- Haysu
- The Front Desk
- Announcements
- Black and White!
| Haysu Information | ||
Forum & RPG Rules Account Registration Character Registration Update Request Thread PokéDevice & PokéNET Health & Fatigue System Experience System Haysu's Map ---------- Affiliates Rules of Affiliation |
Update - 2/20/11 - 3/23/11 - Info Update - 12/1/09 - 1/1/10 - Info Update - 10/31/09 - 11/10/09 - Info 
-- 
Light Guide Application |
|
| Welcome to Haysu Rpg. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Black and White!; Event and More! | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Mar 12 2011, 12:43 AM (370 Views) | |
| LordessCass | Mar 12 2011, 12:43 AM Post #1 |
Super Serious
|
So, as all of you know, the United States, Europe, and Australia all have Black and White now, which means several things. First, we're going to be integrating the 5th Gen Pokemon into the game. Second, we might need to update the movesets of our Pokemon. And third, we're gonna have an awesome event to usher all of this new stuff in! May I introduce the Pokemon Black and White writing contest! The prompt you are given is: Your character meets a Unova-native Pokemon. You can get as creative as you want, as this won't be canon in your character's adventure. So you may let whatever shenanigans you wish occur, including interaction with Team Plasma if you are so inclined. The prizes will be: 1st Place: Winner's choice of Snivy / Tepig / Oshawott 2nd Place: 1x Random Gen 5 Egg 3rd Place: 1x Eviolite (Increases the defensive stats of Pokemon who are not fully evolved) Participation: 1x Casteliacone Coupon (redeemable at the Staffport City Ice Cream Booth) The deadline will be April 2nd. There will be a word limit of 5,000 words, and you will submit your stories by PMing them to me. There will be at least three judges, so even the staff members can participate if they wish. The phasing in of 5th gen Pokemon will be announced separately soon. As far as reworking the move sets of Pokemon currently owned by players, I leave it to those interested to look up their Pokemon's 5th gen move sets and mention in an out-of-character note if you wish for me to add a move. Even if a move your Pokemon has right now is no longer in their 5th gen moveset, you can keep it, because it would make no sense for the move to just disappear. So, go crazy, and let the Black and White fun begin! Any questions, just ask here. |
|
"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, power is enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos." -Knuckles Kara's Profile Kara's Journey Kara's Pokemon Rob's Profile Rob's Journey Rob's Pokemon
| |
 |
|
| metronome | Mar 18 2011, 11:36 AM Post #2 |
 
|
5th gen pokemon coming into the region... will any of them be native to the region? Or all imports? Also, will they be coming to all areas or only those yet unexplored (the northeast and eastern parts)? Are gym leaders going to be updated at all? etcetc. |
 Vinanti's Journey  Havelock's Journey | |
|
|
|
| LordessCass | Mar 18 2011, 12:07 PM Post #3 |
|
Super Serious
|
I'm thinking that all of the 5th gens will be imports that flourish in the new environment. This is pretty justified since Unova's stated to be so cut off from everywhere else. They will be added everywhere though, explored and unexplored. At least for the time being, Gym Leaders aren't going to be updated. This could change later on, though. |
|
"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, power is enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos." -Knuckles Kara's Profile Kara's Journey Kara's Pokemon Rob's Profile Rob's Journey Rob's Pokemon
| |
|
|
|
| metronome | Apr 3 2011, 10:42 AM Post #4 |
|
Closed, as of last night! Judging has begun today, by LC, 3kul, myself if needed, and then any other judge that happens to be around. :3 Good luck to all the participants! |
|
Vinanti's Journey Havelock's Journey | |
|
|
|
| LordessCass | Apr 6 2011, 12:55 PM Post #5 |
|
Super Serious
|
The results are in! Third Place: Metronome, with her fast-paced story of Havelock's encounter of the Laguna Yakuza and subsequent discovery of a Pokemon far more frightening than the chaos that ensued. Second Place: Noema, with her story of Noema's travels through an abandoned town, her distraction by ice cream, and the encounter with the amused residents. Aaaand, First Place: Domino, with her story of Domino's encounter with her stepsister, and the conflict of what it means to be a trainer, and whether being a trainer can coincide with doing the right thing. I'll post the stories here for your reading pleasure, and Domino gets to make her choice of her prize. |
|
"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, power is enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos." -Knuckles Kara's Profile Kara's Journey Kara's Pokemon Rob's Profile Rob's Journey Rob's Pokemon
| |
|
|
|
| LordessCass | Apr 6 2011, 01:57 PM Post #6 |
|
Super Serious
|
Metronome "Um, I see 'em every once in a while, but I wouldn't call 'em popular. It's weird, though. Really, the only tattoos I ever see are of water Pokemon. It's weird." The Hyku Pokemart clerk didn’t seem too concerned about the appearance of the Laguna Yakuza members, Havelock noted. Two of its members were meeting right outside the shop the pimply-faced gauk was in charge of. Havelock’s piercing gaze migrated from the clerk’s eyes down to the dipping Adam’s apple, wondering if the kid was just small-town ignorant or if the clan itself was the small fry. “Huh.” The two clan members were young, several years younger than Havelock. The older one wore a black leather coat; he pressed the other kid against him in a side-hug, speaking close, his other hand gesturing in emphasis like a slick-haired know-it-all. The younger one was getting a pep talk of some kind. Maybe Havelock was witnessing a new recruit’s nerves before a hazing