@Balthazar007

May 7th Circe, Um somewhere with a lot of snow in Russia

She was upset when the Vulpix popped out of its pokeball. She huffed in slight annoyance. Why can't this be like in tv and video games where we are given our first pokemon?? It's more difficult to catch if I can't battle!! She thought to herself, but she wasn't a quitter, and she wanted this Alolan Vulpix.

"Now listen her Vulpix, you are going to be my first pokemon ever. I have waited my entire life for this moment. Nothing will stop me from catching such a beautiful pokemon such as yourself. Now join my team!!" Circe said as she threw her second pokeball, this just had to work, she couldn't threw her last just yet!!

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Liz

The young woman made a big speech after her first attempt. Without a Pokemon to battle with, this would be difficult start for all earth bound trainers. But of course, Liz remembers her first wild pokemon capture. He Arachne was just a little Spinarak at the time, and Hephaestus used Leer and that's how she captured the little bug. Whom she left in the care of Rin while she went out to train. She looked around at the other original trainers and some she could tell where remembering their first pokemon capture. Hell Rin still couldn't catch a Hoothoot to save their life. She turned to Mililani, she didn't have many friends in her world, many trainers didn't like the fact that their champion was transgendered. She had to battle harder and more fiercely than the average trainer in her world, and that earned her a rough reputation. Liz wore that reputation like a cloak, when even the leaders of the Brawler gang was afraid of you, than you know you reached a level of fear and respect. She hated being feared in her world, but it offered her some protection from what the people said about her.

"This takes me back to my first capture, things were more simpler than. More Black and White than later down the road which became more grey as I got older. I wish it was easy and exciting as day one, when we were bright eyed and filled with wonder. I have had to make some hard choices, many of which will haunt me for as long as I live, but I wouldn't take back a single moment, would you?? Give them some slack, we grew up with Pokemon, they only had this in their imaginations. In time they will realize it's not all rainbows and candy." She said to the girl stoicly, eyes still trained on the bouncy little girl.

@luckyblackcat

..."Now listen here Vulpix, you are going to be my first pokemon ever. I have waited my entire life for this moment. Nothing will stop me from catching such a beautiful pokemon such as yourself. Now join my team!!" Circe said as she threw her second pokeball, this just had to work, she couldn't threw her last just yet!!

Vulpix tilted her head as if listening to Circe's passionate words, but were the words having the desired effect? They would know momentarily, as the Pokeball was now on its way to the happy Vulpix...

Then... it missed. Or more accurately, Vulpix dodged (sort of). Whether on purpose or by accident, she stretched in a cat-like manor, ducking underneath the oncoming Pokeball. The ball hit the ground behind her and shot a beam of red light fruitlessly into the sky. She then yawned.

Before anyone could even process what had just happened, an eeire yet beautiful howl filled the air. Off in the distance, stood a fully grown Alolan Ninetales. The little Vulpix perked her ears up and howled back quickly. She then turned back to the crowd of humans, and let out two crisp barks, as if to say "Bye Bye!". She then began to run away to join the Ninetales, whom was already walking in the other direction, headed north.

Before the Vulpix got too far away, a young man in the group (the one that had been complaining earlier) pulled out a Pokeball. He began to run, but was quickly stopped by Sargeant Sokolov, who simply stepped into the boys path and faced him calmly.

"What are you doing? It's getting away!" The boy shouted.

With a stern but soft voice, Sokolov spoke, "It is going home. We go home too."

Meanwhile, Professor Rowan was standing up. He had gone to retrieve the two Pokeballs that Cerce had thrown.

A young woman in the crowd spoke up, talking to Professor Rowan, "Professor, what are you doing? You did the same thing earlier when that guy failed to catch the Foongus."

"Hm?" Professor Rowan said. "Oh yes. My apologies. I forgot to tell you." He then spoke louder, addressing everyone. "These Pokeballs are repairable. When we get back to HQ, I will have them fixed... Sure beats littering the world with empty Pokeballs." A short laugh escaped him.

Result: Nope. Que tiny violin.

Hours Later...

While many were disappointed to see the Alolan Vulpix get away, most were just happy to be back in the semi-climate controlled HQ. The large fire place in the lobby had quite the crowd surrounding it. Gossip, small talk, complaints, and joking around: a family atmosphere was beginning to form.

If the young trainer was honest, he was actually impressed that any of these Earth people were able to keep up with him, Slayer, and Lucky at the front of the running pack, particularly since it would seem that not many of them had a more...physically inclined goal before the completion of the interview. When they reached the end of their run, with no sign of the Ice type they'd come to find in sight, the Sergeant said they would be going home. However when they turned, a Vulpix, from the Alolan Islands if Jason's memory served, greeted them. Before anyone else could move, a girl he'd noticed that Champion watching rushed forwards and flung her pokeball, which popped open almost as fast as it had sucked in the Pokemon.

"Tch, what a joke. Without any kind of Pokemon to help weaken these others, half this group, at least, is still going to be without a partner by the end of this thing. Quel gâchis." Lucky tapped his shoulder and he turned to his Lucario, who pointed at the girl who was, herself, from Alola. From day one, the Lucario hadn't trusted or liked her, and the swordsman trusted his partner's opinion. Not to mention that Jason didn't immediately trust her himself, given how openly she distrusted any one who looked like an official from either world. Femme trop suspsiente...

After the Vulpix returned to what could only be assumed to be it's mother, the group returned to the headquarters. While others mingled, he returned all his Pokemon but Slayer, instead drawing his sword and reversing his grip on it so that while the pair sparred, the square edge would be what the Gallade clashed against. The two squared off and, after a moment of no movement on either of their parts, dashed toward each other, exchanging blows at a rapid pace. They didn't care who watched or if anyone did, so long as they didn't try to interfere.

---

The moment the Ice type had revealed itself, Forest moved forwards towards it, a Pokeball in his hand. However, the goth girl with way too much personality for one beat him to it. Of course he wouldn't get to it first, that kind of thing wasn't in his future. Unless it's a mushroom that I then proceed to fail to catch. Which...is honestly also my luck. The Vulpix broke out shortly after going into the ball though, and the girl, after an impassioned speech, threw a second ball.

He honestly had to laugh at the way the little fox avoided it and shook his head. Well, the ex-Guardsman wasn't the only one with shitty luck. Soon enough, what could be assumed to be the Vulpix's mother called for it and the Sergeant, after stopping the idiot who'd been complaining before, took them back to the HQ. As soon as he was in the door, he bolted to his room and changed into a pair of sweat pants and a long sleeved shirt before grabbing his .45 and the cleaning kit. Typically he wouldn't have brought it with him on a trip like this, but given that wild Pokemon weren't the only things living out here and in the other wildernesses they'd be going to, he wasn't taking any chances. Course, the Sergeant had been clear he wasn't to have it on him except on down time, but he wasn't sure he needed it then.

