Blazing a Trail [Mod]

[Atthis]

New Bark Town—and for that matter, the Johto region itself—was not the beast’s belly Melanie had anticipated nor the apocalyptic landscape she had prepared for. In fact, the quaint village she stood before seemed a flower-filled meadow when compared to the visions of an urban dystopia she had created in her mind. Yes, instead, the queer, secluded collection of cabins was encircled by a line of coniferous trees which pooled into a sprawling, serene woodland, and the rolling horizon line, despite meeting an entirely grey sky, was invitingly hazy. Bleary bird Pokémon calls resonated throughout the dark forest. She could feel the pressing humidity, a vestige of a recent rainfall that dulled the bite of the lingering frost, working to both soothe and absolutely destroy her frayed nerves. Blood pounding in her ears, she glanced down at her map and relaxed her harsh grip on its surface, her thumbs leaving crinkled imprints on its edges. She felt ridiculous in hindsight. Her rucksack weighed heavier on her shoulders, already unaccustomed to bearing the full load of two week’s excess of supplies, as it dawned on her that she had inarguably overpacked. Perhaps nearly a month’s worth of food and no money had proved to be an odd pairing, after all. She recalled her mother’s advice not to overdo it in her anxiety. At least her shoes were comfortable. They’d be feeling a lot of stress.

This realization did not crush her spirits, however. She wiped her glasses off and continued; they’d been fogged up by the misty environment. Unbothered by the looming gloom stretching endlessly above, she meandered along the beaten paths of the town as she slowly but surely made her way to her designated destination: the Pokémon laboratory, where her journey thus far would reach its crux as she secured herself her very own Pokémon partner. In all honesty, she was probably moving as slowly as she was due to the aforementioned weight, but she preferred not to explore that possibility. The prospect of finally receiving a starter after all her toil was mildly alarming, as it signified her adventure beginning in earnest, but that thrill made it all the more enticing for a young traveler not yet weary from the way whence she’d come. Her energy was clear by the telltale residue of a smile on her perked cheeks, the catch of diluted light in her wide doe eyes. With the heel of her every step, she bounced a little bit further than she normally would. Finally, she turned the last corner marked on her map and met face to face with the emerald-roofed cottage Professor Elm liked to call a lab.

Melanie skipped the last few meters to the door, leaned in, and knocked with bated breath. Her sense of stranger danger was amplified by the unfamiliarity of her surroundings. Knock, knock, knock. Her knuckles painstakingly thumped against the sienna wood. Each grew louder than the last, a discordant banging in her ears as she eagerly awaited some kind of response—“Hey, woah!”

The back of her fist sailed through empty air at a man’s awkward yelp. “Uh, sorry. You were hitting my door.” Sheepishly, he rested his hand on the back of his neck. Melanie mirrored this action out of sheer social obligation, flushing crimson as she conceptualized what she’d just done. In her nervousness, she’d just… continued to bang on this poor researcher’s door until he snatched it back. Luckily, it didn’t look like she’d damaged anything, excepting maybe her own ego.

“It’s alright, kid. You must be the one whose mother called me two days in advance…” he muttered, neglecting to elaborate, although Melanie was sure he was correct. He stepped to the side in order to let her into the lab. She took the opportunity, but she had to move fairly quickly to shove her enormous bag out of the way so as not to hit him. That might’ve added insult to injury. “By the way, I am Professor Elm. I assume I’m the guy you’re looking for.”

Melanie nodded, relieved. “You are. I’m so sorry about that whole…”

He waited for her to finish her sentence, but it never arrived, instead fostering a belated pause which Elm was delighted that she broke. “So, I’m here to get a Pokémon, right? What happens for that?”

“I thought you’d never ask. Follow me.” With an exaggerated swoosh of his white lab coat, Professor Elm turned on the ball of his foot and began walking briskly towards an intimidating contraption in the far corner of the room, barely giving Melanie time to trail behind him. The stringy man was much faster than one might expect judging by his Torchic legs. If not for preserving her pride, Melanie might have remembered being out of breath by the time she arrived in front of the machine. Along a rotating circular disk, it contained three Poké Balls, each with a different seal; insignias of Grass, Fire, and Water, respectively, adorned the red-and-white metal capsules. A pixelated display previewed the Pokémon inside each one. Cautiously and not before Elm’s insistence, Melanie placed her hand on the black disk and spun it around until she encountered the starter that caught her eye: far smaller than the rest, a light blue Squirtle with an enthusiastic expression. “Go ahead. Is that the one you want?”

Melanie nodded gingerly. “I think so.” Without further ado, she braced herself, picked up the Poké Ball marked with a drop of water, and released it so that the creature inside would stand directly opposite her on the tile floor.