ritual, or something bigger. “Weird, yeah. See you.” Havelock tugged at his tie with one hand and strolled leisurely out, slipping into the sunlight like a shark into shallow waters. He walked, maintaining the intention of walking along at his pace past the two boys, as though he hadn’t a care in the world. Really, though, he watched the Laguna Yakuza members intently, letting them get ahead a bit. The older boy slapped the younger heartily on the back, and tossed a pokeball into the air, caught it, rinse and repeat. The younger looked around as they went, watching new trainers mill around. A small group gathered around a battle -- a Rattata, a Starly -- and then a weather-worn sailor standing outside a shuttered home, who watched the pair with a hardened expression. As soon as the sailor took notice, the two thugs turned right, ducking between two houses. Havelock glid, expression calm, watching as first the Laguna Yakuza and then the two kids bolted. “HEY!” the sailor bellowed, ripping off his hat and whipping it to the ground, his sprint formidable as he charged, face red. The two boys ran, baggy clothes billowing, and quickly disappeared behind a house. If he didn’t move quick, Havelock would lose them -- that in mind, he pushed himself into a run, falling into a familiar wide-strided rhythm that quickly left the small crowd of strangers behind. Tall slick grass burst into life behind the small string of houses where the kids had run, leaving a faint part in the green behind them that the hulky sailor improved upon. Havelock brought up the rear, charging through the muck and strong blades of grass, keeping clip with the pursuer ahead. The sailor ran angry -- Havelock’s lungs gummed a bit from the effort and the humid air, his breathing growing labored as they quickly tracked along the village’s river. A wild flash of red ahead heralded the release of pokemon. Muffled shouts, urgency; rapid splashings as, Havelock saw in a flash, the two kids ran straight into the river, kicking up huge gushes of water as a Staryu and Lombre pushed and hurried the two kids along, half-dragging, half-carrying them through the violent waters. Their dark outlines were quickly swallowed by the raging currents, and their pokemon barely kept float -- the two young men were swept along, the younger, with the Staryu, having more trouble approaching the opposite bank -- he quickly shrunk into the distance. The sailor released a Cloyster and lept nimbly unto its shell. The massive pokemon took to the water like a tank, mowing up the distance to the opposite bank in half the time it took the older boy with the Lombre. He grabbed the kid by the back of his shirt as he tried to scramble up the bank with the help of a hobbled, drenched tree; Havelock could make out shouting over the fierce, base rumble of the river. The kid managed to break away from the sailor, his nimbler pokemon following suit and standing beside him. Pointing, shouting -- undeniable anger on the part of the sailor, Havelock noted. There wasn’t much preamble. As the boy shouted back the Cloyster launched shards of ice at the impish Grass/Water type, a glowing absorb-like attack responded, and then another wave of ice shards cut into the Lombre, knocking it back and unto the ground. The whole exchange took only a few seconds. Havelock stood his ground on the original bank, standing right its edge, his foot having sunk into the mud enough for the waters to tear and pull at his lower leg. Water dashed against jutting rocks, spraying him then and again with rough slaps. The younger boy was long gone; the sailor, now, was coming back across the bank, the Laguna Yakuza hot-shot draped over top the clam pokemon. Its shell was clamped mostly shut -- what kept it from sealing entirely was the boy’s arm, which was caught there in the vice-like grip of the sailor’s pokemon. “Ahoy!” the sailor called, as he was ferried across by the Cloyster. He was waving to Havelock. “Hey you, deck-hand! Help me out!” Havelock realized that the sailor must recognize him from the boat ride earlier. He had spent a short stint helping man the ship as they neared the coastline. The sailor’s Cloyster ran into the muddy bank, squelching into the drenched earth. The boy was writhing and crying out in pain; Havelock wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that the captive arm had been broken. The triumphant do-gooder hopped off his pokemon, face hard as he glanced over to Havelock. His expression changed from one of due purpose to one of shock, and then disbelief. He jabbed a finger into Havelock’s chest. “YOU --!” His long sleeve shirt, a white button down, was soaked. It clung to his skin and through it, now, Havelock realized, his seamless, flowing tattoo mural of Water-type pokemon showed through, glazed a bit as though seen through tracing paper. The captive boy made the same connection, and spit in the sailor’s face just as he grabbed Havelock by the shirt and swung his meaty fist. It happened too quickly for Havelock to bring up his hands in time -- a lightning flick of pain on his jaw and the brute thump of the connection, and the two went down into the water, having lost their footing on the thick mud, and were quickly swept up into the current, limbs dashing against the gritty rock the water coiled and surged around, all at once cold and wet and moving fast. Within seconds his briefcase collided with a rock and was jerked, stingingly, from his grasp. The sailor was right beside him, maintaining a hold on his shirt. Its collar dug deep into Havelock’s neck -- the garment’s buttons held fast for the moment, choking him. With a surge they were lifted over a smoothed boulder and then pitched downward into the water; the tag-along loosened his hold and Havelock, reeling, felt a cold shock of air and drew in a ragged breath. His briefcase spun and dipped ahead of