Private/Closed Annual Almia Tournament (RP)

[Merciless Medic]

(For the Discussion Thread and how the place is structured, here it is: Annual Almia Tournament.)

@Takumeme666420, @Kibago, @vaultie, @Eis, @Ninian, @Top_Smug_, @Mr.Glaceon, @Ry_Burst, @Sukoku

The sun rose over the horizon, lighting up the region of Almia down below. Usually, the region was a very sleepy region, with Pokemon and humans living harmoniously, even without the Pokemon getting caught for Gym Challenges and Elite Four and Champion battles. The only parts of the region that were usually bustling with activity were the port harbors on Pueltown and the Ranger School East of Vientown, where the young teenagers are being trained on how to be an Operator or a Ranger. The Ranger Base in Vientown would normally start to see some action as the Rangers and Operators woke up early to start their jobs and let the ones on the graveyard shift go back home to rest. Right now, the region of Almia had been alive earlier than it would normally be, especially in the rest of the week before as tourists come by for the main attraction: The Annual Almia Tournament set North of Peril Cliffs in order to celebrate the Liberation of the Tower, an event that had taken place several years prior that led to the defeat of Team Dim Sun and their nefarious scheme to control all of the Pokemon in Almia.

Right now, the region of Almia had been setting up lights and decorations all over the region to commemorate such a well known local ceremony. They lit up the pathway from the dock of Pueltown, through Altru Park, then West on Union Road, and then North up to Peril Cliffs, where there is a gondola lift to take people up the treacherous and unforgiving cliff side. They even lit the pathway from the top of Peril Cliffs to the main building before the elliptical stadium itself. Many characters from around the world have gathered at the top of Peril Cliffs to sell their wares and merchandise and treats, such as Casteliacones, Poke Beans, Poke Puffs, Poffins, Poke Blocks, Berry Juice from Apricorns, and many other treats for humans and Pokemon alike, even cotton candy, popcorn, hot dogs, and the age-old favorites: a bag full of peanuts and corn dogs.

The boats holding many passengers had been docking and leaving quickly, rushing to dump their passengers before leaving to gather more people for the ceremony, since there was no other way to get to Almia except by Pokemon. Pokemon Rangers have been established along the route from Pueltown to the stadium, helping to guide people on their way there and offering maps and brochures about their customs and other areas tourists would like to see. They were also there to deter crime, since they are a special task force of police. Many locals here seem ready to help anyone who had come from another region, and they always help with a smile when it has deemed itself appropriate.

Meanwhile, a young man could be seen at the very bow of the cruise ship. He could feel the salt sting his face and the wind brush through his short hair. His two quadruped fox-like Pokemon, a Jolteon and a Leafeon, were at his feet, watching the very center of Almia get closer and closer. He could see a lot of activity as everyone was getting ready for the ceremony to start and aiding those lost to where they need to be. Pueltown was by far not as large as Saffron City, or even Olivine City. It still held a rustic wonder, and he never knew as to why he had never heard of the region until just recently.

As the ship got closer to the dock, he could make out a few people in uniforms. They looked to be like police officers, or a really organized team of volunteers sent to be the official greeting party for the tourists. He pulled out his brochure he obtained from Vermilion City and saw that the people who wear these uniforms were actually Pokemon Rangers, a special kind of police task force that befriended Pokemon by a kind of spinning stylus and have these wild Pokemon help them in stopping crime. They were usually used to protect people, Pokemon, and the habitats they co-exist in. He widened his eyes at that and he looked at the people, who now took their time away from the tourists to help dock the ship. Whenever he had a mid-life crisis, he'll study to become a Pokemon Ranger, the young man thought.

As the ship docked, the young man and his two Eeveelutions got off of the ship via a plank, and the Pokemon Ranger there greeted him personally. This man remarked on how he looked like he was here for the tournament. He told the young man to follow the highly decorated streets and the Pokemon Rangers at Union Road will help him into a gondola lift over some sharp looking cliffs. Sean, trying to remember the instructions, thanked the Pokemon Ranger and made his way toward the busy street lined with small markets of the Almia region's finest merchants. Sean looked about, not too sure on what he should buy as a souvenir. He might as well browse the wares to see if he could find anything cool looking. His Leafeon, Arboria, and Jolteon, Joltz, stayed close by his side, as either of them didn't want to run off and give Sean a mini heart attack from losing his two favorite Pokemon in a very bustling city.

 

[Ninian]

The blonde duo stepped off the most recent ferry, their eyes scanning the area. This was their first time to the Almia region, in part because they never got a chance to, but also because their passport restricted their travel. Still, they were able to get a special pass this time.

This was the first time the female of the pair had seen a Pokémon Ranger, and her blue gaze fixed upon the uniformed man's Styler. Frowning, she commented to her companion, "A curious device. I do not understand why they do not simply capture their partners?"

Looking over to her, the man smiled, "Ah, there are many reasons to not capture a Pokémon. I am sure you are aware that a pokéball limits the power of the captured Pokémon. That is the purpose of the red chains... and of course their Stylers. It also allows them to gain the assistance of indigenous Pokémon."

Nodding, the woman responded, "Perhaps, but does it not take time to to utilize the Styler?"

The scientist, Colress, beamed, "Of course, but it is still both efficient and effective."

Glancing up to the man, the woman acknowledged his words, however she did not make any further attempt at conversation. This was about the time the pair was greeted by a Pokémon Ranger. After receiving instructions, the pair departed for the nearby streets.

The amount of merchandise lining the streets was absolutely incredible. Though the woman saw no point in any of the objects, their sheer volume was still impressive. Looking to her companion, she'd speak up, "Do humans enjoy purchasing such pointless objects?"

Fingers typing madly across the tablet device embedded into his sleeve, the scientist nodded, "Ah, yes. Many do."

 

[FrostCrispz]

A small ship slowly cut through the waves of the port's waves. Upon the ship stood two shadows, or what seemed to be shadows from the shore. One was large with a shark-like head. The other more humanoid, but quite smaller. This duo happens to be Maximum Raide, and one of her pokemon, G. The two were here for the tournament.

Three hours earlier...
Max stood on the bow of 'Hallowed Rock' her father's personal craft. "So, the tournament starts soon. Training has to be done." The female said, pulling up the goggles around her eyes. The sun caught the sea, causing a bright light to show up on the water. "G, what do you think? Can you do it this time?" She asked her Garchomp. The two have been practicing this move for water fighting for about a year now, and he hasn't been able to master it yet. G gave a slight nod, turning back to the sea. A blue aura enveloped him, and he dived in.

Modern time...
Max stepped off the now docked shore, G standing beside her. Normally, Melody would be with her, but water seems a little lacking. "The battle's gonna be up high, best get ready before heading up there." She said as a Ranger walked up to her. "Madam, your pokemon is scaring the children." The Ranger said. Max turned to face him. "They should be. He's one of my strongest for the tournament." Max said to the Ranger. He nodded to her, acknowledging her reason. "Best return him. Don't want to give others an advantage." Max shook her head no. "This way G sees what I see." She said, turning to walk off towards the the cities many stores.

