Dr Okido or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Catch 'Em All

[Professor Oak]

Season: Summer, Weather: Mist 🌫
Time of Day: Night 🌕

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    It was a hot summer night and the beach was burning. There was fog was crawling over the sand. - Meat Loaf

Washed up among barnacle-encrusted flotsam was a bedraggled figure draped in matted seaweed like a frilled sea monster, a shallow tide lapping against the slumbering castaway. The mist hung low on a humid night in late summer, the air still and a full moon peeked through the veil to illuminate the sandy shore. Bounding on four legs along the beach was a stocky little critter bearing a green bulb on its back like an enthusiastic pupil with an oversized backpack on the first day of school. When it reached the tangled form, it growled nervously and approached with caution before yelping in recognition of something. A fibrous vine sprouted from a small green bud just below the creature’s bulb and whipped away the knotted mass of seaweed to reveal the pale face of a shallow-breathing senior. Using its pink wet tongue, the plant hybrid creature licked what had been identified as its friend affectionately to resuscitate him.

The old gentleman spluttered into consciousness, coughing up briny fluid from his lungs. He groaned and clutched at his pounding head, his vision blurry and mind completely shrouded in an impenetrable fog. A violent shiver ran through his body as he felt the sensation of his soaked garments and gritty texture of sand beneath him. He struggled to sit up, his movements slow and deliberate, as if his body were protesting every effort he made. A soft, warm breath brushed against his cheek and he turned to stare into the big ruby-coloured eyes and rueful grin of his reviver. “Hello there, little one,” he murmured, his hoarse voice barely a whisper as he patted the grass Pokémon’s head.

His countenance grew grave as he fought to remember who he was. Oak… Professor Oak… Where was he? And what had happened to him? The answers to these questions, however, came less easily. It was clear he had been involved in a maritime disaster. The roaring of the ocean rung in his ears and the sensation of incessant rolling of surging swells continued to churn in the pit of his stomach. A vivid flashback suddenly seized him.

He was running through the corridors of a cruise ship, its opulent interior now bathed in the wan crimson glow of emergency lighting. The ship had switched onto backup generators after experiencing total power failure. He pushed past frightened passengers and crew all headed for the deck and preparing to board life rafts. The hull groaned and contorted under considerable strain and he could hear the sound of rushing water. It felt as though the ship was being drawn by an irrepressible force, the floor beginning to tilt.

The bridge loomed ahead, its entrance framed in an ominous red hue, glass doors shattered and fragments strewn everywhere. Sparks flew signalling that the circuitry had completely blown and for a moment it looked like the control centre had been abandoned. But in the gloom a silhouetted figure stood looking out to sea. Shouting to get their attention, he rushed up to grab the white coat of the silent character when no reply was made. The figure turned around and he found himself looking into soft brown eyes, his eyes... His face, his hair, his lab coat… a perfect clone of himself yet lifeless and void.

"Welcome aboard the ship! I am your captain, Captain Oak! It's a pleasure to meet you!” his effigy declared as he recoiled backwards in surprise.

A raucous laugh burst from behind him. A tall man of imposing stature emerged from the shadows, the clang of heavy metallic boots reverberating with each menacing step. His countenance was concealed behind an iron mask and from baleful eye slits radiated an unsettling scarlet luminescence. “Glad you could finally join us Professor!” sneered the iron-clad visage with a guttural voice. “I feared I’d never have the chance to thank you, one last time… For this!” He thrust forward the gold and silver orb he clasped tightly in his gloved hand in a threatening display.

So the Professor’s greatest fear had been realised. Not only had the Iron-Masked Marauder returned but the unthinkable had happened; he was in possession of the GS Ball! But how was this possible? More than a decade ago he made a promise to himself never to travel in time again. Unable to bring himself to destroy the GS Ball, he had sent local Pallet Town trainer Ash Ketchum on a futile expedition to deliver the artifact to Kurt in an attempt to consign it to the forgotten annals of time forever. With the GS Ball forgotten so too would the Iron-Masked Marauder, the only other person to have captured Celebi. But in Oak’s case, he had befriended the mythical Pokémon and thus earned the right to exercise the powers of time travel. So there had always been two capable of wielding the powers of the sacred Pokéball but only one that knew how. And after several experiments in his youth, he vowed never to disrupt time again, lest negative outcomes arise from the Butterfree-effect of altering the past.

He clenched his fist, knuckles white with tension. How could he be so reckless? With the re-emergence of the GS Ball in this timeline, it could only mean one thing. He must have travelled in time once more. But why had he done so knowing it could put everything at risk? Bulbaa… cooed the plant Pokémon anxiously, bringing the Professor out of his daze. Putting on a brave face, Oak glanced down at his companion and stroked the top of the Bulbasaur’s head. “You’re right Viri, there’s nothing we can do about it right now,” he sought to reassure them both. Gathering all his remaining strength and with straining effort, he struggled unsteadily to his feet and they both made their way uphill, wading into knee-deep grass.