Immediately as she pressed the central button, a glittering beam of light leapt out from the spherical container, jutting out in front of her to take the form of a reptilian Pokémon even tinier than she had expected. Overjoyed, apparently, to have been chosen, the Squirtle bounded up and out of its Poké Ball, waddling up to Melanie and looking up at her with an eager, curious look in its eye. She smiled. In response, it growled jubilantly, nuzzling her hand. “I don’t need to see the others. This is the one.” For a moment, she toyed with the idea of regretting overplaying their initial connection, but she guessed that any partner she chose would be a stranger to her at first. After all, the last thing she wanted was to create a commotion.

“He’s all yours.” Elm’s words were cheerful, but he bore a knowing grimace. She had unwittingly picked the most raucous Pokémon of the bunch.

“You need a name,” Melanie thought out loud, dark brown eyes searching soulful, pale magenta. The Squirtle cocked its head slightly to one side. She then murmured “I’m thinking… Caspian,” to which a grin broke out, etching itself onto the Squirtle’s tough features. When Elm quirked an eyebrow, Melanie hastily explained “It sounded like a pirate’s name! I just thought it was cool.”

“I suppose it is.” Elm paused. “Well, like I tell all new trainers I help, try to stay in contact if you should find anything interesting. The newer generations are always invaluable to Pokémon research.”

“Got it. I won’t let you down.” Melanie briefly looked down at the newly-named Caspian. He raced on ahead out of the door, obliging her to chase him. She was able to babble a quick thank-you to Professor Elm before losing sight of where he’d gone.

With unknown territory lying in wait for miles ahead and the Pokémon by her side little more than an acquaintance obligated to her, she took her excitement and added it to her growing list of concerns for the future. It was like she had the rest of the world to jot down on her map. At her feet, Caspian snickered with unmasked impatience. Ignorant of her fears, her feet moved forward, and thus forth she had entered the domain of Route 29.

[Avalon]

Truly, it was fortunate for Melanie that she had chosen today of all days to start on her journey into the Johto Region. The weather remained the same even as she and Caspian, the newly christened Squirtle, broke through from the threshold of New Bark Town into Route 29. The effects of the previous day's weather and their general proximity to a body of water did a lot to contribute to the drab, almost gloomy atmosphere that Melanie had observed.

But not all things were as bad as the weather might have made them seem. Pokemon were still milling about in the brush and the bramble, easily detected by anyone walking down these overgrown pathways. In some of this brush, a lone Sentret was beginning to move around, in search of something. The lousy weather from days prior had made it difficult for it and its kin to forage as they typically would have, and so now it was out in search of some kind of sustenance. But instead all it found was a human and their pet, wandering through its neck of the woods.

Humans had food most of the time, right? Maybe she would have some berries, or maybe that Squirtle would have something good to share. The Sentret couldn't afford to waste any time though; when was the last time that it had gotten to eat a satisfying meal? If it passed up the chance that lay before it, when would be the next time it had an opportunity like this? The Sentret rushed out of the bushes and launched its furry, round body in the middle of the path, placing itself directly in front of Melanie and Caspian, its fur and hackles raising as it made its intentions known.

The otherwise cute and cuddly creature was not here to cuddle or make friends, instead intending to fight or lash out. The creature even began to thump its tail against the ground, making a bit of racket as it looked at the Squirtle with malicious intent. Melanie likely couldn't understand the creature, but this was a pretty universal gesture; regardless of its motives or reasons for doing so, the hungry little animal was ready to fight. "Too close to the nest...gotta make you turn around, or at least make you drop something good!"  the creature hissed at Caspian, inching closer to the Trainer-and-Pokemon combo, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

A wild Sentret (Level 3) appeared, addled by hunger and ready to attack. What will Melanie do?

Shiny Chance: Yn1zCZEu1-42

1-42

[Atthis]

Melanie had been apprehensive the entire duration of she and her new partner’s foray into Route 29. Caspian, on the other hand, was overtly eager to pounce at anything that moved, cheerfully and maniacally crashing in and out of the foliage surrounding the trail they were braving. Every second in between, he refused to let go of Melanie’s leg. She found herself wondering whether the Pokémon she had chosen was even sane as she lugged an infant-sized death machine around on her shoe. As they went, she vented her numerous concerns aloud in a whisper.

“Did you hear that?” she murmured abruptly. At her feet, Caspian cocked his head slightly to one side.

In a flash, a Sentret crashed onto the pathway from the underbrush, hackles raised and fur bristling on end. Low to the ground, it began to stalk closer to the pair.

