Open The Region of Magnol

[Clockwise]

Apply in the discussion thread here: https://pokecharms.com/threads/the-region-of-magnol-discussion.20607/
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The morning sun cast rays between the oak leaves as Ambrose Vance trudged along the beaten path. Today was the day he was finally leaving home to start his Pokémon journey. He was older than most beginner trainers from other regions, being a young man of 15. It wasn't uncommon for parents here to delay their children's virgin expedition until they were confident in their maturity. The unknown of Magnol's wilderness could be dangerous at times. Ambrose couldn't help but smile when he breathed in the fresh air of freedom. The skyline of the big city of Sonax had already almost faded from his view.

He would eventually have to return home to challenge the capital's gym leader, but he wasn't in any rush. He had spent nearly every waking day of his life within the confines of that place. Magnol was unique in the fact that aspiring challengers could take on gyms in any order. League leaders were required to have various teams prepared for competitors depending on how many badges they had acquired. Ambrose would come back to Sonax when he was ready.

Daydreams of extravagant battles filled the young man's mind. He was so amped to show the world what he was made of. The pokéball in his jacket was warm from his constant caress. He had received his partner, a Magnolan Cyndaquil, only a week prior from the region's most prestigious researcher, Professor Kudzu. It was a variant native only to Magnol, as it possessed an extra water typing in addition to the standard fire. The flames on its back were a deep blue and burned in a shape of a dorsal fin, and while its top fur looked similar to a normal member of its Johtonian species, Cyndaquil's underbelly was lavender and slightly scaly. This particular Pokémon was a male, Kudzu had told him. Ambrose had been contemplating a good nickname all week, but his indecisive nature had gotten the best of him so far.

The eager rookie wanted to rush off into the wilderness as soon as he was gifted with his new friend, but his parents had encouraged him to take the necessary time to prepare. He bought a few supplies like bedding, food, and medicine for both him and his partner. Ambrose had been saving his funds for a while, earning a little money from chores and from borrowing the family's Pokémon (often without permission) for skirmishes with his peers. His family wasn't wealthy, and that was an unfortunate frustration the young man had always had to face. Although he loved his parents, he felt like his secondhand lifestyle had always held him back. He yearned to experience the places his family couldn't afford to take him, and now was his chance.

The Magnolan League had only just started its first season. There wasn't even an established champion for the region yet. Several towns and cities were still under a century old, and much of the population had only immigrated in the last 50 years. Ambrose was a third generation Magnolan. His grandparents had arrived in their youth to help cultivate the area's expanding civilization. He couldn't help but wonder how different and exciting it was for them to brave a foreign land. His personal mission was to become the first Magnolan champion and become a pioneer in his own right.

"Should be a piece of cake", he said with a sly grin. His confidence in his abilities was admirable yet naive. He had borrowed his parents' Pokémon to battle with local kids before, and he usually fared well. However, it was different to actually train a Pokémon of his own. Ambrose and Cyndaquil had no experience together. The rookie duo would need to develop a deep bond if they were to persevere, and that meant it was time to train. The battle-hungry boy veered off the path towards some tall brush under an oaken canopy. Greatness wasn't going to earn itself.

Ambrose's search for a suitable fight was interrupted by a distant yet familiar sound. The hum of a commercial airliner echoed high above the branches. Its only possible destination was Sonax City, Magnol's only airport. Local flight was all done via Pokémon, but Tailwind Airlines ferried passengers to and from other regions. The allure of Magnol brought many visitors to the capital's hub. Ambrose wondered what type of trainers were arriving each day to face the League and how they would impact the future of his home. Whoever they were, he would show them his strength if they dared challenge him. He tightened his bandana, clenched his fist, and continued to search for Cyndaquil's first wild opponent.
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Ambrose Vance
Location - Outside Sonax City
Money - 2000 Poké Dollars (P)
Inventory - 2 Potions

 

[Hogzilla]

The wind whirled through Michael Haakonsson's hair as he stepped off the S.S. Shellanna into the city of Luxport. The salty sea air filled his nostrils as he and Herk, his longtime Heracross companion, stepped onto Magnolan soil for the first time. There was so much to do. He'd had a legitimately tough time deciding what to do when he got there, because there was so much to do in Magnol. But ship rides can take a while, and the voyage from Kalos had taken several days. Michael had spent time in quiet prayer and decided the best way to find out what to do was to ask Herk, seeing as he would be successful only if he had the full support of his Pokemon. Michael reflected on the moment. When he'd mentioned the prospect of battling challenging foes in each city and then taking on the Elite Four, the Heracross had chittered excitedly and Michael knew it was the right choice. They would take on Magnol in honest battle.

Michael approached the gym after taking some time to find it. It was a large edifice resembling a casino. Momentarily perplexed by the strange design, Michael was about to go in, but then remembered that Gym Leaders were tough, he knew that from watching them in action on TV back home. Herk was brave and strong but it certainly couldn't hurt to train in actual battles, right? Herk had never been in an actual battle, any threat to the family had been handled by Michael's father and his more experienced Pokemon. Jumping right into a Gym would not be a good move. But if there was one thing Michael and Herk loved to do, it was roughhouse and train hard. After stopping by the Pokemart for some supplies just in case, the two wandered off into the woods.

Michael and Herk went into the woods and used the first clearing they found to get warmed up. First came shadowboxing, followed by push-ups and squats. Then Michael and Herk practiced their battle teamwork. "Herk, use Arm Thrust on that tree!" Michael smiled as his Pokemon's powerful limbs left large gaping wounds in the tree. "Jump back and give it a taste of Bullet Seed!" Herk chirped as it leaped back and spat a spray of seeds, bark and dirt, leaving small impact marks across the tree, as well as the immediate area where the beetle-like Pokemon had simply missed. "Now finish it with Horn Attack!" the tree split in twain as the Heracross' trademark horn skewered it through. "Good work, Herk!" Michael shouted with a smile, and the two partners shared a fist bump. Several more trees fell victim to the pair's perhaps excessive enthusiasm for practice before Michael called "That's enough for now Herk. You think you're ready to take on a Pokemon?" Herk clapped its fists together in approval. "Sounds great. We'll work on picking up more moves in the future, to cover your weaknesses or to give you more options in battle, but I think for now lets stick with Arm Thrust, Bullet Seed, and Horn Attack since you know those well." And with that, Michael and Herk went off, looking for trouble.

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

Michael Haakonsson
Location - Outside Luxport
Money - 1000 Poké Dollars (P)
Inventory - 1 Potion, 2 Antidotes, 2 Awakenings

 

[Clockwise]

Michael Haakonsson

The vigor in Herk's stance was more than apparent after a quick warm-up with his friend and master. The Heracross was ready to pick a fight. But where would they search? In an unknown land, anything could be waiting around the corner. The trick was to push their limits without risking any major harm. Anything too easy wouldn't lend towards significant progress. Who knows what difficulties the Luxport gym would offer?

The low beachy areas were just beginning to give way to patches of trees in the north. Wingull cries could be heard from the direction of the oceanfront city. Plenty of common Pokémon habitats were scattered about, so choices had to be made. It would be best not to stray too far from the Pokemon Center and the safety of the route in case of an emergency. The two decided to continue just slightly deeper into the woods where Herk had practiced his technique. Surely they could spot a worthy opponent.

After a few minutes of searching, Herk discovered a rotting log in a hidden clearing. The tree looked as if it had been struck by either lightning from a passing storm or a powerful electric-type attack from a skilled Pokémon. Using both of its powerful arms, the Heracross deftly tossed the pine corpse aside to reveal an astonishing sight: a community of small bug Pokémon wriggling from the exposed earth. Several Wurmple scattered in different directions, each expecting a predatory Swellow or Pidgeotto to come swooping down in an instant to end their life. Herk couldn't help but buzz in a slight chuckle at the actions of his inferior cousins. He was reminded how Michael's father had discovered him in a similar way. There was no challenge here, though...or at least that's what they thought.

While the two were awed by the beauty and antics of the insect ecosystem, another pair of eyes was investigating in silence. Some intruders had disturbed its shelter, and it was more capable of defense than a simple worm. Lying in stealth was a sleek and vengeful Nincada. A master of surprise, it crawled on the underside of a hanging branch to position itself within range of the invaders. The log was where it liked to seek shelter from the oppressive light of the afternoon sun. It had just finished a light snack and was returning to await nightfall when it did most of its nocturnal hunting. Now it's favorite spot had been violated, and that was unacceptable.

Leaping from the hanging branch, the sneak attack was executed successfully. The insect ninja latched itself onto Herk's back with a swift pounce and launched several ferocious scratches into the Heracross's wings. Herk reached behind him to remove the assailant, but Nincada had placed itself as to where strong arms couldn't reach him. The chaos escalated in an instant. This opponent relied on the element of surprise and a blitzkrieg of quick strikes to take down its prey. Tiny fangs sank into Herk's exoskeleton, and Michael's Pokémon could feel its energy being sapped from the wound. Their first test had begun.

 

[Hogzilla]

Michael jumped in surprise as a small Pokemon leaped onto Herk's back. "What the-" He looked in shock as the creature sunk its fangs into Herk's back and his shock turned to determination. No time to check the Pokedex, no time to think, only time for action! "Herk, slam it into the tree behind you, get it off!" The Pokemon chirped in reply, and staggered backwards towards the nearest tree as quick as possible. It hurled itself, back first, into the side of the tree. The Pokemon seemed to understand what Herk had in mind, because before it crashed into the tree, it leaped free. Michael breathed a sigh of relief and barked "Herk, give it a taste of Bullet Seed!" The Heracross bracketed the Pokemon with seeds flung at great speed. The Pokemon's siphoned vigor was kicked out of it in a flurry as it recoiled in pain.

The insect Pokemon leaped at Herk, and raked its bladed limbs across the Pokemon's arm. Michael grunted in frustration and shouted "Now Horn Attack, don't let it recover!" Although Herk was quick, the wild Pokemon was quicker, and as it parried out of the way, it cut at Herk's exoskeleton again. Michael grunted. The Pokemon was too quick, he needed to strike when it was vulnerable. But when was it vulnerable. Then he saw it, as the Pokemon leaped forward, committing its full body to the attack. "Herk, guard!" Herk's arms shot up, crossed in an X-shape to block the attack. The slashing blow glanced off the guard and it fell clumsily to the ground "Now reply with Arm Thrust!" Herk jumped forward, lashing out with its fist clenched and the blow struck true. The silver wild Pokemon shrieked a cry as it was struck by the formidable strength of the Heracross. The silver Pokemon tried to rise, but it could give no more, and fell unconscious.

Michael breathed again in relief, and then wooped in celebration. They had won! And that wasn't all, Herk's finishing blow wasn't like the Arm Thrust he knew. "Herk! You did it! We won our first battle!" The two shared an embrace, and Michael clapped his companion on the back. "That wasn't Arm Thrust you did there, that was Counter! You learned a new move!" Michael then noticed Herk's injuries, and in a more subdued tone, said "You're hurt. Lets go to the Pokemon Center." And with that, the two got up and made haste to get Herk's injuries tended to, and to rest before their next challenge.

