[h2][center][b][u]Pokemon Day-Care - Route 117[/u][/b][/center][/h2][quote]The man just stared at the narrow planks of wood he was lead along by the Azumarill with the help of the stranger. His knees were purple ice and his feet were probably turning black by this point. No one knew how long he was out in the storm, but from the look of his condition, he must have been at a higher elevation where the temperatures were lower.
	Joy cooed for Diego to help the stranger undress further when they made it to the washroom. She directed him to sit on the closed toilet while she looked around for a first-aid kit or anything that could help the poor man warm up. At closer inspection, the ribs on his right side were protruded and the color of the deep waters of Route 127. It was a wonder he didn't groan in agony as he was, essentially, carried to the washroom. Perhaps he was so cold his entire body was turning numb. The blackened blue of the skin indicated some broken bones, to which needed more immediate attention than they could rightly address with so little supplies here. He needed to be taken to the Rustboro Hospital as quickly as possible. 
	[i]Old Blue[/i] purred in grave concern for the boy and looked back at Diego. She pointed and squeaked to go fetch Mrs. James and notify her of the situation. However, he would have been stopped by seeing Sapphire with the girl he'd seen at the counter earlier.

	A low shriek sounded not long after they introduced themselves and exchanged the normal pleasantries. The came from the direction of the Nursery, if Haven remembered correctly. Glass shattered and a loud thud sounded, as if a bureau fell flat on its face. "No! Please!" was shouted from a tired yet equally frantic voice.
	Once they recuperated from the shock, it would have been discovered that Sapphire, Diego's Azumarill, was not longer with them.[/quote]

[h2][center][b][u]Naval Junkyard - Slateport City[/u][/b][/center][/h2][quote]Knuckles cracked into cheekbones. Elbows crushed the cartilage of noses. Fangs sank deep into hides. Talons lashed at eyes and throats. Blood dried and painted the floors and walls with an interesting collage of brutality and passion.
	Sorel, the only familiar face to Rai since arriving in Hoenn, led him through winding passages. They climbed through tunnels and had to break down some girders to get where they needed to go. They made sure only the toughest and most clever of combatants could actually make there way to this location.
	A couple of combatants sparred while others were exercising with old and outdated machines. Some Pokemon worked on their speed, others on their endurance, and others on their strength. Despite the effort it took to get here, the dome-shaped cavern was impressively well-kempt and had an air of calm and comfort. Most would have turned back at the sight of this is they were looking for serious brawls.
	"Oy, Dicky!" Sorel bellowed in a voice lower than his usual tone. It was as if he wished to be perceived with more authority than he actually possessed. "Gotta Foreigner, here. Johto."
	A man standing no taller than Rai's collar bone, approached the pair. As he neared the convex and concave angles in his musculature became more pronounced and impressive. He looked Rai up and down with disgusted suspicion. "Yeah, and?" his voice was dragged across the gravel of the chords in his throat. Despite his size, the bass of his tone filled the entire area without much effort. 
	Sorel shifted where he was and looked at Rai as if to gather more information for this "Dicky" on which to judge the newcomer. "Well, I've seen him fight," he said, his voice still attempting to sound authoritative. However, following Dicky's voice, it sounded effeminate. "And he doesn't fight like a man..."
	There was a pause from Sorel as he tried to think of something clever yet impressive. "He tears at his opponents like a female Ursaring."
	"Yeah," Dicky seemed to shout with disbelief. "Fuck me if you're not as intimidating as a Teddiursa," he added and poked at Rai's breat to test its firmness. His dense finger pushed past what muscle was there and rammed against the ribs underneath with enough force to fell a man twice Rai's size, it seemed. 
	He turned to walk away, dismissing them without a word. Sorel looked back at Rai when Dicky called out at them. "Karen!" his voice shook the rocks. Sorel swore one day Dicky would bring this place down. "Fuck this boy up for me, yeah?"
	Sorel's eyes widened as he heard this. Still staring at Rai, his chin dropped a little. "Um, sir..." he began to say in protest. His voice seemed to grow more childish as the interaction dragged on.
	Dicky turned slightly, though not enough to look on directly. "If he has what it takes, he won't die." The threat was a mockery of a whisper through his neck.
	"Shit," Sorel said. "Well, it's been good knowin' ya," he said and placed a hand on Rai's shoulder before walking out of the cavern.
	
