Hey everyone! Welcome to my region. It should go without saying, but I wanted to insert some Fakemon of my own into this story. Ranging from some regional variants to wholly new Pokémon altogether. If anyone out there has some art skills, I'd welcome to opportunity to work with you and bring some of these creatures - and the Kaida region - to life.
If you want some information and background for this RP, please check out my overview post on the first page of the OOC tab.
Ahh the wide world of Pokémon. Full of mystery, adventure, and well... you know the rest. That is, unless you lived in the Kaida Region. To the rest of the world, Kaida may as well have been non-existent and for good reason. The region was smaller than most and didn't even have a formal Pokémon League. In addition, many trainers avoided going to the region due to the powerful and dangerous Pokémon that made up the wilds. As a result, it was typically assumed trainers only ever ventured to this region if they were REALLY looking to test their skills. The one thing that made Kaida stand out from the other regions however, were the Calagon Mountains. Rising high above the landscape, this vast mountain range was a haven for Dragon-Type Pokémon. Depending on the time of year, various dragon-type Pokémon migrated to the Kaida region to mate among the high peaks and caves. It was said, in the ancient legends of the region, that if a trainer were to ascend to the peak of Mt. Calagon - the highest point in the region - they would gain a chance to meet the legendary dragon Pokémon that created the Kaida region.
This unique legend had the chance of bringing odd characters into the region. One such individual was Prof. Cypress. A former trainer himself, Cypress had begun his journey many years ago in the Johto Region. He hailed from Blackthorn City and Dragon-Type Pokémon were his chief area of study. He found himself fascinated by their immense power and latent evolutionary patterns. Shortly after losing his bid for the Indigo Plateau, a chance meeting with Professors Oak and Elm helped him find his calling as a Pokémon professor. One morning, he found himself furiously typing into a monitor as the sun rose outside. Today marked his fifth year working in the Kaida Region and he was still no closer to uncovering any new information about the Pokémon he held dear, but... that was about to change. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled as he saw three baby Dragon-Type Pokémon playing together on the floor: Dratini, Bagon, and Gible. For the last few months, Cypress had been observing three particular youths in Mercer Town, a smaller farm town at the base of the mountains where he'd decided to set up his lab. They were all around 15 or so; well past the age where they could earn their trainer licenses. He was about to offer them an opportunity to finally see the rest of the world, and help him make some research along the way. Taking a sip from his Kingdra-Coffee mug, Cypress smiled to himself. Things were about to get interesting.
George’s alarm clock rang out, and the young man sprung out of bed to shut it off. Normally, he would just gone back to sleep at this point, but not today. Today was special. He was finally going to get his first dragon Pokémon. One step closer to his goal of becoming a master Dragon Tamer! He quickly threw on a pair of black jeans, combat boots, and his favorite red t-shirt with a dragon silhouette on it. The final piece of his ensemble, was a long flowing red cape. You just weren’t a Dragon Tamer if you didn’t have the cape. It looked badass, and brought the whole look together. “Looking good Georgie!” He said to himself while flexing and posing in front of his mirror.
After that, George ran to the kitchen, and quickly scarfed down the breakfast his mother had made for him, while his mom was giggling at the sight. Her Swablu was dusting the crumbs he was leaving behind. “The professor isn’t going anywhere son. You don’t have to eat that fast.”
“Moooom! If I don’t get there fast, I might not get a Dragon. Then I’ll end up with a Pikachu or something…” He then threw his empty plate in the sink, and proceeded to dash out the door. “Bye mom! Tell dad the next time I see him, I’m going to be just like him and grandpa. Love you, Bye!”
George’s mother sighed, and waved goodbye.
Gorge ran to the professor’s lab, and burst through the doors. “George Pendragon III here. Ready to get my first Dragon sir!” He shouted upon entering.
Not long after George entered, another soon-to-be trainer flung open the doors.
"Heyyyy!!" Bounding into the lab, Oriana reached out and leaned against a wall to catch her breath. Her legs ached from the mad rush. Glancing at the clock, she laughed with relief. "Whew, just in time!"