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Michael Haakonsson
Location - Outside Luxport
Money - 1000 Poké Dollars (P)
Inventory - 1 Potion, 2 Antidotes, 2 Awakenings

 

[Clockwise]

Michael Haakonsson

Despite the injury and fatigue, Herk also felt the pride of his first Magnolan victory. He gave his master a quick and playful salute as his body ignited into red light to withdraw into his pokéball. The battle was a little more than expected, but the duo had kept their cool and persevered. They had learned a valuable lesson in keeping their guard up even in a mundane situation. It was fortunate to have been an early lesson.

The trip back to Luxport was fairly quick and uneventful. They had wisely not strayed too far from the city for this very reason. It was simple to follow the ever-increasing Wingull cries back towards the ocean. Michael entered main street, and he noticed some familiar faces in the crowd. Several of the S.S. Shellanna's passengers were bustling about, but none seemed to pay him any mind. They were all lost in the thrill of their own adventure. There was too much to do in this new land. Michael knew the feeling, but first he had to take care of his partner.

The bright red roof of the medical facility was an iconic and familiar sight. The sliding doors hummed as they parted, revealing the chattering of voices within. Michael waited his turn to see the attendant, as there were two other trainers in front of him. The boy who was first in line had an Aipom with a broken tail that required a cast, and the young girl just in front of Michael had a Skitty that was running a fever. They were quickly taken care of by the efficient staff. The center had been busy with all of the recent arrivals for the League's inaugural season. Herk's pokéball was placed on the restoration machine, and with a few chimes, he was good as new. Michael thanked the employee who had helped him, and headed towards the exit.

A sign on the Pokémon Center's door offered the young trainer some valuable information. The flyer gave directions to a League sign-up kiosk next door. Michael realized if he wanted to challenge the Magnolan League, he'd need to register himself as a trainer and Herk as his partner. He'd saw some of the other passengers buzzing around it before he entered the Pokémon Center and didn't think much about it. Thankfully the line had cleared when Michael exited the building. He had his picture taken for his trainer card, signed it, and was gifted with a badge case and Magnolan pokédex app. Upon browsing the software, he noticed that Heracross's, Nincada's, and even little Wurmple's information had been added. Apparently the dex utilized an infrared signal akin to the energy that of pokéball technology to scan Pokémon in proximity to the device. The region's innovation was slightly more sophisticated than Michael expected.

The afternoon sun was getting closer to the horizon, but there was still time for some activity before nightfall. Several paths awaited Michael and Herk. Sounds of battle could be heard from eager trainers gathered along the beach. Some were sparring amongst themselves while others battled with a plethora of local wildlife. Fishermen were scattered along various wharfs dotting the coastline, eagerly searching for their greatest catch. Some were even letting groups of trainers aboard their fishing vessels for aquatic expeditions. Further down the shore, the silhouette of Luxport's grand lighthouse overshadowed the ruins of its destroyed ancestor structure. Both were popular tourist attractions with the former being a battle hotspot and the latter supposedly teeming with ghost-types after dusk. Inside the city, the casino gym was still awaiting a worthy challenge. If the threat of Nincada was enough to phase Herk, perhaps he needed the help of some additional teammates to earn his first badge. The option also remained to leave Luxport altogether. How would Michael's journey progress from here?

 

[Hogzilla]

Upon getting registered for the Magnol League, Michael thanked the receptionist and stepped out of the way of the next individual in line. He turned to Herk and asked "Hey buddy, what do you say we go and get some help. Y'know, catch you a partner to fight alongside?" Herk tilted his head in thought before nodding his approval. The two stepped out into the warm air and Michael turned to Herk, "You're a Bug and Fighting Pokemon, so we should look for a Pokemon that aren't of those types. I think we should head off to the haunted lighthouse, the travel brochure said it had a lot of Ghost Pokemon there. Are you up to the task?" Herk chirped an emphatic "yes". "Alright, we'll have to wait until nighttime, I doubt those Ghosts are going to come out now that the sun is shining bright. Let's try and take it easy, okay?"

Michael and Herk lasted about two hours of taking it easy inside before they couldn't take the lack of activity. Sooner than they knew it, they were doing sprints across the beach. They did their best to avoid other trainers, their focus solely on the prospect of acquiring a wild Pokemon. After around an hour of training, the two plopped down on the edge of the beach to rest. The two shared a fist bump in satisfaction and drank some refreshing water. Michael said "Well I think we should move closer to the Lighthouse, so we can jump straight into the search for a new partner when the sun goes down. The pair set off towards the ruined lighthouse, using the beach as a sort of nature trail.

As the two walked, Michael took a deep whiff of air. The salty sea air didn't smell like the alpine forests back in Kalos, and yet reminded him of home. The smell was a sort of odor that some would find unpleasant, but those who grew up there came to love that smell more than any other. In that, the smell of the ocean was just like the scent of pine sap that so permeated the forests he grew up in. He watched the trainers battling and playing and smiled. Most were younger than he was, and he felt glad they were able to savor their childhoods. He had to work from a young age, and whilst he didn't resent that, Michael realized that life wasn't good for everyone. As they approached the Lighthouse, Michael unfurled a towel from his backpack and the two took some time relaxing before sundown.

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Michael Haakonsson
Location - Near Ruined Luxport Lighthouse
Money - 400 Poké Dollars (P)
Inventory - 1 Potion, 2 Antidotes, 2 Awakenings, 3 Pokeballs

 

[PocketMonsterHunter]

Alexandra was staring through the window of the plane, this was her first time going anywhere by herself, and it was in region far away from home. The never ending sight of the clouds from the window proved to be rather mesmerizing and soothing for her, she was free.

Her Froakie was napping on her lap, it was a long flight, which had taken a toll on both pokemon and trainer's energy. Alexandra's focus was suddenly broken by the flight attendant's voice, "We are soon landing at the Sonax City airport, please fasten your seatbelts and secure your belongings. Thank you for flying with Tailwind Airlines!". Alexandra woke up her Froakie, "I think it would be best for you to return to your pokeball", she said softly while patting the pokemon's head, Froakie nodded and got inside the device.

After landing Alexandra found herself in the customs line, which needless to say was crowded, there were lots of people from places all around the world coming to Magnol, she could hear all kinds of accents from Alolan to Johtonian.

After going through the necessary paperwork and leaving the airport, the girl released her Froakie. "So, this is it! The Magnol region!" She exclaimed, clearly thrilled but soon followed deep yawn from both Alexandra and her companion, they were clearly tired and needed good quality sleep. "I think we should look for a for an Inn or a Pokemon Center to get some rest, and explore the city and it's sorruoudings tomorrow." She told Froakie, to which it simply nodded in agreement and both left in search for a place to rest.

 

[Clockwise]

Michael Haakonsson

A few hours of relaxing on the beach for Herk and Michael was just what they needed to recharge their batteries. It was nearly dusk, and Michael snagged a trio of pokéballs from a beachside Pokémart for the evening's festivities. He knew ghost Pokémon could be devious and elusive, but they would certainly complement his Heracross well. The ruined lighthouse was supposed to be refuge of sorts for the departed spirits of Pokémon and was maintained by the local Church of Arceus. It would be a good stop for a religious trainer such as Michael so that he could pay his respects while simultaneously bettering himself.

The massive monument certainly appeared damaged aesthetically, but he remembered in the brochure than the building was structurally sound and maintained for tourism and for the benefit of the creatures that called it home. Construction scaffolding adorned the exterior to provide that assurance. The red and cream three-story cylindrical spire was charred black in certain places, lending to a sinister appearance. The newer functional grand lighthouse of Luxport was nearly twice its size, but this piece of history was majestic in its own right. Michael could only wonder what actually happened to cause this landmark such peril.

As he headed towards the old structure, he spied a pair of children playing in the sand. It was a little odd that they were seemingly unsupervised past nightfall, but Michael knew better than to assume a situation before observing its entirety. Perhaps their parents were inside and they were too scared to go in. They paid him no attention as he drew near, seemingly content on their muddy fortifications. However, when he reached the entrance, without an upward glance, they queried him in soft unison.

"Will you play with us?"

Michael released an anxious laugh and politely declined. He was too focused on his goal of catching another partner to engage in childsplay. They continued adding onto their earthen construct without pause and replied with a monotone repetition.

"Will you play with us?"

Slightly confused this time, he again declined, and suggested that he could participate at a later date. As he reached for the door handle, a tiny cold hand sprang forth to grip his wrist.

"You will play with us."

This was definitely unsettling, even for a grizzled young man like Michael. His heart was pounding from a nervous adrenaline. He wrenched his hand from the child's surprisingly strong grip and hurried inside. Cackles erupted from their tiny mouths as Michael shut the door behind him. He dismissed the situation as a prank and uncomfortably continued inside and away from the entrance.

No tour guide was on the first level to greet him. In fact, it was eerily silent within the circular walls. Perhaps he was the only one brave enough to venture here after dark. He knew he had heard other trainers gossiping about it, and the brochure had labeled it as a popular site to tour. It struck him as slightly odd that he was there alone. Surely someone was nearby...at least the prankster kids' parents. Michael called out to the stale air to greet anyone present, but his efforts were to no avail. The scent was still of something moist and burnt, even after all the years since the building's crippling incident. The area was lit with dim candles. Their pale flames created dancing shadows that warped on the round interior. The seemed to outline a path that led to the stairs towards the second floor. If Michael was going to catch a ghost, he was going to have to muster the courage to ascend both the stairs and his fear. But then he felt the eyes watching him.

Ghosts were lurking all around. He turned towards the door to verify his escape, but when he looked in that direction, the candles at the entrance immediately extinguished themselves. A loud thud echoed across the room, signifying to Michael that his exit had been sealed. The orange flames tranformed into an unnatural lavender and cascaded in a domino pattern towards him. The only route was up the stairs if he wanted to avoid their wrath. The trainer dashed away from the ruckus and towards the next level.

This story was less open than the ground floor, containing several rooms along the circular hallway. Michael frantically knocked on the first door and called out for some assistance. Much to his dismay, he was met with a spectral arm lurching towards him, seemingly to grab him and pull him in. Utilizing his training, he nimbly dodged out of the way and summoned Herk from his pokéball. The fighting beetle sprung into action and used it's horn to engage the assailant. However, his horn phased through the arm and collided with the door, rendering it asunder. The splintered remains were easily moved, and Michael attempted to barricade himself within until he could formulate a plan. The ghosts could phase through walls, but it was the best he could do given his current situation. Heracross scoured the room for any sign of an enemy, and alerted Michael as soon as he discovered something. A solemn figure was slumped over in the corner of the dark room. Herk growled in his master's defense and took up a defensive stance. The figure rose to its knees weakly, and began to speak.

"Thank goodness you've come! I've been trapped for hours! We've got to get out. Something terrible is wrong with the Pokémon!"

Using the flashlight app on his pokédex, Michael illuminated the speaker. A woman dressed in a lab coat with electric blue hair, large glasses, and bright red lipstick explained in desperation.

"I'm Professor Sassafras, the region's ghost expert. This area has been condemned for days. Why are you even in here? It was supposed to be roped off from the general public."

Michael relayed to her that he didn't see anything to indicate as such. There were some creepy kids playing in the sand outside, maybe, but nothing that was supposed to inform him to keep away. Sassafras shook her head in dismay.

"So even the Sandygast are behaving erratically...peculiar..."