 

[vaultie]

"-An' you still got his ball, right?"

"Yes..."

"And his blanket an' all his treats an-"

"Yes, Guz! Everything's there."

A couple had just departed from the ship, the male going first down the ramp. He was accompanied by a young woman around his own age, following after him. He had taken her small hand into his, guiding her down since she was in heels of about four inches, at a bit of a fall risk on uneven ground. The woman clutched her shoulderbag, brushing her bangs out of her sight as the taller man ran a hand through his fluffy, white hair. "Damn, sorry, alright? You know how I get when we travel. 'M not used to it."

"I know, I know, but I am used to it. You gotta remember that, okay? I'm not gonna forget about anything that easily, especially when it comes to Tidepool." She patted her pink bag, giving a confident smile at him and holding onto his toned arm.

He gave a deep breath out, letting her cling on as they walked, only to tense up at the sight of a pair of Rangers. They were currently busy helping out someone else and had failed to noticed the two of them just yet, but the male still felt uneased at the sight of some form of authority. His train of thought was interrupted when he felt a squeeze on his arm, looking down at his brunette companion.

"Hey," She dropped her voice, a more personal and caring tone coming through. "You don't have to worry. This isn't Alola, remember? Nobody knows here, you'll be okay."

"...Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Like I said, y'know how I get when we travel." He stuffed his free hand into the left pocket of his jacket, warily glancing around as the two made their way from the docks to the center of the city, hoping there wouldn't be any interruptions.

 

[Fire Mana]

A young man sat near the front of a very small passenger ship, preparing to dock in the region of Almia. He peeked over the top of the book he was reading, watching the shore approach faster and faster. He sighed, shutting his book and sliding out of his chair. Peaking over his shoulder, he saw his partner. A red and black figure, covered in blades. The figures eyes were closed and his arms were crossed, he looked bored and annoyed to say the least.

"C'mon King, we're almost there. Look," He said, pointing over the railing of the ship, "Right there, that's where we're headed. Once we get there we'll get to battle all kinds of incredible trainers!" Upon hearing this, King's eyes sprung open. Shortly after realizing there was no battle to be had currently, his eyes shut again.

The pair stepped off of the tiny vessel, and onto the wooden docks. Hundreds of people crowded the area, some brushing past him and some nearly knocking him off his feet. After what seemed like hours of shoving through the mass of humans and Pokemon, the duo finally stepped off the docks.

"You look like a fairly strong trainer, and that means you're probably here for the tournament right?" A woman in a ranger uniform walked over to the trainer and Pokemon. She had bright blonde hair and deep blue-gray eyes. The smile on her face was friendly, and warm, and inviting. Like the sun itself was in her mouth.

"Yeah, we are... Would you mind pointing out where we're supposed to go actually? We seem to be lost."

"Well of course, it is my job after all. Follow me, I'll show you the path and you can go from there."

 

[Sukoku]

A small ship approached the Pueltown's docks, and inside that ship, there were many passengers coming from the Unova region, but, only one was there to actually enter the championship, and that person was Mike! Mike was sleeping inside a small room that held his eight PokéBalls, his clothes, and some other things.

The sun hit Mike's face, and he opened his eyes, rolling them around, he then took the blanket off his body, and he was wearing green pajamas. "What a good day," Mike said after opening the window and looking out. "Time to get ready," He muttered, getting inside the bathroom and taking a quick bath, he then brushed his teeth, getting out and wearing his casual clothing, he then picked up his backpack, placing all his clothes inside it, he then placed two PokéBalls inside it, they were Giggles' and Pansear's PokéBalls, they were Mike's alternative Pokémon. Mike then placed all the other PokéBalls in his pants' pockets.

The ship stopped, and Mike walked out of it. As he stepped on the street, he picked up Almighty Kisser 47's PokéBall, throwing it forwards. "AK-47, let's see what this island can offer!" Mike said, picking the Amoonguss up and walking around with it, stopping by many tents and stores and buying many souvenirs. Mike ate a lot of food, and, if he ate anything more, he'd puke, so, knowing that, he headed towards a small chair located on a sidewalk, and he sat down on it, looking up at the sky and appreciating the view.

 

[Eis]

A young woman stood amidst the small crowd that was beginning to form at the base of the ship, surveying the town that lay past the docks. She had come rushing to the region of Almia, a region that was previously unknown to her, as soon as she heard of the Liberty Tower tournament that was held there. It wasn't until after the woman had departed from the boat that she realized that she had no idea where she needed to go.

"Eh, I'll figure it out in a bit. There a'int any rush after all." The woman, Nina, decided that now would be a good time to release her partner. She unhitched a pokeball from her belt, clicking the center button and releasing a small, agile looking creature in front of her. The Pokemon, a Weavile, began to dart his eyes from side to side as he familiarized himself with his surroundings. Nina chuckled a bit at this. "Don't worry, we're off the ship. Jeez, you'd think 10 years of travel would get ya used to boats by now." While visibly relieved that he was on dry land, Nina was not spared from the Weavile's glare. The trainer guessed she would have to save the teasing for later. She reached into her messenger bag and started fishing for something.

"Aight, I got it! Look Ruhig, its a new region, there's a festival going on, and I'm pretty sure we're both starving. You know the drill, right?" The Weavile, Ruhig, perked up a bit once Nina mentioned that. He nodded eagerly, and held out his hands as if expecting something. After a minute, Nina pulled out two pouches of money, each labelled with either an "N" or an "R," and tossed the Pokemon the one with the "R." "Alright, great! I'll ask around for directions while you pick us up some grub. I'll stick around here until you get back." Ruhig was definitely on board with getting some food, but something still seemed a bit off to him. He hissed a bit, rubbing two of his claws together in front of his face while holding up his money pouch with his other hand. "What? No, I'm not paying you back! Lunch was on me last time, remember?" Ruhig tilted his head back and moaned a bit. He was hoping Nina had lost track of that. Soon enough though, he had dashed off toward the town in search of delicious, preferably cheap, festival food, while Nina started looking for anything to tell her where she was.

 

[Le Marsouin]

Once the ship docked, Scott made his way out with the help of a plank that a young man utilized earlier. Scott listened to the ranger's instructions after a brief greeting was made, as he nodded and went along the decorated streets that stood out from the rest. He went onto the sidewalk after getting past the various markets the lively street had to offer. The Oshawott synthesized a purplish orb of darkness with his right arm in a discreet manner. The orb was directed towards his trainer, while an infantile voice whispered, "I thought you said that y- you're going somewhere else..."

