Chronicle

[Clydae]

Clydae was beginning to get more than agitated at the looks and remarks about her egg. She made a mental note to give Oak a good wallop for all the trouble. In her time as a trainer, she had spent plenty of it with eggs. But her irritation vanished as the Togetic spoke. Well, spoke in "Togi"'s and such. But the little thing was so cute and obviously humbled, that she hoped that Argo had been paying attention. Argo's groggy voice came to her head as if on cue, and his short, rough translation was all she really needed. Clydae looked at the little Togetic as she clung to her trainer's leg. She gave a soft chuckle before standing up once more, dusting off her half-gloved hands on her dark jeans. As the trainer spoke, she offered a smile, "No, I don't hold it against you, you were just trying to do what you thought was right, that's all," she replied softly. "And it's nice to meet you, Kade," she added.

Bending down quickly to pick up the egg, she tucked it under her arm once more before shaking her head slightly. The fear and humility of the Togetic was just too much. But it was time to go to the pokecenter, or else this thing was going to bust open, clamp or no clamp. She cast a glance down the road to where the pokemon center was just around the corner from where they stood. "Well, I'm headed to the pokecenter over there. I have an injure pokemon with me, and I want this thing to hatch as close to Nurse Joy as possible, just in case. I also want her to check the condition of my other eggs here," she spoke rather quickly, gesturing to the bulging bag that slung from her shoulder. She paused, speaking as she laughed once more, "And don't worry Marzy, these ones don't have anything on them."

Clydae had bred all the eggs herself, but had purposefully made sure not to identify them. She, like Marzy, liked the surprise. It was like Christmas each time an egg would hatch! But she was tired of waiting, and she noted humorously that Marzy wasn't keen on waiting either. Clydae gave a jerk of her head to Matt, signaling that she had to go. They could stay and chat and catch up later if they wanted, but Clydae had to excuse herself to head off to the Pokemon center. As she rounded the short bend, the sliding glass doors welcomed her with the familiar sound of running technology. Before she stepped inside, she took a breath and removed the clamp from the circumference of the egg. Almost instantaneously, it noticed it's freedom and began its violent shaking. Finally, Clydae strolled up to the Pokemon Center counter, where a jolly Nurse Joy greeted her as usual. "Hello Nurse Joy. I have a Lucario here who ran into a particularly... affectionate little girl. I just would like you to take a look at him. And I have these eggs that I'd just like for you to scan if you could," Clydae removed the small red and white ball from her hip and handed it to the pink-haired woman, who happily nodded, and rushed back to a distant room with the four eggs and the Lucario-containing pokeball.

With the Pokecenter now nearly vacant save for a concerned trainer or two, Clydae took one of the empty chairs, and set the wriggling egg in her lap. Earlier on in their trip, Argo had bet Kippy four pennies (it was really just whatever Argo had found under the airplane seat) that the egg would be the Electrike. Clydae herself had refused to guess, but now was wondering if she could feel what it might be now that it was on the verge of breaking loose. Clydae, never one to let go of past pokemon, had been sure to include one of each of her old team in the lineage of each of the eggs. And with all the trouble this one has caused... Clydae paused, containing a laugh. Well, it would have to be Feanor's, so that would mean... Man, Argo, I think you're right... She shook her head slightly, and looked up. She hoped that her traveling companions would be able to see the hatching, as it was one of the more amazing things about pokemon, in her opinion.

 

[Artiste]

At Clydae's signal, Matt tried to wrap his part in this up. He wanted to see the Egg hatch! Who wouldn't?

"Hey, guys. I'm gonna go to the Center. I want to see the Egg hatch. Want to come?" He said, with a smile.

Dusk said.

"Well, I have to stay here in Sandgem." Said Alex, apologetically.

"Fine, but why?" Matt said, his smile now a frown.

"I got transfered here, because Rowan needs an Aide. His old one went on a journey. I'll meet up with you guys later, so don't miss me too much." He smiled.

Luna jumped up to Matt's shoulder, and asked;

Said Matt. "Alex, Luna says bye. And so do me and Dusk."

"Buh-bye, Luna. I'll miss 'ya. See you guys later!"

He ran off to the lab of Professor Rowan, which was conveniently located nearby. As he entered the sliding doors, he turned around, and waved, and then he was gone. Matt felt pretty down in the dumps, now that his best friend was gone. Dusk took it upon himself to cheer him up, though. He opened his ball on his own, as he had somehow learned to do some years ago, and gave his trainer a nice little jolt of electricity.

 

[Gardevoir Master]

Echo walked into the Pokemon Center and reclined with his back against the counter. The hatching of an egg was always an exciting moment, especially if you didn't know what was inside. He didn't want to crowd out Clydae, but he also wanted to see what hatched before he got himself healed. Of course, then he'd have to reveal what he really was. He didn't consider it a big secret, and it was probably better to get it out of the way as soon as possible. He got the feeling this wasn't going to be the last he saw of this group. Then again, he didn't want to have to steal Clydae's thunder with a big reveal of his own.

"Excuse me, sir?" Nurse Joy said to him.

"Oh, I'm fine for right now, thanks," Echo said, turning his head to the nurse. "Just let everyone else go ahead of me. I'll try to stay out of the way."

Echo looked back at Clydae and craned his neck slightly. What could be in that egg?

 

[Shiny Motley]

Sarah rushed to the Pokemon Center with the others, anxious to see the egg hatching. She's never seen an egg hatch before. She wondered what it would be like, but she expected to see cracks and all that stuff. Also, she wanted to make sure Prima was okay from her accident, though that wasn't too big of a deal.

Entering the Pokemon Center, she handed over Prima to Nurse Joy at the counter. Then, she went and leaned against the wall closest to Clydae, so she could get a good view of the egg when it hatched. She decided to let Kia out, just because her ball was shaking like crazy.

Worried that Kia would pounce on the Pokemon that hatched, Sarah told Kia, "You can not jump on the poor creature when it hatches. It may be weak because of the clamp. So..."

"What do I look like, a potato!? I'm not stupid enough to leap onto a Pokemon right when it hatches!" Kia said, though Sarah could see the tip of her tail twitching with anticipation to for a good pounce. Sighing, Sarah bent down and picked up Kia, and made sure that she was securely in her arms before facing Clydae. Anytime, now, she thought.

