- Join Date
- Oct 23, 2018
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- 2,828
- Location
- The Field of Battle
- AKA
- Ben, A_T
- Gender
- Male
- Time Zone
- US Central (GMT -6:00)
- 3DS FC
- 2724-0144-2557
- IGN
- Ben
I took a break from this to document a challenge run, but I'm back! Hope you're excited!
Flocks of bird Pokémon wheel through the air over Foria City, calling and singing to one another with lively chirps. Rushing tunnels of wind created by the developing metropolis's tall, bright buildings carry them on without so much as a flap of their wings. People throwing open their windows to greet the breezy day smile at their passing, while all the many species of forest-dwelling Pokémon that have climbed or grown that high watch them curiously. An greater variety stroll along the bustling yet cheerful streets below, accompanied by their human partners as they go about the day's business.
The charms of the city which proudly declares itself to be "Uniting to push for greater heights!" are lost on a brown-haired girl near the edge of town. She smiles at the sign on the gate as she pushes her way into a public garden: "Wild Pokémon Habitat. Exercise Caution." Two adjacent high-rises still block the morning sun, while intermittent pine trees throw an extra depth of shadow over the clusters of tangled grass. "Perfect," Opal nods.
"Zebrun, Cygwet, come out!" She throws the Ultra Ball and the Poké Ball in the air together and her two team members appear. They listen attentively as their Trainer lectures, "Strong Pokémon Trainers are the strongest people in the world. They can go anywhere, learn any information, and do anything. People respect that. And there's no greater sign of a Pokémon Trainer's strength than earning Gym Badges. That's why as long as we're here in Foria City, a place with its own Gym, we're going to earn a Gym Badge! Then we can go through that stupid forest no problem, and no one will tell us otherwise." She thinks back to what the group of local kids told her earlier that morning in the Pokémon Center.
"You're just passing through on your way to someplace else? But doesn't that mean you'll have to go through Guardian Forest?" a boy questioned.
"Uh...yeah!" Opal had never heard of "Guardian Forest" but she tossed her hair anyway. "I guess I am."
"But you can't!" another boy wheezed. "Don't you know that it's blocked off? Haven't you heard about the thieves?"
Opal's blue eyes narrowed to glacial shards at those words. She grabbed him by his collar and yanked him close. "What thieves? she hissed. "There are thieves hiding out in that forest? Do they wear black and blue uniforms?"
The boy only stammered unintelligibly until another of his friends separated him from Opal. She gave Opal a wary look and responded carefully, "Just the opposite, actually. People say they wear white uniforms. Also that they're very precise and stealthy, which is why even the police are having trouble and the area's off-limits to the public for now."
"Doesn't sound like them. Not worth my time," Opal reaffirms to herself back in the present. She claps her hands forcefully to refocus herself and grab her Pokémon's attention. "So let's go!"
The garden proves to be a good training ground, inhabited by Pokémon from city and forest alike. "Zebrun, Stomp! And Cygwet, Bubble!" The Vineide and Oscry they had been targeting collapse to the ground. For the first time in several minutes, no other eager wild Pokémon appear to take their place. Opal wipes her brow. "Good, good. That's been some good training."
Zebrun begins to trot back toward his Trainer, but is distracted halfway. Stretching down his neck to nose at the ground, he begins pawing at something near a large rock. After a moment he looks up at Opal and stomps emphatically.
Slightly concerned, she makes her way over to Zebrun's side. "What's going on?" He nudges something with his hoof and Opal squats for a closer look.
A chunk of stone a little bigger than Opal's fist is lying on the ground. Jagged points stick out at random angles but the main section almost resembles a geode in that dark purple-colored pits are hollowed out from the otherwise sandy stone. The girl picks it up and examines it from all sides; no matter which way she turns it, shadows seem to pool in the center. "I know what this is," she breathes. A picture from a book flashes into her mind: this sort of stone, along with four others. "It's a Hollow Rock! Maybe all your powerful attacking knocked it loose from something," she teases as she stands back up and rubs Zebrun's snout. She goes to deposit the item in her back and finds her vision suddenly obscured by tears. "Wyrmer and I used to find treasure like this all the time. That was what we were doing when we first met you, Zebrun...It's...a good memory. Thank you for this."