"Well, we should explore around first. There's no need to rush, it looks like we have some time before we could be chosen to battle," His trainer whispered while allowing the sea otter Pokémon to toddle beside him. Even with an untrained eye, one could most certainly tell that this was not your typical Pokémon that most kids would find in Juniper's Laboratory. He had on a pair of wide glasses to not only assist in the execution of his special moves, but also with his reading. His head and arms were in a nightly shade of black, while his nose was in a light shade of a babyish blue. His smooth, violet fur took in the gentle sunlight, while his mouth was often kept closed to avoid revealing his purplish tongue and his two black, pointed teeth. A dark purple shell comfortably sat on his stomach, while his pointed ears, feet and rudder-like tail appeared to be that of a pale, pastel purple.

"Hey, what's that black four eyes thing doing here? It looks like a big fat reject from the Pokémon Professor!" A boy derided while the little shadow Pokémon had a glare of utmost rage focused at the boy.

A noticeably loud growl followed a split second later, as a dark violet blade was drawn and pointed at the boy before the boy could react! The blade crackled and emitted a series of sparks towards the boy, while the boy exclaimed, "W- WAIT! It's just a joke! Can you not even take one kid!"

A small orb was sent towards the boy while colliding with the boy's face, as the voice retorted, "No... face... your's... now..."

"What do you mean face? I'm trying to say sorry here!" The boy cried while the crackling of the Oshawott's blade became louder.

"Why did you have to mock him in the first place?" The Oshawott's trainer enquired while pulling out a cubical device and getting out his Pokédex after it was converted from data to matter.

There was no response from the boy, as the Oshawott's trainer added with a brief chuckle, "I don't know why you're wanting to pick on my Pokémon, but you're just begging him to give you a good ripping at this point. Once he goes into hyper mode, there's no way for me to control him unless if the threat is suppressed. I'm sure you already know who the threat is by now."

"T- threat... w- who?" The boy asked with a dubious tone while sweat rushed down his face.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough, let's just say that he plays very... very rough," The Oshawott's trainer replied with a vague grin while the Oshawott appeared to be gathering as much energy as he could to use a powerful move against the boy.

 

[Hydreigonborn]

"...Sorry, Slip, but I don' think they have Lumiose Galettes in Almia," A young trainer said to his Goodra. The trainer leaned on the rail of the boat, overlooking the ocean. The trainer in question was Daniel "Danny" Michaels.

The Goodra looked at his trainer in distress, because Lumiose Galettes are his favorite treat. He let out his distress in the only way he knew how, get slime on stuff. He closed in on his trainer, covering him in the pinkish liquid. "Ah, c'mon Slip, I just spot-washed my coat from the last time you did that!" His trainer exclaimed.

The pink dragon Pokemon smiled. He pushed away from his trainer and shouted "Goodraaa!" Danny began to try to to remove the liquid from his clothes, but this proved ineffective, as it only spread it around more on his clothes.

"I guess I'll just have to go around like this for awhile," Danny sighed. He stopped leaning on the rail and returned Slippy to his Pokeball. he continued to inspect his coat and contemplated how he was going to remove the goo from his clothing.

Danny heard a voice coming from behind him," I know EXACTLY what will get that goo off." Danny recognized the voice but was only half paying attention to it. He felt and something touch his back, but before he could realize what happened, he was already plummeting off the side of the ship.

"What the hell!" Danny cursed as he flipped in the air. He landed with large splash when he made contact with the water. He swam back to the surface after his fall. Through the salt water in his eyes, he could hardly tell the figure hanging off the side of the ship. All he could see was that the figure was female. He rubbed his eyes while treading water. Once his vision was clear, and he learned who the figure was he got s little mad.
_________
Serena had been observing Danny and Slippy for a few minutes. She wasn't directly going to make herself seen to him, so once Slippy covered him in goo, She made her move. The female trainer walked up to her boyfriend and said," I know EXACTLY what will get that goo off." Serena then shoved Danny off the boat.

Once Serena realized that Danny was mad, She reached out a hand to help him back on to the boat. She felt the familiar hand grasp hers and... pull her off the boat and into the water. She splashed into the salt water face first, which resulted in water going in her mouth. She spit out the saltwater and exclaimed," What the heck!"

Danny laughed,"You did it to me first."

"Yeah but when I did it, it was to help you get the goo off!"

"That couldn't have been the only reason."

"Yeah... My bad..."

"C'mon, let's go back onto to some dry land."

 

[Merciless Medic]

Sean took a moment from his ware browsing to see a confrontation between a dark-colored otter... Thing and a little kid, who obviously looked terrified. Sean, being the courageous little man he was, decided to do the foolish brave thing and stop it. He ran over to the confrontation, his legs being stronger than his upper body and therefore carrying him a longer distance in a faster amount of time, had now gotten in between the Oshawott and the little boy. His upgraded Pokedex rang out, saying something about a Water-Type Pokemon and its name was Oshawott. Strange thing was, this Oshawott just looked different. Joltz and Arboria came forward and stood by Sean's side, helping to protect the young boy. The Leafeon growled and her head leaf and tail started to glow a slight green, while the Jolteon also growled and his electrical fur shot upwards and electricity could be heard crackling from it as a warning.

A Pokemon Ranger saw the conflict and rushed forward, a Partner Pokemon of hers following alongside her, a Starly. The Starly tweeted and looked to go in between Sean and the Pokemon, but the Ranger stopped him. The Pokemon Ranger, now known as Eliza, a young brunette with hazel eyes, called forward to the older man. "Your Pokemon is a danger to everyone around you, including yourself and himself. Return your Pokemon immediately, or else we'll have problems."

Sean decided to take a jab at it too, and saw a Garchomp get the same, yet milder warning. He decided to jump in. "At least that man's Garchomp is more mild-mannered than your Oshawott. Return him now."

Eliza looked over and raised an eyebrow at the young man's demanding attitude, but hopefully it should help in this situation. Eliza looked at the older man, and was just about ready to call on her headset for reinforcements to apprehend the Shadow Pokemon if he doesn't return him. She, of course, didn't know what a Shadow Pokemon was. She just knew that this Oshawott was oddly colored and was dangerous.

 

[FrostCrispz]

Max slowly walked forward across toward the mountain holding the tournament. "So, G, wanna do something before heading up there?" G shook a little and turned over to a random stand selling cheese steaks(?) "Hungry, why not?" Max asked as the two walked up to the stand.

Max and G walked slowly away from the food stall. "This isn't half-bad." Max said looking down at it. G held his stabbed into his claw, eating it like a popsicle. As the two walked by, a trio of two trainers and a ranger were joined together. One pointed to G. "Least that man's Garchomp is more mild-mannered than your Oshawott." One of the people said. Max heard that, mainly when she was called a man. She quickly stepped up to the trio. "This person happens to be a female, just for your information." Max said quite rudely, especially since her pride was broken.

 

[Le Marsouin]

“If you insist, then I shall recall my little friend,” Scott calmly replied while taking a look at the screen of his Pokédex with his right eyebrow rising seconds later. The screen read:

[ WARNING: UNSTABLE ENERGY // CEASE BATTLING NOW ]
[ Condition: Fine | Unstable // Mood: Enraged ]
[ Priming Move: ??? ]
[ Shadow Energy: ██████████ | 197.4% ]

Before the shadow Pokémon resisted to return to his ball with an unhappy manner, an orb was sent smashing against the boy’s face with a babyish voice grunting, “You... I... will... not... forget!”