The heated argument she'd had with her parents had almost made her late. They'd begged her to reconsider, but her mind was made up. She'd prove they had nothing to worry about. She'd defeat overseers, earn access to new areas, see the wonders the Kaida region had to offer... She practically bounced in place at the thought.
And she'd start her journey with one of the three little dragons running around.
"Omigosh they're awesome!" A massive grin spread across her face as she hurried forward. "I've always wanted a dragon! Now, how am I gonna choose?" Her eyes flicked from the Pokemon to Professor Cypress. "Thank you so, so much for giving me this chance! I can't wait to start out!"
One of the baby dragons, a Dratini, startled and slithered under a desk. "Ehh!" Rubbing the back of her neck, Oriana approached. Something she hadn't given much thought to was her lack of experience with Pokemon, besides the family Lycanroc. How did people interact with dragons? She crouched and gave the curled-up serpent a friendly smile. "Sorry little one, I didn't mean to scare you. Just got a little overexcited there."
Slowly, the Dratini emerged from its hiding place. Oriana held out a hand, and when the dragon didn't shrink back, she pet its head. She chuckled as it nuzzled her fingers. "Aren't they all just the cutest?" she said, looking up at the other teen, whose cape and dragon T-shirt clearly showed his love of the type.
George smirked in response to the girl who came in after him. “Cute isn’t the word I’d use…” His blue eyes lit up with passion, as he threw a fist in the air. “THEY’RE BADASS AWESOMELY COOL! THE FIERCEST CREATURES YOU’VE EVER SEEN! RAAAAAWRRRRR!” Then George cleared his throat, and calmed down. “Ahem, name’s George Pendragon the third. My dad and grandpa are legendary dragon tamers. I’m gonna be just like them! I’m gonna beat the Overseers, climb Mt. Calagon, and see that Legendary Dragon with my own two eyes!”
Hearing this, the Bagon in the group of Dragons pushed the other two aside, approached George, and confidently pounded it’s little chest.
George grinned. “Ah, I guess this little guy agrees with me. Do you want to beat the Overseers and see the legendary dragon too?”
The Bagon’s eyes lit up, and it let out a small roar much like George had done earlier. “BAAAAAAAAAAGON!”
The morning had started off pretty rocky for Arden, what with being woken by the cold dampness that followed the use of a low powered Watergun. Tiredly moving the curly brown bangs from his face, he spotted the impish look in the eyes of the small Azurill standing just outside of his bedroom door. It seemed to laugh at the sodden mint eyed boy, soaked to the skin in his pajamas.
“Yeah just laugh it up Azure.” The young man grumbled as he retrieved his glasses from the nightstand and began his morning rituals, begrudgingly thanking the spherical creature for the wake-up call.
Thankfully the rest of the morning seemed to be running smoothly, aside from the quick chase of his father’s Impidimp who had taken to hoarding Arden’s hair ribbons. It wasn’t long before he was sitting at the breakfast table eating the food his mother had plated up for him.
“Are you really sure that you want to do this kiddo? It can take a long time to go about studying pokemon, even if it’s only a single type.” Emira asked as she nervously plaited her blonde hair.
“I’m sure Ma. Besides, if it really takes that long I should start as soon as possible. Professor Cypress is just helping me speed it up a bit by allowing me to receive and train one of his pokemon.” The young brunette responded before his eyes widened at the sight of the clock just behind Emira.
“Crap! I’m gonna be late! Thanks-for-the-food-mom-got-to-go-bye-love-you.” He exclaimed in a rush as he raced to the door, only just remembering to grab his already pre-packed bag on the way out.
~~~~
Bursting through the large doors came the slightly disheveled young man, his brown curls waving wildly as he panted for breath. Fanning the loose fitting off the shoulder sweater he wore, Arden began breathlessly trying to speak.
“So..Sorry for…being…late!”
Trying to take in everything in the room, his eyes landed on the other potential trainers: A young woman who seemed to be trying to sooth a frightened Dratini and a Young man wearing a…cape. Not to mention the prideful little Bagon that roared its name at the caped individual’s question of defeating the overseers. Finally landing on the simply adorable Gible that seemed to be trying to eat the leg of a Table not too far from Professor Cypress himself.