The four-legged Pokémon playfully butts Opal with his head. "What do you guys think? Shall we do some more training?" she asks. Zebrun snorts in agreement. "What about you, Cygwet?...Cygwet?" She cranes her neck to peer around the large Normal-type. Opal's starter Pokémon is there, waiting behind Zebrun, but he's paying his Trainer any attention. Cygwet has his back to them, staring into the distance towards a corner of the park. "Huh, you're being just as strange as Zebrun was a minute ago. Did you find something too?" she huffs. The girl once again crouches down, this time to wave her hand in front of Cygwet's beak.
Cygwet recoils slightly, then begins beating his stubby wings and squawking. He jabs his head emphatically a couple times in the direction he had been facing. Unsure what's making the normally cheerful, relaxed Pokémon behave this way, Opal turns to look as well.
Far back under the cover of the pines, against one of the buildings that serves as a boundary to the park, a creature is moving. Opal squints and readjusts the brim of her hat, but all she can make out is a featureless mass. "That must be what's got you so freaked out, eh?" she remarks to Cygwet in a low voice. Her Pokémon nods and hisses. "You think it's a Pokémon?...Ah, who cares?" she answers herself decisively. Opal pops back up to her feet and marches toward the far end of the park. "Hop to it, you two!" Blinking in surprise, Zebrun and Cygwet scramble to follow her.
As Opal gets closer, the whatever-it-is seems to notice her in return. It shivers violently and then begins lurching toward her; the girl stops to see if she can get a better view once it emerges into the light. The tangled mass is about her own height, but broader, and makes a dry raspy sound. Like a pile of leaves, she thinks, before realizing that may be exactly what it is. Large, broad leaves and clusters of vines cover the creature seemingly at random; occasionally Opal catches the flash of a brooding eye. The dark green color, something she'd already seen many times that morning, is what gives it away. She turns to look at her Pokémon on either side of her and explains, "It's like a Vineide! Maybe an evolved form of one! Come on, this will be great to battle against! Zebrun, Headbutt, and then Cygwet, you use Gust!"
Zebrun doesn't hesitate to launch himself at the opponent with neck extended. It makes no attempt to dodge or retaliate, and he scores a massive hit dead-on. He springs back and the creature trembles, collapsing in on itself a bit and shrinking back. It still doesn't have a chance to fight back before Cygwet darts in front of his ally. The Water-type doesn't leave the ground, but is nonetheless capable of whipping up a fierce Gust with its wings. The ivy monster bears the attack for a handful of seconds before being literally blasted apart and scattered into pieces. Opal gapes at the sight, wondering what kind of Pokémon could be hurt like that, as the pieces frantically writhe and twist on the grassy lawn. It's only when all the plants have reoriented themselves, with vines peeping out from under broad, drooping leaves, that understanding dawns on Opal's face. "That wasn't an evolved form at all! Just a whole bunch of Vineide clustered together in a heap! But I've never heard of anything like that before. What were they doing?"
The short Grass-types are mostly separated now, but in the center of the bunch, four or so are still entwined together in a twitching clump. "There must be something up with those ones. Get rid of them with Roar," Opal directs. The move successfully forces apart the Vineide and pushes them all back about 30 feet. To Opal's surprise, a solitary Lotad is revealed, huddling against the ground with its eyes shut. Not a moment passes before the Vineide all begin slithering back toward it as fast as their roots will carry them.
Opal frowns. "I don't know what those pests are up to but I don't like it. Double Kick them all, and don't hold back!" Zebrun again wades forward, bringing his powerful hooves down on any of the creeping Pokémon that get too close. Opal can tell they don't like that one bit, but despite the occasional attempt to hit back with Vine Whip or Slime Lash, they can't stand up to Zebrun's power and soon retreat back into the thick grass and trees where they were first seen.
"And stay there!" Opal spits at the retreating forms. She then hurries to examine the Lotad, which still hasn't moved. When she reaches its side she notices a distinctly pleasant odor in the air, like ripe, juicy Berries. Her Pokémon seem to have noticed it too: they both sniff appreciatively--Opal didn't know Cygwet even had a sense of smell--and make a beeline for Lotad's side. Zebrun flops down to curl itself around the aquatic Pokémon, while Cygwet hops right on top of it, nestling comfortably on the large lily pad. "Hey, not you too!" their Trainer exclaims. She lifts Cygwet up and plops him unceremoniously right back on the grass, then nudges Zebrun's powerful legs out of her way. She scoops up Lotad and rises to her feet; Zebrun immediately springs up too, not taking his eyes off Lotad. Opal turns her back emphatically and sighs, "Oh, give it a rest!"
