Shady Glen

[Avalon]

Sylvester wasn't sure how long he had been waiting for Adrian to come back, ducks in tow. Not as long as Kent had been or would continue to wait for those Vivillon to be returned to him, though that was not a particularly comforting thought for anyone involved. Sylvester was sitting in the dark, arms wrapped around his knees as he sat in the shade provided by the nearby trees. It was almost comforting to sit in the darkness and stew upon his mistakes, though he was pulled out of his thoughts by the sight of the otherwise dark-clad young man.

"You're back! And you brought back Dad's Pokemon!" Sylvester called out, rushing to meet Adrian halfway. The two ducks were both looking fairly unhappy to be back with the son of their actual owner, though both had been beaten soundly and fairly by Adrian. There was no point in trying to flee, as they would just be captured again. Maybe the boy would be able to take them back to their actual Trainer now, or they could find some other way to escape in the future.

Sylvester dug around in his own bag, retrieving a single disk that he offered to Adrian. "Here, this is the Hidden Move for Cut. Dad uses it to chop down trees to make charcoal, but you can probably use it for a lot more than that! I gotta get home with these guys before Dad starts to worry, but I won't forget how much you helped me out here today!" With that, Sylvester grabbed each duck by the wing and began to hurriedly escort them out of the forest and in the direction of the nearby town.

Adrian returned both of Sylvester's Farfetch'd!
He received HM01: Cut!

[Pixel]

"Yeah, happy to help," he said, rubbing the back of his head as Sylvester gathered up the farfetch'd and handed him the disc. He waved as the boy ran off, clearly happy to have the pokemon back. He stood and watched for a moment before deciding to step out of the forest for a bit as well, to rest as well as to switch around his team some. 

When he returned to the Shady Glen, he had replaced Fancy in his party with Jungle and given the spewpa an experience share to hold (Freya had given it back to him, apparently he'd dropped it and she had been trying to return it to him for a while). He also had Klawdia the Glameow with him, having taught her Cut. He didn't figure she'd be much help out here, but hey, he could see how the spoiled porch cat did out here in the forest.

With a deep breath, he headed deeper into the woods towards the Dense Thicket, which was where the map said he needed to go in order to delve deeper into the forest and eventually cross to the other side.

—

Word Count: 000 | OOC:

Going to Dense Thicket!

Swapped out Fancy for Jungle, and Ig for Glameow. Teaching Glameow CUT.

[Venominon]

Arriving from the Dense Thicket

Once again, Shinya had found himself right back where his journey through the Ilex Forest began. Only this time, there wasn't any frantic woodcutter running around trying desperately to catch his Wild Duck Pokemon before his stern father found out what happened. Those memories did cause Shinya to start chuckling a bit, remembering how Anorith flattened both Normal/Flying types with her Rock Slide. However, an even greater trial awaited the green-haired trainer back in the city known as Violet. A trial that may very well prove to be his toughest and more important one on his journey through Johto so far. Be that as it may, Shinya was confident that he and his team of powerful Bug type Pokemon would be able to overcome any trial that stood before them. And thus, Shinya ventured onward, bound for Violet City, leaving the Ilex Forest behind him for the time being.

OOC: Shinya leaves the Ilex Forest for now, but he'll be back.

[Caramell 🍬]

