DAWN OF DAY 6: ??? HOURS REMAIN.

Liz woke slowly, she quietly packed up and decided it was time to use her Rare Candy. She summoned Hephaestus and looked down at him.

"Hey buddy, got a little snack for you to eat." She handed him the candy which he gobbled quickly. He looked stronger already and excited Liz and Hephaestus left the wayward pine and excitedly took off down the path, never seeing the hidden Electrike.

It was a pretty uneventful morning for Liz as she walk southward on Route 27. She passed through the trees and crossed over the hills, not a Pokemon in sight. Sure, the grass shook every now and then, but that's it. Perhaps it was too early?

Liz was now coming upon a small river with sturdy wooden bridge across it. The water was clear. Liz could see no Pokemon in the water, just rocks. On the river bank, on the other side of the bridge, there was a very special "rock". In actuality, it was a gold nugget, worth a pretty penny at the Poke Marts.

But one question remained: Would Liz notice the nugget or pass on by?

"Girafa . . .?" Gerseti asked apprehensive. He didn't really have much battle experience, perfering to run away rather than engage, so he hoped that could properly restrain himself without prior practice.

"Let's go for Astonish one more time, bud. Knock its socks off," Rin added with a goading wink. Looking back between his Trainer and the Bonsly one last tims, Gerseti reared up for another attack . . .

Gerseti was already in close range as he prepared to try again, but it all happened so fast. The little Bonsly slid through both of Gerseti's legs on the right side with a surprising Low Kick. This swiped Gerseti off balance, sending him tumbling to the ground. He bumped his head in the fall and passed out.

The little bonsai Pokemon looked back like, "Oops!" then ran away. Under the cover of tall dry grass, he made his escape.

Result: Gerseti Goes Down

@Balthazar007

Liz traveled down route twenty seven, enjoying the crisp morning air. She knew there were a couple landmarks nearby she wanted to check out. Her team was working well together, but she was still lacking on some balance. She still hadn't found her favorite Pokemon line yet, but she kept her hopes high. She came upon a river and a bridge, Liz stopped halfway over and looked over the edge. A few Luvdiscs saw the trainer and took off down the stream before she could even begin to think of catching them. As she stood to continue her journey a glimmer caught her eye, she looked over and she couldn't believe her luck. A golden nugget sat on the bank of the river, she ran over to the item and plucked it up and placed it in her bag. Extra excited now she headed along the way hunting for those landmarks.

Liz traveled down route twenty seven, enjoying the crisp morning air. She knew there were a couple landmarks nearby she wanted to check out. Her team was working well together, but she was still lacking on some balance. She still hadn't found her favorite Pokemon line yet, but she kept her hopes high. She came upon a river and a bridge, Liz stopped halfway over and looked over the edge. A few Luvdiscs saw the trainer and took off down the stream before she could even begin to think of catching them. As she stood to continue her journey a glimmer caught her eye, she looked over and she couldn't believe her luck. A golden nugget sat on the bank of the river, she ran over to the item and plucked it up and placed it in her bag. Extra excited now she headed along the way hunting for those landmarks.

With her nugget safely put away, Liz pressed on.
It was noon already when Liz came across a small opening in the forest. To her right there was a sign covered by overgrown brush which read, "Route 28 West". On the left, a much better kept sign read, "Route 28 East". A sign immediately next to her read, "Route 27 North". And a sign just up ahead read, "Route 27 South".

As Liz stood, taking in her surroundings, a wild Nuzzleaf, called out from above. "Nuzz! Nuzz! Nuzz!" It was hard to tell what the little Pokemon wanted, but he sure was being sassy about it.

Maybe he was acting as the gatekeeper to the area? Would Liz have to battle him to move on?

@Balthazar007

Liz came across an intersection in the road, she was undeniably drawn towards the overgrown section, but doubted she wouldn't get through it with a machete or a Pokemon knowing cut. Than she heard a wild Nuzleaf called out to her.