 

[Snapdragon]

Of course, Marziale being Marziale, there was no way that she was going to miss out on seeing a newborn little baby hatching. No sooner had Clydae spoken up than Marziale renewed her hair-pulling efforts on Kade, this time accompanying it with a nonstop stream of nagging. "Togitogitogitogi..." Yeah, this time around, Kadence got the hint. He plucked the little Pokemon away from his hair and kept her gripped securely in his hands, lest his poor scalp suffer her wrath once more, and off he went, following as the group drifted their way on over to the sanctuary of the Pokemon Center. He was also pretty curious to see what the little thing was going to end up being, but considering how often he'd witnessed hatchings as a breeder, he wasn't as direly thrilled as Marzy was. Once he reached the Center, he stayed a good distance back. Better to give Clydae her space, and it would be a lot easier for her if the hatchling saw her before anybody else.

Believe me, Kade knew that one from experience. Back when Marzy hatched as a Togepi, she had laid eyes on Forte before she had ever seen Kade, and from that second on, she was convinced that the very un-motherly Leafeon was, in fact, her Mommy. Of course, she had eventually come to terms with the fact that Forte had no interest whatsoever in being anybody's Mommy, but not after weeks of following him around and clinging to his tail adoringly. It made for a funny story now, but back then it had meant that Kadence so much as touching her resulted in ear-splitting wailing and frantic arm-waving for Mommy to come to the rescue. Of course, Mommy would just shoot Kadence a grateful look for ridding him of the little pest and then run for the hills. The hysteric Togepi was Kade's problem, not his. Which made training a pain for the first month or so, make no mistake about that.

Of course, Marziale barely remembered anything that had happened when she was so young, so she had no problem with squirming out of Kade's grip and hovering over Clydae's shoulder as if they'd been best friends for life. The Togetic had never really been that timid a creature, and she had little to no concept of personal space. Add that to the fact that she was thrilled to see an egg hatch, and you had one cheery little Togetic all up in one's business. Hey, it was exciting stuff, okay? And the fact that Clydae had even more eggs, too... Marzy really hoped they were all going to hatch soon; she didn't think she'd be able to stand the suspense of waiting for them all to take their sweet time.

Kadence knew better than to try and deny Marziale the thrill of watching a hatching. She could be just as stubborn as he was, sometimes, with the big difference being that Marziale could use Ancientpower and he couldn't. So he decided the best thing to do would be to leave her be. The rest of his team didn't really need any medical attention, either, considering they'd just come from a relaxing day at the beach, so... Kade's gaze settled on Matt. Or more specifically, his Luxray. Now that was a coloration you didn't see every day. Either this was one mutated kitty, or Matt had a whole lot of bleach left over from doing his own hair. Whichever it was, it was still interesting to see a Pokemon that stood out so much. He'd probably have the crowd eating out of his hand in a contest match. Cool category, for sure; he had a sense for these kinds of things. Kade sauntered his way over and shot Matt one of his typical grins. "Hey... cool Luxray. He have a name?"

 

[Artiste]

((OoC: Ever since I saw that last sentence, Tama, I keep thinking about Cap'n Jack Sparrow. It just seemed like a thing Sparrow would do. The word 'Sauntered' set off my memories of the blasted drunken Captain, lol.))

"Yeah, his name is Dusk. My first pokemon." Matt replied.

He was keeping his distance, just like Kade seemed to be doing. He had been taught the importance of letting the Pokemon inside the egg see it's Trainer/Mother before anyone else. By who else? Volkner.

He looked back at the Togetic, who by that time had fluttered over to Clydae, and was hovering over her shoulder like they were best friends, and chuckled. Marziale was not really giving the 'Let the kid see his real Mother' thing a chance.

"That Togetic, Marziale, you said was her name? To be frank, she has no idea what personal space is, huh?" He smiled, and turned back to Kadence.

 

[Clydae]

Clydae watched the now squirming egg in her lap with the curiosity of a ten-year-old at Christmas. She more felt the growing crowd around her then saw them. Her deep emerald eyes were focused on the egg. She noted each as they came in. Matt and Dusk, Sarah with a very hyper Kia, Echo, and Kade with Marzy. She restrained herself from looking to make sure Kia was restrained. With a hint of bitterness, Clydae also noted Sarah's words. would they just give it a rest about the clamp? She gave a sigh. It was too late in the creature's development to have a clamp on it for not even an hour for anything to actually change about it. And the egg had ceased to struggle once it was on, so the pokemon inside had not worked that entire time only to be fatigued come hatching time. She smugly noted the rigor at which the baby inside tore away at the egg. Only when the air over her shoulder was disturbed by the flutter of wings did her eyes tear away from the fracturing shell. She gave a childish smile to see that Mary had wriggled away from Kade to join her. Clydae was strangely comforted by her presence, as everyone else kept their distance. While their intentions were clear, Clydae couldn't help feeling a bit isolated by the attention. Clydae mused for a moment that traveling with people around was going to need getting used to. But with the Togetic now hovering nearby, Clydae was able to relax back into her stiff bench, leaning against the wall, allowing her bare fingers to flutter across the smooth shell. She felt the hairline cracks spreading like ripples across water, finally giving the small creature inside a starting point to the whole breaking the shell thing.

With a jolt so violent, Clydae had to clutch the egg at its base, a fragment of shell fell away, and a blue-clawed paw replaced it. Clydae looked mildly puzzled. That's odd... None of the possible pokemon that I have with me are blue... A moment of panic seemed to punch her in the chest, her mind racing, until she was nearly instantly calmed. Electrike. Shiny Electrikes are blue instead of green. There was a moment of elation before yet another jerk in her lap brought her back to the fact that a creature was being born right before her eyes. With something to work with, the little canine pokemon inside made short work of the remainder of the shell. Clydae noted with amusement that it made more of a mess of the whole ordeal than any other hatchling she had seen. Definitely Feanor's. Once all four paws and a pointed yellow-tipped tail were revealed, the hatchling ran into a slight predicament. With four paws out of the egg, it didn't have much more to smash it with. Clydae saw it's small plight, and made a motion to intervene, but the little -now undeniably Electrike- was one step ahead of her. With a dull flash from the preexisting holes in the shell, small, pale stars blasted through the shell and disintegrated in the air around it. Ah, yes. Egg moves were probably the most valuable tool a breeder could have. Swift was one of the moves that Feanor had passed down to the little one, and was now the first move for the small electric puppy to utilize. Now covered in shell fragments, Clydae was quick to remove the shell cap from its small blue head to be met with a small pair of black eyes. He was so small, Clydae could all but coo at the little pup that she could easily fit in her to lanky hands.