She pondered for a moment, talking to herself to assess the situation. Michael looked over his shoulder, expecting an attack at any moment. Herk kept his guard up, ready to protect his compatriot.

"Now that you've freed me, we might have a chance. We've got to get out, and the only way...is up."

 

[Hogzilla]

Michael looked up and said “Okay then, let's go up. I'll lead, you can stay in the center, and Herk will watch our back.” Michael motioned for her to follow. He turned to Herk “Your Arm Thrust and Horn Attack won't work on Ghosts. You'll have to rely on Bullet Seed. Maybe sometime we could try and upgrade your Horn Attack into something better but for now let's focus on getting out.”


Michael slowly scaled the steps. He held his light out ahead of him, his adrenaline keeping his eyes open and alert. The top of the stairs should've showed up by now… was this a trick of the Ghosts? As the trio continued to climb, Herk buzzed softly, letting Michael know something was amiss. “You hear something?” Herk nodded and pointed at inky blackness that enveloped the staircase behind them. Michael pointed his light at it, but saw nothing but darkness. “I don't see anything, let's keep moving” Michael said, confused. “No, wait.” Professor Sassafras cut in. “Look again. Your light isn't penetrating the darkness. There's more than just empty space there.”


As if in response to the Professor's astute observation, the shadow began to crawl forward! Michael almost immediately barked “Herk! Bullet Seed, let's go!” Herk let loose a barrage of earthen pellets and the resultant sound was akin to rain on a pillow, not seeds bouncing off the Stone tile of the stairs. Michael had only a fraction of a second to ponder what Herk had hit before the shadows burst apart, and what looked like a candle with a face flew from the midst, straight at Herk! “WIIIICC!” The face bellowed in a bizarre tone. “DOWN!” Michael shouted, and Herk ducked out of the way just in the nick of time, as Michael yanked Professor Sassafras out of the way. “It's a wild Litwick!” The Professor exclaimed. “Herk, give it another Bullet Seed!” Michael shouted again, but this time the Litwick managed to only take a few hits from the spray of projectiles as it nimbly floated out of the way. Before Herk could try again, the Litwick's body began to glow an ethereal blue, and a small flame licked out from it's mouth. Herk couldn't Dodge, so it raised it's arms in an X guard but the attack was no ordinary blast of fire. Litwick danced in the air, chuckling at its handiwork. Michael saw that Herk's arms were badly burned. “Herk! Can you go on?!” Michael blurted out in a small panic. Herk’s eyes narrowed and it roared with passion and spat a barrage of seeds once more, much more intense this time. The Litwick caught the heart of Herk's shotgun blast and shrieked in pain, hitting the wall and sinking to the ground.


Michael needed no further prompting, winging the Pokeball towards the downed Ghost. The ball flew true and the Litwick was drawn inside by a blast of red energy. A tense moment followed, as the ball twitched on the floor, the Pokemon within railing against capture. Finally the sgakish stopped and it was over.


Michael was relieved and amazed. “Herk, you did it, way to go, we caught a Litwick!” Michael gave Herk a fist bump, and Professor Sassafras observed “That was Heracross's ability, Guts. It's suffering from a nasty burn, but your Heracross was able to use its pain to fuel its attack.” Michael was impressed, but also saddened that Herk was in pain. “We gotta get you to the Pokemon center, buddy. Return and try to get a bit of rest, I may need your strength again.” With Heracross safely back in its ball, Michael said a short prayer for the spirits of the lighthouse. What could be upsetting them? He and the Professor continued climbing the stairs, eventually reaching the top as the pitch darkness of the Stone corridor gave way to the star-fletched sky. Escape was almost theirs. Michael had what he came for. As they stepped on to the top deck of the lighthouse, Michael wondered how they would get down. Then he had an idea. Crazy but it just might work. “Herk, I need your strength!” He stated forcefully. When Herk materialized Michael asked “Herk, do you think you could climb down the lighthouse with me or Professor Sassafras on your back? Herk hopped up on the balcony and looked down, before turning and nodding. It was a nerve-racking descent, but Herk first ferried Professor Sassafras down, before climbing up and taking Michael down. The three had escaped.

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

Michael Haakonsson
Location - Near Ruined Luxport Lighthouse
Money - 400 Poké Dollars (P)
Inventory - 1 Potion, 2 Antidotes, 2 Awakenings, 2 Pokeballs

 

[Clockwise]

Alexandra Dumont

The marvel of the Magnolan capital of Sonax was thrilling to behold. Businesses of all kinds could be found nearly piled on top of each other in various malls, and titanic corporations dominated the city's center with towering industrial spires. The population had exploded in recent years due to the development of the region. A multitude of people from all walks of life contributed to a melting pot of diversity. Dozens of trainers could be found around every corner for the Magnolan League's inaugural season. There wasn't a single place that didn't have a line of impatient people chattering amongst themselves.

The airport had a league signup kiosk where Alexandra received her trainer identification and badge case after a half hour of waiting. Registering was mildly annoying, but now both she and her Froakie were legal to pursue their goals in Magnol. She counted the eight engravings where her future victories would be immortalized and wondered what competition lied in wait. Only time would tell.

Alexandra's decision to seek an early lodging was a wise one. The Pokémon Center was beyond capacity, as were several hotels near the airport. A security officer suggested she try a smaller inn near the city's outskirts. Most places in the wealthy district had been booked for months. The Sonaxian officials had expected a busy season, but this caliber of turnout had surpassed all prediction.

It took Alexandra a little while, but she finally found one of the rustic lodgings that the security officer had mentioned. The wooden inn had a sign that read "The Snorlax's Belly" hanging above its entrance in painted red letters. A crude but cutesy mural of the Sleeping Pokémon adorned the front in a way that made it appear that the entrance was Snorlax's mouth. It was a little corny to the sophisticated young woman, but she needed a place to rest and plan for her journey. The receptionist was a mild, portly middle-aged woman with dark skin and a weathered but inviting smile. She immediately greeted Alexandra with a hospitable and friendly tone.

"Welcome to the Belly, Sweetie! You looking for a room?"

The young woman affirmed the inquiry and paid the 200 P for her night's stay. She was provided with a meal ticket to the buffet and key to her room. It wasn't a five-star resort, but the comfort and convenience would suffice. Inside Alexandra's quaint and cozy room was a full-sized bed smothered with an excessive amount of pillows shaped like various species of Pokémon. On the bedside table was a brochure of things the city had to offer. Besides the local businesses and corporations, there was information for the fire-type gym, master rank contest, Pokémon Fan Club and more. The entire region was at her fingertips.
-----------------------------

Michael Haakonsson

Despite his burned forearms, Michael's Heracross dutifully assisted the professor and trainer in their downward escape, using its enhanced strength from its ability as a boon to cling to the ragged masonry and wood. The construction scaffolding around the monument allowed Herk to not have to carry their weight down the entire three stories. He simply had to get them down a few feet where they could continue themselves. It was an easy task to get Sassafras down first and then his master. The platforms around the second level were just wide enough to allow them to keep their balance so they could jump from plank to plank and circumvent the structure in a descent.

Michael eyed the ground near the entrance to see if he could locate the possessed Sandygast children, but they were not visible in the darkening night. He was both cautious and concerned for their safety. Surely the kids' parents were worried sick. Who knows what the corrupted ghost-types had inflicted upon them? But what he especially didn't want was to find what they would inflict on him and his friends if they caught them while under sinister influence.

After Michael dismounted Herk's back, a glob of liquid splashed on his shoulder. He glanced upward to see a glowing purple apparition with a writhing serpentine tongue watching the escape with a devilish grin. Sassafras identified the form as an antagonistic Haunter who had imprisoned her earler. Menacing eyes pierced through Michael's very soul. He recognized the spectral hand as the one that had clawed at him inside. The group made haste as a result of the spirit's threat.

Just as Sassafras had almost made it down to the ground floor, the boards beneath her gave way with a violent crack. She would have fallen if Herk had not sprung forth with his horn to snag her lab coat, sparing her from a nearly twenty five foot plummet. Maniacal giggling bellowed from directly under the party. Michael was certain he had checked thoroughly for any signs of the controlled youths. It was almost as if they had been concealed somehow or just appeared from nowhere. The male child, a young boy of roughly nine years old, was sabotaging the scaffolding with supernatural vigor by prying boards loose with a large red sand shovel. His accomplice, a slightly older girl, started hurling large sea shells at ridiculous speeds upward towards the vulnerable trio. Michael and his friends faced imminent danger unless they could innovate and free the kids from their Pokémon oppressors. Sandygast was somewhere below, waiting for them to set foot on his domain, and Haunter stood vigil to prevent a return to the top.

"Don't use Litwick!", Sassafras shouted to him. "My ghost Pokémon went crazy when I tried to use them earlier! Something is angering them to a point of malicious insanity. Herk can't take on Haunter. Our only chance is to locate and defeat Sandygast!"

 

[Hogzilla]

Michael gritted his teeth. He had to take Sandygast down. He shouted “Herk! Get the professor down ASAP, we stop the Sandygast to help these kids!” With that, Michael continued down as fast as he could. He was ten feet from the ground when one of the little girl's shells got him and even though it was small, the startling force behind it knocked him to the ground. The impact hurt to be sure, but the sand prevented much of the potential trauma of such a fall. “Are you okay?!” Yelled Professor Sassafras. “I'm good...” grunted Michael, although it was fairly painful. Herk reached the bottom shortly thereafter and Michael's eyes began darting around, searching for the Sandygast.


“Where could it be…” he muttered to himself, grabbing an errant plank of scaffolding as a shield against the little girl's fastball shells, an example Professor Sassafras followed. “There!” his brain practically shouted to itself as his eyes focused on the little boy's shovel. Could that be the Sandygast's shovel? He'd heard touching it could cause the kind of possession these children were exhibiting, maybe the Sandygast was somewhere near the boy. “Herk, hit the area around the boy with Bullet Seed, but don’t hit the boy!” Herk chirped and sprayed seeds in a wide area, peppering as much sand as was safe with the projectiles.


The blast of seeds was followed by a ragged, high-pitched wail, and the boy and girl staggered, as if suddenly struck by a nasty headrush. The boy dropped the shovel, and sand began to coalesce around it, until a mound was formed with the shovel at its peak. Holes resembling eyes and a mouth appeared as the Sandygast made itself known. The Pokemon took a huge gulp of sand, drawing more sand into its body, until it released it into the ground, and a wave of earth shot forth towards Herk at great speed “Dodge it!” Michael yelled, but Herk’s pain prevented him from moving out of the way, and he was knocked back, and grunted in pain. “Herk! Can you keep fighting?” Herk clapped itself on the side of the head to focus itself and answered by stepping forward and spitting another spray of seeds. The Sandygast attempted to dodge this time, but failed, as Herk successfully lead his target. The Sandygast opened its mouth and spat forth a lump of dark energy, which struck Herk, knocking him flat. Herk struggled to rise, and Michael knew he had to act now. “Hold still, buddy” Michael stated, trying his best to sound calm as he sprayed Herk with the Potion he had bought earlier. Herk flashed a quick smile in thanks as it sprayed seeds back at the Sandygast again. This time it was only a glancing hit, and was followed in turn by another Shadow Ball, which again brought Herk to his knees. The Sandygast then began to close, its mouth wide open and wreathed in malignant energy. “Look out, Herk!” Michael shouted desperately. As the Sandygast drew near, Herk jumped to his feet, his right claw glowing a light dark grey. Herk launched himself, Horn first into Sandygast, and the claw struck with tremendous force, the Sandygast letting out one final scream before it dissipated into the beach sand.


