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Post by DataNinja on Oct 2, 2019 4:09:13 GMT
It's finally here. Time to set out on a journey, earn some renown, and hopefully get some answers to questions. The journey from Fallarbor to Littleroot to get registered was a blur to Beatrice. Fairly literally, too - Salamanceback is very fast... but not very cheap at all. Thankfully, the League foots the bills for travel to get registered. People here aren't put at a disadvantage just because they lived far away, after all.
It seemed like a lot of fanfare for something so small, though. She already had Pokémon, so it was mostly just some questions, putting her ID into the system, handing her a PokéDex, and wishing her luck before pushing her out the door. It seems like there's a lot of hustle in the lab, though, so it doesn't really come as a surprise. Bea does think that she might have seen some Hybrids - Altered, whatever you want to call them - in the back, but there wasn't really a chance to get a closer look. She could swear there were some feathers and scales on people. But... if anyone's employing people like that, it'd probably be the Lab. Professor May Birch is known to be sympathetic - she was one of the major ones pushing for better integration into society, and for safe uses of the technology to be researched.
But, none of that laboratory hustle reaches the town of Littleroot. It may not be as little as it once was, but the people within still do things at much their own speed, and the atmosphere is easygoing. Much of the tension that can be felt elsewhere isn't anywhere to be found, and things are reasonably quiet as Beatrice makes her way to Route 101.
The route itself is a little less quiet, though, as three rambunctious young Trainers who have just gotten their Pokémon for the first time rustle around in the tall grass, laughing and chasing around their Pokémon - a Torchic, Treecko, and Mudkip. Any wild Pokémon around will probably have been long chased off by the noise, but the Trainers don't seem to care. It's freedom.
One of them looks over to see her, though, and calls over to the other two, "Hey, there's someone, we'll ask her." The boy who said something and his fire chicken approaches Bea, followed by a girl with her tree lizard, and another boy with his mudfish. "'Scuse me," the first boy says, a little brusquely "but, we're having an argument about which starter's the best here."
"Obviously, you can see we don't exactly have a consensus," the girl says, wryly. "So, we need someone neutral. So, who's right?"
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6,670 posts
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Oct 2, 2019 10:43:57 GMT
"Well, that is going to be dependant on a myriad of factors, so which are you gauging? Is the discussion regarding their current state or their final forms? Do any of you have qualifications or background in Pokemon rearing or training?" She pointed skyward as she entered a questioning soliloquy, then held her hand out flat finishing the statement, beaming and self assured.
"Pokemon are beings of potential. How much of it they attain is entirely up to their trainer, but if you believe in yourselves and try your best, they will all be successful. From an adaptation standpoint, I am most partial to the amphibian, followed by the lizard, then the bird. The ability to breathe water and air is impressive, and the blue and orange coloration is very striking."
Pausing to gauge their reactions, she glanced back over her shoulder towards Littleroot. It was a shame she couldn't spend more time in the lab, but they were busy, and she didn't have the qualifications needed to really hobnob with them yet. Time and study would yield it eventually.
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 2, 2019 14:28:43 GMT
Clearly her spiel was not what the other kids expected, and it shows on their faces, as they look back and forth at each other as she asks her questions. This was not the clear-cut answer that it appears that they were expecting. By the time she finishes, though, it appears that the boy with the Mudkip has claimed victory. "Ha! See, toldja guys. It's the cutest and most practical."
The other two loudly begin complaining that that's not at all what she meant, before the girl says to Bea, "Look, I'll take you on with my Treecko, show you it's top-notch." "And my Torchic can also show you what it can do!"
The boy with the mudkip just grins, saying "You're not going to change her mind, you know."
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Oct 2, 2019 15:18:04 GMT
"I'm sure they are both great, I just like that amphibians can breathe air and water, and the color blue is um... Pretty..."
It was clear they weren't going to be dissuaded from a battle. Expanding her two Pokeballs to full size she gives them a light toss. "Limul, Tempu, come on out." In a flash of light a frilled low lying bug-eyed insect and a bright red ladybug sporting impressive almost sunglasses styled blue-black eyes appearing in a flash of light.
"I suppose if it will satisfy you, then we can have a double battle..." She considered the Torchic warily and weighed her odds. "Are they always so combative?" She asked the proud owner who liked mudkips.