“Aww you little chomper, you must be a hungry little guy. Don’t worry I’ve got some snacks if you want?” He said as he crouched down and offered a handful of cute, colorful cubes. He quickly added to the rest of the group. “Oh! Hi, I’m Arden. Nice to meet you.”
The professor looked up and smiled as the three youths all piled into the lab. The first one, George Pendragon III, had been recruited by Cypress during one of his strolls through Mercer Town. He'd heard rumors of the legendary family of dragon tamers and was interested to see their skills firsthand. Fortunately the boy's parents had been willing to let him recruit the young man for his work.
Next was Orianna. She was an interesting case, having been the only member of the group to actively seek him out. Cypress could only assume that she'd overheard one of his conversations about looking for new team members at the lab as well as the Pokémon he'd be bringing in for them. Regardless, he'd decided to visit her parents' shop in town and found himself fascinated by her knowledge of geology and Pokémon fossils. In a region like Kaida, that information would be quite valuble.
Finally, there was Arden. Prof. Cypress had been a frequent buyers of the Pokémon food his family manufactured in their home. The Alolan Exeggutor he owned had cost him an arm and a leg on more than one occasion. If this team wanted to survive out in the wilds, having an expert on Pokémon care would certainly come in handy. The professor knew all too well that keeping a Pokémon happy and well-fed was a key part of raising a strong partner.
"Ahh. It's good to see you all here. Thankfully it seems like no one was late. No one except..." Before he could get much further, the doors to the lab flung open and in dashed a young man with sopping wet reddish-brown hair followed by a large orange otter/weasel Pokémon. The kids all recognized him as the professor's assistant Rory Bennett and his partner Pokémon: Floatzel.
"Ugh... I'm sorry, Prof. Cypress! Floatzel forgot Water Gun last week and blasted my face with a Hydro Pump this morning. I had to spend an hour airing out my sheets AND mattress! To the group's surprise, Cypress just laughed.
"Not to worry, Rory. The other three only just got here." Cypress stood and gestured to the three soon-to-be trainers who were all playing with their respective dragon Pokémon on the floor.
"Unfortunately, I think you may have missed them making their choices. Or... I guess you could say the Pokémon chose them? Anyway, your attention, kids!"
As the trio turned their attention to Prof. Cypress, Rory dimmed the lights and a holographic screen flared to life behind Cypress, "As you all know, you've been recruited by the Cypress Lab to help study the Pokémon of the Kaida Region. Specifically the Dragon-Types which are the best." Cypress paused for emphasis and took a hit of coffee. "This will naturally require you to journey up the Calagon mountains to gather data, but you need the Marks from the Overseers in order to get that far. This is where your partners come in." The screen changed from a map of the region to the three Pokémon the trio had received.
"These three are your first step towards becoming proper Pokémon trainers. I'd give you stronger ones, but they need to grow and learn alongside you, otherwise it's not worth the time. Once this briefing is over, it's up to the three of you to work as a team and gather Pokémon data from across the region, dragon-type or not. You may think this strange, but every species of Pokémon can offer information that may reveal something about another. That's what makes the Kaida region so special. The screen faded away as the presentation concluded and the lights turned on.
"And don't think you guys will be going in blind," said Rory as he and Floatzel walked up with a tray. On top of the tray were three Pokeballs, trainer cards, and a strange-looking set of wristbands.
"Here are your partners' pokeballs, your new trainer cards, and..." Rory smiled as he revealed a similar wristband on his own arm. "Your DexWatches. I'm sure you've seen the ads on TV, but the Professor special ordered these for our team. Think of them as a Pokedex, a Poketch, and an Xtransceiver all built into one!" With the press of a button, the three teens watched as a holographic screen flared to life above Rory's wrist. The layout displayed options for 'Prof. Oak's Pokedex', 'Applications', and an 'Xtranceiver' function!
As George gushed about how badass and awesome the dragons were, even adding in a roar, Oriana chuckled. "That too! Dragonites are certainly a force to be reckoned with, from what I've heard!" Such Pokemon were rare, but the shop stocked a few carvings depicting Dragonites in battle, looking utterly majestic with their green metallic scales.
