[PKMN OPEN] Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]

Jay · Oct 24, 2020

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INTRODUCTION

Hello and welcome to the World of Pokémon!

My name is Sonia and I'm what's known as a Pokémon Professor, a researcher who studies the nature of the fantastical creatures known as Pokémon. I hail from a region known as Galar, an up and coming, industrious country focussed on industry, technology and natural conservation... and recently I've been teaching at the region's newly opened trainer school, situated in the town of Wedgehurst.

But... lookin' at the way you're lookin' at me, I'm getting the feeling this isn't your first rodeo? Then I'll go ahead and cut straight to the chase!

You've been studying at the very same trainer school I mentioned earlier, the school at Wedgehurst accepts everyone from ages 13 and up... and assuming you succeed in the 2 year course they offer? You get yourself an ATC (that's an advanced trainer card by the by). These handy little tools are cutting edge, acting as a credit card for your income, your personal ID as a pokémon trainer and more! Not that I need to tell you that right?

After all you're a part of the graduating class!

With the ceremony just finished, the way forward open and the region of Galar waiting, it's a perfect time to start a journey across the Galar Region. The gym challenge has just started and from this year forward, all trainers with a registered ATC are considered sponsored by the school to take part. If that wasn't enough, the first ever Galar grand festival is to be held in tandem, with contest halls springing up around the country.

It's the dawn of a new day, in a new world, with new experiences to be had. The titles of Champion and Contest Monarch are waiting to be claimed... and who knows what other paths you'll follow along the way? Take your first step, newly certified trainer, on the road to your own aspirations!

How does a Z-Verse RP work?

Stages and Arcs:
Every new area visited over the course of the RP will consist of one Stage of the RP. There will be up to three Stages in one Act of the RP. Stages will be fairly short, not taking up more than one or two posts per character though this can vary depending on the location. The final Stage in an Arc will always be longer and feature major story development. Generally, one Stage of the RP will last for Two Weeks in real time before the start of the next Stage.

JP's are accepted! But don't waste time!:
Many an RP has died a horrible and mournful death to the evils of unfinished JPs and people dropping off the face of the planet. We love to see more in-depth dialogue and character interaction but remember it doesn't need to be a novella. Keep progress going and don't fall behind for the sake of your fellow players and yourself. This RP will try to wait for you, but it won't stop because you drag behind. There's nothing wrong with filling the IC with interaction posts between two or more characters, it adds pages, confidence and content to the RP and that goes a long way to making things feel like they're really progressing.

Regarding the Mons:
You may catch one pokémon per stage if Wild pokémon are present. With the introduction of every new stage, wild pokémon will be provided in a list should they be available. Pokémon not native to Galar in the games will be appearing as well. So don't worry about limitations! You needn't ask for GM approval for catching a mon so long as you have a good post attached to it and it's the only pokemon you've attempted to catch on said Stage. Their are no such thing as levels in this RP for your pokémon, you choose when your pokémon learn new moves as per the story. But do try to keep it semi-realistic, no stage three pokemon with hyper beam by Act 2 or you're going to get asked to slow down a little bit and potentially be forced to retcon.

Time and Place:
All of the events that took place in Sword and Shield are canon. The story takes places roughly two years after the incident involving Chairman Rose and Eternatus... for the sake of the plot. Hop and Sword/Shield protagonist (a mysterious figure rarely mentioned) used the powers of the legendary wolves to defeat Eternatus, the only difference being that Leon maintained his position as Champion. This story will focus heavily on the aftermath of those events and how the Galar region has progressed since then. Players start out in the town of Wedgehurst, where they having been studying in trainer school since the ending of Sw/Sh (i.e. for two years), they are only now graduating from trainer school and are set to go on their own adventure after just receiving their starter pokémon and ATC from the recently appointed Professor Sonia.

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RULES

1. Show some respect to the other players. Do not use their characters or anything of the sort, without their consent.

2. This RP has an M rating. Meaning that romance, violence, swearing and even minimal gore and adult themes are allowed. These principles are encouraged but do not overuse them, or push too far in your writing, this RP has a more mature tone to certain aspects of the story but don't abuse that creative freedom.

3. Pokémon evolution is one of the few things that must be checked for approval with the GMs. PM the GMs here on PC or message one of them on Discord first before making your pokémon evolve.

4. No duplicate starters will be allowed, so if you want a specific pokémon to be your starter mention it in the OOC thread before making your SU to avoid people getting their hopes up. Do be aware that nothing is stopping someone from competing against you for that pokémon regardless.

5: Obey all the regular rules of the RP section, as well as all general rules of The Pokécommunity forum as a whole.

6: Pokémon moves can be learned, but not too frequently... and they must adhere to the pokémons natural moveset unless you acquire a TM in character.

7: As always, have fun and enjoy yourself!

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BEFORE YOU POST

Remember:
1. A stage post will be made describing the location, environment, available pokémon and missions (writing prompts with item rewards) in the OOC and IC simultaneously.

2. Before you post in a stage, use the OOC thread to claim a mission for yourself. Missions must be claimed in the OOC thread to avoid multiple people doing the same thing. First come, first served.

3. You may also do a custom mission of your own design, with a custom reward as well. If you plan to do this, please ensure that you state so in the OOC and list your planned reward as well, rewards deemed too powerful, too early will be denied for the sake of narrative.

4. You may only catch ONE pokémon per Stage and the Stage Posts detail what pokémon are available and when.

5. Have fun!

Jay · Oct 24, 2020

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STAGE 1 - WEDGEHURST & ROUTE 2

Spoiler:

The air is abuzz with the scent of freshly cut grass and the energy of green as grass trainers setting out on the beginning of an epic journey! As the ceremony for the first ever graduating class of the Wedgehurst trainer school comes to a close, our heroes step out into their familiar hometown, the whole world suddenly a different place for all of them.

With partner pokémon by their side, some newly met, otherwise long term allies, these budding trainers take their first strides into the world set out before them.

Wedgehurst is a quiet suburban town with large stone tile walkways and few roads and traffic to speak of, the surrounding greenery is allowed to flourish and the area is known for its prosperous farmland where both kept and wild Wooloo flourish. As the season encroaches, Autumn leaves fall onto the ground below and the gentle shades of orange and brown are settled into every nook and cranny one can find. Route 2, which lies just further beyond, is a humble waterside passage overlooking a large lake where efforts have been made to preserve the wild pokémon population. At the end of the winding path one will find the Pokémon Laboratory, the prime sponsor for the recently opened school, where Professor Sonia currently presides.

Gather your wits, prepare for the adventure ahead of you, stand tall and take your first steps to glory! The world of Galar awaits its newest batch of trainers!

WILD POKÉMON AVAILABLE THIS STAGE

Pokémon Available via Mission 6:

Pokémon Available via Mission 10:

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MISSIONS:

1. The nearby battlefield has been abuzz with activity... a young boy seems to be jealous of all the attention the graduates are getting and is challenging everyone in sight. At a distance you'd think he was your average youngster, but his jacket is black and leather... and isn't he a bit young to have a nose piercing? Well whatever, he's been harping on at passers by about how his Galarian Zigzagoon is in the top percentage of all Galarian Zigzagoons... and about how it could kick your ass. Maybe someone oughta teach this kid a lesson?
Reward: 1 x Great Ball

2. [OPEN] The local fisherman's association is celebrating new trainers entering into the big wide world, to celebrate this momentous occasion, they're holding an all you can catch derby! All trainers who arrive by the lake get a complimentary fishing rod for the duration of the event and are invited to join the pros... the 10 participants who manage to land the largest magikarp get to keep the fishing rod they were given too!
Reward: 1 x Old Rod

3. Woe and Wooloo! Woeloo! Samuel the Shepherd is in one hell of a bind. A shipment of wool is due in Motostoke yesterday, but his little bo-pokémon have scattered to the four winds while his yamper is off at the center with an injured paw. He's going to be ruined if he doesn't locate and drag back each and every one of the fluffy fiends... but what's he going to do without his precious yamper? Unless... someone else with a pokémon is willing to lend a hand?
Reward: 3 x Moomoo Milk

4. On a journey are you? You're just the sort of woman Gramma Tina needs. Her son recently moved to Motostoke to follow his dream career as a pokémon breeder and she wants to wish him well in a more personal way than a call on her holocaster. She's written him a heart felt letter, but as she was about to deliver it tragedy struck! A Corvisquire snatched it away to its nest! Get it back... and deliver it to Motostoke for her... and she promises her son Tim will have a reward waiting for you.
Reward: ??? (Received in Motostoke)

5: Talk about a shocking development, the power to the Pokémon Lab has gone out and Sonia has a bright idea of what could be the cause. Looks like Yamper got to the power lines again, he's sucked up all that power and is really pushing the AC to the DC now. He's zip zap zooming at the speed of sound and she just can't bloody well catch him. Hey, you're a full fledged trainer now, you owe her right? Go catch that blitzing, bolting, barking, bufoon! You'll be rewarded of course, something fitting for your electrifying performance!
Reward: Magnet

6: [CATCH CHANCE!] Hold the phone! Hold the train! Hold everything! There's something not right here... down on the tracks below, is that a sleeping pokémon? What's it doing there? Look I- Wait what? It's a PILE of sleeping pokémon? This is terrible... if these little rascals aren't shown the door then the train ain't heading out to the wild area ANY time soon. New trainers, it helps you and it helps the station to clear out this little blue menace, so maybe get to it?
Reward: Leftovers

7: Speaking of problems at the station, while everyone has been held up someone or someTHING has been up to at best mischief, at worst criminal theft! A number of passengers are searching around and shouting at staff about not just the hold up but also about missing luggage. Suitcases, handbags, backpacks, you name it! Things are disappearing rapidly and the tension in the station plaza is rapidly rising... yet in the excitement it seems people have failed to miss some mysteriously pokémon shaped footsteps.
Reward: 1 Leppa Berry + TM Thief

8: The Wedgehurst boutique has a unique opportunity, unlike other towns with more successful clothing stores... Wedgehurst now has serious publicity with the dawn of the trainer schools first graduating class. They need new ideas, fresh ideas, inspiration for a new clothing line that will be all the rage. If this twist of fate lets them take off, they could make it big with franchises in other, more populated towns and cities. They've put out a call to all who'll listen, they need inspiration, ideas and anything that'll get their klinks klanking. Give em a hand and they promise to reward you!
Reward: Formal Suit/Dress + TM Attract

9: The buzz around the trainer school is immense and people are gathering around to meet and greet the new graduating class. Not to mention a number of underclassmen are now watching on with gleaming eyes full of awe. There's only one thing for it, a show of your skills to get the blood pumping! With an NPC or another player, you decide, hold a quick battle on the school's personal training grounds. Do your best to make this one a show to remember, it's your duty as trainers to inspire your onlookers and eventual successors, even at this early stage!
Reward: TM Work Up

10: [CATCH CHANCE!] Spooky Scary Spectacle at the Sootopolis Soufflé sale! Jokes aside, a recent shipment of deserts from the Hoenn region has lead to scares that weren't expected, customers have been running frightened from the store and business has dropped when it should be booming. The shopkeeper laments outside the door of their own pokémart wondering what went wrong... there must be some sort of ghost type shenanigans going on. Maybe the deserts weren't the only things shipped over from Hoenn... and maybe you can help this poor guy out?
Reward: 1 x Spell Tag

Jay · Oct 24, 2020

Raphael Allard
> Wedgehurst Town
> Mood: Contemplative
> A MAN AND HIS BALL

"Man... this, is already exhausting."

As the words parted his lips in the morning sun, with the crisp cool air of the early day hanging around him, Raphael Allard finds his moment of melancholy interrupted. In his hand, his newly acquired pokéball is shaking rather rapidly. He stood on the side of a cobbled stone street, the beige and brown coloured tiles serving as a nice contrast to the dusty grey road beside it. The various buildings and facilities of his home were bustling with business, the graduation had just been a little bit earlier and Wedgehurst was getting more attention than it had in some time. Raph had been living in the town for nigh on fifteen years, he was basically a local, he knew everybody and everybody knew him. Small countryside towns always had that effect. If it weren't for all the activity and his newfound title, it'd have seemed like a normal day... he could even hear the Wooloo bleating in the distance. It was funny, actually, he-

Raphael's line of thought was disrupted by the shaking growing noticeably more potent the longer he stood still. Was there something wrong with the ball? Was it faulty? That wasn't like Sonia... oh wait, he supposed it was "Professor" Sonia now right? Before he can muse on that particular notion however, he is stunned momentarily as he feels the pokéball in his hand unclasp and a burst of white light surges outwards from the cavity inside. It shimmers rapidly, then forms slowly, recombining entirely into... what looked like a small, teal, blob.

...a moment of awkward silence followed. The small squishy thing sat on the sidewalk, shuddering a little as Raphael watched it. He was baffled, he had no idea what to say, not only had this pokémon released itself from its pokéball... but it was so... so...

"Sphee!"

"Yes, spherical, thank you."

Raphael blinked twice as the small blob spoke and he responded without missing a beat. This wasn't a Scorbunny, or a Sobble, or the other one, not one of the classic Galarian mascots. Was this thing even native to the region? He sighs and runs a hand over his face as he looks down at the pokémon on the ground with a look of exhaustion. "Okay, fine... I'll get it out, I didn't think this would be needed for a while." Reaching into his pocket, the young man removes a small, red, tablet like device. Into the back of the machine he inserts his shiny new silver card, his Advanced Trainer Card (ATC for short) and the screen flairs to life. A mechanical voice echoes from the speakers and acknowledges him.

"WELCOME, MASTER ALLARD. POKÉDEX OS VERSION 8.3 IS NOW BOOTING. SCANNING NEARBY POKÉMON. PLEASE WAIT."

"Hmm..." Raph mumbled to himself. The blob on the floor had successfully spun itself around to stare up at the young man, black eyes meeting blue. It's face was small and almost canine, it had a pudgy snout, two little fangs and yes, the aforementioned pair of beady black eyes. As it met Raphael's gaze, it's goofy mouth curled into a wide smile.

"SPHEAL, THE CLAP POKÉMON.

SPHEAL ALWAYS TRAVELS BY ROLLING AROUND ON ITS BALL-LIKE BODY. WHEN THE SEASON FOR ICE FLOW ARRIVES, THIS POKÉMON CAN BE SEEN ROLLING ABOUT ON ICE AND CROSSING THE SEA."

As if recognizing its own description, the small pokémon bounces up and down happily, rolling about left and right in a circle in response. Like a circus animal doing tricks for attention, it balances on its nose before rolling onto its back and looking back towards Raphael from an upside down position.

A single eyebrow is raised on the young mans face. "Right... you seem... energetic, fantastic. Let's see here..." As he slots his pokédex back into his pocket, Raphael rubs his chin pensively. "I've been watching a lot of football recently, apparently one of my classmates used to play it. There was this one guy with a crazy hairdo that made it amusing to watch the game. You follow me so far?" He asked the question, to which the Spheal simply blinked, each eye, separately, one after the other. "...anyway, his name was something, something... Vito. You are a ball. He kicks balls. I'm too tired to think of anything more meaningful right now. So Vito is your name okay?"

As if it had received a revelation to dwarf the sun and moon, the small Spheal, Vito's, eyes ballooned out to the size of smaller, less kickable balls. It was as if it had received the greatest gift in the world, like a child on Christmas day. "Sph-Spheal?" The vocalization somehow sounded like a question.

