Ask to Join A totally normal Galar adventure

[Inkachu1251]

My second attempt at doing this (sorry moderators for the spam), this will be open for the rest of March.

Raikiri looked down at the town of Wedgehurst and sighed. He still had all this mail to deliver, and so little time. He fixed his focus to his partner, Taiyo the Scorbunny, and said, "Let's take a break. We don't have much left." Taiyo excitedly kicked his feet, and they both sat down. "I won't have to do this much longer. Soon we'll be on an adventure and become the most powerful duo in Galar!" Raikiri then noticed the group of trainers gathered around the research lab and wondered what they were doing. He shrugged it off and got back to work.

 

[Psymallard]

Walt had just arrived on the ship from Unova as a stowaway, and chose Wedgehurst as a place to lay low for a while. Back in Unova, he spent the last of his money on five more pokemon. There were many trainers gathering around what looked like a sort of lab. Pretending to have some interest, Walt shoves through the crowd. Raising a fistful of pickpocketed money, Walt whispers, "Should be enough," and goes to set up camp in the neighboring forest.

 

[=Nightshade=]

15-year-old Vanessa Johnston, arms crossed, loitered on the edge of town. Her Linoone partner Bandit was wrapped around her neck, tail draped over one shoulder, head over the other. With one finger, she absentmindedly stroked his luxurious fur. He yawned in ecstasy, showing off long, sharp teeth and a long pink tongue.

“What to do, what to do...” Vanessa was at somewhat of a loss. There wasn’t any Gym in Wedgehurst, last she checked... so why had she come?

At that moment, Bandit launched himself off of her and raced along the ground. Vanessa made a wild grab, missed. She let out a string of Alolan curse words and tore after him. “Bandit, get your fluffy striped tail back over here!”

She knew it was useless. When Bandit saw something he wanted, he took it and made like... well, a bandit. Of course, it resonated with what she did, so she enjoyed these wild goose chases to an abnormal amount.

Tongue lolling, the Galarian Linoone darted through the crowd, causing children to reach for it and adults to trip over it. Vanessa applied her crowd-moving-maneuvers and shot after him.

Bandit was heading towards the lab, and Vanessa was so focused on the black-and-white pelt of her partner that she didn’t see the boy until she had almost run into him. It seemed he was delivering mail, and had possibly dropped a coin. It could have belonged to anyone else in the crowd, though. Bandit jumped on the coin with the ferocity of an angered Pangoro, then came back to the girl, coin triumphantly held in his teeth.

Vanessa scooped up the fluffy critter and he scurried back to drape over her neck once more. She pried the coin from his jaws and held it out to the boy. “Is this yours?” she asked.
(OOC: sorry, my posts are long most of the time)
@Inkachu1251

 

[Inkachu1251]

Raikiri was just turning the corner to another part of Wedgehurst when suddenly what looked like a black-and-white blur jumped on top of him and ripped something out of his bag. He wasn't sure what it was until he saw it in some girl's hands. It was the Amulet Coin that his mother had given him when he first got Taiyo six months back. The girl asked if it was his, and he replied, "Yeah. It's really special to me. I don't know what I was thinking just leaving it in my bag. Sorry if I got in your way."

 

[=Nightshade=]

Vanessa gave the coin back to the boy. “No, you’re fine. I’m the one who should be sorry,” she said apologetically. “Bandit just can’t resist shiny things. He steals... well, everything.” She affectionately stroked the Linoone’s head, and he lazily swished his tail from side to side. “I’ve found that the only one who can stop him is Echo, my Noivern. Me, I let him run, then return whatever he steals.” A feisty grin quirked one side of her mouth, and she held out her hand. “I’m Vanessa.”

 

[Inkachu1251]

"I'm Raikiri, pleased to meet you. This is my partner, Taiyo the Scorbunny, and I would rather not bring out Kishi. He goes really insane around new people."

