wave, Spark, Howl, Flame Burst, Flash
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Vessel (Female, Dry Skin) - Fury Cutter, Scratch, Absorb, Poison Powder, Spore

    Hero

    Catherine continued down Route 5, trying not to let her irritation at her loss to Achille bother her team. It wasn't their fault if she'd made any bad calls and Holo had made it a very close fight despite her youth and inexperience. In actuality, she was quite pleased with the Electrike's performance. She had taken her to a Pokemon Centre for recuperation, but was letting the exhausted little one rest in her ball for the time being. It wasn't like she was wanting for company, Indra was waddling at her side still while Vessel continued to cling to her shoulder. Stampede was continuing to swim alongside them in the river.

    It was unfortunate that the rain had mostly cleared up, but the overcast sky suggested it could start up again at any moment. The trouble was that it was starting to get late, and as much as she enjoyed a bit of rain, Catherine didn't fancy sleeping under it. They'd press on for the time being, but she was keeping her eyes open for a good place to set up her tent for the night.

    It wasn't too much later when a seemingly good spot presented itself. A hill that rose around the river embankment and flattened out at the top. It was nice and close to the river without risk of being drowned if the rain really picked up and it flooded.

    "Aright guys, we're setting up there for the night."

    Her team, Vessel excluded, made noises of affirmation as Catherine followed the river around and climbed up the hill. She set about setting up the tent, but her attention faltered as she heard a loud, angry roar nearby. She bristled, waiting to see if a wild Pokemon attack was imminent, but none came. She continued listening, and sure enough the roaring continued. It did seem to be getting closer. "Shit. That can't be good."

    She turned her attention to a nearby thicket of trees in time to see several Magby and a Magmar spill out, running in a panic. A moment later, some sort of Pokeball came flying out, capturing the magmar in some sort of dark beam and drawing it in. The Magby all yelled in fright as a man in a dirtied and damaged black suit, a ragged brown satchel flapping against him came sprinting out behind them, grabbing the nefarious-looking pokeball and diving to the side as a torrent of fire blasted out behind him.

    He rolled into a crouch, as an enraged Magmortar stormed out of the forest and quickly set its sights on him.

    ​

    Catherine's instinct was to climb into her tent and pretend she hadn't seen anything. But something about this picture was very wrong. Ordinarily, the reaction would be to want to save the man in the suit from the rampaging Magmortar, but something about the man and the strange pokeball she had seen him use were… off. She could tell that he was somehow at fault for this situation and she could tell that she had to involve herself if she was going to stick to her new code.

    "Come on," she said to her team, dashing down the hill towards the scene with them close behind. As she closed in on the man, she watched as he tossed another one of the wrong-looking balls at the Magmortar. It was enveloped in the same darkness as the Magmar before it, screaming in fury and despair as it struggled not to be pulled into the capsule. Its struggle was for naught though, it lost the fight and was consumed by the darkness as it drew it into the pokeball. The stranger picked up the ball and stuffed it unceremoniously into his satchel.

    "What the hell is going on here?" Catherine demanded, closing the distance as the terrified Magby scattered and ran back into the forest.

    The battered man in the suit straightened up, his jacket as best he could and swept his shaggy, dark hair out of his face. His eyes were covered by dark sunglasses, despite the weather, but something about the way his face was set told Catherine he was looking at her irritably.

    "Nothing for you to concern yourself with. Leave," he said.

    Catherine ignored the command. "It looked like that Magmortar was being tortured when you caught it in that weird pokeball. The Magmar before it didn't look thrilled either."

    The man in the back suit furrowed his brow. "Miss, it would be in your best interests to leave now and forget what you saw. Do not make me repeat myself."

    "And who exactly gave you the authority to order me around? I'm not going anywhere without an explanation. It will help me decide whether or not this needs to be reported to the rangers or not. Those balls don't look legal."

    The entire situation was screaming danger to Catherine and her common sense was imploring her to take the man's advice, turn around and leave. She couldn't though. She'd promised herself and her team that she was going to be better than everyone else. That meant she couldn't just ignore the wild Pokemon's suffering for her own benefit. Besides, there was no way she could get Stampede to leave in a situation that called for heroics.

    "I'm not going to warn you again. You didn't see anything here, kid. Go back to your little tent and stay there. You're starting to make me mad." He reached under his jacket and pulled out another of his pokeballs. Now that Catherine could see it, it was a dark grey with black ridges around the sides. Stranger still, the button that was usually on the front of the ball was situated on the top instead.

    The threat was clear, but Catherine couldn't back down now. She felt an uncomfortable nervous knot in her stomach looking at that ball. She steeled herself for the battle that was sure to come. "You just sound shadier by the minute, don't you?"

    "I'm sure you'll be missed." The man gave a nonchalant press of the button on top of the ball. It snapped open as darkness poured out, materialising into a large black and white Pokemon with huge fists and shaggy fur. The Pagoro glared at Catherine and her team with death in its eyes and roared viciously.

    She'd be what? Was the crazy bastard seriously trying to kill her?!

    Catherine fought the urge to shut down and scream in terror, this was a situation that she needed her wits about her in. She could save freaking out for later.

    The Pangoro lumbered forward menacingly, it's face blank if not for the murderous intensity in its glare.

    "Vessel, Spore!" Catherine ordered. None of her team could hope to match the Pangoro in power, so she would have to outsmart the enemy instead. Spore was her best bet to defeat the Fighting type in that case, since it'd put it out of the fight without the need to deal damage.

    Vessel jumped from Catherine's shoulder towards the suited man's Pokemon, a handful of golden spores already flowing up from their mushrooms.

    "Bullet Punch."

    In the blink of an eye, the Pangoro's movement shifted from slow and lumbering to fast and precise. It delivered a blindingly fast punch with a sound that cracked like a gun firing. Vessel was struck mid-air and launched past Catherine with an uncharacteristic shriek. The Paras hadn't been able to properly get its attack off.

    Catherine looked back at her Bug, shocked and dismayed to see them laying there unmoving. One punch had been all it had taken to knock Vessel out. With a sinking feeling, Catherine realised just how out of her depth she was.

    This is what I get for trying to do the right thing is it?

    The Pangoro stepped forward again. Catherine took two steps back. It took another step forward, crossing more distance than she could with casual ease. A stream of bubbles and a torrent of purple flames smashed into the Pangoro, forcing it back a step.

    Catherine looked down. Stampede and Indra had moved in front of her and were putting everything they had into their efforts to defend her. But it wasn't enough. The Pangoro was already recovering ground, pushing its way through their attacks.

    Shit. Shit. Shit. Think. You can't let them get hurt because you had something to prove. Strategise. You're smarter than this. Do your part. Catherine watched in terror as the Pangoro continued to close in on her two much smaller Pokemon.

    There was no other choice. She needed some sort of edge in the fight, and that left her with one option. She was going to have to trust Stampede to hold it off on his own for a while. "You've got this Stampede. Indra, Rain Dance!"

    With no hesitation, Indra dropped the attack and started to twirl in place. The Pangoro started moving forward with even greater ease even as the purple flames surged in intensity and brightness, Stampede pushing himself to the brink for the sake of buying time.

    The raindrops started to fall, making up for the traitorous clouds' above lack of aid.

    "Stop fucking around and kill them!" The man in the suit growled.

    The Pangoro lunged forward. Its fist struck the ground, debris flying in every direction as Catherine stumbled away from the impact. A crater was left in the ground where the Pangoro had struck, but Indra and Stampede were safe. They'd dodged in different directions and now had the Fighting type pincered between them.

    "Bubblebeam and Water Gun!" Catherine ordered.

    Her Water types attacked, the rain-enhanced attacks slamming into the Pangoro from different directions. For just a second, it buckled slightly under the onslaught, but then it was standing firm again.

    "Clever little trick, but you're outmatched. You should have taken my offer." The man smirked at her. He was clearly enjoying himself. "Earthquake!"

    "No!" Catherine yelled without thinking. It couldn't change anything, but in her terror she couldn't think of a counter strategy.

    The Pangoro lifted its foot up. Then it stomped down and for a second Catherine saw nothing but a wall of bubbles as she felt herself being launched through the air. She heard the ground shaking and cracking, but felt little of it as she hit the ground tumbling into a prone position.

    Her vision was hazy for a moment, her head knocked dizzy from her rough landing. As it cleared though, she saw the ground had been churned up, dirt and rock poking out from torn up grass. It looked like a bomb had gone off.

    The Pangoro stood in the middle of the apocalyptic scene. Not far from it, she could see Indra knocked out on the ground. It wasn't hard to piece together that the Poiwag had whipped its attack to the side slightly, to bounce her away to safety with a light pummeling of bubbles instead of trying to defend himself.

    On the other side, she could see Stampede looking almost as battered and beat up as his fainted companions. But he was already back up, balancing wobbly on his tail. She remembered the tenacity he had fought the Salamence with. She knew he wouldn't run if he felt he was fighting the good fight

    She felt frustrated tears welling in her eyes, but she blinked them away. She needed to be able to see.

    The Pangoro started stomping towards her again, only for a vortex to whip up around it, spinning dirt and mud into the air. Stampede was attempting to keep it at bay with a Twister.

    It worked for a moment, but eventually the Pangoro forced its way through. An instant later, it was bathed in the purple flames of Stampede's Dragon Breath instead.

    Catherine wanted to yell at the idiot to run, but her chest ached and she couldn't make the words come.

    "Finish the stupid Horsea first," The anonymous man said, "This is getting tedious and we have a schedule to keep."

    The Pangoro changed directions, dashing forward again with another Bullet Punch. With a loud crack, Stampede was catapulted into the brush. The Pangoro then turned its attention back to Catherine.

    "Sea!"

    Stampede flew back out the brush like a blue torpedo, crashing into the Pangoro's side with his Swift Swim-boosted speed and knocking it reeling. The Pangoro wheeled back around to strike Stampede, but the Horsea had already moved out the way as the fist impacted the ground leaving another wound on the earth. He had shot under the Fighting type's legs and was now blasting a Water Gun into it from behind.

    The Pangoro was knocked off balance and tumbled face-first into the muddy ground. If Catherine had been more foolish, she might have felt relief. She knew that it was hardly down for the count though and sure enough, the Pangoro rose up again.

    She watched as Stampede lunged forward again, intending to knock it back down before it could regain its balance. That was a mistake though. Catherine could tell before it even happened, he needed to attack from a distance.

    The Pangoro whipped around and smacked Stampede out of the air with a backhanded Thunder Punch. Stampede cried out in pain as he hit the ground several feet away, electricity crackling painfully across his scales.

    Catherine started to push herself to her feet as the Pangoro started moving towards her again. A little faster this time, just in case. The intervention it was concerned with didn't come though and it lunged for Catherine, forcing her to dive out the way to avoid the attack.

    She hit the ground hard again, feeling her glasses fall from her face and bend out of shape beneath her as she rolled over them. She ignored the further blurring of her vision as she scrambled to move, another attack slamming into the ground behind her and knocking her across the ground again.

    She lay there in the mud, feeling the rain slowly starting to diminish above her. She heard the thundering footsteps of the massive, murderous Pokemon. Soon the Pangoro was looming over her. It leaned down slightly, its enormous hand reaching for her…

    Then there was light. Catherine didn't wait to see what it was. In the Pangoro's fleeting moment of distraction, she threw herself to the side to avoid its grasp. Only after rolling through the mud again did she look up. The Pangoro wasn't even looking at her anymore. It was facing the other way, its arms crossed in front of it in a defensive stance against a wave of savage purple flames.

    Stampede was attacking again. She couldn't see him in detail without her glasses, but there was no doubt that it was him. Somehow the little Hippocampid Pokemon had forced himself back up and was fighting to save his trainer again.

    Suddenly there was a sharp pain in her ribs. Catherine yelled in pain as she felt a second impact.

    "You think that's enough to help you? That power increase is still insignificant." The man knelt down in front of her. "See for yourself what you get for meddling."

    She looked on in horror. He was right. The Pangoro was struggling more now, but it was still edging forward through the Dragon Breath, gaining ground on Stampede. Catherine turned her head, looking up at the man as best she could from where she layed in the loam.

    She had been going to plead for Stampede's life, but she could tell in an instant there was no point. One look at him, leering at her with contempt, the Pangoro's pokeball still in hand was enough to tell her he wouldn't oblige.

    "It's not strong enough. Your pokemon are all too weak to even be worth taking after I'm done with you. So instead, I'm going to make you watch as we deal with them. Starting with your stubborn, stupid, Seadra."

    Catherine screamed. Not with fear or grief, but with rage. Her team was the one good thing in the world to her. She wasn't going to let this bastard take them away. She tackled the man, catching him by surprise. She grabbed his evil-looking pokeball and wrenched it from his hands.
    She staggered to her feet and turned to face the purple blaze behind her, seeing the Pangoro staggering closer to Stampede. She wouldn't let the Daunting Pokemon get any closer to her Horsea. She lifted the Pokeball and aimed it towards the hiking shape of the Pangoro only to feel a sudden weight on her back. She hit the ground hard with the man in the suit on top of her.

    "Nice try you little bitch!" He growled reaching over her towards the ball.

    She shut her eyes and pressed the button.

    There was a moment of silence before she heard him scream with indignant rage… and then with pain. She felt the weight on top of her get flung away and heard the man hit the ground. She heard him swearing… and she heard him running away.

    "Dra?"

    Catherine opened her eyes to see Stampede standing in front of her. He wasn't the same Stampede she knew though. He was larger, with sharper features. She blinked a few times, only at that moment realising that the man in the suit had said "Seadra" when talking about Stampede. The bright light from before hadn't been from his Dragon Breath, it was white light. Of course it had been his evolution.

    Catherine didn't even have words, she simply tackled her newly-evolved Seadra and held him there in her embrace for several long seconds. "Truly, you're a hero."

    She let go of the Seadra and took stock of the situation as best she could. While it seemed none of her Pokemon had suffered any critical injuries, they were all in need of treatment. She took care of Vessel and Indra as best she could before returning them to their balls.

    She then turned back to Stampede to find him nuzzling through a heavily damaged brown satchel. Evidently, it had been lost when Stampede had knocked him off of her and sent him away in a panicked run. Several more of the ominous black and grey pokeballs had spilled out of the bag, along with a few wads of cash, some now unreadable papers and a yellow-gold TR.

    She looked down at the dark pokeball still in her hand. "I suppose we'll need to hand these in to the cops in Hullbury."

    No response came. Catherine looked back to the bag to see Stampede passed out on top of it, totally drained from the battle.

    "I keep telling you that you're going to get yourself hurt, always leaping into trouble like that," Catherine said to the unconscious Pokemon as she retrieved his own pokeball with her free hand. "But I have to admit, I admire that bravery. It does help that you saved my life too."

    She returned Stampede and set about collecting the man's dropped goods before taking down her tent so she could move elsewhere. She didn't want him coming back to find her.