him, the banks on either side were too far to reach for. Ahead a rocky wall loomed, marking a turn in the river’s path. Havelock started in alarm and made to swim in the direction of the turn, to get away from the unforgiving wall rushing to meet them. The sailor did likewise; they swam hard as the rough red and gray rock surged towards them. As the bend in the water’s trajectory unfolded, Havelock realized the rock wall continued another dozen yards past the turn. Helpless, the two were propelled into the rock, hitting it hard. Brief flashes of an earthy smell, the burn of scraped flesh and the flash of a pain that the adrenaline dulled; for a moment pinned, Havelock struggled to regain his lost breath, while the sailor, who had been further on the inside of the turn, was swept along and quickly disappeared. Reaching beside, Havelock’s fingers scrabbled for purchase on the gritty, sand-paper like rock wall. The water flowed hard, making it difficult to come away; it ran along his stomach and front, buffered his legs and threatened to sweep him away if he came too far off the wall. His body throbbed, his eyes stung from the lashing of the water and his head felt waterlogged. He reached with his hand, half-blind to what he was doing, when his palm hit another texture. A rumbling sounded, loud enough to drown out the noise of the Hyku river. “BYOOUUUUOUUUUOUUUUU,” it roared, piercing and deep, terrifying in that it reminded one of a pitch-black drop into the earth -- echoing, cold hard walls and lightless corners, the unforgiving power of a mountainside far away from the reaches of civilization. Havelock’s ears rung. He looked up and saw a thick, pyramid-like rock too chiseled, too oddly smooth, to be natural. It was deep blue with chunky red crystallized gems embedded into it. Spaced, like toes, with a thick, wicked looking red stone spear at the knee. Its body looked made out of cold opaque blue steel, or rock -- a red horn split into its head, which was sided with fierce gold and red eyes and rimmed with massive rock teeth. Havelock had never seen anything like it. Adrenaline already saturated his blood; ears ringing from its powerful howling, he could only look on in shock, drenched and mangled from the river. His hand rested on what was its foot, apparently, something he noticed with a hair-raising terror as it began to rumble and shake -- dust shook off the surrounding rock and hung in the air like a menacing swarm of bees, hovering and ready to begin searing the flesh from his bones. It stomped its other fore foot, crashing it down into the bank, and then lifted the one that had been hung over onto the rock. “GROOOUUUUUUUU!” it bellowed, its massive appendage rising like an anvil over Havelock’s head. Havelock twisted, the water catching the flat plane of his back and once and pitching him into the water again, submerged, exchanging possible death for a sure one as the earth shook from the creature’s impact mutedly through the water, chunks of rock falling into the river at the bend Havelock was quickly swept away from. Edited by LordessCass, Apr 6 2011, 01:58 PM.
|
|
"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, power is enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos." -Knuckles Kara's Profile Kara's Journey Kara's Pokemon Rob's Profile Rob's Journey Rob's Pokemon
| |
|
|
|
| LordessCass | Apr 6 2011, 01:58 PM Post #7 |
|
Super Serious
|
Noema Well, Noema certainly hadn't seen this place before. Despite having the appearance of a city, that metro feeling was absent from the area, instead leaving the place shrouded with a hallow lifelessness. The dark, cobbled streets were empty, and the buildings lacked the presence of souls. Then again, this would be expected with the moon as high as it was. Still, one wouldn't think it'd be this... bare. And yet... She could've sworn that streetlamp had been watching her. But when she whipped around to examine it, there were no signs of life. No movement. No eyes staring back at her, nor lids covering where she'd expect them to be. The fixture appeared to be quite old. For a streetlight, it was surprisingly decorative, with its pointed cap and two fanciful swirls, one on each side, directly beneath its shimmering blue flame. ...It seemed strange that a town would be lit by candlelight in this day and age. The trainer succumbed to her paranoia and released her eldest, most purple companion to escort her through this abnormally unnerving village. "Scare off anything that looks suspicious, would ya? This place gives me the creeps." Her Koffing rolled his eyes. He was a hovering ball of gas. What was he supposed to do? Flex his mighty limbs? Oh yeah, real intimidating stuff right there. But Noema trusted him, and continued strolling through this curious place. Gantz hovered along beside her, leaving his usual trail of exhaust. The next streetlamp had the incandescent bulb one would expect to see in such a fixture. Noema smiled to herself upon finding something ordinary and familiar. It was comforting to think that there was at least a speck of normalcy here. "See? That's how a light's supposed to look." She told her gaseous friend, though it was more to reassure herself than him. Having no idea what lunacy his trainer was going on about now, Gantz turned his gaze to the lamp before them, and glanced back at the one they'd already passed. They looked the same to him. She must be losing it. Or perhaps she never had it. He'd been contemplating that theory for a while now. The vacant street was lined with specialty shops for all kinds of oddities. In their windows, some claimed to sell things Noema had never even heard of. I mean, why would you ever need an expectoration tube? What the hell was expectoration anyway? She decided not to think about it too hard and gave her attention to other things. Specifically, she gave it to the ice cream