Driven by instinct, Melanie’s hand shot towards her bag, rummaging for any offering she had to throw out towards the adversarial Pokémon. She backed up slowly, hopefully imperceptibly, to match its advance. As she fumbled over the zipper, Caspian halted her with a guttural growl. The two locked eyes. The Squirtle clearly wanted to step up to this conflict, and she wasn’t sure he would stand down even if she commanded him to. “You’re going to get yourself hurt,” she hissed in an attempt to rationalize with him, but his intentions were set in stone. He squinted disapprovingly at her, once again baring his teeth with a menacing snarl—well, would-be menacing if he wasn’t pint-sized. “It’s probably hungry!” Melanie gestured incredulously to the Sentret. “We do not need to be fighting this thing. Let’s just cut our losses and get out of here.”

Caspian stuck his tongue out as if to mock her, about to go along with her plan, when he heard the Sentret’s chittering. He would have been mildly annoyed to cough up a bit of food, but even then the empathetic side of him would begrudgingly try to understand. Sacrificing his pride, on the other hand, as well as his trainer’s, was another matter entirely. What Melanie and the Sentret heard in that moment could best be described as an incoherent screech; he would make no attempt to communicate at that point. Melanie had just tossed a bag of chips in the Sentret’s direction when Caspian charged, leaping over the snack and quickly closing the distance between the Pokémon on either side.

Melanie was horrified. This was what being a trainer was all about, though, right? Making clutch decisions in the heat of battle, when emotions had run too wild to be self-regulated? “Caspian, use Water Gun!” she blurted out suddenly. Caspian hesitated momentarily, confused. Within the next fraction of a second, however, a jet of water was hurtling towards the Sentret at close range, having been blasted from Caspian’s open mouth. In the background, Melanie clutched an unactivated Poké Ball at her hip.

[Avalon]

The Sentret, to his credit, seemed to regret making such a hostile gesture against the girl. It was clear that she and her little pet were new at this, and caught off guard by the Sentret's sudden appearance. But it was just so hungry, and it had to do something. People usually carried snacks or food with them when they traveled through here, right? They had to find some way to eat while on the road, unless they planned to survive off of the land. If it approached and intimidated enough of the people who wandered through its home, then eventually it would find something good to take with it back to the nest?

And it seemed as if its first intimidation attempt was going to actually be successful, as it saw Melanie lob a strange bag towards it after a quick bit of bickering with her Squirtle. The Sentret was a little caught off guard at how easily the girl was willing to give up something of hers to help it, a random wild animal that had just raised its hackles and hissed at her. Few Pokemon would ever show something as diminutive as the Sentret such kindness, and just as few humans would be likely to do something so kind for it. For a moment, the Sentret was caught off guard and unsure of how to react.

And then that ungodly screeching filled the air, and as the bag hit the ground, it could see the Squirtle coming right for it, violence on its mind. Had the bag of food been some kind of trick? Had this been the girl's plan all along? If so, it was delightfully devilish, but the Sentret knew it would have to fight for this meal. "I didn't wanna do this, but your cheap tricks leave me no-"

The Sentret's words were cut off as a blast of water jettisoned from Caspian's mouth directly into the tiny ferret's face, drenching the Scout Pokemon with water and pushing it back in the dirt and snow quite a few feet. As the onslaught of water stopped and Caspian could take a chance to observe his handiwork, the Sentret let out a high-pitch whine of its own, launching itself forward and scratching at Caspian with reckless abandon using its tiny little claws. The claws struck Caspian's shell, causing him some small amount of pain but failing to do anything too damaging or bloody to the blue turtle. It would be simple enough for Caspian to shrug off the attack and finish the job, if Melanie so desire.

Wild Encounter

---

Weather: Clear

[attr="class","qkt-bkgd"]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]
Sentret LV 3
HP 56% [9/16]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]
Caspian LV 5
HP 85% [17/20]

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

Sentret [Ability]: Healthy
Caspian [Torrent]: Healthy

SP10 Caspian used Water Gun!
SP7 Sentret used Scratch!

[Atthis]

“You chose wrong,” the Squirtle spat. He twisted his body sharply in a maneuver that shook the Sentret off, temporarily ending the onslaught of its annoyingly needle-like claws. The scratches aroused a feeling similar to when one is on “pins and needles,” but by no definition did Caspian feel numb. He watched the battered ferret regroup through narrowed eyes and utilized the limited window to plan out his next move.