[Pixel]

The mist was dense and cold, a ghostly shawl upon an otherwise unremarkable, quiet moonlit night. It left the grass wet and Oak's water sodden clothes didn't help matters as he trudged through the deep swath of greenery. In the distance, there were glimmers of light. Though whether those were the promising lights of houses to guide him to civilization and aid or the glow of pokemon traversing the wilderness was yet to be discerned. Every so often he would be able to hear a rustle of life around him—the soft coo of a nocturnal bird perching high above in the trees, or the rustle of tiny bodies through the underbrush as they foraged for food. Nothing large loomed with an unspoken promise of imminent danger, but that didn't mean much when you were a sea-soaked traveler lost in land you didn't know. 

Would Oak have to camp out here? Hope to survive this brisk night in sodden attire with no means to start a fire? Or would he stumble upon a camping trainer who would lend him aid and a spot by a fire? 

With so many unknowns, there was little else to do but to continue staggering forward in search of something. Anything really.

Just as he was about to clear the patch of grass, a little purple form darted out in front of him, only to settle obliviously on the path, a seed clutched in its tiny paws. It nibbled away. Hungry. Its whiskers twitching. Then, as if suddenly becoming aware that it wasn't alone, it glanced at Oak. Staring.

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A lv 5 Rattata appeared. What will Prof. Oak do?

Shiny? z2ZIG5uE1-42

SPOILER: Click to show

Rare? 1-6 Uncommon? 1-3 Common

1-42·1-6·1-3·1-2

[Professor Oak]

As the mist parted ever so slightly, revealing a glimpse of the nocturnal world that thrived beneath its damp embrace, a sudden ripple through the glistening dew-kissed grass caught Oak's attention. He froze, his pupils dilated as he locked eyes with the creature transfixed before him. The rodent's gaze held a mixture of wariness and curiosity, its round eyes reflecting the moonlight like polished gems. It twitched its nose, its whiskers quivering with each tiny movement as it desperately tried to assess whether this was friend or foe.

The instincts of a seasoned campaigner started to kick in, adrenaline pumping and heart pounding in Oak's sixty-year-old chest. But if someone thought the Professor was going to befriend every Pokémon he met, they'd be wrong... very wrong... The Professor immediately identified the Pokémon as Rattata. But this knowledge did not help him ascertain his whereabouts since the vermin were everywhere. He patted himself down realising he had nothing on him; no Pokéballs, no items, keys, wallet, not even a smartwatch. He looked around for a rock, a club, something he could use... Pokémon battles in his day were more... barbaric... to say the least.

Saur? inquired a bewildered Viri. This appeared to jolt Professor Oak from his hellbent preoccupation with destruction as he seemed to only just remember that he had a Pokémon at his disposal. "Oh right... uh... you go over there and lash that thing with those tendrils of yours while I go find a big stick..." his voice trailed off as he wandered away back in the direction of the beach. He had to be careful not to wander off too far and needed to contain his search within a roughly ten metre radius or risk disengaging the battle or blacking out or probably something worse than that.

With her trainer gone, the Bulbasaur shot a furtive glance towards the Rattata as if to say what now but by now the purple mouse had clearly decided this was a foe situation and not an even remotely friendly interaction. Dropping the half-gnawed seed, it gnashed its teeth menacingly and began to circle in, preparing to fight tooth and nail against this Grass-type Pokémon. Viri could sense how swift and nimble its manoeuvres were as she whipped her extended vines frantically to keep the toothed monster at bay.

Meanwhile Oak was combing the beach, turning over rotten pieces of driftwood and examining every shiny object that glinted in the sand. There seemed to be quite a few items that had washed ashore which could be of use but perhaps he'd come back later and rummage among the dunes. For the time being he needed some sort of weapon. His eyes settled on a heavy looking metallic object sunk into the sand which he furiously dug out. A Pokéball! Well this wasn't exactly what he'd hoped for in order to dish out maximum damage but it looked solid enough. Definitely not the flimsy devices he used in his day which had to be screwed shut and couldn't be relied on to catch a cold in a snowstorm.

He hustled back triumphantly where there was some evidence that a scuffle had broken out. Viri, panting for breath, shot her master an irritated look but was nonetheless relieved he had returned. The Rattata appeared a little worse for wear and was not likely ready for both an assault from its Pokémon opponent followed shortly by another from its human companion. Unrelentingly Oak aimed indiscriminately at the wild creature and slung the red and silver capsule towards it, eagerly awaiting the results.

---

    Bulbasaur used Vine Whip.

    Oak tossed a Pokéball.

[necroix]

For someone who knew a completely different world than the one now Professor Oak wasn't doing too bad. Though someone should probably tell him eventually that you didn't need to actually resort to physical violence of humans upon pokemon anymore. Many wouldn't last in the world that the man had once lived in. Now young children could be sent into the world because of the advancements in technology. Very different from the wind-up balls that were much harder to use today's pokeball was much easier to operate and easier to catch pokemon aggressive or not.