The Electrike's small black eyes left the green ones of his trainer, and quickly found the Togetic hovering nearby. He blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out what exactly was going on, but he was to be immersed in even more stimuli as Clydae picked him up so that he could behold the semi-circle of mommy-looking things, as well as some weird things, like that pointy-headed white and black thing, and fluffy thing in the arms of another mommy-looking thing. It was all very confusing, but the little pup was fairly tuckered out after all that effort, and gave a small squeaky yawn, black eyes still scanning his surroundings. It was all too much...

Clydae, mind buzzing with the adrenaline of the whole event, tucked the small canid into the top of her now zipped jacket so that he could still look out at the world, but take a break before going through the traumatic pokeball-return bit for the first time. She looked down at the small electric pokemon, then at Marzy, and finally at the surrounding people. "Chek," she spoke with a hesitant conviction, "I'll name him Chek."

"Told you it was going to be the Electrike. Those pennies are mine!" a voice came across the crowd, finally cutting Clydae out of her stupor. Argo! She looked over, where he was sitting on one of the pokecenter's gurneys, the rest of the eggs by his side. The English-speaking Lucario was tossing his own pokeball in the air, looking quite smug with himself.

 

[Artiste]

"That thing is precious." Said Matt, itching to go over and pet it. "I wanna pet it so bad! I've never seen an Egg hatch before."

The little pokemon, now hatched after all that effort, was asleep in Clydae's backpack, which was left unzipped at the top so the newborn could see the world. When Clydae showed him to the small crowd that had gathered around her, nobody could help but smile. Come on, it's a baby pokemon for pete's sake! There is nothing more adorable in the world, save for human babies. Even Nurse Joy had been watching, blissfully ignoring the line of people waiting to get their pokemon healed.
A boy spoke up, saying; "Hey, lady! Over here, we're waiting to get our pokemon healed! HEY! STOP IGNORING ME!"
"Oh, I'm sorry! I was watching that Egg hatch." She said, and started hustling around, healing pokemon left and right.
What an annoying little brat. Matt thought. Obnoxious, impatient, and very rude.
Said Dusk.
He replied, hotly.
He walked off, jumped up on a bench, and went to sleep.


He looked back to Clydae, and said; "How does it feel to have an Egg hatch?"


((OoC: You guys like this style better, or my other one? I personally like this one better, it saves space. ))

 

[Shiny Motley]

((OOC: Personally, I like the old one better, because it's easier for me to read. But this one does take up less space.))

Sarah gasped as she saw a blue Electrike emerge from the egg. Blue.... I thought Electikes were supposed green! Seeing Clydae's shocked face at first, she could tell that she was surprised at first, too. But now, her face looked much more calm, so she guessed that the Electrike was shiny. Too bad I don't have a shiny Pokemon, she thought.

But wait, she did have a Pokemon with slightly different coloration, now that she thought about it. Prima's "horns" on her head were blue instead of red, but that wasn't too big of a difference; It wasn't exactly like Dusk or the Electrike that was now in Clydae's arms.

Kia was squirming in her arms to get a better look at the Pokemon that just hatched. "Lemme see it, peoples!" she yelled to the crowd in front of her, but Sarah just ignored her. She knew Kia wouldn't leave her arms. She heard Clydae calling the Electrike "Chek". Smiling, Sarah just had to say, "That's a great name for him, Clydae."

 

[Snapdragon]

Ah, the miracle of life. Marziale probably would have exploded from the cuteness of it all, had she been born a Voltorb instead of a Togepi. The little baby was just soooo cute! She'd never seen anything that adorable in all her life! When the newborn Electric locked eyes with her, Marzy clapped her hands to her cheeks and let out a little squeal. He was so little and precious and bluuue! Speaking of... were Electrikes supposed to be blue? She had seen one before, and it was definitely green. Maybe it was a gender thing, like how girl Hippowdons were black and boys were tan. Or maybe... maybe it was a shiny! How incredibly lucky would that be? Marziale had heard of shiny Pokemon; Kade had shown her pictures of some before. But she'd never seen the real thing before! How exciting!

She couldn't help wondering if little Chek felt any different from a normal Pokemon because he was blue. He'd get to grow up with everyone looking at him admiringly and telling him how special he was--shiny Pokemon should know that they're special, Marzy decided. Especially when they were really pretty colors, like bright sky blue. Shiny Togetics were almost the exact same as normal ones; they probably didn't get told they were special as often as shiny Electrikes did. Well... if she ever met a shiny Togetic, she'd tell it how special it was. But for now, who cared about Togetics? Fuzzy little blue puppy, hello! Marziale threw her tiny little arms around Clydae's head, though they were far too short to make it all the way around. So her congratulatory hug was more like a congratulatory leechlike clinging to the side of her head. "Ahh, he's so cute and little and precious! You're so lucky!!"

Heh... now what were the odds of this? Not only did Kade get to see a Luxray with a one-of-a-kind coloration, but he got to bear witness to the birth of a shiny Electrike. Not too many people got to lay eyes on rarities like that, much less two within ten minutes of each other. Kade adjusted his headphones slightly. He really didn't know Clydae all that well... or any of the members of the group, for that matter, but it seemed to him that she deserved a shiny Pokemon. Raising up pretty much an entire team from level one was a difficult task, especially if she preferred training to coordinating. Kudos to her. "Well... congrats, Clydae. You're a mommy now."

 

[Gardevoir Master]

Echo had gotten closer by the time Marzy was clinging to Clydae's head. He bent down and scratched the hatchling under the chin, careful not to awaken it.

"She certainly is lucky," he said in response to the Togetic cooings. Good genes, too. It could grow up to become very powerful. It still has a long way to go, though.

Not feeling like he had to see more of the baby, Echo got in line for Nurse Joy. The line moved fairly quickly, now the Nurse Joy was giving her task undivided attention. He gave some thought on how to approach this. Though he had been to several other Pokemon Centers in the past, there seemed to be special circumstances with this one. Usually, by the time he needed to use a Pokemon Center anyone traveled with was well aware of what he was, and he didn't have to worry about how people would react when he revealed his true form, which would be necessary if Nurse Joy was to treat him. Also, a baby usually hadn't just hatched, and he felt that revealing himself, especially in a place where no one had seen any of his kind, would be considered "showing up" the baby. There was also the fact that he was simply tired, and wasn't in need of treatment.

With that, Echo stepped out of line. He didn't need treatment, just rest. Even so, he couldn't fully relax in his current form. He needed to let go of it for a while. So he sat down near Clydae.

"You know, I didn't want to make a big deal of this," Echo said to her. "Although, I suppose it may be no matter how I play it." He pushed up his sunglasses at the bridge, mostly for the look of it. "But I'm sure by now you've noticed that I'm not entirely what I seem." He smiled a squiggly little smile behind his hand. "If you don't mind, I'd like to drop my facade for now. I am... quite tired."