"Yes, yes I know I cannot go that way just yet, I want to really badly too!! Instead how about a battle with you?? I want to see how strong you are!!" She tossed a pokeball and Arachne appeared beside her. "What do you say?? One on one, if we win, you will join us.
But if you manage to knock out Arachne I will let you!!"

"Yes, yes I know I cannot go that way just yet, I want to really badly too!! Instead how about a battle with you?? I want to see how strong you are!!" She tossed a pokeball and Arachne appeared beside her. "What do you say?? One on one, if we win, you will join us.
But if you manage to knock out Arachne I will let you!!"

Nuzleaf gave Liz a confident smile before jumping out of the tree. He landed superhero style: one knee and one fist on the ground while looking down. He then raised his head dramatically. "Nuzleaf." He held eye contact with Liz, not Arachne. What this sassy, wily Pokemon was thinking, only he knew...

@Balthazar007

"So it seems you don't want to do battle?? Is there something you want to show me?? I can help with whatever you need." She extended a hand to the Pokemon, hoping it understood she was just trying to help it. She gave a reassuring smile to help.

Rin flattened their face with their right hand. Slowing dragging it down their face with a groan, Rin watched the Bosai Pokémon playfully skip away back into the grass. Lifting up the limp neck of their Girafarig, Rin felt like a stone had been dropped into their gullet. Only muttering, "I'm sorry," as they returned Gerseti to his pokéball. Glaring at their now empty hands, Rin took out their PokéWhistle to gaze at it in contempt. "What's the point of demeaning myself, if even a Baby Pokémon can me out?" Bemoaning their loss, Rin sat up off the ground where they'd been kneeling. Scratching the back of their hair, Rin already knew the answer. 'It's because of me. Maybe if I had-' A disgruntled noise came up from the back of their throat as Rin reached around in their belt with their left hand. "Screw maybe," Rin said aloud to themself as they marched back into the tall grass. "What's done is done. Just do better, geez," Rin spat already annoyed with their own whining. A World Champion didn't waste their time getting bent outta shape over one loss, ten losses, or even one hundred! They just learned and did better. So while Rin may not exactly be the strategic type, they knew in spades about determination. So with another blow of their whistle, Rin winced at the screeching notes, and looked forward to whatever they'd face off against next. Rin would do do better.

@Balthazar007

"So it seems you don't want to do battle?? Is there something you want to show me?? I can help with whatever you need." She extended a hand to the Pokemon, hoping it understood she was just trying to help it. She gave a reassuring smile to help.

Nuzleaf rose to his feat and walked forward carefully. In his left hand, he appeared to have something clutched in his fist. As he approached Liz, he was sure to be aware of Spinarak's position. Finally face to face (or face to thigh, due to height) he held out his fist with his right hand covering the top of it, as if to keep whatever was inside from escaping.

@Balthazar007

The Nuzleaf approached with extreme caution, eyes darting from Liz to Arachne. She understood, an attack from the spider would be devastating to the grass pokemon.

"I want to help if you need it, so how about I very slowly and carefully call back my Spinarak??" She very carefully reached for her pokeball to recall her Pokemon, hoping the Nuzleaf wouldn't get spooked, she kept her free hand extended to the wild pokemon. Arachne went back into it's pokeball without a fuss. "There, better?? Now show me what you have in your hand. I only wish to help." Liz said sweetly.

"What's done is done. Just do better, geez," Rin spat already annoyed with their own whining. A World Champion didn't waste their time getting bent outta shape over one loss, ten losses, or even one hundred! They just learned and did better. So while Rin may not exactly be the strategic type, they knew in spades about determination. So with another blow of their whistle, Rin winced at the screeching notes, and looked forward to whatever they'd face off against next. Rin would do do better.

There was large rock at the edge of the tall grass where Rin stood. Burrowed into the side of that rock was a wild Shuckle. He heard the melody of the whistle, and crawled, just far enough to peek his head out of an opening in the rock.

He really didn't want to leave the rock; he was very adamant about that. But he just had to know what that sound was.

The Nuzleaf approached with extreme caution, eyes darting from Liz to Arachne. She understood, an attack from the spider would be devastating to the grass pokemon.

