News channels all across the planet are reporting on the earth shaking phenomenon mere moments after its conclusion. The following is a direct quote from PokeCorp's very own correspondant Jackie Luvall...
"I am here at the 'Institute of Seismic Studies' located at the base of Mount Jerimus near the small village of Tefan. A crowd of reporters from various networks are already arriving on scene outside. I'm lucky enough to be standing here with Public Relations Executive, Dr. Jeff Siesmore. Dr. Siesmore, we at Poke-News were the first organization that your institution reached out to. Does this mean a Pokemon was involved in this catastrophic event? And if so, could it be Groudon, the legendary Pokemon that is said to live within the very mountain next to us?"
"Thank you Jackie. Yes, we do have reason to believe that this event has been caused by a Legendary Pokemon of some kind. Whether is was Groudon or not is yet to be confirmed. What is especially strange however, is that all our readings cannot locate the hypocenter of this earthquake. Usually our instruments can pinpoint the exact cause of an earthquake of any magnitude, be it natural tectonic movement or a trainer's Sandshrew that just hit level 46. It would stand to reason that an earthquake created by any Pokemon, even Groudon, would have a distinct hypocenter. In this case, it's as if the entire planet shook without reason. We are looking into possibilities, but at the moment there is only one thing we can confirm. This event is too out of the ordinary to be caused by any naturally occurring means. This is truly a testament to the awe inspiring power that Pokemon possess."
Jackie seems awestruck for a moment before snapping back to reality. She tries to continue her line of questioning, but Dr. Siesmore only responds with, "No further comments at this time. Thank you." Two body guards step forward as he gives a polite nod before walking away.
Realizing that is all she is going to get out of the interview, Jackie turns back to face the camera directly, "There you have it. A powerful Pokemon is indeed the cause of recent events. Which one might it be? Groudon, Heatran, or maybe some other, no one knows for sure. Visit our website and tell us which Pokemon you think caused this uproar. Until next time, this is Jackie Luvall, and this has been another segment of 'Poke-Watch', only on Poke-News!"
This segment was live, just as the sun was setting in Teffan Village. A recording became available as a notification on the Pokedex of trainers everywhere moments after its completion.
Without warning, the ground shook violently. Cici stumbled back, nearly losing her balance. Tactus gave a startled hoot and took to the air, Breig jumped with a mewling noise, and Kymbalon growled, staring around for any threats.
"Earthquakes now? Well this is a new one..." the musician commented, steadying herself. "You ok, Luna?" She was, but Cici's face remained unusually solemn. "Oh geez, Tommy... I hope he's alright..." Whipping out her Pokedex and sending him a message, she started hurrying towards the Pokecentre. When she saw the building was undamaged, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"We'd better head inside," she suggested. If a Pokemon - possibly a legendary - had caused the earthquake, she didn't want to meet them face to face. "My friend and I have been looking into unusual happenings around here, I'm going to have to talk with him about this. It could have something to do with..." She paused, unsure how to continue.
"Ok. You've heard the story of Entei, right? Have you heard the rumours about the one around here? Well, as I found out firsthand a few days ago, they're true. And I'd better warn you, he's not exactly happy. Something's really rubbing him the wrong way, and I'm working with someone to find out what it is."
With a cautious look around her, she made her way back to the building.
In the lobby of the Pokemon centre, Cici stared at the news report on TV with bleary eyes. She hadn't been able to bring herself to get any sleep. "So it was another legendary Pokemon..." she muttered under her breath. Entei and Groudon, clashing for some reason? A conflict between two incredibly powerful Pokemon... Cici hoped her suspicion wasn't correct.
Through the train ride, Tora mostly slept, tired from her ventures. Perhaps taking on a journey like this wasn't the best of ideas, yet it was worth the risks that came with them. She knew full and well the the possible consequences this journey would cause. It would be difficult since she got tired easily, and she had to worry about being followed. She was sure her parents knew and had already set up a reward for her safe return home. At least she managed to get some rest on the train.
When they got to the village, she waved to her friends as they split up, her blue eyes scanning the area. This area was indeed a bit hot, Archie seemed to enjoy it as the puppy Pokemon spun in circles happily. Fire Types would be right at home, but it would probably best to not have Pezi or Sirius out too much in this environment.
She headed to the Pokemon Center to lie down for a little while.
Walking to the Pokemon Center
+1 post +sunrise= 91 +1CP = 41
Pokemon Team:
Archie the ♀Growlithe: Level 15(LVL up 16)/Healthy
The world shook, catching Leisy off-guard. Being a born and raised Centralian, she knew well what earthquakes were, but had never experienced one of this magnitude. The tremors were fierce, hard, and unforgiving as she and her Pokemon were knocked to the floor, either to their knees, hands, or onto their backs, as in Leisy’s case.
“Puuu,” her Pupitar crooned, inching to her side. His hard shell weighed him down, kept him rooted as the earthquake raged on, unrelenting.
“Devinco,” Leisy said, voice trembling. She grabbed onto the rock-type, glad to have someone to cling to in times of peril, but fearing for her friends and Pokemon. Bidein would have no problem unless trees started falling, being a flying-type, but Naunet lacked the avian talent of flight and was thus susceptible to all ground-based attacks. An earthquake would do her in, as it would Leisy’s Audino and her delicate package of fairy dust.
