#1 - planting our roots [mod]

[tybaxel]

With a deep intake of breath, Sloane pushed her way out of the lab and back into the blossoming spring weather, eyes fixated on the little ball she cradled in her hands. This was her Pokemon -- her first one. Though she hadn't expected to select from Kanto's arrangement of starters in the Johto region, she was more than happy to welcome this young Bulbasaur onto her team after hearing of the strong bonds it was capable of forming with its trainer. This was exactly what she wanted -- a close companion that would walk with her every step of the journey, wherever it may take them. She felt the corners of her lips twitch with an excitement she could not contain. She may have been a little late in starting her Pokemon quest, but she didn't mind. It was finally happening, and that was what mattered to her.

She trekked a short distance through Newbark Town, scanning and taking in her surroundings before her eyes fell on the sign that marked the entrance to Route 29. Glancing down at the Pokeball in her hands, she squeezed it tightly as if in reassurance, before lobbing it at the earth beneath her. With a flash of brilliant light, the Bulbasaur within emerged, looking rather taken aback by his sudden release. His teal hide was thick with the green spots that were normally sparse on other Bulbasaur's. Wide red eyes mirrored Sloane's own, and as they met for the first time, both trainer and Pokemon seemed to grin in sync. It was as if they could both sense the excitable energy emanating off of one another, flowing between them like electricity. It was nice, to make a friend at first sight.

"Alola!" Sloane called out the greeting of her home region. The Bulbasaur returned the greeting with an unblinking, expectant stare. As if able to read the creature's mind, Sloane knew he was expecting her to give him a name -- a seal on what would become a lifelong bond. Her eyes fell on the bulb on his back. Despite knowing that it would one day blossom into an impressive flower, the shape of the bulb as it was now reminded her of one of her favorite snacks. Her eyes sparkled as she met the Bulbasaur's eyes once more. "I'll call you Pecha. Like the berry. Is that alright?"

Pecha blinked, as if processing the words. After a few heartbeats of silence, the little Pokemon's gaze lit up like the sun, a warm smile plastered across his face. He bounced enthusiastically on his stumpy legs, letting out a cry of joy all the while. Sloane took this as a sign of approval. "Wonderful!" With a matching grin, she reached her hand out to her new partner. Pecha extended one of his vines to return the handshake. "Together, we'll make a fantastic team! I just know it!"

Suddenly enticed by the thrill of adventure that Sloane had promised, Pecha's stare widened. With a brisk turn, he began thundering down the path that led out of the town and onto Route 29. Taken aback by the speed of the stout creature, Sloane stumbled before giving pursuit. "Now, slow down!" Laughter was evident in her tone as she ran, her heart hammering with anticipation of their first adventure.

[Tarlar]

The area was full of life, both New Bark Town where kids were out of school and racing around playing in the wonderful weather, and more or less every adult was out and doing garden work or entertain visitors in their gardens. You'd expect the wilderness to be quite compared to that, but pokemon were out and about too, there was just something about this weather.

Pecha was tearing through the flower fields, stomping some of them down even if she didn't wanted to, as she was too bulky to avoid them, and unless she stayed on the path all the time, she couldn't avoid them. But who cares, most flowers would righten themselves again, and the few which didn't wouldn't be missed with the plethora of flowers around. The smell was almost unbearable!
Several wild rattatas frolicked around with her, no battle challenge would be accepted as it was as far from their mind as it could be. Even the otherwise aggressive spearows were doing acrobatic in the air, chirping cutely and playing tag with a lone fletchling which appeared too.

The horrified shout from an elderly woman cut through the heavenly feeling and brought everyone back to reality. The wild pokemon froze in their tracks, and then darted away in all direction, leave the area empty.
"No! Please!" The voice begged, and hopefully Sloane would investigate what it was all about, because otherwise we won't get far in this story.

Not far away they would encounter an older woman, leaning on her cane with her other arm reached towards a tree, in which a pidgey was trying to sit in a little gift basket, as if it was a nest. It kept eying the old woman and it's chirping sounded a lot like laughter.
"No no, please little birdie, it's for my sweetheart. Don't break it!" The woman whimpered and the pidgey eyed her mischievously.
The woman turned her head when she heard something behind her and she lit up with hope, "Oh dear young one! Can you please help me? I.. I forgot the gift for Harold because I wanted to surprise him and..." she blushed like a teenager, "and it's our 4 month anniversary, and I got this lovely basket for him which he never would expect.." she trailed off as she remembered what had happened, her face fell.
"Now I worry it has all been for nothing, but can you perhaps get my basket back? I brought him flowers too, since you know, men aren't getting enough flowers from their girlfriends," she added in a bit more stern voice, when looking a bit closer at the woman, it was clear she had dressed up for this little happening.
"Ack, but the bouquet is ruined," she said regretfully and gestured the the sad remains of the flower decoration which lay in the grass nearby. "I don't know what's gotten into this birdie, they are usually so sweet! I guess you can't expect them all to be the same," she said with a chuckle, "so would you help me save my day and surprise Harold?" She asked hopefully and wiped a frustrated tear away from the corner of her eye.