The encounter was over. Herk breathed a sigh of relief and allowed itself to rest, slumping to the ground in exhaustion. Michael wooped a “Heck yeah! You learned Night Slash, and you saved the children, Herk!” He stepped under Herk’s arm, holding him up to help him walk. “Lets get you patched up, buddy.”


The children staggered around, confused as to how it was night all of a sudden, not recalling anything that had transpired while under Sandygast’s control. Michael and Professor Sassafras decided to take the children to the Pokemon center and call their parents from there.


Upon arriving at the Pokemon center, Michael quickly committed Herk to Nurse Joy's care, and was about to sit in the waiting area until he remembered he'd caught a Pokemon, who needed help. He gave Litwick over to Nurse Joy, and sat down to wait. Michael was relieved when Nurse Joy returned with his Pokemon. She softly advised “Try to not push them so hard next time. Using Guts so much is really draining on a Pokemon.” Michael nodded, voicing his thanks “Good to know. Arceus watch over you.” And he stepped into the room he'd managed to snag in the back of the Pokemon center. He opened both his Pokeballs, saying “Hey you two, time to get acquainted.”


Compared to Herk, who was only somewhat smaller than a human, Litwick was quite small, measuring just under a foot in length. But according to the Pokedex it had a deceptive amount of power. “So, little gal, I'm Michael, and this is Herk. I know we didn't meet on good terms but I reckon we can be good friends, the three of us.” Litwick looked back and forth between trainer and Pokemon in confusion, before smiling and cooing “Wiiicck!” Michael laughed happily and inquired “Y'know I've been thinking of what to call you. Since you're a Fire type, how do you like Brandie? It means fire in an old language, believe it or not.” Brandie cooed again, and Michael chuckled “Alright you two, let's get some rest, and tomorrow we can start training as a team!” Brandie sat itself down on a desk, while Herk laid down next to the bed in which Michael slept. Tomorrow was a new day, full of promise!

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

Michael Haakonsson
Location - Luxport Pokemon Center
Money - 400 Poké Dollars (P)
Inventory - 2 Antidotes, 2 Awakenings, 2 Pokeballs

 

[PocketMonsterHunter]

In the next Morning, Alexandra was drinking a coffee in the Inn's buffet, waking up early to a cup of coffee a ritual she had adopted from her years in school. She was analyzing the other trainers in the buffet, some of them loudly talking in large tables, much to her annoyance. A boy, possibly younger, asked wether he could share the table with her, to which Alexandra just nodded. She soon finished her coffee and took her leave, no words being exchanged.

An hour later, the Kalosian girl found herself wandering around Sonax City's busy streets, seeing all kinds of people and pokemon, much of which she had only seen in books. Her intent was to reach the the Pokemon Center, where she hoped to find information about the region's league and purchase basic trainer supplies.

The Pokemon Center's white and red walls stood out among the rest of the city's skyscrapers. The bulding was full and the staff seemed overwhelmed, sick pokemon, enthusiastic rookie trainers looking to register and all kinds of people could be found. She immediately headed for Pokemart wishing to waste no time. She purchased five pokéballs, three potions and one antidote and headed for the Magnolan league's information booth, looking to find out about the challenge waiting for her, she was provided with a booklet before she leaving the Pokemon Center

As Alexandra kept strolling through Sonax, she noticed a building with bright lights and loud music coming from it, taking a look at the booklet she found the building before her, according to it, this was the Sonax City's gym, specialized in fire type pokemon. "Magnifique!" She thought to herself, grinning, her starter just happened to have the upper hand in type, but she knew better than to jump straight away into the pokemon gym. "It would be good for us to get some training, mon ami." She said as she held Froakie's pokéball. "Maybe catch some pokemon as well." She added before heading away from the Sonax gym.

A few hours later, the girl found what she thought was a good training spot, it was a clear in the woods, not too far away from Sonax city, there were a few sturdy looking trees and boulders good enough for target practice.

Releasing Froakie from it's pokéball, Alexandra kneeled, offering food to her partner. "Bonjour Froakie, had a good night?" She asked to which Froakie happily nodded. "Très bien! We are getting started with training as soon as you finish eating." She informed her pokemon.

As soon as Froakie finished it's meal, Alexandra started giving out commands. "Froakie, I want to practice your bubble attack, hit a few trees with it!" The trainer ordered and Froakie started releasing several bubbles from it's mouth, strong enough to shake a tree but missing many hits. "Focus! Try to land to hit a tree trunk with as many of your bubbles!" The trainer shouted. The frog pokemon put a greater effort in accuracy, which paid off, a great majority of the bubbles hit the target, causing the tree to shake and making several bird pokemon roosting on it to flee, save for one which had fell off, the bird pokemon had grey and red feathers and was clearly angry at having it's rest disturbed. The bird pokemon launched itself looking to tackle the culprit. "Look out!" The girl shouted, Froakie tried to dodge but it was late, the wild pokemon managed to hit it.

"It's a Fletchling!" The Kalosian immediately recognized the bird, it was very common at home after all. "Alright, change of plans Froakie, we are going to catch this one before training, use Bubble again!" She shoute her command.

----------------
Alexandra Dumont
Outskirts of Sonax
300 P
5 Pokeballs, 3 Potions, 1 Antidote

 

[Clockwise]

Alexandra Dumont

Bubbles from Froakie's mouth cascaded in a focused pattern towards the tiny bird, each reflecting hints of rainbow light from the mid-morning sun. Fletchling was more than just aggravated that it had been disturbed...it was furious. Taking to the sky, the small avian darted forth like an arrow from hell. Its speed was significantly greater than most that Alexandra had seen from her home region of Kalos. The bird maneuvered through the bubbles before they even had time to connect with their target. The peck was swift and deliberate, knocking Froakie off balance in surprise. Froakie was fast, but it was at a disadvantage in a battle of speed against an opponent like this.

The Fletchling continued to move from roost to roost amongst the trees between its attacks, keeping Alexandra's partner on the defensive. Froakie attempted to retaliate with a quick attack of its own, but it still was outmatched when blows were traded. If Froakie was going to shift the momentum, he'd need to rethink his approach. The terrain was Fletchling's natural environment, and it knew every branch and boulder like the back of its tiny talon. Its dagger-like beak could strike from any possible angle if Froakie let it's guard down. Vigilance and tactics were the only way the frog could defeat its foe.
-------------------

Michael Haakonsson

A good night's rest at the Pokémon Center was more than just beneficial for Michael's party. Their recent events were taxing on both their health and psyche, but the team had persevered. Herk and Brandie were restored to perfect condition. Tests on Brandie revealed no abnormalities due to whatever had been influencing the ghosts' erratic behavior at the lighthouse. She seemed to be a normal, happy litwick and was already bonding with her new partners.

After a well-deserved breakfast, Professor Sassafras gave Michael a call on his Pokégear. She informed him that she had been doing research all morning and wanted to share her discoveries. Michael agreed to wait for her there. He was still curious as to what had happened to create such a bizarre evening. If anyone in Magnol could pinpoint the cause, it would be her. After all, she was the leading expert on ghost-types here.

While Michael was waiting on Sassafras's arrival, he noticed that the police were at the Pokémon Center. The two children he had rescued from Sandygast were still unclaimed by their parents. The authorities asked Michael to give a statement, and he provided every detail he could remember. Apparently, the family had entered the region on a tourist visa 3 days ago, but the children were unable to remember anything after their first day's arrival. The last thing they could recall was embarking on a seafaring expedition with their parents via a local fisherman. The police helped them file a missing person's report, and the medical staff volunteered to care for the children while the investigation was being conducted.

Sassafras entered the sliding doors with an ecstatic grin. She was very passionate about her work, and the recent happenings were extremely exciting for a researcher in her field. She was still in her field attire, and Michael doubted if she had even slept. However, when she saw the children with the police, her enthusiasm shifted to concern. She also provided a detailed statement to the detectives. According to her morning findings along the beach, ghost-types were only affected within 100 feet of the shoreline near the lighthouse. This led her to believe that either something in the monument itself was angering the spirits, or foul play was involved to target it. The police told her that it was unsafe for her to go back inside, and that they would work with the church to pacify any dangerous activity within. The pair agreed not to set foot within the lighthouse again until the issue had been resolved.

Michael and the professor exited the facility and began their own discussion. She asked if Brandie was ok, and asked to see her. The young trainer obliged, and Sassafras gave Michael some information about her statistics and abilities. She was very familiar with Litwick, as she had raised several of her own. Brandie was timid and shy by nature, but possessed a powerful ability called flash fire that boosted her offensive capabilities when exposed to fire attacks. Being a younger Litwick, she was only capable of using a few moves: Ember, Minimize, Smog, and Astonish.

After giving Michael a few pointers on Brandie's abilities, Sassafras asked if he was interested in continuing to assist her with the mysterious effects of the local ghosts. Although they had promised to leave the lighthouse alone for the authorities, she had a suspicion that the parents' disappearance at sea was related to the Pokémon's behavior. She was willing to rent a fishing boat of her own to find out just what was going on. She promised that she understood if he needed to continue his journey, but was extremely thankful for everything he had done so far. The choice was his, and he had already made a life-long friend.

 

[Hogzilla]

Michael smiled at Professor Sassafras’ request, and replied “Sure, I'd like to get to the bottom of this. I will accompany you, if you'll allow me.” Michael's faith demanded he not abandon these children. He'd started a task of getting them back to their parents when he freed them from the Sandygast. He couldn't stop now. And who knows? They might get a chance to see unusual Pokemon or even battle them along the way.

Before he left, he sank the last of his funds into a pair of Potions. He'd have to battle someone for some cash in order to buy more supplies later. He met Professor Sassafras at the marina and they rented a boat and embarked on the search. The sun was shining and the wind whistling through his hair gave him a great sensation that contrasted with the heat of the Magnol morning. The ocean was somewhat calm. Fairly wavy as one would expect from the ocean, but not too rough, and Michael could see more common Water-type Pokemon on occasion. Magikarp, Tentacool, etc. They didn't really interest him and he realized it may not even be feasible to catch a Pokemon out here without a fishing rod, which he simply lacked the funds to buy. Nonetheless, it was peaceful and that was most helpful when it came to focusing on the task at hand.

The salty air was strong, and the confines of a boat unfamiliar. It was unstable, swaying under his movements, so although he briefly tried to stand, he quickly conceded it would be easier to sit down. In the rented boat, he and Professor Sassafras rode out to search for clues. Michael wasn't sure what they were looking for, do he inquired “So Prof, what exactly are we looking for out here?” The Professor turned to him, replying in a quite serious manner “We’re trying to find signs of the parents’ boat, or whatever could have abducted the children from the boat and gotten them all the way over to the beach.” Michael nodded and retreated into private thought. “What could take the children from all the way out here, and why would… whoever, or whatever it was, take a pair of children and seemingly make their parents just disappear?” He had reluctantly agreed to keep Herk inside his Pokeball, to make balancing the boat easier, which made him feel a slight tinge of unease as his longtime companion was not by his side. Nonetheless, he dutifully kept his eyes open, scanning for anything of note.