At his introduction, her mouth fell open. "You're kidding, right? George Pendragon? As in, you're related to those George Pendragons? That's amazing!" While she'd heard tales of their deeds, she didn't get out much, so she hadn't known about this boy. A celebrity, or close to it. Self-consciousness set in, and she resisted the urge to look at her feet. She barely knew how to interact with people in general, much less a famous person.
Attempting to hide the fact, she kept up her chatting - possibly a little too much. "I've heard all kinds of stories about them! I used to dream about having adventures just like them, while stuck at home, or in my parents' dull old shop. Is it true they travelled through all of Kaida, and met the legendary dragon? Oooh, you're gonna do great, I just know it! Of course, you've got competition as to who gets there first! Isn't that right, Dratini? C'mon, we can roar just as loud! RAAAAAWWWWRRRR!!"
The Dratini inched forward, raising its head, and let out its attempt at a roar - a squeaky "Tiiiiiini!" Seemingly embarrassed, it slithered behind Oriana's legs.
Oriana's smile turned strained. Had she overwhelmed the baby dragon again? "Hey, no need to be shy," she reassured it, turning round and petting its smooth scales again.
Another voice piped up, that of a young man feeding some snacks to the Gible, and introducing himself as Arden. "Heyyy! Nice to meet ya too!" Oriana replied. "Oooops, hahaha! I never introduced myself!" Her gaze shifted between George and Arden. "I'm Oriana, explorer and geologist in the making!" For all her confident air, her feet curled inwards. Ok, she hoped she hadn't sounded like a total nerd. At least these people were unlikely to judge, she figured, since they were all here for research purposes.
Just as the professor addressed the group, someone else rushed in. A man who looked to be in his twenties, with rust-coloured hair, soaked as if he'd had a run in with a water Pokemon. Said water type, a Floatzel, scurried after him. Although she couldn't hold back a giggle, she gave a friendly smile to reassure him it was ok.
As the lights dimmed and the screen flicked on, Oriana took in the presentation with rapt attention. Once it was over, her eyes widened at the sight of the items Rory and his Floatzel offered. Pokeballs, official trainer cards, and... DexWatches. Actual DexWatches, the latest in digital technology. Rory demonstrated his own, a holographic screen appearing above his wrist, the options clear for all of them to see.
"Awesome! That's pretty convenient!" She jumped up and took one of the three devices, sliding it onto her wrist. She flicked it on, watching the screen blink into existence above it. Trying it out, she pressed the button for the Pokedex option and pointed the device at the Dratini. Right away, information about the species flashed across the screen, accompanied by a robotic voice.
"Dratini, the Dragon Pokemon. It is called the Mirage Pokémon because so few have seen it, but its shed skin has been found." Another click revealed information about this particular Dratini. A male, who knew the moves Wrap, Leer and Twister.
"Neat! Ok little guy, you're gonna need a name." Oriana thought for a moment. "How about Shakudo? A copper and gold based metal that often has a patina, either blue like you are now, or green like the Dragonites in this region." A fitting name for a future steel type, she reasoned.
The baby dragon nodded. "Tini!"
Taking a Pokeball and trainer card, Oriana beamed. "Alright, Shakudo it is!" She glanced at and clutched the card, barely able to contain the thrill. At last, she was an official Pokemon trainer.
Dratini (Shakudo)
Assorted trinkets (pebbles, low value gems, old coins)
George smiled as Oriana gushed about his parents achievements. It fueled his own ego, that one day, somebody would be gushing about him too. “Yep, they were awesome! They never told me what the legendary Pokémon is like though. They said it’s something you have to experience for yourself, and words don’t do it justice. That just makes me more hyped to see it for myself!”
Then she said he would have competition to who would get there first. Just like that, the gauntlet was thrown. Competition made George even more fired up. “You’re on!” The Dratini’s roar was pitiful… But it would surely get better once it evolved.
Bagon however laughed at him, and let out another roar. “Baaaaaaagon!”