A few minutes after he started cleaning it, one of the trainers, the one with the sword, and his Gallade started..."Are they sparring? Holy shit, that's intense!"

@Cerces22

I wish it was easy and exciting as day one, when we were bright eyed and filled with wonder. Mililani could relate to those words more than Liz knew. She sighed as she watched the bouncy girl try again, just as full of enthusiasm as she herself had been when she'd first caught her Cutiefly. Her heart ached for her other Pokemon. Did they think she'd forgotten about them, their unwavering loyalty repaid with abandonment?

"I know," she replied with a solemn nod. It seemed so much colder when she thought about things like this, youthful dreams versus harsh truths. "I know they will. I j-just hope they don't get let down too harshly."

At the sound of a hauntingly beautiful howl, she stared ahead. Her breath caught. Before the group stood a Pokemon that had once been worshipped as a deity in Alola, a Ninetales. Mililani kept her distance. Calm as Ice-type Ninetales were, it wasn't a good idea to provoke them.

As both Pokemon disappeared into the distance, Sergeant Solokov announced it truly was time to go back. "At least the V-Vulpix has its mother around," Mililani commented. "M-Maybe it isn't ready to be caught just yet. Well, Ohanna, let's get going."

Ohanna's attention wasn't on the foxes, but on another Lucario, the one belonging to the swordsman. Her eyes narrowed, her fur bristling, as she stood between her trainer and the other Fighting type. Mililani ignored the looks of distrust both the trainer and his Lucario gave her. She knew she wasn't exactly the most approachable person, but putting a wall between herself and others was better than taking the risk of letting them in... wasn't it?

Once everyone arrived back at the headquarters, Mililani sank into a chair, thankful for the warmth. It wasn't long before a fire was set crackling in the hearth, and she leaned closer to the blaze. The sooner the group left Russia, the better.

---

@Cerces22 @Zarkun

After the goth girl's second attempt failed, Ryan stepped over to give her a pro tip or two - he'd been the only successful one so far, after all. He opened his mouth to say something, then stood rooted to the spot at the sight of an Alolan Ninetales. An even more majestic sight in real life than in the games. Before he or anyone else could observe it for long, both foxes turned and left.

"You might want to try taking it a little more slowly next time," he told the girl while on the way back. "At least those Pokeballs haven't gone to waste."

Although ready to keel over by the time he stepped inside, he was still brimming with elation. He had his own Pokemon. His own real live Pokemon. Keeping some distance from the fire one of the assistants began to set up - a Grass type might get nervous if too close to it - he pulled the Pokeball from his pocket and pressed the button.

Red light formed a mushroom shape, then faded to reveal the Foongus. The little red and white Pokemon turned this way and that on its stalk, taking in its new surroundings.

Ryan crouched down, grinning even though his legs nearly gave out from the way he'd pushed himself too hard. "Hopefully you'll be much more comfortable in here, little guy," he said as the Foongus hopped closer. He took out his new Pokedex, testing it out even though he already knew the entries for this species. "Uhh... Or rather, little girl."

As he turned his attention from the screen back to his new friend, he thought over what to call her, the name of a famous mycologist popping into his head. "Gilkey. You can be Gilkey. You like that?" The Foongus smiled in agreement.

Both trainer and Pokemon turned at a clashing sound, and a cry of fascination. In a corner of the room, the swordsman and his Gallade sparred, swinging their blades with expert skill. The guy who'd failed to catch the Foongus stared, enthralled.

"Yeah, got to say that's pretty impressive," Ryan commented, also captivated for a moment by the Pokemon in action, before glancing down at Gilkey to make sure she wasn't too jittery around the guy who'd startled her back there. She tilted her cap, staying where she was at first, then took a little hop forward, her former apprehensiveness replaced with curiosity.

Will today ever end?? Russia Circe

Disappointed, that's what she felt as the Vulpix popped out again. She reached for her final pokeball ready to throw it as an Aloloan Ninetails appeared and called to the Vulpix. The split tail pokemon took off towards it's mother as Circe accepted the defeat. Ryan came up to her and gave her some quiet advice, and she turned towards him with a smile.

"It's ok, I will catch one eventually, and I will do it with all the energy I got." She said as she began to jog back with the others. When they arrived back at the base and Circe plopped down in a chair, stretching out the weariness in her bones. So she didn't catch her first pokemon today, she excitedily watched a man named Jason spared with his Gallade. She could tell they were close as they held nothing back in the battle.

------------------------------

Liz

"If they don't learn the taste if disappointment now, than they will think they are invincible. And when they finally get disappointed it will shatter them. I learned disappointment early and it helped me become the champion of Primus." She thought back to her first battle with Hephaestus, it was against Rins Totodile, Anu. It was an overwhelming defeat and it made her realize that no matter how book smart or enthusiastic she was it still wouldn't be enough. And even before her first pokemon she learned disappointment, at the hands of her father and the other kids in town.

She turned away as the other girl left with her Lucario. She looked to Hephaestus, her first and closest friend and gave him a warm smile. Not many people could say they saw Liz's smile, but all her Pokemon saw it regularly. She tossed out a pokeball and Ade appeared from the light, shortly by an other light and Hades floated in the air shielding it's eyes against the sun.

"I know it hurts buddy, but use it to fuel you. We are all training on the way back, so I need you to move it. I want you guys faster, and watching these kids play at trainers is not an excuse to slack off got it?? I am sure we were stripped of our championship since we disappeared, we will win it back and we need to be at our strongest got it??" She took off running back to base, with Hephaestus taking a lead and Hades and Ade trailing behind.

---

Russia || Norilsk || May 7th

Dana adapted to the camp’s routine without much complaint; Professor Rowan’s presence was collateral against the possibility that she was wasting her time, and the new, Earth trainers were, besides clueless, very varied in their personalities and subsequent flaws. That one of them had caught the Foongus was surprising, considering that the trainers had given him no assistance in doing so, weakening the Pokemon or otherwise, but catching a Pokemon was such a small step in the right direction that seeing it happen—the boy’s excitement, then pride—reminded Dana of how slowly the new trainers were inching along in their progress.

On the other hand, the trainers from her world all seemed sure in their own strengths. The group was varied, for sure; Dana recognized a few fellow champions, while others were clearly trainers who pursued different heights than stadium spotlights. All the same, Dana had little interest in socializing, and instead focusing her thoughts on the geography of the area.