Though while the man had left temporarily for something that could help with the situation, Viri's vines managed to go at the rat even though it was faster than it. The rat jolted forward landing a tackle on the bulbasaur which did some damage since they were the same strength. It was mostly defending its food since it had obviously been threatened by human and pokemon. The rat wasn't quite used to people being out this late. It had simply been trying to enjoy its meal before it was harrassed by both, but it would finish it if it must.

Yet as the rattata judged what the next round would come the rather large human seemed to return. The rat tried to scurry away back to the grass but not before the ball hit it square on its back. The creature was absorbed inside and the ball only shook a moment before it pinged signaling that the pokemon had been successfully captured. For everything his first battle here had gone well, other than still being cold and wet and dealing with a thick mist that strangled light from coming through the skies.

Rattata was caught!
-1 Pokeball


Viri gained a lot of experience! +3 levels [LV.8]
Viri learned Growth!

Please fill out the information to add to your party!
[img src="https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/bw/rattata.png"]
[b]Rattata[/b]
Name: [choose]
Gender: [choose]
Level: 5
OT: Professor Oak
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack
Ability: Run Away or Guts
Nature/Personality: [choose]

[Professor Oak]

It was all over in a heartbeat. The failed attempt to flee, the throw on target, a violet streak enveloped in a red flash, a feeble wriggle and then a resounding click as the Pokéball sealed shut. Professor Oak hobbled over and picked up the now motionless sphere, taking a moment to reflect on his first Pokémon capture in years. As he stood in waterlogged rags with the mist closing in around him, he had as much a sense of achievement as a tramp might feel finding a penny.

Viri on the other hand was exhilarated, having gained wisdom from the brief yet intense encounter. First, she had learned to hold her own against a faster and fiercer rival. But she also took comfort in the fact that her human was there to support her albeit in an unconventional way. Most Pokémon were used to their trainers barking commands and watching passively from the sidelines and when the time came she knew she'd be able to win duels on her own, but these formative experiences were instructive nonetheless. Seeing her guardian jump in the trenches and be ready to trade blows with the rodent taught her Pokémon battles were inherently violent and the natural order of the ecosystem was an unforgiving survival of the fittest.

“Let's see what we've managed to catch,” mused the Professor as he depressed the button on the ball to spring it open. The ensnared Rattata materialised in front of him blinking in confusion. It stared at Oak and Oak stared back, and it almost seemed as though the sequence of events would repeat itself. But remembering the hostility shown towards it, the Rattata turned and attempted to hightail it out of there! However, the old and weary Professor displayed unexpected agility pouncing on the fugitive and stymieing its escape by grabbing onto its curled tail. The rat resisted in frantic desperation and when it realised the human would not relinquish his hold, it chomped its buckteeth and swiped at its captor with its claws.

“You're a feisty little one!” remarked the labouring Professor. Taking the half-chewed seed the critter had abandoned, he thrust it into its clutches which seemed to placate it momentarily. “There you go, I won't hurt you.” But the mistrusting rodent was not easily tamed and a second attempt at escape forced Oak to return it to its Pokéball. “Got that Run Away ability huh?” Oak sighed. “Oh well… trust is earned, not given.”

Remembering there was more that could be salvaged on the beach, Oak returned to sift through the wreckage. A while later he had amassed an impressive haul including more Pokéballs, medicines, a bottle of water and even a child’s backpack… He even found what may be Viri’s original Pokéball but since the Bulbasaur preferred to travel beside him he never got to test this hypothesis. A frayed length of rope gave him an idea of how to best conserve his energy and “bond” with his newly caught Pokémon at the same time.

Releasing the Rattata from its confinement once more, Oak took one end of the cord and tied it gently around the fidgeting quadruped’s abdomen and secured the other end around his own waist. He’d let the furry little fiend drag him along, he thought. Watching the Rattata jitter and tremble on the spot, he thought of a name. “Let’s call you Twitch,” christened Oak. Jerking the tether connecting them, the titchy creature scuttled forward tugging the Professor along as they commenced the gruelling trek up the hill.

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Moonlight's glinting eyes,
Rattata scurries unseen,
Night's secret hunter.

Rattata
Name: Twitch
Gender: Male ♂
Level: 5
OT: Professor Oak
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack
Ability: Run Away
Nature/Personality: Fear. Paranoia. Twitch is timid and skittish, easily startled by sudden movements or unfamiliar sounds. Despite his anxious disposition, this Rattata displays an innate survival instinct, using his heightened senses to navigate the environment cautiously.

[img src="https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/bw/rattata.png"]
[b]Rattata[/b]
Name: Twitch
Gender: Male [font color="blue"]♂[/font]
Level: 5
OT: @admin
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack
Ability: Run Away
Nature/Personality: Fear. Paranoia. Twitch is timid and skittish, easily startled by sudden movements or unfamiliar sounds. Despite his anxious disposition, this Rattata displays an innate survival instinct, using his heightened senses to navigate the environment cautiously.

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~ end thread ~