George picked up the small dragon. “Anyway, it looks like you’re going to be my first dragon. Welcome to the party!”
Another boy came in, and was feeding snacks to the Gible. He introduced himself as Arden. “George Pendragon III. Legendary Dargon Tamer in the making. Please tell me you brought snacks for the rest of us…” George laughed out loud. “I’m kidding… Kind of…”
Then, the Professor’s assistant came in sopping wet. Apparently his Floatzel blasted him with a Hydro Pump. George couldn’t help laughing. Afterwards, Rory handed them some items. Pokeballs, official trainer cards, and DexWatches. “Neat, free swag!” After placing the watch on his wrist, George scanned his Bagon. The Bagon was male, and knew the moves Bite, Leer, and Ember. Then the dex announced Bagon’s entry.
“Bagon - The Rock Head Pokémon. With its steel-hard stone head, it headbutts indiscriminately. This is because of the stress it feels at being unable to fly.”
The Bagon heard this, and immediately got upset about it. He lept out of George’s arms, and headbutted the wall angrily. “Baaaagon!”
George ran up to it to try to calm him down. “Hey hey, it’s ok little dude. I don’t care that you can’t fly. You’re gonna be the biggest, baddest Salamence there ever was! I’ll help you get stronger. The two of us side by side, we’ll make even that Legendary Dragon tremble in awe!” George pumped up his fist.
Bagon was happy to hear this, and jumped up and down. “Bagon, Bagon!”
“To start, you’re gonna need a badass name. How does Devastator sound?”
Bagon nodded his approval. “Bagon.”
He then turned his attention to the others. “So, now that we’re all officially trainers, who wants to be the first battle my little Devastator?”
After hearing the other two would-be trainers introduce themselves better, the curly haired brunette couldn't help but applaud. An action that the Gible, who had been munching away on the poke-snacks, tried to mimic before realising its small arms wouldn't meet in the middle. Frustrated, it started to hop about chomping the air instead.
"Nice to meet the both of you! I'm hoping to study pokemon myself, especially the dragon types. Maybe even spread the Hale name outside of Mercer." Arden said with a self-conscious scratch to his cheek. It took a moment for George's question to sink but, the youngest Hale responded promptly, "The ones I have are specially made for pokemon but they are edible for humans. The pink ones are the best, they're Pecha berry flavoured."
Upon brandishing the bag of snacks again, Gible stopped its tantrum turning to the brunette with wide eyes. "Gib-Gible?" It asked with a cute head tilt that nearly toppled it over. Only to be rewarded with another small handful of the colorful cubes. During this time Rory, the Professor's assistant arrived, sopping wet. Arden gave him a look of understanding and a murmured, "Been there buddy." as they listened to the explanation and demonstration.
Receiving the new gear with verbal gratitude, Arden quickly put away the gear before donning the DexWatch and pointing it toward the happy, clumsily dancing Gible beside him.
"Gible, the Land Shark Pokemon. It attacks using its huge mouth. While its attacks are powerful, it hurts itself out of clumsiness, too." The feminine, yet mechanical voice of the device said, earning a disgruntled "GIBLE!" from the aforementioned creature.
"It's alright Chomper. How about we accept George's challenge and prove that mean DexWatch wrong?" Arden said playfully, sending a wink toward the worked up little guy. Afterwards, he looked toward the red caped boy.
While the teens all geeked out over their new gear and debated who would battle who first, the professor pulled Rory aside. Glancing back at the group, Cypress made sure they weren't paying attention before he began to speak in a hushed tone.
"I'm placing these three in your care, Rory. You know better than anyone just how dangerous this region can be. I trust you'll be able to keep up with them and ensure the research goes smoothly?"
"Of course, Professor," Rory replied. As he spoke, he reached down and began to gently rub Floatzel's head. "You've been planning this for the last several years of your career. I know how much this expedition means for you and your career. Don't worry. Floatzel and I will make sure those kids are prepared for what lies ahead." Cypress nodded and cocked his head as he saw only one other Pokeball attached to Rory's belt.
