[PKMN FULL] Z: A Kalos Journey [IC][T]

Audrey rushed to the top of the bridge, but the thief had vanished from sight. She supposed that would have been too easy. The thief had quite the headstart on her, and who knows how fast of a runner he was too, considering Audrey wasn't exactly the most athletic. She rested for a moment, putting her hands on her knees to catch her breath, and overlooked the route before her. Would it really be possible for her to retrieve the watch from this crook?

Just as she decided to move on however, her attention was caught by a peculiar noise. A snicker, it seemed like, came from underneath the bridge. Audrey swiftly ran to the edge of the bridge and leaned over the railing to look below it, only to quickly lean back to stay out of sight herself. Peeking carefully, she saw a young man standing under the bridge in a surprisingly proper black suit, black hair slicked back over his head, and with distinct orange-red accessory accents. It struck Audrey as odd, since she didn't expect the thief to be clad quite so fancily... but there was no mistaking it. He was accompanied by a small critter, a Patrat - one that was holding a valuable golden pocket watch.

Audrey stealthily crossed the bridge and made for the stairs that led underneath it. The man and his Pokémon were apparently gloating over their succesful capture. Eager to report to his boss, he turned his back to his companion and took out his Holo Caster. The Patrat in turn was preoccupied enough with the watch to be unaware of its surroundings. A chance for Audrey to sneak closer and snatch the stolen ware back. Arriving at the bottom of the staircase, she sent out her Charmander and commanded it to attack.


The fire-type lunged at the Patrat, taking both it and its trainer by surprise, and scratched its paw, knocking the trinket out of its hands. Audrey quickly ran up and picked up the watch, while quickly yelling another command to her Pokémon:


Theo looked back and nodded, before opening his mouth and releasing a thick, black smoke into the air. The smoke quickly filled the area, giving Audrey and her Pokémon an opportunity to run. They rushed back up the stairs to cross the bridge, back into the safety of Aquacorde Town, where they could hide among the shopping public... but it seemed their chasers were faster than they could run. The black-clad man stretched out his arm and shouted for his Patrat to attack. The chipmunk-esque Pokémon dashed forward on all fours and hit Theo in the back with a well-aimed Tackle. The Charmander fell to the floor along with its attacker, prompting Audrey to stop in her tracks.


The man regained his composure and calmly stepped forward, slowly motioning his arms into an odd-looking pose. Audrey just looked at him confusedly for a few seconds, but there was no time to stand idly. Patrat returned to his trainer's side and assumed a similar battle stance, while Charmander scrambled to his feet. There was no way around it - a battle was the only way to settle this.

The Cinder Grunt sent forward this Patrat in another Tackle. Audrey was about to tell him to dodge, but Theo let out a low growl instead, readying itself for the impact rather than stepping aside. Then, just before the Patrat made contact, Theo turned around and slammed its tail right into the critter's face, throwing it back onto the ground. Surprised by its tenacity, Audrey quickly shouted another attack for her Pokémon to use.


Her Charmander stepped forward confidently and opened its mouth to release a flurry of cinders at the Patrat. Unable to get up in time, the foe took the attack head-on, and took severe damage. Audrey cheered internally, but made sure not to let that show on her face. It was evident her concentration broke though, as Patrat could apparently still stand and retaliated with a desperate Bite. Its teeth sank into Theo's arm, but the latter barely flinched. Instead, its expression suddenly changed to a menacing grin... Theo seemed to glow a faint blue as he launched himself at the Patrat and drove it into the ground, causing it to faint.

Audrey quickly sought out her Pokédex so it could explain what had just happened. ''Dragon Rush'', the device exclaimed, ''A Dragon-type move. The user tackles the target while exhibiting overwhelming menace. This may also make the target flinch.''


Meanwhile, the Team Cinder grunt wasn't so pleased. He returned his Patrat to its ball, and seemed to hesitate to walk up to Audrey to reclaim the watch himself... but after Charmander's terrifying display, he thought different.


