Forum Thread

A reminder of the basic plot: "Welcome to the bountiful Kanto Region! Filled with rich wildlife living side-by-side with awe-inspiring technology, we lead the world in both technological and biological research. But I digress. On behalf of the entire Indigo League, we are so excited that you're taking on the Indigo League Challenge!" Professor Oak exclaims, arms open to the new trainers in front of him. The lab is an impressive building, surely one of the best in the world... As the humming and drumming noises of various machines in Oak's prestigious laboratory drone on, you can't help but ponder...

Everyone has heard the rumors. Even neighboring regions are concerned. A dangerous, scientifically modified Pokemon known only as Mewtwo has been ravaging the Kanto region. Earthquakes, droughts, strange behaviors in wild Pokemon... Oak will say it's "the planetary rotation," "Groudon and Kyogre fighting in Hoenn again," or some other scientific mumbo-jumbo, but the gaping hole beside Cerulean Cave says otherwise. You know this won't be a normal Pokemon Journey.

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Professor Oak looks jovial as ever as he hands each trainer their very own Trainer Card and PokeDex. "Aaaand one for you, and for you, and for you, and for you!" The card itself is well-made, it's a strong plastic base with the trainer's name and the date, with 8 slots on the bottom of the card to put future gym badges. The PokeDexes are nice too, clearly Oak had the funds to invest in some nice material. A little button on the side flashes green to show that the Dex is working properly.

"Well, you lot, get out there! Explore the wonderful Kanto region!" he smiles widely, before returning to a more serious expression. "...Just, avoid Viridian Forest for now. There's been a..." his look grows concerned. "...a Weedle infestation that we're trying to clear out. It's just that time of year, you know? Go through the detour, and you'll be well on your way to Pewter City for your first badge!" Oak exclaims. He pulls out a spare PokeDex to demonstrate its map feature, carefully going over the detour in immense detail. His long, drawn-out speech is finally interrupted by one of his aids beckoning him to one of the monitors off to the side, and so he finally walks away, not without one more well wish for the group of trainers.

Current Trainers:

Marcia: Squirtle, Weedle
Luna: Cyndaquil
Indigo: Eevee
Umbro: Eevee, Nuzleaf, Magikarp
Dakota: Hisuian Growlithe
Ronno: Pikachu
Pheobe: Piplup, Nidoran (F), Bellsprout
Teo: Bulbasaur
Darryl: Frigibax, Mankey


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Marcia looks around at the fellow trainers in front of her, then down to her new partner Pokemon, freshly out of her PokeBall. "Hello, Squirtle! Or maybe I should nickname you..." Marcia's eyes dart around the room for some kind of inspiration, until she finally lands her eyes on one of the many seashell necklaces she was wearing. "Shelly! How does that sound?" the Squirtle, content with its new trainer, lets out a few bubbles of approval. "No Pokemon of mine is complete without... a matching accessory!" Marcia joyfully exclaims. Taking the necklace off of her own neck, Marcia places the seashell necklace onto Shelly's neck with a warm smile. The little turtle Pokemon adjusts its new accessory to fit comfortably on her neck. "We're gonna go far, little Shelly!" Her voice gets a little lower, as not to alert the busy Professor. "Starting with Viridian Forest..." Marcia smiles mischievously.

Phoebe Gelesann was representing the Sinnoh region, after receiving her Pokedex she knew that she needed a partner Pokemon. So with carefully thinking, Phoebe Gelesann selected a Piplup and the Piplup was excited that it was selected by Phoebe Gelesann, "Hello there my friend, I'm gonna call you Hubie the Piplup because you are an adorable Piplup", Phoebe said to Hubie the Piplup. When she heard the instruction from Prof Oak not to go to Virdian Forest, she knew one thing was certain she needed to start training for the challenges ahead. Phoebe took a deep breath and said, "Here we go Hubie", she said.

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Now, it isn't in Ronno's nature to be a gossip. He wouldn't like to call himself one for sure, the term seems... Blaise. Mean, even, wholly unprofessional.

He is not a gossip. Simply... Overhear-er by the trade, more or less. Can barely be faulted, when that is how most of the best stories were learned and scribed down. It's the poet in him.