"Only two partners going with you this time then?" Rory followed Cypress' gaze and patted the ball with his free hand.
"No need to worry. Between this one and Floatzel I should be able to handle just about anything on the early routes." In response, Floatzel barked his approval and flexed an arm like he'd seen Rory do countless times when they started their journey together. Cypress laughed and patted the weasel on the head.
"You always were eager to show off weren't you? Alright then. Your first stop will be Hesperus City. I imagine they'll want to stop and capture a few new Pokémon outside Mercer, so keep that in mind. The jeep is gassed up and ready to go." Tossing Rory a set of keys, the professor gave him a thumbs up as Rory turned towards the door to the lab. George, Argen, and Orianna had all gathered outside while Devastator and Chomper were already engaged in a battle. From the looks of things, George had the upper hand thanks to Bagon's wider movepool. Raising his DexWatch, Rory scanned Chomper through the window and saw that it only had access to Sand-Attack and Tackle, giving it a clear disadvantage. He was about to join them outside when the DexWatch beeped, signaling that Chomper had just learned a new move: Dragon Rage.
"Oh no... Um, we may want to address that," said Rory as he frantically made a move for the door. Immature dragon-types hardly ever controlled a Dragon Rage on their first attempt.
Arden took George up on his challenge, and George was amused. “Excellent! My first epic battle of dragons begins now!” They went outside so as to not destroy anything in the lab, and they both took their places on opposite sides of the battlefield. ”Alright Dev, show em what you got. Use Leer, and the follow up with Bite!”
Devastator glared at Chomper, and then ran towards the Gible, with his teeth bared.
"Ooooh, a battle?" Oriana's eyes went wide as she followed the two boys outside, Shakudo in tow. The timid Dratini probably wouldn't be up for battling right away, but Arden and Chomper had accepted George's challenge, and watching would provide valuable experience. "And cool names! Nobody's gonna get on the wrong side of them!"
As George and Arden took their places, Oriana stood back, grinning down at Shakudo. "Want to watch?" With a nod, Shakudo edged forward and raised his head, all while keeping a safe distance from any possible stray attacks. "Woooooo!" Oriana pumped her fist into the air, eyes flicking between the trainers and the enthusiastic dragons. "Go for it, guys!"
Just then, a shout from inside the lab drew her attention. "Huh?" Rory rushed towards the group, as if less than happy about the impromptu sparring match. The guy seemed pretty nice, but Oriana hoped he wouldn't turn out to be a killjoy like her parents. "Hey, it's all ok." She smiled to ease his fears, gesturing to the unfolding battle. "I'm sure they've got this."
Excited at the prospect of proving himself, Chomper gave out an excited roar as he rushed to follow the two trainers and Devastator outside. In his excitement, he failed to notice the flagstone just outside and fell, skidding to a stop just in-front of Arden.
"Alright, Chomper lets show 'em what we're made of!" Arden exclaimed as he help to right the land shark onto his feet.
Before long, positions were taken and all of the brunettes focus was on the upcoming battle. As George began calling out directions, Arden gave his own. "Try to clear line of sight with Sand Tomb, before going in for a tackle." He muttered, receiving a sharp nod "Gib!" in confirmation.
As Chomper began stomping on the ground, kicking up dust and with glowing little arms he forced small tornadoes of sand in the Bagon's direction, thankfully sparing it from the scary look it seemed to throw his way. However, the sand also reduced the Gible's sight as well so he was caught off guard by the sudden bite to his back fin. Angered by the wound that seemed to take quite a bit out of him, Chomper's eyes seemed to glow red for a moment as energy welled in his mouth.
"Is that-!" Arden muttered, surprised at the new move.
It seemed that the power was just a bit too much for the Gible as instead of releasing the Dragon Rage attack that was building, it imploded causing a bit of damage to the surrounding area. A pained cry erupted from the smokescreen that erupted as Chomper was launched a good ten feet away. Slowly, and painfully the stubborn land shark dragged himself back to his feet. Eyes clear but still determined to continue.
"Are you sure Chomper?" Arden asked, visibly worried. Though he only received a quick nod of confirmation.