 

[vaultie]

The commotion had startled the young couple, who had looked over to see the confrontation of an oddly colored Oshawott, a young boy, and another boy who had gotten into the middle of it all with his Leafeon and Jolteon. They stopped to stare for a minute, before the woman tugged on her partner's arm to get his attention. "Guz, c'mon, let's go. I don't wanna get caught up in anything, especially when we just got here."

He watched for another second before tearing his gaze away, brows furrowed in a bit of confusion. Sure, he had met hostile Pokemon before, but whatever was wrong with that Oshawott was giving him the creeps. "Yeah," He nodded, turning his back to the scene, not bothering to look on any further when he heard another voice speak up and complain. "Might as well. You we're right though, these uniformed guys obviously have some bigger issues to deal with." He gave a nonchalant shrug, trying to forget the issue and leave the Rangers to clean up whatever mess would be made.

Having left the scene, the two were now away from the ports and deeper into the city, the little brunette more enamored with all the decorations and items for sale. Her attention was drawn back towards her partner when he spoke up, voice low and gruff as usual. "You even know where were going? We gotta sign up for that big tourney thing, that's the reason we even came here, right?"

"C'mon, Guzie," She cooed, rubbing his arm as a blush began to creep up on his face. "It can't be too hard to find. All we gotta do is follow where everyone else is going. Besides, we're in no rush. We can always take some time to look around and shop a little."

It was clear that she was being far more carefree about it than him, and he had soon came to realize that. He couldn't help but grin at the girl's upbeat attitude, face still lightly dusted red. "Guess I should stop worryin' too much about all this then, yeah?" He playfully bumped into his partner, the young lady letting out a giggle. "You think they got some Casteliacones 'round here?"

 

[Eis]

Nina stood to the side of the commotion in shock of what she had just witnessed. She had seen hostile Pokemon, wild and trained, but she had never seen a Pokemon filled with that much pure, unadulterated rage. It shook the seasoned trainer to her core. There was no chance in hell that sort of thing was natural. What on earth had been done to that Oshawott? Unfortunately it didn't loom like she could do anything at the moment without causing more trouble, so Nina would just keep her eye on the man who recalled the Oshawott for now.

"I hope he doesn't plan on fighting in the tournament. A Pokemon like that is in no shape to battle." Nina took a breath to calm her nerves. She would leave it alone for now. It looked like the rangers had the situation covered anyhow.

~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Ruhig was too busy on the hunt for food to care about what was going on back at the docks. Sniffing the air, his attention turned to a food stand off to the side of the market. In front of the stand was a Garchomp and a young...woman? Man? Human gender constructs alluded the Pokemon, and he usually found it difficult to tell the difference. The duo hardly mattered to him though. No, what attracted him was the salty, somewhat greasy aroma that wafted from some cooking implements in the back. It looked like he had found his target!

Fueled by hunger, Ruhig sprinted across the streets toward the food stand. He jumped past the Garchomp and the human, probably his trainer, onto the counter, screeching a bit to get the cook's attention. The Weavile didn't know about the other two, but oddly the cook hardly seemed surprised. It was as if he was used to Pokemon running up to him out of nowhere. Nina had mentioned something about the residents of this region not capturing their Pokemon, so maybe this sort of thing was normal around here?

"Oh! Well, hello there. What can I do you for, lad?" Ruhig couldn't hold back a grin. So far, he was liking Almia quite a bit! He held up two claws with one hand, while using the other to point to the steaks that were sizzling in the back of the stand. "Ah, I see! Two cheese steaks, comin up!" As the man turned back to the cooking area, Ruhig hopped off the counter and leaned up against the stand as he waited for the food.

 

[Merciless Medic]

Sean looked over at the woman and felt extremely sorry. Whoops. He stepped in between the orb's path, his thigh getting the brunt of the hit, as that was the same level as the startled boy's face. Sean grunted in pain, but at least the kid didn't get hurt. The Pokemon Ranger relaxed her hand that was poised to call more reinforcements and said to the older man to "keep that.... Oshawott in that device". She then looked at Sean and was about to offer a hand to him, but Sean refused, taking the hit like a man, although it stung pretty badly. Sean redirected her attention towards the startled kid, who she decided to help first. Sean, remembering the woman that he thought was a man, decided to go up to her and apologize... Profusely, that is.

"Look, I'm so so so sorry. I was busy making sure the Pokemon wasn't going to hurt anyone and I just glanced over to see you in a biker's jacket and a Garchomp. I didn't even see your hair or anything, I just saw the biker's jacket and thought you were a part of a biker's gang. Because I spent some time in Unova, I thought you were from there, and the only people I saw there that were a part of a biker's gang were all male, so I thought you were male.... Please, don't get upset, I didn't mean it."

His Pokemon retreated back to their trainer, but looked at their trainer with utmost confusion. The poor man felt so sorry for calling a woman a man? What made it even more confusing for them was that their trainer was so upset over it, and they had never actually seen him this upset before. Strange. They just looked up and gave Max a pleading look, as if to say, "just accept his apology... It'll make all of our lives easier."

 

[Ninian]

The blonde woman was taking in the sights. Given that she did not travel often, it was certainly all unfamiliar to her. Though she had been to a few festivities, it wasn't anything quite like this. However, as she examined her surroundings, she caught sight of the Oshawott.

Narrowing her gaze, she stared at it for a few moments before speaking, "Master, there is an unusual—"

She was immediately cut off by her companion. "I am aware. However, we are not to interfere. Not unless there is an immediate threat to life."

Clenching her jaw, she responded with a clearly frustrated tone, "Understood."

Smiling, the man continued, "However I am glad that I brought you along to be my bodyguard."

However, the female did not reply, instead remaining rigid as she observed the hostilities. It did not appear that its Trainer had any intention of reeling in their dangerous partner.

A nearby Trainer appeared to step in, much to the woman's relief. However, it was difficult to tell if he was only escalating the situation, or helping at this point. Then, her view became obscured as a Ranger stepped in to break it up.

It appeared he had returned the enraged otter, however a nearby woman brought up an excellent point. Glancing to her, the blonde addressed Nina, "You are correct. Until it has been properly cared for, it is a threat to itself and others. I do not understand why someone would have brought such a Pokémon here."

 

[Le Marsouin]

“Don’t... get... involved... this... is... between... us!” The same infantile voice retorted from an orb launched towards the ranger after the sea otter Pokémon came out of his ball. It appeared to be that the orb immediately stopped in its tracks when it was a foot away from the ranger, harmlessly disappearing into a gasous state instead of directly hitting the ranger like the little boy had earlier.