parlor just one shop down the way. It looked like one of those old-time places she'd seen in movies, the ones that always added that extra "-pe" to the name of their "shoppe". The store's sign, though just barely visible, shimmered in the moonlight as if it were covered in snowflakes. It was shiny. She couldn't ignore it. Looking through the large glass that surrounded the exterior of the building, she saw that the inside fit the classic soda jerk model perfectly. Stools stood lined up at the counter, just waiting for a customer to come in and enjoy a sundae. Noema couldn't deny them that. Oh no. And so she entered the establishment, the door clinging against a small bell perched above it. Gantz couldn't fathom why she'd want to spend a moment more than she had to in this town if she was supposedly so "creeped out" by it, and didn't really have the best feeling about any of this. "Koff..." he uttered lowly, trying to get his trainer's attention. However, his hushed, worried voice was no match for the glorious tubs of ice bliss kept in the frozen display. Noema rushed to press her face against the glass that protected the goods from her dribbling saliva. "Look at these!" she exclaimed to her partner, pointing at her favorite flavors. She turned to see that her comments had only been met by her Koffing with an irritated frown. "No, really, get over here and look!" Gantz reluctantly drifted toward the glass case and joined her in observing her find. And then the thought occurred to Noema's greedy little mind. This place is deserted, isn't it? It certainly did look abandoned, apart from the fact the freezer was still on. So they left it that way. And the ice cream didn't look like it'd been there that long. But since when did ice cream get ever old? Besides, there's no one else in this dump anyway. Without another thought, she found her way to the other side of the counter and prepared to serve herself the greatest sundae known to man. Her Koffing attempted to stand in her path, but she merely waved him away. Obviously her discomfort had disappeared ages ago. "Koffing!" he scolded her, not wanting to be a part of this delicious heist. Noema turned her gaze away from the heavenly flavored tundra before her, and was about to dismiss her companion's disapproval when she spotted something ruffling around in the back of the service area. So maybe it wasn't as deserted as she'd originally thought. "O-oh... uh..." Whoever it was, they appeared to be wearing a suit of some kind. It was the shape of a soft-serve cone and had a light color, visible in the darkness now that Noema's eyes had long been adjusted to the lack of illumination in the room. "I, um... I'll pay for this. ...I think." In all honesty, her tower of ice cream was beginning to look less delectable and more expensive by the second. But they didn't respond. "Hey, are you listening?" she asked, approaching them. As she drew closer to the stranger, she soon realized their abdomen was merely floating there, with no legs to support it. Okay, that's kind of... Once again unnerved, she took a step back. The being gradually twisted around, revealing its face to the girl and her now pale Koffing. Its unsettlingly vast smile wrapped across the bottom of its creamy torso and its eyes were like warped crystalline saucers, staring right through them. Her sundae hit the floor. Noema made a mad dash for the door with Gantz trailing not far behind her. The girl swung the door wide, clanging the hung bell with so much force that it clattered to the ground. The pair rushed out as fast as they could only to meet face-to-face with a familiar blue flame, this time staring back at them with beady gold pupils. The frightened trainer let out an abrupt, shocked screech and tumbled backwards. Her Koffing reacted similarly, and fearfully exuded a thick, gray smoke that covered the entire lot. Upon losing her eyesight but regaining the rest of her senses, Noema picked herself up and stumbled out of the smog. Seeing that Gantz had already managed to exit his accidental screen, Noema took off toward the city limits. Gantz was quick to follow. She'd had enough of this place and its deceitful sweets and streetlamps. As the smog cleared, the sentient cone reared its head from its now tattered abode and joined its lampshaded friend in watching their visitors disappear into the horizon. What strange guests we get around here... |
|
"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, power is enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos." -Knuckles Kara's Profile Kara's Journey Kara's Pokemon Rob's Profile Rob's Journey Rob's Pokemon
| |
|
|
|
| LordessCass | Apr 6 2011, 01:59 PM Post #8 |
|
Super Serious
|
Domino The Lost and the Hunted “Are you really sure about this, Dominica?” Her mother’s words hung in the air and felt very small. There was a silence for a moment, and then she began again. “Katherine would love for you to travel with her right here in Johto, and Maurice’s Dunsparce is a very reliable Pokemon…” “My mind is made up,” Domino replied flatly, picking up a stack of shirts and placing them in her bag. Her face was impassive, but her eyes flickered in a cool irritation. Only her mother still called her Dominica. Everybody else had switched to her nickname years ago. As for the Dunsparce, Domino had always felt that Pokemon resembled their owners and vice versa. “But are you sure?” Her mother asked weakly, leaning against the doorframe as though her energy were seeping out into the carpet. Somehow, the few feet between them felt like a chasm. “I’m going to Haysu.” And that was her daughter’s only reply as she closed her bag. --- And now here she was, in Haysu. Somewhere in Haysu, anyway. She wasn’t sure where exactly, but that was what asking locals for directions was for. “Let me get this straight,” the man in front of her said, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow in undisguised amusement. “You were trying to get to Ruvotus?” “That’s right,” Domino said, shifting her weight uneasily. The Togepi in her arms trilled in amusement at the man’s expression. On her shoulder, a small Murkrow gazed at him indifferently. “I’ll go out on a limb and guess that this isn’t it.” “I’ll say it isn’t!” The man chuckled and spread out his arms to indicate the town behind him. The tiny buildings and lush vegetation surrounding them were a far cry from the tall buildings and endless cement one would expect of a large city like Ruvotus. “Welcome to Xevan Town, honey!” Domino sighed. Just my luck. “So… am I anywhere near Ruvotus?” she asked delicately. “Oh, sure. You only went in the complete opposite direction,” he chortled. “Ah.” “I mean, really, I’ve never heard of anyone screwing up their directions quite that badly.” “I see.” “It truly is a marvel.” “I’ll be going now.” With that, Domino sharply veered around her amused informer, who was now shaking with his arms wrapped around him, and stalked into the village. She clenched her teeth as she heard a final laughing bark of “Ruvotus!” behind her. “Well guys,” Domino sighed to her Pokemon as they walked toward a building that she hoped was an inn, “We’re here now. How about we spend the night here and head out in the morning?” The Togepi squealed happily, excited to explore a new town full of potential friends, while the Murkrow gave an untroubled caw. Domino smiled slightly. That was one of the best things about her Pokemon—they were easy to satisfy. “Alright then,” she replied, “Let’s go get a room. I could really use a shower.” Having been a girl always inclined to showering daily, the traveling hygiene adopted by most Pokemon trainers did not appeal to her in the slightest. The Xevan Town Inn wasn’t difficult to find, fortunately. Domino was able to spot it from the sheer size of the crowd surrounding it—certainly unusual for small town like this. Even more unusual was the fact that whereas the training crowd that Domino had just left in Yew Village was composed primarily of ten year-olds and their starting Pokemon, the trainers here were almost all her age and older with far more powerful Pokemon following them around. Domino tried not to stare as she passed a youth a few years older than her barbecuing hamburgers on a small grill with the help of his Charmeleon. She did wince a bit as a grizzled man a few feet away tossed what looked suspiciously like a skinned Rattatta to a mean-looking Feraligatr, who swallowed it in a single chomp. This… is certainly different. “Domino!” A voice suddenly cried from somewhere behind her. Domino wheeled around, her brow furrowed in confusion. She didn’t know anyone out here in Haysu, so how could they— “Domino!” The voice rang out again, as if to assure her that she was not imagining things. Domino craned her neck, peering out into the crowd of trainers. Who could possibly be calling me? Her curious expression swiftly changed into a pained grimace like someone who had just stepped on broken glass. She had caught sight of the figure coming towards her. Even in this crowd, there was no mistaking her. “Katherine,” Domino sighed in greeting as her step-sister reached her side. The eighteen year-old looked as cheerful and confident as always, her mass of red curls gathered into a ponytail behind her head and her tan and freckled arms placed akimbo on her hips. Her outfit was simple, just a green tank top paired with khaki shorts held up by a belt carrying a full six Pokeballs in its notches. In other words, this was a woman who looked like she belonged here. “Did Eunice send you to check up on me or something?” Domino asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Of course not. And you shouldn’t call your own mother Eunice,” Katherine laughed merrily, her ponytail bouncing back and forth behind her head. “I’m actually surprised to see you here—you really stand out in a crowd like this! I would have thought you’d head to a big city like Ruvotus or Staffport.” “Yeah well,” Domino glowered at the ground, her cheeks flushing. “I came here. How did you get here, anyway? My boat only just got in a couple days ago.” “I flew, silly!” Katherine replied, tapping one of her Pokeballs and smiling. “Of course you did,” Domino sighed, placing a hand on her forehead. “But look at you!” Katherine exclaimed, indicating Domino’s Pokemon with a wave of her hand and a toothy grin. “You already have two Pokemon!” “Oh, yeah. This is Lucy and this is Rowan,” Domino added, feeling a sense of stubborn pride rising in her chest. Lucy, who was always happy to meet new people regardless of who they were, trilled cheerfully and waved her tiny nubs. Rowan, on the other hand, did not look much more impressed with the newcomer than his trainer. “Well isn’t she a sweetie!” Katherine crooned, grinning down at the merry little Togepi and pointedly ignoring the Murkrow. “I would have recommended a stronger starter for someone like you, like a Squirtle or Cyndaquil, but I’m sure you two will do fine.” “I wouldn’t trade Lucy for any other starter,” Domino retorted thickly, then quickly changed the subject. “What are you doing here, anyway?” “Well, the same thing as everyone else, of course!” Katherine laughed and gestured to the crowd around them. “Crowds like this don’t grow on trees, you know! I guess you wouldn’t know, though.” She leaned in and dropped her voice to a whisper, even though the rest of the crowd surely already knew whatever she was telling Domino. “There’s been sightings of a really rare Pokemon in these parts!” “So you’re all going to try to catch it,” Domino finished flatly. “Right. Have fun with that. I’m just here for the night and then I’m leaving.” “Well you won’t be getting a room at that inn!” Katherine chuckled. Can this girl do anything without