"Yes. That's your name?" The trainer responded to his new pokémon. "I'm Raphael Allard, your trainer now I suppose... most people call me Raph so-"

"SPHEE! SPHEEEEEE!" The small pokémon cuts Raph off with cries of jubilant, excited vigor, it bounces happily in place, rolling around and around in circles in place. It was positively bursting with energy. Raph could feel his soul leaving his body just watching it.

"Look, I get you're happy with the name, but I really didn't put too much effort into i-"

"SPHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...."

"Huh? H-HEY! Wait!"

Just as Raph goes to speak again, crossing his arms and sighing, he hears the distancing cry of the small pokémon as it... rolls. It rolls faster and faster by the second, barreling through the center of town with reckless abandon. Raph is stupefied, he stands with wide eyes and jaw agape. He should leave this alone. He should just walk away and take a nap at this point. He'd tell Sonia that the pokéball was empty, she must have given him the wrong one.

But... well... no...

Every excuse he tried to think of didn't work here. He needed that stupid little football, at least until he could use it to capture something with a damn lax nature. "I hate this." Raph mumbles as he takes a few steps forward. "I HATE THIS!" He breaks into a small jog, then a sprint.

"UGH! GET BACK HERE YOU- YOU STUPID BALL!"

gimmepie · Oct 24, 2020

Catherine Carlisle
18 | Female | From Wyndon

Indra (Male, Swift Swim) - Rain Dance, Hypnosis, Bubblebeam, Double Slap, Mud Shot, Refresh

Antisocial Openings

"The train to the Wild Area will be delayed indefinitely as a horde of Munchlax has appeared on the tracks. We ask your patience while we wait for them to move on and apologise for the wait."

This was the third time that the annoyingly calm and pleasant voice had made the exact same announcement over the intercom. Catherine sighed, it was getting more irritating to hear it every time. All she wanted was to get a move on. Although, that wasn't to say she was eager for the beginning of her journey. Honestly, she just wanted to get it over and done with so she could go back to her life as was normal.

"So stupid," she said to herself, leaning back in the decidedly uncomfortable station chair.

"Poli?" The questioning tone, noticeably devoid of any actual words, came from the chair to Catherine's right. A nearly spherical blue Pokemon with a white belly displaying a spiral pattern was sitting next to her: Indra. Supposedly, the Poliwag was her starter. It tilted its entire body to the side somewhat, lacking a separate head to make the curious gesture with probably.

"What?" Catherine asked.

"Poli!" the Pokemon chimed again.

"I have no idea what you're trying to say." Catherine sighed again, rummaging in her bag and digging out her PokeGear. She synched up her set of wireless headphones and started cycling through her music collection.

She selected play on Dream Lanturn and sat back again closing her eyes and letting her mind drift back to the story of a Gardevoir and Gallade separated by time, allowed the chance to speak to each other with the help of a benevolent Celebi. It was a beautiful, emotional movie; a great story. Truly, much better than the story that Catherine found herself living in reality.

"Poli!"

Catherine opened her eyes irritably, pulled out of her recollections by Indra's voice. To her surprise, her vision didn't return to reveal empty space but, in fact, a pair of kids standing in front of her. The sound she had heard was apparently her new Pokemon greeting them.

"You're one of the new trainers from the school, right?" One of them, an eager-looking boy, asked.

"Uh… yeah."

"That's really cool!" He continued.

"Right. Thanks," Catherine replied. Wedgehurst was a small town and all the locals could easily recognise the students well-enough, even if they didn't know them by name. They had become more and more like local celebrities the closer they had gotten to their graduation. It was rather irritating for someone who just wanted to be left alone. Maybe things had gotten bothersome enough now with graduation that people would be coming up frequently so they could brag to their friends about knowing the graduates personally. Catherine supposed that was an unfortunate possibility.

"What's your Poliwag's name?" The second kid, a girl, asked.

"Indra."

"Like from the WCU movies? That makes sense because of the rain." The boy said.

"Like the Wonder comics. Those movies butcher him," Catherine answered.

Next to her, Indra made a sound similar to the questioning tone from earlier. Catherine supposed he was clueless as to the origins of his name, and as to the conversation. Still, he kept butting in like that, like he was trying to be a part of it despite his inability to actually talk.

Fantastic, Catherine thought to herself, He's eager to do one of my least favourite things. Great choice for me Professor Sonia. Maybe this is your idea of a funny joke.

"I like the movies," the boy stated, as though that settled any debate on their quality.

"Okay." Catherine was more than ready for the tedious small talk to be over at that point.

"Hey, miss," the girl was speaking again now, "If the Munchlax on the track is a problem, couldn't you help move them?"

This sudden question baffled Catherine. Sure, helping deal with the Munchlax infestation would definitely mean she could get on the train and away from irritating little shits faster, but it also wasn't her job. Why on Earth would she do somebody else's work for them when they couldn't, and likely wouldn't, do anything to repay her?

"Miss?" The girl pressed.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you're a proper trainer now and it would help?" The boy interjected this time.

For the third time in the past several minutes, Catherine found herself sighing deeply. "That's not my job. So I'm not going to do it. Can I go back to my music now?"

"You're kind of rude," the girl said. She left, dragging the other kid along with her. Catherine was pretty sure she heard them bad mouthing her and her taste in movies as they walked away, but any issues they had with her weren't her problem.

"Poli!" Indra exclaimed.

"I still have no idea what you're trying to say." Catherine closed her eyes again, her ears now blessed with another of her favourite OPs. She let her mind wander back into the realms of fantasy until the next inevitable interruption.

Spoiler: Inventory

Fen-Fen · Oct 24, 2020

Haleigh Windsor
17 | Female | From Circhester

Corey (Male, Blaze) - Flame Charge, Double Kick, Headbutt, Agility

A Sweet Beginning

She couldn't believe the day had finally come! Here Haleigh was, about to embark on her very own Pokemon adventure. Not only that, but she made history as the first graduating class from Galar's training school. It was a series of some ups and many, many downs just to get to this point, but Haleigh was still going, upbeat as ever; that much was apparent from the spring in her step and the large grin on her face.

After living in Wedgehurst for the past two years, she was pleasantly surprised about all of the activity that accompanied today's proceedings. It seemed that the whole town woke up and decided to join in on the festive atmosphere, with graduates and locals alike chatting on the streets, getting a bite to eat at the quaint restaurants in the center of town and her fellow classmates playing with their Pokemon partners. It was an entire world away from the life she lived before enrolling in the academy: skulking about the streets of Spikemuth with her gang. Her appearance, however, was one of the things that hardly changed from those. Although opting for a decidedly less gothic appearance than her friend Melody, her purple bomber jacket with a skull design on it and the piercings on her ears and nose still made her stand out against the more plain stylings of the locals. It made heads turn around here, but it wasn't anything she wasn't used to. Besides, it was always fun for her to stand out among everyone else.

Her new partner in her Pokemon journey, Corey, stood perched on her shoulder excitedly pointing at things and letting out cries of "Scor scor, scor scor!"

Haleigh giggled and said to him, "Aww, aren't you an eager one? Well, I s'pose I don't blame ya on account of the fact you've been in that ball all day."

"Scor!"

She gave him a pat on the head and ruffled his fur, the small rabbit Pokemon letting out a noise of contentment. "Well, this is it little fella, me an' you on a journey together. I can already tell we're gonna be great friends!"

As Haleigh kept observing the center of town, one sight that caught her eye was one shop that stood apart from all the others as empty. Were this some ordinary day, that would be unremarkable. However, with all of the activity from the graduation, it was weird to her that no one was going into the sweet shop.

"Say, Corey, you like sweet things, right?" In response, the Scorbunny nodded his head vigorously and jumped up and down on her shoulder.

Chuckling, Haleigh replied, "Alright little lad, calm down. Sweets it is, then." The pair made their way towards it, hoping to have a nice little something to celebrate their journey with.

Stinging Bea · Oct 24, 2020

Aeliana Kekoa

Wedgehurst Town

Chapter 1-1 | Finding Her Groove

Current Party:

Aeliana smiled softly as the rays of the early morning sun began to peek over the rolling hills that surrounded the humble town of Wedgehurst. A gentle breeze blew through the air, carrying with it a gentle serenade produced by a flock of wild Rookidee that were all comfortably nestled atop the rooftop of the town's train station. Foam cup held within her hand, the pink-haired woman brought the coffee to her lips, taking a small and satisfying sip of the hot beverage. It really was a nice way to start off the morning, in Aeliana's opinion. The song of the birds really helped put a spring in her step, and while it was nothing the woman would get up and break down to, it was enough to keep her foot gently tapping against the pavement.. and did help time move at the very least a bit faster.

"You would think they'd be used to getting wild pokémon off the tracks," Aeliana mused to herself. "They have to deal with Wooloo doing it all the time, after all. I don't see why these pokémon would be all that different."

The situation was more than just a little disheartening. After Aeliana had received her pokémon and starting supplies from Professor Sonia, she had planned to make a beeline for the station and hop on the first ride out of the sleepy little town. While she had come to view Wedgehurst as something of a second home during her time at the academy, the young woman had developed quite the explorer's itch over the past few months. The closer it came to graduate, the more Aeliana began to feel the urge to get out and see just what all Galar had to offer. While the region was certainly not Alola, almost completely devoid of beaches and a bit more... backwater, she knew that there was definitely more to experience out there. Aeliana didn't want to miss a beat of it.

Reaching down to her belt, Aeliana pulled out the pokéball that contained her first actual pokémon. Just holding the ball made her feel as if she had accomplished something great.

"Well... seeing as how we'll be stuck here for a while, I suppose we better take the chance to get to know each other a little better," the young woman determined.

Hopping off the bench, Aeliana pressed the button in the middle before tossing it high into the air. The pokéball snapped open, shooting forth a beam of bright, white light that took the form of a petite, blue, alligator-like creature. A Totodile, if Aeliana was remembering her lectures from the academy properly. The Totodile looked around, her eyes shining with excitement as she happened to gaze upon her new trainer. A wide, toothy grin quickly over took the water pokémon's features as she began to bounce up and down excitedly before Aeliana. The young woman couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

"Well, well... Alola to you too, friend," Aeliana greeted as she kneeled down to the Totodile's eye level. "My name is Aeliana... But you can just call me Liana."

She paused for a moment. A sudden thought rushing through her head at the silliness of her suggestion. Aeliana would have been very surprised if her new pokémon would have been even capable of pronouncing one letter of her name. Still, she figured it wasn't of any major consequence.

Snapping back to reality, Aeliana resumed her introduction. "My hobbies? I enjoy getting some exercise... Singing is always fun too, and of course I like pokémon. But I have to say the most fun I have is just getting down and letting loose when I dance!"

A curious look seemed to overtake the Totodile's face. Aeliana was quick to notice this. She grinned excitedly.

"What, you don't know about dance?" the woman questioned. "Dancing is so much fun! It's what happens when you just... lose yourself in the music, you know? The rhythm and beats just take you away and your body just starts to move and jive on its own!"

The Totodile seemed to be even more confused. Raising back up to her feet, Aeliana looked around until she spotted a nearby flower stand. An elderly man was setting up shop for the day, but what caught the pink-haired trainer's eyes the most was the radio that was sitting on the top. Grin widening, the trainer quickly turned and made her way towards the shop. Her Totodile quickly waddled behind her.

"Excuse me, sir?" Aeliana called out, grabbing the older gentleman's attention.

"Oh my! A customer already?" the old man questioned. "I'm sorry, you're a bit early. We're not open for business today just yet."

"Oh, that's perfectly fine," Aeliana assured the man. She gestured down to the Totodile by her side, who waved up at the shopkeeper. "I was actually wondering if you'd let me borrow your radio for a few minutes? You see, my new friend here wants to learn about dancing!"

"New friend?" the old man inquired. A look of familiarity washed over his features as he adjusted his glasses. A knowing smile graced his lips. "I see, I see! You must be one of the new graduates from the school, yes? By all means, help yourself!"

Aeliana thanked the man as she excitedly took the radio from the stand. An old, jazzy tune was playing from the speakers of the device and while it wasn't exactly the worst tune the trainer had ever heard, it was doing very little to make her feel anything. Aeliana began to mess with the dial in an attempt to tune the radio to something a bit more lively. Before long, a popping and electrifying song began to fill the air. As if on instinct, Aeliana began to bounce in step with the beats being produced from the radio as she set it back on the counter. Legs moving quickly, the girl began thrust her hips back and forth in rhythmic fashion. Her arms began to pump back and forth, as she spun around on her left foot and glanced down to her new pokémon companion.

"See? Just like this! Just... close your eyes and do what comes natural to you! Let the music just... take you away!" Aeliana exchanged.

She watched as the Totodile seemed to be almost mesmerized by her trainer's movements. Her small, blue body began to bounce up and down, making an attempt to try and mimic her trainer's movements. Her tail began to swish back and forth. She began to hop back and forth from one foot to the other. Aeliana nodded with excitement!

"That's it! Now you get it!" Aeliana said, "Break it down, Tampa!"

The newly dubbed Totodile spun around, balancing herself on her tail before toppling over with glee. A gurgly-like laugh escaped the pokémon's mouth as she laid on her back side. The very sight warmed Aeliana's heart.

"I can tell you and me are going to get along just fine," the trainer remarked as she scooped the Totodile up into her arms.

The Totodile nodded in response, quickly scrambling up onto Aeliana's shoulder. Thanking the man once again, Aeliana turned and began to make her way up the winding path of Wedgehurst Town. This was definitely going to be an interesting journey! Aeliana couldn't wait to set off proper.

Inventory:

Spoiler:

Shak · Oct 24, 2020

Ruben Sancho

18 | Male | Footballer

Chapter 1-1 | Head in the Clouds, Cast on the Ground

Wedgehurst Town

A football fizzed past a lone water bottle that stood in a field.

THUD!

"****!" The cast cladded ankle of Ruben Sancho lowered as the young professional footballer lay flat on his back, near ripping the hair from his head as he ran his fingers through. He punched the ground in frustration, watching the Tailow fly beneath the clouds overhead before slinging his arm across his face.

"Ayy, yo!" Ruben slowly lowered his arm and furrowed his brows as a familiar voice echoed through the field. Before he could find his bearings and clamber to his feet, the source of the voice was upon him. None other than his best friend, Ainsley. The overweight man spoke with a jovial husk and a breathlessness of someone who had worked hard to stumble across such a secluded space. "The Boltund Blitz, puts the bang in bangers and Marsh, Mr Shoots like an Inteleon, nothing but top bins. What you doin out here?" Ruben could only scoff at the barrage of complimentary titles thrust upon him. In the state he was in, he was hardly deserving of any of them. "You even supposed to train with that thing on?" Despite the incessant remarks and questioning, Ruben continued to stare up at the sky, watching the clouds pass him by. "I was gonna wait until you hit it, but ****, I got a doctor's appointment tomorrow."

"Oh, you got jokes now?" Ruben finally quipped back with another scoff.

"Boy, I got jokes jokes."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

A brief pause. Both began to cackle before heartily chuckling at each other. It was Ainsley who stopped first though, looking down at his friend. He reached out, and pulled Ruben up by the hand, helping him hobble over to the spot where he left his crutches.

"Pokemon journey then, yeah?" Ainsley asked, watching the bottle wobble as it wrestled the wind to stay standing. "What did they deem worthy of their golden boy then? Charizard? Zamazenta?" He pressed, eying the pokeball as Ruben steadied himself on his metal supports.

"If I'm being real…they kinda did me dirty. See for yourself." With Ruben's permission, Ainsley tossed the pokeball into the field.