The battle began by Gible kicking up a small sandstorm, effectively blocing Devasator’s Leer, but giving the rock head Pokemon a good opportunity to get a bite down on Chomper’s back fin. All seemed to be going well so far, but then the Gible’s eyes glowed red, and energy built up in it’s mouth.
George’s eyes went wide, but what he expected to happen didn’t happen. Instead of launching a Dragon Rage attack, the move imploded sending Chomper flying, and also knocking back Devastator a fair bit. Dev got hurt too, but George was relieved he didn’t take a Dragon Rage up close and personal…
“Ok Devastator, shake it off. You got this! Fire off an Ember, then go in for another bite.”
“Baaaagon!” The Rock head Pokémon opened his mouth wide, and lauched some firey sparks in Chompers direction, then charged in for another bite.
Rory arrived outside and stood next to Orianna. Seeing the two Pokémon recover from the sudden attack then jump right back in seemed to stem his worries a little.
"Well that didn't go as badly as I thought it would," he said. "You don't usually see them recovering from a dragon rage like that so quickly." Noting Orianna's confused expression, Rory pointed to the battle. "I'm all for letting you battle and train your Pokemon, but you have to remember to make sure they can control their own power before you go letting loose." Seeing the two boys were fully taken in by the fight, the older trainer gestured for Orianna and Shakudo to follow him and Floatzel.
Moving around to the back of the lab, there was a four-seater jeep parked. "The professor wants me to drive you three straight to Hesperus City for the start. Once there, we can get you three set up with the local Overseer and get access to the next few routes. If you don't mind, can you run in and grab the bags off the main table for me? They shouldn't be hard to find. That's going to be our camping gear and food for the next few weeks of travel."
"Ehhhhh!" Oriana pulled back as Chomper's attack backfired, sending him flying. She nearly tripped as Shakudo coiled around her legs in alarm. So that was what Rory had been worried about - being young, these dragons had trouble controlling their abilities. Which explained Shakudo's caution. "Everything ok there?" she called, steadying herself, but Chomper looked no less eager to battle.
Just as the battle resumed with an Ember from Devastator, Rory gestured for her to follow him and do - ugh - chores. "Aww, but things are just getting good!" Oriana clasped her hands together as she reluctantly shuffled after Rory, glancing over her shoulder at the battlefield, then turning wide pleading eyes back towards him. The last thing she wanted was to be bossed around again. "Pleeeease? Shakudo wants to watch, I mean it's a form of training, right? Watch and learn, as they say." The Dratini nodded, backing her up. "I'll help out afterwards! We've just gotta see who wins first!"
Rory looked Orianna in the eyes and quickly regretted it. Why did kids always have those stupid sad eyes? Placing a hand over his face, he gestured for her to return to the battle.
"Oh nevermind. I'll get it done myself. Just go keep an eye on the boys and make sure they don't burn down the lab with another Dragon Rage..." As he watched Orianna run off, Rory couldn't help but smirk a little bit. He still remembered the day the professor had brought him on as an assistant. Even now it was still one of the best days of his life. He and Floatzel had been so eager to battle they nearly ran afoul of an angry Onix. Thankfully, those reckless days were largely in the past. "At least these kids will have each other to back them up, Floatzel."
"Zel!" The ottzel-like creature nodded his agreement. Traveling Kaida alone was a danger that few trainers could risk. Rory recalled the many treks he'd been sent on by Prof. Cypress and the near disastrous results he'd had the first time around. That being said, the adventures had made them quite strong and both Rory and his partner had proved themselves to be formidable fighters and valuable partners to the professor's research. And not only that...
"Not saying we didn't make some friends along the way right, bud?" Rory patted the pokeball that was strapped to his belt before giving it a toss. Out popped his second Pokémon, a Kaidan Dragonair. Only this one was purple instead of the typical blue and the armored scales that made up the Kaidan variant were a bright green in color. The creature hummed as it soared into the air before touching down in front of its trainer. "Hey, Dragonair. We're gonna be off on a new adventure soon. Are you ready?" Patting the head of the elegant dragon, Rory and his partners enjoyed the small moment of downtime.