A dull glow washed over Echo's form, encompassing his shades, his clothes, and even his briefcase. His form gradually but quickly shrank into the seat, head and limbs disappearing into the concealed shape. The glow soon faded, revealing a shapeless, pink blob with a pair of beady black eyes and a squiggly little mouth. He deflated slightly as he let out a small sigh.

"Much better," Echo said, now with a higher pitch. "I've held forms for longer, but who knew riding an airplane over state lines could be so tiring." He glanced up at whatever disbelieving looks were offered to him. "This is about the time people get out their PokeDexes."

 

[Clydae]

Clydae couldn't help but giggle when Marzy gave her a head-clinging hug. "Thanks, Marzy!" she managed between giggles. Her eyes fell upon each of her observers. Matt looked so anxious, as usual. Kia was squirming, as usual. Sarah was doing her best to restrain said squirming Eevee, as usual. Clydae gave a small smile. She hadn't known them for very long at all, but there were already 'as usual's. Looking down at the drowsy pup in her jacket, she sighed quietly. "Yeah, he's a cutie, alright. And don't worry Matt, after a good rest, I'm sure he'll have more than enough energy. You'll be able to pet him to you're heart's content," she said with grin. With a glance to Kia, she added, "And I'm sure he'll want to play, too." Clydae, thoroughly amused by her companion's reactions, looked to Kade. "Yeah, I guess I am. Another on to add to the family, eh, Argo?" finally addressing the Lucario, who had gathered up the rest of the eggs. He looked over his shoulder at his trainer, and just shook his head in response. He had been bred by Clydae, as well, and knew that she had this whole puppy thing under control, but sometimes she just got too excited about the whole thing.

Hopping off the gurney, arms full of the four remaining eggs, Argo padded over to where Clydae had abandoned her backpack, and arranged three of the eggs neatly inside, with an old shirt for padding. The last one he held up for Clydae, "My money's on this one next. Can't tell which one it is yet, but it's this one, for sure" he spoke with a relatively calm conviction, then set the egg inside the bag with the others. Clydae rolled her eyes, "Getting a gambling streak, are we, Argo?" But then, Echo came to scratch Chek under the chin. Clydae just gave a silly grin, but Check was another story.

Oh dear lord, that thing was huge! Chek watched as, as if in a horror film, the large thing came at him in slow motion. He found that he had no escape plan, as he was contained in this blasted device. Finally, the hand came to his neck, probably to strangle the short life out of him and eat him. He gave a meager squirm, squeezing his eyes shut. Oh, but he was too young to die, oh the inhumanity! But the fingers gave a scritch under his chin, and he cracked one black eye open to peer at the thing. Well, that wasn't so bad. Chek opened both eyes, looking at Echo carefully. Strange, huge thing wasn't trying to kill him. What's up with that?

But Echo soon moved away, soon to return to seat himself beside Clydae. She gave him an impassive look, but Argo seemed to be watching him as if he was about to sprout extra limbs and explode. But white the opposite happened, as all limbs were gone, and Echo seemed to have imploded. Argo jumped up from the floor, backpack in paw, and watched the pokemon return to it's original form. Hah, right again. But Clydae was far less surprised than she ought to have been. She rose a brow at him as he sat down, "Don't worry about it, it's amazing how sitting down for hours on end is tiring." She gave a casual shrug. She didn't know why she was so impartial to the species swap. Probably because she really didn't mind all that much. It was minor deceit, but for good reasons. She looked down at him-it (the whole genderless thing was slightly unnerving) again, "You are one intense Ditto, my friend." No need for a pokedex on that call. If he wasn't then there wasn't much a pokedex could do for her.

 

[Gardevoir Master]

"I suppose it comes from all the Contest training I've gone through," the Ditto said. It settled into the seat, a pair of shapeless nubs folding back as if putting its hands behind its head. "Intensity, power, and style add up to a great performance in my book, not to mention flexibility." Echo wobbled slightly. "I'm nothing if not flexible."

 

[Artiste]

Hmm... Echo is a Ditto. Didn't see that one coming. Matt thought. He was a little shocked, but he tried not to show it. Instead, he smiled, and said; "I can't wait. Chek, you are going to enjoy the petting spree, my new little friend."

 

[Shiny Motley]

Sarah gasped as Echo turned into a pinkish blob. Even Kia stopped squirming in her arms when she saw what Echo became. "Ditto," Kia whispered, and Sarah nodded. Then, after about 5 seconds of staring, Kia bit Sarah's arm pretty hard. "Ouch! What was that for!?" Sarah exclaimed.

"It was to make you stop staring. Staring is rude, as you always told me," Kia replied.

Sarah laughed a bit, then turned to Matt. He seemed to be sketching some sort of picture of Dusk, and by what she could see, he was actually quite good at drawing, or at least in her opinion.

Just then, Nurse Joy came and returned Sarah Prima's pokeball. "She seems all right, just a few scratches, but everything okay now," she said.

"Thanks," Sarah replied, and let Prima out of her Pokeball. Instantly, the Kirlia started to look around, and practically squealed when she saw the baby Electrike.

Prima said.

"Oh, come on! Clydae has four more eggs! You'll have lots of chanses to see them hatching," Sarah replied. "Anyways, I think Clydae has another egg that's getting close to hatching, so, hopefully, you'll be able to see an egg hatch."

Prima yelled, so much that it made others at the Pokemon Center look around to see who yelled in their heads.

 

[Snapdragon]

Aaaand that would make surprise event of the day number three. Back in his breeder days, Kadence had spent his fair share of time in the presence of Dittos. But never one capable of holding a form when not in the presence of its target. Especially when it was mimicking a human, of all things--this was no ordinary Pokemon. In all honesty, Kadence's initial reaction was probably pretty close to the disbelieving stares Echo probably got all the time. If not because of his incredible transformation abilities, then because... well, talking Pokemon still weren't all that common, either. But then Echo started talking about contests. If there's one conversational topic that Kade never tired of, it was Pokemon contests. Bringing them up was the easiest way to get on his good side. "You're a contest Pokemon? No kidding? Smart category, right? Or... no, I guess being a Ditto means you could pretty much go for anything. I'd like seeing you in action sometime. I've never really seen a Ditto like you before."