A red light burst from the ball. As it gathered, a small, pink, round creature materialised. Four green plants plumed from its head with a stalk that sprouted through the middle. Its tiny legs poked through white, cotton like substance that puffed out the botton of its pink exterior. Upon seeing the two boys, the little Bounsweet pursed her tiny lips and turned her nose up to them.

"Yooooo! That thing look like the cereal my niece eats before school!" Ainsley howled into laughter, going so far as do a lap of the stationary Ruben. "That's the heat you're packin Rubes? Look out for Ruben, he's gonna battle you with a jelly baby! "

"Oh you got jokes now?" Ruben muttered to himself, watching the pokemon that had dismissed them as readily as Ainsley had dismissed her.

Without missing a beat, yet another familiar face took refuge in Ruben's safe place. This man was significantly older than Ainsley and in much better shape; a Tailow rode on the man's shoulder.

"Coach Raymond?" Ruben asked with a brow raised.

"Football coach?" Ainsely asked.

"Battle coach. From Ruben's trainer school. I'm here to get Ruben to fulfil the last piece of his contracted agreement with the school." The man spoke in a gruff, harsh tone. He had the look of a seasoned gym teacher who had finally figured out how to coast and collect a paycheck. "See, it was in the contract of your scholarship that you represent the school in one final exhibition match to show for the undergrads."

"I didn't know anything about that."

"Well Wedgehurst Town Football Club certainly do. We need you there for three." He jogged up to Ruben, barely breaking the stride he'd marched up to them in. "As you are the Boltund blitz, we think it would be perfect if you battle with this complimentary Boltund we're prepared to give you for your journey." Again, without missing a beat, the man marched back from whence he came.

"Hold up, did he just give you a new pokemon? That how the other half are livin'?" Ainsley grumbled, just loud enough for Ruben to hear.

"You heard that I had to do something to earn it, yeah?" Ruben protested in defence.

"What, you do one battle and get a free…evolved pokemon, don't matter if you win or lose? Aight my guy, hard life for some." Despite Ainsley's accusations, Ruben began hobbling plodding himself away on his crutches. Irritable in the face, it was clear he was tired of hearing this old spiel. "Wait, wait, hold up…real talk though. Since you're gone…" Ainsley began, causing Ruben to hesitate. "Since you're gone yeah...is it cool if I chat to your sister?" Ainsley blurted in a rushed flourish of a mumble. "She's seventeen, so it ain't like she's too too young, she got…

Ruben frowned as Ainsley continued to list the reasons his question was 'justified'. He hitched his crutches and hobbled back over to Ainsley. With just a tap, Ruben stopped Ainsley's rambling.

"Yo Ains, see that bottle, yeah?" Ruben asked threateningly, pointing to the bottle that was knocked over by the wind while they weren't looking. "You start talking to my sister, that's you." He finished, hobbling himself away to pick up his football and recall his Bounsweet. Again though, he stopped and turned to look at the disappointed Ainsley. "And with your big ass head, trust me, I won't miss!" With that, Ruben left Ainsley with a smirk on his face. Ainsley couldn't help but smirk himself. It would be a long time before they saw each other again.

Sonata · Oct 25, 2020

Rosa Valdés // 17

CHAPTER 1 - GOODBYES, AND HELLO TO A NEW JOURNEY

Rosa scrunched at her skirt as she walked behind her childhood friend. Since they moved here together years ago, they'd always been together. Inseparable, as if they were truly siblings. After they entered the academy together, things had become a little more strained between them, but...

"Why hasn't he said anything?" She muttered to herself.

Simon strode down the road towards their home with his hands in his pockets. His eyes were on the sky, and his thoughts were a mystery to everyone but himself. He was a mystery himself, a contradicting cacophony of words and actions. His goals and motives eluded her, but every so often, he'd sneak a quick glance back towards her when he knew she wouldn't be looking. Just as Rosa prided herself on being a know-it-all, Simon had something that he knew by heart too.

A smug smile appeared in Rosa's face, bringing her out of her daze. Simon had stopped walking, and was now hovering over her. "So, excited?"

Interactions with Simon had grown more difficult as time had gone on. Rosa had believed that her knowledge on the boy was absolute, but every time she started to feel some sort of comfort he'd poke holes in her theory. "Y-yeah. I got a cute Pokemon, and it's supposed to turn into something really strong! I won't have to be afraid about going out on my own at least."

Simon nodded his head and then placed his hand atop her head, ruffling her hair about as he laughed. "Good. Good, wouldn't want to have to worry about you while we're out on our separate adventures."

"Stop that!" Rosa batted away his hand, patting at her hair to try and fix the mess he'd made of it. "Jeez, why don't you show a little respect for your elders! Did you forget I'm a year older than you? Respect! Respect!" Her face turned red, and her confused contortion was replaced with a child-like pout.

Simon smiled as he straightened up. "Well, it is hard to remember when you're nearly a foot shorter than I am. I always have had a bad memory, don'tcha know?" Simon spun on his heels and started walking again. As their house became visible in the distance, his pace gradually slowed. "Y'know, we're going on the same road..."

Rosa stopped and looked up at him. "Yeah? So?"

"So," he whispered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Y'know... we're going the same way, we don't have to split up after we pack our things."

"Oh? What's this? Could it be that you want to play the protective hero just like when we were kids?" She prodded playfully, skipping around him so that she could face him head on.

Simon's eyes searched the sky as his mind fumbled for words. After a few seconds, his eyes rested on her necklace, and then fell to her dress which was flowing gently in the breeze. "No, not at all. We're rivals now, aren't we? I just think it'd be a shame for you to fall behind and end up losing our little race. After all, those stumpy little legs can only carry you so fast."

Rosa stomped her foot. "They're not stumpy!"

Simon laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, yeah. Anyways." He took a few slow, meandering steps towards the house. "Guess we should pack our things. It's still early in the day, who knows what we could experience before night falls?"

Rosa crossed her arms, tapping her fingers against her skin. She shook her head as Simon disappeared ahead of her. "No, I can't let him get to me. If I let this play get in my head, it could ruin my perfect notes." She inhaled deeply and began to tap her foot furiously as she struggled against herself. "Darn it! Screw you Simon!" She screamed, pulling a notebook from her pocket. She thumbed quickly to his page which was covered in scribbles, half-finished thoughts, and a single pressed clover. "Idiot." She smiled, as she scrawled the word in one of the empty corners of the page.

Rosa sighed, pulling the filled pokeball from her other pocket. "I suppose it'll be just you and me for a bit then, won't it? I suppose I should think of a proper name for you... what about... Wyatt?"

-Inventory-

Spoiler:

Jay · Oct 25, 2020

Raphael Allard
> Route 2
> Mood: Irritated.
> SUPERNATURAL HASTE

"Arceus curse this little fucking- Ugh!" Raphael curses and stumbles, pushing and battering the branch of a tree out of the way as he meanders forward. A slew of apologies had been rattled off half heartedly as he stumbled through the town, then out onto the route leading to the professor's lab. Being embarrassed was exhausting to say the least, this whole situation was a mess. Why couldn't Sonia have just given him something reasonable? Like a Slakoth... or a Snorlax... you know, something that would fit his aesthetic? He pinches the bridge of his nose and feels a recent memory fade in, while running in pursuit he had noticed one of his classmates gyrating and spinning with an equally eager pokémon. Had Sonia just forgotten or something? Had she forgotten how he liked to do things? Were all the starter pokémon like this?

What a dreadful thought.

Raph had been following the trail his new pokémon had left for nigh on an hour now. Indentations on the ground, little patches of frost here and there, puddles where there shouldn't be puddles. It wasn't a very subtle thing, Raph wondered if that was on purpose. Was this a game to it? Was it leading him on a wild... spheal... chase? Not that it mattered much now, he had followed the winding trail of mischief down to Route 2 and beyond the usually frequented areas into a small, dense patch of woodland. Strong, oak trees rose upwards, their browning leaves falling off by the second. This would have been a nice place to nap, were it not for the dangers of wild pokémon. Dangers he was supposed to be able to ignore now that he had his own.

He sighs loudly, hoping some divine intervention will hear him and help him. It does not. If worst came to worst, he thought, he could probably take a Skwovet by himself. If he couldn't, he probably wasn't fit for this journey anyw-

"Huh?"

Raphael turns quickly, cutting off his own train of thought at a sound that echoes behind him. Something moving, quickly, rustling through the grass and dashing through the woodlands, so fast he couldn't see it. He growls a little to himself and pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration. "There you are... look we can stop playing now okay? I'm tired. Really tired. Let's just go to the station, wait on the train and eventually, someone, probably one of my easily excitable classmates, will deal with the hold ups there capiche? Bloody hell..." With a little Galarian twang in his accent at the end he stretches his back. "I'm done following you around. I'm going to wait right here. If you really insist on going off on your own without me, by my guest!"

The rustling sound stops suddenly, pausing somewhere nearby, the quiet that follows is unexpected. Only the whistles of rookidee and the rustling of leaves can be heard, punctuated by the distant sound of a moving car, or another echo of civilization. Raph hadn't expected that to work... suddenly he feels uneasy. "Finally feel like listening? G-Good..." He tries to force the uncertainty out of his voice. "Look, maybe we just got off to a bad start, I'm sure you're not all bad... I just gotta teach you to chill out, yeah?"

He's greeted by the heart wrenching silence. After a moment passes, he is about to speak again, but a sudden and terrifying presence interrupts him.

With a sudden lunge, a large four legged pokémon bursts out from the surrounding grasslands. Before he even has a chance to react, Raphael is knocked to the ground by the creatures lunge. He doesn't even get a chance to yell, merely panicked curses and flailing arms meet his attacker.

The pokémon is large, body black as soot, eyes burning with fire. It wasn't something that should be in Wedgehurst, something like this was unheard of. Why was it here?

"Houn..." It growls lowly, its paws pushing Raph down to the ground, it's eyes piercing into him as he desperately tried to protect his face and neck. There's a moment of pained silence from the creature as Raph struggles to push away, yet the pokémon, its white, bone horns looming over him, simply watches. This pokémon... Raph recognized this pokémon. Memories come flooding into his mind of the years when he was a child, his home burning, canine fangs tearing at innocent people, fire taking hold of Shalour city. This pokémon was called Houndoom.

Yet it looked... different. It's horns were cracked, one with its point broken away. The fur around its muzzles was black speckles with grey, the bone ribs upon its back were all but two, broken at the ends. Raph saw all these details as it hunched over him, eyes still piercing into his own. Its nose twitched slightly, it sniffed lightly at the air surrounding the young man. As the smell reached its nostrils its eyes flared to life and it roared loudly, rookidee in the trees flapping away in fear as the predatory pokémon surged with anger. Fire was now bubbling in its mouth, coating its pointed fangs. It was going to eat him. Raphael felt his heart rate rising, rising, higher and higher, pounding in his chest... was this it? Was he going to die... before even leaving his home town? That was so pathetic it was almost funny.

He wished he could tell his Mother he was sor-

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAALL!"

Raphael's train of thought was cut off, again, by the noise of a tiny little pokémon rapidly approaching. Rolling around at night the speed of sound, Vito launched off a nearby tree trunk like a tactical missile. Before the impact of fangs that would undoubtedly end Raphael's life, the tiny Clap Pokémon's body slammed hard into the side of the imposing Houndoom's head, the horn on the dark type's head already cracked, shattered further from the sheer force as it was sent catapulting suddenly through the air, its body slamming into the side of a nearby tree. Vito landed down beside Raph, skidding slightly along the grass before wobbling to a halt in front of his stunned trainer, its tiny black eyes were determined and its snout was fashioned into what was certainly an attempt at an intimidating scowl.

"Sphea!" It cried out aggressively towards the Houndoom, which despite clearly being a stronger pokémon, was old... and severely injured. How had that done so much damage? As Raphael's thoughts cleared of the fear of death, a small spark ignited in his mind, his thoughts jumped back to the pokédex he had held in his hand just an hour or so further. The information given about Vito, despite the species which the dex read out.

"Rollout:
Type: Rock
The user continuously rolls at increasing speeds, the longer this move is used successfully, the more powerful it becomes."

Had Vito been rolling this entire time? Then the force behind this Rollout must have been... of course, that's why the attack had been so potent, not forgetting the type advantage at play.

Still there wasn't much time to think, the Houndoom was back on its feet and its head swiveled in rage towards Vito. The small seal had gotten a lucky hit in out of the blue, but now both he and his trainer were in serious danger. Raphael had to think, this was what the school was for right? There had to be a way out of this, quick, easy, effortless... one that could get them away from the situation even if they didn't necessarily win. His eyes turned quickly, opening wide, focusing, he took note of his surroundings, the fallen trunk, the tree that Houndoom had clattered into, the moves available to him, the positions of everyone on the battlefield.

That was it, that was their chance.

"Vito!"

The small pokémon nearly leaped in shock as Raph called out its name, but once that subsides, his eyes turned to Raphael, ready and waiting. "That tree... use rollout and circle it quickly! Use water gun to blast it as you go!" It was an odd command and a dangerous one given the Houndoom being right there, Raph expected his new partner to question the command... but he did not. Without missing a beat, before he even finished the rest of the command, Vito took off. He rolled swiftly between the Houndoom's legs and began to rapidly circle the tree that the larger pokémon had moments ago crashed into. This, as expected, enraged the dark and fire type pokémon further, causing it to dash and pursue Vito in circles, a blind rage taking over it. When possible, as commanded, Vito would leap up and blast the the tree with a burst of gushing water, the wood which was already splintered and damaged, absorbed the water quickly, deep into the bark via the wounds that the Houndoom's impact had created.

The moment was coming, it was almost there, it was cheap. It was dirty, but it would work. It had to work.

Raph waits for the right moment, he pulled himself together and stood in a position at the ready. He waited until both pokémon were about to turn the corner towards him and then...

Suddenly darting forward, Raph waits for Vito to pass and kicks as hard as he can towards the Houndoom's legs. The pokémon is stunned by the trainers sudden action and trips forward stumbling towards the ground in front of the tree, which is now soaked through with water. "Vito, stop moving! Use Powder Snow on the tree!" On command the spheal skids to a halt as Raphael sprints away from the Houndoom. With a sudden flash of crystal blue in its eyes, Vito summons a localized storm of ice crystal and bitter cold snow to thrash against the tree. The elemental energy of the ice type attack instantly freezes the water inside of the large oak and Raph smirks as it expands and he hears the sound of the damaged would snapping and breaking.

Without another word, Raphael pushes himself just a little bit further, running up to and grabbing Vito in his arms, he charges towards the small woodlands exit. The furious Houndoom immediately picks itself up, ready to pursue, but the loud cracking and snapping noise beside it causes it to hesitate.

It looks up and howls in shock, moments before the now falling tree crushes it into ground below.

***

Raphael slumps onto a bench at the edge of the forest, one hand clutches his chest tightly while the other grabs the metal seat beneath him. His eyes are wide and his skin is pale, he takes deep breath after deep breath, forcing back the shock of what happened and the pain in his chest. He needs to relax, he needs to calm down, to settle his heart rate.

A sudden sensation helps with the process, a light, pudgy sensation pressing against his leg.

As he looks down, Raphael sees Vito, the pokémon, his pokémon. The small blue ball is smiling up at him with big hopeful eyes, like Vito knows he's in pain, like he's trying to cheer him up. It's a comfort to Raph, who finally feels his body starting to get under control. His eyes droop a little as he chuckles down at the partner he's now obtained. His body, his mind, everything was exhausted now, already. He reaches down slowly and picks the little lump up, placing his soft body on his lap. He sure could pack a punch for something so small and... squishy. Vito continues to smile up at his trainer, proud of his first battle with Raphael, proud that he could keep his trainer safe.