 

[=Nightshade=]

A soft hiss directed at the Scorbunny from Vanessa’s shoulder caused her to glance over at Bandit. “That’s his friendly hiss,” she said. “You don’t want to hear his mean one. It’ll give you nightmares for weeks. Believe me, I know.”

A shadow crossed her face, laced with dark thoughts and cynical pessimism. Her tongue flicked out of her mouth and swiped around her lips before going back in. A nervous habit, one she shared with Bandit. The Linoone yawned and rolled over on her shoulders so he was lying on his back. “Yeah, love you too,” she muttered grudgingly to her partner. “So,” she said, looking back to Raikiri. “Looks like you got mail to deliver. Need help?”

 

[Inkachu1251]

"Oh, uh... yes, actually," Raikiri replied. "This job is really tiring sometimes. It's great to have a little help every once in a while." Taiyo ran around in circles excitedly to show he approved of that idea. "Most of these deliveries are fan mail to the Champion guy living in Postwick, which sometimes makes the job easier, but not if the mailbox magically becomes bigger."

 

[=Nightshade=]

Vanessa exchanged a knowing look with her partner. The Champion in Postwick. Once they were strong enough, that’s where they would be heading. “Okay, then, let’s go.” She took half of the remaining mail and started walking.

 

[Inkachu1251]

As he was walking, Raikiri thought to himself, This girl just now, she and her Linoone could potentially help me with this adventure that me and Taiyo have been dreaming about for so long. He looked down at his little Fire type, who was holding a letter above his head, and smiled. This could work.

 

[Psymallard]

As night fell, Walt began to roast berries over the fire he had set up, not just for food, but as a dare to surrounding pokemon to follow the strong aroma. Pyrite (Walt's shiny sableye) started to gnaw on a nearby boulder, and Trebuchet (the dragapult) curled up with it's dreepy. The only pokemon nearby were very low leveled, even lower than his mostly artificially evolved team. The only notable event of the night was when a pikachu jumped out of the brush. Sock (an envious mimikyu) went overboard on wood hammer and fainted from the recoil. The meat was not edible because there were numerous shattered bones, but Needle (a gengar) ate it anyway.

 

[Inkachu1251]

Everything seemed ok that night in Raikiri's house.
His mom had gone to bed already, and he was quietly playing video games when he heard a noise outside. It kind of sounded like several consecutive impacts? Raikiri decided to investigate. He wasn't dumb, though, Taiyo's and Kishi's pokeballs were tucked into his pant pockets. I ain't letting this stand much longer, he thought to himself as he left his house. Whoever's out there has got a lot of nerve making that much noise this late at night.

 

[=Nightshade=]

Echo emerged from his Pokeball and Vanessa vaulted onto his back. She had let all her Pokémon out to get some fresh air, and Silver, her Corsola, was nestled in her arms. Bandit, of course, still had a claim on her shoulders. Silver leaped out of her arms onto her usual spot on Echo’s back.

“Let’s grab some chow,” Vanessa said to the Noivern. When she said ‘grab some chow,’ she meant literally. Echo flapped his wings once, twice, three times, and they were in the air. Five seconds later, several shopkeepers were startled out of their minds as a black-and-blue streak snatched a couple Torchic drumsticks and Chansey eggs.

The Noivern lit silently in a tree, and Bandit snatched a drumstick. Echo held the other out to Vanessa and began to eat his Chansey egg. Silver stilled on Echo’s back and began to “photosynthesize”. She had adapted to absorbing the moon’s energy for food. Vanessa slid off Echo and onto the thick branch the rest of her Pokémon were on. She swung her legs absentmindedly from the bough.

As she sank her teeth into the succulent stolen meat, Vanessa glanced down from the tree. There was a boy who had set up camp below the tree whom she hadn’t noticed before. She watched him for a few seconds, then sank back against the tree trunk. She took a rope she kept around her waist as a belt and tied herself to the branch so she wouldn’t fall off as she slept. Bandit curled up in her lap as Echo moved closer to her, Silver still on his back. She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep.