ZAIDEN KABILA Aspiring Champion Bike Mode: On | Time: Day Memories flooded through Zaiden’s mind as he traveled back into Azalea Town. They were mixed with emotions that was difficult for him to control. How could he help his Pokemon become stronger and eventually reach their full potential? Even his starter didn’t truly believe in him. The disbelief she had of him, and her willingness to completely run away in her haste to escape his incompetence, singed his soul. The wounds they dug were deep. Why had evolution come at such a heavy cost? Kogasu was a talkative and friendly Charmander, willing to trust in him no matter what and stand by his side through any challenge. Now he traveled around trying to come to terms with one moment of his history that haunted him wherever he went. Zaiden knew he needed to shake the moment entirely to break free. He couldn’t climb up the proverbial ladder to be a better trainer if he kept himself at the bottom rung wallowing in his own insecurities. Sometimes, he found the strength within him to speak up and break through the anxieties that locked every fiber of his being at bay. Other times, they were impossibilities that only set themselves as obstacles to prove his worthlessness. He pushed past the front doors to the entrance of Ilex Forest. The large building that stood as the entrance was a simple walkthrough, with a door on either side of the building leading between the wilderness of the forest and the modernness of the town on either side. A simple security guard sat behind a plain wooden desk with his feet kicked up on top of it. He flipped through a magazine with mild interest. “Oh, another trainer?” He voice was calm and simple, nothing more or less to the implication, as he placed the magazine down on the desk and looked up. “What’s your reason for traveling, young man?” He asked curiously. Zaiden would pull out his collection of badges, showing off the one he’d earned from Bugsy. He shrugged, still trying to grapple with his own reasons as well. There were many that seemed to compound upon themselves, but none that he confidently felt he could make good on. “Headed…to the next gym…” Zaiden shyly stated, shrugging the thought off as he glanced away nervously. The guard laughed with a nod of his head and a glance towards the doors that lead out into Ilex Forest. “Really?” He asked in disbelief. “Good luck, you’re gunna need it. I’ve heard her Miltank is no joke!” The guard snatched his magazine up once more and flipped through the pages to where he’d left off. Zaiden pushed through the doors and stared at the wild tangle of vines dangling from the thick branches of nearby trees. Some smaller kids were walking around nearby in a daze, complaining about one of the tall pine trees nearby. “We’ve already seen this tree a million, billion times!” The shortest of the two complained, thrusting her hands on her hips and crunching up her face in anger. “We’ll never show mom we can take care of ourselves if we can’t even figure out where we are!” Zaiden turned to look behind him and…yep. The exit was right there. Ok. So how lost could they be…really? He laughed, shaking his head, and traveled just past them, following the beaten path inside of the shady glen that many before him had already taken. The day felt relatively quiet beyond the two kids bickering. Zaiden mildly hoped that he travels would prove to be rather simple in design, so that there wouldn’t be too much to hold him back. He wouldn’t be aware of the black-haired boy who looked totally distraught hunting for his birds until he’d nearly run face first into him in a daze. “Oh…sorry.” Zaiden apologized shyly, turning his head away briefly. OOC: Looking to start Wild Goose Chase! Words: 644 | Speech. Thoughts. | Pokedex Okiagari | Moyashi | Tonbo | Kanja | Goshikka | Ichi | Zaiden Sprite by Redwerecat!

[Avalon]

Zaiden would be forgiven for not noticing Sylvester, the diminutive and fainlty nerdy young man who was roaming around the glen in a bit of a frantic haze. He had hardly noticed Zaiden either, to be fair, so focused on completing his own little mini-mission was he. He had somehow lost both of his family's Pokemon in the woods despite only reaching the entrance. With no Pokemon of his own, he was confined to this immediate area, too close to the guard house for any dangerous wild Pokemon to roam. But there would be no hope of him finding the lost Pokemon without some kind of help, or some burst of bravery to take him deeper into the woods.

The boy let out a gasp and a shriek of panic, taking a leap back to avoid colliding with Zaiden. "Oh, uh...sorry, I didn't notice you there. I'm kind of in a lot of trouble, and am trying to figure a way out of it..." the meek young man started, his gaze drifting down to the Poke Balls on Zaiden's person. An idea was already beginning to formulate in the apprentice woodcutter's mind, one just dumb enough to possibly work. He would never be able to get through this maze of a forest, even with help. But a Trainer? Now that was a different story.

"You're a Trainer, right? And probably a really good one too, yeah? Look, I was supposed to be taking my dad's Pokemon out to cut wood, so we could make charcoal...anyway, I don't have any badges so they don't really listen to me. Both of them took off into the woods, and I can't go after them. Could you find them for me? I got this super secret Hidden Machine move that I can give you, as a way of saying thank you. You'll have a hard time getting through the forest without some way of cutting down trees, anyway."