The man felt the need to make the same odd pose with his arms again, signing off before he ran across the bridge, away from the town. Audrey breathed a sigh of relief, and shared a smile with her Charmander before calling the clearly exhausted Pokémon back to her as well. She returned to town, examining the watch a little closer now that she had the time. It was an ornate, silver pocket watch, that displayed the time as well as the air pressure. At the top of the watch, a strange, round stone was embedded, with a sort of symbol or mark inside of it. It reminded her somewhat of the marbles she used to play with back in Couriway Town, but this was... different still. Finishing her inspection, she put the watch back in her pocket, and hurried to find the elderly couple again.

The pair had luckily not strayed far, and was waiting near the fountain. Clearly relieved to see her return unscathed, the man quickly got up and inquired after her efforts.


The eyes of both husband and wife lit up when their precious item was returned to them. The man thanked Audrey enthusiastically, to the point of gripping her hands tightly and shaking them a little. Audrey was a little embarrassed, but managed to keep her composure mostly. She was about to excuse herself, until the lady beckoned her to stay a little longer and began digging into her bag. After a few seconds of waiting, she took out a dark purple stone, which she then pressed into Audrey's hands with a bright smile and spoke sincerely.


Audrey couldn't help but smile back, and she gladly accepted the Dusk Stone. She then bid the couple a last farewell, and after healing her Charmander back to full health, she finally resumed her way to Santalune Forest.

Rapid steps.

One foot in front of the other.

Jump over stones, stumble on sticks.

As long as they don't see me.

They shouldn't have. She took off so quickly. Instead of standing paralyzed, mouth ajar, fear gripping her.

She just ran.

Somebody has got to be here.

It's Santalune Forest. It's big, but it's always visited by so many people. Trainers.

A flash of red hair - she stops. Her bare feet get scratched against the rough forest floor from the sudden braking.

Between the trees, she can see a long mane of red hair. Orange, even. And a female voice laughing.

They were quicker...

Heart in her throat.

HOW were they QUICKER?

Trainers have pokémon. They had been trainers. Pokémon can fly, teleport, even distort space around them and others. They must have done something like that, to catch up with her already. Even though she ran. So quickly, so immediately.

The red haired girl turns and starts walking in her direction. Can she see her? If she does, this is where all will burn. She will burn at the hands of that red woman.

A bubbly face is what finally breaks the tension. Literally bubbly. The blue cheeks, the round, red eyes, smiling at her, startling her so she even falls backwards. Butt first down into a bush.


"What are you doing, Squirtle?" Jorunn calls out and emerges from behind the last tree.

The elderly woman in the shrubbery makes her gasp. "Oh no, what did he do!" she says worriedly and hurries forward to help the lady up.

The lady is silent and looks between the girl and her pokémon.

"He's yours?" she finally says, after Jorunn's eyebrow has begun to rise quite a bit.

"Yes, Squirtle is my first pokémon. Are you alright?"

The lady turns to gaze with pained eyes into the forest behind her. Her bare feet somehow don't match well with her clothes, which would be described as fancy and posh if they weren't so dirty right now.

"Miss, what has happened?" Jorunn tries again. She doesn't overly enjoy getting mixed in with the troubles of others, but she can't really let an old lady go off alone looking like this. "Please, tell me. Maybe I can help."

The lady throws a suspicious glance at Jorunn's hair before she replies. "You're not with them, then?"

"I'm not with anyone in particular. Except for Squirtle. And Cottonee, of course!"

At her words, the fluffy grass type swoops down from above and lands on top of its trainer's head with a giggle.


Water pokémon douse fires, and grass pokémon are afraid of fires. She is not with them. She takes a deep breath of relief. But all is not over. No.

"Santalune Forest is in danger. And I don't know what to do..."

Tears in the old lady's eyes. Something is very not alright here, indeed. Jorunn somewhat awkwardly pats her shoulder.

"What kind of danger? Wild pokémon?" she tries.

The old lady wipes her tears and looks up. "Fire," she simply says.

...

Of course it would be fire.

Of course.