 

[Inkachu1251]

There wasn't as much as Raikiri expected on the way to Wedgehurst, he thought he would easily find whatever made all that commotion. He decided to send out Kishi and let him search the area. Kishi began circling overhead, looking for something, and then Raikiri saw it.

There was a Noivern propped on a tree, didn't that girl say something about a Noivern? and when he looked closer, he realized it was her. But Vanessa wouldn't have made this kind of noise, would she? Then he saw what most likely made the ruckus. Under where the Noivern was propped, there was a tiny bonfire with a person and his pokemon around it. Raikiri returned Kishi and ran closer to the tree.

 

[Psymallard]

Where's the party? Walt thought as he heard another person rustling in the brush. Walt scowled at the thought of being caught by cops this early on in a new region. "Sneak up on us and I won't care if my pokemon reap your soul." Which wasn't a bluff, he genuinely allowed his pokemon to do as they please most of the time. The only exception were radical things in public areas. In a forest, he could probably get away with it, or just stowaway on another ship leaving from Hulbury.

 

[Inkachu1251]

Raikiri was nearing the tree when he heard a low voice threaten his life. He decided not to freak out or call the cops, but rather handle it by himself. Although he couldn't do much, he decided to let the kid know that he wasn't necessarily alone in this tree. "I hope you noticed the Noivern that is propped up, oh I don't know, right above you?"

 

[Psymallard]

"I did. His owner doesn't seem to know you came, either. If it's about the noise, then you should know my pokemon can get a little.....aggressive." Walt was fine with someone being near his camp. He wasn't fine with the attitude he received for warning another trainer of his own pokemon. "What're you here for, tough guy?"

 

[=Nightshade=]

Vanessa’s eyes shot open at the sound of an argument below her. One of the voices was familiar, the other not. Raikiri? The other voice must have belonged to the kid who had set up camp before she arrived. Bandit let out a hiss of his own, sending chills down her spine. She still hadn’t gotten used to the sound he made when irritated. Echo was shifting uncomfortably on his perch.

The sounds of arguing were growing louder. Vanessa grit her teeth and deftly unwrapped the rope from her waist. She jumped off the branch and landed on her feet, catlike. Echo spread his wings, ready to intervene if needed.

“What. The heck. Is this. About,” she said irritably, pausing periodically for effect. Bandit leaped down to land on her shoulder, still hissing.

 

[Psymallard]

"I'm trying to get this punk to leave the premise. I don't think he has the idea to just camp here like the two of us." All of Walt's pokemon (save Sock, who was tired out from using wood hammer too many times) had their observant stares fixated on the two strangers, mainly the unwelcome one. Walt was more careful to diffuse the situation now, since the girl seemed at least somewhat reasonable to talk to, and her pokemon seemed able enough to draw out a loud battle which would draw attention from the neighboring town. "I don't deal much with living people, but I need to know, what did you come for, bleach-blonde?"

 

[Inkachu1251]

"I don't really see why I should still be here," Raikiri retorted. "I found the guy who made all that ruckus I was hearing, and he wants to be left alone. Okay. I get it. I'm leaving now."

 

[Psymallard]

"Oh no," he said with a hellish grin. He barely had enough time to swiftly recall all his pokemon, who would've taken advantage of his vulnerable state to attack the strangers, before he doubled over in uncontrollable, hysterical "laughter." His body writhed as his lungs spasmed in the same noise you would hear as if he was happy. But this happening would take another five to ten minutes of oxygen-deprived suffering. Last time it happened in a mall one month ago. Of all the times I'm alone... he thinks, and attempts to crawl to his tent.