Marziale had been one of the stunned ones, too. At first her surprise had been because Echo had understood what she was saying, but that was quickly explained when he went from a bald guy in an awesome suit to a squishy pink pile of ooze. Oooh, a Ditto! Keen. Marzy gave Clydae's head a pat, then detached herself from the girl. Kade always said it was important to respect a newborn's "mommy time," and even if she hadn't been able to resist during the hatching, the poor little guy was probably all worn out from hatching and overwhelmed by all the new stuff around him. But it just wouldn't be very Marziale-ish of her to just mind her business, would it? No, she just found a new target for her inquisitive nature. Matt had kinda gone off by himself, and it looked like he was drawing something. It had attracted Sarah's attention too, but then she got distracted by the nurse bringing in another Pokemon. Whch meant there was nobody to bug Matt. Well, that was an invitation for her to butt in if ever there was one.

As subtly as she could, Marziale glided over, sidling up to the boy and peering over his shoulder. "Heeey. Whatcha drawing?" Of course, the Togetic didn't expect much of an answer, considering the whole language barrier thing, so she switched over to talking to the fuzzy kitty that was with Matt. "I like your hair. It's white, like me. Were you born that way?" Pause. Another glance over to Matt's sketchbook, then Marzy made herself comfy perching on top of his head. "Your human's a pretty good drawer. Mine likes to draw, too. He doesn't do it a lot, though. Hey... that looks like a kitty. Is Matt drawing you?"

 

[Artiste]

"Thank you. Yes. I'll tell him. Nice. I'm sorry. Yes, he is drawing me. But, I'm not a cat! I'm a-- Um... I think I'm a Lion. There is a difference!" This Togetic was getting pretty annoying. Dusk didn't have anything against Togetics in general, but this one was pushing her luck with him. Come on, she had called him a Kitty!
"Please stop distracting me; I'm posing."

Matt hadn't noticed the slightly annoying Togetic, as when he drew, he became absorbed like Health Points with a Giga Drain. "All done! Dusk-- Oh, hello there, Marziale! How's it going? Dusk, I'm done. Here--" He turned it over, revealing a drawing of Dusk, eyes closed, a bubble pipe in his mouth, it's bubbles floating over top of him. "You like it, buddy?"
He replied with a chuckle.
Then, "Hey, everybody! Who wants to see the drawing?"

 

[Shiny Motley]

"Drawing?" Sarah said, and at once, she dashed up to Matt and looked at the drawing he held in his hands. It showed Dusk with his eyes closed, a pipe in his mouth, and bubbles all around him. Sarah had to laugh. "Matt, how did you get an idea like that?" she asked, but was distracted as Kia bounded up to Dusk and Marziale. Oh no, not now... she thought.

Meanwhile, Kia was having a blissful time, trying to chase the Luxray and Togetic that was next to Matt. She knew that she was probably slow compared to them, but what did it matter, as long if she had fun? She went up to Dusk and said, "Hi, Dusk! Wanna play tag? It's getting boring here, and there's nothing to do, now that the egg has hatched. Maybe I can get Thunder out with us! You know, Sarah's Shinx!" And with that, she ran up to Sarah, jumped up, and grabbed Thunder's pokeball with her teeth. "Okey, come outh, Funder!" Kia said, while tossing the ball in midair, but Sarah caught it just on time. "You don't send out any of the Pokemon. I'm the trainer here," Sarah said while wagging a finger at the Eevee, but she sent out Thunder anyways, since Kia was gnawing at her skirt right after she said that.

"Yay! Thunder, wanna play tag!?" Kia asked.

"Sure! Tag, you're it!" the Shinx replied, and then the two naughty Pokemon ran into the crowd, knocking the poor old man that Sarah saw on the plane along the way.

"Silly brats," Sarah mumbled under her breath as she saw her two rascals run. Then, calling after them, she said, "Don't go far! We'll leave anytime now!" Shaking her head, Sarah sat down next to Matt's bench, watching her Pokemon having fun.

 

[Clydae]

"Bye Marzy!" Clydae called quietly after the little Togetic. Clydae had never been so fond of a constantly in-your-face pokemon as Marziale. She then returned her attention to Echo, who was blobbing by her side. Contests, huh? "So, you just enter contests on your own, then? They ever given you any trouble for it?" Clydae only assumed at least one judge might throw a fit for a trainer-less pokemon entering itself in a contest. But, she herself had done minimal contesting, just enough to get the last star on her trainer card. Feanor, her Floatzel who was now tearing up Kanto, had been her best shower, in the beauty category, believe it or not. Even though he was sometimes not much to look at, his constant trickery had given him the cunning to create the most stunning move combinations. She gave a distant smile at the nostalgia, noting to herself that Kade was fairly avid on the subject. She finally pulled herself out of her mini-trance to look at him, "Do you coordinate in a lot of contests, Kade?" she decided to just go ahead and ask, since they seemed to be on the subject. She could bet Marzy might at least get some cute points, though she wasn't as avid with that sort of thing as she would like.

While Clydae engaged herself elsewhere, Chek finally managed to get comfortable in the crook of the jacket. Now that huge thing had been reduced to a puddle of goo (by Chek's own ineffable power, of course) and everyone had been slightly distracted by one thing or another, he finally felt sleep tugging his little blue eyelids down over his two ebony eyes. Not wanting to miss what was going on, he fought it as best as he could. He got to see one more new thing (Prima), and also noticed the tall standing dog-thing that talked to Clydae. Chek recognized the voice from when he was inside the egg, and made some sort of connection with the two. But he was sad to see the flying thing that he saw when he hatched go away. He liked it, it was funny. But, before he figured out how to protest, sleep finally came to him, however unwilling.

Argo was standing over against the wall, eggs and backpack behind the protection of his feet. He watched everything around him, and couldn't help but be impressed by the ditto. Though, he did have the urge to ask exactly why he had chosen to pluck one of his hairs after being freed from the little girl of death. He decided to save it for another time, if there was one. If there wasn't, then it didn't matter, anyway. But it seemed to be happy in the company of the trainers, speaking of contests. Clydae begged him to enter the cool contest just so she could get that ribbon out of the way. He only accepted because the ribbon was red, the same color as his pokemon league one. His cool ribbon was never seen, but Clydae often found it in strange pockets of her bag, perhaps a reminder of how much he didn't want to do it again.
But Argo's thoughts were cut when Dusk's agitated voice came to his ears after the quieter, yet higher pitched voice of Marziale. Argo didn't move, except to focus his rust eyes on Dusk and Marzy,
Argo wasn't one to jump to anyone's rescue, but the Togetic had done nothing wrong except voice her child-like admiration to the lightning cat.