    ​

    ​

    Spoiler: Inventory
    - ATC
    - Expensive PokeGear
    - Pokedex
    - 800 Poke (On ATC)
    - TM Icy Wind
    - TM Flash
    - TR Electro Ball
     
    Last edited:
    Foxrally

    Foxrally

    [img]http://i.imgur.com/omi0jS3.gif[/img]
    2,791
    Posts
    11
    Years
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Simon Pearburgh
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Spewpa ♀ Tackle | Stun Spore | String Shot | Harden | Poison Powder Friend Guard
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Caterpie ♂ Tackle | String Shot | Bug Bite Shield Dust
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Burmy ♂ Protect | Hidden Power (water) | Electroweb Shed Skin
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Snom ♀ Powder Snow | Mirror Coat | Struggle Bug | Icicle Spear Ice Scales

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Princess ♀ Electroweb | Spider Web | Fury Cutter | Beat Up Swarm
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Larvesta ♂ Flame Charge | String Shot | Ember | Morning Sun Flame Body
    ​
    Spoiler: Inventory
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Xtransceiver
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokédex
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    ATC
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Blackspear License
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokéball x1
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Strange Rock
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Potion x3
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Nevermeltice
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Venoshock TR
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Bug Catcher Net
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Even less cinnamon buns
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Camping Supplies
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Badges: 1

    Spoiler: Memories
    ~ NPC LIST ~
    --- Wedgehurst ---
    #1 - Caterpie joins the team!
    #2 - The Mail Thief, pt. 1
    #3 - The Mail Thief, pt. 2
    #4 - Meet Sachiko
    #5 - Train Battle!
    --- Wild Area ---
    #6 - Burmy joins the team!
    #7 - Snom joins the team!
    #8 - Meet Raphael
    #9 - Spirits Entombed
    #10 - Meet Ruben
    #11 - Suited Men Encounter!
    --- Motostoke ---
    #12 - The Opening Ceremony [MEGA JP]
    #13 - Motostoke Gym Mission
    #14 - VS Kabu
    #15 - Lunch with Sachi
    #16 - Joining Blackspear
    #17 - A Mysterious Egg
    --- Route 3 & Galar Mine 1 ---
    #18 - Meet Rosa
    #19 - VS Rosa
    #20 - Christmas Delivery
    #21 - VS Catherine
    #22 - Meet Aurora
    #23 - Joltik joins the team!
    #24 - Meet Pia
    #25 - VS Oleana
    #26 - Ferrothorn Rescue
    --- Turffield ---
    #27 - Blackspear Delivery
    #28 - Turffield Gym Mission
    #29 - VS Milo
    #30 - Calling home
    #31 - An Unexpected Interruption
    #32 - VS Sachi, Rematch
    #33 - Contest Date
    #34 - Larvesta joins the team!
    --- Route 5 ---
    #35 - On the road again
    #36 - Meet Jasper
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Jasper Grandiflora
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Faust ♂
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Dispo ♂
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Baba Hana ♀
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Regina ♀
    ​
    Spoiler: Inventory
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokédex
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    ATC
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokéball x2​
    Route 5

    Aurora sighed as she looked at her phone then back at the Nursery, wondering what was taking Simon so long. They were already on a tight schedule, and if that boy had struck up some drawn-out conversation with the store clerk… She opened up her messaging app to text him, when suddenly the two front doors of the building bust open violently. Both Simon and another trainer stomped out, staring daggers at each other as they each held a Pokemon at the ready. What was going on?

    "Pearbugh, what did you get yourself into?" she asked as she watched the two trainers make space for a battle.

    "Just settling some business with someone from the academy." Simon replied, not letting his eyes off of Jasper. "Don't worry, this shouldn't take long at all!" he added with a smirk, loud enough for his opponent to hear.

    "My sentiments exactly, it'll be over in a jiffy." Jasper agreed just as loudly. "You never paid any attention in class, maybe with a beating you'll finally learn a thing or two!" From underneath his hood, Baba poked her head out and waved her arm flaps in support while Regina poked her head out of his sleeve and hissed. "You're up, Regina, time to burn some bugs."

    Simon allowed his own Pokemon to hook onto his arm. "Burmy, get out here and show this guy what we're made of!"

    ​

    Both Pokemon landed on the battlefield between the two trainers, ready to battle. Simon crossed his arms, "I'll let you go first, since you're clearly at a disadvantage."

    "Big words from the little fish at the bottom of the barrel." Jasper jeered and sneered. "But I don't need to sucker punch with my pokémon to make an impact like some people. Regina, start this party with a bang, Flame Burst!" The scrappy Salandit squinted at how blatantly her trainer was ordering her around, but she acquiesced and spat a ball of crackling fire at the Burmy, feeling little threat from her opponent and smugly watching her own attack travel.

    "Protect!" Simon commanded. A shimmering white barrier appeared in front of Burmy and the fire collided harmlessly with it, and the bug stuck his tongue out at Regina. Simon narrowed his eyes at the cheeky fire-type who'd burned him earlier- he wasn't going to let that slide. "Now, pin that bugger down with electroweb!" he called out. Burmy reared back before spitting out a large electric net at his opponent.

    "Dodge it!" Jasper shouted, and so she did. Regina darted out of the web's radius of impact in a murky blur, showing off her speed as she circled away and then towards Burmy. "Now, give it a Poison Gas!" But Regina ignored him, charging straight at Simon's pokémon, hoping to deliver a double slap with her tail. "What are you doing, you dumb bitch? Listen to me, how do you think I beat you in the first place?!"

    Simon was a little surprised at the language - not that he should've been, this was Jasper after all - but he wasn't going to give up this chance. "Now, Burmy! Electroweb again while she's close and pin her to the ground!"

    The speedy Salandit weaved around the second web then fired a Flame Burst at it, but the electrified string didn't burn fast enough to save her. A fringe of the attack clung to her tail and slowed her down just enough for the next one to hit her dead on, pinning her in place and zapping her at the same time. Regina raged with indignation at being humiliated inside the trap, but the breath had been knocked out of her too much in her tumble to get any real flames going. When it was clear she couldn't escape herself, she looked to Jasper, for once showing an ounce of fear and humility, only for him to glare coldly back at her.

    "I hope you learn something from this." he said. With that he crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

    "Hah, your own Pokemon don't even respect you!" Simon smirked as he pointed at Jasper triumphantly. "Burmy, extinguish that lizard with hidden power!"

    The bug-type snickered as his eyes gleamed and he summoned three orbs of water around him, shimmering with blue energy, then fired them all at the Salandit. The three attacks hit dead-on, and as the dust and electroweb faded, Jasper's Pokemon was left on the ground, unconscious.

    "Oh yeah! Score one for Simon- chew on that, mister high and mighty!" Simon grinned and posed dramatically.

    Jasper remained in his stoic position and kept his eyes closed even as he returned Regina to her pokéball, returning it to his belt and withdrawing another one. He took one more deep breath and his eyes snapped open to pierce Simon with a gaze icier than the blue that was trained on him. "Fine then, let's teach you something about respect." The ball was underhand tossed and the light that exploded out of it coalesced into a Larvitar, standing proudly with his shoulders squared.

    "You ready to show your strength, Faust? No mercy!"

    "Larvitar!" the Pokemon nodded.

    Simon cracked his knuckles and gave Burmy a thumbs-up as his bug winked back at him. Though it seemed like he was at a type disadvantage, the bug catcher was ready for it, and it looked like Burmy knew just what he had in mind. "You gonna back that bark up with any bite, or are you only good at throwing out second-rate insults?" Simon taunted, sneering. The little bug stood on his hind legs and made a motion for Faust to come at him, sticking his tongue out.

    "Start the real fight off with a Rockslide, Faust!" Jasper commanded. Faust smirked, glad for every opportunity to use his new upgrade from Rock Throw. Faust lifted one leg up and then slammed it down in his best imitation of a sumo stomp, ripping a plethora of large rocks out of the ground and sending them flying straight at Burmy.

    "Hah, you've fallen for my trap again!" Simon exclaimed as he threw out his arm dramatically. "Burmy, protect!" The young trainer smirked at his own ingenious strategy. As soon as the Larvitar's attack would bounce off, he'd counter with another hidden power, dealing immense damage and getting the upper hand - a flawless plan!

    Rocks slammed into Burmy's barrier one after another like a hail of stony bullets, all thumping and bouncing harmlessly off the barrier. Burmy sneered confidently behind it, even pretending to yawn.

    As the attack hammered on Simon's defenses and filled the air with dust and debris, Jasper signaled to Faust to move forward, trusting there were enough rocks left to keep up the distraction. The moment the Rockslide finished and the cloud began to clear, the only sight the new clarity gave Simon was one of impending doom.

    "Stomping Tantrum!" Jasper commanded. Before Simon could react, Faust was right in front of Burmy and Jasper's voice began the tolling of the metaphorical bell. The Larvitar bellowed and reached forward just as the Protect sputtered out, grabbing the bug by its head antenna and slamming it into the ground on the other side of him.

    Faust continued to roar and stomp as fiercely as he could, his feet shaking the ground harder than a creature thrice his size would. With each stomp, Burmy was slammed into the ground again and again. The attack was a strong one to begin with, and the Protect had doubled its power, nullifying any type resistance and forcing Simon to watch in horror as Burmy's face connected with the ground hard enough to crack the earth beneath it over and over before Faust tossed it aside and began to glow without even getting another order.

    Jasper nodded without taking his view off Simon, staring straight into his opponent's eyes as he ordered. "Ancient Power." All the rocks from Faust's previous attack glowed the same color as his body and converged on Burmy as if it was some giant magnet they were polarized to.

    Once the dust had settled, the little gray bug was in the middle of the pile of rocks on the cracked ground, bruised and completely knocked out.

    "Enough, he's fainted!" Simon cried out, hurriedly taking out Burmy's Pokéball to retrieve him before any more attacks could pile on. The devastating damage he'd endured had been almost too brutal to watch… this Larvitar wasn't going down easy. If he had any chance of winning, he had to bring out his strongest Pokemon. "You might've avoided that trap, but it's time to show you what real champion material looks like! Go, Snom!"

    He extended his arm and Snom popped out of his sleeve, letting out a hiss as she landed and clutching her ice crystal.

    "Damn it, Pearburgh, just let it go!" Aurora yelled at him from the sidelines. "We don't have time for you to dig up old shit right now!" She glanced at Jasper, whose ice cold gaze was unfaltering even after delivering such destructive payback.

    "No, he asked to battle the future champion, and that's what he's gonna get!" Simon yelled back, though his sights were still set on Jasper. He could feel himself getting fired up even more, this was the kind of challenge he'd been looking for. "Come at me!"

    Rainbow-tinged light coursed through Faust's body and over his stony skin, signaling the boost from the Ancient Power as he stared down his opponent. "If that's what you want, 'Champ.' Faust, one more Ancient Power!"

    "Mirror Coat!" Simon commanded, and as Snom was slammed with the rocks, the projectiles bounced off her shell and flew back at her opponent.

    Faust's eyes widened a bit at the return of his own attack but Jasper didn't flinch. "Running Rockslide, then Sandstorm, Armor-Bomb style!" The Larvitar took off running, understanding exactly what Jasper wanted. Faust met the flying rocks with a barrage of new ones and immediately upon breaking through to the other side, sand exploded off of his body to coat the entire battle area in a vicious Sandstorm. Both trainers' vision of the fight was blurred, and in front of Snom's very own eyes, Faust seemed to disappear into the storm like a phantom.

    Simon coughed as he shielded his eyes, struggling to even see his own Pokemon. "Snom, stay on guard! Get ready to Icicle Spear when you see him!" he called out.

    A few moments of silence passed as the sandstorm raged on, then suddenly…

    Aurora's voice cut through the noise of the wind, "Look out, on your left!"

    "Bite!" A blurry figure cut through the sands and sank its fangs into Snom's little body, then the locked jaw tossed her high into the air where the storm buffeted her with no obstruction. "Now use Rockslide!" Faust stomped another stream of large rocks straight at the airborne pokemon, then faded out of sight back into the sand. Jasper, meanwhile had donned his Corviknight Corps scarf and goggles and peered on, unbothered by the wild weather.

    As the rocks flew towards her Snom curled up into a tight ball before powerfully launching out icicle spear spears from her shell. The projectiles collided with the rocks midair, cracking the largest ones into more dodgeable attacks. She spun around as she began falling back towards the ground, doing her best to avoid the barrage of stones, before nimbly landing on the ground in a cloud of dust.

    "Great work, lass!" Simon called out, pumping his fist. "Now hit it with a powder snow!"

    The little bug let out another squeaky battle cry and blasted out a flurry of snow from her mouth, letting the wind from the sandstorm carry the attack further.

    "Nice try, but you're in my world now. Payback's a bitch!" Faust seemed to disappear in front of the attack, then reappeared running towards Snom. When he reappeared closer to her he had no time to move and ran straight through the flurry, the armor the Sandstorm that had formed around him cutting the attack's effectiveness. An oily black aura covered Faust's body and grew as he plowed through the snow until he slammed into Snom and it all exploded outwards at once.

    Snom was thrown back violently by the force of the move and tumbled away before stopping at Simon's feet. She attempted to get back up after a moment… but could not find the energy to get back up as the sandstorm took the last of her energy.

    Simon picked up his fainted Pokemon and grit his teeth. He thanked her for doing her best and returned her to her Pokeball.

    The sandstorm quickly dissipated and visibility returned to the field around them. "Really? That's the best you've got?" Jasper said. "To think I was looking forward to this. Pathetic."

    Simon stood across Jasper in silence, the air tense as he thought of what to say. Was he just going to admit defeat now? Or was he going to risk harming even more of his team? He opened his mouth to speak, but a loud squeal from his shoulder cut him off. Immediately blasting off in flames, Larvesta let out a cry as it charged towards Faust like a missile. The sight of Snom being defeated filled the little Pokemon with rage, and it was determined to avenge her.

    The brave little bug-meteor crashed into Faust's chest… moving him about an inch. Both Larvitar and trainer rolled their eyes in sympathy, Faust even gave Larvesta a pat on the head as it growled and struggled helplessly in front of him. "Are we really doing this?" Jasper queried, not eager to needlessly hurt any Pokemon. Before Simon could answer there was a loud command to halt in the form of a fae peep. Baba threw Jasper's hood off of her back and dropped to the ground below to wave Faust off.

    "Your baby… also wants to fight?" Simon asked.

    "That seems fair." Jasper said calmly, the previous cold fire gone for the moment. "It's for them, why not let them fight for it?"

    Simon hesitated for a moment. Larvesta had only been hatched a week ago… and the Larvitar had barely been moved by his attack. Was the bug even capable of battling yet? He certainly seemed eager to- even as Faust stepped away from the two, he was still growling and spewing fire from his horns threateningly.

    "What are you waiting for, then?" Aurora called out to him, surprisingly fired up. Simon looked at her and she gave him a determined nod. "You started this, now finish him off!"

    "Okay, let's do it!" Simon finally said, looking back at Jasper. "Winner takes it all!"

    "Time to show'em, Baba! You're gonna surpass your mom by the time we get there!" The little Hatenna nodded and cooed, wiggling her flaps. "Start out with confusion!" Hatennas weren't very fast, he thought, so it was best to start with a ranged attack - one that couldn't be seen to dodge, at that.

    Larvesta grunted as a severe headache began pounding in his head, his little hands clutching the sides of it in an attempt to make it stop. Simon cursed under his breath and wished he had a bug-type move to retaliate with, but Larvesta had none to speak of yet. "Get closer with flame charge, then fire back with an ember, up close and personal!" he commanded, hoping the Hatenna's attack hadn't disoriented his Pokemon too much.

    Luckily the bug snapped out of it, and immediately took to the skies as he charged towards his opponent, releasing a plume of fire just as he got close.

    Baba gasped at the incoming jet of flame and almost began to panic until Jasper lightly stomped the ground and she seemed to calm down. "Confusion again! Pull it towards you!" The fire washed over her and as she grunted in pain, so too did Jasper wince as if he shared in the suffering. Larvesta felt that same headache again, that painful grip did its best to yank him towards Baba Hana while she walked towards him, flaps extended threateningly towards her opponent.

    "Resist it, Larvesta! Fall back and string shot!" Simon called out, but the little fire-type was too preoccupied with the psychic power pulling him closer to the Hatenna. Turning around in midair, he growled and gave in to the pull, charging towards the opponent and covered in flames.

    "Catch it!" And so she did. Larvesta slammed dead-on into Baba-Hana, skidding her several feet back through the dirt with her arms wrapped around him. Jasper grit his teeth and reaffirmed his stance as if dizzy, then smirked. "Nuzzle!" The cuddly Hatenna wasted no time cooing happily and rubbing her cheeks against the bug's face, channeling static electricity through them both until it coursed all along Larvesta's body on its own, paralyzing him.

    "Draining Kiss, don't let go." Jasper finished his battle plan, sealing Simon's doom as far as he was concerned. Baba practically squee'd at the chance to use her favorite move and pressed her face to her opponent's cheek, siphoning out his energy and healing herself with it.

    The little bug struggled in the Pokemon's arms to get away, resisting the damage from the kiss but still suffering from the effects of the paralysis. As he kept wriggling around, his body temperature began rising quickly, his face and horns starting to glow bright red.

    Realizing what was happening, Simon quickly commanded, "Don't get away, Larvesta! Stick to her with string shot!" Larvesta squeaked as he nodded back and spat a glob of string that stuck to his opponent's face and arms, gluing the two Pokemon together. With nowhere to escape, the poor Hatenna began feeling the burn of his Flame Body ability.

    Simon looked at Jasper, "If getting up close is what you want, then it's what you'll get!"

    "This isn't a battle of endurance you're gonna win! It takes more than pluck to be a champion!" Jasper retorted. Baba reddened as her skin cried out in pain, but didn't stop draining Larvesta's energy until Jasper gave her a new order. "The thing about abilities like that is they don't exactly choose sides - Baba, Confusion, full power! Slam it into the ground!" The blob of combative baby pokemon glowed purple and the webbing between them stretched until Larvesta's own Flame Body melted it enough to snap.