Russia, the name of their current country of residence, reminded Dana strongly of Snowbelle or Snowpoint city with its endless landscape of snow. However, the appearance of the Alolan Vulpix and Foongus showed that the spread of Pokemon in the region was anything but normal; Alola and Unova shared few similarities, yet their native species were living with miles of each other in Russia.

How many other regions’ Pokemon are here, and how was this decided? Dana thought. The possibility that Pokemon had just been deposited randomly across Earth, allowing natural selection and competition to weed out the unfit and wrongly placed, was not a pleasant one, but it was plausible all the same.

The group’s arrival back in camp set off a bout of socialization, which Dana figured she may as well partake in. Training was her priority right now, especially since she now had a host of sparring partners to choose from. When the swordsman and his Gallade started sparring, Dana watched with keen interest, eyes flicking between the two’s blades as her Duskull rose up to hover at her side.

---

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May 4th || Russia || Norilsk

Camden had only himself to blame for failing to spot the Alolan Vulpix first—he knew that. Still, he couldn’t suppress his annoyance at the fact that he’d missed out on an Alolan Vulpix.

Why couldn’t it have been something uglier, like a Cubchoo? he thought, annoyed that he was, in fact, annoyed. He wanted to be more mature, get over this roll of ugly emotion that welled up whenever he spotted the girl who’d thrown the Pokeball first, but he was trying and failing to do so.

The least she could have done was catch it, he thought with one last ‘tsk’ of irritation as the group arrived back in camp. Next time, he’d have to—he would—do better.

An exclamation called his attention to the current commotion: a trainer and his Gallade facing off, blades out. Watching with wide eyes as the trainer and Pokemon parried and struck, Camden was struck by the beauty of their synchronization: though it was far from a routine, the trainer and Pokemon knew each other’s moves and thoughts, allowing them to achieve the balance of their current deadly dance. While not exactly a spectacle or show in the sense that Pokemon contests were, the routine was still the most amazing feat of trainer and Pokemon cooperation Camden had seen thus far, and he stared with both awe and anticipation of the closing act.

“My bet’s on the Gallade,” he said with a grin as he watched.

---

---

@Zarkun@LuckyBlackCat

@LuckyBlackCat@Cerces22@Zarkun@Dusksong

08:30 Local Time
The cafeteria was full, as everyone was still wiping away the crust from their eyes and chowing down on another simplistic Russian breakfast. At the beginning of the week, the room was mostly divided into two sections: the trainers and the would be trainers. But now, with three entire days under their belts, the two factions were beginning to intermingle; the room was no longer clearly divided.

Towards the end of lunch, Professor Rowan stood on top of a chair and called for everyone's attention, "Alright everyone! If I may have your attention please!" The room quieted down fairly quickly. "Thank you very much. Now, I'd like to run over today's schedule with you." He was referencing a piece of paper in his hand. "At 09:30 we will be heading out in two vans. Our first stop will be where the heard of Stantler were most recently seen. We will explore the surrounding area for a about four hours before moving on to our next stop. The next stop will be a return trip to the Norilsk Airport, where you all arrived a few days ago. There we will have lunch and then begin exploring the area to the south of the airport; hopefully we will be able to find some Paras in that area. Again we will spend about another four hours here. After that, we will return back here. Tomorrow, we will be driving a little further and spending the day looking for Clefairy in the mountains... So eat up, and get ready. Busses leave in forty minutes... Thank you all."

As Professor Rowan left the cafeteria, voices began to fill the room once more, some people resuming their original conversations. Others focused on the announcement, fantasizing about catching their first Pokemon.

---

(Not So Quick Note: I have three user controlled characters that have not captured a Pokemon yet and three wild Pokemon to catch. So, this is the plan: @Cerces22,@Zarkun, and @Dusksong: You three may call dibs now on the Pokemon you would like to TRY to catch. Obviously, if you pick the Stantler, you are volunteering to be the next person to post; Paras is second; Clefairy is third. You may choose the Pokemon's gender and level. It's level can be anywhere from lvl 5 to lvl 15. You will post about the trip to the location, the discovery of the Pokemon, and your first Pokeball throw. I will then run a series of dice rolls to see if you catch the Pokemon, regardless of how many throws it takes, or if it runs away.

Also: It is Summer in the northern Hemisphere. And at our Latitude, that means there are only a couple hours of night time a day. While it is cold, it's not snowy. So please tone down the mentioning of snow. Most of that stuff has been melted, the ground is mostly wet, muddy, and icy.)

---

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Russia || Norilsk || May 7th

Dana was among the trainers leading the group with Professor Rowan, so of course she noticed when the blonde boy slowly drifted towards the back of the group before running off altogether. An hour or so of empty trekking had made many in the group irritable and sulky, so it was easy to see how he’d managed to slip away. Still, though Dana would have preferred not to get involved, she glanced at the trainers walking beside her, asking her silent question: who would go after the boy?

---

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May 4th || Russia || Norilsk

Food was completely forgotten when Professor Rowan announced their next trip. Abandoning his fork, Camden grinned, quickly pulling on his jacket.

A Stantler’s the only one of the three that looks anything near decent, and there’s no way I’m letting someone beat me to the punch this time, he thought as he deposited his dinnerware before sitting back and pulling up information on Stantler on his phone. The first thing he’d done before coming to Russia was download everything he needed from the internet since he didn’t know whether he’d have connection after arrival.

Caribou-like, Camden read from Bulbapedia’s entry, his grin maintaining its vigor. Not a bad looker with those horns.

---

Camden was among the first in line, of course, and accordingly, he got in the first van. Of course, this was all made meaningless when the first van waited for the second, following in tow when the second left first.

My luck better turn out better when I throw the Pokeball, Camden thought with annoyance, bouncing his foot up and down as time ticked by. When the busses rolled up to a stop, Camden—less pushy than just plain impatient and rushed—was out within seconds, eyes taking in his new surroundings.

The Professor’s ensuing brief was, therefore, mostly lost on Camden, whose eyes kept drifting to the landscape behind. When the group finally stepped into the field—split into two groups, with Camden following in the Professor’s—Camden flanked the Pokemon world trainers at the head, but after one, then two hours of empty trekking through the peaceful lakesides, he dropped back to the tail of the group, his eyes wandering into the grassy fields behind him.