 

[Artiste]

"Yes, I realize that. I'm just not very fond of Twenty Questions." Dusk replied. After all, Argo was right. Lions ARE technically of the cat family. "Listen, Marziale, I'm sorry I was so hot with you. I didn't mean it. Just, call me a Lion instead of a kitty in the future, okay?" He smiled, a sharped toothed imitation of Matt's. Besides the teeth, and the fur, and the fact that Dusk was a Pokemon and Matt a human, they were exactly alike. He turned to his trainer.
"Yeah, I don't think she did! I'll go show her now." He walked over, and heard the word "Contest". He said; "Contest? I watched some on TV, they looked like fun. Are they, Clydae, Kade?" He inclined his head to each in turn as he said their names.

 

[Snapdragon]

It kinda went without saying that not everybody really fell in love with Marziale right off the bad. She had the boldness and enthusiasm of a four-year-old, and didn't always pick up on the idea that some people didn't like having a squeaky white thing dancing around their faces all day long. Better her than Andante, though. She was a withdrawn mute compared to the oblivious Quilava that was usually at Kadence's side. She responded to Dusk's apology by petting him in between the ears like a Skitty and giggling. "Sorry, ki--lion, I won't make that mistake again. I'd pinky swear it, but since neither of us have pinkies, you'll just hafta take my word for it, I guess." Dusk went off to his trainer shortly afterward, so Marziale decided to focus on the Lucario instead. "Hey... I don't think I ever caught your name. I'm Marziale, but you can call me Marzy if you want. Pretty much everyone does."

"I guess you could say that, yeah." Basically... contests were Kade's life. He was very much about appealing, in every sense of the word. He lived for dazzling contest appeals, strove for both his own image and that of his Pokemon to be striking and unique, and endeavored to make good music, good artwork, good food. Of course, all this at the expense of being a shallow idiot, but it was a worthy sacrifice. It was, admittedly, tempting to start displaying his ribbons and boasting about his reputation, but no. Modesty was a virtue, wasn't it? Or maybe he was thinking of chastity. Something like that, anyways.

And Matt's question saved him from the temptation, thankfully. "Oh, without a doubt, they are. It takes a lot more work to be a successful coordinator than a successful trainer, without a doubt. It's not enough to know the moves, you have to invent your own twists to them and practice until they're perfect. Everything's under scrutiny. The way your Pokemon looks, how it moves, how it reacts to a hit. It's nerve-wracking stuff, both for the coordinator and the Pokemon. But the rewards are so worth it. Let's face it... which would you rather watch, a contest battle, or a normal match?" It was hard for Kadence to put into words the glory of a contest. The adoration of the crowd and the shine of the lights were just something that you had to experience firsthand, that was all. Maybe Clydae or Echo would be able to explain it better.

 

[Gardevoir Master]

"Most definitely a contest battle," Echo replied. "While there is something to be said about the drama of a knock-down, drag-out fight, a contest battle is a sight to behold. A coordinator and their Pokemon has to not only top the competition, but themselves to keep from getting repetitive, so even against the same opponent you may never really know what to expect. The time limit and point system make things even more intense. Every move counts, making strategy even more important. But I think what I like most about Contests is that, since the goal isn't to knock out your opponent, it's more like how Pokemon fight in the wild over territory and status. It's not so much about survival as it is proving one's superiority. Well, maybe that's a gruff way to put it, but I think you understand what I mean."

 

[Artiste]

((OOC: I must up my RP'ing standards. I have a situation with which it is required, so I'm going to try to get better. So, if you guys can help me, that'd be great. ^_^))

BIC:

"Contests... I think I got it, Kade. I'm going to have to enter one someday. Not with Dusk, of course. He's not one for the Arts. About as Artsy as a stump." He added the last part under his breath. Matt started thinking then, about whether or not he should catch a Pokemon specifically for Contests. He really felt that he needed to try it, at least once. A Fire type, maybe? I could teach it a couple different types of moves, and string them together.
His thoughts snapped back to the sketch he held in his hands. "Listen, guys. I've got a sketch here... Want to see it?"
He held it up for Clydae, Kade, and Echo to see, and smiled.
The thought of Contests kept drifting back into Matt's mind. He couldn't stop thinking about them. He'd seen them on television, and they looked amazing. The lights. The stage. The Coordinators, and their Pokemon. The Judges, grading the performances of the Pokemon.

He imagined himself standing on the stage, the silhouette of a Pokemon standing at his side, the Ribbon in his hands. He made up his mind then, he would do Contests, along with Gym battles, until he had all of the Ribbons, and the Badges.

 

[Clydae]

Argo was surprised to see the Togetic head his way. At the introduction, he gave a small half-mile/smirk. "Well, hello there Marziale. I'm Argo. I was in my pokeball when you started attacking my trainer over there. You're lucky I was injured." he spoke with a tone of mild humor. But he decided to make amends just in case she took it the wrong way, "But don't worry, I know why you did it, and I applaud your efforts. No hard feelings." And with that out of the way, he held out a paw for her. He wasn't really good at introductions, but he did his best for the... forward Togetic. But the Lucario's ear twitched as Kade's words were spoken. By the slimmest fraction, his eyes narrowed. But now was not his time. He distracted himself by focusing back on Marziale. He would let Clydae take care of it. He just hoped she was careful.

But it was hard to be careful when her entire passion and purpose was cast aside for a contest. "Yes, they are... fun." Her final word carried a bite that her voice rarely displayed. She looked to Matt, the only one so far not to crush her soul. "If-and only if your pokemon are the type for it. Feanor was an amazing performer." She paused, looking first at Kade, then Echo. "True, to be a good coordinator, it takes a little more effort than to be a good trainer." And now was when, in this endless debate, she usually started shouting. But in the present company and location, she took a calming breath before continuing. "But to truly become a great trainer, you need to risk your life for the chance to prove it. And all of the qualities of a coordinator's appeal are just as necessary in an elite battle, plus the added struggle of surviving. And whats more superior than outlasting an opponent in a battle where both participants put their reputation and safety on the line." Clydae had to stop herself there. She didn't like to argue, but this was one thing that she wouldn't let happen. Not after so long, after so many badges, so many heartbreaks, injuries, losses, and victories. Coordinators don't have to brave the deadly monster that is Victory Road. Wild pokemon attacking from all sides, all the time, with seemingly no escape. All to have a go at the four trainers that stood in your path to challenge the champion. To culminate months and years of hopes and dreams in one moment-just to stay alive. "Sure, how they look is one thing that is less relevant in a trainer battle, but the way your pokemon moves, the techniques and combinations are all a necessary part of a great battle. One false step and it's over. One lost opportunity, and all is lost."