"I want to help if you need it, so how about I very slowly and carefully call back my Spinarak??" She very carefully reached for her pokeball to recall her Pokemon, hoping the Nuzleaf wouldn't get spooked, she kept her free hand extended to the wild pokemon. Arachne went back into it's pokeball without a fuss. "There, better?? Now show me what you have in your hand. I only wish to help." Liz said sweetly.

Nuzleaf smiled wide as if to say thank you. He held his hands up further. Liz was too tall though, she had to bend down to his level. Carefully, he began to open his hands to reveal... a leaf.......

It all happend so fast. A sudden weight fell upon Liz's backpack, and as her instincts told her to twist around, the second Nuzleaf was already running away, with a berry in each hand (1 Pecha Berry and 1 Iapapa Berry). The Nuzleaf that she had been talking to used this moment to run off into the brushes as well.

With no Pokemon ready to battle, Liz was left alone (two berries poorer).

@Balthazar007

Liz could not believe it, that damned Nuzleaf was nothing more than a highway robber!! Completely annoyed she huffed and went on her way, she had more important things to do than hunt down a couple berries, she knew the next town was coming up fast. She needed to get the ability to make it through that overgrowth behind her!! But taking the side of caution she called out Hephaestus to keep an eye on her back.

Rin was halfway through beating their previous personal record for number of seconds blowing a single, stable note when they nearly tripped over the neck of a Shuckle! Barely catching themself from stepping on the poor pokémon's exposed flesh, Rin was thankful they had practice avoiding Ogel Bricks Kairi "accidentally" dropped around their bed and in front of doors; those things were so painful to step on! Having narrowly missed getting stomped on, Rin had expected The Mold Pokémon to flinch or flee, but instead it look back at the Trainer with an intensity Rin immediately admired and recognized. Sending out the object of Rin's familiarity, Anusobeket sprung out of her pokéball with hands and volume raised in an attempt to startle.

"Totodile!" Anu blinked. Rin blinked. Breaking into a short chortle, her Trainer explained.

"No, Anu. We're not in Sunsay, we aren't gonna scare Liz. Yet." Slipping their Pokémon Whistle back into their utility belt, Rin's eyes gleamed as they shifted back to the Shuckle. "We are gonna catch us a pokémon though, so use Water Gun!" Opting to go more aggressive this time around Rin nodded proudly as Anusobeket lit up in excitement at the prospect of a fight before turning around to try and dowse the Rock Type.

@Balthazar007

Liz could not believe it, that damned Nuzleaf was nothing more than a highway robber!! Completely annoyed she huffed and went on her way, she had more important things to do than hunt down a couple berries, she knew the next town was coming up fast. She needed to get the ability to make it through that overgrowth behind her!! But taking the side of caution she called out Hephaestus to keep an eye on her back.

The shade of the forest made it difficult to tell time as Liz walked. She's been walking for a while. It was early afternoon now.

No Pokemon jumped out to say hello the whole time. As she turned another corner she came face to face with a berry tree with two ripe Wiki Berries hanging from it. It seemed as if the forest was oppologising on behalf of the Nuzleaf.

"No, Anu. We're not in Sunsay, we aren't gonna scare Liz. Yet." Slipping their Pokémon Whistle back into their utility belt, Rin's eyes gleamed as they shifted back to the Shuckle. "We are gonna catch us a pokémon though, so use Water Gun!" Opting to go more aggressive this time around Rin nodded proudly as Anusobeket lit up in excitement at the prospect of a fight before turning around to try and dowse the Rock Type.

When Totodile turned, Shuckle recognized the look in her eyes. She was about to attack. He wasn't just going to sit still and take it, no way! So he brought his head back into his shell almost all the way, reared back with this other appendages, and shot forward, using Rollout.

It was a brilliant display of rock type strength, absolutely. But it also wasn't the right call. Anu's Water Gun pounded down upon him as approached. This slowed his momentum, disoriented his sense of direction, and caused a good amount of damage all at the same time. He came to a stop a few feet away form his target, having missed wide to the right... He needed to rethink his approach.