Sylvester would continue after Zaiden agreed to help him in this endeavor. "So I saw one of them run off towards a bright place, full of lots of bugs..the other ran off towards this place with lots of fruit and flowers. Sorry I couldn't be more help, that was the best look I could get as they were running away."

Sylvester has lost his Farfetch'd! Use the clues to find where they have run off to and bring them back to the Shady Glen.

[Caramell 🍬]

ZAIDEN KABILA Aspiring Champion Bike Mode: On | Time: Day Sylvester's shriek spooked Zaiden. The biege teenager jumped backwards, feet stumbling through the tangle of tall grass and snake-like vines. He stumbled, managing to just catch himself before collapsing on the ground head first into the tall emerald blades, and gulped. "I...I really didn't...didn't mean to..." Zaiden stuttered, rich chocolate hues nervously staring at the ground as he struggled to speak against the lump that swelled inside of his throat. He couldn't believe how clueless he'd been. Was the other boy hurt? It didn't look like it, though Zaiden's heart raced against his chest as he considered the possibility that he'd seriously hurt the other person. Then Sylvester spoke, letting Zaiden know that he was in some sort of trouble. With the law? Zaiden's mind raced back to the unlikely friendship he'd nearly forged with a strange delinquent when the cruise ship he'd sailed on sunk, stranding them on a strange, deserted island. Shinya wasn't as bad as Zaiden originally made him out to be, though he disliked the lad's affinity for not following the letter of the law. But really evil... and Zaiden was reluctant to say he was wholly bad, either. Just a bit lost in his way, and needing to understand so Zaiden could rest assured that Shinya would be a model citizen, too. "What...kind of trouble...?" Zaiden asked slowly, stealing his breath so that his words remained clean and even. No need to jump to conclusions yet, and definitely no need to call in the local law enforcements without proof. What good would it do to posaibly jeopardize someone's record if there wasn't a thing wrong that they've definitively done? It would only make Zaiden feel worse about his given situation. No. First, he needed to hear from Selvyster's mouth and get a good grasp on what the other lad had or hadn't done. "Did something happen?" Zaiden asked, trying to carefully choose his words. Sylvester continued, explaining the situation after Zaiden nodded, confirming that he was a trainer. He'd had his fair share of having Pokemon that were difficult to manage. His oldest partner and most loyal companion he ever had even doubted his skills. Was Sylvester sure he was talking to the right trainer? Even Zaiden couldn't be positive he was a capable one or skillful one. But he was trying, and hopefully improving, little by little. "I have two badges..." The words were slow and deliberate. He thought back on his battle with Bugsy and smiled, delighted to have broken through the ice to converse with the Bug Type Gym Leader. "I can...try..." No guarantees. No promises. A promise was a terrible thing to break and once broken, would completely sever all trust someone once had instilled within you for the rest of your life. If he wasn't absolutely positive he could do this favor for Sylvester in a reasonable amount of time, he was better off making vague, hopeful statements. Zaiden shoved his hands into his jean pockets and turned back down the beaten path, on the trail of the two elusive ducks. "I'm Zaiden, by the way...see you soon, hopefully!" Zaiden waved goodbye as he began his search. OOC: On to the next place! Luminous Vale! Words: 532 | Speech. Thoughts. | Pokedex Okiagari | Moyashi | Tonbo | Kanja | Goshikka | Ichi | Zaiden Sprite by Redwerecat!

[Pixel]

"What a beautiful day."

Freya stretched and basked in the warm, breezy spring sunshine, soaking in all that wonderful goodness that peeked through the leaves. Dappled light painted her in a patchwork of shadows that set her topaz eye ablaze when struck just right. Toddling at her heels, grumpy about the heat, was Frigibax. Oh woe was she, mourning the loss of winter weather.

<Why are we even here?> groused the little dragon.

"Because this is the way to Goldenrod and the next badge, silly," Freya replied with a cheerful smile. "We have to go this way. I can wander around those first couple routes and just hope the badges teleport to me on their own!" She giggled. "And anyway, it will be funny to tell Adrian we caught up to him~ He's so busy doing all of that police work and breeder stuff that he hasn't been as focused on the gym challenge, so we might just breeze past him despite him being striving for it longer."