The shadow Pokémon emitted a youthful, but most certainly loud roar at the boy appearing to be protected by the same ranger the orb unintentionally hit. Scott took a glance at his Pokédex, as the screen read:

[ WARNING: HYPER MODE IMMINENT // CEASE ALL BATTLING NOW ]
[ Condition: Fine | Unstable // Mood: Infuriated ]
[ Priming Move: Shadow Hold + Shadow Rush ]
[ Shadow Energy: ██████████ | 199.9% ]

Scott gave a quiet sigh towards his Pokémon, grabbed the Poké Ball and stated, “Look, I think you’re starting to lose yourself. Just get back in and we’ll deal with this. I’m not going to scream at you or anything like the lady in the pink hair did earlier okay?”

“But why... he started it...” A voice said after an orb from the shadow Pokémon was slowly directed towards Scott.

“Because, it’s not right to be attacking people like that. Now, I would like for you to get in so that you can calm down,” Scott replied while it was apparent that the sea otter Pokémon was attempting to keep itself from succumbing to the dark matter in his body.

 

[FrostCrispz]

Max shrugged to the apology. "Meh, the jacket is mainly for showing off anyways." She said while shifting her goggles slightly. As soon as she said that, the wierdly coloured pokemon emerged again. "Is that a shadow pokemon? And if so, it's shadow energy must be massive." Max said turning her head to see the ranger fly back.

G saw what happened as well, taking action himself. He quickly finished both CSs and stepped between the ranger and the Shadow mon. G took an offensive stance where he placed his left claw low and right high. In his own language, "Come at me, Shadow." But to humans, it sounded like feral growling. Both worked in the situation anyways. Max saw G. "Think so? Alright." She said, pretty much reading G's mind.

 

[Eis]

Suddenly, Nina was completely sidetracked from the matter at hand. The suspicious man and his hostile, possibly abused Pokemon were shoved to the back of her mind. No, the woman in front of her was simply too stunning to ignore. She was almost exactly the same height as Nina, with beautiful blonde locks that ran straight down to just past her shoulders, eyes as cold and blue as the ocean itself, and what had to be the palest complexion Nina had ever laid eyes upon. The woman, who couldn't have been older than Nina, was also accessorized with strange gadgets and gizmos all over her body, none of which Nina could identify. They gave the woman an otherworldly sort of vibe to her, and the Snowpoint girl was loving it. She had met many women in her ten years of journeying, but very few were this kind of straight-up drop-dead gorgeous.

Somehow, Nina was eventually able to shake herself out of the stupor she didn't realize she was in. That was enough ogling. It was time to take the shot.