After only the first move and counterattack of the battle, Caspian found himself invigorated by the Sentret’s steadily mounting distress. Its retorts and pointed shrieks were white noise against the thrumming of his racing heartbeat and its crop of short, brown fur was muddled in his tunnel vision into something that looked remarkably like a punching bag. Although a physically sensitive creature by default, his engaged stance bred a pressure under his tough skin that made it easier to cope with smaller injuries like the blows dealt by his opponent’s claws. In turn, this tolerance was reflected in his fluid, precise movements. Even his trainer’s voice was stifled by the sheer rush of adrenaline transforming the world into his headspace—and what was on his mind was a fight.

Melanie had momentarily abandoned her backpack so that she could move more freely, and she used this newfound agility to draw closer to the outskirts of the battle taking place. Now more invested, she shouted sporadic encouragements at Caspian, but she still had a decision to make. What should happen next? Clearly, they had stumbled upon a Pokémon who was desperate for any sustenance it could take a chance on, and leaving it knocked out cold in the wilderness was an absolute no-go. Conversely, though, the alternative seemed just as bleak. She could intervene, capture it, and support it in the future, but that was a huge risk. A Pokémon wasn’t something that she had wanted in the first place, so caring for two young, inexperienced ones right away was not a safe or ideal situation for anyone involved… In her turmoil, she looked to Caspian for some kind of inspiration. What she saw was raw determination, the will and the courage to run back into the fray. What she also saw was that exact same drive mirrored in the Sentret’s furry face. Unexpected even to her, the corner of Melanie’s lip quirked up into a smile. “Caspian, get back!”

As Caspian’s concentration broke in charging up his next Water Gun, she threw the Poké Ball still clutched in her right hand directly at the Sentret’s exposed back.

[Avalon]

The Sentret watched, its breathing haggard and steps heavy as the turtle seemingly took a step back at its Trainer's orders. The Sentret thought to itself for a moment,"Why is it retreating? Are they leaving without feeding me, just like that?" It was rare for a Trainer and their Pokemon to just get into a battle and leave while they were leaving. It might hurt the Sentret's pride a little to admit, but it knew that it was losing this current fight.

But even among all the other Sentrets that lived on this route, their stories of passing Trainers always ended in either the Trainer knocking them out and leaving them to fend for themselves, or tales of friends and family being captured by a Trainer after being worn down. Every now and then there'd be a feel good story of some lucky little Sentret besting some rookie Trainer, but those were few and far between. Most stories ended in defeat or capture, not in the Trainer just losing interest and walking away. It was almost insulting to a Pokemon known for acting as a bit of Scout or guard.

And then the Sentret saw why Caspian had stepped aside: a red-and-white sphere hurtling through the air, colliding with the small of the back on the small rodent Pokemon. It was all that Sentret could do to turn and see the ball coming straight for it, unable to move either out of exhaustion or fear. The ball consumed the Scout Pokemon, falling to the ground and shaking vigorously for a few moments. Sentret struggled against the ball within, though the hunger pangs and the strange comfort of the ball's interior was beginning to wear it out. One more shake, then another, followed by a long pause...

And one last click, the ball freezing in place and its internal mechanisms locking the Sentret within. Together, Caspian and Melanie had caught their first new addition to the team, and all she would have to do is go retrieve the ball.

Caspian beat up a wild animal! He gained +2 Levels (Level 7)
Caspian has learned Withdraw!

Sentret was added to your party! Please fill out the following code!
[img src="https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/bw/sentret.png"]
[b]Sentret[/b]
Name: [choose]
Gender: [choose]
Level: 3
OT: Melanie Langley
Moves: Scratch, Growl
Ability: Run Away OR Keen Eye
Nature/Personality: [choose]

[Atthis]

Melanie approached the Poké Ball now lying stagnant on the ground, each sequential step heavy with second guesses and indecision. Her gaze trembled over her destination. The ramifications of the action she had taken wreaked havoc in her mind, and the vigorous shaking of the Poké Ball before it laid still replayed over and over again. She attempted to reassure herself by asserting that she had rescued the Sentret from a dangerous situation, or that Caspian would have disobeyed her and finished it off anyways had she not intervened, but these notions were nullified by an all-consuming guilt. She picked up the occupied Poké Ball. All things considered, seemed like an inappropriate time to celebrate her first Pokémon capture, nor did she feel accomplished in the slightest. Caspian was disheartened, as well, if that kicked-Growithe expression on his face was indicative of anything.

“I’m going to have to put you back in your ball for a bit, Caspian,” Melanie sighed. “I’m not sure our new friend is gonna be very happy to see you right away.” The Squirtle’s shoulders slouched over as Melanie went on, but he obliged, giving that he understood the situation at hand at least somewhat. The trainer noticed his disappointment, crouched down, and gently placed a hand on his small arm. “I know it’s hard. You were really giving it your all that battle. I’m just not sure Sentret was on the same page.”