Raph smiles back, before sighing gently to himself.

"I think... I'm going to teach you what a nap is first."

***

Some time later, under the cover of the night sky... a fallen tree trunk starts to glow, then bristle, then burn. A plume of fire bursts out of the wooden frame and splits it in two. Freshly awoken from an unconscious state, a solitary black furred pokémon drags itself up from the ground. It's eyes are shimmering red, with black replacing the white.

Surrounding its body is a mysterious black and red mist, crackling with red lightning, it empowers the pokémon to stand despite its injuries... and it does. It fights against nature itself, forcing its body to keep moving. With a snout turned upwards it breathes deep of the air... and turns to look in the direction of the scent. The train station... and beyond. It grunts and without missing a beat, begins to walk towards the direction that familiar smell has gone.

As it walks the ominous black cloud surrounding it disperses, flowing away into the wind, carried into the night sky.

Dragon · Oct 25, 2020

The Quest of 100 Friends

Friends Made

1

......

vs. Zigzagoon

"I'll show you lot... I'll show y'all!"

A young boy carrying his zigzagoon was rushing through a slightly uninterested crowd of people. He seemed stubborn and hot-headed, but them crowd didn't seem to think much of him.

"Geez, the muppet is at it again, ain't he?" one of the local trainers who was nearby, commented to another. "Lost another battle, didn't he?"

"That's the right of it," another replied with a sigh, running the back of his head in an embarrassed, pitiable look. "Kid just doesn't learn. The battle was a real ugly one too. Little sport didn't stand a chance. What's he tryna do, braggin' left and right? Oh look at me! I've got a zigzagoon... not just ANY zigzagoon, this one is TOP-PERCENTAGE!"

"Noooo, it was, my pokemon once beat the mastermind who turned pokemon into evil killing machines!"

The young boy could hear the sounds of laughter as he ran. He kept running until he finally found himself alone with his zigzagoon in the back alleys of the town. It was another disappointing loss he had against a new trainer graduate, despite his on going bragging. "Hang in there, boy..." he whispered to his partner pokemon. He got out a bottle of Super Potion, and spraying it on him. The young zigzagoon wagged his tail, and stood firmly on all four of his feet. He let out a small bark, ensuring his health. "That's my boy, we ain't 'bout to let those guys get the better of us, yeah?" Still, he chose to move past it all. All the disgrace, the embarrassment he endured for a short while now, he had a dream in mind, and a promise to keep.

"After all, we're gonna be the champs one day... right, dad?"

"Aw man, couldn't ya' give me a much bigger and stronger pokemon, pop?" the young boy once said to his dad. His dad was a former trainer himself, who saw and participated in many a battle in his day too. Nowadays in their house, he took pride in raising his son, and his Raticate was at peace, taking naps, going about his own day.

"What are you talking about, kiddo?" he to his son with a hearty, confident chuckle. "This Zigzagoon is the top percentage of zigzagoon, don't you know?" His son raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. His dad sat down, placing his hand around his kid's shoulder. "You know where I found this zigzagoon? He was battling against hundreds of Zangoose, fending them off to have a herd of Seedot and Lotad. He used his super-secret ultimate zaggy technique and zigged em' all! It was quite a sight!"

"...Top percentage..." the youngster repeated, still a little suspicious, as well as a bit annoyed. The zigzagoon barked and wagged its tail, giving the youngster a happy greeting. The boy wasn't interested however, as he turned away from it and walked away. The Zigzagoon whimpered and sadly whined, but was comforted by the boy's father by giving it a warm pat on his head.

"Give em' time," the youngster's father suggested. "The boy warms up to people as fast as a crawling Slugma, but he's a good kid. I'm sure he'll like you enough soon.

////////

During his early childhood years, the boy was bullied and picked on a lot. Comments such as, heard your dad was a sucky trainer! or haha! He thought he could become a champ with a rattata, laaaaame! constantly rung his ears. His dad was one who always stretched the truth. He always told his son how his Rattata was once the top-percentage of rattata! And many grandiose adventures of how his Rattata stood out from all the rest, but little did the boy know, his dad was also an infamous braggart. And people tormented him for it.

The youngster always walked home from the playground alone with a frown, and a heavy heart. One day while he was walking home, his zigzagoon ran up to greet him. The youngster became so irritated and upset with the pokemon that he chucked a small rock at it to scare it away. "Just go away!" he screamed, running past it. Still, the zigzagoon never left him, as it always chased after him.

"How's your day, champ?" his dad greeted the youngster while on his armchair, as the boy walked inside. The boy didn't even look at him or replied. He took off his shoes and simply stormed upstairs to his room.

"Stupid dad..." the boy grumbled, laying flat on his belly on his bed. He sighed, then rolled over sullenly on his back, staring at the ceiling. The zigzagoon came in his room again, only to be greeted with the boy throwing a book at it, hitting the floor to scare it away. "Leave. Me. ALONE!" His father came inside shortly afterwards, picking the book back up.

"Hey..." he said to his son, who turned away from him. "Is everything alright?"

"No, it ain't alright!" the youngster screamed at his father. "Why, pop? Why you gotta do this to yourself and t'me? Everyone laughs at you, y'know? You always go on and on about Rattata top percentage this n' that... but it ain't nothing special! And you're doing it to me again with this damn Zigzagoon!"

His father sat down on his bedside beside him, gently placing his hand on his son's shoulder. "I wasn't lying about all that," he said with a sincere smile. "You know why I always said that my Rattata was the best? Because he was my partner, and my first friend."

The youngster gave his father a sidelong glance. "So what?" he asked, somewhat muffled from his face burrowed in his pillow.

"Son, a true trainer won't care if their pokemon are big, small, weak or strong... as long as the pokemon is partnered with you, and you connect together as one, there's no doubt that they are the strongest. I think a pokemon connected with their trainer, and the trainer giving them trust and love is top-percentage material any day."

That was the last bit of advice his father ever gave to him.

////////

"Pa!"
"Ergh... Raticate and I will buy you some time. You gotta get yourself and Zigzagoon to safety! Go now, boy!"
"B-But!"
"And son, try to be friends with your Zigzagoon, yeah? He's gonna be there for you, so be there for him too."
"Pa... I... I promise, I'll be friends with Zigzagoon! And... I want you watch us become the champion! An unbeatable champion! B-Because, because! He's... he's the top percentage of Zigzagoon, after all, right?!"
"Yeah. Be the best you can be... son.

The youngster gave his Zigzagoon a pat on its head. "Alright, let's get back there and--"

"Let's get it! Friend GET!"
CLICK!

A cheerful shout, followed by a small sound, like a camera shutter came around. The youngster peered from the alleyway, to see a unexpected sight.

A new photo emerged from a pink Xtransiver. It was a picture of the new, upcoming trainer Valerie Amity, and her friend, the literally-hot bodied Flame the Cyndaquil. The local Wedgehurst trainer school had recently finished their ceremony, and Valerie had just graduated with her head held high. Valerie was always a trainer not like most others - she had not much of a serious personality, but one thing was clear about her: she loved being sociable and personable. The partner Pokemon she received was a Cyndaquil named Flame, who seemed to have hit it off quickly with Val.

Though Flame himself was a bit of a timid pokemon, the professor warned that Cyndaquil when angered, likes to spout hot flames from their backs in order to intimidate their foes and to protect themselves. Though, most of that explanation was lost on Valerie already, as the literal first thing she did when she met her Cyndaquil was to tickle his belly. Because oh man, she could not resist that tiny belly. The two were hanging out in the town, as many new trainers walked to and through the place, going off in their own direction.

"Awesome, Flame-bro! You're officially my first friend!" Valerie cheerfully expressed, pumping her fists in the air. Her Cyndaquil happily cried back. Flame was a seemingly simple pokemon too; it looks like he was keen on making new friends as well. The youngster took a small interest in this trainer, as she was and cheerful than most of the other trainers that he had met against. "99 left to go! We're riding this hype train now, buddy! Hmmm?" The girl finally noticed the youngster who secretly spied on her. The youngster tripped over himself, surprised and embarrassed by the girl's discovery of him, landing on the ground. The girl approached him, offering him a hand.

"You okay there, sport?" Valerie asked him with a sincere smile. "Sorry bout' that, did I surprise ya?"

"I-I'm fine," the young boy didn't take the hand offered from Valerie, and dust himself off. He then, as coolly as he possibly can act, took out a comb and combed his hair with it, nonchalantly. "You're a trainer, yeah?" he asked Valerie with a cool, confident voice. "It's you're unlucky day. Cause you and I are gonna battle!"

"Come again?" Valerie asked him. "Er, I know the teach taught me this but uh... Why do we gotta do that again?"

"Duh! If trainers meet eye to eye, of course we gotta battle! It's so our pokemon can grow strong, and tough!" the youngster replied, putting his comb back in his pocket. "And lemme warn ya, my Zigzagoon ain't just any normal Zigzagoon, it's the top-percentage of Zigzagoon, y'hear?"

"Whaaaaaa? Top-percentage?!" Valerie was starry-eyed. She excitingly crept closer to his Zigzagoon, eyeing him down. "Oh, man! So it's like, the strongest Zigzagoon in the world?! Is it as strong as a legendary pokemon?!"

The youngster blinked. He and his Zigzagoon exchanged glances. This was the literal first time anyone took such an interest, and him seriously. But perhaps Valerie was hyping him up a bit too much? Oh well, roll with it, he then thought. "Course it is, girlie," he then said. "One time, my Zigzagoon defeated a crime organization that made a clone of the most powerful and rare pokemon in existence. One time with Ziggy's help, we became worthy enough to be visited by a giant rainbow-colored pokemon!"

"Really?!"

"Ah, but there's more!" the youngster implied, confidently chuckling. "We helped calm down a pokemon who controlled the sea, and a pokemon who controlled the land, and saved the local region there. We never made it into papers cause, a good job well done is its own reward yeah? Oh and don't get me started on how we defeated pokemon who controlled time and space itself, and sealed off an alternate dimension... woooo we, THAT was quite an experience! But that's what happens when you get such a top-percentage pokemon, yeah?"

"Blimey, and you're saying I get to battle such a strong pokemon? That's soo cool! We can learn a lot from that!" Valerie cheerfully goaded. The youngster simply nodded, but was still mystified. Even if she believed in all that, she still chose to battle him? Valerie seemed like a good girl, but... she seemed a little bit of a weakling, if he could guess. She should be easy pickings. "Oh hey! What's your name, btw?"

"Johnny," the youngster replied. "And you know Zigzagoon - his name's Ziggy. And you are?"

"The name's Valerie! But you can call me Val," Valerie introduced. "My friend here is a Cyndaquil! I called him Flame. Did you know? When he's ready to battle, his back lights on fire! Cool, huh? Or should I say.... hot! Hah, get it? Hot?"

"Sure, sure," Johnny nodded. "But y'know, somethin'? Ziggy can light things on fire with his eyes."

"No way!"

"Yep... top-percentage n' all that," Johnny stated. "Now then, shall we? There's a nice battlefield over there, beyond the town."

"Right!" Val replied. "Let's mosey!"

"By the way, you're not scared at all?" Johnny cheekily asked her.

"Heck no!" Val reassured. "I mean, I think your pokemon is really cool and strong, but I still believe in my pal, Flame!" Her Cyndaquil ignited himself. Despite being a timid pokemon, this Cyndaquil in particular seemed to like the idea of fighting different opponents. Johnny looked the two. They were odd birds, and maybe not as bright as the other trainers he had met, but in a way... he sorta started to like them.

"Right. Meet ya there."

To be Continued

Shak · Oct 26, 2020

Ruben Sancho

18 | Male | Footballer

Chapter 1- 2 | The Boltund Blitz

Wedgehurst Town

"I completely understand but see…I kinda need the cast for ankle support, so taking it off isn't really an option." Ruben explained to his make-up artist, his tone seething with condescension. The celebrity found himself being tweaked, dabbed, and prodded by a glittery team led by an effeminate man who looked Ruben up and down as though he were sculpting a masterpiece. Despite the chalk board at the front of the room and the rows of auditorium seating behind them, the stylist treated this as though it were a chic salon. Even Ruben's newly rewar…well, given Boltund found himself being primmed and pampered by the eccentric ensemble.

"The cast doesn't match your outfit darling; it looks tacky." The man huffed, glaring at the cast as though it stole his last cupcake. "It isn't often you're gifted a canvas as beautiful as the Boltund Blitz. My work needs to be perfect. Perhaps if we gave it a makeover?" It was an option, but not one Ruben was willing to humour. A subtle roll of his eyes made that abundantly clear. "Give us a light five. Come." The stylist said, taking his whole team with him and leaving Ruben to stare questioningly at the eyeliner that was supposed to accentuate his face.

"Woah! He's got a Boltund!"

"Sick!" Two exuberant voices bellowed from the hall just outside Ruben's makeshift dressing room. If the voices weren't enough, a glance in the mirror gave him all the information he needed to tell him those voices meant he was in serious trouble.

"Nan, before you say-" Ruben began, but the woman had already turned away from him and sat herself in the seats. She was accompanied by Ruben's two preteen brothers and the very same sister Ainsley was begging for Ruben's blessing to court just a few hours ago. His brothers didn't even bother with him, instead opting to marvel over the Boltund that was busy getting its fangs shined for the show. It was his sister, Daija, who approached instead.

"I promise they were excited to see you before they saw that thing." Daija smiled, looking back to the two boys who were all over the electric dog Pokémon in the opposing room, forcing the stylist to work around them.

"How long you think before Nan's ready to hear my apology?" On Ruben's mention of her, the duo looked over to the elderly woman who had been quietly eavesdropping on their conversation but turned away as soon as she heard her name. Neither Ruben nor Daija could help but smirk at the old woman's petulance. The duo both looked at one another, each with a question to ask but unsure how to word it.

"Make-up suits you." Daija joked, holding back a snicker.

"Oh, you got jokes now, yeah? Well, tell me what's going on with you and Ainsley? I'm guessin he told you I was here." Ruben finally cracked in self-defence.

"Ainsley? Ew. If you said Raph, I could understand but Ainsley?" Daija croaked back before gasping at the realisation she exposed herself.

"Ay, hold on, don't do my boy dirty like that. He's a good-looking guy." Ruben sneered. It took him a moment or two to register the juicy gossip she'd sandwiched between her two insults. "Hold on, who's Raph?"

"Can we not?" Daija groaned, but it was too late. Ruben's 'I'm big bro so you have to tell me pull-away glare' was already in effect. "He's the dreamy guy from your graduate class. He's a little bit older, but I don't think he'd mind. Jenny said he smiled at her once." She droned on, simpering just at the thought.

"Firstly, I don't dream about any guy, so you're gonna have to be a bit more specific. Second, the way you're talkin about him you sound like you're in love. Who cares if he smiled at Jenny, do you even know the guy?"

"He's just a good-looking guy. That's it."

"Just a good-looking guy? You don't talk about just a good-looking guy like that. You only like the guy because Jenny thinks he's cute. That's how it starts. You like him because Jenny likes him, then before you know it, he's been with both of you, the two of you don't talk anymore and you're posting on your Chatter status about how 'loyalty's hard to find'. And you kno…" Before Ruben could even finish berating her, Daija had already rolled her eyes and began to walk away mumbling something akin to 'I knew you wouldn't understand'.