Lotad, upon feeling itself lifted into the air, finally begins to take some notice of its surroundings. It wiggles around until it can stare into Opal's eyes. She stares back, and as the silence drags out finally gives an awkward smile. "H-hey there, Lotad. How are you feeling?"
The Water Weed Pokémon bursts into a show of joy, smiling hugely and squirming in Opal's arms. "Must be nice to meet someone who isn't trying to sit on you," she quips. "Maybe all these Pokémon are being attracted to you because you smell so good, eh?" The Pokémon stops its display to give her another confused stare. "Hah, you have no idea what I'm saying, do you, Lotad? How'd you get here, anyway? We didn't see any others of your species while we were training." She scans the public garden. Outside it, past a fence at the edge of the city, is a low drainage ditch sprouting with a variety of grasses. "Aha! I bet that's it. There's sure to be water in there."
Opal jogs over and sets down the little Pokémon at the edge of the stone slope leading to the ditch. "All right, off you go." When she releases it, she notices another cloud of the aroma wash over her. "That's a neat trick, but I don't know what you mean by it, Lotad. Anyway, take care." She recalls both Zebrun and Cygwet and turns back into Foria City. "Time to hit up the Pokémon Center." She takes a look over her shoulder to make sure Lotad found its way and notes with satisfaction that it's no longer there. Then she feels something bumping her leg and looks down. To her surprise it's Lotad.
"What? What do you want? Your home is that way," she points. She rolls her eyes, picks it up again, and takes it back to where she left it the first time. "Don't make me chuck you in there." She backs away, facing it this time, and Lotad waddles after her as best it can. A scowl creases Opal's face.
"Look here. I don't know what your deal is but you're not coming with me, see? You belong here, and I'm going to travel all over the world. If you're going to be attracting hordes of Pokémon wherever you go, I can't have that slowing me down, and I don't want a Grass-type slowing me down when I go to challenge the Foria Gym, either! I don't...I don't even have any Poké Balls, see? So give it up! See ya later!" Whatever good mood Opal had been in evaporates as she stomps off, leaving Lotad to turn around and nose its way into the weeds.
The charms of the city which proudly declares itself to be "Uniting to push for greater heights!" are lost on a brown-haired girl near the edge of town. She smiles at the sign on the gate as she pushes her way into a public garden: "Wild Pokémon Habitat. Exercise Caution." Two adjacent high-rises still block the morning sun, while intermittent pine trees throw an extra depth of shadow over the clusters of tangled grass. "Perfect," Opal nods.
"Zebrun, Cygwet, come out!" She throws the Ultra Ball and the Poké Ball in the air together and her two team members appear. They listen attentively as their Trainer lectures, "Strong Pokémon Trainers are the strongest people in the world. They can go anywhere, learn any information, and do anything. People respect that. And there's no greater sign of a Pokémon Trainer's strength than earning Gym Badges. That's why as long as we're here in Foria City, a place with its own Gym, we're going to earn a Gym Badge! Then we can go through that stupid forest no problem, and no one will tell us otherwise." She thinks back to what the group of local kids told her earlier that morning in the Pokémon Center.
"You're just passing through on your way to someplace else? But doesn't that mean you'll have to go through Guardian Forest?" a boy questioned.
"Uh...yeah!" Opal had never heard of "Guardian Forest" but she tossed her hair anyway. "I guess I am."
"But you can't!" another boy wheezed. "Don't you know that it's blocked off? Haven't you heard about the thieves?"
Opal's blue eyes narrowed to glacial shards at those words. She grabbed him by his collar and yanked him close. "What thieves? she hissed. "There are thieves hiding out in that forest? Do they wear black and blue uniforms?"
The boy only stammered unintelligibly until another of his friends separated him from Opal. She gave Opal a wary look and responded carefully, "Just the opposite, actually. People say they wear white uniforms. Also that they're very precise and stealthy, which is why even the police are having trouble and the area's off-limits to the public for now."
"Doesn't sound like them. Not worth my time," Opal reaffirms to herself back in the present. She claps her hands forcefully to refocus herself and grab her Pokémon's attention. "So let's go!"
The garden proves to be a good training ground, inhabited by Pokémon from city and forest alike. "Zebrun, Stomp! And Cygwet, Bubble!" The Vineide and Oscry they had been targeting collapse to the ground. For the first time in several minutes, no other eager wild Pokémon appear to take their place. Opal wipes her brow. "Good, good. That's been some good training."
