[center][color=gray][h3]Leisy Takigawa[/h3][/color][/center]

Leisy walked along the bank of the stream, moving from one rock to the next in a little game with herself to see how long she could manage before having to touch the ground. Bidein flew overhead, enjoying the slight breeze that flowed through the trees and warded off the heat for a brief moment.

[color=gray]”Hey Dei, have you ever been to the mountains?”[/color] Leisy asked, hands held out to stabilize herself. The Fletchling flew down from the air, swirling a circle around his trainer. Leisy took that to mean a ‘no.’ [color=gray]”Hm. We should go visit sometime then.”[/color]

Leisy skipped over a few more rocks, keeping up her precarious balance as she observed the water Pokemon in the stream out of the corner of her eye. It seemed that Pokemon had an innate sense of who posed a danger—the more you sought them out, the more wary of you they were. Leisy, now partnered with Bidein, seemed no longer pose a threat, and the Pokemon acted as if she weren’t there. 

Every now and then, however, Leisy still noticed a shadow or two retreating into the bushes as she walked, but she didn’t let it bother her too much. What Pokemon wouldn’t have the common sense to retreat as a human passes by?

Up ahead, a squawk of alarm sounded, and Leisy saw a blue, white-faced bird Pokemon being chased by a black-and-blue striped lobster Pokemon that was shooting jets of water at the fleeing Pokemon. Without thinking, Leisy ran in front of the bird Pokemon, putting her hands out at each side to shield her from the aggressive Pokemon that was rapidly approaching.

[color=gray]”Dei!”[/color] Leisy called. The Fletchling dropped from the sky and hovered in front of his trainer, eyes sharp and trained on the aggressive and now quite angry lobster Pokemon.

[hr]
[center][color=lightsteelblue][h3]Cillian Weiss[/h3][/color][/center]

[color=lightsteelblue]”Wait!”[/color] Cillian called out instinctively, sprinting back to the middle of the clearing. He looked about wildly for an indication as to where his mysterious Pokemon rescuer had gone, but to no avail. Cursing silently as he raked a hand through his hair in frustration, Cillian glared at the trees lining the field as if to demand that they produce the Scyther that had driven off the Combee. 

[i]I didn’t get a picture, a good look at the Pokemon, or a chance to thank him,[/i] Cillian thought angrily, sighing as he let the emotion wash off him. It was his own fault in a way—the fact that no Pokemon had come out while he’d been hiding out in the bushes should have told him that there was something wrong with the location. His own ignorance had lost him the chance of properly observing a very amazing Pokemon. 

Scyther had a reputation of being honorable and proud Pokemon, and Cillian’s foolishness and wonderful display of cowardice probably warded the Pokemon off for good. For the first time, Cillian realized that he actually wanted to see a bug Pokemon a second time. [i]But this one saved my life,[/i] Cillian argued with himself. [i]This one’s not like the others, all legs and chitin for brains.[/i]

After fixing his cap and the straps of his backpack, Cillian set off again, mind lost in the mountains now. He’d read about rumours of the Pokemon in the ranges around Central City—fire pokemon, they all claimed, and Cillian was dying to see a wild embodiment of flame for himself. His hometown had been small and surrounded by forest—less than the ideal place to find anything other than the average bird and bug Pokemon that could usually be found around any semi-urban environment.

[i]I’ll get stronger,[/i] Cillian decided, feet steadily carrying him towards the mountains. [i]I’ll catch a fire Pokemon and prove to that Scyther that I’m not a coward.[/i]