laughing? Domino wondered irritably as the redheaded girl continued. “They’ve been full all week. Look, how about you come and camp with me in the mountains for a night or two? We can have some bonding time! Girl talk it up and all that, you know?” “We’re really in a hurry to get back on our journey,” Domino replied quickly, taking a step back. “Aw, come on. I’ll give you guys a ride to your next destination. Anywhere you want!” Katherine added with a grin and a wink. “I… fine. That would be lovely,” Domino agreed, looking like she would rather eat a bag of rusty nails. --- That, Domino reminded herself, was why she was here. Because she could get a ride to Ruvotus without having to worry about getting lost again. She was careful to keep this in mind as Katherine, who had returned to their campsite empty-handed after a day of prowling the woods and mountains, and had since droned on and on about proper Pokemon care and travelling tips. “…And that is why you should really get a pair of hiking boots like these,” Katherine pointed to Domino’s scuffed and dirty pair of white boots and then to her own. “Uh-huh.” For a moment, there was silence except for the crackling of the campfire next to them. Lucy had long since fallen asleep on Domino’s lap, and Rowan had joined her soon after with his head tucked under his wing. “So…” Katherine stared ahead into the fire, for once not chuckling about anything. “So.” “That ride I promised you.” “Yeah?” “Did you want it to be back to Johto?” “What?” Domino’s head snapped up and she glared at her stepsister, who for once was the one not making eye contact. “Why would I want a ride back to Johto?” “Because,” Katherine began carefully, pausing for a moment to poke at the burning logs with a stick. “This is a really dangerous region, and I don’t think that you’re ready to travel around in a place like this alone.” “I’m not alone!” Domino snapped. Rowan jerked his head up, though Lucy snored on. “I have two Pokemon with me!” “And I’m sorry, but both of them are pretty weak,” Katherine replied wearily. Rowan did not seem especially pleased by this remark and ruffled his feathers. “Look, this isn’t like Johto. It’s safe for new trainers there. You could end up killed here, and neither I nor your mother wants that.” “I don’t think that’s any business of yours or hers,” Domino snarled, her lips curling over her teeth. “It is our business!” Katherine retorted, rearing up like the fire in front of her. “Because, believe it or not, Domino, your mother does love you.” “Yeah right,” Domino seethed. “That’s why she completely abandoned me and my father.” “Speaking of your father,” Katherine shot back, “How do you think he’s going to feel if he finds out that his only daughter got eaten by a Tyranitar?” That struck a nerve with Domino. With one hate-filled glare at the redhead, she had grabbed her bag and was gone, Rowan following behind her. --- That had not been one of her best ideas, Domino decided as she made her way through the trees. She had been wandering around for hours now, and the sun was only just coming up. Lucy had awoken in her arms not long ago, and was rather confused as to why they were no longer at the campsite. But because both Domino and Rowan seemed committed to not talking about last night’s events, the Togepi resigned herself to quietness. “This is hopeless,” Domino sighed. Her face was covered in scratches from walking into tree branches all night, and the dark shadows under her eyes wouldn’t look out of place on a ghost-type. She turned to Rowan, who had been following along by flapping from tree to tree. “Rowan, could you fly up and look for Katherine?” As much as she hated the idea of seeing her step-sister again, the fact remained that she was unlikely to find her own way back to town. The Murkrow nodded, and then was above the treetops in an instant. Domino’s defeated mood was interrupted by a low, mocking laugh from behind her. She whirled around as a sinister-looking man in his twenties stepped toward her, followed by an equally cruel-looking Hitmonlee. As it turned out, Domino’s theory of Pokemon resembling their trainers wasn’t entirely unfounded. “Well, look what we have here,” the man jeered, advancing on her. “A little lost girl.” “I-I’m not lost,” Domino stammered, clutching Lucy to her chest and stepping back. “That so?” he cackled, taking another step towards her. “That’s a nice little Togepi you got there.” This time, Domino didn’t reply. It felt like her tongue was paralyzed. “I was out here looking for Virizion,” the man continued. “But I’d settle for that Togepi in the meantime. How’s about it, sweetheart? …Or do my partner and I have to convince you?” Domino had no intention of sticking around for whatever convincing entailed. Forcing herself to move, she took off through the trees as fast as she could. Oh god, why? She thought desperately as she raced along, Lucy squealing in terror. The man and his Hitmonlee weren’t far behind them. Tree branches smacked her in the face as she ran. Her heart felt like it would burst through her chest any minute. Was this the end? What would happen to her and Lucy if they caught up to them? She didn’t have to wait long to find out. They had reached a clearing in the woods, but Domino still had the misfortune to trip on a root near the edge of it. With a squeal, Lucy bounced out of her arms and into the underbrush. Domino only had time to turn around and get to her knees before her pursuers advanced. “That,” the man growled, his eyes vicious slits just like his Hitmonlee’s, “was not a smart move. Hitmonlee, use—“ The man never had time to finish his sentence. A pale green flash had come barreling out of the woods towards them. The man’s eyes widened, his mouth opening and closing like a Magikarp’s. “Vi-“ he began, but his sentence was cut off as the green blur delivered an attack that sent him flying