    Larvesta's headache became a migraine and it found itself pinned to the ground under an invisible weight. "Life Dew! Then back to Confusion before it can recover!" Even though there was still some bug string stuck to her face, Hana twirled like a stumpy little ballerina, sprinkling glimmering droplets around her, soothing her pain and recovering her energy before redoubling the psychic assault.

    "Not so fast- Larvesta, use Morning Sun!" Simon called out.

    As the little firebug hopped away, his body was encased in a bright white glow. Energy gathered from the sunlight around him, quickly healing up some damage before the psychic attack hit again. As the light faded, Larvesta found himself feeling re-energized and took to the sky once more.

    "ALRIGHT!" Simon cheered. "Now, flame charge! Max speed, fuzzy!"

    Jasper's mind raced. If it was a full on power struggle Larvesta had the advantage for sure...but then he saw the arc of electricity still coursing through its body. "Nuzzle! Every ounce of juice you've got!"

    The two baby Pokemon ran towards each other screaming, fire and electricity coating their bodies. Then, just as they got close, a sparking yellow aura appeared around Larvesta again - the paralysis was still in effect. The bug-type's charge was slowed down as the Pokemon squeaked in pain, and the fire quickly died down as it began losing momentum… but it was too late to stop. Before he could recover, his opponent's body slammed into his and electricity was coursing through his body again.

    The two fighters were pushed back by the force of the collision, the Hatenna landing safely at Jasper's feet, and Larvesta's fire slowly sputtering to a halt before it fainted.

    Jasper narrowed his eyes at the fallen Larvesta, but found himself smiling ever so slightly when Baba pat his leg. He lifted her up and nestled her safely into his jacket. "Get some rest. We'll get you to a center soon."

    "Damn, almost had it in the bag this time… You did amazing, Larvesta." Simon said before recalling the Pokemon. Though he'd lost, the display of energy and power his week-old Pokemon had shown him was more than enough to make this battle worth it.

    He walked up to Jasper. "Never thought I'd admit it, but that was a pretty fun battle. Thanks." He put his hand out for a handshake.

    As the hand was presented to him Jasper stared at it for a moment, then violently smacked it away with the back of his hand. "You really thought you were something just because you made an impression on Kabu, huh? Think just because everything's been going well that you're working hard enough to be champion? Hard enough to deserve all the good luck you've had?"

    "I d-"

    He spit on the ground between them, trying to get any of his disgust out to calm down. "Pfeh! 'Nice' people like you always feel so secure in their moral purity when they don't know what kindness really even is. You wanna know why people like you bug me so much, Pearburgh? It's because being kind, being good takes strength!"

    Jasper was shaking, even the comforting coo's from Hana in his jacket did little more than steady and focus his spite. "What real struggles have you dealt with so far? How much work have you really put in? You go around acting like some heroic 'Champ-in-the-making' while handicapping yourself with a team all sharing one type of Pokemon and you have the balls to look down on me? On anyone?" He pointed a finger right at Simon's face and his angry sneer was replaced by a look of disappointment tinged with revulsion. "You're weak, Simon Pearburgh. You're not kind and you're no sort of hero. I really hope life finally kicks your ass into gear before your ego gets someone who deserves better hurt."

    With his piece said, Jasper strolled over to the spot by the daycare's entrance where they'd left the bag of poké-baby food and picked it up. "And by the way, that baby food ain't even healthy for a Larvesta. You'd do better mixing mashed sweet and spicy berries into regular pokémon food or making your own." After that, he walked off without another word or a single glance back at his schoolmate.

    Joint post of Sephear and Foxrally​
     
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    Sapphire Rose

    Sapphire Rose

    [I]Only thorns left on this rose.[/I]
    3,443
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    12
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    • Pia McGuire & Valerie Amity
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    New friendships




    Pia wandered through the cobblestone streets of Turffield with Milla riding along on her shoulder, street lanterns popping on as dusk was approaching the day and made itself ready for the night. The yellowy orange glow and a few clouds blessed the girl's horizon as she held a green detailed ribbon in front of her with a golden plate in the middle. Second place, huh…? It's not first place but it really wasn't that bad. Her months or practising for that contest had paid off but she definitely couldn't have done it without Prim or Soma. She had to be sure to give them an extra nice meal later. She carefully placed the ribbon inside the case that she had brought along and put it back in her backpack. Only a few more days before they would leave Turffield and head towards Hulburry for the next gym…

    Pia sighed but when she glanced back at the road in front of her, she noticed a girl she definitely recognized going about her day. Before she had time to even think about anything else, Milla already gracefully jumped off her shoulder and ran towards the presence. This girl was Valerie.

    "Whoa-hohoooo, who are you, cutie?" Valerie had asked the yellow pokemon. Though up ahead, she saw her old friend. "Ohhh waaaait, Val sees two cuties, in her sights! Gooo me! Aha, what's up, girl?"

    "Ah… Hi Val. Sorry about Milla there. She gets excited whenever she sees someone she knows." Pia walked closer to the girl, feeling a bit heavy in her chest. She had tried getting closer to the girl last time and that resulted in them getting into a haunted mansion… Besides, in the end they didn't get to talk at all.

    Though… The sights of the girl in front of her suddenly made her realize something. She had been having people come up to her since the contest. Not the football fans kind that have been approaching her since her announced relationship with Ruben but teenagers just slightly younger than herself. Catherine's words suddenly played in her mind again… accusing her of using people. She was right… Pia only ever used people… and she would have to do it again to further her own agenda. The thought alone made her super uncomfortable but she shook it off. Wasn't Val a super popular streamer? "Hey Val… Have you streamed at the Turffield contest by any chance?"

    "You know it, sis! Oooh and you know what? After your performance, I am SUCH. A stan," she giggled as she flipped through messages on her XTransiever. "A lotta people loooooved what they've seen from the performers there too. Especially yours, and lemme tell ya' girl, you've got a lot. Of stans. Like one of the messages here: I heart Pia, plz marry! Oh - don't let that spook you. You know, internet guys, always wanting to marry, buuuuut don't really mean it? They just really like you!"

    Pia was indeed taken aback by the many messages suddenly showing on Val's XTransiever. It had only been a week ago that she was being cursed at at malls and shops and now it seemed like it had never happened at all. It wasn't just that, these people liked her and her performance. They liked what she had put on stage. They didn't like her because of Ruben, they were not football fans. They were people "stanning" her, put in Valerie's words. This was exactly what she had been searching for. The football fans would drop her as soon as Ruben would drop her. If she had some sort of fame among a different crowd of people that she had somehow made herself, she'd have a more stable existence. This was exactly what she needed and the thought alone made a smile magically appear on her face.

    "Wow Val! That's really nice!" She replied as she read another message on the screen, then took a step back. "I worked hard on that performance… I'm really glad people liked it. I was a bit scared to be honest…" Pia shifted into her more bubbly persona and fidgeted a little as part of her act. "I'm sure you didn't just stream me. I would like to thank you on behalf of all of us." Pia gave her a warm and radiating smile, her next words coming out a bit more hesitantly than she would've liked. "Will you stream the next contest as well?"

    "Good call! Hell yeah! Ah, in fact, lemme post on Chatter about it, " Valerie vigorously stared into her screen, typing in her own little way of messaging. "Hype… alert… Will stream… next contest… send all your… Val-uable hearts… to the… contest players! xoxo… love… your girl… Valentine!"

    "Oh wow! How nice!" Pia's eyes widened a little in genuine surprise. That had been easier than she thought… a little… too easy in fact. Thought, such was Valerie. Pia never knew it was genuine kindness or if the girl was going to ask for something in return. Time would tell. What she did know was that her streams would help her a little further along her goal… "Were you heading somewhere by any chance?"

    "Just to the market. Gotta stock up and all that, y'know?" Valerie responded warmly. "Heeeey, wanna come with? Ahhhh, just remembered: there is something that I REALLY. Gotta. Ask you, and oooh man, I've got more goosebumps about it than a shivering Snorunt, girl! What do you say?"

    Milla looked up at the girl and tilted her head. She seemed to be in for that and Pia was definitely not going to say no to Valerie. Her guilty conscience was tugging at her but it was still at a level where Pia could just brush it away.

    "Sure! Milla and I were on a walk anyway. Let's have a stroll~" The girl clasped her hands together and Milla jumped around in excitement. "Lead the way!"


    The marketplace in Turffield was as busy and vibrant as ever - as the two trainers made their way through hordes of different people. Valerie, with Pia following behind, had made their ways to various different stalls - even one where Valerie had bought more pokeballs, and more berries for their travels. "Niiiice!" Valerie cheered, checking the items she had just bought. With Peko's help, she had stuffed them all in her keepsake bag, for later. "More pokeballs means more pokefriends! Hyyyyype!"

    "How many Pokémon do you have by now?" Pia asked, a bit concerned. She was carrying a small bag of her own with ingredients she had bought for the journey that was to come to Hulburry.

    "Errrrr, 7? Technically 8 if you count the egg?" Valerie responded with her finger on her chin, pondering in thought. "And they are all so AMAZING! Like Flame is the bro of all bros, then there's Ayra who does a meaaaaan scratch attack, Peko is a cutie, and oh! Oh! I gotta introduce you to Captain! Maaaan, I love being a trainer!"

    Pia smiled at the enthusiasm of the other girl. It was somehow refreshing seeing her gush over her Pokémon so much. Her attitude was still a bit strange but Pia started to believe that Valerie might actually really be like this.

    "Oh right, wasn't there something you wanted to ask?"

    "Ah--helloooo, Val! Doy!" Valerie lightly smacked her forehead with the base of her palm. That's right, there was something to ask, and you can bet it was something she gotta know. "Girl! You and Ruby! How and when?!"

    "R-Ruby…?" Pia repeated. In the way she had used the name and Pia's name together she could only guess she meant Ruben… Although she was very fond of the boy, it was a bit embarrassing to talk about. "Hey, aren't you two good friends? I guess I saw you two together at school often."

    "Well yeaaaaah, course we're good buds!" Valerie said happily. "But what's goin' on with you and Ruby! Deets girl, deets! Share the tea!"

    "A-Ah… Well, we know each other from the academy of course." Pia held her hands up to keep Valerie on somewhat of a distance now that she had gotten a little bit too close. Deflecting the question was no use… Valerie was too oblivious. "We went on a date in Motostoke because his friend insisted… Arrietty was there too." Pia scratched her chin in defeat and embarrassment. "We went on another date on Route 3 and I guess... we really hit it off…?"

    "Ah! Niiiiice! Okay, I'm callin' it now: Rupia is my OTP!" Valerie clapped and clasped her hands together. "The chat was all hot n' arms about it, and I just haaad to know for sure. But I'm so happy for you both! Chat is mega hyped for Ruben and you too!"

    "A-Ah… Yeah…" a rosy glow appeared on Pia's cheeks and she rubbed the back of her head. There it was, the embarrassment. Everyone in their old class was gradually getting to know about the two and she could only imagine the repercussions it would have if they would split. Valerie would probably also like her a lot less but such were the risks she had to take to ensure her own future.

    "Hey about the contest. What did you think of everyone else?" Pia changed the subject of the conversation. She grabbed Valerie's arm and gently pulled her to the side as they were holding up the line of people that wanted to pass through the market. A few were whispering as they passed the two but nothing noteworthy was being said. Pia only smiled.

    "Everyone else? ahhh…" Valerie pondered, putting her finger on her chin. "Rosie's was really cute, chat liked her as well. Aeli-sis's was really beautiful, aaaah, dude - you can only imagine the amount of tears in my eyes! Mel-Mel's was SENDING me, she was especially brilliant!"

    "Melody's was very surprising but in a good kind of way." Pia agreed to the last statement Valerie made and nodded. "The theme was to bring out the uniqueness in their Pokémon and she did that in the best way possible." Pia continued, though she suddenly remembered how Arrietty just disappeared from the stage… The girl hadn't answered her messages since then either except for a "congrats" message that Pia couldn't help but feel like was a bit forced… "It was a shame how Arrietty wasn't able to do her performance in the end…" She blurted out without really realising she did.

    "I hope she's okay," Valerie hoped. "I don't blame her. Going up on stage with a lot of people like that can send anyone the willies. I should know, I go on stream for thousands of people every day, and… even though I don't show it, it still gives me Butterfrees in my tummy."

    The sound of Valerie announcing the thousands of people that she streams for everyday perked Pia's ears but the fact and the thoughts alone that followed immediately tugged at her guilt. What the hell was she doing…

    "We should stream together sometime. Maybe that would help the butterfrees in your tummy?"

    "Gaaaaaasp!" Valerie, now starry-eyed, beamed at the suggestion. "We totes should. Like, yesterday, girl. That would be soooooo epic." she then flashed a wide smile at Pia. "And you know what? I think we should be really good friends too! What do you say, girl?!"

    "That sounds great~" Pia replied, wondering if that was a genuine offer coming from Val but it only made her objective easier. She smiled and held out her hand towards Valerie as a way to confirm their friendship, Valerie eagerly took it and shook it wildly as was very Val.


    "I can't believe this." A girl with long, crimson red hair stormed through the hallways of what seemed to be a rather large home. Anger was shown in every step and what followed her close behind was a fox Pokémon, a cat Pokémon and a gloomy, eerie atmosphere. The fox Pokémon was frightful of her trainer's current state and held her head down. Her snow white fur stood up straight and her 5 tails were hidden in between her back legs. The cat Pokémon was unbothered in comparison and her pride was shown in the playful way she waved around her spiraled tail.

    "I can't fucking believe it! That awful wench!" The girl screamed again, smashing a door open that led to a well decorated bedroom. A big king-sized bed, beautiful furniture that was white coloured and looked rather expensive. Everything in this room screamed "Mommy's little princess". The only trash that was in the room were the several magazines and photo's scattered upon the floor and bed. The magazines lied open on pages showing a platinum blonde girl with the famous footballer, Ruben Sancho, as her lover. The photo's showed much the same. They seemed cut from similar articles.

    One of her Pokémon, the Glameow, almost immediately jumped on bed and laid down, still unbothered by the rage her trainer was showing. The Vulpix tried to do the same but was being held back by the Glameow who was enjoying keeping the Fox away from the bed. It hissed at the tinier Pokémon and it stopped trying. The girl with crimson hair did not bother herself with her Pokémon quarrels. Her attention was directed elsewhere. A TV was turned on and paused on the moment all of the winners of the Turffield contest were on stage. All five of them. First place was a girl dressed in rather gothic-like clothes, and had black hair… Her name was Melody? The second place… ohhhh that second place.

    "I thought I'd never see her again. She would've done great to keep staying out of my sight. That little bitch! That… THAT!" The girl's clenched firsts turned white. Her expression was full of fury and it seemed as though she could throw something at the TV at any moment. Her eyes fell upon the fifth place. Crimson long hair… it was her. She was fifth place. She had placed fifth while that wench she hated so much had placed second. How dare she. What nerve.

    "You destroyed my life… I'll destroy yours! Just watch me Pia! Just watch me..." She finally started to calm down a little. A smirk blessed her red coloured lips.

    "I, Veronika Montgommery, will make sure of it."



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    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]



    Pia's Party

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    Pia's journal

    Arrietty Maverick
    Pia and Arrietty met in the Wild Area although the two have shared classes before. It struck Pia as odd that the girl seemed to have no ambitions or goals at all. Although disappointed upon finding out this girl had no fire burning that would light her path, Pia made it her mission to help this girl get a goal and become a bit more social. Arrietty is the closest Pia can consider a "friend".

    Ruben Sancho
    Pia met Ruben during Motostoke while on a double date with him, Arrietty and Ainsley. The date went disastrous with both Arrietty and Ainsley running off but Ruben and Pia were able to grow just a tiny bit closer during their search for Arrietty. They have been texting since and are on good terms with each other. They both seem to be interested in just a little bit more...

    Ruben and Pia are officially dating since the end of the year festival on Route 3 following their "official second date" that went well. Pia knows about Ruben's ankle and that it's still hurting. They're in close contact with each other through calling and texting. They went on another date on Route 4 where Ruben had a gig for a coaching session with kids with the promise to spend time together after that. Both confirmed their feelings for the other by sharing a kiss. Pia likes him a lot.

    Their relationship became public knowledge when a picture of Ruben staring down Pia's shirt was shared on social media and all gossip magazines. Ruben has been hiding it from Pia but as they went shopping, Pia got vocally attacked by a group of girls calling her out for being a whore and having no dignity. Ruben stood up for her and made their relationship public knowledge, no longer wanting to submit Pia to such harassment. Ruben publicly announced he likes Pia a lot and that they have been dating as opposed to what he has been saying before. Pia still doesn't know about the picture that's going around.