If I broke off from the group right now, he thought as he let himself fall further behind, And say it was because I spotted a Stantler…

A glimpse of an antler sent Camden sprinting into the bushy plain behind him, avoiding patchy snow in favor of grassy ground as he ran towards the mirage he’d seen, slowing to a walk when he was within ten meters. Behind another bush was the Stantler he’d seen, its gaze apathetically watchful as Camden approached Resting on the ground, it waited patiently as Camden closed the few meters between them, rising to its feet only when Camden was within two meters distance of it. Its eyes held polite interest rather than fear as Camden’s hand slowly went into his pocket, producing a Pokeball that he held up to show the Stantler. And, when Camden threw the ball—underhand, with careful, measured strength—it remained equally calm, allowing itself to be enveloped in red light.

You understand what I’m trying to do, Camden thought with excited apprehension as the Pokeball fell on the forest floor, rocking in place. So, please, agree with it too.

---

@Balthazar007

@Dusksong

Liz May 8th Russia

Liz listened to talk about the next two days of events. She sighed inwardly, knowing she wouldnt be able to partake in the capturing yet. She already had Stantler, Parasect, and a Clefable, but the sooner they captured everyone the sooner they can focus on getting everyone home. As they traveled through the fielded area, one of the Earth trainers fell back and took off from the group. The other trainers looked at each other and Dana asked with her eyes who was going to go fetch him. Liz sighed and went after the guy. As she came out of the brush she caught the tail end of a Stantler going into a pokeball.

"You know, Camden, it's not smart to wonder away from the group like that. What if we hadn't seen you leave?? And by the time your catching that pokemon, we could of been out of eyesight and you could of gotten lost." Liz said raising an eyebrow.

A glimpse of an antler sent Camden sprinting into the bushy plain behind him, avoiding patchy snow in favor of grassy ground as he ran towards the mirage he’d seen, slowing to a walk when he was within ten meters. Behind another bush was the Stantler he’d seen, its gaze apathetically watchful as Camden approached Resting on the ground, it waited patiently as Camden closed the few meters between them, rising to its feet only when Camden was within two meters distance of it. Its eyes held polite interest rather than fear as Camden’s hand slowly went into his pocket, producing a Pokeball that he held up to show the Stantler. And, when Camden threw the ball—underhand, with careful, measured strength—it remained equally calm, allowing itself to be enveloped in red light.

You understand what I’m trying to do, Camden thought with excited apprehension as the Pokeball fell on the forest floor, rocking in place. So, please, agree with it too.

The young Stantler had accidentally ran away from the herd. He had never heard the sound of a car engine before, but by the time he reached the highway, the car that he heard was long gone. He looked back, and they were gone. His entire family was gone. Alone and scared, he found a nearby bush and decided to lay down and rest. Perhaps they would come back when they realized he was missing.

An hour later, there was no sign of his herd; he was alone. That's when Camden came along. The young human seamed nice enough. Maybe he would be able to help him find his family. As Camden approached, Stantler rose to his feet. The young man then produced a Pokeball. Stantler was intrigued by the strange looking fruit. He sure was hungry.

Camden tossed the Pokeball, pulling Stantler inside with a red light. From the outside, Camben and Liz watched the Pokeball as it shook on the ground. Once... twice... three times... then *POP!*... Stantler was free.

From Stantler's point of view however, there was no struggle. There was only a red light, followed by a split second of darkness. One second later, the darkness lifted. "What was that?!" He wondered.

The young man, Camden, then produced another strange fruit. Even more curious now, Stantler just watched as Camden tossed the fruit toward him. Once again, the world went dark before returning back to normal. "Okay." Stantler thought to himself. "That's no fruit. What are those things?" But before he could think any more on it, the young man tossed another Pokeball.

For a third time, the world went dark... then *Pop!*. Confused and scared, the young Pokemon began to back away from the human. Then came the call of his father, a larger Stantler. Stantler turned to the sound of his father's call. The sight brought joy to his heart. His entire heard stood at the top of the hill. His father stood in front, proud and in command.

Completely forgetting about the human in front of him, he ran away, to rejoin his herd... his family. Then, they disappeared over the hill.

Result #1: No Catch
Result #2: Try Again
Result #3: Sorry, No Dice

---

Two Hours Later
The group was boarding the bus. They had been out in the cold for four hours and after all that time, they only saw a glimpse of the heard they were tracking. The young man named Camden had failed to catch one, and no one else even got a chance.

Next stop, Norilsk Airport, where they would have lunch and then try again. This time, their target would be Paras.

{Quick Note for @Zarkun: Okay, you're up!)

Having been with the Sergeant's group, Forest never saw the Stantler heard, though he was pretty sure he'd heard the call of one off in the distance at one point. Still, when their time to search for it was over, the ex-Guardsman couldn't say he was upset. Stantler had been a Pokedex completion for him and nothing more, which he did feel a little guilty over, but it was what it was. He had the Pokemon he liked and the ones he knew worked well for his training style in the games. Boarding his bus again, he pulled his .45 out of it's holster and removed the magazine from it. Because of how much time they'd be spending out in the wilderness, the Sergeant had preferred that they be able to chase off any wild animals they might come across before they found the Pokemon.

Lunch was full of discussion but was relatively short before the group set off to hunt down the mushroom toting crab looking Pokemon Paras. Now here was one that he'd be OK with catching, since Parasect learned X-scissor and all the spore attacks, his two personal favorites being Stun Spore and Sleep Spore. They'd been instrumental in catching Palkia and Moltres, though the latter of the two had been a calculated risk since Parasect was a Bug-Type.

---

After a couple of hours, many of the aspiring trainers had given up actually looking and instead set to just enjoying the time outside, but Forest continued to look. He knew that there was a Paras around the area somewhere, he just had to be persistent. And that persistence paid off. He noticed a pair of small yellow and red mushrooms slowly trying to sneak away from the group. "Not so fast!" Pulling a Pokeball off his belt, he'd modified it the previous night after finishing cleaning his pistol and watching that trainer spar with his Gallade, he pushed the button to enlarge it before throwing it. The ball connected and sucked in the crab in a flash of red light.

Though if he was honest, as he watched the Pokeball with apprehension, it was absurd that they had no way to weaken the Pokemon first, but that was what it was. Hopefully this would go better than the Foongus had.

...he pushed the button to enlarge it before throwing it. The ball connected and sucked in the crab in a flash of red light.

Though if he was honest, as he watched the Pokeball with apprehension, it was absurd that they had no way to weaken the Pokemon first, but that was what it was. Hopefully this would go better than the Foongus had.

The wild Paras had wandered much further north than he'd have liked. It was too cold. He was miserable. And to top it off, a bunch of humans had just entered the area. Unsure of what to think of this many humans out in the middle of nowhere, Paras began to sneak away. Then one of the humans spoke out, looking right at him. He'd been spotted.