over the treetops, far away from the little clearing. The Hitmonlee barely had any time to register a reaction before it too was sailing over the trees. Domino winced and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable. But it didn’t come. After a moment, she opened them to see a giant green antelope-like creature towering over her with a once-again cheerful Lucy on its back. Domino had never seen anything like it before, but that didn’t matter. She knew. “V-Virizion,” she squeaked, finishing the name for her would-be attacker. “Pi!” Lucy chirped, sliding down the majestic Pokemon’s leg and toddling back to Domino. Domino knelt down and picked up Lucy, never once taking her eyes off the sight in front of her. This was a Pokemon as far removed from her and even Lucy as possible. This was a Pokemon who would never be contained within a Pokeball. This was the embodiment of nature and freedom itself. Virizion eyed her over, its expression suggesting that it was not impressed with the sight before it. With a final derisive snort, it turned and was off in a flash. “…Thanks,” Domino said, staring after it, though of course it was too late. --- Unfortunately, Domino realized as she continued on through the forest, she still had no idea where they were. How would Rowan possibly be able to find them now? “Toge,” Lucy chirped. The little Togepi looked almost as worried as her. “Don’t worry, Lucy,” Domino tried to reassure her Pokemon in a quivering voice. She didn’t feel very convincing. “Look, the trees are thinning out up there…” They emerged from the forest in front of a large but rickety-looking house built in front of the mountainside. Domino tentatively stepped forward with bated breath. Hopefully whoever lived here would be willing to help them—and be much kinder than the last person they had met. Domino stepped up to the porch. A ragged-looking Persian was splayed out across it nursing a litter of tiny Meowth kittens. It opened an eye and peered at her, but didn’t move. Domino raised her hand to knock on the door when a figure stepped from around the side of the house. The old woman looked them over, her lips sneering against gums with only a few teeth left. Her hair was nearly as ragged and matted as the Persian’s. For a moment, she stood there staring at Domino in disdain. “Pokemon trainers,” she spat finally, though it was only Domino there. She pushed past the confused teen and stepped through her doorway. “Out to catch Virizion, are you?” “N-No,” Domino stammered. The old woman wasn’t outright terrifying the way that the man with the Hitmonlee had been, but something was definitely off about her. “Virizion,” the old woman snarled, ignoring Domino’s protests. “The sacred Pokemon that protects all other Pokemon from people like you. And you all want to catch it and lock it up in one of those little Pokeballs.” She glared pointedly at the balls on Domino’s bag strap. “Virizion. And you want to catch it.” She spat a glob of sticky saliva onto Domino’s boot and then slammed the door. Domino barely had any time to think the occurrence over before she heard a flapping of wings and cacophony of cawing. Whirling around, her heart nearly burst in relief to see Rowan rushing towards them. But the Murkrow seemed to be telling them something urgent. “Rowan!” Domino called, rushing off the porch and toward him. “What…” She trailed off, staring into the Murkrow’s frantic eyes. “…Take me there,” she finished. She once again felt like her heart would burst as she raced after Rowan, who was flapping his black wings as if his life depended on it. Lucy had been returned to her Pokeball so that Domino could run unencumbered. What could possibly be going on to get the Murkrow into such a state? She should have known, she thought, as she raced out of the trees and skidded to a halt. There was Katherine. There was her Venusaur and her Pidgeot. And there—there was Virizion. “Take down, Venusaur!” Katherine commanded as the giant reptile launched itself into the deerlike creature, who leaped out of the way in the nick of time. It did not seem to be in very good shape. Its flanks were heaving and it looked wobbly on its feet, but it still retaliated by slamming its curved horns into the attacking Venusaur. Unfortunately, it was tackled from behind by the Pidgeot, who grasped the green Pokemon’s antlers in its talons and threw back to its partner. For a moment, Domino was rooted to the spot. And then she remembered the clearing. How this Pokemon had saved her—a human!—and how it had brought Lucy back to her. And she remembered the strange old woman’s contempt at the foolish arrogance of a trainer who would try to trap this symbol of unyielding nature. She couldn’t let it be captured. It would be a betrayal. “Katherine, stop!” Domino cried as she ran out toward the scene, Rowan squawking in her wake. Katherine looked more than a little surprised to see her stepsister rushing at her, but nodded at her Venusaur for another Take Down. “Domino,” she said, turning back to her, “What do you want?” “You can’t do this!” Domino cried as this time the stag Pokemon was pinned beneath the bulk of the Venusaur. Its movements were becoming more and more weak. It panted and struggled beneath the Venusaur, but couldn’t free itself. “And why exactly can’t I?” Katherine asked irritably, raising an eyebrow. “B-because it’s Virizion!” Domino panted, only realizing that stating the obvious was not much of a convincing argument after the words had left her mouth. The exhaustion of the day’s events was beginning to catch up to her, but she forced herself to remain upright. “Uh, yeah, I know. Keep holding it down, Venusaur!” Katherine called, returning her attention to the battle. “No! What I mean is that…” Domino trailed off. Even she wasn’t sure what she meant entirely. It was a Pokemon, after all, and Katherine was a Pokemon