Fearing for the worst, Leisy looked around frantically. The quakes had died down, but her Pokemon was still nowhere in sight. Then, she spotted the familiar blazing plume of her Fletchinder gliding over the softer pastel of her fairy-type. “Bidein, Audino!” Leisy shouted, clambering to her feet shakily and running over. Seeing that all three Pokemon — two fairy- and one fire-type — were safe, Leisy felt like she could breathe again. Except, there was still one Pokemon unaccounted for, along with two humans and their Pokemon.
“Bidein, look for Naunet,” Leisy said, waving her flying-type off to his mission. “Be careful!” she called as the Fletchinder took flight before straightening up and looking around for her friends. The Onix, having been defeated, had slinked off, leaving a trail of messily parted sand in its wake, but the other girls were nowhere in sight.
A scream pierced the air — Florence’s — shrill with grief and despair, and Leisy ran dead in its direction. As she rounded the bend of trees, she spotted her friends and their Pokemon in various states of disarray as well as a figure making off quickly into the trees.
“Stop right there!” she yelled at the figure. Hesitating briefly — she was sending her own Pokemon after an unknown but clearly dangerous rogue, after all — Leisy glanced at Florence and Ella before looking back at the Pokemon behind her. “Audino, you stay with me. Devinco, go after them. They’re running, and they’ll probably get away, but at the very least make sure they don’t come back.”
The Pupitar nodded, eyes flashing as it set off, blasting a vent of gas to propel it in the direction of the escaping perpetrators. After watching her Pokemon leave, Leisy ran over to Florence’s side, seeing as the girl had collapsed onto the floor.
“Florence, are you alright?” she asked, looking her friend over. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the girl’s shoulder were a nasty-looking puncture wound could be seen — a snakebite, or something with two small but long fangs. “Oh my — you’re hurt, hold still,” Leisy said, pushing the girl onto her back. “Was the Pokemon that bit you venomous? This is bad — do you have any supplies? Ella!” Leisy called, waving the other girl over. “Florence is hurt — bitten. We need to get her medical attention, and fast, if the thing that bit her was venomous.”
Looking around, Leisy spotted Bidein flapping over again, but this time circling in distress. Below, a blue-gold shape limped along, clearly favoring one webbed foot over the other.
“Naunet! Oh,” Leisy said, grabbing the water-type’s Pokeball and returning her. Cradling the ball to her chest, she whispered silent apologies, both for sending the Pokemon off into battle on her own and for needing to put her own Pokemon off for a little while more. “Florence, I sent my Pupitar after the person who attacked you, but I doubt he’ll be fast enough to catch the guy. Are you alright? Are your Pokemon? That guy really did a number on you…”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll swing by and pick us up some food — or whatever the locals are serving,” Cillian said with a grin. “Any requests?”
The group dispersed then, with Cillian heading away into the village. A mixture of straw, mud, and wood seemed to be the favored base in Tefan, and one could easily tell the buildings’ ages from their structural material — wood being the newer, of course.
“Alright. Now let’s see,” Cillian said, running a hand over the Pokeballs on his belt. “Haz it is,then.”
The Charmander emerged from his Pokeball, red light fading from his form that was a little too big, bony, and different to be from the same Charmander Cillian had caught way back when. “Hazmat?” the boy asked, eyebrows knitting as he took in the same clueless blue eyes, except this time on a reptilian Pokemon that was a bit taller and a bit more of a burnt orange than Cillian remembered.
“Charrr,” the orange Pokemon called happily, voice gravelly as it reached its clawed hands towards Cillian. It froze, retracting its arms and feeling around its face, then looking down at its body and flicking its tail around. “Char?”
“Arceus, it really is you, Haz!” Cillian said, grinning. “Well would you look at that — all evolved and ready to go. Charmeleon — damn. I’d always hoped, sure, and when I caught you it felt a lot closer, but wow.”
The boy walked a circle around his newly-evolved fire-type, admiring the orange Pokemon’s longer, stronger limbs. “Well, looks like you have more to live up to now, Haz. Looks like we both do.”
“Char!” Haz agreed happily, waddling over on its newly strengthened feet and wrapping its arms around its trainer’s hips. “Char!’
“Yep, yep, proud of you, buddy,” Cillian said, a little surprised by the fire-type’s newfound strength but happy still. He rubbed a hand over the bony protrusion on the Charmeleon’s head before noticing the Pokemon’s tail. “Holy Mew, be careful with that!” he yelped, sidestepping his Pokemon’s tail.
The Charmeleon glanced over at the flame-tipped extension, as if surprised by how long it was, or how large the flame was. Cillian sighed. “What am I going to do with you, Haz.”
After some more wise words and admonishments on Cillian’s part and happy cheers of ignorant bliss on his Charmeleon’s, the duo set off again into the village. Along the way, Cillian picked up some local stir fried vegetables — a little dry, but not the worst, it seemed — and bread that seemed to have been baked without an oven.
“Bet you’re loving the heat, huh Haz,” Cillian asked his Pokemon as he paid for a bag of mixed berries and a small tin of butter for the bread. “Well we’re going to meet up with everyone else and eat now, and I’m sure you’ll love it even more.”
A quick meal was in process after Cillain arrived at the Pokemon Center with the goods. The shopkeeper there — fairly tan from the sun — seemed rather sympathetic to the trainers’ plight, even allowing them to eat in the lobby. After finishing their meal, Hazmat let out a hearty burp of content and the trainers were off to bed, rising only when the sun peeked through the dried fern-curtains in the Pokemon Center’s Tefan-styled rooms.