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

Michael Haakonsson
Location - On a Boat
Money - 0 Poké Dollars (P)
Inventory - 2 Antidotes, 2 Awakenings, 2 Potions, 2 Pokeballs

 

[PocketMonsterHunter]

Alexandra was tense, the bird pokemon's speed proved to be greater than expected, Froakie was just as tense as it's trainer but to her luck it managed to keep itself collected. If Alexandra wanted to catch it, she needed to find a way to hit Fletchling before her own pokemon took any more hits. The girl noticed the small bird was almost blinded by the rage and it would have a hard time stopping should something head directly towards it in the opposite direction mid charge. This was almost as if a light bulb had appeared above her head.

"Okay Froakie, I need you trust me on this one, you have to attack in very instant I tell you to do it." The pokemon simply noded at it's trainer's orders. From one of the trees, bird pokemon had again launched itself in charge at a demonic speed, unaware of what was about to come, Fletchling was getting closer and closer as Froakie awaited it's orders. "This is it! Respond with a quick attack of your own now that it's getting close!" Alexandra shouted her command as Froakie started lunging towards the bird, startled Fletchling tried to dodge but it was too close to be able to do it in time. Both pokemon crashed, greatly damaging each other. The impact stopped the furious bird dead in it's tracks, Froakie wouldn't be able to take another hit, and it was the best window they could get. "Now use Bubble before it can move away!" The trainer shouted and a flurry of bubbles came out of Froakie's mouth, continously hitting the bird, as it tried it's best to protect itself.

The girl throwed a pokéball with no further prompting. Some of the most tense moments of her life followed as the pokéball twitched on the ground. The pokéball stopped moving, making a "click" sound. "Amazing!" Alexandra thought to herself as she nodded in satisfaction, picking up her newly caught the pokéball of her just caught pokémon. Taking a potion from he bag, she kneeled to heal her exhausted Froakie. "You did a great job, Froakie!" The girl praised the frog as she sprayed the potion on it's wounds , to which it smiled in response. "You deserve a break, mon ami." She said as she returned her companion to it's pokéball, the recent battle proved to be a difficult one. She soon headed back to the Pokemon Center of Sonax City.

Upon arriving to the Pokemon Center, Alexandra immediately left her two pokemon in Nurse Joy's care. The girl took a few minutes to observe the other trainers and clear her mind. "Your pokemon are fine now, it looks like Froakie was pushed to the point of Torrent though, try to not push it too hard next time." Nurse Joy said as she handed Alexandra's pokemon. "I understand, merci." The Kalosian answered in response with a nod. In the lounge, the girl released Fletchling from it's pokeball, the bird giving a wary look to it's new trainer. "I know we started with the wrong foot, but I think we will get along. What do you think?" Alexandra asked the bird, offering food. Fletchling gave an initial look of reluctance but with it's temper soothed and an empty stomach, it accepted and eagerly started eating. "Très bien." The girl said, happy that to see the bird was no longer angry.

"I should go to the pokemon gym later, see what it is like and get a feel of what the league is like." She thought to herself as she saw other trainers proudly displaying their new badges in the pokemon center.

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

Alexandra Dumont
Sonax City
300 P
4 pokéballs, 2 potions, 1 antidote

 

[Clockwise]

Michael Haakonsson

The constant rocking of the small fishing boat, the Whooping Wooper, was a sharp contrast to the majesty of the S.S. Shellanna. Had Michael a lesser constitution, he might have become seasick. Sassafras, on the other hand, was not faring well. The previous day's trauma coupled with a lack of rest was a bit more than her stomach could handle. She dry heaved over the starboard side for the eleventh time in five minutes. Luckily, there was nothing left for her to purge.

After she was able to catch her breath, the captain, a large and muscular man with dark skin, bellowed a deep laugh and handed her some water. His thick Kalosian accent was detectable even in his merriment. He wore waders and had a blue and white-striped shirt.

"Just like ze old times, eh Professor?" He rubbed her back in a friendly gesture before returning to his navigational duties. The ocean waves were not especially violent, but he regarded himself as a cautious individual.

"I don't think I'll ever get my sea legs, Baptiste..." She weakly smiled and wiped her mouth after a long chug of refreshment. "You always manage to take care of me."

"I always appreciate your patronage, madame", he responded without looking up from the water. "We have a rich history. I also appreciate you looking for my friend, Dawson. I knew somezing was wrong when he didn't show up for evening drinks ze ozer night."

Michael added to the conversation and explained what the police had told him about the children's parents. They all concluded that Dawson had been the one to take them on their family expedition. The missing ship, the Rain Dancer, had not been seen at the docks for the appropriate amount of days. The captains of Luxport were a tight community and looked out for each other. Baptiste had refused to even charge the professor for the search, but she insisted on paying him for missing a day of work.

The trio scoured the waters for several hours with binoculars the captain had provided. The high noon sun was aggressive and reflected from the waves. Several large parasols were on board that Baptiste used to accommodate paying guests on their fishing trips, and they protected the search party from frying to a crisp on the open sea. The captain's towering presence approached Michael.

"Rest your eyes for a bit before you get a headache, monsieur. You can borrow an old rod to catch us some lunch." Michael was respectfully hesitant, but Baptiste insisted on a breather. The laughing captain handed Sassafras one as well and encouraged her not to fall overboard like she had on their last outing. He also showed Michael some tips on casting and methods to entice unsuspecting Pokémon with his lure. The young trainer absorbed the information like an eager sponge.

Within the hour, Michael had hauled in two Goldeen and an impressively sized Finneon. Sassafras, on the other hand, had caught the same Krabby twice. It angrily snipped its own line and hopped back into the waves both times while the frustrated professor was threatening to kick it overboard herself. They all laughed as she finally gave up on being an angler. Baptiste thanked the sea for its bounty and had the fish fileted and roasted in less time than it had taken Michael to catch them. Michael blessed the food Arceus had provided. The young trainer would have thought this a perfect day if not for the circumstances. He thanked Baptiste for his lessons and cooking ability while both savoring his meal and eating it quickly. He was ready to return to his vigil to potentially help those in need.

A few more hours passed, and the Whooping Wooper had scoured the coast up and down many times within a several mile radius. Sassafras had done some calculations on the affected area of the ghosts, and they should have already discovered something. There was no debris washed ashore indicating that the ship had been lost. The mystery continued to frustrate. Baptiste knew that the chances of finding a missing vessel after this much time had passed was slim. However, he refused to give up on his comrade.

The sun was beginning to descend, and Baptiste told the pair that they would have to turn back soon and try again tomorrow. Perhaps they would venture further down the coast. The professor frowned in disappointment. She was tired, but she would not be able to sleep well knowing she couldn't solve this most important problem. Baptiste began closing the parasols and headed to the helm to change coarse towards Luxport. When the ship began to rotate its direction, Sassafras noticed something in the dimming light. She exclaimed in a hushed tone.

"Look! That glowing on the surface over there!"

Michael struggled to spot what she was referring to, but Baptiste knew immediately.

"Frillish, boy! At least two of zem. Zey are following us."

"And they don't look friendly..." Sassafras added. "I can't risk using my ghost-types if this area is affected like the lighthouse."

The captain grabbed a pokéball from his belt and turned to Michael in anticipation.

"Golduck and I will back you up."
---------------------------

Alexandra Dumont

Alexandra and her two Pokémon decided it best to scout out Sonax's gym. They departed the Pokémon Center in a determined fashion. A few trainers had already earned their first badge despite the league only having been open for barely over 24 hours. Either the challenge wasn't very difficult, or the competitors here were truly gifted. Nevertheless, Alexandra was not fond of falling behind.

Fletchling warmed up to its new friends as quickly as it had attacked them. Its adamant nature was apparent in their first encounter, and Alexandra couldn't help but wonder if this was going to make it prove stubborn as their journey progressed. The nurse at the Pokémon Center said it was unique with the uncommon ability, Gale Wings, which allowed its flying type moves to have exceptional speed. This is why it had given her so much trouble when they met. Now that they were partners, she realized it had a beautiful singing voice, so she let it travel outside of its ball to ease it into its new ownership. It surely had to be a shock to wake up a free bird capable of flying anywhere it wanted to becoming a battling partner bound in servitude. Alexandra respected the creature and promised to be a good trainer.

Had it not been for the brochure she had taken from the Snorlax Belly Inn, Alexandra could have found the gym easily by following her ears. The modern and stylish building was sleek and thumping with the deep bass of a tasty jam within. Much to her dismay, a line of trainers and party goers were standing outside waiting to get in. She begrudgingly arrived at the end and sighed. Fletchling sensed Alexandra's aggravation and used its singing voice to mimic some of the tones that were escaping from within the gym. This made her smile and made the passage of time go faster.

A bouncer served as a buffer between the line and the entrance to the gym. He inspected their trainer cards if they were challengers and gave them directions to follow. When anyone would leave, the massive guardian would allow the same amount of people to go inside. There were no exceptions. A few groups were temporarily divided, but they dared not complain to the intimidating watchman. She smirked at the irony of the fire-type gym adhering to the rules of the fire marshal's occupant limitations.

The music was escalating in volume as she got closer to the door. Several songs had gone by, and she had found herself uncontrollably tapping her foot to the rhythm. She withdrew Fletchling to give it so,e rest before she needed it's power. When it was her turn in line, Alexandra was already prepared and showed the man her credentials. He approved her identification and told her that she was required to defeat one gym trainer before she was allowed to face Aubren, the leader. Many trainers were already inside, so she'd have to spar with the first one available. Medical officers were on standby to heal Pokémon between battles to avoid travel downtown back to the Pokémon Center.

As Alexandra entered the door, she was taken back by the scene. The power of the sound pierced straight through her body. It would have been dark had it not been for the thousands of lights flashing in all manner of patterns in cadence with the music. The main area of the gym was a huge dance floor with all types of trainers being slaves to the beat. Pure joy surged through Alexandra, and as soon as she overcame the initial shock of what she was seeing, she started swaying around as well. It would have been too difficult to suppress the urge.

She noticed Pokémon battles in separate roped-off areas adjacent to the dance floor where onlookers could still witness the events from a safe distance. In the back of the gym, Aubren had her own stage where the leader challenges took place. She would occasionally take a break from tending song selection and tampering with the soundboard to entertain these battles. However the expansive crowd of dancers prevented Alexandra from seeing too far ahead or noticing many details. The bright blaze from a fire type move seemed to coordinate with the pounding of the speakers. Alexandra moved near one of the side stages to get a turn with a qualifying gym trainer. Defeating one earned you a glowstick necklace that signified to Aubren that you were worthy of her time. After an additional song with a noticeably catchy melody, another bouncer signaled to her that a trainer was ready to test her.

The side stage had groovy decor with green lights pulsing from all angles. Out stepped a man in ridiculous disco attire, complete with orange bell bottoms and a striped jacket. His platformed shoes moved with an unnatural swagger as he followed the tempo with outdated yet skillful technique. He screeched an invitation to battle, his eyes covered by circular rainbow glasses.

"Get ready, Foxy Lady!"

Out of his pokéball erupted an elegantly poised Braixen, it's battle stance wrought with flair as it bounced in time with the soundtrack of combat.