"Come on boys, we're going. Big brother's on his high horse again!" Daija exclaimed, rounding up her younger brothers. Despite his brother's protests, Ruben still felt overwhelmingly outnumbered as his nan began to gather her things aswell. "We'll stay and watch his battle because he obviously controls everything we do, but god forbid we make any decisions that might affect him at…" Her voice finally droned out as she walked too far for him to hear.

His nan, who opted to wait at the door, just to watch for a moment before giving him a thumbs up. He smiled and returned it before she disappeared behind the door, leaving only Boltund in his line of sight.

---

"He scores when he wants! He wins when he wants! Ruben Sancho, he does what he wants!~"

They were caged in. Ruben stood across the battlefield from a wiry kid with a Simipour, the perfect opponent for his Boltund.

"Let's make this a good show, alright?" Ruben tried to call out, but among the cheers of his fans, he could barely hear a thing. What he could see, was that his family weren't saying a thing. He clutched onto the pokeball at his hip.

"Ruben Sancho!" The announcer cried out as Ruben tossed his pokeball. The school really went all out for the event.

The ball burst open, a red light burst forth; but no surging lightning – no Boltund. The arena fell to silence. The perfect image of the Boltund Blitz battling, for the school, proudly behind his canine partner had vanished. Instead the photographer glanced down at the print to see a tiny pink bauble standing in front of the superstar of the moment.

Ruben gestured to the ref to start, to which the official nervously complied by waving his flag. Ruben gestured to his opponent, who was frozen stiff. The only thing Ruben could hear was the shuffling of the lanyard donning school committee who had organised the event.

"Lesca, I'm gonna need you to use Play Nice, alright?" While it was perfectly reasonable to make use of the opening the shock had given him, Ruben had no such intention. He wanted to have Lesca give a good account of herself, and make his opponent look good too. His Bounsweet though, felt the latter to be impossible.

Just one look at the Simipour sent the little grass type reeling in disgust. Play Nice? With this thing? Not. A. Chance. Dismissing her trainer's command completely, the Bounsweet unleashed a barrage of leafy blades at the water monkey, leaning away from its disgusting ugly features as much as she could while she fired. In a blitz of Razor Leaves, the Simipour was left on the ground, unconscious.

With things happening so fast, it took a moment for the crowd to follow the sequence of events. Once they did, they erupted into cheers of adulation. The little Bounsweet soaked it in. She smirked, while her trainer could only manage a defeated facepalm and a muffled '****'.

---

Ruben sat in his makeshift dressing room again, this time having his make-up removed.

"Bro, what's happening to your face?" The younger of Ruben's little brothers, Jared, asked as he was the first to burst through the door.

"He's wiping off his make-up Jared." Daija smirked, just a half-step behind Jared, along with Terrell and their nan. As she'd expected, both Jared and Terrell burst into uncontrollable laughter upon hearing that Ruben was wearing make-up. "That was ballsy." She finally allowed a true smile onto her face, this one directed at Ruben.

"What, letting them put make-up on me in front of my brothers? Yeah, very." Ruben retorted, tossing the removal pads away. Daija wasted no time in hugging him once his arms were free. "Yeah, I suppose it is gonna be a while. You want me to introduce you to that Raph guy if I see him?" Ruben conceded as he hugged her back.

"Maybe just tell him I said 'hi' for now." She smirked, sneaking her favourite products from the table into her pocket. As she began to pull away though, she stopped herself. "And arceus sake, please don't forget to say bye to Nan again. We're the ones who have to hear about it." As if on cue, their nan stepped through the door.

"Nan!" Ruben called, opening his arms for her to join in the hug. The old woman smiled and barrelled in as fast as her little legs could take her. They held the embrace for a moment before Ruben looked down at his two pokeballs. He grabbed the one with the lightning pattern on it and handed it to Daija. "Don't show your brothers until I'm gone." No more words needed. The two simply exchanged nods. "Boys! You gonna look after nan for me?" Jared and Terrell, who had been wandering around the room until now, stood in front of Ruben with their hands behind their backs. "Oh, and if Ainsley tries to talk to your sister, I need you to beat him up for me, alright?" The boys smiled, but again their agreement was strained. Ruben furrowed his brows.

"We will."

"On one condition." The boys readied themselves, rocking back and forth on their heels and toes.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Ruben asked, scratching his head.

"You let us draw on your cast!" In unison, both boys pulled a collection of felt tip pens from behind their backs, baring big wide grins at Ruben.

"Go right ahead." The eldest brother could only scoff.

Sapphire Rose · Oct 26, 2020

Pia McGuire
Location:
Home - Wedgehurst

Chapter 1-1 / I choose you part 1

"Ha... What to do with you."

A light breeze originating from the open window in the room played with Pia's short, platinum hair as she stared at the Pokéball on the desk in front of her that was given to her by Sonia earlier today. The graduation ceremony had finally come to a close and with that her school years had finally come to an end. Pia was relieved but it also weighed heavy on her for several other reasons. Wedgehurst had become a safe haven for the girl in the three years that she had lived here, away from all the bullies she faced back in Hammerlocke. These past three years she had worked on her reputation, worked on becoming who she is now. The people in this town were kind but it was to strengthen her for her upcoming journey but now... She was scared. Her body trembled thinking about even having to enter Hammerlocke once again during her journey but she was also determined to leave that past behind her.

Pia took a deep breath and smacked her cheeks with both hands two times. "Come Pia, this isn't like you." She said. The girl glanced in the mirror on the other side of her room and faked a smooth yet snobby smirk. She still had ways to go in perfecting her acting skills but she was definitely getting there. Quite the actress she was, even if she said so herself.

She stood up from her chair and grabbed the Pokéball she had been staring at for the past hour. It was time for her to learn who Sonia gave to her as a partner. She pressed the white button on the surface of the ball and a white light popped out. Pia was hoping on an Eevee, but the light revealed a different figure. It was small... Had triangles for ears andddd... looked like a mouse?

The mouse like Pokémon yawned and stretched. It looked like it had just woken up from a nap but it soon seemed to take an interest in the girl in front of them. It's dark brown eyes blinked and there was this silence between them. Pia seemed just as surprised as this small creature was but it was the mouse like Pokémon that broke the ice. "Pich Pich!" It screeched.

"A... Pichu? Right?" Pia raised an eyebrow. "Oh right, I have something I can scan you with. Hold still." While Pia grabbed for her Pokédex, also something she received from Sonia, the Pichu that was just released from it's pokéball took all kinds of different poses.

"PICHU, THE MOUSE POKÉMON.

IT IS NOT YET SKILLED AT STORING ELECTRICITY. IT MAY SEND OUT A JOLT IF AMUSED OR STARTLED. WHEN PICHU PLAYS WITH OTHERS, IT MAY SHORT OUT ELECTRICITY WITH ANOTHER PICHU, CREATING A SHOWER OF SPARKS. IN THAT EVENT, THIS POKÉMON WILL BEGIN CRYING, STARTLED BY THE FLASH OF SPARKS.

GENDER: FEMALE"

"Is this a joke...? You're letting my take care of... this?" Pia was visibly sighing and tapped her forehead with her palm. Pichu's ears dropped, as if understanding that this person was not happy with her. The girl noticed this and coughed before retrieving her composure. She crouched to match the size of the small Pokémon better and held out her hand with a smile. "I'm Pia, I suppose I'm your new trainer but I completely understand if you wouldn't want me. I'm not very good at taking care of Pokémon and I'm overall not a very good person."

Pichu stood frozen in her spot but her ears were slowly going back up. "Ichu." Pichu grabbed her hand and nodded.

"Are you really sure? I can release you right now if you want to. I can also return you to Sonia. No hard feelings and no strings attached." As Pia said that, Pichu shook her visibly larger head compared to her body. "Well then... Welcome aboard." The girl sounded. She tried to be as excited as she could be but the Pichu seemed to be expecting something. Pia knew what it was but pretended to be too dense to understand. She felt guilty for it but stood up and turned her back to Pichu to grab her stuff. It was better to not get attached to one another, that's what the girl really thought and the reason she didn't give this Pichu a nickname unlike she had seen people doing. Why would she? This Pichu would come to hate her eventually because of her true nature, she didn't want to have to deal with those kind of emotions again so it was better this way. What was Sonia thinking when she gave her a Pokémon that was more like a baby than anything else? It would've been better to give her a Pokémon that could take care of itself for the most part.

"Are you coming?" The girl stood in the door opening of her room with her backpack equipped. Pichu, who seemed a bit disappointed, was startled. Just as the Pokédex already implied, sparks were send out from it's cheeks but it followed her new trainer downstairs. The house was rather small and humble. Some furniture looked completely worn out but it was all that Pia and her mother could afford when they moved here from Hammerlocke three years ago. There were pictures on the walls of Pia and a woman with dark brown, wavy hair. Pia seemed like a happy child on these photo's but as the photo's reached her teenage years, Pia and the woman seemed to have build a wall between them. This much was obvious on the photo where Pia and the woman stood right next to each other, neither of them smiling.

"Pia, dear. Are you leaving?" A woman with dark brown, wavy hair and piercing blue eyes stood in the hallways with a bright smile across her face. It was warm and friendly, very befitting of a mother. Her eyes immediately fell upon the small Pokémon that was following her daughter closely behind.

"Yes. I'll be leaving. I probably won't be home for a while." Pia said. Her attitude was very indifferent, much like she had shown the Pichu but it was somehow not the same.

"I see... Just like you father..." Her mother said underneath her breath. Pia wasn't sure if she heard that right so she chose to ignore it. "Who is that?" The bright smile that the brown haired woman was previously wearing returned as she asked that.

"It's the Pokémon I received from Sonia. It's a Pichu."

"How cute! Does she have a na-"

"I got to leave now. Sonia needed me to do something." Pia interrupted her mother and opened the front door.

"H-Have a good journey dear. Please call sometime." Pia's mother spoke. There was a short silence in which the brown haired woman moved a few hair strands behind her ear, waiting patiently for her daughter to reply.

"I will. Bye mom." Pia closed the door behind her once Pichu had bowed and followed her new trainer, leaving behind an upset mother.

Sephear · Oct 26, 2020

Rocky Road: fun ice cream, less fun lifestyle

[h2][/h2]

"This is the only place…" A young man muttered to himself, looking forlornly at Wedgehurst's very own pokémon lab, which not too long ago had still belonged to the esteemed Professor Magnolia. Now it was run by her granddaughter, Sonia, the person this very young man couldn't bring himself to say goodbye to. He'd promised to stop by the lab and pick up a few things before he left after graduation...but in the end he'd snuck in before she got back, spent a few minutes scratching Yamper behind the ears, and left.

This young man's name is Jasper, a student from Professor Sonia's Trainer School, now starting a pokémon journey of his own. He found it was harder to walk away than he thought, but seeing a window at the lab light up finally spurred him to the action of turning around and leaving.

"One Alcremie Bean Blast, please. Jasper said over the counter, glad nobody else was around Wedgehurst's coziest café right now, The Boofy Bean. He didn't need anybody seeing the kind of disgustingly sweet treats he liked. A minute later he was sitting at a dainty glass table with wiry white legs, with a mug of very dark, rich roasted coffee sat upon by a very thick layer of whipped cream with berry bits. Jasper very slowly, very carefully lifted the mug up, getting a bit of coffee to tip into his mouth at the same time as a bit of the whipped cream. The contrasting flavors created pure bliss for the new trainer, eliciting a totally happy, contented sigh. An insistent tugging pulled Jasper's attention down to his leg, where his new partner looked up at him insistently. "Yeah yeah, I know, greedy little…"

He sipped until there was only about a third of his drink left, then stirred the remainder of the cream into it and grabbed the plate of pokémon food the café's manager had set out for him. He picked out a pellet, dipped it into the mug, then held it out to Faust, who took it between his little nubs and sniffed it. Jasper watched the Larvitar, feeling like he'd chosen the right partner. Sonia hatched Faust's egg only a few months before graduation, and even before he'd become Jasper's partner they'd spent a lot of time around the lab together. Faust had even helped out with chores, so the pair had an easier time understanding each other than some other new trainers and their starters might.

All the better for Jasper, since he wasn't exactly a pro at making friends. He couldn't stop a smile from being pulled out of him when Faust munched on the soaked snack and his beg red eyes immediately rolling back and shutting shortly before he shook and let out a little brrr! coo and began bouncing for more. By the time Jasper finished dipping each bit of food and totally spoiling Faust, the little Larvitar was ready to drop into dreamland, so he tapped the boy with his pokéball and went on his way.

It was a pretty short walk from The Boofy Bean to the station but it was anything other than convenient. What Jasper happened upon was not a nice shortcut to jumpstart his journey, it was a crowd of would-be train passengers, loudly complaining to anybody they could find in a uniform. He began to shoulder his way through the mess so he could find out what was going on only to freeze as his rudeness was rendered wasted effort by an announcement. "Attention, valued customers, the train to the Wild Area will be delayed indefinitely as a horde of Munchlax has appeared on the tracks. We ask your patience while we wait for them to move on and apologise for the wait."

"Son of a Kalos whore!"

Stinging Bea · Oct 26, 2020

Aeliana Kekoa

Wedgehurst Town

Chapter 1-2 | Styling and Profiling

Current Party:

Michael Armstrong sighed as he looked at the woman before him. She was modeling a black and white checkered skirt, offset by a white blouse and a brown, knit cardigan sweater. A pair of brown leather boots graced the woman's feet, with a cotton, green beret on the woman's head. Michael's eyes narrowed as he walked circles around the woman, before throwing his arms up in frustration.

"No, no, no! This simply will not do!" he declared, throwing his arms up in frustration. "It's dull! It's plain! It's the same exact thing that we've been selling at this store for years! How in Arceus' name will ever grab the attention of anyone while still selling the same old, drab fashions year after year after year!" The woman modeling the outfit looked at Michael in confusion, after all he was the one who picked this outfit out. "Would you go change out of that already?!"

Not being need to be told twice, the woman quickly shuffled off into the dressing room to go change her outfit. Sitting quietly across from Michael, a petite, blonde-haired woman looked down at a clipboard in her hand. Her pen scribbled across the paper, before she glanced up at her boss and sighed. "Mr. Armstrong? If I may be so bold... I think we're approaching this from the wrong direction."

Michael looked up, a look of surprise gracing his features that made it look like the woman across from him had just slapped him in the face with a Magikarp. "Wrong direction...? The wrong direction?! Vella, are you kidding me?! I am a renown fashion expert! I've been featured in magazines! I opened this store back when you were still in diapers! There's no one that knows about fashion in this sleepy little town more than I do!"

"Yes... Yes, I am fully aware of that sir," Vella replied, taking a moment to adjust her glasses. She placed the clipboard down on counter and leaned forward. "However, what you might think is fashionable could be vastly different from shall we say... those of less experience."

Michael's eyes narrowed. "Are you calling me old, Vella...?"

"Perish the thought."

Michael pursed his lips. Without so much as another word, the man rose from his seat and stormed his way towards the door of the boutique. Vella watched him with disinterest as he slammed the doors open before stepping outside and slamming the doors back behind him. A sigh of frustration slipped past his lips as he fumbled into his coat pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He really needed a smoke to calm his nerves. Hell, he was honestly tempted to smoke about three at once with how this whole situation was unfolding. Michael didn't want to admit it, but he knew Vella was right. Fashion is like a Pokémon. They always change, and you have to study and keep working hard if you want to stay on top. That was something his mentor had told him many years ago. Michael knew had gotten complacent over the years. If this boutique was going to make a splash, they were going to have to change the way they operated.