 

[=Nightshade=]

“I’m up there.” Vanessa pointed to the treetop above, where Echo lurked, ready to swoop down at any given moment. “And I’m here because someone—or someones, plural—were having a shouting match while I’m tryin’ to sleep. And furthermore—what the heck?” It seemed like the guy was laughing and having a seizure at the same time. Bandit was so surprised he stopped hissing and lashing his tail. “Are you... okay?” She didn’t ask because she cared, but because that was just what you were supposed to do when someone collapsed.

 

[Inkachu1251]

All of Raikiri's instincts were telling him to run, but something inside anchored him to the spot. The guy looked as though he was dying of a seizure, and Raikiri wanted to see more. Although once again there wasn't much he could do, he didn't need to do anything.

 

[Psymallard]

Walt reached the tent, and found his bag. With an almost uncontrollable hand, he spilled the bag's contents out, and sprayed a full heal on his face. He relaxed his muscles and face down in the dirt mumbled; "Sorry you had to see that. I don't know when, where, or why it happens. Damn it." His abdominal muscles hurt, and he was annoyed that it happened on that specific night.

 

[Inkachu1251]

"Heh. It's no problem, really. I see stuff stranger than that every day." Raikiri then noticed the pokeballs spilled on the ground and mumbled, "You a Pokemon trainer?"

 

[=Nightshade=]

Vanessa nodded like she knew what he was talking about, but the truth was, his voice was somewhat muffled by the fact that his face was buried in dirt. All she heard was “Thorry oo ad thoo mmmm...” and couldn’t really deduce words from that. But she nodded anyways. Bandit, at least, had stopped hissing and growling like his mortal enemy was before him, and Echo had somewhat relaxed.

“I don’t believe we’ve been introduced,” Vanessa said. “I’m Vanessa.” She gestured you each of her Pokémon in turn. “Bandit, Echo, and the Corsola on Echo’s back is Silver. You seem to have a thing for Ghost-types,” she noted as an afterthought.

 

[Psymallard]

"I'm Walt. Yes, ghost types used to pass through the abandoned apartment I used to live next to." He released each pokemon one at a time. "Pyrite, Trebuchet, Coal (the shiny palossand), Needle, Sock, and Poppy (the blacephalon). Trebuchet's dreepy are named Pin and Point. Bleach-blonde, you got a name I assume?"

 

[Inkachu1251]

"I'm Raikiri. This little rabbit here is Taiyo, and Kishi (the rookidee) is right here."

 

[=Nightshade=]

“Echo, why don’t you and Silver come down and say hello?” Vanessa called into the treetops. A few seconds later, a dark shadow glided past over their heads, and the Noivern landed beside the girl. She reached up to scratch his head. Bandit scurried up her arm and back onto Echo, and Silver looked up at her imploringly, spectral branches waving in remembered ocean currents to better soak up the moonlight.

Vanessa glanced back at Walt. “You and Silver should get along nicely. She’s a Ghost-type too, you know.” She picked up the ghostly Corsola. Her branches dissipated into the air as the girl’s shadow blocked out the moon. “Go ahead,” she said to the Coral Pokémon. “Say hello.” Silver glared daggers at both boys. “Take it as a compliment,” Vanessa advised. “Normally she just goes and attacks new people.”

 

[Psymallard]

"Most of my pokemon are shoot first, ask question never types. I can barely control them, except for Pyrite and Coal." Walt recalled all except Pyrite. "Pyrite is my partner pokemon. He's a greedy bastard who eats rocks and shiny things." The shiny sableye looked observantly at the newcomers, moonlight shining in it's emerald eyes.

 

[=Nightshade=]

Vanessa laughed. “Reminds me of Bandit. If he sees something shiny, it’s as good as gone. I’m always having to return the things he steals. That’s where I got his nickname.” She rubbed the Linoone’s head from his perch on Echo. Gesturing at Raikiri, she continued. “Just the other day, he stole Raikiri’s coin.” She glanced sideways at him, unwilling to divulge that it was an Amulet Coin. “That’s how I met him. Almost ran right into him.”