"Well, hello there! The name's Nina, and it's a pleasure to meet you. What can I call you? I mean, other than beautiful, cutie, and hopefully free this evening?" Ouch. That one ran a little long for Nina's standards. Now that she thought about it, it had been a little while since her last flirting endeavor. Silently, she prayed to whatever higher power there might be that she her rustiness didn't affect her now of all times.

~~~~~~~

Ruhig growled in gratitude to the food stand cook after the steaks were done, carrying them in a plastic bag slung over his shoulder and leaving some money on the counter for the kind man. It wasn't often that a Pokemon got good service! He had a pretty good feeling about this Almia place.

As he made his way back over to Nina, he saw her conversing with what appeared to be another human. Once he got closer, he heard the way his partner was speaking and realized that this must be a female. She was flirting again. Sighing, the Weavile debated with himself on whether or not he should intervene. Experience has taught him that usually, Nina's flirting habit nets them more trouble than necessary. However, upon further inspection, he noticed something a bit odd about the other woman's scent. Or rather, her lack of one. That meant that whatever she was, she certainly was not human. Deciding that this would at least be fun to watch, Ruhig sat down right in the middle of the street, pulling out one of the cheese steaks and waiting for the shenanigans to begin.

 

[Ninian]

As soon as the otter released itself, the blonde's eyes darted towards it, however at her Master's command, she did not make any move to intercept. Finally it appeared his Trainer was taking the appropriate measures to contain his dangerous Pokémon.

Meanwhile, it was certainly a good thing that she was able to multitask, as the woman she had responded to earlier attempted conversation. Making eye contact with the brown-haired woman, she'd give her a nod. "It is nice to meet you, Nina. My designation is Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Colress Unit 01." At her direct question, Seven answered, "You may call me Seven of Nine. However, some refer to me as Seven, which I will permit." Glancing over at her Trainer, she'd respond, "As for my plans for this evening, there is nothing scheduled, presumably I am available."

At the approach of a Weavile, Seven immediately tensed up upon sensing movement, but relaxed shortly after she ran a threat assessment. After a moment, she commented, "Is that your partner?"

----

As the interaction between the pair of 'females' transpired, Colress simply observed the Oshawott ordeal, furiously tapping at the screen embedded into his sleeve.

 

[Sukoku]

Mike, after resting for some minutes, got up, and he walked down the sidewalk, he then stopped by a crowd of people fighting, and, as he noticed that the battle was starting to get serious, he went back and hid behind a building, bringing AK47 with him, he hid there until he was sure that the battle was over, and he just signaled AK47 to go forth and inspect the area, and that's what it did. The Pokémon came after some seconds, nodding to Mike, who just picked it up and walked towards the street, waving to the people, hoping that they would notice him. "HeIlo. I noticed that there was a battle going on, may I ask what was happening?" He said.

AK47 was behind Mike, holding behind his right leg, looking at the people that were in front of Mike.

 

[Merciless Medic]

Sean was thankful that Max didn't hurt him or anything and accepted his apology in her own way. He got up and looked back just in time to see Eliza get pushed back by the Oshawott, which released himself. He saw the Garchomp fly forward and put himself in between the Oshawott and the two humans. Oh, boy. He looked over to see a young man appear from a building, asking to know what was happening. Sean decided to enlighten him.

"Well, a man's Oshawott attacked a kid after the kid supposedly called it some kind of slander, and then now we are just trying to keep the Oshawott from harming everyone. My thigh doesn't feel good right now, though."

He looked over to Max and asked: "What's a Shadow Pokemon, by the way? Never heard of it. Is it some kind of evil Pokemon?"

 

[Le Marsouin]

The boy looked over at Sean taking the orb hit, as he said, “Oh thank god... the police are here... We need to get rid of that little evil thing, it looks like some sort of hideous monster!”

The two words echoed through the Oshawott’s mind a nanosecond after they were picked up, as his last nerve was broken at that point. The Oshawott gave a brief, maniacal laughter towards the boy while the Pokédex screen read:

[ WARNING: CRITICAL ENERGY LEVELS DETECTED // COMBAT IMMINENT ]
[ Condition: Hyper | Unstable // Mood: Infuriated ]
[ Using Moves: Shadow Hold (1), Shadow Blast (2), Shadow Rush (3) ]
[ Shadow Energy: ██████████ | 302.6% ]

The violet blade was pointed at the boy again, as its crackling could be heard from a tenth of a mile away. The shadow Pokémon’s dark aura started to become faintly visible, as his trainer immediately grabbed him while calmly stating, “Come on, we need to talk. You’re not yourself anymore.”

“What... are... you... talking... about? This is the real me! The one that delivers punishment when no one else can do it correctly!” An infantile voice retorted from the orb while the sea otter Pokémon squirmed from his trainer’s grip.

“Look, is it really worth it to harm a little boy just because he called you a name or two?” Scott asked while attempting to keep the Oshawott held after managing to scoop him in his arms.

“But what about the law of retaliation? I should be able to stand my ground and ward him off, not having the entire police protecting him as if he did... NOTHING!” The babyish voice exclaimed while the Oshawott gave several light kicks at his trainer.

The boy watched the Oshawott squirming out of the man’s arms again, as the boy gave a hearty giggle and taunted, “Yeah, better show him his place man!”

“I... AM... DONE... WITH... YOU!” The voice thundered towards the boy after the orb was launched towards him, but stopped at Sean soon after taking notice of the man blocking the boy from earlier.

The shadow Pokémon took a series of slow, booming steps towards the boy while his blade continued to crackle like a fuse box being unable to contain itself any longer.

“Dang it... the ball isn’t designed to handle hyper mode! What should I do? He’s going to probably beat that boy until nothing’s left of him if I don’t do something...” Scott thought while grabbing a soothe bell from his bag while a Slurpuff released herself upon the trainer’s recent, whispered command.

 

[Fire Mana]

The commotion behind the boy and the ranger leading him had caused them both to stop and turn. They could see a large crowd of people, and a large purple blade, seemingly crackling with black electricity. The noise the giant blade was making was enough to scare off the local Pokemon, even the ones out this far from the incident.

The boy turned to the ranger. "Is that a normal thing here, or should we be worried?" Hearing this, King stepped forward with an obvious glint in his eyes.

"Definitely not normal, you can battle right? Come on!"

The two humans and the Pokemon rushed down the path they had taken, back towards the docks. Upon reaching the crowd, the two slid to a stop and attempted to get a better view of the situation. The creature, seemingly a Pokemon, was a dark and corrupt looking thing. Black and purple, the blade is was holding was more than double it's size.

"KING!"

The dark figure next to the boy leapt into the crowd, landing next to a massive Garchomp and throwing off the cloak he was wearing around his neck. The metal blades covering his body shone in the light of the sun. He raised his arms, challenging the dark creature to move.

 

[FrostCrispz]

Max turned to the question. "Shadow pokemon are dangerous pokemon who had their hearts closed off. They get corrupted, and gain shadow energy. It allows much stronger attacks and defences. I would not recommend ever fighting one for the first time alone." She said out of experience. She's fought some herself earlier, but this one seemed to have quite the strength to it. As King took the field as well, Max stepped forward. "Best keep out of this, it might get messy."

G felt the other pokemon take next to him, putting his claw before it. "Keep away, listen to Max." He said in his dragon talk, which to humans would sound like a series of growls. With his other claw, a long blade of black dragon energy slowly grew from it. The claw stayed low, but glistened from the light and shadows both as if absorbing the energy from both. "Now you, black snowball." G retorted back at the Oshawat.

 

[Le Marsouin]

The Oshawott took swift notice of being outnumbered by a couple of Pokémon, as a brief vision of another Garchomp from several months ago was brought to mind. After having enough with that terrible memory of his, he emitted a slight grunt while an orb was slowly sent towards his trainer with the voice whispering, "Return me on my signal... I have ways of tricking your device, thank your sister for allowing me to come to theater class with her last week. I'll tell you more about it later."

"I'm not wanting to go to the lady in the pink hair anytime soon, so hope you're quick!" The voice quietly added before the orb disappeared.

A murky, shadowy aura started to cover the area the Oshawott and the other Pokémon were in. The Oshawott holstered his scalchop on his stomach after managing to sheath the energy blade, as he was returned back in his ball seconds later. Scott took advantage of the shadowy aura fully concealing his escape, not wanting to cause any more trouble for anyone else within close proximity. No trace of the Shadow Pokémon or his trainer could be seen once the dark mist harmlessly dissipated in the air.

 