    Raphael Allard
    Pia met Raphael during her train ride to the wild Area together with Aeliana. Thinking that he had a lot of potential in becoming a chamption which would benefit her, Pia approached him thinking they could become friends. Their interactions didn't go as smoothly as Pia had hoped. After their argument at the end of her battle with Aeliana, the girl ran off thinking she had blown her chances. Raphael doesn't harbour any ill intend towards the girl and only hoped to give her some advice.

    They have resolved their issues in Galar mine 1 and worked together to battle Oleana in which they were victorious. Raphael brought the issues with Pia's overprotectiveness of Milla back up on Route 4 when Pia was refusing Milla from battling. Raphael spoke some sense into her, prompting her to finally trust Milla. Raphael understands Pia better now and Pia has a better opinion of Raphael now too.

    Aeliana Kekoa
    Pia met Aeliana during the train ride to the wild Area together with Raphael. Although her interactions with Aeliana went a little bit more smoothly than with Raphael, Pia still ran off at the end of their battle in an attempt to distract her since Pia owed her money for losing. Although Pia has declared Aeliana her rival, they haven't spoken since and Pia attempts to keep it that way.

    Pia met Aeliana again on Route 3 when she was on her way to the end of the year market. Together with Rosa and Valerie they went into an haunted mansion. Although they didn't converse much, Aeliana made some comments that Pia saw as snarky that were meant well by Aeliana. This indicates that Pia still thinks that Aeliana is out to get her.

    Ainsley
    Ainsley was Pia's date partner during the double date in Motostoke and is Ruben's best friend. Ainsley pretended to be rich and paid for the date with Ruben's money. Pia saw through the charade and called him out on it after Ainsley suggested they'd book a hotel together and make love. He ran off afterwards, angry that the feelings of lust he harboured towards Pia were not returned. Pia doesn't think highly of Ainsley and told Ruben that he needs "better friends".

    Melody Argent
    Although Pia and Melody attended the same Trainer school and were in the same class, they never once teamed up for an assignment. Both didn't have a very good impression of the other and avoided them like the plague. It's not until the Festival Fun-time Flurry that they have tried teaming up to win a competition as both of them were interested in the prize. They chased down a cheater together and have a better opinion of each other since their teamwork. They figured out that they're a pretty good team actually. Both of them thinks "the other is not so bad after all".

    Valerie Amity
    Pia met Valerie on route 3 where they went inside a haunted mansion together with Aeliana and Rosa. They didn't get to converse much but it was enough for them to establish some sort of familiarity. Valerie calls Pia "Lady P" as a nickname. Pia thinks of Valerie as someone with too much energy but not a bad person overall, maybe a little too naïve.

    Rosa Valdés
    Pia met Rosa on Route 3 and went inside a haunted mansion together with Aeliana and Valerie. They were stuck inside a room together where Rosa found golden nuggets and shared one with Pia. Rosa's small moments of kindness seemed insincere in Pia's eyes, someone who is well versed with duality. When Rosa left the end of the year market after they had gotten out of the haunted mansion, Pia followed her and saw her crying. Pia comforted the crying Rosa but as soon as Rosa had gotten herself together again, Pia fell the need to call her out on her duality, telling her that how she was acting now was quite different from before. Rosa denied at first but as soon as Pia had driven her into a corner, she stopped trying. After Jirachi appeared for a brief second, Rosa walked off. They're neither on bad or good terms but both have things they probably need to speak off.

    Simon Pearburgh
    Pia met Simon in Galar Mine 1. Pia thought nothing more of him than a bug nerd. They partnered up to battle against Oleana and his clever strategies impressed Pia, prompting her to compliment him after their shared life/death situation on Route 4. They're neutral with each other.

    Catherine Carlisle
    Yeah.... Pia really doesn't like Catherine but she enjoys getting under her skin.

    Kit
    Pia met Kit in the Wild Area. Kit had been trying to catch a Pokémon for days but had yet to catch one. He begged the girl to help him in exchange for money and a strange rock that he found. Pia taught him how to catch a Pokémon but after hearing that Kit is in search for his father, she decided to only take the strange rock as her reward and left the pouch with Poké behind for the boy to keep. Kit seems to have developed a crush for her because of that.

    ​
    Trainer ID

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]

    Pia McGuire:

    Pia was born in the town of Hammerlocke in the Galar region and is part of the first graduating class of the Wedgehurt trainer's academy. Despite having lived in poverty, her mother has been able to pay for her tuition in alternative ways. She's quick witted and rather clever but is sometimes a bit "too" honest. Pia dreams of becoming an actress and does almost anything to get more money. When it comes down to it, what she really wants is to no longer live in poverty and live a bit more happily.

    Inventory:

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]



    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      4x Pokéball
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      Galarian Pokédex
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      Xtransceiver
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      Broken Flashlight
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      King's Rock
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      Sun Stone
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      Thunderstone


    Outfits:

    Daily Outfit:
    Spoiler:


    Contest outfit:
    Spoiler:


    Ribbons:

    Badges:

    Turffield Grass badge
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]


    ​


     
    Sapphire Rose

    Sapphire Rose

    [I]Only thorns left on this rose.[/I]
    3,443
    Posts
    12
    Years
    • Pia McGuire & Ruben Sancho
    Poké:
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    5550 ♦ Pokémon: 4

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      Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
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    ​

    Homecoming | Part 1




    "Milla, hit her with a Thunder Punch!"

    "Lesca, dodge it, then follow up Razor Leaf!"

    "Don't let it hit you and follow up with a thunder shock!"

    "Lesca!" Ruben called out, running over and recalling his fallen Pokemon as she slipped into unconsciousness. He reached behind his back, grabbing another poke ball. "Guess now's as good a time as any." With a sigh, Ruben stood up and tossed the poke ball.

    "Good Job, Milla! Now, let's go… Poké ball!" Milla ran back to the platinum haired girl and jumped on her shoulder while Pia threw a Poké ball towards her fallen foe.

    Wobble.

    Wobble.

    Wobble.

    Click.

    "Nice!!" Pia jumped up with her fist up in celebration. She walked over towards the ball and picked it up, glancing at Milla shortly as she held it out proudly. "I got both Prim and Soma by accident. So technically… this is my first catch." Pia smiled. "I hope he likes it…"

    Ruben glanced around the clearing, where nothing stood but him and the lone pokeball on ground. His Rookidee came fluttering down from the treetops. The dutiful bird watched as the trainer dusted off the pokeball. The Rookidee watched as the trainer took out his own pokeball and squatted down to meet his gaze.

    "No cameras, no kids, no fans, valentines present sorted. Chrome, my friend, it's about to be a good weekend." Ruben explained, with a big grin on his face, to a very confused Rookidee.


    "Daij, can we stop calling her that? She's a girl that I like. I spend a lot of time with her, that's it…" Ruben grumbled into the phone as he stepped through the doors of the luxurious Turffield hotel he was about to spend his last couple of days at. Just listening to his sister's lectures made him sigh. "Yeah, I know I know, setting a good example for the boys, I get it. If I wasn't serious, I wouldn't have publicly announc-"

    Ruben's words were wiped by fear as he stepped into the lobby, where Pia and Tania waited with packed bags.

    "Well I want to meet her," Daija protested through the phone to a frozen Ruben, "and so do the boys, so bring her for dinner." The girl huffed in defiance.

    "Yeah, I'll think about it Daij. I'll call you back." Without waiting for another demand from Daija, Ruben hung up the phone. As the two women sitting in the lobby noticed him, it was Tania who approached first.

    "Ruben, you and your girlfriend have a busy period…" She said the word without an ounce of uncertainty. The rest of her explanation was lost on Ruben as he glared into the obscurity of the vacant hotel lobby. He knew he could get away with rebuffing Daija with a glare and even had the beating of Pia at least thirty percent of the time, especially where romantic talk was involved, but Tania? He'd have a better chance in a glaring match against a Sharpedo.

    "So what's the plan?" He asked with a sigh.

    "A PR run. Both of you. Talk shows, game shows, public appearances..." Tania explained, checking off her clipboard as she listed. Ruben squinted, looking past Tania to Pia who was rather content in scratching Mila's chin as she waited.

    "You agreed to this?" He asked.

    "W-Well…" Pia looked up at Ruben but was quick to look away again. "You've got a very good PR manager there…" Is what Pia eventually responded with, an apologetic grin on her face as she looked back at him. Tania had been very persistent about the whole PR run especially since she placed second in the recent contest and had extra media coverage because of that. Sure, becoming famous and rich had always been Pia's objective but the fast pace and the way this had been happening made her rather uncomfortable. After her meeting with Catherine she had told herself that she needed to strive more towards her goal and she would do exactly that… but it felt… wrong.

    "Listen, I'd love to Tania, but I've got to go home. My nan's sick," the boy whined, putting the Lillipuppy eyes on full force. Tania scoffed, but the stone-faced lady would even admit herself that she keeled a little. At least she did until...Ruben's phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Caller ID…what the fuck? Daija again?

    "I wanna speak to her." Was the first thing Ruben heard when he pressed the green button. "I know you're with her, that's why you hung up the phone." Ruben's eyes were drawn to the girl in question, both her and Tania had their interests piqued by the sudden phone call. Ruben held the silence for as long as he could but it was only him who caved under the pressure it created.

    "I would Daij, but we've got a PR run to go on. There's no time for a trip home. My PR Mana-" Before Ruben could thrust the blame on her shoulders, Tania slipped the phone out of his hand.

    "Oh? You just want to speak to the lady of the hour? It would be my pleasure." Tania spoke with just about the first smile Ruben had ever seen from her. Despite his protest, the phone was passed safely into Pia's hands without a hitch.

    Pia stared at the both of them for a short moment. Why was everyone so pushy about speaking to her? First Stitch… then Tania… and this was his sister, right? Milla forced her way back on Pia's lap to listen in on the conversation and Pia eventually sighed in defeat as well. Just exhausting. This day was already so exhausting.

    "Hi…? This is Pia speaking." The girl answered through the phone that she slowly held against her ear.

    "Hi~" Daija practically sang through the phone. "I hear you're dating my big brother?" The delighted teen explained, her tone so loaded with intrigue and wonder that even her statements became part of the inquisition Pia was clearly going to have to endure when the two met in person. "Well, I say hear, I found out through pictures on the internet because apparently he tells me nothing these days." Pia could almost hear her examining her nails through the phone as if to accentuate her sass. "Since Ruben can't be trusted to pass on a message, I wanted to directly invite you to dinner at our house next week."

    Pia glanced at Ruben for a brief moment who was giving her the face of almost begging her to not agree. The girl couldn't help herself though. It was too much fun to tease him with this. Meeting his family… huh?

    "I'd be delighted!" Pia answered Daija. "I can't wait to meet you." Pia shot Ruben a teasing wink as she said that.

    A despondent Ruben watched on in defeat as he watched his two worlds collide. Daija and Pia in one room...he almost fainted at the thought of it. If Daija lived on the moon, the world could've found out about his relationship a month ago. The moment those mafia women hit send, this day was inevitable. Ruben vowed to never lift a gun again. The voice of Tania broke through the spell of disbelief the celebrity had been put under.

    "Perfect! Then the PR run starts in Wedgehurst. My job's done for me." Great. Tania was happy. Pia was happy, Daija was happy...when was Ruben getting his win?


    On the heels of a long journey and battling through crowds of press and adoring fans, Pia and Ruben found themselves at the end of a picturesque street filled with hedges and foliage. It was so secluded and quiet. The type of utopia where nothing seemed like it could go wrong. Each house had its own jungle of a front garden with four or five vehicles comfortably fitting onto the drive. Ruben took it all in. A deep exhale escaped him as a smile grew across his face once again. Home. He yanked the keys from his pocket and started toward the closest house. While Pia was still looking around at the buildings that could easily fit 5 families.

    "A-Ah…" Pia noticed Ruben walking away from her and she didn't understand why she was hesitating herself so much. The commotion earlier, the fancy houses… it was all a bit much to take in… and now she was literally in front of his freaking house, made ready to meet his family. The latter made it seem like they were in a perfectly normal relationship, the ones she had read in books so much. A heart-tightening experience that should be nerve wrecking but a happy occasion all the same. A new step so to say. This was all she had wished for. This was all she had dreamed towards. Yet… all Pia felt was fear. Fear for what? She was completely lost in a whirlwind of her thoughts until...

    "You sure you wanna do this?" The voice of Ruben snapped her back to reality. The boy had been watching her since she made the noise. The peace of seeing his home again, for just a moment, had helped him forget what was to come. It was the voice of Pia that dragged him back.

    "Ah… Yes, I suppose…" Pia whispered to Ruben beside her, with an unsure tone in her voice. She started feeling a little bad that he was forced into this and it didn't mean nearly as much as it would otherwise.

    Before she could mull over it for too long, the door flung open, and Pia and Ruben were confronted with yet another assault on their privacy. Daija welcomed them in with open arms, the warmth of the house radiating from her first and foremost. The excited girl even took Pia's bags in without so much as a question, leaving a defeated Ruben to wonder why he wasn't getting the same treatment.

    "It's so lovely to finally meet you…"

    "Pia." Ruben finished, stalling the inevitable for just a second longer.

    "Sooo...when did you two meet?"

    "Daij, can we at least put our bags down before the grilling starts? Please?" With a defeated sigh, Ruben's request was granted and the young woman stepped aside for her brother and hopefully future sister in law to enter the house.

    "Thank you for having me." Pia smiled at Ruben's younger sister. Upon entering the house, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. The house looked already impressive from the outside but the inside was even more so. They entered a huge hall with a pair of stairs going upstairs with a door opening in the middle that probably led to the living room. An expensive carpet was laid on the floor and even the wooden details on the walls were painted with golden details. It was quite a sight for the girl who had lived all of her life in poverty. She glanced back at Ruben with wonder in her eyes.

    Ruben led the girl up the stairs and through the hallways. He even peeked behind him before he closed his bedroom door.

    The room was filled with football trophies and old Motostoke FC memorabilia. The type of bedroom you'd expect of a young boy aspiring to be a footballer, not one who'd already made it. Ruben sighed as he looked at Pia. He glanced back at the door and shook his head.

    "This is exactly why I didn't want to make a thing of this," he admitted, pressing his forehead to the door out of sheer frustration."We're gonna be dealin' with that all weekend."

    "I see why you were hesitant before." Pia replied as she let herself fall on Ruben's bed and took a moment to rest. She took her time to examine his room before raising some questions of her own. "I don't think I've ever been greeted that warmly before." She joked.

    "Hmm?" Hearing that stifled Ruben. He'd been hell bent on keeping everything under wraps but he knew Pia didn't come all this way to not meet his family. Somewhere deep down, he appreciated that she even cared to come. If the shoe was on the other foot, there was no way he was meeting a girl's family just two months into a relationship. Few things terrified him more. Still, he was grateful. He walked over to his bed and picked a spot, facing away from Pia, to sit down. "Well, you're popular in these parts. Daija's a big fan and she hasn't even met you properly." Ruben sighed. He turned just his head, to gauge the girl's reaction, before he continued. "She's got a good sense for that sort of thing. Says there's no way I found you myself." He scoffed, almost certain he'd confused her. "She thinks I have terrible taste in girls. Hated every girl I've been with...that she's met...so far." Ruben cleared his throat, hoping Pia would allow him to gloss over the uncomfortable directions that conversation had the potential to go in. The fact she understood gave him some relief, but he still refused to face her as he explained. "Look, I was hesitant because of me, by the way. Not because of you or them...I just felt, with a step like this, you start putting labels on things. You start labelling and all of a sudden things change." Ruben took a sigh before he allowed himself to continue, looking up at a Boltund Blitz poster slapped onto his wall. "I've been the Boltund Blitz since I was fifteen. I started this journey and tried to toss the moniker away like an old shirt and...honestly, I haven't been the same man since. I don't even know who I am. The Boltund Blitz wouldn't have had you in here...not to meet the family anyway. I dunno if it was a bad idea or..."