The gap-yeared trainer duo spent the rest of the night searching for the large red fire-type they’d caught a glimpse of, but to no avail. Somehow, the Darmanitan — despite its size — had managed to disappear into thin air, its footprints disappearing into the hills. “It’ll be back,” Martin said, sighing.
“Yes it will,” Shanae agreed, glancing at the boy. Perhaps it was time to call it a day.
Lodging was provided for the mission-taker, apparently, courtesy of Terraworks. Her room was relatively standard, having refused the offer to upgrade — “There’s no need, Markus. Really — you’ll spoil the trainer inside me, and it doesn’t do good to spoil her.” — and Shanae found that she couldn’t sleep much that night. Her mission was clear, but her heart wasn’t. Did she really wish to bring the Darmanitan to justice?
The morning couldn’t have come soon enough, and Shanae prepped for her day briskly, picking up some food from a nearby diner and munching on it as she headed towards the spot she’d agreed to meet with Marvin.
“Mornin’” she said when she’d spotted the boy, covering her mouth as she swallowed the last bit of her meal “So, where to?”
Rank: Skilled Organization: Helping Hand Guild [Founder]
"N-No... There was someone else, he took Vernie!" Florence choked out, her throat constricting. The two other girls' faces swam before her. "Ella! Surely your Inkay can find her!"
More hissing indicated that not all of the Ekans had fled. Weakly raising her head, she saw flashes of dark purple slither towards Ella and Leisy. "B-Bonica... Agh..." With a shaking hand, she reached for a Pokeball. "Stun Spore!"
The Budew's burst of powder stopped several of the Ekans in their tracks. "Unnh... In my bag..." Florence propped herself up the best she could with her good arm, her surroundings lurching as she did so. "Pecha Berry... quick, f-feed it to me..."
Another hiss threatened to drown out her barely-audible words.
"Jumbles, use Psywave!" Ella commanded, returning Lucette. As the Inkay's attack knocked the Ekans aside, the girl ran forward and climbed into the pit, kneeling beside Florence. The brunette convulsed, her pain clear on her face, the skin on her shoulder puffing up around two puncture wounds.
"Treasure, Allsort, fend off the other Ekans." Sending out the two Poison types, she searched through Florence's bag. Hurriedly pulling out a pink berry - not the freshest, but it had to still work, it had to - she held it to the other trainer's mouth.
As Florence took a bite, Ella watched, tensing. The brunette gagged, and for one awful moment, Ella feared Florence would choke, or heave up the berry before it could cure her. Slowly, though, the medic's ragged breathing settled into a more regular pattern.
Beside the three trainers, the pink-haired girl's Pokemon kept the Ekans at bay, Allsort swiping with his claws, Treasure slapping in quick succession, and Jumbles making use of his type advantage with psychic attacks. "Jumbles, please leave it to the others for now," Ella urged. "Can you sense Florence's Chikorita anywhere nearby?" Maybe, hopefully, the weakened Kadabra hadn't been able to teleport far. "Leisy, the other guy, he had a Kadabra, it teleported with him and Vernie!"
The Inkay closed his eyes, focusing for a few drawn-out seconds. Something sank in Ella's stomach as Jumbles shook his head, giving a despondent squeak.
"I should have put up more of a fight... I-I'm sorry..." Ella clenched her hands by her sides. "We'll find her! We'll make sure we find her!"
With the sun now fully in the sky Vivian pulled herself together and decided to act. She want to the cave-in and called out to AJ, listening carefully for a reply... Nothing. She released her Petilil and had it help flabebe attack the debris. But they got nowhere...
Vivian had come to accept that she couldn't do this on her own. Returning the Pokemon at her side back to their pokeball, she made the desperate run back to town as fast as she could.
As soon as she could she would return. With help. Tomorrow she would call her friends and update them.
TP
49 +1 post +0 (HHG) TP=50
INVENTORY:
pokeball x2
travel rations + supplies
POKEMON:
Flabebe-6, injured/tired
Petilil-4, ok/ok
Ferroseed-1, fainted
empty
empty
empty
(.)
Azerus Jr
Greenhaven
32
A sudden roar from Rhyhorn woke Azerus from his nap. The cave in had caused the cavern to be been plunged into total darkness but Azerus could feel the stomping about of his rhyhorn as it shook the ground. "Whats wrong? Be careful!" he quickly snaps as he flings out his broken pokedex with its broken light. The illumination from the screen aided him just enough to make out a small shiny silver steel Pokemon clinging onto rhyhorn's waving foot.
"Stomp it!" he quickly shouts. As soon as ryhorn began moving AJ lost sight of the battle. He began to panic. How could he battle on the dark when him and his Pokemon couldn't see anything. "Rhyhorn roll on it. Squash it!" AJ began throwing out desperate attempts as he stepped back ensuring he didn't get caught up in the carnage. Another cry from rhyhorn told him the attack was un successful. Then the obvious hit him. "Go Zubat! Help rhyhorn, bi..." AJ just remembered the metallic sheen on the enemy Pokemon and stopped to considered Zubats teeth. "Umm try wing attack."
“Oh,” Leisy said, eyes widening. The poacher had taken Florence’s Pokemon? Unable to to fathom how that felt, Leisy could only start to imagine the extent of the ripping sadness Florence was feeling.