“That’s fair enough,” Caspian replied earnestly, trying his best to sound sincere. Though it all sounded like an animalistic gargle from Melanie’s perspective, his intent absolutely reached her. They shared a labored smile before she tapped his Poké Ball to the spot where her hand had previously rested and he was returned in a streak of dazzling white light.

The air was thick with silence, a product of Caspian’s absence, no doubt, but also a jarring contrast to the battle that had just taken place. Sitting on the ground amid a living coniferous forest, the wind a noiseless whisper weaving gale tapestries through the trees, Melanie wrapped her arms around her backpack for comfort and hugged it to her chest like a safety blanket. Lost would be the best way to describe her thought process. She wiped her foggy glasses on the edge of her shirt. When the items inside her bag jostled as a result of y the movement, however, an idea slowly came into focus. What if…

Now moving with urgency driven by an inclination to help the Sentret in any way she could, she unzipped the compartment of her bag in which she stored medicinal supplies and rummaged through it for the remedy she sought. Seconds later, she produced a Potion. The sunlight caught the purple liquid sloshing about inside, and it seemed hallowed in her hands. With this, she could relieve some of the Pokémon’s suffering, if only in the short-term.

The only problem was that in order to use the Potion, it would be necessary to let the Sentret out of its Poké Ball.

Friendly, that’s what she would be towards the Sentret. She’d shown it kindness in their first few interactions, so surely it wouldn’t be too aggressive. It would have to. With a shaky inhale in an attempt to calm herself down, Melanie cut off her chance to overthink by jamming her finger down on the center button of Sentret’s Poké Ball.

The Scout Pokémon materialized in front of her with disoriented body language that suggested a mix of fatigue and confusion. Even so, it quickly regained the tense posture Melanie had come to expect. She braced herself for the Sentret to attack or run in the other direction, but still cautiously held her hand out in the hopes that they could make peace. It glared up at her through beady, lidded eyes. To her surprise, the wild animal began to creep forth towards her open palm. Inches away from her unfurled fingertips, it gingerly sniffed, then saw the Potion in her other hand and stalked even closer. Melanie offered a feeble smile. “Hi, there,” she whispered.

The Sentret ignored her. It skirted her hip to nudge the Potion. “For me?” it wondered aloud. Melanie giggled softly, turning slightly to face the Pokémon. “Here. This should help. It might sting a little bit, though—sorry about that.”

Melanie held the medicine up to its side, where she saw the most concerning wound, and pressed down on the trigger to release the spray. Instantly, she saw a difference Sentret nuzzled her new trainer’s hip in a small gesture of acceptance, to which Melanie laughed and ran her fingers through the fur on its back. The Sentret let out a yelp, then a purr. “You’re a serious one, aren’t you?”

I’ll call her Saige, Melanie decided. She opened her mouth to inform the newly-christened Sentret, then faltered before she made a sound and instead opted to remain reticent. She could push the whole trainer-Pokémon thing later, because for now they had made the beginnings of an alliance. She can wait to hear that until she’s in better spirits.


Sentret
Name: Saige
Gender: female
Level: 3
OT: Melanie Langley
Moves: Scratch, Growl
Ability: Keen Eye
Nature/Personality: Born into the wilderness with the meager lot of a Sentret, Saige is a highly skeptical and guarded individual who values security above all else. Though her trust is hard-earned, she prioritizes building strong, steadfast relationships with those who have gained her loyalty.

[antonius]

(OOC: You don't need to use a potion after a battle. We auto heal the Pokemon between battle unless you are on a quest which has several battles. For example, one of my characters is finishing up bellsprout tower which has three fights. Then it is left up to the trainer if they want to use a potion\healing item. I'll be nice and not deduct the potion this time. Also, since you have an egg from MotM, you can add words to it. All you have to do is state how many words is in your post and a mod will add them for you.)

While Melanie is examining her new Pokemon, a red and brown feathered bird peers down towards her. It observed the last battle and the current interaction this human is having with the newly caught sentret. The bird flew down towards the human and Pokemon barely missing her head as it pulls back up towards the branch it came from. The spearow then caws at both of them in a challenge.

>>You, caught sentret, do you want to battle me? I didn't see enough of your skills to gauge your strength. I know many of your kind are weak.<<

While the spearow waits for an answer, it starts preening the feathers underneath one wing. Once that side is done, it switches to the other side. It was being entertained by the fight but the human ended it too quick so now it wants a fight of its own out of boredom.

Level 7

Shiny? eNXQR3O|1-42

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