And with that, he wheels around to face the Marcia, with expression of genuine shock on his face and a dainty hand pressed against his heart, the perfect picture of pure concern.

"Viridian Forest?!" He squeaked, his pitchy tone luckily hidden from the Professor's ears by a sudden, even pitchier beeps from one of the machines.
"And brave the weedle infestation? Goodness me, didn't you heard. Their barbs can cause rashes, and I heard their Beedrill sires can liquify skin and meat when in droves. Sting and poke, slurp up people like nobody!"

Ronald's Pikachu- nicknamed Juliet, then promptly renamed Julka, and now tentatively called Jolyne- simply buried her face deeper into the crook of Ronnos's neck, her bigger build balancing precariously on top of his shoulder. Fresh out of Pokeball, not even she was about to give the Beedrill that much credit.

But Ronno, he looked genuinely fearful for Marcia's life. No one with such good taste in jewelry and its appropriate amount deserves a fate like that and... She looked kindly. Sparkling, even, with her hair and with how the artificial lights around them sometimes revealed the little rainbow layers on the inside of her sea shells...

She looked like bottled summer. No good, to let someone like her face doom so early, so much earlier than the rest. To be taken out by Weedles, before Ronno will even start composing his Doomsday poem...

What a horror. A tragedy! No, no, Ronno simply cannot let that slide.

"Nasty crowd, I plead you! Early pidgey gets the early gym badge, so on, so forth. Involving weedles right off the bat is a little extreme, isn't it. We all ought to wait to involve weedles till our Pokemon unlock their next forms- in three months or so, if the sights will be auspicious.... "

Phoebe was already planning on what she is going to do, "It looks like since there's a Weedle infestation at Viridian Forest, it looks like I might have to start on Route 1, just to be safe", Phoebe said then she looked at one of the trainer who has a Pikachu then Phoebe asked, "Sorry to bother you but if it's alright if you and I can go to Route 1 to train our starters because it is important to get our starters prepared for the challenge ahead", Phoebe asked politely.

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Marcia, genuinely shocked by everyone's lack of enthusiasm, piped up. "Come on guys! Who doesn't want a nice, poisonous companion?" Shelly slinked back and let out a sigh. "I'll buy some Repels and Antidotes, on the house. Just come with me? Pleaaaasseeee? How cool would it be to have a human-sized Beedrill on your team?" Marcia, almost jittery from excitement, carried on. "Besides, more Weedles equals more training! Who would say no to early training before Pewter?" Marcia asked.

Phoebe looked at Marcia then said, "Marcia, come on you heard what the professor said do not go into the Viridian Forest as they are Weedle infestations that is currently ongoing, it is not known when the situation will be resolved", then Phoebe continued to speak, "I'm going to train at Route 1 and then if I catch new Pokemon to have a buddy for Hubie the Piplup then all of the trainers can go to the Viridian Forest", Phoebe said.

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Indigo walked slowly through the door, and looked at some of the trainers around them. "I'm so sorry I'm late!! I meant to be here, I sware, but stuff held me up." (I was getting braces, sorry I took forever lol) "Could I pick my starter before we all introduce ourselves?" Noticing all the starters, he couldn't help but feel a connection with the small eevee. "What should I call you..?" Indigo intensely started at the eevee, and the eevee stared back. "Maybe.... Pecan?" The eevee looked back, seemingly in agreement, and Indigo said "Come on, Pecan!!" He followed curiously
"What're you guys so concerned about?"

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Teo held his new Bulbasaur, now named Berry, in his arms, and watched as the little guy blinked sleepily at him, before he turned to face the others. "I don't know that my grass type will do very well against poison and bug type attacks, but I wouldn't mind getting in some training."

Noticing the newcomer, he decides to fill him in. "We were discussing whether or not to head to Viridian Forest to train our Pokemon. The professor says there's a Weedle infestation," he explained, balancing his dozing starter Pokemon in his hands as he spoke.

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(No worries, and congrats! I've never had braces before but I'm sure it's great to get them off.)