Michael took a slow drag of his cigarette, watching the scenery of Wedgehurst play out before him. Suddenly, the faint sound of a young woman's giggle caught his attention. The man looked up, eyes widening at the sight of a young woman walking up the street with a broad smile on her lips. A rather jolly looking Totodile was currently riding on her shoulders. She had quite a healthy looking body, clearly one who was quite active. The brightness of her pink hair was absolutely stunning, all while being offset by the healthy glow of bronzed skin. Judging from the way her eyes lit up with every movement or gurgle her Pokémon happened to make, it was clear that she was a graduate from the academy.

"A graduate..." Michael mused. "Yes... Yes! That's it!"

Putting his cigarette out, Michael stuffed the half smoked stick back in its carton before quickly jogging out towards the girl. "You there! Yes you, with the Totodile! A moment of your time, if I may!"

Aeliana paused at the sound of the man's cries. She gave the man a concerned look as he jogged towards her, his breath already short. The Totodile riding on her shoulders slid off and hopped onto the ground. Tampa gave a cautious look towards her trainer, as if asking if she needed to be ready to defend the pink-haired woman. However Aeliana didn't seem to be too scared of the man, which in turn caused Tampa to relax a bit as he approached.

"Alola! Is there something I can help you with?" Aeliana inquired.

Michael, still short on breath nodded. "Yes... Yes, you can. You are a graduate of the trainer's school yes?"

"That's right," Aeliana confirmed. She gestured down towards Tampa as she spoke. "I just got my first Pokémon a few hours ago. Is there something we can help you with."

A broad smile stretched across Michael's lips. His brown eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes! You, my young lady, are just the person I need to help launch my boutique to the next level!"

Aeliana took a small step back. She chuckled nervously. "Ah... Um... I don't really know about that. I'm not a model or anything like that..."

Michael laughed heartily. A little flattery was required for this one, that much he could tell easily. "Nonsense! I can tell from looking you're just the insight we need! A sharp head has to be on your shoulders to graduate from that school, after all. Professor Sonia will only let the cream of the crop out on a journey! And I must say... you are an absolute vision to behold at that! Please, I only need a moment of your time! Two at most! I promise you will be compensated for your time!"

Aeliana looked down at Tampa for a moment, as if questioning the Totodile about what she thought of all this. A blank stare was all that her trainer was gifted with, however. The Alolan mulled the prospect over in her head for a bit, before finally nodding.

"I guess we could spare a few minutes," she replied.

"Marvelous! You won't regret this, I swear!" Michael declared.

Before the young woman could react, Michael reached out and grabbed her hand with enthusiasm. Despite how winded he was just making the simple jog from the storefront to where he had encountered Aeliana and Tampa, he was already acting as if he had fully recovered and was now ready to run a full-blown 10K marathon. He quickly began to drag the pink-haired woman towards his boutique with her Totodile waddling behind, her small and stubby legs moving as quickly as they could.

Inside the shop, an unsuspecting Vella was minding her own business. She had set her clipboard aside, deciding to take a small break herself by playing a relaxing game of Sudoku. Her pen tapped against the counter lightly, eyes narrowing and a small smile making its way across her lips as she began the process of solving the last bit of the puzzle. Suddenly, the doors to the establishment slammed open and caused the woman to all but scream in surprise from the sudden noise. Bolting up from her position on the counter, a look of relief followed by one of mild annoyance overtook her features. That said, both seemed to go completely unnoticed by Michael as he and Aeliana entered the boutique. Tampa herself barely managed to squeeze her way through the doors before they shut behind the two humans.

"Mr. Armstrong, is everything alright?" Vella inquired. She had never seen the man look so excited... At least, for a while.

A boisterous laugh echoed out through the boutique. "I'm great! Better, even!" The man stepped to the side, puffing out his chest proudly as if he had discovered some grand treasure. "This young lady is the answer to all of our problems!"

Vella's eyes narrowed as she took in the sight of the girl beside Michael. Slowly rising from her seat at the counter, the assistant walked towards the pink-haired woman and began to walk around her, examining her from every angle as if she was inspecting a piece of meat. In particular, Aeliana watched as the woman stopped just behind her. The young woman turned to see Vella adjust her glasses, leaning in close to examine her faded out tattoo. She felt a bit uncomfortable from being looked at so closely, slowly clearing her throat as if attempting to gain the attention of the glasses-wearing woman.

"Mr. Armstrong, I'm afraid I don't understand your intentions," Vella eventually spoke up. "We already have a model. I highly doubt that changing who wears the clothes is going to give us any fresh takes on the situation."

"Ha ha! That's because you're not thinking deeper, Vella!" Michael exclaimed. He pointed to Aeliana and her Totodile as he continued to explain. "This young woman is a graduate of the academy here in Wedgehurst! If there's anyway to find out what we're missing, it'd be asking someone who we're trying to market to!"

"So... what exactly do you want me to do? Try on clothes?" Aeliana questioned.

"Not so much as that. Rather, I want you to take a tour of our establishment here. Tell us what we need, what our garments are lacking!" Michael explained. "Please browse our clothing. Don't hold anything back, we can take it."

Aeliana nodded in response and began to walk around the store. Tampa waddled closely behind the trainer, her eyes darting left and right as she took in all the sights before her. She realized that these... things that her trainer was looking at were pretty close to the stuff she used to cover herself, but... that said there was something missing. Something about them didn't feel right. Aeliana seemed to have the same feeling. While she didn't act like she was repulsed by any of the clothing on display, both Michael and Vella could tell that young woman wasn't finding anything that absolutely jumped out of her. No fashions really seemed to garner much attention outside of a passing interest before she would put them back and move on to the next. After what felt like hours, Aeliana finally returned to the front of the store where Michael and his assistant were waiting.

"Well? How was it? Don't hold anything back!" the man exclaimed.

Aeliana glanced down at Tampa before sighing. "Boring... They're all so... boring." The girl watched as Michael's face faltered. She quickly held up her hands in defense of herself and cleared her throat. "D-Don't get me wrong! They're nice outfits! It's just... Well... they might fit the people of Wedgehurst and even that little village to the south...? Postwick? But they won't really be doing anything for anyone else, really."

Vella sighed. "I knew this was a waste of time..."

"Not at all," Aeliana interrupted . "Asking for help is important. Everyone needs a hand sometimes. I'm here to give it. Look, you're looking to cater to the new kids showing up at the trainer's school, right? Then stop just aiming for one type of fashion. You've got kids coming from Spikemuth, Stow-On-The-Side, and Wyndon. Sure, they come from here in Galar, but they're also coming from Johto, Kalos, and my home of Alola. What I mean is, your town is basically gonna be turning into a melting pot. People are gonna have different interests like acting, sports, or dance! You gotta start taking all of that into account! You can't just keep moving to one beat! You gotta change up the rhythm and really cut loose!"

"...Yes... Yes, of course!" Michael exclaimed. "I've been so focused on just what we know, that we haven't really been opening our eyes to what's going on around us! Vella, I told you this girl was gonna help us turn things around! Vella! Call our scouts! I want them to start watching the kids around town! Take a look at what they wear and we'll start a new marketing campaign... Yes, we'll call it 'back to school with style!' We'll start mishmashing all the styles from all over and grab so much attention we'll be pouring in the money!"

Vella merely nodded in response before pulling out her Rotom phone. Michael turned his attention back to Aeliana and smiled. "Thank you for your inspiration young lady. I know it isn't much, but I'd like you to have something... our finest dress."

Michael paused and made his way to the nearby dress racks. Aeliana's eyes widened as the man walked back carrying a long, flowing purple dress. It was backless, with a slit on skirt to show off a bit of leg. The top half had a lace like design on the front, making it look as if it was a wrap of sorts. The dress in his hands was offset by a pair of silver, strap-on, heeled sandals. Aeliana offered the man a nervous smile.

"I just gave you a small bit of advice. I'm sure it was something you would have figured out on your own," she protested. "I really couldn't accept this."

"I insist, my dear," MIchael argued. Before the woman could respond, he placed both the dress and the shoes in Aeliana's hands. "After all, I put a pause on your journey to get your help. Please, take this as my thanks."

Aeliana looked at the dress, a faint blush gracing her cheeks. She had never had a piece of clothing so fancy, and words couldn't describe what the feelings she felt from holding it. "I... I... thank you..."

"It is no problem... Now get out there and enjoy your journey!" Michael cheered.

Aeliana thanked the man again before making her way towards the door. Tampa gurgled happily as she waddled off behind her trainer. Aeliana couldn't believe her luck already. A new Pokémon, a new journey... and a new dress?! This was certainly shaping up to be an interesting start to her adventure... and she couldn't wait to see what awaited her around the next corner.

Inventory:

Spoiler:

PastelPhoenix · Oct 26, 2020

Achille Béringer || 18 || ♂️
Location: Route 2
Current Status: Bored and by a River

The sound of running water and chirping Rookidee provided a nice ambiance to Achille's current task of just sitting at the bridge and determining his next move. He shuffled through entries on the wild Pokémon found outside Wedgehurst while children played on the river's edge, rejecting each new entry in the Pokédex. He finally closed out of the Pokédex and returned his ATC to his pocket with a grumble before leaning his head back and stretching.

Opening his eyes mid stretch, he made eye contact with the 2-and-a-half foot living sword that had been following him outside of the Pokéball all morning. He'd been elated to see that the mystery Pokémon the professor gave to him had been a Honedge, but pretty quickly found out that the Pokémon wasn't necessarily a "people-Pokémon". The quickly dubbed "Joiuse" had apparently been content to hover behind Achille while he went about his day, even when he invited it to walk alongside him.

"Hey Joiuse," Achille said, sitting up and turning to face the Pokémon, "Are you doing... okay?"

Joiuse just hovered for a bit, her unblinking, gem-like eye checking looking around before answering. "Hoooooonnnnnnnn." a whisper-like voice emerged from somewhere within the hilt.

"Nothing?" Achille replied, scratching his head. "Sorry, you've just been following behind me, and I am not sure if I have said anything wrong?"

A sound like a distant sigh came from Joiuse. She turned to face a small kid in a bright red League jacket running alongside a Wooloo and watched it for a few seconds before turning back to Achille. "Hooooooonnn," she replied with a slight tension in her voice.

"The child?" Achille looked over to the kid, wondering what was putting Joiuse on edge so much. He watched the run, jump onto his Wooloo, and then roll off the round Pokémon's back. He watched this exchange happen a few more times before the wheels in his head began to turn. "The kid is not a trainer. You know there's no reason to get nervous around it, non?"

"Edgeee?" Joiuse replied, skeptical of the claim. Her eye moved back and forth between the two, before the hand-like piece of cloth attached to her pommel pointed out a Pokéball in the grass near the too.

"Well," Achille began, wondering how to explain this to a sword. "He is a trainer but he is not a trainer. I appreciate how you are looking out for me, but he is not likely to fight, he is so young. The two are just playing. Trainers do not fight without a challenge first either, so it is not like we will be ambushed suddenly."

Joiuse stared at him blankly at the mention of a challenge. "Honnn?"

"The challenge? Well..." He thought for a moment about how to best show Joiuse what a declaration of battle between the two would even look like. "I think I can show you, if you do not mind being swung around to prove a point."

Joiuse looked at her trainer for a few moments, debating the question, before giving an affirming "hon". Tentatively, Achille reached out for the handle atop Joiuse, grabbing the hilt and feeling the Pokémon's weight drop into his hand as she stopped levitating. Despite being a large mass of steel, Joiuse felt surprisingly light. Once he was sure he wasn't going to lose his grip on the Pokémon, he turned and swung Joiuse to point directly at an imaginary challenger. "Trainer, I challenge you to a duel!" He yelled to the empty space in front of him.

A few people stared at the sudden disturbance, some giggling at the scene while others just went about their day. Achille gave a wave at a group of giggling girls on the bridge before he released Joiuse and let her levitate again. "See, so no need to get all worked out just because someone is walking with their Pokémon," he said, kneeling and patting her pommel like the head of a puppy. "You'll know when it's time to fight, trust me."

The sound of a throat being cleared behind him drew Achille's attention. Standing to address the stranger, he found a rather... robust man dressed in fishing gear. "Good afternoon," the man began, his thick mustache bouncing with each word. "I am here representing the Fisherman's Association for our local fishing tournament."

Achille felt his eyes glass over at the mention of fishing, but the man continued on with his sales pitch. "I noticed you appear to be a new trainer, and wanted to tell you that this tournament is a great chance to get experience in the catching of water-type Pokémon, which as I am sure you are aware of, is but one of the most common types of Pokémon here in the Galar region." He motioned to the river behind Achille for his next point. "Why, even this river here is chalk full of Magikarp. Winner of the tournament even gets to keep the fishing rod! So, can I sign you up today?"

Achille snapped back to reality at the sound of Magikarp. He had heard stories of trainers turning the useless fish into the powerful dragon-like Gyarados, and even seen the latter on TV tournaments. He'd written it off earlier since he would have to likely wade into the river to catch it... but if they were just going to give him everything he needed...

"Put down the name Achille Béringer."

Sonata · Oct 26, 2020

Rosa & Jasper

CHAPTER 1.2 - MISSION 6: TROUBLE'S ON THE TRACKS

"Oh look at them, they're so cute! It's like they're all wearing little gowns." Rosa squatted down and brushed her loose hairs behind her ear before pulling out her Pokedex. "Let's see, what kind of Pokemon is this?"

'Munchlax; the Big Eater Pokemon. It stores food beneath its fur. It might share just one bite, but only if it really trusts you.'

Rosa started twisting from side-to-side as her face parted into a wide grin. "Oh my gosh, that's just… that's so sweet. They're such cute little hunger beans."

"What the fuck….?" The voice stuck out from the sounds of the station a bit further back, drawing Rosa's attention to one of her classmates approaching and staring at the pile of Munchlax. It was Jasper, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "It's like a wall of living sandbags, right out of some twisted sci-fi warzone."

Rosa glanced out of the corner of her eye at the classmate approaching her and then discreetly pulled out her notebook. Thumbing through the pages in a hurry, she found the small picture of the young man's face and glanced over her notes. "Last time I tried being nice to him… hmm, maybe a different approach," she mumbled to herself before putting away the book. She rose to her feet and brushed away the dust at the hem of her dress. "Hello, Jasper," she said flatly as she turned around to face him. Her face had lost its prior excitement, and was almost completely blank save for her sparkling eyes which followed his every step. "You wouldn't be interested in one of those sandbags, would you?"

He slowly pulled his gaze away from the Munchlax to meet her eyes, showing an indifference that matched her own, for the moment. "Hm, yeah, Rosa, right? Big thinker. I've always thought Snorlax were cool when they're in action, kinda seems like raising one'd be a pain in the ass though. Munchlax might be more manageable, maybe teach'em not to be so lazy, care about something other than food and sleep." His eyes left hers to scan the barrier to reopening the railway once again and he sighed. "Right now though I'm just wondering how you go about getting rid of a whole horde of'em. Routes are gonna be crowded if enough people get tired of waitin' for the trains to run again. Too crowded for my tastes, that's for sure."