    Ruben suddenly felt the warmth of someone else's back against his, allowing a quiet moment between him and the girl he had been rambling to. "You're silly." Pia said with a sigh, though it was one of relief upon hearing the reason he was so hesitant had not been her. Then again… what he said at the last bit was a bit worrying. "Things won't change. I don't want them to. I like how they are right now." She continued, staring at the ceiling as she felt Ruben breathing through his back. It was oddly comforting, being back to back like this. It didn't feel as vulnerable as when she was speaking to his face. "It's natural for people to change as they get older. You should be worried if that wasn't the case for you too. We learn from our experiences and grow from them. The Boltund Blitz might not have had me here but what is important now is…" Pia paused. She felt something tugging at her chest, it was kind of painful too. Had she started becoming hopeful? "Ah… What I'm trying to say is: Don't worry so much…"

    There was a moment of quiet between the two once more. Ruben sat forward and finally struggled out of his coat before tossing it aside. The place felt a lot warmer all of a sudden. He looked up at the familiar walls of home, then peered over his shoulder at the girl behind him. Pia McGuire...

    "Pia...you're incredible. I should tell that more often."

    Pia flinched. Those were definitely not words she had expected and they caught her off-guard.

    "And Pia, thanks for being you."

    His words from last time rang in her head again. Almost like some healing ray of some sort… if only he knew. She turned around and showed a bashful smile. Usually she'd have some kind of smart comeback ready but before she could even think of saying anything, the door to Ruben's room flung open with two younger boys posing in the doorway.

    "...And the challengers, from Motostoke, Galar..."

    "Boys…" Ruben called quietly, expressing no excitement in seeing his two younger brothers in the moment.

    "...weighing in at a combined weight of four hundred and seventy seven pounds…"

    "Boys…" Ruben called again with an even deeper sigh. Even they had to know, they didn't weigh two hundred pounds each.

    "Mote-T and Mote-J, they are the Motostoke manglers!" The boys strolled in with their introduction concluded, with Terrell even lingering a couple steps behind to hum their impromptu entrance music.

    "Alright, you've had your fun. You can see I've got company. Go back to your rooms, I'll speak to you at dinner." Ruben sighed, still trying to usher the boys away from their inevitable meeting with Pia.

    "Is she your…?"

    "She's his girlfr-"

    "Boys! Let's go!"

    "Wait wait...we need your help." Jared pleaded, causing Ruben to die just a little more inside, realising he was fighting a losing battle here. "We're playing pro evo and we got Wedgehurst to the ICC final in our career mode…"

    "...but it's against Wyndon and we think we're gonna lose!" Terrell finished, the despair obvious in his voice.

    Ruben looked between the boys and Pia. He glared down at his brother, but their cheese grins easily won out against the weak willed Ruben. He turned to look at Pia who seemed to quite enjoy the mess that had unfolded right in front of her eyes. She was getting used to the little distractions that would occasionally interrupt their alone time.

    "I don't suppose you want to watch?" He shrugged in defeat.

    Ruben managed to get out of the way just in time to avoid Pia getting caught up in the rabble as Terrell and Jared, his two younger brothers, piled on top of him.

    "Boys! Boys!" Ruben scolded, like a farmer trying to reign in his Wooloo. He managed to wrestle himself free, leaving the boys pouting as he climbed to his feet.

    "I'll watch." Pia let out a sigh with a smile plastered on her face and shrugged. Who was she to boil down their little fun? Besides, watching the two younger boys tackle their older brother like this was cute in a way… How Pia had wished she grew up with siblings of her own. It was a warm sight.

    "Alright, boys...wait, I'm not starting?" Ruben gasped in disbelief as they stepped into the room of the two preteens. The sight of a Declan Evans and Taiko Wai-titi strike partnership was horror to the eldest brother's eyes. No Ruben Sancho? He shook his head as he grabbed hold of the controller. "See you've already fucked up th...messed up there." He quickly corrected his foul language but the damage was done. Terrell and Jared glanced at each other with wide eyes, then looked back to Ruben. "Don't tell your sis-" before he could even finish, the boys were sprinting down the stairs, calling out Daija's name. Ruben looked to Pia and rolled his eyes as if to say 'here we go again'.

    The boys soon came stumbling up the stairs, swear jar in hand and Daija following behind. Daija's arms were folded over her oven mitts, apron on her front. She shot a discreet scowl toward Ruben before nodding toward Pia. Ruben shrugged in response and Daija sighed.

    "Really Ruben? You bring a girl here to meet the family and you've got her here watching you play football games?" Daija asked, hands on her hips. "Pia, I'm sorry about him. Can I offer you a drink or anything?"

    "It's fine really." Pia responded, keeping the "I'm used to this" to herself as best as she could. Her emerald green eyes fell upon the apron that the other girl was wearing. More specifically, they fell upon her stomach that was only slightly sticking out. She glanced at Ruben, then back to Daija before getting up. "I won't say no to drink though." Pia gave Ruben a quick peck on his cheek and headed over to his sister standing in the doorway. "I'll be right back."

    Ruben glanced over his shoulder and watched Pia leave, only realising what had just happened once her and Daija had already turned their backs.

    "Shit…" He mumbled to himself, only to be met with a swear jar to the face,.

    "So, I don't suppose you'll be policing my curiosity like my brother has been so far?" Daija questioned, as the two duo walked down the stairs, with a hint of a threat in her tone. The young woman was clearly sick of being deprived of gossip. "How did the two of you meet, if you don't mind me asking."

    Pia was surprised by the sudden turn the conversation took the moment they left the boys to their devices. Not that she had not expected it… but the directness was still a surprise. It definitely ran in their family.

    "Well, we went to the Trainer school together here in Wedgehurst." Pia answered, although remembering they never really saw each other a lot or actually had a conversation before Motostoke happened… "Well… not that he showed up a lot. I guess we "met" in Motostoke during a dinner." She responded more truthfully, a bit uncomfortable by the fact that she would have to explain to her that it was over a double date her brother had in which his "best friend" was her "actual date". So she conveniently left those details out.

    "During a dinner?" Daija repeated. More than anything, she couldn't believe Pia really that that was all the details she'd have to give. It wasn't long before the two found themselves in the kitchen, where Daija climbed up onto the kitchen counter to pull a couple of wine glasses from a rack. "Oh, soft or…"

    "Ah…" Pia made a noise upon the sight of the younger girl grabbing glasses that would usually bear alcohol beverages… not only did Pia remember the awful display she had shown at Route 3 after having one glass of Glühwein but if her guess was right, should Daija really be drinking? And how would she bring this up without offending someone from Ruben's family…? "I don't really drink." She mentioned quickly with a smile, hoping to have diverted the situation like that.

    "Soft it is~" The younger girl sang, barely changing course at all. She grabbed the red wine bottle from the wine rack and began to pour it into her glass. "I hope you don't mind if I do." She added. "What do you go for? We've got orange juice, cranberry juice, cordial, fizzy drinks…"

    Pia had her internal panic mode activated when Daija put the bottle of wine in front of them on the counter. She had to think quickly.

    "Just water is fine." Pia answered in an attempt to delay the younger girl even further. Daija smiled, brought the glass to the tap to pour in water and while she did that, Pia quickly thought of every possible action she could take that would lead to the best outcome. Unfortunately, there was only one option that would not make her look like a complete idiot. Daija turned back towards Pia and put in the glass of water in front of her while Pia prepared herself for what was to come. "I couldn't help but notice…" she began and carefully pointed towards her belly with her eyes. "Are you…?"

    Daija flinched at that, dropping her glass in the process. Her head dropped and her free arm reflexively fell down to protect her stomach. The sound of the shattering glass shot through the house, and soon Ruben was peering down from the staircase to make sure everything was going smoothly.

    "Yo, everything good?" The concerned older brother called down.

    Daija quickly looked to Pia, an intensity about her, as she shook her head. Pia immediately understood. So it was sort of a secret...

    "Everything's good! Don't worry!" Pia yelled back upstairs, not showing any discomfort in her voice. The moment Rube was gone, she turned back to the counter and started gathering the bigger pieces of glass one by one in the palm of her hand. Daija knelt down and started helping her collect the shards.

    "I...sorta haven't told him yet." Daija whispered. "Well I tried but…" The girl shook her head as she wrestled with the thoughts in her mind. She glanced down at her stomach, only just now realising how much it stuck out when the apron was tied. She quickly loosened the string belt. "Please don't tell him."

    "I won't, my lips are sealed." Pia reassured her. She could sort of understand why it was a secret because of her age but this is also not the sort of thing you can keep to yourself forever. There was a quiet moment between the two but it was really so that Pia could listen if any of the boys were about to head downstairs. Once she made sure the coast was clear she turned back to Daija.

    "I've seen how you act over your younger brothers and Ruben. I'm positive you'll make a great mother." Pia started, not sure how far she should let her mouth run but it was clear to her that the younger girl had worries. That much was shown from trembling she was showing as she picked up the shards alongside Pia. The silence was a bit off-putting so the older of the two continued. "My mother… She raised me alone. No other family around to help us. I was told she was an orphan and moved to Galar in hope for better opportunities." Her own mention of her mother felt strange. Despite the disappointment and resentment she held over her, she found herself proud at those little details at least. If only she had chosen a better direction towards the end…

    "I…" Daija began, the tears quickly welling up in her eyes and lump swelling in her throat. She took a deep breath and let it all sink back in before turning away from Pia for a moment. "I'm so sorry to hear that. At least I know my daughter has a chance." The younger girl smiled, a hand on her stomach again. "Sounds like your mum had to work real hard and it all worked out okay. Honestly, Ruben loves to sing her praises but I think if I can be a better mum than mine, I'll be happy."

    "I'm sure you will." Was all Pia could muster up to reply with a small smile spreading across her lips. She took all the remaining shards of glass and brought it to the bin. Daija followed her and did the same. "It'll be a girl then? Already have a name for her?" The girl threw in some light heartedness in an attempt to make Daija feel more comfortable with the situation. Before Daija even got the chance to react, they heard the bouncing of footsteps coming downstairs, three pairs to be exact. The two younger boys rushed to the kitchen with their older brother following closely behind them.

    "Daija! Guess what!" Jared exclaimed with Terrell nodding running close behind and a reluctant but upbeat Ruben sighing from exhaustion. It was only when they reached the kitchen that Daija realised Jared had Ruben's phone in his hands. "Ruben's back in the team this weekend! He's gonna be playing on Sunday! Look! Are we gonna go and watch?"

    Pia looked visibly confused and concerned at the same time upon hearing that message. He already had a game not even a week away. He was going to have another one so soon while his ankle was still hurting? She already didn't like the idea of the last one either… she crossed her arms. The girl next to her was even more put off by the revelation.

    Daija rolled her tongue in her cheek, watching as the two younger boys celebrated with their older brother, who allowed himself to get excited in the commotion.

    "Ruben…" Daija said sternly, clearing the air from her throat. She wasn't at all put off by the innocent look he responded with. "Isn't this weekend a little early for you?" She squinted. He suspicion was mounting and despite being the buzzkill of the room, the girl stood her ground even while questioning was being intercepted by Terrell.

    "Daijaaa...we haven't seen him play in a whole year! Can't we jus-"

    "Go upstairs boys. I'll call you for dinner in a minute." She responded sharply. The mild protest of the boys were countered with a glare that in no uncertain terms communicated that the suggestion was non-negotiable. Once they finished stroppily ambling up the stairs, Daija refocused her attention to a very confused looking Ruben. "I spoke to Stitch…" was all Daija needed to say for Ruben to realise where things had gone wrong. "Ruben won't be fit until mid March, at the earliest, and match fit we're looking at early April was I believe the date he quoted me…"

    "I got a quick recovery." Ruben shrugged, a guilty smirk on his face. The jest in his tone quickly simmered as he noticed Daija wasn't laughing with him.

    "Ruben, if you actually let it recover, you could've been fit months ago! I know Stitch has told you that." Daija huffed in response, only to be dismissed by a nonchalant Ruben. The girl stressed her fingers through her hair as her older brother waved her off and opted to slip off into the living room. "I'm not dealing with him right now." The younger girl grumbled with clenched fists as she stormed back into the kitchen fully.

    Pia watched as the two siblings both left to a different part of the house. Daija to the kitchen and Ruben to the living room. What Daija said was concerning to the girl so she followed Ruben to the expensive leather chesterfield couch that he planted his behind on.

    "It wasn't just that one time then? It's an actual injury?" Pia questioned the boy, sounding just a slightly bit hurt for having been kept in the dark about it. "Why didn't you tell me...?" Were the first words that left her mouth immediately after.

    "Pia...we don't need to make a thing of this." Ruben sighed. He grabbed the remote and turned the TV on to drown out whatever was coming next. "There's nothing to tell."

    "..." Pia wasn't amused by how she was being waved away. She indeed didn't want to make a thing of this, she didn't have the right knowing she was keeping so much to herself as well but this… it felt different. She sat down next to him on the couch and turned herself towards him. "I can't support you and possibly help you if you won't tell me what's going on…"

    "Pia…" The footballer repeated with a grumble, failing to mask the growing frustration. He slouched in his seat and turned his body away from the girl, claiming a footrest for the ankle that was being so heavily scrutinised at present.

    Pia stared at him for a short while, then let out a very deep sigh. It was no use… he wouldn't budge. It was very frustrating but she also didn't want to ruin the atmosphere. It was already nerve wrecking enough to have met his family for the first time. Pia stood up and left towards the kitchen, throwing one more glance at him while in the door opening before retreating towards his younger sister. As she did though, the girl brushed past her and stepped out the front door, tears in her eyes.

    "Daija?" Pia called out her name but the girl shook her head and closed the door behind her. Poor girl… she had probably been so worried for her brother and he's not taking it seriously. On top of that, now she's also carrying a baby he does not know about. What a family situation Pia got herself in… that she shouldn't involve herself in.

    … but we all know Pia. Pia couldn't let it go.

    She rushed back towards the living room and got in front of the TV that currently had Ruben's full attention.

    "Apologize." She almost demanded with crossed arms and a light glare. Now that all eyes were gone, she could be a bit more comfortable with this.

    "Hmm…?" Ruben grumbled, unsure how this situation was still going. He looked out the window, where Daija was hurrying down the road. "Pia...you realise, I've done nothing, right? Daija gets like this sometimes. She'll be back. Let's just chill out, watch a movie or something."

    "She's been worried sick for you and it was well-placed from the sound of it." Pia did not relent and moved herself in positions where Ruben was trying to go around her to watch the TV. "Take your injury more seriously… I saw at that end of the year market how it wasn't really healed at all yet."

    Ruben glanced up at the girl, the steel in her eyes making it clear she wouldn't be moved on this...but he wasn't about to budge either. With a sigh, he climbed to his feet and reached out to hug Pia, peering over her shoulder to watch the TV as he did so. Pia's face turned red by the sudden body contact, she still wasn't quite used to this. Still, she tried to struggle out of his grasp.

    "No no no. You don't get to sweet talk your way out of this." Pia fussed herself over his current behaviour, his grasp was a bit stronger than she expected. "Apologize to Daija! AND promise me you'll take better care of yourself."

    Ruben let out an exasperated sigh and released the girl as she fought off his affection.

    "Pia...I'm a footballer, we get injured. It happens. Max Power's out there scoring six goals a game and I'm supposed to catch him sitting here playing house? Look, if Daija thinks I'm gonna apologise for putting food on the table, she's out of her mind. Pia…" Ruben stopped himself before he turned on her too. He grabbed the girl again, but this time unaffectionately. He shifted her out of the way of the TV. "There's certain things a man's got to do." Ruben finished with a shrug, turning away from her.

    "Max Power isn't footballing with an ankle injury." Pia shot back at him, very agitated that he shoved her out of the way.

    "Lucky him." Ruben grumbled under his breath, trying to step out of the room but having his path blocked by the girl again.

    "Daija is not worried about the food on the table. She's worried about you. What are you going to do if this gets worse and it never gets better?" Pia put her hands in her waist and pushed herself very close to him, not that it mattered as Ruben was easily a head taller than her. "We are not worried about your football legacy, you'll do fine. You're great. I've seen you." Pia noticed the boy's demeanour soften as she said that, but she didn't let up. "We are worried about your health, Ruben." Pia spat with a more worried look on her face.

    Ruben pursed his lips, struggling to look the girl in her eyes.

    "I can worry about my health. I've got a nutritionist, physio and a fitness coach for that." He responded coldly, a croak in his voice.

    "Then I'm going to assume you're not telling them the truth about the pain you sometimes experience yourself in." Pia immediately replied. "I mean… you wouldn't even tell me what was going on…"

    "I didn't want to think about it. I still don't." He sighed, letting himself fall back onto the sofa again. "I wanted a quiet night in, weekend with my girlfriend. Last thing that even crossed my mind was 'can I play on the ankle'. Now all of a sudden we're making a big thing of it."


