A Man and a Mouse Trap [BIKE][DONE]

[Pixel]

Of course it was raining. Why wouldn't it be raining? If it were not raining, would he really be on a proper mission? It seemed that every time he was assigned work or had a partner on his journey (wanted or not), the weather turned sour. This time was no exception. 

There were rumors he was sent to go chase. Rumors of a swarm of exotic pokemon that were not native to this region just running around the outskirts of Violet, likely drawn by the city's abundant supply of food. Some speculated that they were released here by some irresponsible breeder, while others claimed that they were escaped IPF infiltration units. He was here to follow up on that last rumor.

Someone in the higher ups wanted him to go out and catch one of these mice and bring it back to be studied, all so they could determine whether or not they were harmless little invasive rodents that could be ignored. Or if they needed to send out more Rockets to gather them up before the police did. 

Silas thought it was all rather silly.

Why would the police use electric rodents that were non-native to Johto for some elaborate spy operation. But that was how conspiracies were born.  So it was up to him to either prove or dash those assumptions. And apparently get SOAKED TO THE BONE WHILE AT IT. 

Slouched and grouchy, Silas trod his way around the outskirts of town, peering into grass and trash cans and under benches, hoping to find this annoying pokemon and get out before he was struck by lightning or something. At least it was warm outside because the wind was whisking through his soaked clothes and trying to give him the chills. 

He muttered a number of foul words that should not be repeated in the company of small children...and then a few more than might get a hoot and holler from the sailors at the docks. He was NOT in any mood for loitering or nonsense. He was just here to find a stupid, useless rat and to get out. Sure, some might say this would be a grand time to train pokemon. He said he didn't have the patience for that nonsense. He wanted this mission over with so he could do more important jobs that might actually gain him money rather than a pat on the back for being a good little grunt that followed orders. Bleh. One day though...one day.

—

Word Count: 415 (+400) | OOC:

Night Encounter

[Tiki]

A(Level 9) Shellos is rain-bathing! (Like sun bathing but for rain)
Weather is rain

HVgxGl6_p_1-42
p_1-5
p_1-3p_1-2
p_8-12

Posting on mobile bear with me if I need fixing 1-42·1-5·1-3·1-2·8-12

[Pixel]

So far, all Silas had found was more and more RAIN. Urg. All he wanted was to find that stupid rat, catch it, and report back to the higher ups on whether or not they were part of some grand IPF spy ring scheme. And yet, here he was, trudging about, ankle deep in mud, ruining his shoes, for what felt like NOTHING. NADA. No reason at all. He let out a growl of frustration as he stomped through another bush. Maybe he needed to change his plan. Maybe...he could make a trap. Rats were stupid. These invasive ones surely wouldn't know how to not fall for his scheme. That's it! That was the plan.

So with a mean smile and a plan, he sloshed his way back to town and into the nearest hardware store that was open late enough for him to invade. He made literal puddles when he walked across that tile floor, water streaming from his pockets to gather at his feet in muddy pools. His streaky footprints marred the once polished floor and heaven help whoever had to clean up before closing. 

Silas did not think about the poor janitors of the world. Nay! HE HAD A PLAN. A good plan. A perfect plan. A scheme like no other. He grabbed a simple cage from the bottom shelf—cheap—he didn't need anything sturdy. The thing wibbled and wobbled like aluminum foil if he was honest. Next was a tarp. Two actually. Some good nylon rope. Then he skulked his way back to the front where the snacks were, placed strategically at the register to temp tired, hungry tradesmen to grab a treat before they went back to the job.

He splurged on a variety of snacks. Once he had his haul, he ignored the dirty looks the guy at the register gave him as he squeltched and squished away in his sodden shoes.

He had a trap to set up. He laid the tarp down flat and put the cage on top, covering it with another tarp and tying everything together with that rope. Then, he put snacks inside the now dry space. Perfect! Nothing would surely resist his new trap—

One of the local chip hungry shellos, who was basking in the rain nearby, perked up at the sound of him opening a bag and started to wiggle over. Silas pointed at it and Ace did her thing. She used false swipe to keep some distance between them as Silas readied a pokeball, "I don't need you coming back to bother me...might as well ensure you stay out of the way." And with that, he threw the ball.

—

Word Count: 445 (+400) | OOC:

Oh, perf, needed one of these!
False swipe + pokeball

[Tarlar]

Ace gains (9*50) 450 exp and grows to [Lv 29]! (86/2611)
He gains +1 Happiness! (+9)

Please fill out the form below:
[img src="https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/bw/shellos.png"]
[b]Shellos[/b]
Name: [choose]
Gender: [choose]
Level: 9
OT: Silas Goldsmith
Moves: Water Gun, Mud-Slap, Harden
Ability: Sticky Hold or Storm Drain
Nature/Personality: [choose]



(ooc: 1 pokeball deducted)

[Pixel]

The hungry, hungry shellos that was lured to his location by the sound or smell of an opened bag of chips was easily captured. Now, time to ensure his mouse trap actually trapped mice...he had to keep away literally everything else that wasn't exactly what he was hunting for. That meant every shellos, bellsprout or wooper or whatever else tried to climb in the trap had to be chased off. 