A round of hissing behind her jolted the girl out of her thoughts. Glancing to the side, she saw a group of Ekans — likely the Pokemon that had bitten Florence. As Ella dug through Florence’s bag for the Pecha Berry Florence had spoken of, Leisy pulled her other Pokeballs, looking for the ones that would be most effective. Poison-types, she thought, scanning over the remaining four fresh Pokeballs. That would rule out Animo, and Cassia wouldn’t exactly be pleased if I made her battle right now. So, that leaves…
“C’mon out, Tyrus, Liciae,” Leisy said, a purple gaseous mass forming by her shoulder and a sleek form sliding down to land by her feet. “There’s a nest of Ekans here, likely stirred up by the earthquake earlier. I’ll need your help to fight them off.”
The two Pokemon nodded, the Gastly even going so far as to retract his tongue and adopt a rather serious-looking expression. Bidein joined them, landing beside his teammates in a flurry of orange and black feathers, and the Audino wobbled over, lighting a Heal Pulse at the flying-type. The Fletchinder absorbed the glow, fluffing out his feathers and chirping a thanks to the fairy-type.
“Okay, Bidein, stir things up with a Flame Charge. Tyrus, you start picking Pokemon off with Confuse Ray and Hypnosis, and Liciae help out with Night Slash,” Leisy said. After her Pokemon had headed off to join the battle, she looked over to her Audino. “Audino, you stay back and take care of the Pokemon from afar,” Leisy said. “You’re susceptible to poison-types, but at the same time I can’t return you right now.”
The Audino nodded, glancing down at the smaller fairy-type in her arms before directing her gaze towards the injured human, who was now looking a lot better after eating the pink berry. Walking over, the Audino leaned down and closed her eyes, focusing and emitting another spurt of bright light — a Heal Pulse.
“Oh,” Leisy said, walking over. “I don’t know if — well,” she paused, deciding that she wouldn’t try and dissuade her Audino’s compassion “thank you, Audino. Cura — how about that?” The Audino purred a high note, and Leisy smiled. “Glad to hear that you like it.”
A cold splash of water hit's Nick right in the face. This wakes him up very abruptly. A word comes to mind, and he almost screams it out, that is until he realizes his mother is standing over him in her light blue night gown. In her hands is the blue bucket, a bucket that she has used since he was young to splash him with water if he was hard to wake. It had been years since the last time she used it though.
"What's going on?" His voice is barely audible, mostly just grumbling.
His mother spoke with a mixture of agitation and excitement. "You slept right through an earthquake! The media is on high alert, and there's going to be a press release any second! Now get out of bed and come down stairs!" With that she grabbed him by the arm pulling him out of bed.
Nick wore nothing but boxers. A slight rush of embarrassment turned his face bright red. Mom! Stop! Can I put some shorts on?!"
Oh, hurry up then!She shouted impatiently. Under her breath she mumbled, "Like I didn't change your diapers..."
By the time the two of them got down stairs, the live press release broadcast had just ended. In front of the TV sat his father, obviously deep in thought (in his own pair of boxers of his own). So deep in thought, he hadn't even noticed his wife and son enter the room.
Nick's mother shouted in frustration, "Oh great! We missed it! That's what I get for trying to include this lazy boy in something that's actually exciting!" Closing her eyes, she face palmed herself in defeat, letting the room fall silent.
Her outburst startled Nick's father out of his own thoughts as he glanced over at the two of them before turning back to the TV. Nick had nothing to offer but a tired yawn. "Can I go back to sleep now? The sun's hardly even up."
"Wait..." a thought popped into her head, a brilliant idea that couldn't wait. Raising her head up she immediately insisted, "Rewind the TV!". Nick's father had already started skipping backwards, though. By the time she finished her command, he pushed play.
The three of them watched the news coverage two more times. When done, Nick watched as his mom and dad vollied guesses over which Pokemon could have caused the earthquake. They even tried to bring Nick in on the guessing game, though he didn't have anything to add. He had never been one for legends. But, he did have to admit; some sense of curiosity was stirring within him.
After the initial excitement of the morning, Nick decided to stay awake and get an early start on his adventure. His adventure that would truly start today. A couple hours of preparation and Nick was walking out the front door. His Munchlax had remained asleep the whole time, but Feathers (Starly) flew by his side. He had one plan: "Head into Central City. There he would decide what to do next, maybe catch a train to another town, maybe Tefan village."
Nauseous from snake venom and distress, Florence struggled to keep the berry down, but little by little, the pain faded and her breathing became easier. Shifting into a sitting position, she pulled away from the few remaining Ekans. Her shoulder still twinged, but no longer burned with agony, and her only other injuries seemed to be bruises.
She stared at the Inkay for what felt more like minutes than seconds, until a shake of his head dashed her hopes. "She's got to be around! Surely they can't have gone far!" she cried, trying to pull herself up, only to fall back down, shaking. The berry had cured the poison, but not its aftereffects.
A pink light shone, and a soothing feeling washed over her. "Th-Thanks..." she whispered to the Audino, although Heal Pulse could only do so much for humans. Holding on to the rough wall of the pit, she made another attempt to pull herself up.
Bonica looked around, then up, squealing in bewilderment. Probably wondering where her playmate is, Florence thought, barely able to take in what had just happened.
"I-I'm not..." Tears stung the corners of her eyes. "I'm not leaving her behind!"
As her legs gave out and she slumped to the ground, the awful realisation that she was in no fit state to do any searching came to her. Reaching out and hugging Bonica, she gazed blankly ahead, at the concerned Audino, who kept the Cutiefly safe in her arms.
Now, Florence knew exactly how the couple had felt.
Once more, Ella found herself completely helpless.