"Whatcha got, Mama?"
---------------------------

Ambrose Vance

It took a while for Ambrose to find a suitable opponent. He had passed up several opportunities that he simply thought weren't worth his time. How would he become champion by beating Wurmple and Rattata? His search pushed him further east towards the Arlull Forest, a vast expanse of piney woods that covered much of the south central area of Magnol. He knew he couldn't wander too far and risk getting Cyndaquil hurt before it had some decent experience under its belt. The plan was to stay near the fringes of the trees.

After scanning the branches, Ambrose located his prey. A Slakoth was reclined just under the canopy, blissfully unaware of its stalker. It would be a good target to test Cyndaquil's range. The trainer knew the wild Pokémon had some power at least, but its lazy nature would keep it slow and predictable.

"Hit it with a water gun!" Ambrose commanded with confidence. In any other region, that phrase would be comical with a Cyndaquil, but this Magnolan variant was very capable. Water shot in a steady stream towards the unsuspecting victim. The blow struck true, and the Slakoth had to cling to the branch with one claw to keep from falling to the forest floor. Its wide eyes slowly opened wider with surprise almost with a delayed reaction. Like a bully, Ambrose laughed and ordered another attack.

This time, the Slakoth could not maintain its grip. It fell to the ground with a loud thud. The look of surprise in its eye turned to a sudden rage, and a deep growl began to rumble from within its throat. Ambrose was slightly taken aback and intimidated, but he was glad to have a finally found a good foe. He ordered Cyndaquil to sprint into a tackle. The tiny rodent lowered its head and rushed forth, colliding with a powerful scratch from Slakoth. Both combatants jumped back after impact, and Slakoth collided with the tree.

The force of Slakoth's body caused a single pine cone to descend from the upper branches. It crashed with a deep thud directly on the sloth's noggin. This was the last straw. A glowing energy encompassed the wild beast, concealing its form with blinding light. Slakoth's physique began to alter from within the energy, noticeably increasing in size and changing shape. It was evolving.

Vigoroth now stood before Ambrose with a menacing snarl. The trainer scanned it with his pokédex to reveal a startling contrast to the timid creature he had wanted to easily moments ago. Whereas Slakoth was slow and lazy, Vigoroth physically could not stand still. This fight was supposed to be breeze, but now they were in trouble. However, Ambrose didn't have a single bone of cowardice in his body. He had picked this confrontation, and now he would stand his ground.

"Use emb..." Before he could finish his attack order, Vigoroth had pounced on Cyndaquil with a fury of scratches. Each blow was followed by a consecutive slash, causing the little fire and water mouse to lose ground on the defensive. The furious swipes were more than it could handle. The larger Vigoroth finally struck Cyndaquil's weakening back flames on accident and recoiled in pain. This only served to fuel Vigoroth's rage.

The beast let out a mighty uproar, shaking the woods and the very ground where Ambrose and Cyndaquil stood. The bellow echoed throughout the terrain, causing nearby wildlife to stir. As if summoned by their compatriot, three other Vigoroth emerged from deeper within the treeline. They all pounded their chest in defiance and focused their attention towards their oppressors. Ambrose knew the jeopardy of this dire situation. They had bitten off more than they could chew, and they had to escape.

As the mob began to encircle them, Ambrose had one play up his sleeve. He ordered Cyndaquil to use a smokescreen to cover their escape. Instead of a traditional fire-type smokescreen, Magnolan Cyndaquil could utilize their water element to make an obscuring steam. The hot vapor spewed from the four circles on Ambrose's partner's back, stinging the eyes of the would-be assailants. Withdrawing Cyndaquil in the confusion, the desperate trainer seized the opportunity to flee back towards his home of Sonax to heal his injured friend. He had learned his lesson about being a bully.

Ambrose Vance
Fleeing Arlull Forest
2000 P
Inventory - 2 Potions

 

[PocketMonsterHunter]

Alexandra nodded to the eccentric man, wasting no time in hurling one of her Pokéballs to the air. "Allons, Froakie!" The girl shouted as the frog pokemon materialized on the battlefield.

"Let's dance!" The man shouted, Braixen responding with a loud howl. Things were about to get heated. "Show those claws!" The fox pokemon's claws grew bright as it started to charge towards the frog pokemon. "Use Bubble! Don't let it get close!" Alexandra commanded. Bubbles started rapidly coming out of Froakie's mouth. Braixen attemtted to push through the bubbles, only to be stopped, recoiling in pain. "Respond with Flame Charge" The man shouted. Alexandra's eyes widened in surprise as the fox pokemon coated itself in flames and lunged itself at an alarming speed, she was not to be met with immediately with another attack. Froakie's bubbles created thick steam as they hit the flaming figure. "You need to hit it harder!" Alexandra shouted as Braixen's speed kept increasing it's speed, a bright blue orb started forming in Froakie's hands, which it attempeted to hit the fire pokemon with but it was simply too late, Braixen managed to hit Froakie as it launched it's attack, creating a small shock wave and releasing a thick steam that covered the battlefield. "Was that a Hydro Pulse?" Alexandra thought as she brought up her arms to protect her face from the shock wave. The gym's colorful lights stood out in the dark, steam covered battlefield. "Hit it with Lick before the steam clears out!" Alexandra commanded as she returned her focus to the battlefield. "Watch out, don't let it touch you!" The disco man shouted to Braixen, which tried to find Froakie to no avail, the steam provided the perfect cover for the frog pokemon to approach it's enemy. Froakie extended it's tongue, licking Braixen's back which caused it to flinch in terror, getting chills. The fox tried to hit back with a scratch, only to hit the wind as Froakie had already jumped out of it's reach. The steam had cleared out, revealing the location of the combatants. "You have to catch up, use Flame Charge!" The disco man commanded, Braixen attemped another charge but it suddenly stopped, shaking, Froakie had managed to paralyze it with it's lick. "This is your chance, use that attack you tried earlier!" The girl commanded, her pokemon launching a large blue orb from it's hands, headed directly towards Braixen. The fox kept shaking, unable to move away as the orb kept getting closed. A small stream of fire came out of it's mouth as an attempt to mitigate the damage. As both attacks collided steam was again released into the battlefield, covering the combatants.

Tense moments followed as both trainers hoped their respective pokémon were still standing. As the steam cleared the outcome was clear. The fox was laying on the floor, exhausted and unable to fight anymore. "Yes!" Alexandra shouted in excitement, she had proved her worth in battle, her Froakie celebrating with her. "You did a fantastic job, mon ami, get some rest before our next challenge." She told Froakie as she returned it to it's pokéball.

"You deserve a break, Foxy Lady." The disco man told his Braixen as he returned it to it's pokeball as well. "Amazing job, girl, here's what you need to challenge the gym leader." The disco man said as he handed the girl a glowstick necklace. She thanked the man before heading towards the medical staff in the gym.

 

[Hogzilla]

Michael nodded to Baptiste and drew forth Herk, knowing this could get dicey having to engage the Frillish in their native environment. “Let's go, Herk, we got more ghosts to face!” Baptiste wasted no time deploying his own Pokemon, heartily bellowing “Golduck! Ve need your assistance!” The aquatic Pokemon materialized in the water, keening its cry.

Michael quickly reviewed his Pokedex entry on Frillish, and noted to Herk “These are Ghost-types, so Arm Thrust, Horn Attack, and Counter won't work. But your Bullet Seed and Night Slash will be super effective!” Michael took a second to analyze the situation and barked “Hit them as they approach with Bullet Seed!” a spray of projectiles lashed out from Herk's mouth and peppered the Frillish. The pair called out in anger and sank beneath the waves. “They're not running yet, lad.” Baptiste stated grimly. “They're coming back for anozer attack from below!”

Baptiste was right. A darkness began to build in the depths and grew as it rushed towards Golduck. The blast impacted and Golduck squawked in pain from the impact of the Shadow Ball. Michael grimaced in frustration. If they wanted to, the Frillish could bombard the boat from below and there wasn’t much he could do about it. He was wary of committing Herk to swimming as the water was Frillish’s natural environment. However, another wave of dark energy surged towards the surface, and Michael knew he had no choice. “Herk, get in there and block that with Night Slash!” Herk took a deep breath and dove horn-first in the water, its arms glowing a menacing black aura, and punched its right arm into the Shadow Ball, causing the move to pop like a balloon being squeezed by a strongman. “Golduck! Return the favor vis Signal Beam!” Bellowed Baptiste, seeking to exploit the opening in the Frillish’s attack. Golduck’s crystal shone a light green and a blindingly bright burst of energy burst from its forehead and clove through the water like a javelin, hitting one of the Frillish head on. The move was damaging and what’s more, the Frillish almost seemed to be tangled up. The pair slowly rose to the surface and Michael could see the two rolling with each other like a pair of wrestlers. “Zey must have been confused by zee Signal Beam!” Observed Baptiste. Michael smiled and barked “Okay, let’s hit them hard before they recover, Herk, hit one of them with Night Slash!” Herk surged forward and raked its arm through one of the Frillish, sending it flying even though Herk had no footing to launch its strike from. The remaining Frillish must have been confused still, because while it attempted to grapple with Herk, it did so sloppily and as though dizzy.

Michael was about to bark out a command for another Night Slash when Baptiste firmly said “No worries, monsieur, I’ve got this. Monsieur Herk, Out of ze way!” The hulking sailor pulled a Pokeball from his belt and let it fly towards the Frillish at breakneck speed. As the Frillish was drawn into the ball, Herk pulled himself clear and the ball fell in the water, beginning to sink. Baptiste did not miss a beat, pointing towards where the Frillish had been, and ordered “Golduck, please retrieve the Pokeball!” The aquatic Pokemon dove beneath the water, its speed unsurprisingly quick. It disappeared from view briefly before coming back with the Pokeball, a smile on its face. Baptiste smiled back and took the wet Pokeball, saying “I suppose we have a new member to our team Golduck! A fine catch indeed!” Professor Sassafras quickly reminded him to keep the Frillish confined until they were further away from the lighthouse, to which Baptiste respectfully nodded and the trio kept on track for shore.

Michael had a realization and turned to Sassafras as the Whooping Wooper neared shore. “Y’know, today may not have been entirely fruitless. We didn’t find any sign of the boat or the lost parents, but maybe those Frillish are part of this mystery." Sassafras nodded, replying "Seeing as they clearly wanted to do us ill, I had a similar feeling. I’m not sure what good that thought will do us, but it’s the only real lead I can think of." Michael grimly nodded back, and replied "Do you have any idea what Frillish might do with people they manage to catch?”

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

Michael Haakonsson
Location - Luxport Marina
Money - 0 Poké Dollars (P)
Inventory - 2 Antidotes, 2 Awakenings, 2 Potions, 2 Pokeballs

 

[Delta_Ace]

'You're an idiot,' Cole thought to himself as he sat in the confines of the cell, the clothes in his bag slightly charred. He'd have to get some more workout clothes. It all started on the last day of the voyage on the Shellana. So close, yet so far. He was exploring the ship, talking to crew members, overall just learning more about the region he was about to set foot in and the ship he was on. He was primarily minding his own business. He ended up heading to the exercise room to get a mile or two in. Once he got there, he let his Mareep out of it's pokeball and set up a treadmill for both of them. He put his earbuds in and began running, keeping an eye on Volts as he went.