With a long, suffering sigh, he adjusted the trap a little to fix the tarp and ensure it was dry inside. He started opening more packets of food to tuck inside and act as a lure. There. That should do it. Now he just had to wait. 

Now one might wonder, why didn't he bring an umbrella? Well, he did not have one on his person when the heavens opened up and started to try drowning him from sheer volume of water that it dropped from the sky. And by the time he made it to town, he was already soaked through, the umbrella hardly necessary and probably more inconvenient than anything else in this wind. So he suffered.

Silas did managed to find a somewhat dry spot nearby to lurk and watch his pokemon trap. There he doubled checked his assignment on his phone and waited. And waited. Neither pokemon nor people wanted to wander about in this weather unless they were a water type, so this would probably be slow going. But he waited nonetheless with a sour expression and some frustrated scrolling on his phone. 

Oh, look at that, a post from that breeder he took a job from last year to pay some bills. The one that couldn't figure out how to evolve a cleffa. Dimwit. The man was an easy mark as far as Silas was concerned, but he paid well enough to leave mostly alone. He was asking around about some assistance evolving some spewpa. Apparently he was helping with some research project or some other nonsense and needed to expose a bunch of spewpa to different environments and weather conditions. Some random woman had already answered the ad to agree to help him evolve one in a sandstorm. Who voluntarily went out into a sandstorm?! With a roll of his eyes, he kept scrolling, though his mind kept tugging back to that post...

He could use the extra cash...how hard would it be to evolve a spewpa in a rainstorm? While he waited for this stupid rat to show up, he could just drop the spewpa in a puddle or something and shove a candy in its face. 

—

Word Count: 435 (+400) | OOC:

Looking for nighttime encounter.

[Caramell 🍬]

Woopy poopied in the middle of Silas' path. Oh, oops. Tee-hee. It's all over the wheels now! Watch where you pedal?

---

A Woopy-Boi Appeared!

Level 8. What will Silas do?

Shiny? 0H8aiTnvp_1-421-42

[Pixel]

As he was distracted by his own thoughts about accepting the offer to evolve a spewpa in the rain for some cash, a pokemon approached. Quite foolishly, he might add. And decided that his bike, which was now resting off the path, was a perfect place to spew mud. Ace made a sharp noise and Silas' attention was drawn up. What was happening? What the—

"Ace, get rid of that thing." He had no use for it.

His fearow cawed and swooped down to try to yeet that wooper into the aether with a swift smack of a wing.

Silas glared at the rain. At the trap. At the wooper who befouled his bike. He just wanted all of this to BE OVER. Urg. He drew in a slooooow breath and pinched his browbones. Calm. He needed...to be calm. And rational. And to breathe through this. Breaaaathe. He would surely find what he was looking for in due time, he just had to r e m a i n calm. He could do that. 

He would wander over to start demucking his bike, one eye on the trap that he still had laid out in the corner. Come on you stupid rat. Show your face so he could catch you and get out of here. There was food! Take it! Eat it!

—

Word Count: 222 | OOC:

Aerial ace

[Caramell 🍬]

Ace gained 450 EXP.
Ace increased to 536/2611 EXP!
Ace grew closer to Silas. +1
Ace increased to +10 Happiness!

[Pixel]

Ace basically had the following orders: If it wasn't a morpeko or a funny looking color...aerial ace whatever she found into next week. This route was full of common garbage and he didn't want to waste more pokeballs than he had already. So the fearow started her patrol, keeping an eye out overhead, straining through the rain and wind to spot things wandering close to the trap Silas set up. 

Once more his mind wandered to the bulletin on his phone. That HELP WANTED notice that he should ignore. But he had done work for him before and this would be worth some quick cash. Not like the bugs were worth any money in themselves. He wouldn't be able to sell one for as much as he would get for evolving the spewpa in the rain and sending it back. 

It even came holding a free exp candy to use for the evolution. 

Silas wasn't sure what kind of research this overly trusting trainer was doing, but it would at least pass the time. So with a long suffering sigh of resignation, he messaged the man that he could do it. That he was on a rainy route right now and could quickly evolve that spewpa into the pattern he desired.

It wasn't long before he got a message back.

Soon they exchanged some details and the spewpa was sent over to his boxes. This would be easy.

Retrieving the spewpa from said box, he released it in front of him, right into a puddle. It sat there, holding the candy as promised, and looked absolutely befuddled by its situation. Of course it was extra useless to steal. This was a breeding project pokemon. It had never battled before. It was just raised and groomed in the lap of luxury, never having to struggle one ounce for progress. Making it battle would probably make the pitiful creature cry. It looked about ready to do so while sitting in the puddle being beaten upon by buckets of rain.