Marcia looked at Pheobe with a disappointed gaze. "Well, if you say so... but I'm still going!" Suddenly as she's about to pack her things and leave, Marcia turns her attention to the new trainer. "Oh, well hello! No, you don't seem too late to the party. As the fine owner of that sleepy Bulbasaur said, Professor Snoozeball said we can't go through Viridian Forest, on account of the Weedle infestation. But me? I'm looking for a challenge for me and my pal Shelly!" Shelly puffs her chest up in an attempt to look as confident as her trainer. "Anyway, that's what everyone seems to be concerned about. But me and Shelly? We're ready to face the challenge, right Shelly?" Fidgeting with her new shell necklace, Shelly gives a nervous yet hopeful buzz of approval.

Phoebe nodded and said to Marcia, "It is your choice then Marcia", Phoebe shrugged her shoulders as she headed out to Route 1 along with Hubie the Piplup to do some training and also finding a buddy for Hubie as well, but it is too early to tell if getting a buddy for Hubie will be a smart idea because what Phoebe and the other trainers are missing are Pokeballs to get new team members, but Phoebe decided to do some training at Route 1.

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"Oh, ok." Indigo looked toward the rest of the group. "I'll come with Marcia, if that's alright? I feel like a couple weedle aren't going to stop me and Pecan from exploring! Never been there either, it'll be fun!" Pecan had an ambitious look on his face.

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To say that Ronno looked anxious would be an understatement. With each new rise of Marcia's stubbornness, so did Ronno's skin reach a new degree of palaness.

"Poisonous companion... That is just a thinly veiled synonym for 'backstabber'! A flesh eating traitor in the midst! Jolyne and I would never abide such foul creatures, I fail to see why you'd be so eager to-"

Jolyne interrupted Ronno with a sudden stretch, the shifting weight effectively knocking him off balance and sending him swaying on his feet in a fight to regain his footing.

Once the poor boy stopped swaying, Jolyne seemed to take a good look at the party- even with her eyes covered, it was clear she decided to take Ronno's fate in her hands, head turning left and right to look after Pheobe's exit, and the other trainers still present..

And when she spotted the sleepy bulbasaur, she let out a sweet, melodic 'mirrup' in greeting. Immediately after, sending poor Ronno once again wobbling as she lazily nuzzled her cheek against his face, apparently in a show of solidarity among the sleepy.

Once he got the hold of himself, Ronno sighed loudly, his hand reaching behind his head to card through his ponytail, as if his little chicken dance frizzled it's strands. It didn't- it was, actually, the electricity produced by Jolyne, and there wasn't much he could do about that.

And that was exactly the point, wasn't it. No matter his own, well-aimed, well-bred self-preservation, he isn't the only one making the choices here anymore... And if the summer-trainer promises antidotes, then maybe. Maybe.

"But we'd like to associate with the... With the you's, so if that is what the tally calls for... I'll hand my life over for a call to adventure, might as well."

His hands stopped carding, now only holding the strands colored yellow, seemingly just to have something to hold onto. It might have been a trick of the light, or just the kicked purebred puppy demeanour he seemed to exute when denied anything, but his face suddenly looked a little pleading.

"Just collectively all promise me to ship my remains back to Lavender Town if something poisonous does go belly up. It would be utmost unbecoming to be tardy."

With the revelation that clumsy Ronno and polite Indigo would be joining her expedition, Marcia was elated. "Yay yay yay! Ok, I promise I'm not gonna attack you guys with my cool new Beedrill! Oh oh and also I'll buy SOOOOO many Repels and Antidotes that my bag will be exploding by the end of our shopping trip!" Marcia frantically waves her wicker bag around to make her point. It was a pretty big bag, so safe to say she would be well-equipped. "My parents gave me a fair sum of money before sending me out here, ya know. Usual overprotective parent stuff." She giggles, clearly excited to see the spectacle awaiting her. "So first order of business... getting to Viridian's PokeMart! According to this here map.." Marcia opens her PokeDex with a click! and checks the map, "it's just past Route 1." She closes her PokeDex, placing it gently into her bag. "Shall we?" Marcia asks as she struts out the door.