<Why are YOU in such a hurry?>

"You know I get restless when I don't have a proper challenge...and besides...the sooner we make it to Blackthorn, the sooner I can show those tamers of the Dragon's Den that my family are still worthy. That were can still tame dragons!"

<...I do not feel very tamed.> Baxy drawled.

"I mean, you could always TRY battling for once. But I won't force you if you're not up to it~"

The little dragon narrowed her eyes and huffed, pausing upon spotting something up ahead. Freya noticed and looked up, offering a smile and a wave, "Oh! Hello there! Do you need some help?"

—

Word Count; 000 | OOC:

Waiting to talk to Sylvester!

[Caramell 🍬]

This was not good! Not good at all! Sylvester searched high and low in his fruitless attempt to find his wild birds and already had the help of another traveler who managed to venture off into the woods to hunt them down. Would anyone be able to drag them back though? The young man chewed at his fingernails anxiously as he peered around the base of large trees and peeked inside of hollowed out logs, calling out to the two birds at the top of his lungs. What on earth would he ever tell his father?!

Someoe called out behind Sylvester, causing the young man to jump a foot in the air. Who was that?! Was it the strange boy who had promised to help him find his wily birds? Was there a problem with the mission, perhaps, or had he actually managed to get the wild birds all along?! Sylvester’s eyes brimmed with hope as he spun on the tips of his feet, then soured in an instance. “Oh…hi.” He greeted nervously with a wave of his hand.

“I’m sorry…I thought…you were someone else. But…do you perhaps have the Hive Badge?” He asked with a nervous glance, as if he were hunting for the badge for confirmation. Should Freya wear hers like some trainers do with pride, Sylvester would point to it excitedly and nod. If not, it would only take Freya confirming that it was to cheer him up. “Oh, good! You see…my dad sent me here with his Farfetch’d. Two of them, to be precise. To gather firewood. But I don’t have any badges, so they won’t listen to me. I need a strong trainer like you to help me find them and bring them back. Mind helping?”

Sylvester crossed his fingers and his toes as he awaited Freya’s response. Hopefully, she was the kind to have a caring heart within her and would do anything to help someone in need. He wasn’t really sure what he would do if she refused or just plain out ignored the offer. Though…she wouldn’t get far. “In exchange, I can share our Hidden Move Cut with you….It’ll help you get through the forest. You see…one of them went to a place full of tasty plants that are safe to eat. And another went to a place with a small creek and lots and lots of bugs!” He added, hoping that would help her out.

Sylvester is asking for Freya's Help!

Wild Goose Chase has started!

[Pixel]

"Some missing farfetch'd huh? Hm. Never seen one of those before, but that's what the pokedex is for!" Freya said cheerfully when Sylvester spotted her badges and told her all about his predicament. She nodded sympathetically. Ah, yes, his plight was quite understandable. "I get that. Sometimes pokemon don't like to listen."

Frigibax huffed.

"Well, hopefully you won't be sent out here with them by yourself again until you can prove yourself to them! I'd hate to bring them back just for them to run off again..." She smiled. "That said, I will be happy to help! And...HM? Right, right, folks have mentioned those a few times since I arrived here. Back home we don't really use those, but I suppose I will need them to get around here! Cut you said? Well, you certainly have a deal. I'll bring them back to learn all about this Cut move."

And with that, she was off, none too bothered by the adventure she was on. Surely she would clear out of here quickly and be back to her gym quest in no time flat! After all, she had already done a gym circut once. All of this was easy peasy.

—

Word Count; 000 | OOC:

Heading to Luminous Vale!

[Pixel]

"Sylvester? SYLVESSSSTER!" Freya called out, her voice muffled by the scarf and the increasingly riotous winds. She couldn't see the boy, but maybe he was doing the smart thing and sheltering, because this dust storm was no joke. Armed with a single farfetch'd and a team member already very injured, she wasn't exactly in a position to just hang around forever and hope that the kid answered her call. So when he didn't respond, she decided to just go searching for the next bird and return later.