As Leisy's Gastly, Purrloin and Fletchinder drove away the last of the Ekans, all she could do was help Florence out of the pit. This was just like the one Vivian had fallen into, the night her mother's Vileplume had been stolen, and just like the one beside the cage containing the Skuntank and Stunkys... Why hadn't she thought to warn Florence about pit traps?
"Is... Is there anything...?" She gave Leisy a desperate look. There had to be something they could do. Even in their current state, even after two nights without sleep, there had to be something... right?
“Florence!” Leisy yelled down the pit, seeing the girl fall over again. She looked around, trying to find a Pokemon that was strong enough to pull the other girl out, but seeing none. She lacked the Pokemon big and strong enough to do the job.
Bidein’s a flying-type, but he’s way too small to pull Florence up, even if his battle’s basically done. Naunet’s injured, and Devi’s not back yet, Leisy thought, running through her options in her head. Cassia and Liciae are too small, Tyrus can’t stay solid for long periods of time, and Cura wouldn’t be able to get back up. Animo… Leisy started, reaching into her bag and pulling out the Sewaddle’s Pokeball before releasing the bug-type.
“Animo! Can you shoot a couple String Shots onto Florence?” Leisy asked.
The bug-type nodded, inching over to the edge of the pit and spewing white silk at Florence. The silk wrapped around the injured girl, sticky and growing in strength as the Sewaddle continued its work.
Leisy walked over to the the bug-type, picking up the ends of the silk. She looked over her shoulder. “Ella, help me pull her up!” Leisy called. “Cura, you too! Bidein, go see if you can find Devi!” She looked back down the hole. “Florence, we’re going to get you out.”
Despite Ella's efforts to help, Florence was too weakened to climb out of the pit. Returning her Pokemon, the pink-haired girl clambered up. Thankfully, the pit wasn't too deep, but once out, she had to catch her breath. Two nights without sleep had done her no good at all.
"Treasure!" As Leisy commanded her Sewaddle to use String Shot, Ella sent the Trubbish back out. "Please help too!" The trainers and Pokemon pulled at the silk, hauling Florence upwards and out.
Ella fell to her hands and knees, panting. No! She couldn't get tired now. Running on very little proper rest was no excuse not to have her wits about her, not at a time like this.
"Thanks, all of you." Trembling with shock and fatigue, Florence unsuccessfully tried to free herself and Bonica from the silken ropes. An exhausted-looking Ella crawled over, pulling away the sticky silk.
Once the last of the strings were untied, Florence grabbed on to a tree branch, attempting to stand even though every movement hurt. Bonica squealed in alarm, but the trainer kept forcing her tired and battered body to cooperate.
"I've got to find her!" The words came out in a shaking sob. "I've got to!"
Vivian awoke startled and confused. She frantically looked around gathering her bearings. A wave of relief and relaxation came with the familiar sight of the poke'center inside. She had fallen asleep from exhaustion in the waiting chair, soon after handing over her pokeballs. Rubbing her eyes she pulled out her pokedex and tapped away on the touch screen as she sent off a group msg.
"Miss you guys! How and where is everyone? I found a lead in Greenhaven but I'm worried I put someone in danger. Did you feel that earthquake? Hope to see you all again soon.
Viv!"
TP
50 +1 post +0 (HHG) TP=51
INVENTORY:
pokeball x2
travel rations + supplies
POKEMON:
Flabebe-6, healed
Petilil-4, healed
Ferroseed-1, healed
empty
empty
empty
(.)
Azerus Jr
Greenhaven
33
"Gust!" Azerus directed his Zubat despite not being able to see his own Pokemon or opponent. He could feel the backdraft and hear the flutter of wings. Something scuffles in the dark. Zubats sonar helped it locate its target. "Confuse ray. Leech life!" Azerus felt hopeless throwing out commands without knowing what was going on. A loud crack and the grinding of rocks cut off the repetitive flapping wings.
"ZUBAT!? Are you ok?"
This was difficult and frustrating. Azerus grit his teeth as he strained his eyes and ears. The scuffling continued. A screech to his left, a thud to his right, a scratching right before him.
Frustration And desperation drove his next move. "Spheal, blizzard!"
“Florence, are you alright?” Leisy asked, crouching down to the girl’s level. “Don’t push yourself. Getting injured would be the worst thing you could do right now.”
Covered in sweat and panting yet still fierce with determination, Florence looked desperate and despaired but clinging onto her determination to find her Pokemon. Leisy admired the girl’s determination, hoping that she could be just as strong in her own times of despair. A loud peal from Bidein prompted Leisy to look up, and she spotted a familiar dark shape jetting over.
“Devinco!” she called, relief flooding her voice.
As the Pokemon neared, however, Leisy took in the rock-type’s unscathed shell with a mixture of happiness and sadness; her Pokemon had managed to escape unharmed despite pursuing the Poke-knappers, but he’d also failed to bring back Florence’s Chikorita. It wasn’t her Pupitar’s fault — Leisy knew that — but she also knew that it was now her job to convince everyone that the group needed rest. They’d pushed too far, and any more strenuous activity would probably result in one of them collapsing.
“We need rest,” Leisy said, looking over at Ella. Her own knees trembled, and her head was woozy with prolonged reliance on adrenaline rush-induced energy. “Florence, we’re in no shape to start any Pokemon battles at this point, much less win them, and Devinco couldn’t bring down the escaped trainer.” The black-haired girl paused, watching her fallen friend carefull to see how she was taking the information. “We… We should get some rest and stock up for the coming battle. I—I hate to say this, but Vernie wouldn’t want you chasing after her in your state. She’d want you safe, rested, and able after you win her back, not broken and half-dead.”