Making her way to Route 1, Phoebe had to be a bit careful as there are some wild Pokemon in the area from Sentret to Pidgey as well as Kanto form Rattata, "Hubie, if you were to be prepared for the battle ahead, I think you and I should turn upwards and hopefully find a Pokemart or a Pokemon Center nearby", as Phoebe and Hubie the Piplup walked up, they came face to face with a Hoothoot, "Ready to battle, Hubie?", Phoebe asked then Hubie took a deep breath and it was ready for battle.

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Indigo followed Marcia out the door, while Pecan ran as fast as he could, trying to lead everyone even though he actually has no idea where he's even going. "Slow down!!" Indigo shouted, trying to catch up with her estatic eevee

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Phoebe was about to test herself in her first battle, she thought carefully on which move should Hubie the Piplup, "Alright, here it goes, Hubie use Pound on that HootHoot", Hubie ran and soon used the Pound attack on Hoothoot doing some damage on that Hoothoot, Phoebe knew that she was off to a good and careful start, soon the Hoothoot used the Growl attack but it missed. Phoebe heard the footsteps but she had to focus on the battle against that Hoothoot, "Okay, Hubie try one more Pound attack on that Hoothoot", Phoebe said. Hubie the Piplup ran up and used the Pound attack on that Hoothoot, soon afterwards the Hoothoot fainted, "Phew! That was close", Phoebe said but since she didn't have any Pokeballs she must venture forward to Viridian City.

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"Haha, I like Pecan's energy!" Marcia laughed as she walked along. Shelly, being a rotund and relatively slow Pokemon, didn't walk the fastest, but Marcia was ok with that. "I like you too, silly!" Marcia pats Shelly's head. "Maybe the Viridian Forest will have some flowers, and I can make you a nice flower crown!" she chirped. Shelly blew a few bubbles in agreement. Stopping at the entrance to Route 1, Marcia couldn't help but admire Pheobe's battle. "Wow, you did great!" Marcia yelled from where she was. "It's a shame you couldn't catch it, but Viridian City should be just up ahead! Then we can all get PokeBalls. How exciting!"

By now, the sun was setting. The lights of the Viridian City Pokemon Center and Mart beckoned weary trainers towards its sanctuary.

Phoebe smiled and nodded at Marcia, "I guess I must continue on to Viridian City", Phoebe said as she continued to walk along with Hubie the Piplup. With the sun setting, Phoebe and Hubie the Piplup continued to walk up north and soon enough she made it to Viridian City, "I see some lights on, I guess I must head to the Pokemart first", Phoebe ran up northeast to the Pokemart and as she made it inside, she sees a worker in the Pokemart, "Oh goodness, I see you are here, can you deliver this parcel to Professor Oak?", Phoebe was confused and responded, "Yes please", so the worker at Pokemart handed Phoebe the parcels and Phoebe smiled, "These parcels will be sent to Professor Oak", the worker smiled as Phoebe left the Pokemart and headed to the Pokemon Center to rest up.

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At a first glance, Darryl seems to be a bit of a no-nonsense bookworm but under that, admittedly rather shoddy facade, there is an adventurous soul who dreams of impressing the Top Champion of Paldea, his home region, and maybe one day becoming a champion himself. He came back to the Viridian Pokemon Center after a very successful training session in the Viridian Forest with his parter and was now settled at one of the tables in the PC reading a book on battling written by Champion Alder of Unova himself. "The bond between trainer and Pokemon is of utmost importance. One cannot expect a Pokemon to battle if they first don't trust you", he read aloud. "I think we got that part down, right Borealis?"

Borealis: "Baxxx!"

"Knew it buddy!" Darryl said happily, "wonder if it's time we call it a day". Just as Darryl was about to head up to his room in the PC, a trainer walks in with a Piplup. "Huh, a Piplup? I've read about them but I've never actually seen one! I suppose bedtime can wait". Darryl proceeds to greet the new trainer "Hello there, my name is Darryl! What's yours?", trying and failing to hide his obvious interest in the Piplup

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Teo settled in at the Pokémon Center, letting Berry rest in his Poke Ball. The Bulbasaur had only fought in a few battles during the trip across Route 1, but he appreciated a good snooze. Traveling with a group of trainers had been a new experience for Teo, but it was fun so far. He quietly observed the other trainers and Pokémon around him in the center as the windows grew darker with the evening.

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