But how could she do this faster...

An idea spring to mind sharp and swift!

"Arcanine! Of course." She took out a ball and threw it, revealing the half stone guardian. The hound was unbothered by the sand that bombarded them, his tail happily wagging as he peered at Freya, curious as to why she had summoned him.

<Fight? Run? What does mama need me to do?> he asked, eager to please. <Play? Mama want to play?> He dipped into a play bow and woofed, more than content in this terrible weather. She was jealous. 

"No play time, buddy. We're looking for another farfetch'd and this weather is awful. Can you sniff the other one out for me?" She held up the fainted bird and Arcanine eagerly snuffled it. Those feathers were thoroughly ruffled once the giant hound was done analyzing everything about the waterfowl. 

<Hmmm. Smells like trees.> He observed and sniffed the air. <We're in the forest so everything smells like trees.> 

Freya smiled. Her dear arcanine was sweet but not very bright. She loved him dearly though. "Mind looking for me?" She moved to climb on his back and he waggled a bit eagerly, happy to have his mama with him on this hunt. 

<I look, I look!> He sniffed the air as Freya hid her face in the back of his neck. sheltering herself from the sand even further. He huffed then started to search, head down, looking very intent and focused as he started to sniff out any possible clues... <Where oh where are birdies that smell like treesies...> He started to walk towards the opposite direction from where Freya entered the Shady Glen. <I think I smell birdy like this birdy.> And then he lurched forward, running at that breakneck speed his kind were known for. Riding on him was like riding the very wind itself. Breathless.

—

Word Count; 400 (+400) | OOC:

Coming from Luminous Vale
Heading to Gloomy Ravine

[Frigibax HP @6% before LV up]

One farfetch'd obtained

On wild goose chase quest

[Pixel]

Back to the Shady Glen. She didn't dilly dally because who wanted to loiter when the whole world was trying to rip your face off?! That, and, she needed to leave the forest and buy some supplies before she made her push to Goldenrod. Forging ahead in this sandstorm with so few healing items seemed pretty foolish. Eventually, they found Sylvester again and skidded to a halt near him. Freya dismounting from arcanine a little awkwardly, trying not to drop the farfetch'd that she collected. Even if they were whiny and disobedient, that didn't mean they deserved dumped on their noggins. It probably wouldn't improve their opinions of Sylvester anyway.

She adjusted the scarf around her mouth and nose, "Here you go. I found your missing farfetch'd. They were, ah, pretty easy to find, and not too happy about being found. They're pretty ornery for trainer pokemon...I'm unsurprised they ran off on you." Freya placed them down and adjusted her hair, grimacing as she felt tangles of sand in once perfectly shampooed locks. Yuck. "Have you considered telling your dad that they aren't going to listen to you and that they're so, uh...well...irritable when they have to be with you alone? Sometimes pokemon can be really moody and push limits when their trainer isn't around, and as you saw, they can run off. It's not safe for them to just be out there in the woods wandering around, especially when the weather can turn like this."

Her small speech done, she smiled, "Anyway, you mentioned the HM for CUT? I'd love to learn that hidden move. I assume it will help me traverse this forest if I get stuck." She glanced over her shoulder, "I'm heading back to Azaela for a bit to pick up some potions and maybe a snack and to switch my team around. I could talk to your father? Explain the situation? It's all good if you don't want some weirdo stranger meddling in your business, but there offer is there." 

She was already mentally arranging her team and accounting for the items she needed to purchase. That, and she needed a sandwich. Baxy got hurt and the frigibax would probably be moody if not supplied a proper offering in the form of a cold cuts snack. Freya turned and motioned towards the exit. Whether or not Sylvester joined her with the farfetch'd was his business.

—

Word Count; 400 (+400) | OOC:

Coming from Enchanted Orchard
Waiting for Sylvester to give me CUT!

Two  farfetch'd obtained

On wild goose chase quest

Since I am right here at Shady Glen, making some party changes before continuing into Ilex:

Pawmot, Gyarados and Frigibax into my box.