Rosa nodded, hoping that the motion would help to mask the fact that the corner of her mouth had slightly twisted up into a smile. It was hard putting on acts around people she wasn't completely certain of, but this would surely be good practice for her future endeavors. "I see, I didn't think that something like this would be up your alley, but if you're here then that makes it easier on me." She let her eyes drift from his figure, back to the pile of sleeping Pokemon. "Maybe if we catch one or two of them, the rest would simply flee? It would be easier if we had some kind of food item to coax them away from their rest, but…" she exhaled sharply through her nose, and produced a mental sigh.

Her Pokemon alone was likely far too weak to take on this many Pokemon at once, and she only had five pokeballs. This would likely be her only chance at clearing the exit from town. And like Jasper had said, if they didn't do something about this roadblock then the routes would quickly start filling up. The mere thought of having to wear so many different faces constantly instantly started to drain her. She still didn't have the best grasp on Jasper's intentions, but if she could just hold out a little while longer then she'd be able to figuratively live another day.

Jasper narrowed his eyes for a moment, but relaxed quickly. "My alley is empty - same as I want my routes - so I don't have to deal with a bunch of obnoxious nobodies wandering around, getting attacked by wild pokemon, crying about the trains, gettin' in my damn way. Munchlax are really annoying for something like this." He rubbed over the top of his hood, mussing up his hair further underneath it. "They don't seem like the type to worry much about what's goin' on around them. I'm not sure getting rid of a few of them is enough to move off the rest of them. But I might have an idea, if it works on a couple of them, might work on all of'em?" He shrugged a shoulder inquisitively in her direction and knelt down to take his backpack off and root around inside.

It was her chance to make a good impression. She shuffled around her pockets quickly, searching for the five balls that she'd been given to start out her journey. It was common knowledge that you were supposed to weaken a Pokemon before attempting to capture it, but statuses helped to expedite that process a little bit. If she was lucky, she might be able to catch them completely off guard and successfully capture one of them without a fight! It'd be good to help her show off in front of her classmate, and would provide useful knowledge in terms of his reaction. She quickly tapped the center button, enlarging the ball before lobbing it out into the pile. A flash of red light burst forth, encompassing one of the Munchlax before dragging it into the ball. It shook once, twice, and then… another explosion of red.

"Agh," Rosa rubbed at her head vigorously as she sighed. "I know you're supposed to weaken them, but I really needed that to go over well," she mumbled to herself. "Oh well, never hurts to try," she laughed, uneasily. She'd made a fool of herself in front of someone who she was still uncertain of. How would he react to her failure? Would he scoff at her, reprimand her, demean her? There were so many things she still didn't know about him, and the second that she'd failed she was ready to take it into memory as she glanced back over at the man who was still rummaging through his bag.

Quickly enough he dug out a small plastic container with a sticker of a Larvitar's face, filled with little green, brown and red pellets. His small smirk at finding the item was quickly wiped away by a furrowed brow when he saw the pokeball flying back to the girl. "Not much of a listener, huh?" He queried brusquely, before letting out a small snort. "Ah well, 'least nothing bad happened, I'd have been pissed if you made me spill Faust's food. Sonia drilled me on a Larvitar's dietary bullshit."

"Oh," she laughed uneasily as she watched him produce the Pokemon's food. "I didn't even think to pack anything to eat. I assumed I'd just be able to find some berries along the way, but for a Pokemon like Larvitar, I'd guess there's a lot more to it." She tried to remember the notes that she'd taken on him before as she fought to get her facial expressions back to that neutral blank-slate she'd started the encounter with him on. "You seem to just keep getting stuck with the troublesome ones, don't you?" she mused, dropping the pokeball back into her pocket.

"Pokédex'd make you think it should be easy. After all, Larvitar eat dirt, right? But they start out buried under mountains in the wild, eating their way out before they ever see the sun. Soil, rocks, maybe even some raw ore, it ain't just dirt. Their stoney hides need a very high concentration of minerals, but they're still living pokémon, not robots or ghost types. They still need vitamins and plenty of organic matter too, they're born in places so full of life in every crevice that they can start out on dirt. You can't just feed them dirt and expect them to be alright because they're tough. It's work, just like everything else." After he finished his little tirade Jasper went quiet for a moment and blinked several times, shaking the container of food a bit to avoid silence as he ruminated on the fact that he just spoke more all at once than he had throughout most of trainer school.

Rosa smiled softly. Her initial impressions of Jasper weren't completely off, but they were lacking. It wasn't as though he was completely dispassionate, which is something she should have already figured. Nobody goes to school to become a trainer if they loathe the very idea of it. There was however, definitely some new information to add to his page at a later time. Perhaps the next time they met up, should they meet up again, she'd be confident enough to approach him a little differently. But for now, she was content with simply shadowing him and letting him stand in the spotlight.

He stood up, unscrewed the lid and cleared his throat. "Whatever, there's no avoiding work, just gotta put effort into the right places." He took a single pellet out, laid it in the palm of his right hand, then set the container on the ground and took his best pitching pose. "And those who don't work…" He leaned back, then let'er rip. "Don't eat!" And thumped one of the Munchlax right on the head with it much like Rosa had with the pokéball, if a bit faster and harder. Much like the ball, it caused little reaction, bouncing up into the air - but then it fell back down and settled on one of the sleepy sandbags' faces. The Munchlax sniffed, then wiggled its body. Finally, it opened its eyes, then it's mouth and snapped the treat up. "They've always got a nose for food, huh? Doesn't even matter what kind."

Once Jasper bent back down to pick up Faust's food, he caught his classmate watching him and raised an eyebrow. "Th'fuck you staring at?" Instead of throwing out more harsh words, however, he held out the container of food to her, lid still off. "Go on, try it, I don't wanna be the only one they're after."

"Y-yeah! Of course!" She stuttered, reaching shakily into the jar. She grabbed up two pieces and placed one in each hand. She glanced at Jasper quickly, before throwing out another intentional girlish lob at the pile of Pokemon. The first piece bounced off of the stomach of the one which was already standing and fell into the open mouth of another. The second piece fell slightly short of the closest Munchlax, but the scent managed to rouse the Pokemon from its sleep and drag itself over to the bit of food. "There! Yes!" She started to squat, getting ready for a small leap to let out her excitement and then remembered she wasn't alone. Instead, she took the initiative and crawled through the barrier, making use of her smaller stature. Once on the other side, she held out her hand towards her fellow ex-classmate. "Well, you coming? I'm sure we can pick off the others that are still sleeping after this battle's over."

The young man blinked at the girl's hand, then resealed Faust's food and pocketed the container for easy access later. "I don't think I have enough food to get all their attention, but it's a start." He drew the pokéball with a sticker matching that of the food container and followed her. "At least we know it works." He felt the tunnel grow significantly warmer as they drew closer to all the Munchlax. "Shit, this many tubs of blubber sharing one tunnel can really turn the place into a damn sauna."

Rosa fumbled around in her pocket for the one filled pokeball and pulled it out. "My Wyatt should be good in a space like this. He's got a few moves that will be good for grabbing their attention." She dropped the ball, allowing it to bounce open beside her. The Whismur burst free and let out a short cry before looking at the two people surrounding it. "Although, I don't know how well we'll do together, we are practically strangers after all."

'Whii!' Wyatt cried out as it wobbled closer to Rosa's dress. The pokemon pushed its way into the cover of the floral patterns, letting its beady cross-shaped eyes peer out from the silken hem.

"The poor thing," Rosa whispered, reaching down below her, grabbing the Pokemon by the ears. She lifted the Whismur up so that they could see face to face. "I know you're scared, but I really need you to do this for me. This first battle will set the precedent for our entire adventure! I need you to be strong so that you can protect me, alright?"

"Whismur, whis." The Pokemon shook rapidly in Rosa's arms, but gave a small scrunch that was somewhat recognizable as a nod.

"Hold it!" Jasper broke in. "Sound doesn't really play favorites, why don't we back up a bit first?" he said, hooking a thumb towards the open air.

"Yeah, that sounds reasonable. Whismur's cries are really… well… not something either of us would like to experience I'd say. Alright. In that case, let's do this then." Rosa placed the Pokemon in the palm of her hand and took on a more purposeful stance than either that she had used before. "Whismur, once you're on the other side, hit them with your Echoed Voice until they go down, alright?" She launched the poor Pokemon down the tunnel like a shot put, just beyond the greater gathering of Munchlax.

Jasper covered his ears for a moment when the Whismur attacked, then smirked at the rumbling and grumbling he felt and heard afterward. He tapped the pokéball against his leg like he was cracking an egg and released Faust next to him. The Larvitar stretched, then looked up at his trainer, clearly aware of the situation, having been eavesdropping from within his ball. "Alright, let's rumble! Get their attention!" Faust nodded and scooped a pair of rocks off the side and chucked them straight into the gaggle of garbage disposal systems, quickly replacing them and throwing more. A small squad of Munchlax had regained enough of their sentences to be moving away from Whismur, just in time to be pelted by rocks growing bigger and bigger until Faust's Rock Throw began to actually do some damage.

As the wall between her and her partner began to build up, Rosa found herself frantically looking for some way to participate. Then, as she began to fumble around with the balls in her pocket thinking them to be her only use, she recalled the berry shop that was near the center of the town. "Berries," she whispered to herself. They'd be useful when they went back in after Whismur, both to heal him and to deaggro the Munchlax still standing. "I'm going to go get some berries!" She shouted as she pivoted and bolted off back towards the town without a second thought.

The young man had now reached enough of a battle frenzy to not acknowledge the words. "Bring it on, lardasses!" He couldn't see too well past all the rocks and Munchlax but he did see a flash of purple for a moment, with several of the little trash-bears closing in. "See the purple, Faust? Crush everything around it that you can, covering fire, go!" The Larvitar nodded and let out a battlecry and tossed a flurry of large stones, knocking down a pair of Munchlax going after Whismur, and knocking against the heads of the others, drawing their ire towards the green rock monster. By then most of the Munchlax were stuck behind a solid barrier of rocks and forced to try to either climb over them or start digging through them, but two of them made it through before they could be blocked.

The enemies charged, but continued to be thunked on the way, Faust gritting his teeth at their persistence. They refused to go down and before long one of them slammed a tackle into the Larvitar, pushing him back, and the second leapfrogged over its friend to land on him. The first followed quickly and helped to bury him in pudge and fur. The wild look in Jasper's eyes only flared brighter and he even allowed himself a small cackle. "Nice try, morons. Faust, give these turds some Payback!" Moments later a shimmering purple light pierced the gaps between the bodies and then burst forth, black and orchid-colored tendrils of energy flinging both Munchlax into the wall so hard they were out cold in one...just in time for part of the stone wall to collapse.

Rosa rushed back just as the Munchlax were flung backwards, her arms filled with ripe Oran berries. She was panting heavily, having sprinted the entire way. "Damn these stumpy legs," she cursed under her breath. Without a free hand to clear the sweat from her forehead, she rushed over to Jasper's side as they watched the wall begin to crumble. "It looks like now is our best opportunity to catch those things. If we wait too long, they might come to and disappear into the herd. But…" she looked down at her arms which were laden with berries for the Munchlax to feast on. "I might need some help, if you don't mind."

"In a second." Jasper gruffly tossed back at her, before rearing into his pitching position again, this time with a pokéball. The spherical tech prison clunked mercilessly off one of the unconscious heads, then swallowed its victim in a crimson beam. Then, just as Rosa held the berries out further for him to take his share, a second ball flew out, snagging the second Munchlax.

She had tried so hard to keep a straight face for the time that she'd been with Jasper, but in the moment that the second ball flew, the front that she'd been putting up fell immediately. Her heart dropped to her stomach and her face went white with pure dread. She didn't think that Jasper was the type to do something like this, but then again, what did she really know about him at all? As the first pokeball finished rolling and clicked shut, the second ball began to rock back and forth before rolling down into a small ditch beside the tunnel's entrance. After a few seconds passed without a corresponding flash of light, it became apparent that the second capture was also a success. And with that realization, Rosa's knees began to wobble as she felt the familiar sting of tears forming in her eyes.

It's okay, she thought to herself. It's fine. You'll get another chance some day. No use crying. No use crying, so stop. Especially not around other people. It's not like you really pulled your weight anyway. Just congratulate him, and move on.

She was pulled out of her own head by Jasper's voice. "Faust, more covering fire! Tiny, don't be a dumbass! Get your Whismur!" Without waiting for a reply he snatched most of the berries from her arms and made a run towards the ditch, dribbling fruit onto the ground the whole way while his Larvitar threw yet more rocks at the break in the wall, pushing back Munchlax as a small, scared purple thing ran towards them. Without looking at it, Jasper shoved what was left of the berries in his jacket's pocket and dropped into a slide like a footballer going for a desperate kick, grabbing one full pokeball and then skidding into the ditch for the other. Faust stopped throwing rocks and started throwing berries at the Munchlax instead, leaving them to forget completely about Whismur in the rush to sate their appetites as Jasper started making his way back.

Rosa's eyes widened as Jasper pulled the berries from her grasp and sprung into action. Her knees were still wobbly, and her mind continued to echo with whispers of her own weakness. But as she saw Whismur wobbling at a hurried pace out of the tunnel, she wiped away at the tears which had still yet to fall and made her way to embrace the Pokemon. She had to put up a strong front for her Pokemon, otherwise it might not think her worthy of being its master, right? "Such a scared little thing, and yet you did so well." She sniffed as the Pokemon shuddered in her arms. "You did good, Wyatt. Here, have a berry before you get some rest."

The Whismur rocked gently in her arms as it ate the fruit. 'Whis, whismur, whis!' It whispered, its ears flipping up and down with each bite it took.

The tunnel shook from the thundering feet of all the Munchlax as what was left of the makeshift wall crumbled and they all stampeded out, scooping up every berry they could find and shoveling them in their mouths. Jasper tried to pick up Faust, but he was too heavy to even lift smoothly, let alone run with, so the young man tapped the Larvitar's pokéball to its head instead before stepping next to Rosa. "Tough little guy, making it out of that, but no time to celebrate yet. We gotta move, it'll take more food than we can carry to satisfy all those things and there are still too many to fight. We can't let them eat and go back to sleep here. Go on!" Jasper raised his voice and shoved Rosa back towards the railing.

"I'm going, I'm going!" Rosa started back up towards the railing and climbed through it. "Jeez, you'd think someone in good physical health would be considerate of a girl nearly a foot shorter than themself. It takes me a second to get going, y'know."

"Less grousing, more running!" He called after as he followed her, scooping up berries along the way and dropping them further towards the entrance. When the trainers broke back into the sunlight, Jasper released Faust and the two frantically threw what was left of the berries in his pockets off to either side of the tracks, finishing the two piles just as the rest of the Munchlax began to charge out. The line of furry blue lugs parted perfectly and diverted to the two piles only a short distance off and one by one, began to fall back asleep. In no time at all the piles of berries were replaced by piles of Munchlax, this time thankfully not in anybody's way.

Rosa sighed. Finally, it was over. She had definitely bitten off more than she could chew with that whole interaction, but she'd gained a little more insight than she had initially thought. She tapped Whismur's pokeball against its head as it finished off the berry it had been nursing and then brushed away at some of the dirt which had been kicked up on her dress in her frantic running. "Well, thank you Jasper. I wouldn't have been able to handle that myself. I'm glad you turned up, otherwise I'd probably have been in even deeper trouble." She laughed half-heartedly, still remembering that dread she felt when he captured both Munchlax. "A-anyways. Now that the tracks are clear, the train should be able to start running again. I'm going to go ahead and take the next route and see what I can find. I'll… I'll catch you around sometime."