"Just eat the candy. You will feel better," he told the spewpa.

The bug still stared at him with a lack of trust or understanding, but the sweet treat was in hand. So it gobbled it up as it was told.

—

Word Count: 000 | OOC:

Still looking for nighttime encounter.

Swapping 1 xs-exp candy from Adrian (2->1) to Silas (0->1)
Swapping parasect into Silas' PC and placing Monsoon the spewpa into my party.

Feeding the ex-exp candy to Monsoon.
Leaving the LV up and Evo to the mod.

[Caramell 🍬]

Where did this trap go?! You let me out RIGHT NOW or I'll shock you!!!

---

A Wild Morpeko appeared!

Level 9. What will Silas and his team do?
Weather will be Thunderstorm!

Shiny: Ema2doblp_1-42

Monsoon gained 1 level to Lv 12.
Monsoon evolved into Vivillon!

Monsoon needs a new ability: Shield Dust or Compound Eyes.
Monsoon wants to learn GUST. Forget a move?

1-42

[Pixel]

Monsoon ate the candy and he watched the spewpa's shape shift and change. A bright glow cut through the darkness of the stormy night. It was entrancing. At least, for a moment. Those dark wings unfurled, reminiscent of rain, and he knew his job here was done. Time to return it to the trainer for that cash payout. Without acknowledging the evolved bug, he returned it and started working on the transfer process.

As he played with his boxes, Ace landed on a nearby tree and fell very, very quiet.

Then, there was a CLACK! The trap had sprung.

Silas jerked his head up and lifted the tarp to see a sparking little pest. Perfect. He could ship this off to HQ and they could figure out if this was part of some great plot or not. Silas didn't care at this point. He was too wet and too cold for any feelings whatsoever.

He gave the rat in the cage a bit of a shake before dumping it onto the ground.

"Ace, use false swipe," he ordered. Then he would drop a pokeball onto the little morpeko. That way he could end this quickly.

—

Word Count: 195 | OOC:

False swipe + Pokeball

Monsoon will have compound eyes and learn
gust over string shot.

[Tarlar]

It was a mystery how the little rodent had gotten so far from its common home, but here it was, walking stupidly right into Silas trap. When it shot closed the morpeko jumped startled and then panicked when it couldn't get out again, chewing on the bars of the cage.
It soon realized there was no way out and chattered its teeth threateningly when Silas came over, and it protested loudly when he shook its container. It glared at him, but then got unceremoniously dumped out on the ground where Ace was over it in an instant. It's little tail bopped cutely as it tried to make a run for it, only for a pokeball to smack into it and suck it inside.

Ace gained (9*50) 450 exp! (986/2611)
He also gained +1 Happiness! (+11)

Please fill out the code below:
[img src="https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/gen5ani/morpeko.gif"]
[b]Morpeko[/b]
Name: [choose]
Gender: [choose]
Level: 9
OT: Silas Goldsmith
Moves: Thunder Shock, Tail Whip, Leer
Ability: Hunger Switch
Nature/Personality: [choose]
Happiness: -1

(ooc: giving it a bit of lowered happiness due to the unfair capture method and treatment )

- 1 pokeball deducted

[Pixel]

The mouse went in the ball. That was all he needed to see. Scooping it up, Silas smirked and looked at Ace. "We're done here. The trap worked and now we can get out of this blasted rain." He needed a shower. A hot one. Stat. But most importantly, he needed to send this mon to head quarters for that whole 'figuring out if it played a part in some greater plot'. He didn't think so. The rat in question easily ran into the trap for snacks and it didn't really out up a fight. He saw no wires or marks or anything that suggested alteration. Though he supposed it could have a microchip of some sort.

But who was he to question the will of his superiors? Bah. With a nonchalant shrug and a smirk, he sloshed his way all the way back to the pokemon center. Dripping wet and forming a puddle on the tile floor, he kept moving until he reached the upper floor where the rest area for trainers was.

One long, hot shower and a change of clothes later, he was on the phone with his superior and sending over the rat. He would wait for a response while his clothes dried...

However, he wasn't waiting long.

He got a ping to head into Ilex next. What the...Stuffel? First the rat and now this stuffed animal? Was there really some sort of government scheme or did one of the admins have a young daughter he wanted to gift cute pokemon to for her birthday and was using company resources and manpower to gather them?

With a groan, he fell back onto the cot he was sitting on and stared at the ceiling. Tomorrow then. He would head off into Ilex tomorrow and find that stupid plushie looking pokemon...and maybe something actually worth his time. He did know rare pokemon lived in the forest. Perhaps this was his chance to catch one.

—

Word Count: 326 | OOC:

FIN