Next thing Paras knew, he was enveloped in a red light. Then came darkness... and warmth.

The ball shook once... twice... three times... four times.................five times....... and finally.... it quit moving. Paras had accepted the Pokeball as his new home.

Result: Barely, but it counts! Congrats!

(Quick Note: Cerce is up next. You may take us all the way back to the camp, to the next day, out to the mountains to the South East, and land us right at the Clefairy sighting. Good luck!)

@Balthazar007

May 8th Russia Circe

Circe hunted the whole time at the first stop for a Stantler. She searched the entire area they were exploring, twice. No Stantler showed up to the girls dismay. Shortly after they went to their next stop and hunt Paras and the whole time they searched they only found one which was caught by Forest before she had time to react. Afterwards they returned to base camp and had a quick dinner and went to bed.

May 9th

Circe woke up, did her make up and had a quick cigarette. Today they were hunting Clefairy. She knew would catch it herself. They got on the bus and drove up the mountains and spread out in their search. Circe walked a small path that lead away from the main group and she heard a small noise. She snuck around a boulder and saw a Clefairy dancing. Circe crept around out of it's line of sight, as she got close the clefairy heard her and turned around. Circe swore silently and tossed a pokeball to try and catch the Pokemon.

(Btw she is a level 7)

...Circe woke up, did her make up and had a quick cigarette. Today they were hunting Clefairy. She knew would catch it herself. They got on the bus and drove up the mountains and spread out in their search. Circe walked a small path that lead away from the main group and she heard a small noise. She snuck around a boulder and saw a Clefairy dancing. Circe crept around out of it's line of sight, as she got close the clefairy heard her and turned around. Circe swore silently and tossed a pokeball to try and catch the Pokemon.

(Btw she is a level 7)

When Clefairy first appeared on this barren isolated mountain, it was the middle of winter. The nights were long and lonely, but luckily, there was plenty for her to eat (sort of). Being a Fairy-type Pokemon, she was able to get nourishment from the moonlight. Her magical dance helped her focus her abilities and absorb the moon's energy. So she danced, and she danced, for hours each night... in order to survive.

When summer arrived, with the days long and the nights short, Clefairy had to dance even more, in order to absorb what little moonlight she could from the daytime sky, because as few may know, while the moon can be seen during the day, it's power is severely diluted. And so she danced, more and more, each day AND night... non-stop. It was both exhausting as well as her only means of survival.

That was when she heard the human, and turned around. It all happened so quickly, the strange ball flying toward her, the red light, and the darkness... oh, the darkness. She felt at ease, like she could rest...

The ball shook, once.... twice.... three times.... then popped open!

Confused, Clefairy looked around. What had just happened? What was that light? And that darkness, that moment of peace, why did it have to end so quickly? Then she noticed Cerce still standing there, obviously upset about something. Then she remembered. That ball that the girl threw, it was the reason for the red light; it was the reason for the peaceful darkness... She had to have more. So she jumped forward with one magically graceful leap, quickly closing the 5 yard gap between them.

The movement was startling for Cerce, for sure, but as the Clefairy patiently waited, she understood. It WANTS to be captured! Cerce's second throw was a complete success. There was no shaking, not even one...

Result #1: No Good, Sorry
Result #2: Yes, Please!

@Balthazar007

The Pokemon popped out of the pokeball on the third shake, Circe was preparing to watch it run away. But the Clefairy took a huge jump towards the bidding g trainer. Circe stepped back in surprise but upon closer inspection noticed that Clefairy looked malnourished, she remembered that Clefairy got most of it's food from dancing in the moonlight. She squinted up and saw the sun bright in sky, Russia's daylight lasted longer than other places. Circe understood, Clefairy wanted to be caught. So she tossed an other ball, the second closed it clicked. Her eyes opened wide, she was a real trainer now, she had her first pokemon. She ran full sprint back to the group full of excitement, as she ran up her foot caught a rock and she fell face first onto the ground. She sat up and rubbed her face and she smiled huge.

"I caught a Clefairy!!" She called out to the professors. After a bit more searching by the other people and no luck finding the fairy pokemon they all returned to the base camp. They all sat in the cafeteria eating. Circe called out her first pokemon, she looked dazed and nervous being brought out of the pokeball.

[color=fdc68a]["It's ok, I brought you to feed you."/color] The Clefairy looked at the pokefood in front of it and it's eyes got huge. She showed down with the best Snorlax out there and Circe smiled again. "I think I will call you Honey, after Honey Senpei from Ouran Highschool Host club." Honey kept eating not paying much attention to it's new trainer, it was good to have real food again.

@LuckyBlackCat@Cerces22@Zarkun@Dusksong

20:10 Local Time
It was the seventh day of their stay in cold Siberian Russia. Practically everyone was over it. They had went for a run earlier in the day, a run that produced no Pokemon sightings. Luckily Sergeant Sokolov presented them with their silver lining when they got back from their run. "It has been good getting you all into shape, but this is our last running. We do not run in the afternoon. You must pack your things and prepare to leave early tomorrow."

After dinner, Professor Rowan gave his goodbye speech. It was a well delivered goodbye, but it was the end of his speech that truly peaked everyone's interest. "Alright everyone, I'm sure you are all wondering where you will be going next, and I'm pleased to reveal this to you." He paused for a moment to clear his throat, perhaps on purpose for dramatic effect. "Your next destination is going to be France! There you will meet with my associate, Professor Sycamore. Also, if you take out your Pokedexes, you will find that all of your stops for the next six weeks have been mapped. My lab here is located in what is known as Pokemon HQ-2. Professor Sycamore's lab is inside Pokemon HQ-3. After that, your next stop will be Pokemon HQ-4 and so on, and so on, until you end up at Professor Oak's residence in Pokemon HQ-1. It has been an honor hosting you all..." Professor Rowan's speech lasted another five minutes, but honestly, most everyone had already tuned him out to look at their Pokedexes as he had unwittingly instructed.

(Quick Note: If go back to the map found within the first OOC post, you will see that it's been updated with the information Professor Rowan was talking about.)

---

Around 15:00, Local Time
Ten hours, it took ten hours (and two layovers in Moscow and Berlin) to get from Norilk Airport to Charles de Gaulle Airport (just outside Paris France). But since their travels took them to a more Western Timezone, six hours were saved on the clock. Though internally, their bodies wouldn't be fooled, especially those not used to flying. That was a LONG 10 hours. Luckily, their bus ride was a short 15 minutes away from their final destination... Pokemon HQ-3.

