Forest Exit

[Tiki]

Evergreen Range

Penelope had no idea how long she had been in Ilex Forest but she was definitely glad to leave this place for real now. She actually have things to do in Goldenrod City as well as a gym badge to earn. Given what felt like eternity three years in this forest, and having stepped in various landscape, soil, dirt, as well as experiencing basically so many types of weather, who wouldn't want to freshen up their entire laundry and go back to civilized world to have a nice shower? With the end of forest in sight, Penelope and friends were greeted by a clearing that would lead her to Goldenrod City in the distance!

The narrator would also need a short break before writing her next chapter in Golendrod City, but for now, the Ilex Forest Trilogy had come to an end! The fallen Foongus and Paras would continue to wage war against one another. The wiser Shroomish would study the art of staying the heck away from those other two mushroom Pokemon. The curse in the forest had been lifted! Many Pokemon had evolved under Penelope's care (or indirect care when she was whisked away!), and many more shall evolve into their next or final stages, in the next chapter!

✨~THE END~✨

[Pixel]

There it was. The exit gate.

Silas let out a sigh of relief as he made his way towards it.

This chapter of his journey was winding to a close. He had more badges to collect. More pokemon to catch. And more ranks in the team rocket ladder to climb. And one day, he would have his own business again and be sitting at the top of his proverbial throne. But for now? He was getting out of here.

His feet hurt and he was tired of all these trees!

—

Word Count: 100 | OOC:
Coming from evergreen range
I AM FREEEEE!

Exiting the forest.
I have completed The Forest's Blessing.

Syndicate HP [ 85/89 ]
Mercenary HP [ 80/85 ]
King's HP [ 67/67 ] | Status: Poisoned

[Pixel]

When they reached the forest exit, there was indeed an officer there with a very wealthy looking couple. The man was an upright fellow with a stern expression and a suit, and he kept checking his phone as if he had better things to be doing that reuniting with his lost son. The woman looked just like her son—cherubic face with big blue eyes and curly blonde hair and far too much makeup. There were streaks on her cheeks like she had indeed been sobbing. When they spotted Adrian and Tommy, the woman let out an obnoxious wail like a dying glameow and ran over to Tommy, hugging him tight and practically smothering him. He squirmed, protesting the hug like many boys of a certain age did when their moms were embarrassingly affectionate.

Adrian shook the hand of the officer that met him and gave him the run down of what happened. How he found the boy up a tree and brought him here as quick as he was able...running into a few roadblocks along the way. For the sake of the mother's nerves, he implied vaguely that there were a few very...unusually...aggressive wild pokemon that had to be handled. And how he found an ill chikorita that he wanted to take to the pokemon center.

All was going routine until Tommy squirmed free of his mom and the father started to give the boy a stern lecture. "I should have known better than to give you that pokemon. I had hoped you would not get any ideas about going into the wilds and trying to find one yourself, yet here you are, covered in dirt and bruised up like some street urchin. Not only have you made your mother cry, but your behavior meant that I had to leave a very important meeting." A lecture that Tommy responded to by digging in his heels and fishing out Byte's pokeball.

He waved it in his father's face, "I didn't even ask for this creepy thing!" Oookay, maybe he didn't bond with Byte as much as he originally thought. Surely battling with the porygon taught him the bonds of friendship with one's first pokemon??? "And...and...I don't wanna be a trainer! It's scary...and...and I'm not...a hero." His voice was suddenly quite small. "I...even with Byte...I couldn't...protect anybody. Mister Officer had to save me."

"Kiddo...that's my job. You shouldn't worry about being the hero right now," Adrian ventured. But Tommy was a stubborn child, whirling on him with that audacity from when they first met.

"Look. I know you tried, sir...You tried to help me like...Byte. And...maybe I do like it more. I like Byte enough to know...it needs a better trainer than me." He held it up.

"I can't take your pokemon, kid."

"Then trade!"