Pidgey [Lv 3] has fun with the anniversary gifts.
Weather will be Blooming (clear)

Shiny: tmnUgjEqp_1-42
Blooming berry(50%): p_1-100

(ooc: do you want help to introduce the poochyeena or do you know how you'll get it already? I was so close to make it a part of the encounter )1-42·1-100

[tybaxel]

(i will introduce the poochyena in this post! she was creeping along not far behind...)

Sloane was used to heavy duty work, but already she was nearly out of breath from all this running. Her new friend was certainly a spitfire, and she knew it would take some time to adjust to the Bulbasaur's energy. Flashes of purple fur streaked around Pecha as they made their way down the path, and though it was clear they were uninterested in battle, Sloane still marveled at the sight of the wild creatures. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that she had finally started this journey, and she couldn't help but wonder what she and Pecha's first opponent would be-

Well, she didn't really have to wonder for too long. The desperate cries of the woman immediately drew her attention, and Sloane veered off course to investigate the situation. Pecha made an idle squeak upon noticing what his trainer was doing, stopping his rampage through the grasses and stumbling off at her heels.

Sloane had her eyes trained on the Pidgey overhead, but still nodded sagely as she only partially listened to the old woman rattle off about her husband. Perhaps if this were any other situation, Sloane would have eagerly lent an ear to an elder's stories, but she was in a whole different headspace at the moment.

"Don't worry, me and my partner have got this." She looked over at the older woman. "Next time, you should really take a Pokemon with you before you go down these paths! It could be dangerous."

Sloane looked back up at the Pidgey and blinked, suddenly realizing this may be a tad harder than she thought. She certainly couldn't climb trees, and she could probably assume that Pecha couldn't either. How were they going to get it down?

Wondering if she had anything in her bag that could help, she promptly pulled it off her shoulders, noticing it was a lot heavier than she remembered it being. It was in that moment that she realized the bag was blown wide open, with a mass of fur wriggling around inside. She nearly dropped it in shock when the creature's head popped upward, holding her only Oran Berry in its jaws and returning her stare with wide, blinking eyes.

"Hey, how did you-" Sloane reached for the berry and, with a bit of force, yanked it free of the Poochyena's mouth. The little canine let out a growl of protest before hopping out of the bag, landing on the ground beside Pecha, who gave it a bewildered look. Sloane looked around wildly, unsure of where this Pokemon had come from. Maybe it was a stray from New Bark Town. She crossed her arms, watching it as it looked expectantly up at her. Still begging for the scraps in her bag, it seemed. "I'll be dealing with you in a minute," she said firmly.

Cheri joined the party!

Poochyena
Name: Cheri
Gender: Female
Level: 1
OT: Zaiden Kabila
Moves: Tackle
Ability: Run Away
Nature/Personality: Calm

Briefly shuffling through her bag and realizing she had nothing that could help, Sloane returned her attention to the Pidgey overhead. "Alright, you little basket thief..." She put her finger to her chin, clearly deep in thought, before looking over at Pecha, who was sniffing the Poochyena's silver fur. "Pecha, try using Vine Whip to knock that sucker out of the tree!"

Pecha's eyes lit up at the command - his first command! Despite his short stature, he spun around and focused his attention on the Pidgey. Withdrawing the vines from his bulb, he flung them back for momentum before aiming a shot at his opponent.

Pecha used Vine Whip!

[kito]

With a thwack the vines connect with the small bird sending it spiraling to the ground. The basket which has been knocked free began to fall. Luckily the basket caught on the lower branch of the tree. The basket was no worse for wear. That was one less thing to worry about. The Pidgey was enraged that it's carefully stolen meal was interrupted before it could enjoy it. With a loud and annoyed squawk it charged. It struck pecha with enough force that it sent him into the tree. The basket shook and fell before landing on pecha's bulb. Well now what would pecha do? As the Pidgey squawked more showing no sign that it was ready to stand down.
Wild Encounter

---

Weather: Clear

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

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]
pidgey LV 3
HP 63% [10/16]

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

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

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]
Pecha LV 5
HP 76% [16/21]

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

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

Pidgey [Ability]: choice Status health
Pecha [Ability]: overgrow Status healthy

SP11 Pecha used vine whip ..! its a crit
SP 9 Pidgey used tackle ..! a crit!

[tybaxel]

Sloane could do nothing but watch with a cringe as the opposing Pidgey, now infuriated by Pecha's disruptive attack, sent her new partner's bulky stature flying like a leaf in the wind. For a moment, Sloane reached forward as if to assist her friend, but pulled away, knowing she should give these two some space. Pecha, having been slammed against a nearby tree, was briefly disoriented before giving his head a quick shake, barely noticing the basket as it plummeted from the lower branches and onto his back. Quickly, Sloane reached for the basket and snatched it out of the line of fire so that it wouldn't come under any more harm, promptly handing it back to the older woman. Sloane's newly encountered Poochyena friend suddenly took interest in the basket, wandering over and plopping down at the woman's feet in a sort of half-hearted begging posture. Sloane was too focused on the battle to notice.