    Pia flinched. The whole mention of her being his girlfriend was an odd feeling. A very odd one. She shook her head and sighed. This guy was as stubborn as a Tauros and the more they got into it, the more she found herself more annoyed. Not because he hadn't told her the truth about his ankle… he just seemed to not care about his own health despite the situation he was in. He just wouldn't understand.

    "If you can't relent right now... If you absolutely must play football... then at least let me support you so it doesn't get worse." Pia said with another sigh and came a bit closer again. "And apologize to Daija. I can see it has really been playing on her mind."

    Ruben stared at the TV for at least seven seconds. Eight seconds? Maybe eight seconds. Ruben held his nerve for a whole eight seconds before he finally glanced at Pia, who hadn't lost an ounce of resolve. He turned forward again. A defeated sigh probably told the girl all she needed to know.

    "I'll tell her she can come back. Tell her I called you my girlfriend too, sure she'll love that." He sighed, his use of the word finally sinking in, although causing him to flinch on the second attempt. He grabbed the remote, anything to distract from the increasingly uncomfortable topic, and aimlessly flicked through channels. "I'm still playing on Sunday though." He reassured himself aloud.

    Pia blushed at his use of the word "girlfriend" again. His quick mentioning of his upcoming match was all but reassuring but she at least won this battle… somewhat. She sat down on the couch next to him, a bit evasive still. This whole dating stuff was tiring…

    Ruben broke his gaze on the TV to look longingly at Pia. He thought to himself for a moment, before smirking. He shuffled over and gently nudged the girl, just enough to unbalance her before quickly shuffling back with a triumphant chuckle and a smug smirk back at her.

    Pia glanced over at where Ruben had retreated to, the smirk throwing her off a bit. She knew exactly what he wanted and it was hard to stay mad at him when he was like this but she also couldn't let him win this one.

    Ruben's excitement faltered slightly, not getting the response he'd hoped for. Usually it was Pia who started the shoving matches, so Ruben was certain she'd be game. Disheartened, he returned to a central position on the couch and invited the girl in but still she held firm. Ruben bit his lip and even mouthed a curse before he spoke his next few words.

    "Look, I'll take it easy from now on. And I'm sorry about the 'playing house' comment. That was kind of a dick move."

    "At least come see me before your next match… I'll wrap your ankle before that…" Pia relented with a defeated sigh. She moved closer to Ruben and rested her head on his shoulder.

    Ruben's frown slowly grew into a smile as he felt the warmth of Pia's head on his shoulder. How could he not smile?

    "Pia, I swear you're incred-"

    Ruben was interrupted by the sudden shove from the girl next to him. It took him by surprise and was hard enough to push him from the sofa. Now that he had promised to take better care of himself, she did not have to hold back anymore. She smirked at the boy.

    "Argh!" Ruben groaned in pain. The moment he hit the floor, he clutched onto his ankle, grimacing in sheer agony. "Fuck...I don't think I'm gonna make it to Sunday." The footballer cried out, a hand over his face, as he rolled in his despair.

    "O-Oh! Sorry I didn't mean to do it that hard!" Pia's smirk immediately faltered upon the sight. She bent down towards him in an attempt to tend to his ankle.

    The screams of anguish broke into heavy laughter. Ruben's hands went from his ankle to his stomach. His head fell back to the ground. The boy was in stitches and he couldn't hold it in anymore. He pushed himself up on his forearms meeting Pia's concerned gaze with a tearful but victorious snicker.

    "Ruben!" Pia yelled annoyed. How insensitive to make a joke about it right after! Though… his laughing was contagious and soon got her laughing as well.

    The door clicked beneath the laughter. Daija stepped through the doorway. Alarmed by what she was hearing, she peeked into the living room to see Pia and Ruben sitting on the floor just being silly. The girl stepped back out of sight and wiped the tears from her eyes. She couldn't help the warm smile that grew on her face.




    ​

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]



    Pia's Party

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]

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    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]


    ​

    Pia's journal

    Arrietty Maverick
    Pia and Arrietty met in the Wild Area although the two have shared classes before. It struck Pia as odd that the girl seemed to have no ambitions or goals at all. Although disappointed upon finding out this girl had no fire burning that would light her path, Pia made it her mission to help this girl get a goal and become a bit more social. Arrietty is the closest Pia can consider a "friend".

    Ruben Sancho
    Pia met Ruben during Motostoke while on a double date with him, Arrietty and Ainsley. The date went disastrous with both Arrietty and Ainsley running off but Ruben and Pia were able to grow just a tiny bit closer during their search for Arrietty. They have been texting since and are on good terms with each other. They both seem to be interested in just a little bit more...

    Ruben and Pia are officially dating since the end of the year festival on Route 3 following their "official second date" that went well. Pia knows about Ruben's ankle and that it's still hurting. They're in close contact with each other through calling and texting. They went on another date on Route 4 where Ruben had a gig for a coaching session with kids with the promise to spend time together after that. Both confirmed their feelings for the other by sharing a kiss. Pia likes him a lot.

    Their relationship became public knowledge when a picture of Ruben staring down Pia's shirt was shared on social media and all gossip magazines. Ruben has been hiding it from Pia but as they went shopping, Pia got vocally attacked by a group of girls calling her out for being a whore and having no dignity. Ruben stood up for her and made their relationship public knowledge, no longer wanting to submit Pia to such harassment. Ruben publicly announced he likes Pia a lot and that they have been dating as opposed to what he has been saying before. Pia still doesn't know about the picture that's going around.

    Raphael Allard
    Pia met Raphael during her train ride to the wild Area together with Aeliana. Thinking that he had a lot of potential in becoming a chamption which would benefit her, Pia approached him thinking they could become friends. Their interactions didn't go as smoothly as Pia had hoped. After their argument at the end of her battle with Aeliana, the girl ran off thinking she had blown her chances. Raphael doesn't harbour any ill intend towards the girl and only hoped to give her some advice.

    They have resolved their issues in Galar mine 1 and worked together to battle Oleana in which they were victorious. Raphael brought the issues with Pia's overprotectiveness of Milla back up on Route 4 when Pia was refusing Milla from battling. Raphael spoke some sense into her, prompting her to finally trust Milla. Raphael understands Pia better now and Pia has a better opinion of Raphael now too.

    Aeliana Kekoa
    Pia met Aeliana during the train ride to the wild Area together with Raphael. Although her interactions with Aeliana went a little bit more smoothly than with Raphael, Pia still ran off at the end of their battle in an attempt to distract her since Pia owed her money for losing. Although Pia has declared Aeliana her rival, they haven't spoken since and Pia attempts to keep it that way.

    Pia met Aeliana again on Route 3 when she was on her way to the end of the year market. Together with Rosa and Valerie they went into an haunted mansion. Although they didn't converse much, Aeliana made some comments that Pia saw as snarky that were meant well by Aeliana. This indicates that Pia still thinks that Aeliana is out to get her.

    Ainsley
    Ainsley was Pia's date partner during the double date in Motostoke and is Ruben's best friend. Ainsley pretended to be rich and paid for the date with Ruben's money. Pia saw through the charade and called him out on it after Ainsley suggested they'd book a hotel together and make love. He ran off afterwards, angry that the feelings of lust he harboured towards Pia were not returned. Pia doesn't think highly of Ainsley and told Ruben that he needs "better friends".

    Melody Argent
    Although Pia and Melody attended the same Trainer school and were in the same class, they never once teamed up for an assignment. Both didn't have a very good impression of the other and avoided them like the plague. It's not until the Festival Fun-time Flurry that they have tried teaming up to win a competition as both of them were interested in the prize. They chased down a cheater together and have a better opinion of each other since their teamwork. They figured out that they're a pretty good team actually. Both of them thinks "the other is not so bad after all".

    Valerie Amity
    Pia met Valerie on route 3 where they went inside a haunted mansion together with Aeliana and Rosa. They didn't get to converse much but it was enough for them to establish some sort of familiarity. Valerie calls Pia "Lady P" as a nickname. Pia thinks of Valerie as someone with too much energy but not a bad person overall, maybe a little too naïve.

    Rosa Valdés
    Pia met Rosa on Route 3 and went inside a haunted mansion together with Aeliana and Valerie. They were stuck inside a room together where Rosa found golden nuggets and shared one with Pia. Rosa's small moments of kindness seemed insincere in Pia's eyes, someone who is well versed with duality. When Rosa left the end of the year market after they had gotten out of the haunted mansion, Pia followed her and saw her crying. Pia comforted the crying Rosa but as soon as Rosa had gotten herself together again, Pia fell the need to call her out on her duality, telling her that how she was acting now was quite different from before. Rosa denied at first but as soon as Pia had driven her into a corner, she stopped trying. After Jirachi appeared for a brief second, Rosa walked off. They're neither on bad or good terms but both have things they probably need to speak off.

    Simon Pearburgh
    Pia met Simon in Galar Mine 1. Pia thought nothing more of him than a bug nerd. They partnered up to battle against Oleana and his clever strategies impressed Pia, prompting her to compliment him after their shared life/death situation on Route 4. They're neutral with each other.

    Catherine Carlisle
    Yeah.... Pia really doesn't like Catherine but she enjoys getting under her skin.

    Kit
    Pia met Kit in the Wild Area. Kit had been trying to catch a Pokémon for days but had yet to catch one. He begged the girl to help him in exchange for money and a strange rock that he found. Pia taught him how to catch a Pokémon but after hearing that Kit is in search for his father, she decided to only take the strange rock as her reward and left the pouch with Poké behind for the boy to keep. Kit seems to have developed a crush for her because of that.

    ​
    Trainer ID

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]

    Pia McGuire:

    Pia was born in the town of Hammerlocke in the Galar region and is part of the first graduating class of the Wedgehurt trainer's academy. Despite having lived in poverty, her mother has been able to pay for her tuition in alternative ways. She's quick witted and rather clever but is sometimes a bit "too" honest. Pia dreams of becoming an actress and does almost anything to get more money. When it comes down to it, what she really wants is to no longer live in poverty and live a bit more happily.

    Inventory:

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]



    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      4x Pokéball
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      Galarian Pokédex
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      Xtransceiver
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      Broken Flashlight
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      King's Rock
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      Sun Stone
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
      Thunderstone


    Outfits:

    Daily Outfit:
    Spoiler:


    Contest outfit:
    Spoiler:


    Ribbons:

    Badges:

    Turffield Grass badge
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]


    ​


     
    Last edited:
    MurkMire

    MurkMire

    [font=special elite][color=#FF3399]Toxic Terror[/c
    910
    Posts
    12
    Years


    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]

    Name: Clovis Solanine
    Age: 20
    Gender: Male
    Current Party    :
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]



    Chapter 7-1: Aeliana, Clovis, and Crackling Disco

    Featuring....
    Spoiler:
    ​


    Coming up the path to Route 5, Clovis walked… sluggishly. With the excitement of Turffield being more than the young genius could ever have expected, the life seemed to be drained from his very being. But, just as Clovis tried to escape any more exciting events, an upbeat rhythm seemed to echo further down the path. "Oh, no… what else? What else is going to happen?" He sighed, but continued on the dirt path.

    ​

    *thud, thud, thud, thud*

    Some small, yellow being stomped out of a patch of tall grass nearby, with a look of pure rage. It's hands, clasped upon what Clovis assumed to be their ears or their head. I don't blame the Elekid. This music is… mind-numbing. But before he knew it, Elekid turned to meet Clovis, and glared at him. "... Oh, damnit."

    "BEEE! BEEE-BEBEBE!"

    It began to swing it's arms wildly, charing up an Electric attack from the horns on it's head. "Wait, wait, wait! I can help stop that music! I'm not responsible for it!" "BEEEEE!"

    "AUAAAHGGHH"

    "...."

    *thump, thump, thump, thump*

    Elekid stomped off towards the source of the noise, while Clovis was left in the fetal position on the ground, trying to protect himself. "Why… why me?" He remained there, curled up, trying to be a Dottler. Protected. Safe.

    Making her way across the route at that same moment came none other than Aeliana Kekoa. The pink-haired trainer was stepping in tune to the beat she was hearing, all the while accompanied by a grooving Croconaw. Tampa's tail swished back and forth to the upbeat rhythm, a broad smile on her face as she pumped her arms with every beat.

    "I had no idea there was gonna be such a thumpin' good jam on the route! Whoever is blasting this music has absolutely amazing taste!" Aeliana exclaimed as she glanced down at her dancing partner.

    Tampa replied with an enthusiastic nod. She hopped up onto her tail and spun around, only stopping when a familiar sight caught her eye. Green hair, constant frown, look of absolute boredom… Her eyes lit up! Now she remembered who that human was! They met back during that ceremony at Motosoke! The blue gator immediately hopped back down onto her feet, quickly tugging on Aeliana's pants leg to get the trainer's attention, who was all but breaking into an outright boogie at this point. The Alolan was practically swinging her hips back and forth, arms over her head as she pumped them up and down with the world around her quickly vanishing from sight.

    "Huh…? What is it, Tampa?" the trainer asked as she snapped back to reality. The Croconaw pointed to the glasses-wearing trainer on the ground, Aeliana's lavender eyes growing wide as she recognized him as well. "Clovis…? Tapu Lele, what in the world happened to you?!"

    "A… a very unhappy Elekid," he groaned, before he stood back up and dusted himself off, and shook off what bits of "paralysis" plagued him. "Ugh… that damn music... and that Elekid. I WILL catch it!" He boasted, while pulling a vacant Pokeball. Deep down, he just needed an excuse to get away from the pink-haired trainer having seen him so crumpled, and to avoid getting soaked again.

    So, he ran off, cackling as he ran off towards the source of the music.

    The remaining duo looked at each other. Clovis was very… distressed, to say the least. It was clear that whatever happened to him was getting him pretty worked up. To a degree, the pinkette wanted to leave the boy alone. She had never seen him so fired up like this. Even back during the opening ceremony in Motosoke, Clovis looked as if he was sitting at his grandmother's funeral.

    "We should… lend him a hand," Aeliana decided. She motioned for Tampa to follow, the Croconaw waddling off as quickly as she could behind her trainer. "Hey, Clovis! Wait up!"

    Damnit. She's following. Why do I feel like I'm going to walk to Hulbury soaked? He continued to run, but he knew. He knew.

    The sound of a disco themed song rang out into the open air. As Clovis reached the bridge that extends towards the next location, a pair of Pokemon of similar species. It was a pair of Ludicolo, dancing happily and with great style. The music seemed to be sourced near them, yet nothing could be seen that would determine said source. The same Elekid could be seen, holding his head with one hand and shaking it violently at the Ludicolo.

    "Bee! BEEE! BE-BE-BEE!" But, the Ludicolo paid no mind to the furious Electric Pokemon. Instead, they continued to dance to the sound of pulsating disco. Clovis could feel Elekid's pain, as he too held his head in discomfort. "Why are they blocking the way…?" He groaned, rubbing his temples.

    "Woah, look at those two!" Aeliana exclaimed. A broad smile stretched across her lips as she watched the Ludicolo dancing. "Just looking at those two makes me wanna throw down with them!"

    Tampa seemed to be on the same wavelength as her trainer. The Croconaw began to swish her tail in rhythm with the music in the air. She threw her hands up in the air, hopping from one foot to the next as she began to spin in circles.

    Elekid, however, was stomping the ground. He began to charge up another Electric attack. Curious how this would play out, Clovis looked on. But… he saw something strange about the Ludicolo. They were also observing the tantrum Pokemon, and with a nod, they grew mischievous grins. Continuing to dance on, one of them edged closer, aggravating Elekid even more. "These Pokemon… know what they're doing? Were they ordered to block the bridge off? Why?" He questioned with no resolve, as the spectacle before him absorbed his attention.

    "B-B-BEEE!" Raucous cries echoed along with the obnoxious music, as lightning flew from Elekid's horns with little regard for targets. However, Clovis, Aeliana and Tampa weren't close enough to be in danger. The Ludicolo that was dancing in Elekid's personal space… somehow dodged out of the way while dancing. Even at such close range. So astounding, such grace and masterful movement made Clovis' jaw drop for a moment.

    Aeliana stopped dancing as she watched the exchange between the Ludicolo and Clovis' Elekid. She can feel the irritation being exuded from her fellow trainer. The pink-haired trainer offered Clovis a smile as she patted the boy on his shoulder.

    "Ease up, Clovis. You're being so aggressive that you're ruining their mood. Here, take a deep breath and lemme handle it," she said.

    The trainer makes her way to the dancing Pokémon with a calm expression on her face. "Alola, dudes! This is a pretty sweet jam you guys have pumping out here! I could get down and boogie to this all day! Problem is that me and bud here need to get on the road to Hulbury. You mind lettin' us shimmy on through?"