Clydae noted Matt's sketch with a placid nod of approval. She usually would have taken it with great laughter, a poignant comment to Dusk, and some sort of witty remark. But her feelings were beyond crushed. No laughter shone from the dark eyes this time.

She couldn't really believe that they would put down her profession, even if they didn't know it was hers. Thirty-two gyms defeated, four victory roads, sixteen Elites and four Champions to guard their prize. The Hall of Fame. Yeah, she had her pretty ribbons. But nothing was more prized than the metal badges neatly arranged in the hard case at the bottom of her backpack.

 

[Gardevoir Master]

Echo made a small squeak of acknowledgment to what Clydae said. Her body temperature and muscle tension had risen measurably, a clear sign of agitation. The Ditto must've touched a nerve. Echo could tell she was a career member of the Pokemon League, one dedicated to the life of struggle and perseverance that comes with the greatness therein. He had seen them numerous times when he lived in the Cerulean Cave. Only the best of the best dared to enter, and he nearly expected all humans to be like Clydae when he left to explore the outside world. He was surprised to see that they were mostly like Sarah and Matt, and many were even less so.

"I know what you mean," Echo said. "Without a trainer, I lack the safety net trained Pokemon have in their PokeBalls or other wild Pokemon have in their colonies. If I were knocked out in a battle, there may be no one to take me to the Pokemon Center. I'd be at the mercy of the elements and hungry animals, and I am far more soft and squishy than you. I suppose I am simply more... pragmatic in my approach to seeking glory, but even still I risk life and... well, not limb, clearly... but even training can be a life-and-death struggle for me. By comparison, a Contest Battle is a simple sparring match.

"I admire you, Clydae. You have your friends to fight for you. I, meanwhile, walk alone."

Echo looked at the picture of Sherlock Dusk and found a chance to inject some levity into the moment. Glancing at the genuine article, the Ditto began to Transform. Soon, a Shiny Luxray wearing a deerstalker cap and a pipe clenched between his teeth was sitting on the bench. He brought a paw up to the pipe and appeared to seriously contemplate something as bubbles rose up from the pipe and popped in mid-air.

 

[Snapdragon]

Marziale, of course, seized Argo's offered paw in both her tiny hands and shook vigorously, all zest and zeal as usual. It didn't take her long to notice Clydae, though. Togetics tend to be generally very sensitive about conflict, even to the point that a Togekiss won't set foot in a place where there's been strife. With Marzy being exceptionally nosy, that meant she had an "unhappy radar" like you wouldn't believe. The little Togetic just watched, mouth agape, as first Clydae spoke, then Echo. She almost wasn't sure which one to feel worse for--Clydae, who was probably a trainer and probably really sensitive about normal battles being slammed and all, or Echo, who had been alone all his life and stared down danger every single day. This wouldn't do at all! Marzy to the rescue once again! "Argo... excuse me for a second, okay?"

As for Kade... well, he really wasn't as moved as Marziale. He did feel bad for Echo, but Clydae...? He couldn't for the life of him figure out why she got so cheezed off. Did she think that a Flamethrower from a contest Pokemon wouldn't hurt as much as a Flamethrower from a regular Pokemon? Contest battles were all about putting on a show, but they were still battles. They may have been timed, but ten minutes usually proved sufficient to make the knockout. And anyway, what made trainer matches that much more important? Nobody was more likely to die from a trainer fight than an appeal--that's what things like referees and potions had been made for.

That was exactly what Kadence found annoying about trainers. They treated appeals more like ballets than battles, and trivialized a coordinator's efforts. One false step in a contest could ruin your dreams of the Grand Festival just as quickly as they could ruin your dreams of the Pokemon League. Those little pieces of metal they treasured were just that: cheap hunks of metal. There was no reason to act like they were worth so much more than contest ribbons. Of course, that wasn't being entirely fair; the only thing Kadence truly knew of Pokemon training was how to catch wild Pokemon, and that was only for the purpose of having something to breed. No, he didn't know a thing about Victory Road, and no, he hadn't known Clydae was so proud of her accomplishments as a trainer when he'd said all those things about trainer battles.

But even if he had, he probably would have said them anyway. Kade... he meant well, but there were times when he really didn't get it. "Jeez, Clydae. It's not that big a deal. I'm sure every time you challenge some kid and his Zigzagoon to a match, you're putting your life on the line, but--" Luckily, before he could shove his foot any further into his mouth, Marzy intervened. The same Togetic that had been trying to tickle Clydae to death with her fairy-light blows mere moments ago came charging in to her defense, an ominous orange-red glow dancing around one fist. With a shrill "Togeeeeh!" she just about floored Kade with a good, hard Focus Punch to the back of his head.

Of course, with that out of the way, she instantly switched from spreading her wrath to spreading the love. She was attaching her self to Duskified-Echo's head in a matter of seconds, her expression dancing between giggles and amusement at his caricature of the pale lion-kitty and weeping openly at his tragic tale. "Don't be sad, Echo, you have friends! I'm your friend! You don't have to be alone anymore and I think it's real brave of you that you don't have a trainer and if you're ever in trouble Kade will be like your surrogate trainer I'll Focus Punch him again if he doesn't and if you wanted you could be part of our family, even if you're a wild Pokemon, because then you'd always have big sister Marzy watching over your back and that's a promise!"

Marziale had to stop her blabbering then, as she'd run out of breath, which provided Kadence with a chance to rub his head and cast her a bewildered glare as she ranted and raved in her high-pitched little Pokespeech. "Ow... What was that for? If that turns into a bump, I'm not buying you ice cream for a week." Which wasn't the first time he'd made that threat, and chances were it wasn't going to be the first time that he completely and utterly failed to act on it, too.

 

[Gardevoir Master]

"Elementary, my dear Kadence," Echo-Dusk said in a badly-done British accent. Since the paw with the pipe was already up there, he used it to gingerly push the Togetic away from him. "Marziale had been so moved by our impassioned debate that she had to interject. But while her offer to support me through my trials are appreciated," about here, his accent dropped, "I'm afraid I have no need for a trainer, surrogate or not. Nothing personal. I just don't find it entirely necessary."

 

[Shiny Motley]

Sarah couldn't handle it anymore. No, it was just too much. She just had to say it, right there and then. "YOU GUYS KEEP TALKING TO EACH OTHER, BUT YOU GUYS NEVER EVEN MENTION ME OR ANY OF MY POKEMON EVEN ONCE! WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT!? I DON'T LIKE BEING IGNORED! SO I MIGHT AS WELL GET OUT OF HERE AND CHALLENGE ROARK ALL BY MYSELF!" she suddenly burst out, and with that, she returned her three Pokemon that were out into their pokeballs, stuffed them into her backpack, and stormed out of the Pokemon Center like a mad Rhyhorn. Breathing kind of heavily, she took of in the direction to Oreburgh.