They were welcomed to the Pokemon HQ not by Professor Sycamore himself, but rather his assistant Sophie. She gave them the grand tour and let them pick out their rooms before leading everyone into the cafeteria for a nice French dinner. Aside from the food and scenery outside, the place was practically the same as its Russian counterpart.

It wasn't until the end of dinner that Professor Sycamore came into the cafeteria to make his welcoming speech. He spoke English, but with a strong Poke-French accent. "Why, hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well after your long journey. And welcome to France! I have grown to love it here, and I'm sure you will too... Now, I've been informed as to how they run their Poke Headquarters in Russia, and I assure you, that is not how things are done here. Instead, we will be training you minds. Your days will start with four hours of study and lecture, where you will focus on different cultures around the world. In the afternoons, you will all be free to go out in small groups of six to eight, plus one of my assistance and of course a driver for your van. You can travel in any direction, as long as you are back before midnight. If you check your Pokedexes for nearby Pokemon, you will find that there are more Pokemon around our area than there were in Russia..."

---

(Closing Notes: My next post is going to be this upcoming Sunday and will take place May 14th in the RP. That will be the "surprise" tournament announcement. Everyone has until then to try and catch one of the Pokemon listed in the hider above. After the announcement, everyone will have the chance to capture one more Pokemon before we leave France.

Just like in Russia, all you have to do is make a post where you encounter the Pokemon and choose its level and gender. Though, this time the Pokemon can be from level 1 to level 20. You can either battle it (if you have a Pokemon already) or throw a Pokeball. If you choose to battle, be sure to mention the name of your Pokemon's opening move (and only use moves your Pokemon could naturally learn by leveling up. I will then respond with results ASAP, probably within 24 hours.

If you choose to go after one of the ??? Pokemon, you must take your character to an appropriate area and give it a level and gender. I will then reveal the Pokemon. THEN you can try to catch it or battle it.

Unlike in Russia, you all don't have to do these in any order, and you don't have to wait for me to reply to someone else's post before you make yours. I can respond to multiple posts within a single one of my posts.)

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France || Industrialized Sector || May 12th

The ventures out to catch Pokemon were a chore in Dana’s eyes, but she accepted and completed them without complaint. However, it wasn’t until the group arrived in France and was given notice of their schedule that Dana finally felt that things were starting to move along at a decent pace. She wasted no time in plotting out her training plans for the next few days, and right after lecture and lunch she was en route to the city to track down her first round of targets: Togedemaru.

Combusken and Marshtomp, then Gothita or Mr. Mime with Scizor and Duskull, she thought as the driver pulled up in the city. She’d come with a group during the drive up, but she quickly broke from them, heading for the urban fringes where neighborhoods gave way to empty lots and factories.

Once she’d reached the correct environment, finding the Pokemon wasn’t a challenge, and it didn’t take long before she started coming across a few tumbling out from behind buildings or fences. However, Dana had no interest in the first few she came across; they were apparently weak, young, scared, and easily startled. Most of them quickly scuttled away at the sound of Dana’s approach, and the ones who stayed for a glance disappeared quickly at the sight of her and her Marshtomp.

After a while of walking, Dana’s Duskull drifted up to settle beside her, its red eyes glowing.

“Lead the way,” Dana said, following the Duskull towards a back lot. There, chewing on a pipe from the tarp-covered pile beside it, was a large Togedemaru that, upon noticing Dana and her Pokemon, whipped its tail aggressively, electricity sparking at its cheeks.

“Mud Bomb,” Dana said. Her Marshtomp complied, throwing out a ball of mud half the size of its target. Beside her, her Duskull settled in idly, red eyes drifting slowly between the battling Pokemon.


@Balthazar007 Togedemaru — Lvl 20

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France || May 12th

Camden fidgeted impatiently, trying and failing to take in anything the Professor was saying. Preoccupied was an understatement—Camden was couldn’t stop thinking about his lack of Pokemon. Sure he hadn’t expected himself to be the first or second to catch a Pokemon—though he hadn’t exactly thought impossible either—but to be one of the trailing tail of the group? One of the sparse handful that still lacked Pokemon? This he had never considered.

Russia was too barren, he thought angrily, flicking his pencil. After his failed attempt to capture the Stantler, he’d had no luck in finding another Pokemon. While others in the group caught Pokemon, he had nothing but empty Pokeballs and idle time. Professor Sycamore’s announcement the prior night promised another chance to catch Pokemon, but Camden was thoroughly irritated at the entire course of events. Sure, he’d thrown hundreds—maybe even thousands—of failed Pokeballs in his games, but in real life it felt different. Where ten Pokeballs in-game were dismissed with a few button presses and annoyed exhalations, his three very real, very present Pokeballs dredged up something Camden hadn’t felt in a while: failure.

For the majority of his life, Camden had gotten what he’d wanted. His grades were decent, his social circles respectable, and his participation in extracurriculars passable. Though he’d never stood out above the rest of his peers, he’d averaged in the upper half for as long as he could remember.

Now, though, his lack of Pokemon was physical testament to his inferiority in the group. He wasn’t even middling at this point; he was falling behind.

Disbelief didn’t even begin to cover it—Camden was shocked. How had he come to be in the lower half, the trailing tail of the curve? How was it that his peers were succeeding where he failed? Had he been wrong in believing he could become a Pokemon trainer? That he could face the challenges and come up successful? Was he wrong to be confident in his own success, certain that he would always make the cut?

Ridiculous, Camden thought, dismissing the thought. It wasn’t like he’d truly fallen behind or anything; he still had time to catch up, and he was sure he’d do that and more once he finally caught a Pokemon.

This is just a minor mishap—a bump in the road, he thought as his eyes drifted to the clock. One hour left.

---

During the bus ride to the park, Camden’s leg bounced impatiently—even nervously.

Not happening, he thought to himself as his eyes drifted over to the Pokemon world trainers in the van. Asking them for help is admitting defeat, and I don’t go down that easily, he thought, dismissing the idea of asking the trainers to weaken a wild Pokemon for him once in for all. He’d rather fail a hundred times more than stoop to ask for help for something so simple.

I’ll catch a Pokemon on my own, or not at all, he thought, as the group exited the van. Conversation was the last thing on his mind at this point; everything could wait until after he caught his first Pokemon, and with this thought in mind, he made straight for the park’s bushes, intent on finding what he’d come for: a Cherubi. Sure the prospect of owning a cherry wasn’t super appealing, but Cherrim’s ability to unveil itself from its overcast form to its sunshine form was a show-stopping tactic that Camden just couldn’t let up.