    The Ludicolo kept on dancing, however. It was almost as if the trainer wasn't even there. Aeliana opened her mouth, reaching out to tap the Pokémon on its shoulder. Suddenly, without warning, the Ludicolo spun around and lowered its head before taking aim and blasting the Alolan with a burst of chilling water through a Water Gun attack.

    "It's not even MY Elekid… yet," he muttered in agitation. He was taking notes, and making a small drawing from memory while Aeliana tried diplomacy. But, by the time Clovis finished, he saw Aeliana meet disappointment, via a Water Gun attack.

    "Well. Doesn't this seem familiar?" He smirked, before trying to step closer to the Elekid. "Hey, you need to calm down, and listen to me! I have a plan to get these lugs out of our way." "Beee…?!" The small Electric Pokemon turned, a nasty look in his eyes. "Here, let me introduce you to my partner. Cortex, I need your assistance," he called, as he held up the Pokeball, the Dottler appearing before Elekid. "Bee?" Elekid grunted, looking at both Clovis and Cortex curiously. "... Bee?" Elekid chirped at Cortex. "Bee? Bee-Be-Be?"
    "..."
    "..."
    "...."
    "...."
    "....."
    "... Bee."

    Cortex and Elekid seemed to speak… silently. Eventually, Elekid sighed, and looked up at Clovis disappointedly, nodding in agreement. "Excellent, you won't stay disappointed." Tucking away the Pokeball, Clovis turned to Aeliana, and gestured for everyone to huddle up.

    Aeliana shook some of the water out of her now drenched hair before making her way towards Clovis. Tampa was right behind her, though not without shooting a dirty look towards the Ludicolo duo. "So… what's up?"

    "Here's what we'll need to do. Aeliana, you and I will battle the Ludicolo. But considering how strong they are, we may not be able to beat them… fairly. Elekid, that's where you come in." "Bee?" Elekid looked at Clovis in confusion. "Elekid, see behind me that building?" With a head gesture to his right, Elekid saw that same building a lot of people frequent.

    "Bee? Bee-Be-Be?" Genuinely confused, it thought that running around with eggs won't help anything. "What you'll do, Elekid, is sneak around the building, to try getting behind the Ludicolo. But, I'll need you to wait behind the treeline. Once both Ludicolo pass the point where you are to get to us, you'll run up and grab at least one of them, then fire off an Electric-attack. Make sense?" Elekid… wasn't too sure of this plan. But, they may make for good way to wear them down. "Bee," grunted the Elekid, with a short nod. "Aeliana, we need to draw in the Ludicolo so Elekid can jump them. We'll provide back up. You got it?" He asked as he turned to face her, adjusting his glasses while waiting for her reply.

    "That seems kind of dirty…" Aeliana whispered in response to Clovis' plan. The pink-haired trainer shrugged. "Well, not kind of. It is… But I guess we don't have any way around it, huh? Alright, let's do it then."

    *click*

    "Innn-kay?" Id, popping out of their ball again, looked at Clovis. Then at Cortex. Then at Clovis. "Hmm… Cortex, I'd like to give Id this chance," he says as he kneels down and pats his shell. Warily, Cortex looks over at the Inkay smirking, but realizes they should also battle. A small nod came from the Dottler. "Well, okay… Cortex, return." Beaming his partner back into the ball, Clovis stood up, and looked at Id sternly. "No funny business… too much. Okay?" Id responded by giving what can only be described as a "tentacles up."

    "Alright, Tampa… Give him a hand," Aeliana says to her Croconaw companion. Tampa offers and excited smile before glancing over to her new partner. She offers the Inkay a gleeful wave, going as far as to hold out her scaly hand for a quick handshake.

    "Innn… eh," groaned the Inkay, lazily placing a tentacle in Tampa's claw.

    Excellent! As far as Tampa is concerned, a new friend has been made. She began to make her way back towards the dancing Ludicolo, motioning for Clovis' Inkay to follow. The boy may not think much of their chances, but she's determined to prove him wrong as she can feel the thrill of the ensuing battle already rushing through her stubby, blue body.

    "Ludi-colo? Colo-Ludi." Both Ludicolo smirked at each other, music still pumping from some unknown source. They noticed the trainers and their Pokemon about to put up a fight, and begin to laugh while dancing. "Elekid, go," Clovis muttered. And with that, Elekid ducked into the tall grass, hopefully following through with the plan.

    Clovis took an assertive step forward, a glare in his eyes. No one ruins my day and gets away with it. "Id, use Psybeam, let's go." "In-KAAYY" A bursting stream of light shot forward, aimed at the left Ludicolo.

    "Tampa, let's show them how to really get down! Use Dragon Dance!" Aeliana called out. Tampa beams at the right Ludicolo. She begins to swish her tail back and forth, once more dancing to the beat of the music coming from… wherever it was.

    Left Ludicolo jumps out of the way, and shoots a Water Gun in retaliation. Right Ludicolo just keeps dancing, but styling on Tampa with more impressive dance moves.

    Tampa seemed to not let the Ludicolo's gloating get her riled up, nor did Aeliana for that matter. The pink-haired trainer called for the Croconaw to use another Dragon Dance. Tampa's shuffling began to pick up in pace as her hips swayed back and forth before she began to bounce about on her tail.

    With that Water Gun, Inkay manages to "slither" out of the way in mid-air. "Excellent, Id! Use another Psybeam!" "In-KAY!" Another fire, but this one strikes, knocking Ludicolo on the ground. "CO-loooo… Luuudi…." Struggling, Left Ludicolo gets up, and begins to "angrily dance" as he stomped to the beat.

    The right Ludicolo seemed to be getting more annoyed by Tampa's attempts to keep up with his dancing. His moves begin to become much more animated. He even goes as far as to try and take a swing at the Croconaw. Tampa managed to dodge by hopping backwards, keeping balanced on her tail all the while.

    "Tampa, Aqua Jet now!" Aeliana commanded.

    The Croconaw hops back down to her feet, before propelling herself into the right Ludicolo. As expected, the dancing Pokémon managed to effortlessly shrug off the sudden blow. However before he can react, Aeliana is already calling out for her Croconaw to attack with an Ice Fang. Tampa's jaws began to emit a frosty breath, before she suddenly snapped down onto the Ludicolo's fist with her razor-sharp, ice-covered fangs.

    "C-C-C-COLOOO!" Right Ludicolo shivers, and cries in pain, dancing slower than normal and trying to shake off the freezing claptrap. Left Ludicolo hits Id with a Razor Leaf, striking it pretty hard with a critical hit. However… both of them are pretty distracted.

    "Bee… bee, bee." Elekid, popping out from the treeline, sneaks up behind, and grabs Left Ludicolo. "COLO?!" It's eyes, bulging, it's mouth, agape. "BeeeeeeEE!" Sparks are now beginning to fly, Elekid is preparing a Thunderbolt attack. "Alright, Inkay, Hypnosis!" To the Left Ludicolo, spirals of multicolored light swelled from Id, causing it to slow, and slowly sleep where it stood. "Alright Elekid, light up that rabble rouser!" "BEEEEEE!" Left Ludicolo was zapped full force, with Elekid refusing to let go with all of his being.

    The right Ludicolo turns to see his partner in a bit of a pinch, being double-teamed by both Elekid and Clovis' Inkay. However, this distraction was all that Tampa needed. The blue gator releases her vice grip on the Pokémon's fist, before suddenly jumping onto Ludicolo's shoulder. She gave him a broad smirk, before suddenly chomping down onto his shoulder with another Ice Fang. The Ludicolo squawked loudly with pain, tumbling over onto his backside just as Tampa hopped off.

    As Tampa hopped off, so did Elekid, Left Ludicolo falling to the ground bill first.


    "Luh… Colo…."
    "Luh… Colo…."

    Somehow, as the Ludicolo were knocked out, the music stopped. But too tired to care about abnormal music playing only during action sequences, he glared once again, before sighing. "I don't care anymore. Id, come back. I think Elekid will be more than enough to wrap up this madness."

    Id, slithering in the air to Clovis' side with a nasty grin on his face, waiting in eagerness to see the light show. Elekid was dusting his hands off as he walked between the Ludicolo… and stopped. It began to cackle, with a "KEEE-kikiki… BEEEEE!" Before firing off one last attack, both Ludicolo jump started, they flew like Crobat, back towards Turffield. But not before Clovis noticed that one of the Ludicolo dropped something that looked strung together with a rubber band.

    "Beee-bebebe! Beee-hehehe!" Elekid laughed and flexed, the battle was won.

    Aeliana looked around, a small sigh escaping her lips. "Awww… What happened to the music…? It was so good!"

    "Doesn't matter, I don't have a headache anymore. That's more than enough for me," groaned Clovis, as he walked up to the bundled item on the ground. Bending down, he saw about 500 Poke, and a card… of a very strange looking individual. "Uhhh… what the hell is this?"

    Aeliana peered over Clovis' shoulder. "Looks like a League Card, but… I've never seen anyone like this before." Her eyes squint, thinking tactfully over her next few words. "He looks… interesting."

    The trainer on said card is… odd-looking. To say the least. A look of an older man, somewhere at late 20s to early 30s. His clothing is a mix of yellow and purple, with a style of an archaic style known to some as "disco." An open, purple jacket with no shirt underneath. He seems to be very fit. Slim, purple pants with a belt, adorned with a glittering star as a belt buckle. He's wearing boots, dark purple with yellow lining across the bottom of the boots. Around his neck and hanging down a bit from the front is a simple, yet very stylish, yellow scarf. And lastly… his head. Sunglasses, rimmed with what looks like gold and silver lenses. Earrings, also seemingly made of glittering gold, with small hoops. And… his hair. Oh, his hair. It's an abnormally large afro. Abnormally. Large. So astonishing to Clovis, he mutters absent-mindedly, "What the hell is wrong with his hair?" The afro is split strangely perfectly between white and red. Like a Pokeball.

    "I… I can't even make sense of this trainer card. However… I… I can't just leave this on the ground," as he quietly pockets the money at the same time. "Uh… Aeliana… this… gentleman seems right up your avenue. Would you like this?"

    "No, I couldn't possibly," Aeliana replied almost too quickly. "It was your daring plan that won us that skirmish, after all."

    Clovis grimaced, and woefully tucked away the trainer card. Maybe someone will buy it from him. "Well. I guess that's over. Finally. Now…" Slowly, he turned. He saw Elekid was kicking up dirt, still flexing and being proud of himself. Muttering under his breath, Clovis hissed, "You won't be so 'charged up' once I catch you. I still haven't forgotten your little shock treatment. And, you'll be useful to me." Perking up his… horns/ears, Elekid turned and saw Clovis menacingly loom. However, Elekid still felt scrappy, and began to swing his arms, ready for more. "Id, Wrap attack."

    Hearing this, Id gleefully slithered and flung around Elekid, stopping his charge and dragging him to the ground. "Bee! Beee-BEE!" Elekid only screamed and struggled. "Psybeam." "Innnn-KAY" Point back, back of the head Psybeam attack. The attack was intense enough to emit a small explosion, obscuring Id and Elekid.

    "Inn-kay, Inn-kay, Inn-kay~" Id sang, floating up to Clovis and giggling before turning to see the dust settle. Elekid laid there, gritting his teeth but unable to fight back anymore. "Pokeball, go," Clovis called after grabbing the vacant ball from before. Before Elekid knew it, he was hit, and beamed into the ball. But, not before glaring up at Clovis.

    *Whoosh, click*

    "..."

    *wiggle, wiggle, wiggle*
    *wiggle wiggle*
    *click*

    A heavy sigh escaped Clovis' lips, as he slumped where he stood. "Finally. Justice is served. You aneurysm inducing creature."

    "Well, that was pretty fun!" Aeliana exclaimed. The trainer and Tampa made their way over to Clovis. "You looked like you were having fun during that whole thing too. You can lighten up a bit when you try!"

    "Yeah… sure… I need to get going. Desperately," he gasped, as he bent over to swipe the newly acquired Elekid's Pokeball, quickly walking away towards the bridge. At this point, he just gave up on trying to figure out where that ridiculous music came from. All that mattered was that this misadventure was over.​

    Clovis caught an Elekid!
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    ​

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    ​
     
    Last edited:
    Foxrally

    Foxrally

    [img]http://i.imgur.com/omi0jS3.gif[/img]
    2,791
    Posts
    11
    Years
    • Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Simon Pearburgh
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Spewpa ♀ Tackle | Stun Spore | String Shot | Harden | Poison Powder Friend Guard
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Caterpie ♂ Tackle | String Shot | Bug Bite Shield Dust
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Burmy ♂ Protect | Hidden Power (water) | Electroweb Shed Skin
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Snom ♀ Powder Snow | Mirror Coat | Struggle Bug | Icicle Spear Ice Scales

    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Princess ♀ Electroweb | Spider Web | Fury Cutter | Beat Up Swarm
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Larvesta ♂ Flame Charge | String Shot | Ember | Morning Sun Flame Body
    ​

    Spoiler: Inventory
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Xtransceiver
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokédex
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    ATC
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Blackspear License
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Pokéball x1
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Strange Rock
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Potion x3
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Nevermeltice
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Venoshock TR
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Bug Catcher Net
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Even less cinnamon buns
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Camping Supplies
    Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]
    Badges: 1

    Spoiler: Memories
    ~ NPC LIST ~
    --- Wedgehurst ---
    #1 - Caterpie joins the team!
    #2 - The Mail Thief, pt. 1
    #3 - The Mail Thief, pt. 2
    #4 - Meet Sachiko
    #5 - Train Battle!
    --- Wild Area ---
    #6 - Burmy joins the team!
    #7 - Snom joins the team!
    #8 - Meet Raphael
    #9 - Spirits Entombed
    #10 - Meet Ruben
    #11 - Suited Men Encounter!
    --- Motostoke ---
    #12 - The Opening Ceremony [MEGA JP]
    #13 - Motostoke Gym Mission
    #14 - VS Kabu
    #15 - Lunch with Sachi
    #16 - Joining Blackspear
    #17 - A Mysterious Egg
    --- Route 3 & Galar Mine 1 ---
    #18 - Meet Rosa
    #19 - VS Rosa
    #20 - Christmas Delivery
    #21 - VS Catherine
    #22 - Meet Aurora
    #23 - Joltik joins the team!
    #24 - Meet Pia
    #25 - VS Oleana
    #26 - Ferrothorn Rescue
    --- Turffield ---
    #27 - Blackspear Delivery
    #28 - Turffield Gym Mission
    #29 - VS Milo
    #30 - Calling home
    #31 - An Unexpected Interruption
    #32 - VS Sachi, Rematch
    #33 - Contest Date
    #34 - Larvesta joins the team!
    --- Route 5 ---
    #35 - On the road again
    #36 - Meet Jasper
    #37 - VS Jasper

    Route 5

    Nearly twenty minutes had passed since Simon's battle with Jasper. There had been no parting insults, no "I'll show you" or quips from the young trainer. Not even a mumbled self-reassuring speech. He'd simply picked up his bag, healed his Pokémon and continued towards the lab without so much as a mention of the battle. Aurora walked beside him quietly, unwilling to break the tension. It looked like Simon had just continued to talk as if nothing had ever happened, and he was again on a ramble about some inane theory regarding bug-types.

    After an agonizingly awkward silence, Simon was clearly getting antsy. "How far did you say the lab was again?" he asked, as if he'd run out of things to talk about.

    "Shouldn't be too far now." Aurora responded, checking her phone. "Couple hours at most."

    "Cool, cool. Is it, uh, nice?" Simon replied plainly. His mind raced to find more topics of conversation. Anything, anything to avoid thinking about those words. He was staring at the ground as he walked, trying with every inch of his being to block out the thoughts that would follow if he allowed them in. Jasper wasn't going to get under his skin. Not now, not ever. He was used to being the one talking- but this time, he desperately needed Aurora to pick up that torch.

    Those hopes were immediately broken. Aurora looked him in the eyes."Simon, do you want to talk about it?"

    The boy's eyes grew wide. He immediately tried to rectify with a forced smile. "T-talk about what? No idea what you're on about, heh."

    "The battle. Stop playing dumb."

    Simon clenched his fists tightly, ignoring the burn on his hand as he tried to remain calm. "It's… nothing, really, I'm fine. Champ's g-gotta take a few knocks first, right?"