Wooper, Quaxly and Orthworm into my party.

[Caramell 🍬]

ZAIDEN KABILA Aspiring Champion Bike Mode: On | Time: Day Zaiden’s head hung low as he ambled slowly along the wide pathways that led to the entrance of Ilex Forest. Why did failure feel like this? A thick, slimy film coated his arms and legs, slowly pulling him downwards with every step. His breath was shallow. He no longer struggled through a stream of tears. Zaiden managed to pick himself back up and wipe away the streams that once flowed from his eyes, damming them up by stuffing his emotions into small jars and shelving them as far inside of his head as he could manage. And yet, his breath slowed into a trickle, raising his chest slowly with each inhalation. His heart fluttered beside the lungs, causing his blood to freeze over within his veins, and made Zaiden stagger. He had to fight through the mental fog that held him like a prisoner inside of his head. Unable to live with himself. Unable to come to terms with his failure and admit that he couldn’t stand up to the obstacles placed before him to triumph over them, Zaiden wouldn’t even notice the young woman with two oddly familiar looking birds chatting to Sylvester nearby. “Sylvester…I’m so sorry…” The words were rehearsed, a line upon the screams of his incompetence and uselessness that he repeated to himself on a loop as he neared the area. “I can come back…if you find you need my help…I just….wasn’t prepared.” Zaiden swallowed his pride. He swallowed the urge to go on a tangent about how it was the gross incompetence that caused his failure. How he was doomed to fail in his life because he just wasn’t cut out for this. He wasn’t a skilled trainer. He wasn’t smart or capable in any shape. He shouldn’t even be allowed to think for himself, if he was being truthful. “It beat my Pokemon up and sent her flying out of a tree.” He sighed, quickly wiping away a stray tear bubbled up to the surface. Then Zaiden would turn away from Sylvester and rush back to Azalea, where he could use their nearby Pokemon Center and switch the Pokemon on his team around to be better equipped. ~ * ~ * ~ Time passed and bled into another day. Zaiden purchased a motel room at one of the nightly accommodation stays within the small town. The bath Zaiden took was the best thing for him, both physically and mentally. It rested his soul and filled him with relief as the steam burned his flesh and caused it to turn into a brownish-red tone, a deeper shade from his usual beige pigmentation. He brush his teeth, slipped into his pajamas, and passed out only stirring as morning broke through the heavens in a hues of rich reds and warm yellows. Zaiden would easily repack his belongings and return his room key to the front desk, thanking them for their hospitality, before returning to Ilex once more. What were the chances that Sylvester would still need his help? He was a loser. A washout. A gross oversight left to remain an ugly blight on the world at large. Cut may be basically required to make your way to Goldenrod, but perhaps he could manage to find some other way or spend the rest of his days within the wide depths of Ilex just trying. Would it really matter, after all? Who would come hunting for him way out here? Zaiden’s rich brown hues widened in alarm when they noticed Sylvester once more and confusion choked his lungs. “You’re still here…why?” He asked curiously. OOC: Coming from Luminous Vale. Looking to restart the Quest officially! NEW TEAM CHANGED TO: Shio [Nacli], Mandoru [Drowzee], Tako [Taillow], Kiji [Fidough], Gosshika [Gothita] & Cho [Silcoon]. Also Kanja should have lost a happiness point in last battle and didn't so updating that to -1. Self-Updating! Words: 607 | Speech. Thoughts. | Pokedex Okiagari | Moyashi | Tonbo | Kanja | Goshikka | Ichi | Zaiden Sprite by Redwerecat!

[Professor Oak]

A wave of pure, unadulterated joy washed over Sylvester as Freya deposited the Farfetch'd at his feet. Gone was the frustration, the simmering worry that had gnawed at him since the wayward Pokémon had disappeared. "You're a lifesaver!" he exclaimed, his voice overflowing with gratitude. "I don't know what I would've done without you!" He reached down to scoop up the disgruntled Farfetch'd, their escape attempt leaving them ruffled and indignant. Sylvester winced at their indignant squawks, but his worry quickly dissolved.