trainer. But the memories of the incident in the clearing and the strange old woman’s contempt at the idea of catching Virizion pushed forward once again. She couldn’t articulate why she felt like this Pokemon shouldn’t be captured, but she knew a bit of the legend surrounding it now. “This is a Pokemon that helps other Pokemon! It won’t be able to if you catch it!” “This is a legendary Pokemon!” Katherine snapped. The redhead was clearly getting tired of her stepsister’s verbal interference. “Every Pokemon trainer dreams of catching one! You’d know that if you actually took training seriously instead of using it as an excuse to run away from your problems!” “I’ll show you serious!” Domino shouted, balling her hands into fists and stepping forward. “I—We’ll stop you!” Rowan soared behind her and screeched at the battle before him. Virizion was barely moving now. The sheer weight of the Venusaur was enough to knock it out now that it had been weakened so drastically. “You’re kidding, right?” “R-Rowan!” Domino stammered, her eyes widening as if she didn’t quite know what she was doing anymore. “U-Use Peck on the Venusaur!” Rowan hesitated, just like his trainer. He was nowhere near strong enough to take on either of Katherine’s Pokemon, let alone both at once. But he couldn’t just stand by and watch Virizion be captured, either. Crowing a battle cry, he launched himself toward the grass type. “You’re actually serious,” Katherine sighed, putting her hand to her forehead. “Pidgeot, use Wing Attack on the Murkrow.” With a much louder screech, the Pidgeot ceased circling around the battle and swooped down, sending Rowan flying with one slap of its powerful wings. “Rowan!” Domino cried, running after him. The Murkrow had hit the ground and tumbled several times over the grass—he was out cold long before Domino reached him. Cradling her downed Pokemon to her chest, Domino stared helplessly at the scene before her. Virizion had stopped struggling, its majestic head dropping to the ground. There was nothing she could do now. “Alright, Venusaur! Step off it now!” Katherine ordered, taking a Pokeball off of her belt and advancing forward. Virizion lay there unconscious on the grass. The trainer’s face was aglow with disbelief and glee. She had done it! She, of all people, would capture Virizion! She raised the Pokeball over her head, ready to throw it at any moment. Then she looked up at where Domino was kneeling on the grass, staring at them mournfully. She paused, her fingers tightening around the sphere. A moment passed where everyone seemed to be frozen. Then Katherine sighed and lowered the Pokeball. “Venusaur, good job. Return.” Katherine replaced the empty Pokeball and recalled her Pokemon, then fished in her knapsack and pulled out a bottle of healing potion. Kneeling down, she sprayed it on the fainted Virizion, whose eyes snapped open immediately. Before any of the others could blink, it was off streaking across the hills. Katherine stood there motionless, watching it go. There was no taking back her action now. After a few moments, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see her step-sister standing behind her, staring at the ground. "Thanks,” the dark-haired girl murmured. “It means a lot.” “Don’t worry about it,” Katherine sighed, casting one last glance to the hills even though Virizion was long since out of sight. “…There’s other legendaries to catch. Other chances to catch them. Maybe next week.” “Hah,” Domino laughed. The sound was small and awkward. But soon it was followed by nervous laughter from both trainers that turned into shrieks and gasps of dazed mirth. “So,” Katherine cleared her throat once her own laughter had subsided. “About that ride.” “Yeah?” Domino asked, the glow of her laughter being quickly replaced by the shadow of worry. Katherine walked over to her Pidgeot, who had been staring off to the side and doing its best to ignore its trainer’s fit of temporary hysteria. “Where in Haysu do you want to go? Or would you rather stay around Xevan?” “I think I’ve had enough mountaineering,” Domino replied, pretending to think it over. “I’ll take a ride straight to Ruvotus. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had a good shower?” “Do I win a prize if I guess right?” Katherine teased, then climbed onto the back of the giant bird. “Well, climb on!” Domino laughed, this time a much more natural and easy one. Swinging her leg over the Pidgeot’s back, she climbed up behind Katherine. “Flight Pidgeot 123 about to depart, do we have all of our Pokeballs?” “You know you really shouldn’t keep your Pokeballs on the strap of your bag like that. They’re so much easier to lose that way. And speaking of Pokeballs, you should really upgrade to-” “I’d love to hear all about it,” Domino replied sagely, her mouth jerking into an amused smirk. “How about you send me an email when you’re back in Johto?” “Sure thing, lil’ sis.” “…Say hi to Eunice for me.” And with a flap of the Pidgeot’s wings, they were off. |
|
"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, power is enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos." -Knuckles Kara's Profile Kara's Journey Kara's Pokemon Rob's Profile Rob's Journey Rob's Pokemon
| |
|
|
|
| LordessCass | Apr 8 2011, 12:07 AM Post #9 |
|
Super Serious
|
In addition to their respective prizes, each participant will receive a coupon for a Casteliacone at the Staffport Ice Cream Stand! |
|
"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, power is enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos." -Knuckles Kara's Profile Kara's Journey Kara's Pokemon Rob's Profile Rob's Journey Rob's Pokemon
| |
|
|
|
Sammy 
Scout
Thorn 
Wingull
Princess 
Tentacool
Kin
 |
|
| « Previous Topic · Announcements · Next Topic » |
| Theme: Haysu Orignal | Track Topic · E-mail Topic |
 1:26 AM May 19
|
Hosted for free by ZetaBoards