    Aurora sighed. "You do realize Elgyem can feel your-"

    "Okay, you wanna know how I feel?!" Simon snapped, stopping dead in his tracks. "I feel like shit, fucking obviously! And I DON'T want to think about it! How else do you think anyone would fucking react to being talked to like that, you think I want to care about what he said? Being told you're pathetic, delusional, a fucking loser- that sound like something you could walk away from with a smile?" His breath was shaky as he spoke. "I'll be FINE. I don't want to talk about it, end of story."

    There was a moment of silence as Simon's words hung in the air. Then, surprisingly, Aurora spoke up.

    "I don't think you're a loser."

    Simon looked away, then sighed as if he'd given up on being angry. "Thank you." he said with a half-hearted smile. He wasn't sure if the comment was made out of pity or politeness, but something in the girl's voice sounded surprisingly genuine.

    A few more moments of silence passed as the pair kept walking. "You know, I kinda used to be like you, back when I challenged the league last year. " Aurora said calmly, causing Simon to look back at her. "Got endorsed by the psychic gym and everything, thought people believed in me. Then the actual challenge came and reality checked in. Taught me I wasn't as good as I thought, and I was a 'loser', I guess, and those people were proved wrong." She then looked away as if figuring out how to put her words.

    "But then Blackspear came along and... helped me out. Helped me hone my other skills instead, kind of like Zelkova… Probably why he chose to take me under his wing. Blackspear taught me I had value past being a challenger, that I could actually be successful without having to rely on others." Aurora looked at her ever-silent Elgyem, which floated down slightly to place a hand on her shoulder.

    "And what are you trying to get at?" Simon asked, a little confused by the girl's attempt at a pep talk.

    "What I'm saying is… Blackspear could help you too, Simon. You wouldn't be weak anymore." The girl looked him in the eyes. "If you just ask for help."

    Simon froze. Help from Blackspear? Was Aurora offering him some kind of a deal? A deal that would make him… stronger? This could be the key he was looking for all this time; the proof he'd have to prove all those naysayers wrong… To prove Jasper wrong.

    No. He refused to let Jasper's words ring in his head at the mention of weakness. Whatever kind of aid she was offering would go against everything he'd told himself and everyone else so far, no matter how small.

    "No thanks, I don't need help. People believe in me, and I believe in myself." Simon finally replied, looking back at Aurora. "That's all I need to be strong in this world."

    Aurora closed her eyes. "...okay." she said plainly. "You've really got the whole 'anime protagonist' talk down, don't you?"

    "W-what?! No!" Simon's face turned bright red. "I'm only saying that-"

    "Just teasing you, Pearburgh." Aurora's voice returned to her calm monotone. "But do keep in mind the offer."

    ------​

    After a few more hours of walking, Aurora mentioned to follow her as they moved off of the main route. Simon looked in the direction she was taking them in and noticed a slightly marked-out path on the ground, though it looked extremely overgrown compared to the rest of the route.

    "This is the road to your place?" Simon asked, surprised. "Seems a little off the beaten path."

    "We bought the land just a few months ago; my mum owns the lab and my father took care of building the house. Our parents always had to move for their job when we were kids, and I guess they finally decided to settle after all those years." Aurora replied, ducking under a tree branch that was awkwardly stuck out in front of the path. "It's… under renovations."

    "Ooh, you have siblings?" Simon asked, noticing she'd mentioned 'our' parents. As an only child he admitted the concept of siblings always intrigued him, though he supposed his cousins had usually filled that role in his life.

    "Yeah, two younger brothers." She nodded. "You'll meet them eventually, it never takes Elliott too long for him to notice when there's a newcomer."

    As they kept going, more and more signs of human activity began to appear. Old tools, construction materials, lawn furniture, as well as a few odd looking machines stationed on the edges of the path. Some looked like they were still functional, whirring and shaking slightly, while others were covered in soot and rust as if they'd exploded or caught on fire.

    Then, as they turned a corner through the trees, a large, rustic house came into view. Built in a clearing, the structure was covered in scaffolding and tarps, so it was clearly still under construction, but it had some touches of residential life like hanging laundry and a welcome mat. A smaller, more modern-looking structure made out of concrete was built beside the house, with tinted windows and glass panels that reminded Simon of the Blackspear offices- this was likely the lab. He noticed a Conkeldurr hauling a large pile of wooden beams making its way to the back of the house. It gave the two trainers a wave as it saw them approaching.

    Aurora waved back with a smile. "That's Conkeldurr, my dad's Pokemon." she told Simon. "He helps with the construction."

    As the pair approached the front door, Aurora added, "Make sure you remove your shoes at the door. Mum's pretty particular about that."

    "Oh, don't worry, it's what we do at my place too- I've pretty much mastered the art of being a guest." Simon replied, beaming.

    Aurora gave a few loud knocks on the door as she opened it. "I'm home!" she called out, motioning for Simon to follow. The inside of the house looked much more polished than the outside, though many pieces of furniture in the spacious lobby were still draped in sheets and bubble wrap. The high ceiling and tall windows were much fancier than any place he'd seen in Ballonlea or Wedgehurst; clearly working at Blackspear paid well for the family. They began walking down the hallway before a man emerged from one of the entryways and greeted Aurora with a tight hug.

    "Oh, Aury, welcome back! It's been too long, dear!" the man said. He appeared to be wearing an apron on top of a lab coat - or the other way around, Simon couldn't tell - and the aroma of food wafting through the air clearly meant he'd just come out of the kitchen. "Oh, and you've brought a boy!" he added, noticing Simon.

    "It's only been five days, dad." Aurora smiled and winced at the tight hug. As her father released her, she introduced her guest, "This is Simon, he's a colleague."

    "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Yan!" the boy waved cheerfully.

    The man gave a warm smile. "Pleasure's all mine, young man! Lucky you, I've just finished baking some new snacks, so you're in for a treat."

    Aurora grabbed his arm as he turned back towards the kitchen. "Actually dad, we're a bit on a tight schedule. I'm passing by mom's lab to-"

    "My god, you sound like your mother right now. We've got a guest, at least get him seated first before you do anything else."

    Aurora sighed and motioned for Simon to follow her. As they got out of earshot of the kitchen, she looked at the boy and whispered, "We don't have time for a house tour, so just go to the living room and wait for me to come back. Don't break anything." Before Simon could say anything, the girl's Elgyem hummed and she teleported away.

    The boy blinked a few times as he realized he had no idea where the living room was at all. He navigated the confusing hallways for a while, too nervous to open any doors that were closed and unable to find anything that looked like a guest room. As he turned another corner, he spotted a door that was ajar with light pouring through it, and the sound of someone speaking inside. He considered knocking on it, and as he approached he overheard the conversation.

    "Mr. Santiago, sir- we're ten months away, there's no need to rush things yet!"
    "Of course I remembered the cookies. I've been working on a way to reverse engineer them, actually."
    "Sir…? What do you mean, they were reserved for you only?"

    The voice sounded like it belonged to a young man as well. Simon raised his eyebrows at the name he'd heard. 'Mr. Santiago...' Was this individual familiar with the strange character he'd met on route 3? Curious, he knocked on the door.

    "No, of course I haven't asked Entro about them- oh, hold on, I'll call you back. Come in!" the young man called out.

    As Simon peeked his head through the door, he realized this wasn't the living room at all. It looked more like the back of the house, as one of the walls seemed to have an opening for a garage door and the window beside it showed the pile of wooden beams he'd seen Conkeldurr haul around. The room smelled of sulphur and smoke, and the whirring noise he'd heard earlier was even louder in here. He glanced at the young man in question who'd invited him in. He looked a little younger than Simon, and had features that definitely pinned him as one of Chloe's siblings - curly hair, dark skin, gray eyes. Though besides the physical similarities, the boy looked nothing like the classy, professional girl he knew. His face was covered in soot and grime and his hair was unruly; he was wearing a hoodie covered in dust and stains, and despite the smell of the workshop he could detect whiffs of Axew body spray on him. On his shoulder was a frazzled-looking Morpeko, biting away at a hex nut.

    "Oh, sorry! I was looking for the living room." Simon said, giving a sheepish wave.

    Before the boy could respond, another loud but much younger voice cut in, "HEY, A NEW GUEST!"

    Simon was startled as the door flew wide open and a small child, about 6 or 7, was now standing before him. The curly-haired kid stared at Simon's Pokemon with starry eyes, marveling at the armada of bugs that was peeking out of his attire. "Whoa… you're the… YOU'RE THE JOLTIK KING!" he suddenly screamed.

    Simon was shocked for a moment as he tried to make sense of what the kid had just called him, before realizing what he was referring to. With a name like 'princess' it was inevitable people would draw the conclusion.

    Quickly picking up on his new title, Simon struck his signature pose. "Oh yeah it is! Joltik King's in the house, lads!" he proclaimed, to which the young boy cheered excitedly.

    "Alright, settle down, Elliott." The older brother spoke up once the moment had passed. He looked at Simon, "Well well, I wasn't expecting any visitors today! Especially not a league challenger. Did my sister bring you in?" he asked, wiping his hands with a cloth and motioning for his guest to come inside.

    "Thanks! And yeah, she did! She sort of teleported somewhere and left me stranded in your house, though." Simon rubbed the back of head. As the door closed behind him, Elliott began walking circles around him, admiring the bugs hidden in each part of his coat.

    "Hm, well if you're her newest boyfriend, I suppose I need to give you the brother inspection." the older boy stepped towards Simon and squinted at him, his Morpeko doing the same.

    Simon raised his hands defensively, "Whoa, no, no! I'm just a colleague!"

    A few seconds of tense silence passed as the brother leered some more at Simon before bursting into laughter. "Hah! I'm sorry, I'm terrible at this. Don't worry, I've heard of you before. I'm Victor, by the way, Aurora's younger sibling, and my brother-"

    "I'M ELLIOTT!" the kid beside them yelled out.

    "...yeah. And this is Guinea Pig, my Morpeko. Anyways, it's nice to meet you! You can chill in here while you wait for Aury if you'd like." Victor said.

    "Whoa, really? Thank you!" Simon grinned.

    As he looked around the garage-turned-workshop, he noticed several more machines and tools placed haphazardly around, stacked on tables and among strange-looking cogs and metal parts. Most of the machines seemed like modifications of common household objects, like Pokeballs, laptops, microwaves and even a particularly decked-out toaster. In the corner of the room, beside Victor, was the biggest machine of all, seemingly crafted out of a refrigerator and multiple fax machines. A large, cracked computer screen connected to an equally large computer was running several windows next to it, each with lines of code whizzing past and numbers going up and down. In the meantime, Larvesta and Princess had slowly crawled out of the bug catcher's pockets and had taken interest in Elliott.

    "My brother's REALLY smart!" the child exclaimed as the Joltik latched onto his leg.

    "I see you're admiring my creations." Victor smirked, noticing Simon's awe.

    Simon resisted the urge to press a random button on the microwave-looking machine and looked at the young inventor. "Yeah… But what do they do exactly?"

    "Well, I'm glad you asked! GP, fetch me the remote!" Victor called out. On command, his Morpeko hopped off his shoulder and darted into one of the countless boxes, tossing bits of metal aside as it rummaged around. After a moment, it emerged with a remote control, clearly stolen from a TV. The device had several extra buttons added to it.

    Victor proudly showed it off. "This is my Universal Remote™! I can control every invention of mine with the press of a button. Here, point at one and I'll show you what it does!"

    Simon tapped his chin for a second before pointing at the microwave. "This one!"

    "Aha! A true classic, the cordless microwave!" Victor pressed a button on his remote, which brought the machine to life. A small icon appeared on the display and it began humming loudly. "Using my genius intellect and the power of Electric-type Pokemon, I have created a Microwave that forgoes the immense need for energy required by such an appliance! Instead, it runs purely on battery p-"

    The device began making a sputtering sound and the light inside flickered before stopping completely.

    "...well, it's a prototype. Anyway, pick another!"

    Simon looked around some more and pointed at a laptop-shaped machine which was missing half of the screen. It was fitted with a microphone and a bass amplifier beside it. "How about this one?"
    "Ah, one of my favourites- the PokeTranslator™! This little thing can actually convert the sounds of any Pokemon into understandable Galarian!" Victor said, brimming with pride.

    "Whoa, for real?!" Simon exclaimed. Given his ability, he was particularly curious about seeing this one work, perhaps it was what trainers like Rosa needed in their lives. As he got closer to take a look, Burmy peeked his head out of his coat pocket and squeaked into the microphone.

    "Burmy." the computer read out in a robotic voice.

    Victor laughed nervously, "Well, uh, the quality isn't super consistent yet."

    Burmy snickered as he squeaked again into the microphone.

    "Ha. Ha. You fell for it."

    A sudden ring from his phone took Victor's attention away. He looked at it for a moment before deciding he wouldn't answer yet and put it back in his pocket.

    Simon noticed this and felt a pang of guilt as he realized he'd essentially butted in earlier. "I'm sorry, I hope I didn't interrupt anything earlier!" he apologized.

    Victor shook his head, "No, no, I was just-"

    "He was on the phone with SANTA!" Elliott piped up once more. "They were talking about breaking into someone's house! Like Victor did last Christmas!" he added, ignoring the death glare his brother was shooting him right now.

    "Santa… You mean Santiago? Santiago Claudio?" Simon asked.

    Victor's eyes grew wide at hearing the name. "Yes, you know about him?"

    Simon nodded, "Yeah, we've met actually! A few months ago on Route 3." He remembered that snowy night well, the strangely-dressed man and their encounter with the Lycanroc in the woods. "Definitely the strangest merchant I've met."

    "Uh, yeah… merchant." Victor mused.

    "He asked me to help on some delivery to a really remote part of the woods, and I was essentially his bodyguard." the trainer explained, "But I kinda got the trubbish end of the deal, cause all he paid me with was some dumb rock."

    "Oh? Just a random rock?"

    "Yeah, ridiculous, I know! Told me to 'give it a good home' and whatnot too, bloody cheeky. I just held onto it in case it's got some value, might sell it at Stow-On-Side when I get there." Simon replied.

    Victor tapped his chin pensively. "Could I take a look at it, if you don't mind?" he asked.

    Simon shrugged and pulled out the black rock from his backpack, which he'd wrapped in a plastic bag to keep the dirt from getting on his other things. Victor took it and examined it carefully, his eyes growing wider and wider as he came to a realization.

    "Simon… I believe you're in possession of a Pokemon fossil!" he exclaimed. "Though it's hard to tell for an untrained eye, I can clearly see a claw shape running along the side of this rock, which signifies it contains a fossilized piece of Pokemon DNA!"

    "Wait, what?!" Simon's jaw dropped. "You're telling me I've been hauling around a dead Pokemon this whole time?!"

    "Not dead, but preserved!" Victor corrected, rushing to his desk to inspect the item further.

    "Well what kind of Pokemon is it?" Simon asked, following him.

    "It's impossible to tell at this stage, but…" Victor began as he put on a strange headband that was connected to a magnifying glass. "...this is what I've been waiting for! A true, perfectly-preserved fossil to test my machine on!"

    The young inventor pointed at the immense machine beside him. "This is my very own Pokemon De-Fossilizer™! I've been working on it for ages now, slowly acquiring old parts from that Turffield geezer Barnabus, and now I finally have a test subject!"

    "Whoa whoa, hold on- you're saying you're going to recreate life... from a rock?" Simon asked, narrowing his eyes.

    "Yep!" Victor grinned back.

    "And this is your first time?"

    "Yep!"

    Simon paused for a moment then shrugged. "Okay, then. But I get to keep the Pokemon afterwards, right?"

    "Absolutely!" Victor replied, though he didn't even seem to be paying attention as he furiously scribbled down notes of the rock's measurements. "I'm no trainer, and it would be a shame if we just just let my magnum opus sit in a ball without being put to the test. With my tech, this is gonna take a few days, if not weeks, but I know I can do it." the boy muttered as he worked, his gaze hyper-focused on the fossil.

    "How does it even work?" Simon asked, looking at the large machine with renewed interest now.

    "Mhm. Ask me later. GP, fetch me the forty-six." Victor mumbled back at his Morpeko.

    Elliott tugged at Simon's jacket, and as he looked down even more of his bug Pokemon had climbed onto the boy. "Don't try to talk to Vic when he's like that, he won't pay any attention to you. I just watch instead." the kid advised.

    "Oh. Guess he is kinda like his sister then." Simon said, sitting down on an old chair beside Elliott. "So, uh, you wanna hear any cool stories?"

    "HECK YEAH!" Elliott cheered, nearly startling Caterpie off of him.

    "Okay, so me and my good mate Raph were walking in the wild area one time…"

     
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