Meanwhile, the battle could be heard around the corner. Without waiting to see who won, Rory slid into the back door of the lab and gathered up the last of the camping supplies: Tents, Pokémon food, human food, bait, and other tools the professor wanted them to have for their studies. They were going to need just about erything in those bags if they wanted to make it outside in the Kaidan wilds. Turning his head towards the sounds of the battle, Rory smirked as he shouted, "Hey! Whoever wins gets to ride shotgun in the jeep!"
The battle ended abruptly. Arden got called home for some reason, and had to leave. Technically making George the victor. It didn’t feel like a win though, since it was only on a technicality, and not with actual skill. ”Bah! What a waste!” He picked up Devastator, who was just as disappointed as George was, and went over to Rory. ”I guess I call shotgun then.”
From within the lab, Cypress shook his head. He'd been watching the battle with rapt interest when one of Argen's parents had arrived. It seemed there was some trouble back at their dispensary and they would need all hands on deck to solve the problem. Some new sort of disease going on with the Fairy Pokémon. Unfortunately, this meant that Argen would be unable to join the expedition team for the departure. With a heavy heart, the professor sighed as he took back Argen's DexWatch, Trainer Card, and even the Gible.
"I'm sorry about this, Little Guy. "You were looking forward to finally getting a trainer of your own weren't you?" The Gible's head fell and it looked as though it was about to cry when suddenly, much to its surprise, Professor Cypress started to laugh. "Not to worry, you'll get to train with me and my team here! In fact, you'll be doing quite a bit of traveling and you'll further my research!"
Before the Pokemon could react, Professor Cypress reached into his lab coat and retrieved a set of Pokeballs. From out of them popped a Goodra, a Turtonator, and his ace partner: Kingdra! With a smirk, the Professor picked up the little dragon while it stared in awe at the professor's team.
"Welcome to the crew, Little Guy!" Cypress cradled the Gible in his arms as he looked out the window to see Rory pulling the jeep around and George and Orianna preparing to get in. Their first stop in the Kaida region was Hesperus City, the Town of Ancient Kings. Once they acquired the Overseer's Mark, George and Orianna would be free to explore the surrounding routes at their leisure. Until then, Rory could guide them on the basics of catching Pokémon near the city grounds. Cypress shuddered as he recalled the Overseer of Hesperus City, a Fairy-Woman...
Out in the ruins of a forgotten ancient kingdom, a fierce battle took place. A young man with a Sliggoo battled fiercely against an older woman with a Snubbull. The young man was on the ropes – it was clear he and Sliggoo were not getting along. The gooey jelly-like Pokemon had disobeyed him twice now.
“Alright, let’s put a pretty bow on this match Snubsie! Dazzling Gleam!” The blonde haired woman issued a command to her precious baby. The Pokemon in battle let out a happy little roar before letting loose, a brilliant pink sparkling light filling the area.
“Sliggoo, use Flail! Er, dodge it! Do SOMEthing!” The young man stamped his foot in frustration, kicking up a cloud of dust. His Pokemon, probably confused at the multiple commands, ran back and forth in panic until the light hit it. Once the Gleam cleared, it was unconscious.
“Aw, looks like your baby is unable to battle, sweetheart. This match is mine.” The woman spoke up. “Come back to Mama, Snubsie!” She lifted her very well-decorated Pokeball and beamed the pink victor inside. Then she approached the young man. “Not a bad battle. But I think you and your Sliggoo will need to bond better before you can take on any more Overseers. You’ll need to temper it’s strong nature with a guiding hand. Got it?”
She patted his shoulder in a motherly way. “Now, go get to the Pokemon center so you can get everyone rested. Including yourself.”
The young man sighed but nodded, not wanting to be a poor loser. “Yes ma’am. Thank you.” As he too, beamed his Pokemon back home. He trudged away, back toward Hesperus.
As her challenger departed, the older woman sighed. As much as she loved winning, she hated crushing the dreams of the young. It got a little harder every day.
Her phone started to ring with a cheery tune. “Norah Kingsley here!” Her voice showed no hint of the exhaustion she felt.