Luck appeared to be on his side today, for behind the first bush he peered behind was a dozing Cherubi.

C’mere, you overgrown cherry, he thought, retrieving a Pokeball from his pocket and throwing it at the Cherubi. Failure? Failure he’d seen, felt, and dealt with, so let it come at him again. He wasn’t scared of failing again—he’d pick up and throw the Pokeballs however many number of times was required. Let failure come at him, because a single success would cancel all of it.

---

@Balthazar007 Cherubi — lvl 10, male

...“Lead the way,” Dana said, following the Duskull towards a back lot. There, chewing on a pipe from the tarp-covered pile beside it, was a large Togedemaru that, upon noticing Dana and her Pokemon, whipped its tail aggressively, electricity sparking at its cheeks.

“Mud Bomb,” Dana said. Her Marshtomp complied, throwing out a ball of mud half the size of its target. Beside her, her Duskull settled in idly, red eyes drifting slowly between the battling Pokemon.

Togedemaru — Lvl 20

The Togedemaru that Dana found was indeed a hungry little critter. More than the rest, this Togedemaru had a keen knack for chowing down on just the right wire that would then cause entire factories to shut down. Because of this, every factory in the area had been trying for months to create some sort of Togedemaru trap. Unfortunately for them, Pokemon have a much higher intellect than their Earth world counter parts. Not one single Togedemaru had been caught in all this time. And in a way, that was also a good thing, because the traps weren't always the most humane.

That's where Dana comes in to play. One more bite down on the bundle of wires at Togedemaru's feet and BAM, at least five large machines in the packaging plant they were standing beside were about to be brought to a screeching halt.

Her first attack a "Mud Bomb" came hurling toward the Togedemaru, but Togedemaru wasn't scared. Instead it just launched back a counter attack of its own, a vicious "Spark". This was pure instinct for the little creature, an instinct that led it way wrong. Completely canceled out by the "Mud Bomb", Togedemaru went down hard. But Togedemaru wouldn't go down that easily... Their battle waged on for another two or three minutes, but it was no use, Togedemaru would wind up dazed and confused in defeat.

In that time, a small group of factory workers had stumbled upon the scene. The cheered when the Togedemaru fell down for the last time, obviously giving up. "Thank you so much!" Shouted a manager (only in French). "Now, are you going to take that thing with you? Or should we... take care of it?"

Result: Dana Wins

---

...Luck appeared to be on his side today, for behind the first bush he peered behind was a dozing Cherubi.

C’mere, you overgrown cherry, he thought, retrieving a Pokeball from his pocket and throwing it at the Cherubi. Failure? Failure he’d seen, felt, and dealt with, so let it come at him again. He wasn’t scared of failing again—he’d pick up and throw the Pokeballs however many number of times was required. Let failure come at him, because a single success would cancel all of it.

Cherubi — lvl 10, male

Cherubi was hiding for good reason. Since he arrived here on earth, he was almost eaten by children multiple times. He would be caught sleeping and they would grab at his smaller head. He would then wake up just in time to cry out and run away, leaving behind a scared child. Truth be told, he wouldn't die if someone ate his smaller vestigial head, but it would be painful, and it would take a long time to regrow another one.

When Camden pulled apart the bushes to find Cherubi, the little Pokemon awoke with a start. Instinctively, it turned to run away, but it didn't get far before Camden's Pokeball sucked it inside. It then fell to the ground and began to shake...

Once.... Twice.... Three times......... *Click*.... And it stopped moving. It was a success!

Result: Camden Caught a Cherubi

Well, this place wasn't exactly a sun-drenched paradise, but at least it wasn't a frozen wasteland. As Mililani tagged along through the Parisian streets, she couldn't help observing something - with its bistros and its intricate architecture, this area looked rather like pictures and descriptions of a Pokemon world location, Kalos. It brought to mind the professors' theory that the two worlds were parallels, with corresponding regions. Of course, whether or not they knew more than they were letting on had yet to be discovered...

Rowdy cries made it difficult to think as an argument between two girls grew more and more heated by the minute. Not a nasty argument, just one fuelled by overexcitement at having caught their first Pokemon, each trainer insisting their catch was the better by far.

Mililani huffed and shook her head. "Will you two cut it out already?" she snapped. "They'll both be good ones if you train them right. Which, may I add, requires self-control." She glared as she emphasised the last part. "If you really want, you can always settle it with a battle later on."

She tried to ignore their bickering as the group headed into a nearby cafe. Beside them, the five other Earth trainers she'd been put in charge of chatted and bubbled with almost the same passion. Mililani sighed. So mamy memories. The thrill of a new adventure, a promising future to stride towards, experiences to share with friends as they grew ever closer... She couldn't deny to herself that, in a way, she envied these people as much as she worried about them.

After struggling to make an order in broken French, she stormed outside, three other trainers laughing as they followed. Trying to take no notice, she set her plate of apple flan on the table and took her place with the others. Pomme, not pomme de terre... No wonder she'd gotten such a weird look, if she'd tried to order a caramelised POTATO pie. Wasn't the word for potato "patate"? Why were these Earth languages so complicated?

She was halfway through the snack, almost starting to relax as she watched Liko let Palila drink nectar from the flowers he'd collected, when it happened. The two shouting girls, hyped up on sugar and coffee, stood up and marched to the square by the cafe. In a flash, their Pokemon appeared. "Alright, let's decide this once and for all!" one trainer yelled.

With a loud scrape of the chair against the concrete, Mililani stood up. "Dammit, I didn't mean NOW!" she called as one girl's Gothita sent the other's Voltorb flying with Confusion. It landed with a crash, sending a flock of pigeons scattering, mostly towards people trying to enjoy their food. Cries rose up. A waiter staggered back from the flurry of wings, a creme brulee sliding off his tray and splattering on the ground.

"This isn't the time or place!" Mililani shouted, but there was no getting through the fever pitch. It didn't help matters that Palila zoomed over, cheering on the impromptu battle. The Oricorio squawked as she narrowly avoided a Rollout from the out of control Voltorb, who went hurtling right into a table. The couple seated there leapt up, avoiding the coffee spillage that flowed across the surface and cascaded over the sides.

It took several considerably less than pleased staff members emerging from the cafe for all trainers and Pokemon to fall silent.

...

"So much for a relaxing break," Mililani muttered, gripping a bag containing her leftover apple pie. Of course the entire group had been kicked out after that. Now they'd just have to head to the nearby park to finish their snacks...

