[center][h2][b][u]Slateport City[/u][/b][/h2][/center]
	The gaggle of girls dispersed in huffs and giggles and sighs. Comments were made by some spectators about the lack of coordination on the part of the coordinator. Other comments were made about the validity of the younger girl's assessment while she hugged her Ditto. but these spectators moved on to more impressive shows of talent and skill anywhere else in the city.
	However, one spectator held more interest in the Ditto-girl than the others. She approached from behind with a Whismur hopping beside. [b]"Hi,"[/b] she said with a level of cheerfulness unexpected from most. [b]"You seem to know quite a bit about Pokemon training."[/b] It was largely a redundant observation but worked well enough as an introduction.[b] "I'm Jenna,"[/b] she said [b]"and this is my Whismur,"[/b] she added with a look down to the silent pink orb. [b]"Have you studied at the Academy? I've never seen you before."[/b]
	The whimpering wishmur and her whispering trainer startled Sarah who was still riding the adrenaline of her first proper victory. [color=#FFC0EB]"Hello,"[/color] she cautiously responded to the trainer who engaged her. The single-type pokemon seemed both curious and cautious and Sarah eyed it warily. 
	The girl, older than Sarah by a half-decade, combed her fingers through her straight brown hair and positioned it behind her ear as Sarah responded.
	[color=#FFC0EB]"Not exactly,"[/color] Sarah explained as she returned her ditto's premiere ball to her belt, [color=#FFC0EB]"My mom was a Gym Leader in Oldale back before I was born."[/color]
	Jenna shifted her weight to one side and raised her eyebrow, [b]"You're from Oldale?"[/b]
	[color=#FFC0EB]"Yeah,"[/color] Sarah tentatively said as she reached out a hand to the whismur who almost let her pet it. [color=#FFC0EB]"there's an academy there, you know it?"[/color]
	The older trainer nodded. [b]"Yeah, the Johnson Academy in Oldale,"[/b] she said as she opened a calendar app on her gauntlet. [b]"I'm heading back there for a special demonstration. If you're not doing anything else, you should come with me. You'll learn a lot."[/b]	
	For a moment the exuberant child lost a bit of her luster as she looked down at the map her lens produced. There was a hazard advisory in bright yellow that blocked off Route 103. The heavy rains higher up-river had caused the Route 103 fork to flood and there was no way she was getting across with her pokemon alone. 

[center][img]https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/a/a5/Hoenn_Route_103_Map.png[/img][/center]
	[color=#FFC0EB]"Sure,"[/color] she finally said after consiering the alternatives, [color=#FFC0EB]"Why not? I never got to go, but we'll have to take a ferry from Mauville City."[/color] 
	With the destination set the duo left town to formally start her adventure. 
[center][h2][b][u]Route 110[/u][/b][/h2][/center]
	The duo had a bit of a journey ahead of them if they were going to walk to Mauville City from Slateport City. It was a long and difficult trek, first through shoals loosely connected by rickety bridges, then up a very steep hill. It was the perfect place for the recreational bike path that was artfully constructed overhead but as neither girl possessed a bicycle, or permit for the path, they were forbade from using it. 
	Sarah let her pokemon out of their balls for some much needed non-battle exercise, and the quarrelsome trio were almost immediately sent back in for 'time out.' Only after realizing that they were indeed on dry land, with water nearby to play in, and not a ship did the trio calm down a little and stop their infighting. The oddish and zigzagoon pranced around and raced ahead of Sarah and Jenna while the ditto rolled in a goopy mess right next to them. 
	[b]"Oh, are these your favorite pokemon?"[/b] Jenna asked as she looked to the zigzagoon who was rooting around under a bush.
	Sarah looked a bit confused by the question, and seemed oblivious to the implication that they were receiving special treatment. [color=#FFC0EB]"They're [i]all[/i] my pokemon."[/color] she said with a shrug.
	[b]"Oh!"[/b] Jenna laughed, [b]"You really are new at this aren't you?"[/b]
	Though Jenna was playful in her delivery it was at this moment that Sarah started to think she had made a terrible mistake. As they neared the city Jenna became increasingly more apprehensive, something Sarah only noticed because her Wishmur's demeanor changed to match.

[center][h2][b][u]Mauville City[/u][/b][/h2][/center]
	There was something off about the city today, and neither girl could put their finger on exactly what it was. Neither of them had subscribed to any news organizations beyond the Pokemone Fanclub's newsletter, and had no way of knowing what had happened the night before. As they made their ingress into the bustling streets the peices slowly came together for Jenna while Sarah remained blissfully ignorant. 
	[color=#FFC0EB]"It sure is busy today,"[/color] remarked as she passed through the many people and pokemon in the streets. 
	Not wanting to concern a child, the teen Jenna put on a facade while finding any excuse to get away and help. [b]"How about,"[/b] Jenna's voice cracked as she spoke, [b]"You go see about that boat."[/b]
	Sarah nodded in conformation and set her backpack down on the street to check its contents for currency while Jenna disappeared into the crowd. With a fist full of coins, three mints, and a button she stood back up ready to buy a ferry ride. A ferry ride she had absolutely no ability to pay for and, as it happened, the ride was completely full with sad and angry adults yelling about some attack.
	She had been here once before with her parents when she was younger, and didn't remember the city being so... [i]lively[/i]. It was a big city, compared to the town she grew up in, but this was different in a way she couldn't quite put her finger on. Since the ferry wasn't going anywhere, at least with her on it, she figured that it would be best to see what was going on. If there was trouble, some kind of attack, then it was her duty as a Pokemon Trainer to help!

[hider=OOC Note]
I decided to use [@Phoenix]'s initial plot-hook to motivate Sarah, and I don't know what the deal is but it's raining in, like, all of [@c3p-0h]'s posts. So, I used that too to get involved in Mauville. Sadly, I can't find an excuse to have a battle in [i]every[/i] post.[/hider]