Sylvester reached into his bag, rummaging through its contents until his fingers brushed against a familiar, smooth surface. With a flourish, he retrieved a TM and presented it to Freya. "Here," he said, his voice brimming with sincerity, "consider this a token of my appreciation. It's HM Cut. Just use it on a Pokémon capable of learning it, and they'll be able to clear away vegetation blocking your path." Taking a deep breath, Sylvester launched into a detailed explanation of the move's function. 

Freya's offer to talk to his father caught him slightly off guard. A hesitant smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You'd be willing to do that? I mean, it's a bit of a family matter but you'd be doing me a huge favour..." But before he could finish Freya had already disappeared, leaving him all alone with his father’s unruly Farfetch’d.

Freya returned both of Sylvester's Farfetch'd!
She received HM01: Cut!

---

Moments later surprise flickered across Sylvester's face as he spotted Zaiden approaching. Sylvester's brow furrowed slightly at Zaiden's apology. "Ah, you're back…" he greeted tentatively, trying his best to cheer up the dejected-looking trainer. "Actually, things took a bit of a turn and my father’s Farfetch’d have already been returned to me." He explained how a kind young woman with striking black hair streaked with blue highlights had found the lost Pokémon and returned it to him just moments before Zaiden arrived.

Sylvester's smile strained at the edges as the Farfetch'd chose that exact moment to misbehave, the Farfetch'd erupting into their own feathered skirmish. With a synchronised squawk that shattered the forest's tranquillity, the two birds launched themselves into a mid-air duel clashing leeks, thrusting and parrying like a pair of fencers.

"Hold on, you two!" Sylvester cried, his voice strained as he wrestled with the feisty birds. Maintaining a façade of control while these avian fencers engaged in a sword fight was proving to be a near-impossible feat.

~*~*~

When Zaiden returned the next day, he would find Sylvester all alone, a shroud of dejection settling over his features, his voice tinged with a tremor of apprehension as he spoke. "Actually," he began hesitantly, "there's a bit of a situation...”

“The Farfetch'd," he admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "They bolted again." He cast a worried glance at Zaiden. Taking a fortifying breath, Sylvester launched into an elaborate explanation. He spoke of how, in a moment of inattentiveness, the Farfetch'd had managed to escape him once more. "They must've snuck away while my back was turned," he lamented, his voice thick with disappointment.

"But I think I know where they might be," he continued, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes. "They seem to have developed a fondness for these two particular spots and returned to their regular haunts…” He paused, picturing the hidden valley he'd stumbled upon during his search, a gentle stream trickled through the centre. "A sheltered place with running water, maybe?" he added, hoping the babbling brook would be a distinctive landmark.

"And another with food," Sylvester continued, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice. "They seem to have a penchant for… wild plants and succulent berries?” Sylvester knew the clues weren't foolproof, but it was the best he could offer without revealing the exact location. A blush crept up his cheeks. "Please," he stammered, forcing himself to refocus, "if you can just help return my father’s Pokémon for me I promise they won’t escape again!"

Zaiden restarted the Wild Goose Chase!

[Pixel]

Freya exited the forest, HM in hand, and when she looked over her shoulder, she realized that Sylvester wasn't there. She pondered the sight for a moment, a little befuddled, but maybe he decided at the last minute that he didn't want her to talk to his father about this after all...Poor kid. But she couldn't make him do anything he didn't want to do.

Oblivious to the fact that he lost her in the storm and thought she just left him behind, she went to the pokemon center to rearrange her team and plan for the journey ahead. She didn't know if she would have access to her boxes once she was deeper into Ilex, so she had to ensure she was set up for the journey through it. And given what she learned about Ilex, having a pokemon who knew CUT seemed like it would be required...

After combing her boxes for a bit, she decided to add a rattata to her team that she caught a while back and avoided ratty teeth to teach it the TM. Once that was done, she skimmed her messages and saw that Adrian was looking for help evolving some spewpa. Well. She was in Ilex, but he explained that it wasn't the forest related wing pattern he wanted her to try to find. Rather, he wanted her to find the Sandstorm pattern given the weather in Ilex.