"Kid...no," Adrian said firmer. "Your father got you that pokemon special for you—"

The father plucked the ball from the boy's hand, "What is your name officer?"

"Ah...Adrian Hartt?"

"Heart? Like..." he thumped his chest.

"Ah, no. H a r t t," he spelled out loud. Maybe the man just wanted to file a report with the station?

"Noted. I will have the pokemon's registration changed over to you and have it sent over by end of day," the man said. "As Thomas has so insistently said, he does not want this pokemon and I do not care to care for it in his stead as I am very busy."

"Sir, that really isn't—"

The man took Tommy's hand, "Come along, boy. You need a bath."

Tommy looked over his shoulder and waved, smiling a little sadly, "Please take care of Byte for me. I'm sure they will be very happy with a hero like you!" 

That...did not go as planned.

Adrian just waved back, dumbfounded by what just happened, "I...I will. Be safe, kid." And he watched the little family exit the forest. It was his turn to do so as well. He glanced at the other officer, "I guess I need to file a report..."

—

Word Count: 000 | OOC:

Exiting the forest!

Coming from evergreen range

[Pixel]

Back into this accursed forest. He couldn't even hurry things up with his new bike, he had to WALK. Urg. Why did Team Rocket send him on these idiotic fetch quests? And in this weather?! At least the rain was just cold and wet and annoying, but Ilex was currently experiencing a freaking SANDSTORM. Which was THE WORST. No. Just...no.

However, like a good little worker drone he put on some covering clothes, pulled out a hankerchief to tie around his face, and plunged into the forest with a low growl. He would shake his admin if he found out that this request was for some child's birthday or some other such nonsense.

Alas, he was helpless to do much but comply...

For now.

—

Word Count: 124 | OOC:

Entering the forest from Goldenrod.
Heading to Evergreen Range!

Swapping Monsoon for Parasect.
Putting Monsoon into Adrian's PC.
Grabbing the false swipe TM from Adrian's inventory to teach it to Parasect over poison powder.

[Venominon]

Comin' in hot from the Evergreen Range

With the sunlight growing dimmer and dimmer, and the lights of Goldenrod City growing brighter and brighter, Shinya ran faster and faster, heading straight for the gate. But rather than just run through it, Shinya took a deep breath, and jumped straight over the stone wall on the right side of it. After landing safely on the other side, the Bug type trainer bid a final farewell to the Ilex Forest and faced his next big destination with an even bigger grin spread across his face. "Oh, heck yeah! Big city, say hello to Team Skull! Ready or not, here we come!" Even though nightfall was on the horizon, Shinya couldn't resist the urge to take his first steps into a city far bigger than any they had back in Alola and start exploring the tips that Venom gave him. But for some reason, as he did so, Shinya couldn't help but notice a very dark and ominous presence coming from the city itself, raising an eyebrow and wondering what that was all about, as he re-entered civilization at long last.

OOC: So long, Ilex Forest! Maybe Shinya will see you again someday! Or maybe not!

[Pixel]

There. The gate.

After so long in the forest, she was finally free. 

Upon reaching the gate, she slid off Arcanine's back and waved to the guard. She then texted Adrian with a smirk.

[Heading for the gym now~]

[You must have just left Ilex.]

[Yeah, and after a trip to the pokemon center, I will be ready to go.]
[Not my fault you're a slowpoke!]
[Catch up to me on the otherside of goldenrod maybe~?]


[You already feel ready?]

[Heck yeah! I can't wait to show you the progress Teddi made. When you see her next, you will be so impressed! She might even be an Ursaring.]

Pocketing the phone, Freya cheerfully entered the big city.

—

Word Count; 000 | OOC:
Coming from evergreen range and LEAVING!
So long for now, Ilex!

(Note: Moving Amulet coin from Adrian to Freya)

(Adding an NPC to my journey for flavor)

[Pixel]

Silas did not care that he was leaving a sandstorm for the pouring rain. He was OUT. FREE. He could finally breathe easier! Silas threw back his head and practically howled with laughter. Now that he was at the gate he could finally throw that dang bear at the admin and sell that tub of lard he caught. He was free. 