A lump formed in Ella's throat as she watched Florence try to stand, determined to save her Pokemon despite her own condition.
"Leisy's right," she said gently, helping Florence up. She felt terrible saying it. The only people she'd ever seen this broken with grief were Vivian's parents. "Vernie would hate it if you got hurt again." Her own legs shook, but she remained standing, supporting the other girl.
"B-But..." Florence could only speak in a trembling whimper. "Who knows what could happen to her?"
That feeling of complete and utter powerlessness returned. "We'll find her," Ella tried to reassure her. "The sooner we rest, the sooner we'll be able to. Florence, we'll do everything we can to help you!" She took a step forward. "Come on, let's get this Cutiefly back home," she said, glancing down at the bug in the Audino's arms. One Pokemon found - another lost.
The Cutiefly must have sensed the thieves earlier, she realised, and so had Jumbles, most likely. That would explain their odd behaviour. And the poachers must have done something to agitate the Onix... If only she'd paid more attention to the warning signs.
With heavy, weary footsteps, the group headed back into town.
When the old couple opened their door, their relieved expressions turned into shocked ones as they took in the state of the group.
At first, Florence couldn't bring herself to speak. When she opened her mouth, only a sob came out, tears spilling down her cheeks. If she told the story, that would make it real. And what if the couple blamed themselves?
It was Ella who told them what had happened. The old lady's kindly eyes widened.
"Come on in! You look like you need to sit down. We'll get you something warm to drink, and we'll make sure the authorities know about this. They say they're looking into what's been going on, and alerting people."
Florence shook her head. "Th-Thanks, but we really need to get back to the Pokemon centre."
Although the old man gave a warm smile, there was something sad in his eyes, as if he were at a loss. "The least we can do is give you a token of thanks, after what you've done for our Pokemon, and after what you've been through," he said, as the Cutiefly landed on his outstretched hand. "Right now, it seems you could do with some more good, reliable friends to help you through this. We have three kinds of egg to choose from - Cutiefly, Combee or Weedle."
Hesitating, Florence nearly turned down the offer. How could she be trusted with any more Pokemon, after what she'd let happen? Deep down, though, she knew the man was right - and that she was unlikely to get Vernie back while still a beginner.
Once the group had chosen their eggs, Florence thanked the couple again before setting off towards the Pokemon centre, still leaning on Ella. In her cupped hand was a tiny, pastel yellow egg. Receiving it should have been a joyous experience, but instead, she just felt numb and empty as she cradled it close to her aching body. Beside the girls, an unusually subdued Bonica followed, as did Treasure, who held a larger, brown egg.
The moment she entered the building, the nurse took one look at her and hurried over. "Florence! What happened?"
Florence found herself able to explain the story this time, albeit in a rushed, garbled way, the tears coming back as she sank into a chair. She closed her eyes and hunched over, feeling Nurse Joy's hand on her uninjured shoulder.
"Oh, Florence! Are your other Pokemon ok? You're not badly hurt, are you?" her former colleague asked.
"I... I'll be fine, I think," the trainer mumbled. "So will Bonica here, she's not hurt, thank Arceus. W-We just... We just need to rest up before we can do anything. She pressed a button on a Pokeball, and her newest team member appeared. "Panacea... Please, look after this egg."
Staring up in concern, the Happiny removed the stone from her pouch and replaced it with the Cutiefly egg. Florence ruffled Panacea's curly hair, then reached for her medical kit, rubbing sanitiser into her hands, cleaning the bite wound and applying a bandage. "I'm sorry, Cea... I-I said you'd get to play, but... your new playmate..." Her eyes stung again. "I'll find her! I'll keep searching until I find her!"
As Panacea placed a stubby hand on Florence's leg, guilt washed over the trainer. The Happiny had only gone with her because of Vernie. So had Bonica. Without the Chikorita around, would they really be happy travelling with her?
I'll reunite them, she thought, fingernails digging into her palms. I'll make sure of it.
"It's important you take care of yourself," the red-haired woman said, helping Florence up and leading her to a room, accompanied by one of her assisting Pokemon. "Clefable, please watch over Florence, and help her sleep with Sing." As the tired and distraught trainer slumped onto the bed, the Fairy type approached her.
"Both of you..." she whispered to Bonica and Panacea, after the nurse had left. "Sleep will do you good too, after... after today."
Even as Clefable began her lullaby, Florence couldn't imagine falling asleep, worries gripping her mind like a waking nightmare. That squeal, those terrified red eyes, were all she could think about. Before long, though, her heavy eyelids closed, exhaustion taking over.
Leisy nodded, confirming Ella’s reassurances. Leisy’s time as a trainer had featured many promises, and she hadn’t been able to keep all of them. However, she tried her best, and the ones she hadn’t been able to keep — mainly pertaining to Vivian — she hoped she might be able to redeem in the future.
At the Pokemon Center, Florence was guided away from Ella and Leisy by a friendly nurse, and Leisy was reminded of how unable she’d been to reassure the brown-haired girl. Still, Leisy was drained as well, and her head felt woozy now that her body had broken down all the adrenaline that had resulted from the battles. After getting her Pokemon refreshed at the Pokemon Center’s machine, Leisy — after a final yawn — decided it was high time to turn in.