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 2, 2019 21:30:08 GMT
"Eh, depends on the day," the boy says, with a shrug. "What else are friends for than to argue with eternally, right?" He gives a small smile. "Oh, don't you act all holier-than-thou just because you think you won here," the girl snaps, "You argue just as much. No high horse for you."The third Trainer just rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, enough you guys. Let's just show her what we've got, Sarah." He grins, as the Pokémon scamper into position. Bea does hear the girl quietly ask the Mudkip's Trainer though, as she looks at Anorith, "What's that Pokémon's type over there? Bug? Water?" All the boy responds with is a shrug. Map
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Oct 2, 2019 22:51:24 GMT
"Anorith is the Old Shrimp Pokemon." Beatrice explained helpfully from her side of the field. "It predates most known bug pokemon by tens of thousands of years and was likely originally Bug/Water or Bug/Steel in its origins, Lilum is a fossil record of modern Pokemon. Lilum, Tempu, analysis.". At the command word both Pokemon seem to sharpen their attention.
(Issues Iterative Evolution to both Pokemon, binding 2 AP.)
"It is a Bug and Rock typed Pokemon, and once lived in warm oceans. Still enjoys the bath but only if I add salts to it. Tempu, bug bite Treecko please, Lilum, Smack Down on the Torchic."
(Tempu moves one square left of Treecko, Lilum remains in place. Both targets take 31 Damage of the attacks respective type as physical. Tempu is at +1 Evasion for having a sky speed.)
The Anorith lets out a shrill sound, summoning and firing a stone, while Ledian chomps down on a tasty leaf tail.
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 2, 2019 23:18:30 GMT
The battle's over instantly, the lizard falling down after being gnawed on, while the chick tries to remain standing for at least a little while, before succumbing to the rocks. The Trainers have rather stunned looks on their faces. "Uh... well then," the girl squeaks, looking embarrassed, "I, uh, I see we have a lot to learn here.""Uh, sorry to waste your time..." The Torchic's trainer stutters out. The last one doesn't really even mention an 'I told you so' as they back away, and start muttering, before heading back towards Probably the Pokémon center, glancing over at Bea. Her own Pokémon, at least, chitter around happily, none the worse for wear. Treeko Faints from Bug Bite. It's super Effective! Torchic Faints from Smack Down. It's super effective!
Bea gets 50 Exp for winning.
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Oct 2, 2019 23:35:35 GMT
"Teaching is never a waste of time! Good luck on your Pokemon Journey!" She is good spirited about the whole thing. "You both did very well." Beatrice addressed her partners, giving them each a small affectionate touch in kind before recalling them to their balls and continuing her journey from Littleroot by herself.
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 2, 2019 23:48:54 GMT
The noise of the Trainers fades away into the relative quiet of the wilderness. Well, as wild as the calm, short stretch of forest between Littleroot and Oldale can be. Which, really, isn't very. There's the occasional rustling of stuff in the bushes, or the chirping of birds in the trees, but for the most part it's just a pleasant, undisturbed walk.
At least, until something catches her eye. In amongst the brush and trees, a little off the path, it looks like there's something bright glinting in the sunlight. Something that's not part of the natural flora of the surrounding area.
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Oct 3, 2019 0:11:10 GMT
Pushing her glasses up her nose, the girl skipped along in her boots towards that sparkle, her white coats fluttering behind her. "Ooh... someone must have dropped something?" Stopping over it, she braced her gloved hands on her knees and leaned down to have a look.
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 3, 2019 1:14:30 GMT
Pushing through the brush, the reflective glow seems to be coming from an object left atop a tree stump. It appears to be an egg, in fact, but a most peculiar one indeed. Pure gold, it seems - which was causing the glint off of sunlight which allowed her to notice it in the first place - but upon tapping it, it actually feels quite light. Though, still cool and hard, much like the consistency of actual gold.
Looking around, there doesn't seem to be anyone - person or Pokémon - who may have left this here.
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Oct 3, 2019 2:35:16 GMT
Pacing around the stump, Beatrice paused and hunkered low, head very near the ground. She examined the soil and grasses surrounding the stump, the stump itself, even the surrounding foliage before so much as touching the egg. There were no signs of grazing or passage. Route 101 wasn't the most frequented place but she couldn't have been the first to notice such a thing. The egg itself was shockingly light despite its hardness. Breathing on it, she stroked a gloved thumb across it, admiring the shine. Pokemon eggs usually held patterning and coloration of their Pokemon species, that was basic knowledge, but she couldn't think of any Pokemon that might be solid gold like this.