	"Ha! Dicky," a woman began to complain playfully. "You really want me to fight this little Bald-dick?"
	She beautiful from the neck down. Her nose was misshapen and her lips crocked and uneven. Half of her left eyebrow was missing and half of her head with shaved with the other half no longer than Rai's. Her cheeks were bulbous, almost puffy. Her ears seemed to have been chomped at and twisted. Despite this, her body was hard but definitely feminine, and finely so. She wore only a sport's bra and compression shorts with light-weight sneakers. 
	"Kill 'im if ya want," Dicky responded and laid back down at the bench press machine with what looked like too much weight for someone so small.[/quote]

[h2][center][b][u]Slateport Hotel - Slateport City[/u][/b][/center][/h2][quote][hider=A shadowed figure stood with his foot against the Hotel and smoke floating around his head.][IMG]http://i66.tinypic.com/xaqiw7.jpg[/IMG][/hider] The streetlights nearby obscured his face as the storm continued to pass over Hoenn. The figure's head faced "Johnny Gastly." It was clear who his target was. Once near enough, he offered a few warnings to the stranger.
	"There's a better way to go about dealing with loose-lipped customers..." The voice was intimidatingly playful.
	His voice was low as to dissipate with the falling rain. His brows curved above his eyes in a relatively threatening manner. His hand was placed upon a Pokeball against his thigh in a gesture of self-protection. The long caw of a Mandibuzz wheezed high above. A low buzz of a croak sounded from around a corner. This man wasn't going to be threatened. Indeed, he was the one to do the threatening. 
	"Wildom told me to give you some advice. If he has to clean up after you or you lose another one of his customers, you're not going to see your business into the dry season." This suggested he was being watched at almost all times. However, it was also to look out for themselves, as well.
	The man's foot pushed off the building and he stood at his full height about half a head higher than Nick. His body was hard, and not just from physical conditioning. His eyes were a dark steel-gray like the clouds above. He never broke eye-contact with his fellow criminal. In fact, Nick would have not noticed the man even blink. "And get rid of that gun if you know what's good for you. People here know what it looks like when you're gunned down. I know you're new here, but you'd be learn up on the local laws." He turned away from Nick and walked toward the shore without Nick able to respond properly.
	Gun were illegal in Hoenn. The sport of hunting was outlawed. Hunting was only legal when survival was necessary. Murder with an illegal tool for such practices would have been a high priority for the Rangers of Hoenn.[/quote]

[h2][center][b][u]Briney Marina - Route 104S[/u][/b][/center][/h2][quote]The boy's cheeks turned pale red at the awkward interaction. "Sorry mister" he peeped before leaving the bathroom. He felt awkward not knowing a stranger had been invited to their home and having called him "daddy." 
	Still, he rushed downstairs to see who it was that his father had welcomed into their home. "Daddy! Who's that?" he asked with a pep in his tone. He sat at the table, ready for the breakfast he'd started for them.
	"Just a passer-by," Fredrick answered plainly. He turned to shovel some food onto the boy's plate while Leodin poured himself some Oran juice. "He's from far away. I caught him swimming in the Route."
	"Oh," the boy said as he stuffed his little mouth with food. "So, ya goin' t'the Academy wit'me?" he continued through the masticated breakfast still sitting on his tongue. 
	"Swallow before you speak," Fredrick corrected warmly and patted his son's head. "Yes, after we see this gentleman off."
	Leodin was about to finish his breakfast as the stranger descended the stairs. Fredrick was sat at the table, waiting for his guest to join them. "'Fore it gets cold, now," he said and gestured to the chair at the end of the table. 
	The only thing in the washroom was a robe, suggesting it was either the robe or just the towel he'd have to wear while he waited for his clothes to dry. "Your clothes should be done insome'. Eat up while ya wait, yeah?"[/quote]