Result: Super Soak That Oh!

@Balthazar007

Liz was running so fast that she almost ran into the Wiki berry bush as she rounded the corner. She stopped and grabbed the berries from the tree, she took off in a light jog, seeing the town of Silas just around her spurned her onward. She arrived in town and made her way to the pokemart.

"Hello, welcome to Silas's Pokemart, how can I help you today??" The clerk asked.

"Yes, I would like to sell this golden nugget I found, and would like to purchase the HM Fly and Cut, when that is done please tell me how much I have left so I may make a few more transactions." She said sort on breath from her run.

Despite the Shuckle's obvious confidence in its own STAB, Anu still won out. Sending The Mold Pokémon spiraling to the right, Anu's nostrils flared in satisfaction.

"Toat," the Totodile declared proudly, and Rin's pride shined through as well; they crossed their arms and smirked at their Starter's work. It felt good to see Anusobeket taking the lead again. Ever since her fight against Hephaestus it had been a long downward spiral of defeat after defeat. Rin was seriously tempted to just finish off the wild pokémon with another Water Gun, and restart her winning streak again. Then of course their conscience just had to remind them that they still needed to catch Seven-Hundred Ninety-Eight more Pokémon. Just as the Shuckle began peaking back out of its shell again, Rin met its stare head on with equal vigor.

"You're tough. I get that. I'm tough too, which is why I'm going to become first World Champion! So come with me, and we'll get stronger together!"

"Toto," Anusobeket egged on, and so tossing out a Standard Pokéball, Rin wrapped up their small speech. 'Come on, come on, come on,' Rin rushed silently. They'd never catch those remaining Seven-Hundred Ninety-Eight if they had to keep using multiple pokéballs on every catch, but they also couldn't go around wasting their expensive ones so soon. Rin knew they'd go for the knock out if it didn't work out, but part of them wasn't all that upset about that prospect. After all that just meant Anu would finally restart her winning streak, and that was nothing to be sad about.

@Balthazar007

Liz was running so fast that she almost ran into the Wiki berry bush as she rounded the corner. She stopped and grabbed the berries from the tree, she took off in a light jog, seeing the town of Silas just around her spurned her onward. She arrived in town and made her way to the pokemart.

"Hello, welcome to Silas's Pokemart, how can I help you today??" The clerk asked.

"Yes, I would like to sell this golden nugget I found, and would like to purchase the HM Fly and Cut, when that is done please tell me how much I have left so I may make a few more transactions." She said sort on breath from her run.

The man took the small golden rock from Liz and smiled. "Well lookie what we have here, a genuine gold nugget. I am able to give you 15 TP for this. And..." He reached behind the counter and pulled out two tiny circular disks. "Here is one HM Cut and one TM Fly. All you have to do is insert a disk into the the Pokedex, hold your Pokemon (within it's Pokeball) up to the top of the pokedex, and select 'Confirm' when it prompts you. Choose carefully, these disks can only be used once. They're actually made of all natural substances, so after using them, you can toss them into the wild. They dissolve when wet."

And with that he took her Pokedex for a moment, waved it above a scanner, and gave it back. Up in the top right of the screen it displayed that she still had 48 TP.

"Toto," Anusobeket egged on, and so tossing out a Standard Pokéball, Rin wrapped up their small speech. 'Come on, come on, come on,' Rin rushed silently. They'd never catch those remaining Seven-Hundred Ninety-Eight if they had to keep using multiple pokéballs on every catch, but they also couldn't go around wasting their expensive ones so soon. Rin knew they'd go for the knock out if it didn't work out, but part of them wasn't all that upset about that prospect. After all that just meant Anu would finally restart her winning streak, and that was nothing to be sad about.

The Pokeball drew the wild Pokemon in with a beam of red light. The ball fell to the dry ground below and began to twitch.

Once....
....Twice......
.........Three Times.....

*Pop!*

No good. Shuckle came right back out, still ready to battle.

Result: Almost!