“I’ll see you later, Ella,” she said tiredly, checking her Pokedex for the time — just before noon. “Let’s say wake up around six or so in the afternoon? Roughly six hours of sleep then. We can grab breakfast — well, dinner — and decide where to go then.”
In her room, Leisy almost dozed off in the shower, collapsing onto her bed with her hair still wrapped in a towel. Tomorrow we’ll find Florence’s Chikorita and finally do something right. Tomorrow…
The light was beginning to fade, but still seemed harsh as it flooded Florence's vision. She moaned and stirred, bruises twinging. The previous night's events came rushing back, hitting her like a punch to the stomach, knocking the breath from her.
I have to find her, was the first thing she thought, dragging herself out of bed despite Clefable's protests. She showered as quickly as she could, the water bringing little comfort despite its warmth, and swapped her sticky, sweaty dress for her blouse and jeans. As she left the room, Clefable following alongside Bonica and Panacea, she checked the time on her Pokedex. Her ribs tightened. Six hours had passed - and she didn't want to think what could have happened to Vernie in that time.
"Oh? You're up already?" the nurse commented, with a concerned glance over, as Clefable joined her at the desk. Florence slumped into a chair, her head aching but her jaw tight with determination.
"I have to be," she mumbled. "For Vernie."
The nurse was on the phone in an instant, the officers arriving quickly. Florence wished she could give them useful answers to their questions. No, she hadn't been able to get a good look at the poachers' faces. No, she hadn't seen where the other man had run. She felt almost as helpless as she had in the pit.
After the police had left, Florence stared at the clock. The seconds dragged by. She wasn't going to wake Ella and Leisy, but her nerves grew more and more taut with each passing moment. There was no way this would be solely the authorities' responsibility.
Once she'd had her Pokemon healed, Ella had gone straight to bed, sleep coming quickly as the adrenaline wore off.
She woke to the alarm ringing from her Pokedex. Such a cheery tune, jarringly at odds with recent events and upcoming challenges. Climbing out of bed, she switched off the alarm, noticing something on the screen she must have missed from tiredness earlier on.
A message.
She read over it, eyes wide, then quickly typed her reply.
"Viv! It's been so long! We're still in Feyhollow, there have been more attacks, another Pokemon's been taken! What did you find? What happened? I'll let the others know! We'll be right over! And yeah, I thought that earthquake was part of a wild Pokemon battle! Are you ok?
Elly"
In a rush, she washed and dressed, and ran from the room. "Leisy!" She banged on her friend's door. "Leisy, Vivian's found a lead, but I think she's in trouble!" She hurried to Florence's door, knocking but getting no response. "Florence, are you alright?" She felt stupid saying it. Of course Florence wasn't alright, physically or emotionally, but her silence was worrying, to say the least. Maybe she was already up? It would be just like her to start searching for her Chikorita as early as possible.
Running to the lobby, Ella noticed the other girl hunched over in one of the chairs. "Florence! We've got a lead! But somebody needs our help!" The brunette jumped right up, nearly toppling. "Ah!" The pink-haired girl sped forward, her aching legs beginning to tremble again as she supported her new friend.
"And If I win you have to help me!" Viv's voice was loud, stern and somewhat shaky as she yelled at a trio of smug looking teens barely a few years older than herself. Their clothes were very slack and casual just like their attitude. They were clearly locals and accustomed to the heat. Vivian was not so much. Having travelled back out into the desert in search of some strong trainers, Vivian found who she was looking for, but they were very reluctant to help.
The trio were known to be formidable, it was through that reputation that Vivian was able to find them. They surely had the strength to help her free Azerus but to her dismay that would not do so unless she could beat them in a battle - A three on three battle - and difficult as thy were, they refused to battle one at a time. As Vivian had no choice but to try this on her own, lucky for her with ferroseed she now had three Pokemon. But this was the first time she would have met Ferroseed since his capture.
She holds his ball dearly. "Ferroseed, please help me." she whispers to the cold metal. Looking back at the trio with a fierce determination burning in her eyes Vivian signals that she is ready with a nod.
Nonchalantly they reply with a nod back, one even unashamedly lets out a tired yawn. With a casual carefree ease they release their Pokemon with a 'what ever' attitude. A Maractus, Exadrill and Pignite appear before them. The pokemon look to each other with the happy welcoming greeting of close friends.
Vivian takes a deep nervous breath, she wished her own Pokemon were that close. With a fling of her arm she sent out all her pokemon at once. "Flabebe, Petilil, Ferroseed. Let's do this! I believe in you. Work together now."
TP
51 +1 post +0 (HHG) TP=52
INVENTORY:
pokeball x2
travel rations + supplies
POKEMON:
Flabebe-6, (+1 sr battle lvl up)
Petilil-4, (+1 sr battle lvl up)
Ferroseed-1, (+1 sr battle lvl up)
empty
empty
empty
(.)
Azerus Jr
Greenhaven
34
"Sphhheal?..." It had been a bit ambitious to assume his spheal new blizzard. Azerus groaned as the darkness continued to frustrate him. All around he could hear the flutter of his Zubat and the scratching of the small metal Pokemon but neither kept still long enough for him to properly follow.
Picking up his spheal he aimed it at the noise. "Icebeam." Spheal obeyed and a beam of ice shot out and quickly disappeared from the small radius of light granted from the broken pokedex. The noise continued...
"Ice beam! Ice beam! ICE BEAM!!!" Azerus yelled as he threw out commands while spheal struggled to continue to throw out his icebeams. Soon the darkness had grown cold, still and silent.