[Fire Mana]

King raised his arms to his face, covering his mouth in case the shadowy mist was dangerous. After the vile aura dissipated, King swooped up his cloak and put it back over him in one move, concealing his body with black cloth. He leaped again, this time of the crowd and back to Parker.

The ranger that Parker had been with was still in shock. Her eyes were wide and her jaw hung open. Her bright blonde hair whipped around in the wind, and her deep blue eyes shimmered. From fear or awe, Parker couldn't tell. Based on her reaction though, Parker knew that wasn't a very common occurrence or a very good one.

"I think I get the general gist of the situation, but does anybody care to explain in greater detail what exactly just happened?"

 

[Ninian]

Seven continued to observe and not interfere, as per her Master's orders. It was difficult to restrain herself, for she knew she could have handled the situation with words alone, and perhaps a Protect thrown in. Everyone else was taking the offensive, which was not a proper way to deal with a Pokémon with that affliction.

Clenching her jaw as she watched the Oshawott draw an energy blade, she took a step forward, wanting to do something. However she stopped when a calm, familiar voice rang out.

"Seven of Nine."

The woman stopped in her tracks, shooting an apologetic glance at Nina. When she looked back to where the Oshawott had been, however, it had vanished. "I hope it does not cause further trouble..."

 

[Le Marsouin]

After Scott managed to get some distance away from the crowd, he recalled the following Slurpuff after thinking, “Guess he didn’t go off too much... I’m surprised that she can keep up.”

The Oshawott got out of his ball after noticing no sign of the people encountered earlier, as an orb slowly made its way towards his trainer with the voice whispering, “I hope no one else saw this... because that purple dragon thing is really scary!”

“I just don’t know why everyone was protecting that brat! It’s like they were all on his side! I should of used my powerful move when I had the chance!” The voice swiftly added with a noticeably louder tone while the sea otter Pokémon emitted a series of growls and groans.

“Look, I understand you’re still upset... but we should focus on something else okay? Let’s go find a place to eat, I think there’s a place across the street it looks like,”

“Mark my words... I’m gonna make you pay in red! All of it!” The shadow Pokémon thought while being held in his trainer’s arms seconds later.

 

[Merciless Medic]

Sean looked at Max with startled interest. A Pokemon with their hearts closed off? A Pokemon that felt no guilt or remorse for attacking humans? What kind of black magic is this? He almost took offense to her saying that "this was too dangerous", like he were a kid. Although, when he saw the Shadow Pokemon flee after some threatening looks, he decided it was best to not escalate the situation and take chase. Sean watched as the Bisharp hopped its way up to where his trainer was. Interesting.

The ranger up near Parker gave a slight little scared sigh as she shook off the usual feelings of seeing such a beast. Luckily or unluckily for her, she was one of the few people who could see the dark aura of a Shadow Pokemon, and that Pokemon's aura was so large, it could have covered both the Bisharp and the Garchomp, as well as her Haxorus. Scary. She had never seen any kind of Shadow Pokemon with that much power. She looked over to Parker, her now reserved face being betrayed by the still scared look in her eyes. She hesitantly explained the situation to him.

"Well.... Uh... Y'see... Shadow Pokemon are Pokemon that had their hearts artificially closed. When I was a young girl, a team of evil people in the Orre region, called Cipher, wanted to make Pokemon stronger by closing the doors to their hearts which caused them to lose their memories prior to the experimentation and stop them from feeling emotions. Because of this, Pokemon would become Shadow Pokemon, and their auras would reflect that. They don't have any remorse or guilt for hurting others, even humans and their own trainers. Shadow Pokemon are easily affected by their darker emotions, and an overflow of them will cause them to go into Hyper Mode. Hyper Mode makes them even more dangerous, as they'll attack without regard to anyone's safety or their own. They also cannot evolve and they look like normal Pokemon. This one was probably so affected by the process that the skin and fur changed colors, and is probably unable or just really difficult to purify. They attack to kill... It's a nasty sight. If he's going to be participating in the tournament, I recommend being careful. All Shadow-Type moves are super-effective against all Pokemon who aren't Shadow Pokemon. Although, I bet Grass- and Electric-Type attacks still deal double damage since Oshawott's are still Water-Type, no matter if they are a Shadow Pokemon or not."

After that, she left, her finger on her bluetooth device and getting a hold of the Pokemon Ranger Base. There was a rogue Shadow Pokemon being owned by a trainer, and they have to make sure that Pokemon wasn't going to harm anyone, even if it meant forcing the man to not partake of the tournament, or even taking the Shadow Pokemon away from him and forcing him to use another one. Maybe they could come to terms and have him use the Shadow Pokemon in the tournament still, but she'll just have to wait and see how long he can avoid being seen.

 

[Fire Mana]

"So that's it huh? Pokemon with closed off hearts..." Parker looked to King, his cloak concealing his face and body. The dark figure had a troubled look on his face, like he knew that little shadow Pokemon could have bested him.

"In any case, I hope I don't have to fight that in the tournament. That thing was scary, it's trainer needs to keep it in check. I swear some trainers don't know what they're doing..."

The young man once again set off towards the cliffs, taking the path that the ranger lead him down previously.

"Ah, wait for me!" The ranger finally snapt out of her trance and turned off her bluetooth. She rushed after the two, both dressed in black, before slowing down next to them. "We still have quiet a ways to go, how are you gonna get there without me? Hey! Are you even paying attention to what I'm saying!"

......................................

After a couple more hours on the trail, the ranger and the boy seemed to have become decent friends. Their conversations lasted and their personalities complimented each other well. With the boy being more quiet and patient, and his female companion being loud and hotheaded.

"Aw, it seems like we're finally here... I wanted to talk to you some more..." The girl's face, which had been a giant grin the whole time, looked genuinely upset. Suddenly the girl's expression lit up again. "Actually... Maybe I could stay with you during the tournament? I technically don't have ranger duty for the next week starting tomorrow. So what do you say?"

Parker looked to King, then looked to the girl, and then back to King again. After a second, King reluctantly nodded his head. "Okay, I guess you can stay with us for the duration of the tournament." The boy looked down, already aniticpating what was about to happen.

"Really? You're serious!" The girl leaped over and pulled Parker into a massive hug. It was only then he realized that she was rather small compared to him. She was a good 5 inches shorter, with a small but lean frame. "Okay, I have to go finish up work today, but I'll meet up with you at the registation center later. Byeeee!"

 

[vaultie]

"Guz, my feet hurtttt..."

"Should've thought about that before you put 'em on then."

The weight of traveling was starting to set in for the two of them, the yoing woman feeling much more of the backlash than her large companion. They had gotten Castelia Cones as planned, and made it through Altru Park unharmmed, but Union Road was when things began going downhill.

"Can't you just carry me?" The brunette whined, struggling to keep up in the clunky pink heels she donned.

"Babe, c'mon. Does it look like I'm gonna carry you?"

"Yes."

The male sighed. Outplayed again it seems. "...'Aight. Hop on." He leaned over, glasses nearly falling down to the bridge of his nose. Once he could feel her on, he rose upright, hooking her hands under her thighs. "You owe me for this, y'know."

"Owe you what?" She rested against him, arms clung around his neck as she was relieved of walking.

"Dunno yet. But you owe me."

It became even worse for him as they approached the Ranger Union. He could see multiple Rangers out and about, either doing their work or helping to guide others who were here for the tournament. He clenched his jaw, starting to feel the embarrassment set in. Not like it was her fault, and typically he would love to carry her around, but this had to be probably one of the worst times for it. He just had to keep walking, praying that no one would stop them to ask what the hell they were doing.

 

[Eis]

"Ah, I see. Well, it was worth a-" Nina, in the middle of one of her scripted 'play it off' lines, was interrupted by her brain processing the woman's answer. Did she...just land a date? Was that a thing that actually happened? Was she about to be rudely awakened from the best dream of her life?! "I...you're available? I...uh...great! We'll have to...meet up somewhere then!" It occurred to Nina that she had never gotten this far in flirting before. She was about to make the legendary transition to the fabled "dating stage." Truly, this was a historic moment. "So, then how about we-"