She stepped through the gates and stared. Everyone in the park lay still, slumped on the grass or across benches. "Ohh shit." In an instant, she'd called out Ohanna. The Lucario craned her neck, black appendages on her head rising as she scanned their auras, then she relaxed. Mililani gave a sigh of relief. Nothing serious. By the look of it, everyone was just asleep, but why?

Slowly and carefully, she advanced, the other trainers following close behind. Then, Ohanna pointed into the bushes. Turning her head, Mililani caught a glimpse of something pink, which fled from view. The next thing she knew, a soothing song filled the air. I should have guessed, she thought, struggling against the drowsiness that washed over her, unable to resist curling up on the ground...

She woke to a groggy cry of annoyance. All around, people pulled themselves into sitting positions as one guy grumbled, searching around for the bag that contained his croissant. Propping herself up, Mililani noticed her slice of apple flan had disappeared.

"Well, we know who the culprit is," she mumbled as she and Ohanna staggered upright. This wasn't usual behaviour for a Jigglypuff. Usually, they wanted to be listened to, expressing displeasure when their audience fell asleep, yet none of the trainers had doodles on their faces. Either this was a particularly mischievous one, or its thieving was for a reason...

Ohanna crept towards the shrubbery, and without warning, pounced. "Ohanna, don't!" Mililani called, running forward at a rustling noise and a squeal. A pink blob leapt out, clutching a paper bag close to its round body. Fur fluffing up, it inflated itself to sing again.

"No, no, it's alright," Mililani said, her voice gentle as she crouched down low. "I think I know why you're doing this." The Jigglypuff stayed back, blue eyes fixed on her in a pointed glare, then widening as she took Pokemon treats from her bag. The reaction confirmed it - the Fairy type had been surviving this way.

"Here, have some of these instead." Mililani placed some of the treats on the ground, watching the Jigglypuff edge forward. It dropped the paper containing cafe food, picking up a Poke snack instead, noticeably calming as it ate. "If you want," the trainer continued, pulling out a Pokeball, "you can come along, and we'll find a way to get back to our world."

As the Jigglypuff looked up, with curiosity this time rather than fear, Mililani threw the Pokeball and hoped for the best.

@Balthazar007 Jigglypuff, female, lv9

---

By the time Ryan reached the field, it had started drizzling, but that was no bad thing. For one, Gilkey seemed to enjoy this kind of atmosphere, damp yet decently warm. The other reason was, this weather would undoubtedly make it easier to catch the Pokemon he was searching for.

"This is going to be no problem for us," he said, glancing down at the Foongus who hopped alongside him, then up towards the clouds gathering above the green expanse. "I mean, it surely won't take long to find one in an open place like this..." Despite the self-assurance in his voice, he couldn't help but frown as he ventured further into the grassland, eyes flicking this way and that. According to the Pokedex, wasn't this Pokemon supposed to be common in open areas? How difficult could this be...?

A sudden torrent of water gushed down over his head. With a startled splutter, he backed away and stared up at the cloudlike creature floating in the air, its head encased in a giant raindrop, its body compressing itself like a sponge. It giggled as it drifted down.

"Very funny." Ryan rolled his eyes from the wild Pokemon to Gilkey, who visibly struggled not to join in the chuckling. "Well, at least we've found what we came here for!" A Castform, with its ability to adapt to any environment, would be perfect for a travelling enthusiast like him - not to mention having a team member who could predict the best times to go camping or exploring would certainly be a plus.

The Castform grinned, taking its place in front of Gilkey, bobbing up and down. "Ah, not going to come along without a fight, are you?" Ryan asked, stepping forward, readying himself for his first battle. "Gilkey, you ok with this?" A nod signalled the trainer's cue to start.

"Ha! Grass against water, this is no challenge at all," Ryan commented. "Alright Gilkey, use Absorb!" Before the mushroom Pokemon could do anything, the Castform barrelled forward with Tackle, sending the Grass type rolling sideways on her cap. "Ah! Gilkey!" It looked like type advantage wasn't everything. Would it be enough to offset the difference in strength between the two? And what if the Castform knew an Ice type move?

Even as he watched the Foongus jump back up, form a red energy ball between her stubby hands and shoot forth a beam of light, it did little to ease the tension taking over his assertiveness. He'd watched a few battles in the Russian headquarters, and could tell Pokemon were pretty tough. Commanding his living, breathing friend to fight, though, was nothing like commanding creatures of pixels and coding to fight.

They'll both be alright, he reminded himself, fists clenching as he called out moves for Gilkey to use. Even so, he made a mental note to ask Professor Sycamore about potions and other healing items at the next opportunity.

@Balthazar007 Castform, male, lv8

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France || Industrialized Sector || May 12th

Dana didn’t speak French, but after a series of attempts at pointing and signing, Dana worked out the gist of what the workers were asking, and she shook her head. She had no interest in any of the Pokemon in the area past that of training fodder. However, seeing the workers’ joy and the chewed pipes, Dana guessed at the workers were cheering for more than just her victory.

“Are there any other Pokemon you’d like me to take care of?” Dana asked in English. If none of them understood, there’d be no point in continuing to try to communicate anyway.

After a pause, one of the workers stepped forwards. “There are many of them, all the time,” he said in choppy English as he pointed to the fainted Togedemaru. “Too many. Bigger is worse—strong enough to bite through pipes. If you, trainer, could help us catch them, that would be a great help.”

“I’m happy to help. I’ll just need to know where they are,” Dana said.

The worker shook his head. “The small ones always run when we come, and the big ones are smarter. They know where we don’t check for them.”

“Alright. I’ll just defeat any big ones I come across,” Dana said, looking to her Duskull, which sank down into the ground. “Where should I bring the ones I find?”


@Balthazar007

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France || May 12th

Camden couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he retrieved his Pokeball. He’d done it—caught his first Pokemon. Everything was as it should be again, which was to be expected. His earlier doubts were clearly unfounded.

Cherubi—Ruby, Camden thought, calling out the Cherubi once he was a fair distance from the bushes. With a flash of light, the confused grass-type appeared, blinking and looking around with alarm.

“Hey there,” Camden said, crouching down. The Cherubi regarded him with wary eyes that flicked between him and the bushes behind. “I’m Camden, and I’ll be your trainer. Cherubi—do you mind if I call you ‘Ruby’?”

The Cherubi stared at him and, after a brief moment of silent consideration, nodded, its vestigial head bobbing with the motion.

“Great,” Camden said, grinning as he straightened up. “Nice to meet you, Ruby. I’m sure we’ll get along fine.”

I’ll have to train him and such, but first, Camden thought, looking around at the other trainers in the area, let’s see what everyone else is up to.

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