it's only a matter of time.

[break][break] expectedly, there is a flicker of light in the air as the inkay floats forward through the misty air. despite it's typing, the way the pokemon floats through the air is almost like a ghost, it's tiny fins flapping, suspended in mere air as if held together by invisible strings. and just like an invisible string, jayden's gaze is drawn to it — he watches as it floats in front of him, twirling, cooing at him.

[break][break] jayden reaches forward, fingers gently touching it's transparent mantle. a soft smile touches his face.

[break][break] the inkay then floats away, turning it's body away, but jayden is not about to let such a curious pokemon go away. ghost type or not, he is intrigued. the pokeball flicks from his fingers, thrown at the peculiar squid.

[attr="class","ooc"] used a safari ball on inkay! x3 safari balls

lada pads forward, taking the recently caught pokemon in her soft-mouth and taking it over to jayden. jayden grabs the dark-colored sphere and tilts his head, considering, before pressing the button. it opens, reflecting the light of the inkay. up close now, jayden can observe it, curious, interested, unique.

[break][break] he makes a mental note to look in the sub's library for more information on the topic.

[break][break] in the meantime, the inkay floats away, light on air. jayden finds his footsteps following, as the forest shudders and dims, until the trees part to reveal a small pool. this too, is curious. he can hear the rustle of freek and vikhor wrestling with each other, the yips and growls and thread-bare tones that barely echo through the forest.

[break][break] jayden's curiosity, however, is only to the small shadows floating in it's midst. he blinks, opening a satchel and throwing some bait into the water. the wishiwashi floats up to it, blinking wide eyes, and quickly dips back down. the boy throws more food — the pokemon swallows it.

[break][break] like predator to prey, the wishiwashi is unknowingly caught in a cycle of control.

[break][break] jayden knows what that's like.

[break][break] the next time the fish comes up for air, jayden presses a safari ball to it.

[break][break] if only he could end his own cycle the same way.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] used a safari ball on wishiwashi! x2 safari balls

the wishiwashi now caught, jayden glances as a wimpod skirts over the water's edge. before he can consider it, however, there is a flicker of movement and he turns to watch his inkay drifting away from the lake. clicking his tongue, he instructs both freek and vikhor to follow.

[break][break] vihor cackles, eyes gleaming with the energy of DETECT as he detangles from the thievul and runs further into the forest. freek follows suit, not so willing to let his rival get ahead before him.

[break][break] lada, for her part, stays by jayden's heel as they walk deeper into the forest's edge, the mist curling all around them.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] skips! x2 safari balls

vikhor darts forward, and there is excitement in his eyes as the sableeye catches sight of a dratini hiding from a branch. he leaps forward with intent, a bright glowing sphere of SHADOW BALL in his hands and aims to shoot it out, only to have freek dart into him with QUICK ATTACK. both pokemon had misjudged —

[break][break] the dark sphere goes flying, cracking into the branch the dratini hangs from. it skitters away, afraid.

[break][break] furious, vikhor turns to freek, who is also snarling at him. it looks like they're about to get into another fight —

[break][break] "enough." jayden's voice is clipped and quiet, but it is enough to draw the pokemon apart. vikhor huffs, folding his arms, and freek flattens his head against his skull, padding back towards jayden. they boy does not talk much, but he knows - not to push him.

[break][break] there will be other pokemon to play with, that much he is sure.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] skips! x2 safari balls

sure enough, jayden's words ring true. a shiny clobbopus appears in the path, and vikhor is the first to see it.

[break][break] unfortunately, the pokemon sees him too.

[break][break] using DETECT, the fighting octopus rears it's fists and makes eye-contact with the sable-eye. even if the pokemon tries to hide by disappearing into the darkness, he cannot escape. the wild pokemon uses BULK UP then a rapid BRICK BREAK in succession to attack the other pokemon, causing the sable-eye to squeak in alarm.

[break][break] luckily, the fight is enough to distract the clobbopus. freek stalks the pokemon from behind before leaping, using SUCKER PUNCH to knock the wild pokemon out solid. a pokeball is thrown at the wild clobbopus in turn and if successful, jayden will walk up to the pokeball to retrieve it, just as it hits its final click.

[attr="class","ooc"] catches shiny clobbopus! x1 safari balls

the pokeball is still warm when jayden walks over to pick it up. it minimizes in his grasp, and he clicks it to his belt. between the two of them, jayden glances and then decides to scratch freek between the ears for his good deed. the fox seems more than happy to oblige, even shooting vikhor a look at he does so.

[break][break] meanwhile, the sable-eye is looking a bit worse for wear as he gets up from the ground. not that the brick break had hurt him any, but his ego is hurt, now that he knows freek has won their little competition. light glows around the sable-eye as he returns himself to his pokeball. jayden's head tilt as he considers whether her should confront the pokemon for it, but there is a flicker of light in the distance.

[break][break] lada breaks into a jog as she heads for the light, the golden-hue of her patterns set aglow. jayden breaks into a jog as well, ignoring the wailmer that is floating in a pond not too far away.

[attr="class","ooc"] skips! x1 safari balls