It took Azerus the following hour to search the melting ice to find his soaked Zubat and a fainted Aron laying in a puddle.
Ella’s voice roused Leisy from her rest — it seemed the pink-haired girl had set her alarm a few minutes earlier than Leisy had — causing Leisy to sit up with a start, glancing around the room in alarm. Vivian, in trouble? A lead?
“Coming!” she called to the door, not knowing if Ella had heard her. She dressed quickly, piling the towel on the bathroom counter before collecting her things, making sure her shirt wasn’t on backwards, and heading out of the room and towards the lobby.
Stopping by Florence’s room, Leisy knocked and — upon hearing no response — figured that the other girl had already headed down to the lobby. There, Leisy spotted Ella worrying over a brunette who appeared to have just tripped.
“Florence!” she said, eyes widening as she recognized the girl. Rushing to her friends’ side, Leisy pored over the previously injured trainer, studying her redder complexion and sweat-tinged face. “Are you alright?” she asked, then quieted. Of course Florence would say she was alright — her Pokemon was missing!
Leisy paused, trying to figure out what was best for her friend, but figured that hearing all the facts first would do everyone best. “Ella, you said something about Vivian finding a ‘lead?’” she asked, looking over at the pink-haired girl. “What happened? What kind of trouble is she in?”
Vivian fell to her knees. Humiliating and shameful were the only words that came to mind to describe her sudden and simple defeat. Her opponents each communicated to their Pokemon in their own individual unique ways, while the Pokemon continuously communicated with each other. Vivian couldn't keep up with the triple battle on her own. She failed her Pokemon... It was hard to watch as they tried so hard. Her opponents were simply too powerful. It was clear that they were too well skilled and trained at this particular type of battle for Vivian to hope to overcome them.
"So you won't help me then?" Vivian quietly asked the ferocious trio without looking up.
Their silence spoke answers and Vivian quickly gathered her things and ran off back to the Pokemon center, trying to hold back her tears along the way. She was quickly losing time.
Back at the centre and once again waiting on the nurses, Vivian checked her messages.
"Viv! It's been so long! We're still in Feyhollow, there have been more attacks, another Pokemon's been taken! What did you find? What happened? I'll let the others know! We'll be right over! And yeah, I thought that earthquake was part of a wild Pokemon battle! Are you ok?
Elly"
Vivian was so glad to hear from her friend but it was not to be good news in either direction. She quickly types back in reply. "More stolen pokemon!? That's terrible! I was following a leaf trail mum's Petal's left behind when it led into a cave. A boy was helping me but when the earthquake happened the cave collapsed. I just happened to make it out but I know he is still in there somewhere, along with my mums Vileplume. I just know it!
What sort of pokemon do you suppose could cause such a thing? It's kinda scary...
Can't wait to see you guys, I'm at the poke'center. XD XD XD
Your distant BFF, Viv!
TP
52 +1 post +0 (HHG) TP=53
INVENTORY:
pokeball x2
travel rations + supplies
POKEMON:
Flabebe-6, (+1 sr battle lvl up)
Petilil-4, (+1 sr battle lvl up)
Ferroseed-1, (+1 sr battle lvl up)
empty
empty
empty
(.)
Azerus Jr
Greenhaven
35
In the dark, now cold and wet, Az wondered down the cave with one hand against the wall and the other holding out his pokedex for the minuscule amount of light it offered. All his Pokemon were back in their balls as he remained conscious of the fact only two remained healthy enough to fight.
All hope deflated when he found a dead end and slumped to the floor in defeat. That was, until, he heard the crunch of a leaf under his body. Quickly feeling around he found it. This is what the girl was tracking. He got back up and studied the dead end a little closer. Sure enough one patch of wall was not like the rest. Quite some time of determined searching later he found it, a lever. As he pulled it down the grinding of an opening door could be heard.
New noises and fresh air reached him from down within the secret passage way.
"I don't know, but she says someone's in danger!" Ella blurted. The screen of her Pokedex lit up with a beep. Jabbing at a button, she stared in horror at the new message.
"She thinks she's found the Vileplume! But Petal's trapped, with someone who was helping out! There was a cave-in!" She gave the other two a frantic look. "Viv's in Greenhaven, at the Pokemon centre! We've got to go help!"
She hastily typed a reply.
"Yeah, my friend's Chikorita was stolen. Maybe she's somewhere around Greenhaven? We'll get there as soon as we can! Did you hear the story about a being who guards the desert? It's said he punishes people who harm Pokemon, maybe the thieves angered him and he caused the earthquake!
See you soon! Miss you!
Elly"
Still clasping the device, she raised her head. "Florence, maybe Vernie's there! If that's where the other poachers are, maybe that Kadabra took her to Greenhaven! Let's go!"
"Y-Yeah... I'm fine..." Florence responded to Leisy's question, straightening her back. In truth, although in a better state than yesterday, she was far from fine, but there was no time to waste.
At Ella's sudden outburst, her eyes widened. "Greenhaven?"
Hope and fear surged through her in equal measures. This was a chance to find Vernie - even if there was no guarantee she'd be there, it was possible - as well as the other stolen Pokemon. She hadn't met the Vileplume's trainer, but knew all too well what this person must be going through. If a cave had collapsed, though... She could only hope with all her heart that it wasn't too late for the person and Pokemon trapped inside.
As much as she wanted to head straight over, she recalled Leisy's advice about making sure they were truly ready. "Umm... We should stock up first, as quickly as we can," she suggested. "Then let's make a move."