Zebrun begins to trot back toward his Trainer, but is distracted halfway. Stretching down his neck to nose at the ground, he begins pawing at something near a large rock. After a moment he looks up at Opal and stomps emphatically.
Slightly concerned, she makes her way over to Zebrun's side. "What's going on?" He nudges something with his hoof and Opal squats for a closer look.
A chunk of stone a little bigger than Opal's fist is lying on the ground. Jagged points stick out at random angles but the main section almost resembles a geode in that dark purple-colored pits are hollowed out from the otherwise sandy stone. The girl picks it up and examines it from all sides; no matter which way she turns it, shadows seem to pool in the center. "I know what this is," she breathes. A picture from a book flashes into her mind: this sort of stone, along with four others. "It's a Hollow Rock! Maybe all your powerful attacking knocked it loose from something," she teases as she stands back up and rubs Zebrun's snout. She goes to deposit the item in her back and finds her vision suddenly obscured by tears. "Wyrmer and I used to find treasure like this all the time. That was what we were doing when we first met you, Zebrun...It's...a good memory. Thank you for this."
The four-legged Pokémon playfully butts Opal with his head. "What do you guys think? Shall we do some more training?" she asks. Zebrun snorts in agreement. "What about you, Cygwet?...Cygwet?" She cranes her neck to peer around the large Normal-type. Opal's starter Pokémon is there, waiting behind Zebrun, but he's paying his Trainer any attention. Cygwet has his back to them, staring into the distance towards a corner of the park. "Huh, you're being just as strange as Zebrun was a minute ago. Did you find something too?" she huffs. The girl once again crouches down, this time to wave her hand in front of Cygwet's beak.
Cygwet recoils slightly, then begins beating his stubby wings and squawking. He jabs his head emphatically a couple times in the direction he had been facing. Unsure what's making the normally cheerful, relaxed Pokémon behave this way, Opal turns to look as well.
Far back under the cover of the pines, against one of the buildings that serves as a boundary to the park, a creature is moving. Opal squints and readjusts the brim of her hat, but all she can make out is a featureless mass. "That must be what's got you so freaked out, eh?" she remarks to Cygwet in a low voice. Her Pokémon nods and hisses. "You think it's a Pokémon?...Ah, who cares?" she answers herself decisively. Opal pops back up to her feet and marches toward the far end of the park. "Hop to it, you two!" Blinking in surprise, Zebrun and Cygwet scramble to follow her.
As Opal gets closer, the whatever-it-is seems to notice her in return. It shivers violently and then begins lurching toward her; the girl stops to see if she can get a better view once it emerges into the light. The tangled mass is about her own height, but broader, and makes a dry raspy sound. Like a pile of leaves, she thinks, before realizing that may be exactly what it is. Large, broad leaves and clusters of vines cover the creature seemingly at random; occasionally Opal catches the flash of a brooding eye. The dark green color, something she'd already seen many times that morning, is what gives it away. She turns to look at her Pokémon on either side of her and explains, "It's like a Vineide! Maybe an evolved form of one! Come on, this will be great to battle against! Zebrun, Headbutt, and then Cygwet, you use Gust!"
Zebrun doesn't hesitate to launch himself at the opponent with neck extended. It makes no attempt to dodge or retaliate, and he scores a massive hit dead-on. He springs back and the creature trembles, collapsing in on itself a bit and shrinking back. It still doesn't have a chance to fight back before Cygwet darts in front of his ally. The Water-type doesn't leave the ground, but is nonetheless capable of whipping up a fierce Gust with its wings. The ivy monster bears the attack for a handful of seconds before being literally blasted apart and scattered into pieces. Opal gapes at the sight, wondering what kind of Pokémon could be hurt like that, as the pieces frantically writhe and twist on the grassy lawn. It's only when all the plants have reoriented themselves, with vines peeping out from under broad, drooping leaves, that understanding dawns on Opal's face. "That wasn't an evolved form at all! Just a whole bunch of Vineide clustered together in a heap! But I've never heard of anything like that before. What were they doing?"
The short Grass-types are mostly separated now, but in the center of the bunch, four or so are still entwined together in a twitching clump. "There must be something up with those ones. Get rid of them with Roar," Opal directs. The move successfully forces apart the Vineide and pushes them all back about 30 feet. To Opal's surprise, a solitary Lotad is revealed, huddling against the ground with its eyes shut. Not a moment passes before the Vineide all begin slithering back toward it as fast as their roots will carry them.