"Not if I see you first." He grumbled. "I've had enough of all of you at that school, I don't need more now that I'm finally free. But hold on a second, you're forgetting something pretty important." He reached onto his belt and pulled off a pokéball, offering it to Rosa without looking her in the eye. "It'd be pretty stupid to go through all that and walk away without your prize."

Rosa looked at the outstretched hand. Her mind was racing, but her face had turned beet red. She was a messy mixture of confused, happy, and startled. "I couldn't though. Y-you were the one to catch it. I didn't even have a chance, they're both yours now, right?"

Jasper huffed and shoved the ball into her arms. "What would I want with two of the same pokémon? You sucked at throwing those pellets earlier, and I didn't want to have to worry about running back in there, so I threw for you, alright?" Without seemingly paying her any further mind he set his backpack down, reopened it and returned Faust's food to its rightful place.

"Heh, I guess you're right… I do kind of suck at athletic things, huh?" She laughed again. She'd lost all control over her composure and her thoughts were racing. Comparing what she knew to what she just experienced with her classmate had thrown her completely. Her face was beet red, and was covered with a stupid, awkward smile as she took the ball from him. "Y'know… you're not really like what I expected Jasper. And… I mean that in a good way. You're actually a pretty cool guy, y'know?" She laughed nervously as she took a couple of slow steps backwards. "I uh, I really do hope we can meet again sometime. I think it'd be nice to share some parts of our adventure together. Anyways! I gotta go or I'll end up losing to Simon!" She stumbled awkwardly backwards as she tried to shift her weight around in the boots she was wearing so she didn't have to let Jasper see her face anymore.

He watched her leave, unsure how to react and thus allowing her a graceful exit - aside from the stumbling - as he zipped up his bag and hoisted it once again. "The'fuck's she on about?" He asked the air too quietly for the retreating girl to hear, before snorting again and turning towards the station. "Well, 'least there's a real person in there." He felt his stomach clench up from the smell of berries being soaked into his clothes and sighed. "There was an Alolan malasada stand back at the station, right?"

Foxrally · Oct 27, 2020

Simon Pearburgh

Spoiler: Inventory

Route 2

The end of the ceremony had dispersed most of the trainers from the main town square, some celebrating with their families, others heading straight to the train station. Simon, however, had made a beeline for the nearby route 2- a familiar place where he would practice after class, thanks to its abundance of wild fruit and small rocks to train with. His favourite spot was a small clearing, not too far from the main road.

The flat, grassless ground, still littered with bits of string and dust from his previous sessions, was abuzz with chirps and squeaks from the small crowd he had gathered. Small critters of every size (well, mostly one size) had gathered around the boy, attracted to the tub of honey he had dropped in front of him. Weedles, Caterpies, Seedots and a pudgy Skwovet crowded around the food, pushing past each other to get to the tub itself; the Skwovet seemed to have gotten to it first, as its head was stuck through the lid while it filled its cheeks. The clearing was covered by a massive oak tree, its fading yellow foliage providing some pleasant shade. Simon breathed in the fresh mid-morning air, now filled with the scent of sweet combee honey and grass. He held it for a brief moment.

"LISTEN UP!" Simon yelled, firmly planting his net in the ground. Atop his hat, Scatterbug squeaked, struggling to stay on.

The sound of Pokemon cries suddenly stopped as the critters looked up at the trainer. "Denizens of route two! I've gathered you all here to witness the start of the greatest trainer journey Galar has ever heard of! The beginnings of a future champion, one this world has never seen the likes of, and never will again! The first chapter of the most exciting, exhilarating, and captivating trainer story that history will tell! And the name of that trainer is me, Simon Pearburgh!" Simon pointed at himself proudly.

"No matter the obstacles, the hardships, the tenacity of my opponents," The young man stood triumphantly, eyeing the small crowd, "I vow to never give up on myself, or my team! To stand by them through thick and thin, and never, ever betray their trust! With a spirit like ours, there is nothing we can't prevail over- and we will both go down trying!"

He snatched Scatterbug from his head, and held her majestically over the captivated crowd. The bug-type sneezed out a cloud of dust, startled by the sudden movement. "And it all starts with this Scatterbug! She may not look like much, but together, we will conquer this competition, and the entire league- and prove everyone wrong!" Simon placed Scatterbug back on his hat. She breathed a sigh of relief, quickly scurrying under it. "But this road of victory, my friends, also starts with YOU! We want the most driven and determined- hm?"

As he looked to the side, his words were cut short by the sound of a creature whizzing past at an incredible speed, sending dust, grass and honey flying in its path. Simon coughed as the creature's trail blinded him, and had no time to identify the person who seemed to be running after it. "Oi! Watch the bloody -cough- road, mate!" he yelled out, wiping his eyes. "You'd think people out here would be a little more considerate…" he muttered.

The dust cleared, and he slowly opened his eyes. His Scatterbug peeked out from under his hat. "Anyway, where was I?" he began.

"Caterpie." a meek cry responded in front of him.

"Ah, thank you! So we're looking for the most driven, determined Pokemon there… are…" Simon's voice trailed off as he noticed the crowd in front of him was completely gone. The Skwovet had run off with the tub of honey, and taken his audience with it. All that remained was a lone Caterpie, a little bruised from the rocks that the trailblazing creature had sent flying. Simon slumped his shoulders, letting out a disappointed sigh as he pulled his net from the ground. "Yeah. Anyways, thanks for listening."

"Caterpie!" the lone caterpillar chimed, as if cheering for him to continue.

"What?" Simon raised an eyebrow, squatting down to meet the bug at near eye-level.

"Caterpie!" the bug-type crawled closer and raised its body up.

"No kidding- seriously? You do?" Simon exclaimed, beaming.

"CATERPIE!" it squealed loudly, wiggling its feet excitedly.

"ALRIGHT!" Simon replied, grabbing it with his hand and raising it up to the sky. "Then, Caterpie, our road to victory starts HERE!"

He felt a nudge on his hip. Scatterbug motioned towards one of his five empty Pokéballs. "Oh, right." he whispered, grabbing one and presenting it to the Caterpie. "Here's your ticket."

With no hesitation, the small bug headbutted the ball, allowing the white beam of energy to encapsulate it and absorb it. The Pokéball shook once, and confirmed the capture with a satisfying click. Simon quickly pressed the button, releasing Caterpie again, and crouched back down. "Welcome to the family, tiny."

New Capture!

Caterpie ♂️
Shield Dust
Tackle - String Shot - Bug Bite

As he watched his Scatterbug timidly crawl down his leg and up to his new partner, Simon smiled. These two little creatures were the beginning of his path to glory, and by the end of it, all three of them would be standing tall. He knew it wouldn't be easy, and to be frank, he doubted the extent of his confidence himself- but that didn't matter now, because no matter what, he had two other souls believing in him. Two that he couldn't, and wouldn't, let down. And that trust was all he needed to push forward.

"Now then, lads! I'd say this calls for a celebration!" Simon exclaimed, gently picking up both bug-types and placing them on his shoulders. "Let's grab ourselves a snack!"

MurkMire · Oct 27, 2020

Name: Clovis Solanine
Age: 20
Gender: ♂
Location: Wedgehurst Town
Current Party:

Chapter 1-1: Obsession

Sitting on a bench in the quiet, cozy Wedgehurst Town, a young man sat while writing furiously. A young, green haired man, his face buried in a small, black book. Next to the young man sat a Pokeball. This young man had recently graduated from a trainer's school, and was gifted the Pokeball by a Professor Sonia. However, instead of getting to know his Pokemon immediately, the young man headed off to write down any and all crucial information about his new companion. Speaking of which....

"All nutritional information, completed... all grooming and care treatment, completed... hmmmph." The young man glanced over, the Pokeball still sitting there. Almost as if the Pokeball itself patiently waited for him to be ready to meet his partner. "I... I suppose I had enough time to p-prepare myself... no need to be nervous. I know how to-"

click

The Pokeball suddenly opened, causing the young man to flinch, yelp and hide behind the bench almost immediately as the light coming forth yielded form. The form, of course, was his partner. A Blipbug, swaying in the light breeze as it looked right to left. "U-Um... hello." The Larva Pokemon tilted it's head. Green hair, and violet eyes appeared before Blipbug. "Rrrr!" The Blipbug seemed to say as a hello, waving it's tiny "arm" with enthusiasm. The young man, cautiously, walked around the bench and sat down on the bench again. "Well... hello." The young man sheepishly greeted Blipbug, unsure of what to say next.

Idiot! It's a Pokemon, like any other! Just-

Again, he glanced. Again, met with patience. He sighed, took a deep breath, and turned to face Blipbug directly. "Hello, I am... I am Clovis. Starting today, we will be partners." The Blipbug's eyes suddenly shined, tiny tears began to swell. An open smile formed, and the Blipbug held out a tiny greeting.

Clovis slowly held out his hand... and shook the small creature. As Clovis does this, Clovis has a thought. Causing Clovis to chuckle, and say, "I believe I'll call you Cortex, then." A quiet moment passed, as Clovis and Cortex simply shook hands.

Seeing the young team, a young woman approached and asked, "My, may I have a se-"

"Buzz off, I'm having a moment with my Pokemon here," hissed Clovis.

"Oh my," she gasped, before walking off in shock.

~~~

"I'll need fifty potions, twenty burn heals, ten revives, and twenty pokeballs."

Clovis, with Cortex on his shoulder, was at the Pokemon Center buying supplies for the upcoming route. "I have to hurry... I've already lost too much time," he muttered to himself, as he placed the items in the proper pockets of his backpack. Placing the money on the counter, he left without so much as a "thank you" or any sort of thanks.

Instead, Clovis left in haste towards Route 2. "If I'm going to get back in line, I need a Pokemon to capture. THEN, train you to become even stronger. THEN, I'll be on my way towards greatness!" Clovis laughed to himself out loud, before he missed a step on a set of stone steps.

"NoooOO-- OOF."

Clovis landed, using his face as a cushion. He laid there, twitching with pain. Cortex, unable to do anything, simply laid next to his head in emotional support.

Sapphire Rose · Oct 27, 2020

Pia McGuire
Location:
Pokémon market - Wedgehurst

Chapter 1-2 / I choose you part 2

"There you go. That will be 200 Poké dollars for this flashlight."

Pia gave the woman behind the counter 200 Poké dollars. It hurt her super bad that she had to spend money on something so insignificant as this but it was a necessity for the quest she had been sent on by Sonia.

"Thank you~" Pia's overly cute voice and grin made the older woman return this adorable act with an equally warm smile. The blonde girl grabbed the cheap, silver coloured flashlight from the counter and put it in her bag as she walked away. The moment she set foot outside the building, she was met with a crash.

*BAM*

The small flashlight fell out of Pia's not-yet-closed bag and dropped to the floor. It rolled towards the person that bumped into her but before it reached the destination it was intended in going, Pichu grabbed it and brought it back her trainer who was currently on the floor rubbing her behind.

"Geez. You could've looked where you were going." Was all Pia heard from the other person on the floor. It was a boy that looked like he was several years younger than her and had dark coloured hair. His eyes were hazel coloured that glared at her.

"Because obviously you were looking before you threw me off my feet." Pia rolled her emerald coloured eyes and got back up from the floor. She walked up to the younger boy and held out a hand despite how rude he just had been.

"Hmph." The boy hissed. He easily jumped back to his feet. The way he moved reminded Pia of one of her classmates who she graduated with today. She had pink hair and was often seen dancing. His movements were a bit different but she was sure she had seen her classmate do something similar before.

"You're not going to apologize?" Pia asked him. The boy brushed off his clothes and got back on his skateboard. It missing half of a wheel was probably the reason why her crashed into the blonde haired girl. "Don't you ignore me. It's common courtesy to apologize when you knock someone over." Pia kept pressing, becoming visibly annoyed by his rude attitude.

"I was looking!" The boy yelled at her. "See? My eyes are wide open!" He widened his eyes with each of his thumbs and fingers to push away his eyelids.

"And yet here we are." Pia raised an eyebrow. She put her hands on her waist and tilted her hip to the side. The young boy crawled back a bit, being intimated by Pia's confident aura that she was giving off. It was clear to see that this boy was not yet skilled in the art of apology. "Go on, I'm waiting." Pia tapped her feet. Pichu on the other hand was staring at the situation, still holding on the flashlight but visibly confused by her trainer acting all sassy like this.

"... I-I'm ...." The boy gritted his teeth and pulled over his hood. ".... S-S-So...." His face was turning bright red like a cheri berry as he stuttered, unable to speak the words that he had been forced to say. It was like he was trying to confess to someone but knew he wasn't making a chance, except that this boy was just merely trying to apologize.

"You're not really good at this, are you?" Pia smirked. She walked over the Pichu and grabbed the flashlight she was holding to put it back in her backpack. She then walked off. "I was teasing you. I'll be on my way now. I have wasted enough time here. Tata~"

Pichu, now even more confused, glanced at the boy who exchanged glances with the small creature. She then hopped off to follow her trainer, staring at her as they walked.

"What? Are you regretting your choice of staying?" Pia asked sternly, making the Pichu shake her head in response. Pia only sighed as they finally made their way to the Pokémon laboratory .

Inventory:

Spoiler:

Kana · Oct 27, 2020

Arrietty Maverick

Spoiler: Inventory

"The morning of my departure was here at last."

In the sleepy town of Wedgehurst, on the corner of a street, stood a little house. It was just two floors high, and on the second, a young girl opened the glass door to her little false balcony. She leaned on the railing, taking in the familiar view, and smiled a bittersweet smile. A breeze caressed her cheek, and she quickly tucked her hair behind her ear, keeping it from getting messy in the wind.

Behind her, a small, orange-feathered Pokémon rolled over on the bed. The thin slit of sunlight falling in between the curtains had slipped off its body again, and it hastily chased its shiny blanket for warmth. It closed its eyes and tried to rest comfortably on the sheets once more, but this time the early autumn breeze cooled its coat. Huffing and puffing up its feathers, it let out an irritated chirp in the direction of its trainer.

When she didn't respond, the Pokémon puffed up even further, but then rushed off the bed towards her, cheeping loudly all the while. Only when it reached her ankle and started pecking at her sock, did Arrietty look up, or rather down, from her thoughts. "Oh, Wren! Is something wrong?"

The Torchic chirped, and shook its body, ruffling its feathers as it glared at the open door. Arrietty tilted her head in confusion, but knelt down in front of her Pokémon to pick it up in her arms instead. With him held to her chest, she turned back to the outside. Wren was not amused.

"I'm going to miss this place," the girl mused. Despite two years of trainer's school having prepared her for this day, she'd never felt less ready to set out. She didn't find the schoolwork particularly easy, but it was nothing compared to what was expected of her now. Fend for herself in the outside world, make a living battling Pokémon? She shuddered at the thought. Wren took notice, and quickly dropped its pouty demeanor to look up and chirp reassuringly. She met it with a weak smile, and squeezed the Torchic against her momentarily. "Thank you."

Wren was set on the floor and the balcony door closed. His trainer made to pack her backpack with the last things she'd left lying around. They weren't well-acquainted yet, but somehow the Torchic couldn't help but feel protective of her already. Perhaps there was just something about her that made him worry. Her nerves didn't do much to make her seem dependable, either. Even still, they were partners now, and even if she couldn't do it herself, he wouldn't let her fall by the wayside!

He subconsciously puffed its chest feathers, to which Arrietty looked up and chuckled. "Glad to see you're excited, at least," she spoke, putting the bag on her back.

"Then, shall we?"

The door swung open, and trainer and Pokémon stepped down the stairs.

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