"You're okay, Pecha!" she assured him, hoping to serve as a beacon of encouragement. "Hit it with another Vine Whip!" Sloane knew that Pecha knew more moves, but due to his grass typing, Vine Whip would do more damage than normal. It was basic battle knowledge, but she was proud of herself for remembering it. All those years of watching the Galar Pokemon League on television had hopefully paid off.

Pecha was already a bit bruised from the ordeal, but he still had plenty of fight left in him. Adjusting his stance, he flung his vines once more in the direction of the wild Pidgey.

Pecha used Vine Whip!

[Tarlar]

The old woman had chatted on but trailed off when she realized that Sloane wasn't really listening to what she was saying. She gasped when her basket got kicked out of the tree, and winced uncomfortably as she saw how the pokemon went at each other. A bit of hesitation but when she was certain they wouldn't pay her any attention, she made her way over to her basket, standing on her toes unsteadily she carefully plucked it and checked it thoroughly.
"A bit squeezed but nothing damaged, I'm sure Harold will get a laugh out of this," she said to herself with a smile. She spotted a movement and tensed, she raised the basket high in the air and nervously moved away from the poochyena who was suddenly giving her a lot of attention.

The bird had to be a young one to change its mood so fast the moment things went against it. A single whack of a vine was not going to make it change its mind, it had gotten a perfect nest even though it had been told it would take a long time to master the skill of making one yourself, and it even came with snacks! Now these stupid two-legs were trying to take it away from it!
It chirped angrily at Pecha and then dived, only to be send crashing into the ground when the bulbasaur's vines found their mark once more. They hit hard! Only reason it hadn't been knocked out cold had to be that a bird was good at dodging grass type attacks.
Pidgey forced itself up on its feet, swaying uncertainly but too stubborn, or perhaps too dizzy to be able to think clearly, to realize it would be a good idea to give up. It stumbled forward and ran into Pecha in a tackle, and ended up leaning up against the bulbasaur for support, a wing draped over the bulb. If you didn't know better they looked like a pair of old friends.

"Me with a pokemon? Hah," The old woman chuckled nervously, suddenly right beside Sloane. "Oh no dear, I'm too old for that, too much work for me to take care of properly," she glanced nervously at the poochyena and then moved to Sloane's other side.
"There is usually no problem, but spring certainly have made them lively this year!" The woman said cheerfully, "My name is Bella, by the way, and thank you so much for your help!" She added as an afterthought and went quiet for a bit.
"Say, you are right that this is a bit risky for me traveling alone, would you mind traveling with me to Cherrygrove so I can deliver this to Harold?" She asked hopefully, "I'd love to see his reaction to getting it."



Wild Encounter

---

Weather: Clear

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

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]
pidgey LV 3
HP 31% [5/16]

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

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

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]
Pecha LV 5
HP 62% [13/21]

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

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

Pidgey : Normal
Pecha [Overgrow]: Normal

SP11 Pecha used vine whip! Critical Hit!
SP 9 Pidgey used tackle!


(ooc: another crit?! what is it your your luck?! )

[tybaxel]

The Pidgey's exhaustion was apparent as it stumbled forward, though it still managed to land another hit on Pecha, who seemed rather surprised that the little bird hadn't given up just yet. Sloane watched it almost pitifully, silently debating on if she should try to catch it. As much as the caretaker in her would have loved to befriend every creature she came across, the trainer in her knew it just wasn't feasible. She wasn't really in a rush to complete the Pokedex -- after all, she didn't want to catch Pokemon just for them to sit in storage forever. She preferred to save the few balls she had for when she really felt a connection with a particular Pokemon -- that's how she would build her team.

Pecha looked up at Sloane expectantly, a look of discomfort twisting his features as the wild Pidgey draped itself over his bulb. Even though it felt like going against her nature, Sloane knew that battling Pokemon was necessary for her partner to grow -- besides, this Pidgey could use some humbling. She gave Pecha a sharp nod of assurance. "One more time, Pecha. Tackle him!"

With a look of sudden determination, Pecha returned the nod. He scurried backwards to gain some momentum, before flinging the entirety of his bulky weight at the Pidgey, ready to secure his first victory.

Pecha used Tackle!

In the meantime, Sloane redirected her attention to the stray Poochyena, who was sniffling the air in curiosity at the old woman's feet. With a click of the tongue, she kneeled down and nabbed the little pup in her arms, half expecting a gnash of its formidable teeth on her arm -- but she was surprised to detect no reaction from the Pokemon. She clearly wasn't a wild-born Poochyena, but also didn't seem to belong to anyone at the same time. Surely it wouldn't hurt to take her along?

Cradling the Poochyena in her arms, Sloane glanced back up, a smile gracing her face as she noticed how satisfied the older woman looked. "I'm glad I was able to help, Bella! I'd love to come with you to Cherrygrove." She looked down at her new furry friend. "Maybe along the way we can find some food for this little one, too."