At about the mile point, Cole heard talking right behind him. At first thought he assumed it was just a conversation going on, but his inquisitive nature got the best of him. He discreetly turned his music down, just enough to hear what they were saying.

"Look at that guy with that Mareep... Why would he have such a girly pokemon?" A voice said.

"I know, he must be such a loser," The second agreed. Cole brushed the comments off, knowing that it didn't matter what others thought of Volts. One day he'd be an Ampharos, and who'd be jesting then? So he ignored them. A few minutes went by, and the two were still there. Their conversation had gotten progressively louder, as if they were trying to start something. They continued to talk about the Mareep, and when Cole looked over to Volts it had sparks breaking from it's wool every so often. Cole knew that letting the talk continue would only end in disaster, and so he pulled out his earbuds and turned off the treadmill, slowing his pace as he went. As he went to turn off Volts' treadmill, snickering and more words were murmured. Once both treadmills were stopped, he turned to look at the two. One was about his size, maybe a little bigger. The other was short and pudgy, definitely in no place to be making fun of Cole. Apparently they were waiting for him to turn around.

"Hey man, why don't you have a better pokemon? That thing obviously can't keep up with a guy like you." The shorter one asked. The other one was standing with a smug grin on his face. Cole just shook his head and gave a little smile.

"Look man, Volts is my best friend. Does it really matter how it looks or how weak it might be?" Cole replied, keeping his head cool. Volts wagged it's tail, sparks beginning to fling around around it. "Calm down Volts, it's okay, these guys are just joking around, right guys?"

"Man, no way we're kidding. What's that thing gonna do, make me tingle or something?" The taller one scoffed. Cole was getting tired of their attitude, and was about to just walk away when Volts let out a low growl. Cole looked down and saw the pulsing electricity off of his pokemon.

"Volts, calm down, now." He said, as calmly as possible. His pokemon wasn't afraid to fight, and Cole knew it. He should have put him back into his pokeball, but he also wanted to see just what these two thought of his pokemon when they felt the electricity moving through them. Of course, it wouldn't kill them, just make them "tingle". However, Cole knew that he couldn't do it and reached for the pokeball in his bag. However, Volts had other ideas. The woolly pokemon released a wave of electricity that pulsated throughout the room, setting the machines haywire. The two others tried to get behind something but failed miserably, getting as much of the electricity as anything else. They both dropped to the floor, not hurt, just having the breath knocked out of them. Cole moved towards Volts, however, and his close proximity to the source and the attack itself was strong enough to ignite his shirt and shorts in a few spots. He collapsed, his body heaving, attempting to stabilize itself. As his breaths returned, he finally got to his pokeball and withdrew Volts.

Meanwhile, a few of the machines were sparking and one was on fire. As the crew filed into the room, putting out the fire and turning the sparking equipment off, Cole sat down with his head in his hands. The two annoyances had gotten up and left, no doubt they'd be let off the hook. A crew member approached him and asked him what happened. Cole gave his full account, and he was first escorted to his room, and then the brig, which was made of a single large cell. Apparently he would be kept there until the ship docked, and then for as long as it took for them to assess the damages and to fill out paperwork. He decided he'd sleep for a while, considering he'd need the rest anyway and was tired from his run. He ended up having to spend two extra days on the ship once they docked.

Once he was released, he was hit with a bill of 2000 Poké dollars, 2/3rds of what he was sent with. He was thankful that he at least was given five pokeballs from Professor Elm, but 1000 P wouldn't get him very far. Nevertheless, he knew he'd be faced with hardships. He got off the ship and was nearly blinded by the sunlight. Once his eyes adjusted he was met with the city of Luxport. He could feel the tingling from his bag, a result of Volts feeling the electricity surging in the area. Cole was slightly angry with his pokemon, but he understood it. Still, he wasn't going to be allowed out of his pokeball unless Cole needed him, for now.

"Well Magnol. What've you got in store for me next?" He staid, venturing into the streets of Luxport.

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

Coletrane Black
Location - Luxport Docks
Money - 1000 Poké Dollars (P)
Inventory - 5 Pokeballs

 

[Clockwise]

Coletrane Black

The vibrant hustle of the beach city was a sharp contrast to the grey walls of the Shellanna's brig. Although the incident was an honest mistake, Cole couldn't help but feel ashamed. His Magnolan adventures sure started with an interesting twist...one he hoped to avoid in the future. His wallet couldn't handle much more inconvenience. Not only would he have to train, but he would be handicapped in his finances. A single potion or antidote could make a dramatic difference this early in his career. Luckily, he was provided with enough pokéballs to start his team building.

After registering himself and Mareep at a league kiosk, Cole was provided with his photo identification trainer's card and badge case. The shapes of the badges seemed so foreign to him, and he speculated on the various battles he would have to earn them in the future. His was semi-satisfied with his portrait. It would have to suffice for now. He had more important things to do than entertain vanity.

Cole had some decisions to make, as his options were nearly limitless. Luxport was a lighthouse town, and lighthouses were something very familiar to him. He had heard that the grand lighthouse of Luxport was a must-see tourist destination, ripe with trainers eager for battle. The ruins of the old burned down lighthouse were said to house the spirits of ghost Pokémon, but the remnants were currently condemned and forbidden to the public. He could search for another partner to aid him and Volts immediately. The water and sand of the beach held many promising opportunities for wildlife. Trainers were also sparring on the beach, enjoying the sun and other festivities. He'd need some practice and help before facing the luxurious casino gym. Cole could even bypass Luxport altogether and continue his adventure elsewhere. What would the young trainer decide?
----------------------------

Alexandra Dumont

The medical team was efficient in Froakie's restoration. Surprisingly, the line had not been too long. Alexandra figured many of the club goers were dancing rather than battling. This gym was quite an amazement compared to traditional establishments. The qualifier was slightly more difficult than she had anticipated from appearances, and she couldn't help but have high expectations for the leader.

The Kalosian lass bobbed her head to the rhythm as she slowly maneuvered her way through the masses towards the center stage. She witnessed another trainer reach the roped-off area before her, awaiting his turn to challenge the leader. After the current song was finished, the attendant lifted the barrier and escorted the young man to his position opposite of the DJ booth. Aubren rifled through a few records and chose the soundtrack for the battle. A high tempo electronic ambiance discharged from the towers of amplifiers, causing the crowd to revel in excitement. Rising from her throne, the gym leader took her position and prepared for the confrontation.

Now that Alexandra was close enough to the stage, she could make out her target's appearance more clearly. Long copper-colored dreads descended from a red beanie down Aubren's back all the way to her waist. Her massive headphones and futuristic attire made her look like a piece of science fiction. Lavender lipstick contrasted her rich and dark skin, and the black lights of the club caused her makeup to glow. Her expression was undaunted as the song behind her cresendoed skyward.

A referee signaled for the selection of combatants. Flicking her river of dreaded hair over her shoulder, Aubren summoned her first choice. The red energy from her pokéball yielded the feline form of an intimidating Litleo. The orange tuft of fur on its head was dyed the same lavender of its master's lips, and purple glowsticks adorned each of its paws. The electronic harmony picked up its pace as the fire cat made its entrance. On the other side of the field, the challenger called out a brave-looking Mankey. The pig-monkey bounced to the beat in its combat stance, ready for its trainer's orders.

"Mankey, use karate chop!"

The simian fighter broke out in a sprint towards its foe. Litleo did not budge, awaiting Aubren's signal. The song had escalated to point where a breakdown was about to ensue. As soon as the rumble of the bass and drums thundered out their call, Aubren commanded Litleo to use its signature move, Noble Roar. The explosion of both the music and the move stopped Mankey in its tracks, effectively halting the assault. The primate recoiled and let out a small wimper, its resolve having been dampened by the boisterous cacophony of sounds. The leader utilized the opportunity for Litleo to use Work Up, and its lavender head fur grew into a mighty mohawk with vapors rising from its ears.

"Snap out of it and use low kick!" cried the trainer, attempting to rally his partner. The fighting Pokémon shook itself out of its daze and slid towards Litleo. Alexandra and the other spectators watched in awe as the cat nimbly jumped to avoid the monkey's leg attack. It followed through with an aerial headbutt that collided into Mankey's exposed knee. The victim let out a cry of pain that was nearly drowned out by techno rhapsody. Mankey rolled backwards and began to retaliate with another karate chop attempt. The attack effectively connected with Litleo's neck, but when weight was forced on Mankey's injured knee, it collapsed prostrate before its opponent.

"Finish him with Take Down" Aubren commanded. Litleo pounced on the prone fighter with a sickening thud. Upon inspection, Mankey was declared unable to battle by the referee. The challenger withdrew his fallen ally and frustratingly summoned his next battler. A majestic Wigglytuff made its debut to the hopeful cheers of the dance floor. Meanwhile, the fur on Litleo's head appeared to grow once again. One onlooker elbowed the person beside Alexandra.

"That cat's got Moxie! Wigglytuff doesn't stand a chance."

As if overhearing the naysayers, Wigglytuff sprung into action. It unleashed a flurry of pounding fists at the surprised feline. Aubren had not expected such aggression from such an adorable adversary, and her Pokémon suffered because of it. After recovering from the barrage of blows, Aubren created a divide between the two competitors with an ember to deter another flourish. Unable to cover the distance, the rival trainer told his Wigglytuff to sing its enemy to sleep. The tactic almost worked, as Litleo began to stumble, but a sharp stab of sound from the electronic anthem jolted the cat back on its feet. The pink combatant's pride could not handle its voice being quashed, and it pushed through the fading flames in a frenzied rage. This time, however, Litleo was prepared. Drawing from deep within itself, the little lion projected an enormous flaming tornado from its jowls. The fire spin encompassed Wigglytuff's perimeter with a hungry mercilessness. An attack boost from the previous Work Up and Moxie's bonus from a defeated foe proved too much for the challenger. The cyclone engulfed Wigglytuff and strangled it out of consciousness. Aubren was victorious. The defeated trainer thanked her for the challenge, vowed to return, and left to care for his fallen friends.

Aubren took a small breather and played a few more tunes before entertaining another league match. She seemed unphased by her duties and seemed content with song selection and adjusting her equipment for optimal headbanging. Alexandra was left in anticipation until the rope was finally lifted by the guardian. She took her place as the previous trainer had did, but she knew that her outcome would be much different. The referee made sure both parties were prepared, and let them know to summon their first combatants. The leader grabbed a ball from her belt and cast it into the air. Out came a different Pokémon than Alexandra expected. The sleek and serpentine figure of a Salandit apparated from the crimson energy, a lone lavender glowstick necklace circling its neck.

"Choose your Pokémon."
---------------------------

Michael Haakonsson

The small fishing vessel kept a steady pace while heading back to Luxport. Baptiste commended Michael on his battling prowess, as the young man had kept focused in such a dire situation. Michael kept thinking they would have been in quite the predicament if more than two Frillish had attacked. A watery grave is not how anyone's journey should end. It would be wise to make it back to shore before total dark descended on them.

With one last longing gaze back towards the open sea, Professor Sassafras noticed a small figure on the horizon. She pointed in its direction, alerting her compatriots to its presence. Baptiste stared in bewilderment, squinting his eyes to verify what he saw before remembering the binoculars around his neck.