Holding it up to her ear, she listened. The stump didn't seem to be a nest, even, it was as though the egg's placement were deliberate. Whom or what would leave something potentially precious or valuable unguarded was terribly confusing, and a bit worrisome. Peering out of the trees, egg held to her front, back towards Littleroot, she weighed her options. On the one hand, she could take it back to the lab and ask, and she'd know. If it were something unique, or special, or new even, those findings wouldn't be hers anymore. They, and likely whatever Pokemon this was, would belong to the lab. She could save for an incubator, maybe. Or ask the Pokemon Center in Oldale to keep it warm for her.
Waiting was better, the answers would come eventually on their own, as nature took it's course. She gently packed the find away in her bag, surrounded by sweatclothes for exercising and colder weather, atop her binders worth of notes. She'd write about it later.
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 3, 2019 2:52:27 GMT
The egg fits snugly, and soon Bea is on her way once more. Route 101 ends almost as soon as it begins, though, and after only about an hour of walking, she finds herself entering the outskirts of Oldale. The atmosphere is a little more 'homey' than Littleroot. While the latter town has embraced the advancements that come with being home to many of the foremost researchers of the region, the former has stayed firmly planted in the old style of building, with everything screaming 'history'.
The Pokémon Centers are still modern, though, and also provide a place for trainers to store extra travelling supplies while they wander around town and the surrounding areas. To the north is a short route that ends in a body of water leading nearish to Mauville and Slateport - with a fair amount of water Pokémon not otherwise found until going to that side of Hoenn. There's also some forest nearby, especially off to the west as one heads towards Petalburg, and the Grass Gym there. It's still nothing compared to Petalburg Woods further out, though.
The town itself doesn't have terribly many Trainer-oriented attractions, unfortunately - it's mostly catering to a crowd that enjoys steeping themselves in history, having teas in cafes, and just enjoying the air of a town from a less-modern era... with all the modern conveniences, of course.
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Oct 3, 2019 3:11:15 GMT
Oldale is quaint, reminding her in some ways of home, where progressivism was the tradition. While the flight to Littleroot had been the terrifying thrill of a lifetime, nothing was particularly threatening or hasteworthy this particular day. Heading to the Pokemon Center first, she asks the nurse on staff about egg rearing, if temperature regulation was particupar by species, how to tell if it was viable or healthy, and if the centers offered care services.
That point of business attended with due diligence, she wandered the town for a time to take in the local history. She would likely be remiss if she didn't take the north road later in the day, a water Pokemon would be invaluable for protecting her treasured bug Pokemon from Rock and Fire types. Water Ice might be better, which would help with Flying as well, but that was unlikely at this latitude and time of year.
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 3, 2019 4:04:13 GMT
The Nurse at the Center says that things vary considerably between species - Ice Pokémon tend to need much cooler temperatures than a Fire type, Water eggs tend to be a lot more flexible when healthy than something like a Rock egg, and it's a fairly complex art when it all comes down to it. They do offer care services at the Center, Bea finds, but when she goes to get her own Egg... she finds that it's gone. There's nothing wrapped in her clothes, no sign of any shell in the hollow, no nothing.
It's only when she looks again as she checks her supplies before leaving the town for the route north that she finds it left exactly where it was before. All swaddled up, as though nothing had changed. Peculiar.
Route 102 is even shorter than 101 - only about a fifteen minute walk along a well-trod path, and she finds herself looking over a beach at the edge of a wide, wide channel of water. Splashing around in it are a variety of Pokémon - mostly fish, but she sees some bouncy ball Pokémon, and some gulls swooping down towards the surface. Somewhere on the other side is the path to other cities. And while every year there are swimmers who take the challenge of swimming the strait, that is not something that she can do.
She's not the only one around, though. While there are around several villagers and tourists, enjoying the fresh air, the beach, and maybe going to stick around for the sun setting in a little bit, there's one person who's very much out of place. A man with some complex looking scientific instruments, with an orange electric mouse next to him, and a floating ball with magnets buzzing around.