 

[Psymallard]

"Pyrite is smart and sneaky about stealing, so sometimes I don't even know he's stolen something." Pyrite let out a high-pitched giggle as it held up the Amulet Coin. "Damn, these are pretty useful, if I remember. Amulet Coins, were they?" Walt took the coin and examined it. "Would be a shame if someone stole it a third time," he said, smirking. He flipped the coin back to Raikiri.

 

[Inkachu1251]

"I'll try not to let that happen." Raikiri noticed that when Walt spoke, Kishi had a grimacing look on his face. "I'll be off then," Raikiri said, looking towards Postwick. "Unless one of you has something else to say."

 

[=Nightshade=]

“It’s the middle of the night,” Vanessa scoffed. Or tried to. The fact that she was holding back a gigantic yawn kind of ruined the effect she was going for. “I don’t know ‘bout you folks, but I’ma go sleep in a tree.” With that, Vanessa leaped onto Echo’s back, Silver loosely held in her arms, and flew up into the canopy. She lashed herself to another branch and leaned back, waiting for sleep to claim her.

 

[Psymallard]

Walt watched the morning sun's golden light permeate the green pine branches. He didn't sleep that night, he normally never does. He thought about the two people through the night, how they were the only sober people he'd held a somewhat pleasant conversation with in a while. As it grew later in the morning, it seemed as if Walt would be lost in thought all day.

 

[Inkachu1251]

Raikiri didn't really remember his dream that night. There wasn't much thought in his head that morning as he went down to the post office to get his daily mail. He wasn't focused on a lot when he began delivering mail that day. But what he didn't know was that a lot was going to happen that day.

 

[=Nightshade=]

Vanessa woke with nothing beneath her but rope. She was disoriented for a second before she realized that up had become down. Bandit was above her on the branch, pacing back and forth nervously. Numb fingers fumbled with the knot that tied her to the branch. As it came undone, she maneuvered herself into a position to land on the branch below her.

Needless to say, Vanessa had no trouble at all catching herself on the branch. Small pebbles skittered off the wood and fell to the ground far below. She whistled softly, and Echo swooped down and lifted her up and away.

“Let’s do some aerial acrobatics. Use Aerial Ace!” Vanessa called to the Noivern. Echo complied, and she was flung into the air, whooping like a maniac. “Yeah!”

Bandit clung to Echo for dear life, Silver following suit. Vanessa, on the other hand, let herself be tossed through the air, trusting her life to Echo as she had done since eight years old. She caught hold of the Dragon-type’s tail and dipped down, feeling her stomach jump into her throat, before being flicked back up again. Tucking her knees in close to her chest, she rolled over and over in the air, falling for several yards before Echo caught an ankle with a claw and she was flying once again, screaming in terrified joy the whole time.

This was what Vanessa lived for. This was who she was.

 

[Inkachu1251]

Wedgehurst isn't very noisy today, well, compared to yesterday. Raikiri thought to himself what yesterday was like, how there were so many trainers around the lab, and he wondered what all of them did there. He would soon find out.

 

[Psymallard]

Walt heard a commotion coming from the tree, and saw Vanessa had woken up. As her noivern, Echo, if he remembered, soared into the sky, she had the biggest grin on her face. She let out screams that didn't seem to be entirely out of negative emotion, and they sounded alien but sweet to Walt's ears. As wind from the bat-dragon's powerful wings flooded the campsite, Walt thought; So that's what it's like being alive? Maybe I should stick around those two. As the Vanessa and her pokemon trio soared across the noontime sun once more, Walt almost smiled.

 

[Inkachu1251]

Taiyo worked twice as fast that morning. Raikiri didn't know why at first, but then he realized that his little fire type was excited about the two people he had seen last night. Although Raikiri didn't know where either of them were at first, it was easy to pinpoint Vanessa because she was flying with her Noivern. Remembering that Walt was under her in the same tree, Raikiri finished delivering the mail for that morning and hurried over.