With eagerness untold, he sprinted to the gate, ignoring any odd looks from the gate guards. Honestly, who wouldn't be ecstatic about escaping that place? Ilex was the worst and he didn't look forward to returning.

—

Word Count: 000 | OOC:
 evergreen range is left behind.
Leaving the forest!

[Caramell 🍬]

ZAIDEN KABILA Aspiring Champion : On | Time: Day The gang traveled to the edge of the forest in haste. Zaiden remained hopeful that he would be able to find a hotel soon where he could rent a room and wash the stench of his forested travels off his body. Though he wiped most of himself clean from the murk and mire of the swamps and dusted himself off where appropriate from the various trails running through the densely packed regions of Ilex Forest, it couldn’t replace the clean feel of soap and water. Goshikka turned with wide eyes as she stared excitedly through the thickets around her to the long trailhead leading out of the forest. She needn’t know where it led. She only cared that she was soon free of the trials and tribulations of getting lost amongst so many weeds and brambly bushes ready to claw her to bits! “Hopefully, they know what real food tastes like.” Goshikka commented underneath her breath, tapping the side of her face with one of her leaves. Moyashi grimaced. They were leaving her paradise already?! She turned her head back in the direction they traveled and her face dropped. There were so many tasty bugs that lurked through the long blades of grass, tall sedges, and thick bushes! She wanted to hunt and chase them all. How else could she prove that she was the most capable bug catcher of them all? Even the bird she applauded around that strange, large rock, was testing her capabilities by showcasing its own. “I’m not ready to join modern society!” Moyashi cried, turning away from them and fleeing behind a large tree where she tried to hide. Gena rolled her eyes as Zaiden walked over to his small plant. “Let her stay! Good riddance! She was trying to eat me....do you hear me?!” She tapped Zaiden against the side of his head when he didn’t stop pursuing his Bellsprout. He knelt one knee down on the ground instead and gently reached out to touch Moyashi, hoping to soothe her. “It’s ok, I promise.” Zaiden hummed with a heartwarming smile. He nodded towards the exit, slowly helping Moyashi out of her hiding place. “I’m sure you had fun. It’s the perfect environment for your species. But we need to leave, ok? I’ll try to let you have more playtime later.” Moyashi wiped a single tear away and nodded slowly, before taking her trainer’s hand in her own leaf and following him towards the exit. Gena gasped, immediately crawling atop Zaiden’s head to try and steer as clear of Moyashi as she possibly could. What was her trainer thinking?! “Why couldn’t he just leave you behind?! You’re so mean, you only care about yourself!” Moyashi pressed one of her leaves against her stalk as mimicking ‘placing your hand over your chest’. She stared up at her companion in shock. “I’m only doing what comes naturally to me, you know!” She insisted. Gena glared from atop her ‘high tower’ on top of Zaiden’s head. She rolled her eyes and scoffed loudly, “Sure! Without caring how it affects others! I could have been seriously hurt or worse!” She pointed out flatly. Moyashi hummed, hanging her head for a second. Gena was part of their team, even if she was a bug. Harming Gena meant hurting her trainer, something that Moyashi wasn’t aiming to do. Though she wasn’t remorseful in the least for Gena’s sake, she was remorseful for Zaiden’s sake. “You’re completely right.” Moyashi chimed in shamefully. “I’m sorry, Gena. From now on, I vow never to hurt you or any other bug on our team.” She crossed her leaf over her stalk like crossing her ‘heart’. Together with their trainer, they would leave the forest on better terms with each other than when they first entered the forest. OOC: Coming from Evergreen Range. I AM FREE! Leaving the forest and officially 'making it to Goldenrod' now! Words: 643 | Speech. Thoughts. | Pokedex Moyashi | Raion | Bībā | Kiji | Goshikka | Gena | Zaiden Sprite by Redwerecat!