 

[Artiste]

Matt was stunned for a moment at Sarah's outburst, but he glanced at Clydae, Kade and Echo briefly, and sprinted out of the Center after Sarah. He searched around, still running, but he just couldn't find her. He searched all over Sandgem, behind trees, behind and in bushes, and behind houses, but Sarah was nowhere to be found. She must not want to be found. Matt thought. Blast! If only I would've gotten out a bit faster! I might have found her.... I'm such an idiot..
He slouched back to the Pokemon Center, downcast, and once the doors opened, he spoke.
"Guys.... I couldn't find Sarah. Sorry."

((OOC: Matt could not find her, as S_E will not be on until September 19, if I remember correctly.))

 

[Clydae]

Argo gave a small nod as he passively observed the Togetic leave his company. But as she prepared for a Focus Punch, Argo let a small smile creep across his face. For some reason, he assumed that the punch was not for Clydae this time.

Echo's words made Clydae smile slightly. She was grateful for his words, no matter the circumstances. She wasn't one to completely fish for admirers, but when the little Ditto expressed his understading, she couldn't help but be a little soothed. "Yes, for a wild Pokemon, it's always tough out there. That's why you don't see too many Pokemon who are well trained out on their own. But I'm still impressed that you take on contests without any sort of trainer, yourself." She turned her eyes to Kade as a sort of acknowledgment for coordinator battles.
But instead of having any sort of understanding, Kade just had to provoke her. She remained still for a moment, almost not believing what she had heard. Clydae was about to sock Kade in the face when the Togetic seemed to do the job for her. Peering down at the floored coordinator, she hissed, "I never said that the battles were more or less life-threatening. They are practically the same, just trainer battles have the added variable of survival, and coordinators have the variable of judges. It's the lifestyle of the trainer that's deadly; the travel to dark places with nothing but your bag and pokemon to live on. A battle is rarely truly dangerous in itself, but trying to find your way through a narrow mountain pass through hordes of tough wild pokemon just so you can get to the next gym or to train your pokemon is the life of a trainer," she paused momentarily before her voice turned sharp, "And no whelp with merely a Zigzagoon would dare challenge me," The last part was more of a quiet bark than a hiss as Clydae came close to seething.

However, Argo was quick to interfere. He knew that Clydae was used to traveling alone, and her life had be on the line multiple times through league after league. Having people in such close proximity was unusual for her. A strong hold on the trainer's arm, Argo forced the grumbling Clydae into a chair on the wall of the Pokecenter. As she hit the plastic, Clydae's rage turned into sadness. Were her people skills so bad that she would explode like that at any provocation against her lifelong passion? But luckily, Argo was going to handle the people from here on out.

Or at least he would have if they were suddenly all looking at Sarah. Well that was... random. Argo couldn't really thing of anything else to say about it. He was mildly concerned as she ran out on her own. He considered following Matt outside to help look for her, but he wasn't certain how stable Clydae would remain, especially if Kade decided to retort again. Hopefully he wouldn't, but Argo found it unlikely. However, Matt came back quickly with the news that Sarah was gone. "Well, that's not good..." he mused aloud. He looked over to his trainer, who was looking intently at the sleeping electrike pup that was now plopped in her bag of eggs. But Clydae's stomach fell as she heard that Sarah was nowhere to be found. This was all her fault. She just HAD to stick up for herself again. Clydae considered how she was going to handle traveling with other people. That is-if they ended up traveling still. The possibility of a break up seemed imminent, but she tried not to think about it.

 

[Artiste]

Matt couldn't help but feel that it was his fault Sarah had gotten away. Maybe, if he hadn't hesitated, he could've caught her. No! This wasn't the time for thoughts like that. Sarah was gone, and there was nothing he could do about it, as it seemed she didn't want to be found. Once he erased those negative thoughts from his saddened brain, he remembered. He was on a Pokemon Journey! He had to be cheerful. He had his Pokemon and his new friends, after all.

Noticing that the other's spirits didn't seem to be too high, he said; "Hey, hey! Why don't we start heading towards Oreburgh? We might run into Sarah on the way, and we can convince her to come back!"

He returned Dusk to his Pokeball, and put the drawing of him back into his pack.

"I'll be right back, guys." Matt said, and started walking out of the Pokemon Center, and once he was out, his walk turned into his signature sprint, which took him to Professor Rowan's lab.

He opened the door, and walked in. He looked around for a moment, enjoying the air conditioning, and walked further into the splendor that is the lab. He saw Alex, standing near the Professor, and changed his direction ever so slightly, so he would end up right behind his best friend.

"Hi, Alex." He whispered.

"Ah!", Alex yelped. "Matt? Why'd you do that, dude? Scared me half to death..."

"I meant to. Anyway, I came here to say that we're leaving. We also lost one of our companions. Sarah exploded, and stormed out of the center like a mad Tauros."

"Ouch. Sorry, Matt."

"Hello, Matt, is it? I'm Professor Rowan." Said the man.

"Hello! I've wanted to meet you for a long time, Professor! Yeah, I'm Matt, Matt Palmer."

"Nice to meet you. Did you come just to tell Alex good-bye? Or did you have an ulterior motive, getting a Pokemon?"

"I just came to say bye to Alex, sir. He already traded me a Squirtle for a Starly. He didn't catch one on his journey." He added, at the Professor's inquisitive look.

"Alright. Well, me and Alex have work to do, and you might want to leave, as it will get very messy in here. Good-bye."

"Bye, Alex, Professor."

He walked back out, and back into the sweltering heat, sprinted back to the Center, and walked in, the AC greeting him.

 

[Gardevoir Master]

"Oreburgh City! Excellent!" Echo exclaimed, hopping off the bench and melting back into Ditto form. "Unless I am mistaken, Jubilife City is along the way. I heard there was a contest house there, so it would be a good opportunity for me to get my first Contest Ribbon. Just let me put my face on first..."

Echo glowed and once more took on human form. This time, however, it was not the bald man they first met. Now Echo was shorter, a girl of about sixteen years of age with long, pink hair, black eyes, and a pink sun dress. She stepped forward on her bare feet and did a little twirl.

"Pretty, yeah?" Echo inquired. "Some people are put off when I suddenly change genders. Its like they thought I was a whole other person!" She giggled lightly. "I'm still more or less the same person, just with different parts."