It was at that point that the commotion grew so intense that even Nina couldn't remain oblivious to it any longer. Her eyes tore from Seven (she would have to ask about that odd name later) and focused in on the mayhem in front of her. The Oshawott had caused a fair bit of havoc from what Nina could gather, with many Pokémon and people getting involved. She was almost embarrassed that she hadn't pitched in; she might have been able to make a difference. Looking over her shoulder, Nina saw that Ruhig was focused on the mayhem as well. He seemed...unsettled, to say the least. Since this gorgeous (apparently available) woman and her...Nina was going to assume brother...looked pretty smart, maybe they had some insight on what it was they had just seen. "Hey, either of you two have any idea what was with that Pokémon?"

 

[Ninian]

Nina's flustered response confused the blonde, however she wasn't going to comment on that specifically, instead she answered her question, "Yes, I should be available tonight. I presume by then we should be atop Peril Cliffs." Looking her straight in the eyes, she'd continue, "It is not safe to travel alone. You may join us."

Seeing that his Pokémon had made an invitation, the previously quiet blonde closed the distance between them, still tapping on his device, "Ah yes, you are more than welcome to travel with us. The energy readings I gathered from that Oshawott are troublesome. As Seven already mentioned, it would be much safer for us to travel together in a group. I'm Colress, it is nice to meet you Nina."

At the question, Colress nodded, "That is what most refer to as a Shadow Pokémon; a Pokémon that has had their hearts closed. Their appearance implies that it is a XD series Shadow Pokémon, however I find that improbable, as Cipher was apprehended years ago."

 

[Eis]

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. Might as well stick together for now." While Nina was overjoyed that Seven had basically said yes to her date offer, the trainer was more concerned with the feral Oshawott at the moment. Her face took on a grim expression as the older man, Colress, gave her the explanation. A Pokémon with its heart forcefully closed...the very thought disgusted Nina to her core. She was suddenly regretting giving that man the benefit of the doubt. This went beyond normal abuse; this was one of the lowest forms of torture. Ruhig, who has since abandoned his food, was caught in an awkward state between anger and fear. Anger that someone would deprive a Pokémon of their heart, and fear that it could possibly happen to him.

"So what you're saying is...that man, the one who recalled the Oshawott...he closed off its heart? He turned it into that...thing it is now?"

 

[Ninian]

As her Master explained Shadow Pokémon, Seven focused on the woman's reaction to it. It was obvious the thought bothered her, which she assumed was a normal response. Once she finally spoke up, the automaton remained quiet to allow her Master to explain.

After a few quiet moments of typing, Colress elaborated, "Not necessarily. However, that is also a possibility." Thinking for a moment, the scientist pulled up an image of a device on the small touchscreen embedded into his sleeve. Moving towards Nina, he presented it to her. "That is a Snag Machine. Trainers who fought against Cipher wielded these devices designed to capture other Trainer's Pokémon. It is possible he stole that Oshawott."

 

[Merciless Medic]

Sean decided that it was best to leave Pueltown. He obtained a map from a nearby Pokemon Ranger and bought a story book about the many folklore of Almia, one of them being the King of Almia and the Three Princes. He was quite absorbed in it, and then thought that it would be better if he rode on his Pokemon through the many places of Almia. He set his book away in his backpack and then sent out his Luxray. The Luxray growled a little, and saw there was no one to battle. Sean patted her mane and reassured her. "No battles today, Tora, but there will be battles tomorrow. We just gotta get through the qualification rounds and before that register at Peril Cliffs. Can I ride on you until we reach the cliffs?"

Tora gave a nod and bent her front legs, so Sean can more easily get on her back. Arboria hopped onto Tora's back for the ride, but Jolteon wanted to run alongside Tora. Tora and Joltz gave each other a competitive look, and then they sped off towards Altru Park before Sean could even get comfortable. Although, Sean was used to this, as she adjusted quickly and then held on to Tora's mane. Man, was it rough riding a Pokemon like this bareback, and even more so as he had to dodge the Weakness Policy and avoid ripping it. He had to lean to the left to have Tora know where she was going once they reached the square area in Altru Park. Although, Tora wasn't able to turn fast enough, so she ended up going up on the raised middle section of the park, and then leaping over the little moat around the middle section to turn left. Joltz had done the same thing and was practically in sync with Tora.

They were going so fast, Sean had to pull back on Tora's mane to get her to stop before she toppled over the stacked couple in front of them. Joltz sped past them and the couple, unable to properly stop. He dug his paws into the ground and finally managed to get to a stop, but not before tripping and rolling over the dirt and slamming his body into a wooden stick meant to be the foundation for one of the houses. Joltz seemed unphased by this as he got up quickly and rushed over to the now trotting and proud Tora. Sean got off and a male Pokemon Ranger walked over to the couple and Sean. The Ranger paid no heed to Guzma's embarrassing state, but showed him the way instead.

"If you go this way, you'll head off towards Peril Cliffs. There's a gondola lift that can hold six people and a large Pokemon, like a Charizard. Just go to one of the lifts, one of us other Rangers will help you in the lift, and then they'll set you off. The lift will stop periodically to allow passengers on and off, so don't be alarmed when the gondola ride stops."

Sean thanked him for the advice and returned Tora, as she resigned with an adorable purring noise. Joltz and Arboria were about to head that way, but Sean wanted to strike up some conversation with the couple. He asked Guzma and the girl on top of him. He thought it cute that the man was helping his girlfriend, as he looked at her shoes and thought that those would've hurt walking here. "Are you two going to be battling in the tournament? By the way, the name's Sean. The Jolteon there is Joltz, and the Leafeon is Arboria. What's yours?"

 

[vaultie]

The couple continued to walk, conversing and arguing about what sounded like shoes. Their attention on each other was interrupted however, when multiple Pokemon sped past them, with the Luxray carrying what looked to be a human.

Their suspisions were correct as the Luxray and Leafeon came to a stop, though the Jolteon overshot and had ran into a wooden pole. Seeing as how it was unharmed, though, the two of them let out a shared sigh of relief that they wouldn't be dragged into a sudden emergency.

Guzma listened to the Ranger, grumbling a "Thanks," in response, slowing down his pace when he realized the boy from before wanted to strike up a conversation, something he didn't exactly feel like doing in the moment.

Luckily, Atty had his back, talking on behalf of him. "Yup, that's where were headed! We both plan on battling, right Guz?"

A grunt in response.

"Aw, don't mind him," Atty turned back to Sean, still speaking from atop Guzma. "He's a little bit cranky is all. My name's Atlas, by the way, but I typically just go by Atty. And this big boy is Guzma."

"Yeah, yeah," Guzma finally spoke up, playfully rolling his eyes. "I'm only cranky 'cause someone decided lookin' cute was more important than sore feet."

"Hey, at least you think I'm cute!" Atty retorted, scratching the back of his undercut to relax him.

"I mean, this kids got the right idea, though," He nodded over to Sean. "Riding on a Pokemon and whatnot. You've had Pandora on you this entire time, why not just use her?"

"'Cause you're cute when you're embarrassed."

"...Get off."

 

[Merciless Medic]

(As a side note, Arboria was on Tora, since she couldn't run as fast, and Tora stopped right behind Atty and Guz.)

Sean couldn't help but chuckle at the two interacting with each other. Really reminded him of his boyfriend. He looked at the two with adoring eyes, and then smiled when Guzma finally spoke up. The man was alright, just a tad embarrassed was all. He decided it was best to say something so Guzma didn't think he was weird.

"Heh, you guys really remind me of me and my boyfriend. The way you guys bicker is adorable, something that I experience all the time and miss right now. My boyfriend would be here, but wasn't feeling too well. He convinced me to go, since his Nidoqueen and Nidoking will take care of him while I was away, and he had access to a TV to watch me. Did you know this will be on a TV program?"

 

[vaultie]

((my bad its 4am and im probably bound to miss some details hfjcj))

Atty gave a quick pout, caving in and hopping off of the taller man's back. She quickly grabbed a Pokeball from her bag afterwards, sending out Pandora. The Scolipede made a gentle noise at Atty as she got onto the large bug like a horse, giving Guzma a quick nuzzle as her way of saying hello. She started into a slow stride, following alongside Guzma as he also walked.

The two let Sean talk about his own relationship, listening to the way he talked positive about his boyfriend, up until his last comment, to which Guzma froze.

"Wait, seriously? TV?" He turned to Atty, his expression looking tense. " Did you know about this?"

She shook her head, resting against the neck of Pandora. "Well, no... But I'm sure we'll be fine. I've been on TV for contests and stuff before, it's not that big of a deal."

"Hey, it's a pretty big deal for me!" Guzma almost looked slightly offended, raising his hands up. "A big, broadcasted tournament is a pretty huge contrast to some dinky little Island Challenge, y'know."