Mayu - Adventure Thread (Kanto)

Mayu has begun to get used to the idea that she will probably lose her first battle against any given gym; it's called the Gym Challenge for a reason, after all. Losing a second time is disappointing. Her Pokemon fared reasonably well, on the whole... though Alpha is having some difficulty against enemies who prefer to keep their distance and use elemental attacks rather than get up close. Perhaps she'll need to think about substituting another Pokemon in? Omicron, perhaps, or even Beta... Lambda, on the other hand, has done remarkably well for herself now that she has a defense against the Ice-typed attacks all of Aleisandra's Pokemon seem to know. Perhaps a second Grass-type would be useful? 

With that in mind, she heads west, back towards Viridian Forest. It's as good a place as any to train, and perhaps she'll come across something useful while she does. 
Viridian Forest dungeon, level 2: DZU8mLCE1d8
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There are a wealth of people looking to trade, but none have quite what Mayu is looking for. Some come close; Gloom and Ivysaur have potential, but she can't help but feel they would fill more or less the same role on her team that Tropius occupies. Others are... less close; she nearly challenges the girl who offers her a Zubat to a fight, but in the end settles for a withering glare. 

The next day, she heads out into the forest again. 

Mayu observes the nest. dangerous. The sensible thing to do is probably to avoid it; there are plenty of ways to challenge her Pokemon which don't involve risking her life against one of the most notoriously ill-tempered Pokemon in the region. And yet... there's something to be said for a real fight, isn't there? A true challenge against another trainer, with pride and more on the line, is a different experience from merely setting her Pokemon to spar amongst one another. A real, no-holds-barred fight in the wild is a level above that. Not something to make a habit of, perhaps, certainly she should make sure to run if she thinks she's losing, but... yes. Nothing worth having comes without risk, after all. 

Still, best to take care. With her recent defeat at the hands of Ninjask still fresh in her mind, Mayu conceals herself in a brush some distance away, sending two of her Pokemon to fight in her stead. Omicron and Sigma. 
Sigma - 14
Omicron - 10

Mayu does not experience adrenaline like other people. There's no surge of energy, no hearing her heart beat loud in her ears or feeling every pulse of blood through her veins. Instead there is a sense of clarity and focus, sensations numbed and emotions crystallized into something razor-edged and cold. So she doesn't exactly feel fear, as she flees through Viridian Forest. (Even after the Beedrill stop chasing her, she doesn't slow. There *are* other dangers in the forest, and she is utterly alone.) No, it isn't til afterward that she realizes her hands are shaking.

It's not the first time she's risked her life. Any wild Pokemon can pose a danger, if provoked at the wrong moment. Even League-structured battles where nobody would dream of fighting to the death aren't completely safe; accidents happen, and when boulders and lightning bolts are being thrown about, those accidents could be fatal. But it is the first time she's stared death in the face, so to speak. The Beedrill queen may have been on the edge of death's door herself, but cornered Pokemon are often the most dangerous of all. And for what, exactly? There was no point to that battle. No badge on the line. She'd just... seen a challenge, and instinctively thrown herself into it. Training, yes. Doubtlessly her Pokemon learned from the experience, and will emerge stronger for it (once they've had a few hours in the Poke Center, anyway). But there will always be more fights. Maybe this forced them to learn faster, but was that really worth the risk of dying? 

Her parents, she's certain, would be disappointed in her. Not just for failing to defeat the hive, although they would probably chide her for that too. (She'd been so close; if she'd stood her ground, if she'd managed to get just one good hit in before the Beedrill queen closed the distance and ran her through... but with the queen's speed and ferocity, she would only get one shot.) For picking such a pointless fight in the first place. Maybe there's something wrong with the routine she's fallen into, throwing herself into every fight she sees because she... why? Because she has to get stronger? Because she has to win? Because she doesn't know what else to do with herself? 

Mayu herself doesn't have a scratch on her, and her Pokemon are returned to fighting shape in a few hours. But she doesn't seek out any matches that evening. Instead she finds a small pond, and watches Horsea and Remoraid splash around for a long time. 

After turning around to head back to Cerulean, Mayu gets the strangest feeling of being watched.

Mayu sees nothing at first, but when she turns back towards Route 24, there is now what appears to be a little girl of approximately 11-13 years standing in the road, staring at her. There is an Espeon in her arms that watches her (Mayu) impassively. As odd a sight as this is, it doesn't seem to be the source of the feeling that has the hairs on the back of Mayu's neck standing on end. That strange feeling like something isn't quite right.

The staring continues unabated for several minutes before there is any movement. The movement is solely the girl tilting her head to one side curiously. As if she is trying to figure out what Mayu is.

The Espeon's eyes glow a brilliant, almost blinding blue when Mayu grasps the girl's chin, but the child does not blink nor break away. Though her eyes do briefly flicker with the same sheen of blue before the psychic eeveelution calms slightly. Ah, the girl must have been using some form of telepathy to speak soundlessly with her Pokemon. Yes, that makes sense. Mayu recalls that this is common among individuals who utilize Psychic-Type Pokemon. It gives them a distinct edge over non-psychic Trainers who must call out commands verbally. Nevertheless, the girl continues to stare silently at Mayu.

"I am a girl." She answers cheekily succinctly.