Opal frowns. "I don't know what those pests are up to but I don't like it. Double Kick them all, and don't hold back!" Zebrun again wades forward, bringing his powerful hooves down on any of the creeping Pokémon that get too close. Opal can tell they don't like that one bit, but despite the occasional attempt to hit back with Vine Whip or Slime Lash, they can't stand up to Zebrun's power and soon retreat back into the thick grass and trees where they were first seen.
"And stay there!" Opal spits at the retreating forms. She then hurries to examine the Lotad, which still hasn't moved. When she reaches its side she notices a distinctly pleasant odor in the air, like ripe, juicy Berries. Her Pokémon seem to have noticed it too: they both sniff appreciatively--Opal didn't know Cygwet even had a sense of smell--and make a beeline for Lotad's side. Zebrun flops down to curl itself around the aquatic Pokémon, while Cygwet hops right on top of it, nestling comfortably on the large lily pad. "Hey, not you too!" their Trainer exclaims. She lifts Cygwet up and plops him unceremoniously right back on the grass, then nudges Zebrun's powerful legs out of her way. She scoops up Lotad and rises to her feet; Zebrun immediately springs up too, not taking his eyes off Lotad. Opal turns her back emphatically and sighs, "Oh, give it a rest!"
Lotad, upon feeling itself lifted into the air, finally begins to take some notice of its surroundings. It wiggles around until it can stare into Opal's eyes. She stares back, and as the silence drags out finally gives an awkward smile. "H-hey there, Lotad. How are you feeling?"
The Water Weed Pokémon bursts into a show of joy, smiling hugely and squirming in Opal's arms. "Must be nice to meet someone who isn't trying to sit on you," she quips. "Maybe all these Pokémon are being attracted to you because you smell so good, eh?" The Pokémon stops its display to give her another confused stare. "Hah, you have no idea what I'm saying, do you, Lotad? How'd you get here, anyway? We didn't see any others of your species while we were training." She scans the public garden. Outside it, past a fence at the edge of the city, is a low drainage ditch sprouting with a variety of grasses. "Aha! I bet that's it. There's sure to be water in there."
Opal jogs over and sets down the little Pokémon at the edge of the stone slope leading to the ditch. "All right, off you go." When she releases it, she notices another cloud of the aroma wash over her. "That's a neat trick, but I don't know what you mean by it, Lotad. Anyway, take care." She recalls both Zebrun and Cygwet and turns back into Foria City. "Time to hit up the Pokémon Center." She takes a look over her shoulder to make sure Lotad found its way and notes with satisfaction that it's no longer there. Then she feels something bumping her leg and looks down. To her surprise it's Lotad.
"What? What do you want? Your home is that way," she points. She rolls her eyes, picks it up again, and takes it back to where she left it the first time. "Don't make me chuck you in there." She backs away, facing it this time, and Lotad waddles after her as best it can. A scowl creases Opal's face.
"Look here. I don't know what your deal is but you're not coming with me, see? You belong here, and I'm going to travel all over the world. If you're going to be attracting hordes of Pokémon wherever you go, I can't have that slowing me down, and I don't want a Grass-type slowing me down when I go to challenge the Foria Gym, either! I don't...I don't even have any Poké Balls, see? So give it up! See ya later!" Whatever good mood Opal had been in evaporates as she stomps off, leaving Lotad to turn around and nose its way into the weeds.
A sprawling old-growth forest in southern Ilona, on whose southwestern edge Foria City was built. The forest is said to have a protective, stabilizing influence, but what that means depends on your perspective. Those who live under the forest's shade say it mediates the blazing summers and freezing winters that characterize other parts of the region, while being a barrier to diseases that spread on the central plains. Many citizens of Ilona alternatively believe that the forest acts as a refuge for any monsters that might come down from the mountains, stopping them from traveling any farther.
An item to be held by a Pokémon. You can read a physical description in this round. When held, this item increases the duration of a shadowy sky created by the holder from five turns to eight turns.
A status-based Ghost-type attack. This move creates the "shadowy sky" weather condition for five turns, or eight if the user is holding a Hollow Rock, and otherwise operates with the same mechanics as the other weather-setting moves. As long as the weather is shadowy, Ghost- and Dark-type moves have their power increased by 50%, and any Pokémon which are asleep during this time will always be afflicted with Nightmare. Weather Ball becomes a Ghost-type attack. This move first appeared as a Shadow move in XD: Gale of Darkness, and I wanted to make it a thing for the main series.