Huh. Interesting.

"I can do that," she said. "As easy as taking it outside and giving it a candy." With a chuckle, she accepted the pokemon transfer and put Sandy on her team for tomorrow's trek. The spewpa could join her for at least part of the journey. 

As she prepared to head out again the next day, clean and properly geared up for the storm, a lovely older woman approached her with a smile. She had to be in her mid fourties at the oldest and was possibly younger.

"Are you going into Ilex?"

"Huh? Yeah, I am. Do you need something?" Freya asked the woman.

"Oh, yes, I am looking to find my dear husband," she said. "His memory isn't the best and I am afraid he has lost track of time."

"How long has he been missing?"

"Pish, not missing. I know where he is! I call him every day. But he has been out in Ilex for a long while, doing all that Headbutt training of his."

Freya gave her an odd look but nodded, "Sure. I can help you." The older woman clapped excitedly, happy to have an escort.

—

Word Count; 430 (+400) | OOC:

I'm horribly indecisive. So party shuffle time again.
Moving Orthworm and Wooper to Freya's PC. Moving ratatta to Freya's party and teaching cut. Also moving Sandy the Spewpa into Freya's party from Adrian's PC.

Now moving to Dense Thicket.

(Adding an NPC to my journey for flavor)

[Caramell 🍬]

ZAIDEN KABILA Aspiring Champion Bike Mode: On | Time: Day The young teenager wasn’t sure what to say at that moment. With sands whirling around the area from the storm that recently blew in, Zaiden kept most of his face obscured with a headscarf to protect from the debris that spiraled about. “A…situation?” He asked nervously, reaching one of his hands behind his neck and scratching himself nervously. Was this a common occurrence? And the poor child had to wait and hope someone would be along shortly to solve all his problems? “Is your dad too busy to help?” Zaiden asked so quietly that it was barely above a whisper, worried about offending young Sylvester. What sort of father would do that? Zaiden understood the desire to prove yourself useful and help your parents out, though. His heart twinged with guilt as he considered his own parents back in Kanto and how they relied on him to keep the roof over their heads. At least, Zaiden convinced himself that they needed him even if they may have never directly asked him to help. Rich, chocolate brown eyes simmered with their hidden thoughts as he rolled the idea around in his head. He couldn’t even save his dad when he was losing their family business and had to sell off Zaiden’s favorite Charizard friend. He already failed Sylvester once when he first tried the mission. Yet…here was the lad, young and impressionable as he was. Asking Zaiden to try once more. Was this cry for help out of pure desperation? Couldn’t Sylvester simply drag the two leek-loving birds back home and simply not wander off into the woods alone with them? “That’s good, at least…” He nodded at Sylvester’s notes and turned swiftly to face off down the trail deeper into Ilex Forest. This nightmare wasn’t over with yet. Memories of where he’d crashed and burned along the trek filled him and burned at his soul, reminding him bitterly about his defeat. He couldn’t let those same thoughts pull him back down into despair, however, he had to keep his head held high as he trekked through the tangled overgrowth. New Pokemon joined Zaiden along the trails as he slowly trodded off. “Maybe…help getting them back home, yeah?” The question was left for Sylvester to linger over though, as Zaiden wouldn’t stick around long enough to hear the young man’s response. He had to track the birds down and fast. If they moved on him again, he might lose what little hope he still had in the pit of his chest to continue his journey. The demons that plagued the back of his mind, making him feel as though he could never amount to anything more than a waste of space itself, screamed loudly. Zaiden pushed and shoved them back into their respective boxes with a frustrated grimace. He couldn’t give up yet! Not while there were real people who counted on him and needed him to be capable. He couldn’t fail someone else nearly as much as he failed himself. Not again, at least! OOC: Headed to Luminous Vale! Words: 508 | Speech. Thoughts. | Pokedex Shio | Mandoru | Tako | Kiji | Goshikka | Cho | Zaiden Sprite by Redwerecat!