"Zere she is...ze Rain Dancer. But she doesn't seem to be heading zis way. We must give chase!"

He rushed to the wheel and begun a hard u-turn towards the direction of his target. Sassafras reminded him of the danger they just faced, and encouraged Michael to scan the nearby waters for any more foes. Despite the chance of peril, she knew that this could be their only chance to further their investigation. Michael heeded her warning and kept his eyes fixed on their vicinity, ready to summon Herk at a moment's notice.

It took them nearly half an hour to catch up to the Rain Dancer. The night made it necessary for Baptise to use his ship's spotlight to survey the scene. No one was visibly on deck, and Baptiste noted this oddity. It almost seemed as if the ship was patrolling the open water near Luxport, but purposefully not going too close. Why had they not seen it earlier in the day?

Baptiste attempted to hail Captain Dawson, his deep voice carrying far out into the ocean. No response worried the trio. They decided it would be best to board the other boat. Baptiste deftly maneuvered the Whooping Wooper alongside and threw a massive rope with little effort to tie the ships together. The hulls made suttle clanks against each other in cadence with the waves. Michael easily hopped over the railing while Baptiste assisted Sassafras. The captain manned the spotlight, and Michael and the professor used the flashlight apps on their Pokégear to poke around. There didn't seem to be any clues on deck, so they'd have to go below. Baptiste told them to be careful and that he'd keep watch from the Wooper.

As the pair approached the ladder to descend, Michael noticed an unfamiliar sound that contrasted the hum of the engine. A sharp beeping akin to some sort of sonar was coming from the lower level. Michael went first, and cast his light around to ascertain the source. He called out for anyone who may have been aboard, but received no answer. After dodging a few obstacles of barrels and fishing nets, he discovered a strange machine stashed in the corner emitting the pulses of noise. Sassafras knelt beside the device to begin her inquisition while Michael held the light.

"Well, it doesn't look like a bomb."

She let out a slight chuckle which Michael did not reciprocate. He hadn't considered that possibility until just now. That sort of foul play would have been an unnecessary act of terrorism, but he should have kept his guard up. He remembered the lesson the Nincada had taught him and how it should apply to other situations. He uttered a silent prayer under his breath while Sassafras continued to prod the enigma.

"I think this is our culprit," she mumbled in a matter-of-fact tone. "If only I could disable it..."

She asked Michael if he could get Baptiste up to speed. This ironic ghost ship was causing the mayhem with the spirit Pokémon somehow. Dawson's absence meant he was either a victim or a conspirator. But where was he? Michael climbed the ladder to inform his friend, but when he reached the top, the spotlight was extinguished. He called for Baptiste, but was again met with silence. Michael yelled to Sassafras that something was wrong. He rose to the deck and searched with his light in desperation. The captain was nowhere to be found.

From behind, a rustling caused Michael to instinctively whip around and prepare himself. His reflexes allowed him to avoid the grip of an aggressor and retaliate with a swift kick to their sternum. The assailant was taken aback and choked trying to catch their breath. Michael picked up the light he had dropped and shined it on his unknown attacker. A gaunt man in a grey scuba suit recoiled several paces backwards towards the edge of the ship. His only identifying feature was a red X was emblazoned across his chest. A steadfast voice from the Whooping Wooper gave an immediate command before Michael could even question his surroundings.

"Anchor shot."

A hulking and gnarled chain spewed forth from a tangled amalgamation of seaweed in the water like a speeding bullet. Michael did not have time to reach for Herk before his arms and torso were entangled by rusted restraints. The added weight forced him to his knees as he struggled to free himself. From below, Sassafras let out a cry of surprise and protest. Michael feared she had been apprehended by the enemy as well. His concern proved justified as the professor was escorted up the ladder by another grey scuba clad perpetrator. Her cries were muffled by a gag before she could question anything further.

"What should we do with the prisoners, Leftenant? Toss them overboard?"

The inquiry from the scuba clad men was directed towards the voice who had ordered the assault on Michael from the Wooper. A tall figure in a grey antiquated military officer's uniform oversaw the proceedings. The distance and darkness obscured his face, but Michael could make out the same red X insignia across his chest. With a solemn but authoritative tone, he gave his subordinates commands in a similar manner to that of a Pokémon in battle.

"No. Take them to the others. We have enough data. Dismantle the device for transport and prepare to sink this vessel. I will arrive shortly behind you"

The grunts nodded and complied. Michael gave an angry look of defiance as both he and Sassafras were shoved into the hatch of a small personnel submarine. Within, Baptiste lay unconscious and bound, having apparently put up a valiant struggle. All of their Pokémon were confiscated by the lesser criminals. Destination unknown, all Michael and the professor could do was bide their time.

Baptiste roused in confusion and agony after about twenty minutes, but was quick to realize the circumstances. His mouth was gagged like his compatriots, so there wasn't much use for argument. The ups and downs of the submarine's changing depth underwater caused Sassafras to moan with sickness. Before she had the chance to worsen, the grunts announced their arrival. Michael looked out a small porthole window and saw they were surfacing in an underground cavern. No wonder they didn't find anything. They couldn't check below the sea.

The trio were removed from the sub and placed in a dimly lit corner of the cove. There were other prisoners there also. Michael surmised that an older couple were the missing parents and a grizzled seafarer was the missing Captain Dawson. He was relieved that they were alive. Each person's hands were tied behind them with zipties, and they were placed in a circle with their backs to one another. The two grunts removed their scuba suits to reveal more grey military clothing with red x's. They joined a third criminal who had been watching the other prisoners, and relayed to their ally that their superior would arrive shortly.

"Give us a hand with this equipment, will ya?"

The goons began unloading the pieces of the ghost control device for reassembly. While they were busy, an adjacent Dawson got Michael's attention with a pinch to the wrist. He had broken off a piece of cavern stone while the guards were occupied, but was unable to reach his own binds. He motioned for Michael to inch closer so that he could free his hands. It only took a few unsupervised moments to sever the thick ziptie. Michael was free, but how would he get out of this predicament? Herk was in the hands of the enemy, and Michael would have to make his move before the officer returned. The odds were against him.

 

[Hogzilla]

Michael knew he had to be quick. He was free but he had three opponents. Even trained and physically strong as he was, three opponents was tough. He’d have to get Herk back at least, preferably the other captive Pokemon. He hurriedly freed Dawson and Baptiste, figuring the two burly men would be quite handy in an ensuing scrum. He was going to free the parents after cutting Professor Sassafras’ bonds when he overheard the guards talking “Hey man I thought I heard something from the other side” One criminal stated somewhat warily. “Yeah, they’re trying to get free but we bound ‘em good. I wouldn’t worry about it. Now shut up and get in the sub, we need to refuel it for later.” There was a brief pause and Michael held his breath. Finally the first guard replied “Fine. I’ll be there in a bit.” Then Michael heard footsteps. The guard was no doubt coming to check on the prisoners before he went into the sub. Michael pressed himself to the wall, the two sailors doing likewise.


When the guard came into view, he only got a brief “What the-” out of his mouth before Michael punched him said mouth. The man grunted as he hit the ground and reached for a Pokeball clipped to his belt, snarling “You’re mine you-” before he was once again cut off, this time by a pair of angry sailors dogpiling him before he could deploy his Pokemon. They quickly choked him into unconsciousness and the group let out a collective sigh of relief. Michael pulled close and whispered “Nice work, but the other two are still out there. We should try and find our Pokemon quick before they return, or jump them as they come out of the sub.” Baptiste and Dawson nodded in agreement, and the three moved towards the sub in rolling step.


Nearby the sub was a series of workbenches, some of which had scuba gear on them, others had the parts of the strange machine Michael, Sassafras and Baptiste had stumbled upon, and others had bags. Michael gestured towards the bags and pantomimed searching them, indicating they should rustle through the bags. The three did so, finding a selection of medical supplies for Pokemon, totalling three potions, two antidotes, an awakening, and a paralysis heal. Also within was a quintet of Pokeballs, three Pokeballs, a Dive Ball and a Dusk Ball. Michael took Herk and Brandie back, immediately recognizing the scratches on Herk’s Pokeball from years of use and the contrasting sparkling shell of Brandie’s ball. Baptiste kissed Golduck’s Pokeball as he recovered it, and Dawson smiled broadly at the sight of the Dive Ball and grabbed it, leading Michael to believe it was his. The Dusk Ball was grabbed by Professor Sassafras. He was about to go rooting through another bag when he heard a man shout “HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!” Michael and the sailors turned around fast to see the two remaining guards piling out of the sub. They both lobbed Pokeballs into the air, and two Pokemon appeared. One was a purplish mass of gooey flesh, whilst another was a plump bird with black feathers that didn’t look able to fly. Dawson and Professor Sassafras stepped up to the plate.

“Kingler, time to shine!” Barked Dawson, his Dive Ball calling forth a brutish crab Pokemon, as Professor Sassafras hurled her Dusk Ball. “Let’s go, Drifblim! With that device gone I can finally lend a hand!” The gas-filled ghost Pokemon appeared in a flash of purple light and the battle began. The two pairs began trading moves, but it was readily apparent that Kingler and Drifblim had the upper hand. Michael and Baptiste were going to join in when an all too familiar voice cut through the din of battle.

“I suppose I have to do everything for you guys, don’t I?” The leader’s graven tone was not shouted but still managed to penetrate the sounds of a double battle. Michael deployed Herk, and Baptiste sent out Golduck to meet the new threat. The man's face slightly contorted in a barely visible grimace and he threw a Pokeball of his own. "Dhelmise. Time to battle." Michael had a feeling this was going to be difficult, why else would this man willingly engage in a two-on-one battle. But the Professor and Dawson were handling the guards fairly handily, perhaps he could count on their support later. Regardless, now it was time for him and Baptiste to take care of the boss. He reminded himself that these men had been causing all the trouble surrounding the old lighthouse, had kidnapped innocent people, and had some even larger goal in mind. He could NOT let them get away with this.

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

Michael Haakonsson
Location - Hidden Grotto
Money - 0 Poké Dollars (P)
Inventory - 4 Antidotes, 2 Awakenings, 1 Paralysis Heal, 5 Potions, 2 Pokeballs

 

[PocketMonsterHunter]

Alexandra nodded and wasted no time in deploying her own pokeball, Fletchling soon materialized in the air. "Alright Fletchling, let's get started, use Peck." The kalosian commanded, her pokemon soon taking flight towards the black lizard. "Use Ember." Aubren commanded in response, small flames started coming of out of Salandit's mouth. The bird move at an incredible speed, allowing it to maneuver through the flames. The lizard didn't have enough time to brace for Fletchling's attack, causing it to growl in pain. "Don't let it hit you just like that, respond with Scratch." Aubren ordered, Salandit's claws glowed as it scraped Fletchling with them. "Don't let trade blows, use Growl!" Alexandra commanded at Fletchling let out an ear-piercing cry, causing Salandit to flinch. The bird took back to the air as it's opponent covered it's ears.

"If I can take maximum advantage of Fletchling's speed, I should be able to get through this battle with minimal damage, or at least save Froakie's energy for as long as possible." Alexandra concluded as she evaluated the situation. "Alright Fletchling, go for Peck again, don't let it get you!" The trainer ordered, Fletchling darting towards it's target again.