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Oct 3, 2019 10:15:40 GMT
The mystery deepened further, the pang of loss had struck her hard when she found her prize just gone. There had been no encounters on the road, and her bag hadn't been left unattended, how could it have happened? Eggs didn't just up and steal themselves, that was ludicrous.
Discovering it once more amidst her belongings as though nothing had happened only served to deepen her curiosity. Pokemon were capable of some incredible things, but her charge had simply ceased being and that was certainly not possible by any recollection she had.
Not knowing what type the egg was, she was uncertain how to proceed in that regard. Earning the funds for an incubator was all well and fine, but without knowing how to calibrate it, it might cause issues. Given the metallic colored shell, it was possible the infant Pokemon might be a steel type, which should share some consistencies with Rock due to hardy natures and mineral bodies.
Oldale's local history didn't catch her as well as she thought it might, some tea and a light meal after her otherwise lengthy day thus far was a welcome respite, reading over brochures. Meal finished she took in placards and spoke with a few of the locals before heading north. The route was shorter then expected, but the beach was teeming with Pokemon and a figure that caught her eye immediately.
What sorts of science was there to be done in such a well travelled place? Approaching the man, Beatrice cleared her throat softly. "Excuse me sir, could I ask what you are researching today?" She folded her hands behind her back, a delighted expression on her face. Another man of learning! This was wonderful.
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 3, 2019 15:48:47 GMT
"Huh?" The man asks, apparently deep in concentration before she'd approached. "Oh, uh, hi, sorry. Was busy taking some readings here. Figuring out exactly how far the radiation from Dewford's spread along the water. It's really the only thing in much of the south, at least until you get to the other side of Mauville. But, seems as if it hasn't really gotten into here at all. Not yet, at least. Which is a good sign, if it's mostly staying on the other- buzz off!" He swats at the Magnemite that's once again hovering around the area. The electric rodent by his size crackles menacingly with electricity, but it looks to mostly scare off the nearby Water Pokémon than the magnet.
The scientist sighs. "Ugh, picked up that thing while taking readings near New Mauville. Followed me ever since, and I don't know why it's so hard to get rid of."
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6,670 posts
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Oct 3, 2019 17:37:23 GMT
If the radiation wasn't expected to spread they wouldn't be testing for it, that wasn't the best sign. Most of what Beatrice knew about meteors was from home, and a lot of it pointed to splintering, burned up chunks, or micro-meteors coming off of a main mass when the event happened. It was likely that the contamination was wider spread but lower key then many knew.
She couldn't help smile when he confessed his problem. Pokemon really were mysterious creatures, that one would follow him so far was astounding. "Here maybe I can help you figure out why at least." Pointing her Pokedex at the Magnemite, she flipped it open and activated the scanner. "Is there any chance you were exposed to a strong current or magnetic field in Mauville?"
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 3, 2019 19:08:09 GMT
"I mean, I expect it's probably my scanner," the man says, "but why it would go after that instead of the literally everything around New Mauville, I've no idea. It's not that strong." He sighs. "Maybe it feels different, or it's just curious or stubborn. I dunno. I'll be happy to get rid of it - it probably can't mess up my readings, being non-radiation-based, but I don't want to risk it."
"Magnemite, the Magnet Pokémon," reads Bea's 'Dex, which seems to attract the Pokémon in question over to it. "It sends out electromagnetic waves, which let it float through the air. Touching it while it’s eating electricity will give you a full-body shock. It’s frequently the cause of power outages, which is why some power plants send out electrical signals that it can’t stand."
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Oct 3, 2019 19:40:50 GMT
"Well, if your device is electronic, em waves would still futz with it a little unless it is shielded. It mostly seems curious." She turns her Dex around so the Pokemon can view the picture of itself on the display, and moves the device slowly about to see if the Magnemite remains intent on it.
"I could capture it for you if you would like, it seems docile enough, and I like how alert and engaged it seems. Would have been easy to do that yourself if it was getting under your skin." Beatrice rocked on the balls of her feet a little, before bringing an empty Pokeball from one of her pockets. "Can't imagine anything this persistently interested would be bad." A smile creeped across her face, as she remembered being a bug in her parent's and grandparent's ears when she was knee high, always asking questions.
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