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POSTED ON Jul 22, 2022 3:27:54 GMT

Shalin never thought a hotel bed would be so refreshing; she had just spent close to three weeks in the wilds of Hoenn without as much as a single visit to a town. While hunted and foraged meals filled the hole, a good meal cooked by a professional chef was like night and day in terms of taste. It probably wasn't as healthy for her, but she felt like she had to treat herself after spending so much time in the swamps in Mount Pyre's shadow. It was well worth it, though; she had picked up quite a few souvenirs, some of which had to be quite valuable, and a whole digital photo album chronicling her adventure.

After a big breakfast, she strapped her mostly empty backpack on and left her room, mounting up Prance and heading down the street toward Vantress Park, one of the larger parks in West Lilycove. It wasn't exactly a straight shot, but it was only one turn and an access road off the city's main thoroughfare. There was even ample signage directing her to the park, helping her a lot; there was no way she would be able to navigate the nearby residential area without it. Even with signage, she and the Wyrdeer had missed their turn; they were starting to circle the entire park's grounds looking for the main entrance they had just passed!

Callan Young

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Prance Wyrdeer Good
Kiara Pyroar-F Good
Queen Zing Beedrill Good

{WC: 231}
{PC: 1}

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POSTED ON Jul 24, 2022 3:35:20 GMT

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Kitsuragi, Callan's Flygon, roosted by his side, having watched a Wyrdeer spin around the park and having missed its entrance. It was a common mistake around the outskirts here, the signs were often confusing, outdated or incorrect. Callan often came around here to generally escape from the public eye, very few people ever bothered to come to the outskirts, and he liked the general atmosphere.

Kitsuragi roosted by Callan's side, its long neck waving over towards the oncoming duo. Callan scratched the back of his neck as he took the cigarette from his mouth. "Hey there." He spoke to Shalin. "I think you missed the entrance into the park if that's what you were looking for." He pointed over to the general vicinity of where it was. His eyes however, were fixated on the Pokemon he had never seen before, as he stood up slowly to inspect. "I've never seen this Pokemon before."

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POSTED ON Jul 25, 2022 4:40:22 GMT

Shalin's mouth hung open as she heard a man pointing out she had passed the entrance. How had they both missed it? She turned Prance around, and there it was in plain sight! "Thank you, mister!" The Wyrdeer walked through the entrance, carrying her toward the kind gentleman who pointed out her error. "Wow, a Flygon! I've always wanted one, but the weather is always so nasty in the desert! If only it weren't so windy out there all the time!"

When asked about the type of Pokémon Shalin was astride, she smiled and shrugged. "I...I don't know! Her name is Prance. I was climbing the mountains near Meteor Falls one day, trying to go into the Shark's Maw near one of the peaks." She started to breathe a little more heavily as she recounted the story of how her Stantler evolved. "Then...there was this weird dome of dark clouds that appeared on top of me when I got there, and there were these really scary dragon Pokémon with bright, red eyes!"

She went on to describe a Druddigon and a Garchomp that were enormous for their species' size; the Garchomp in particular was over nine feet tall, and the Druddigon was comparable in size. "When they looked at her while she was still a Stantler, she evolved into...this. I didn't even know Stantler evolved! Supposedly Stantler evolution is still being researched. So she's...kind of a Stantler but kind of not?" As a lover of bug-type Pokémon, the girl couldn't stop shifting her eyes among Callan, his Flygon's face, and the dragon's wings; Flygon had a unique wing design among Dragon-type. They moved more like an insect's wings than traditional dragons.

"I'm trying to get used to her still," she continued. "Oh, and Prance can talk to me! But only I can hear her--"

"Aren't you going to say your name? He seems interested in you," the Wyrdeer interrupted her mind directly.

"Oh, I'm sorry for going on so long without introducing myself! I'm so bad at forgetting to do that. Name's Shalin, and I'm the wildest Pokémon rider this side of Hoenn!" she recited; as tacky as her title was, it had plenty of merit. "Was looking for a place to get used to Prance's new form. It feels way different than when she was a Stantler!"

Callan Young

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Prance Wyrdeer Good
Kiara Pyroar-F Good
Queen Zing Beedrill Good

{WC: 396}
{PC: 2}

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POSTED ON Jul 25, 2022 16:45:12 GMT

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"It's a wonderfully regal creature." Callan replied, smiling, as he attempted to scratch the side of its neck, pulling back in case it was aggressive.

"Ah I see, a space-time distortion." Those were relatively common around Hoenn, now moreso than ever, it was a troubling turn of events, but no one really questioned the reason as to why these spatial rifts occurred. "I've had a few of those experiences myself. I'm sorry you had to witness one, but I think at the very least, your Pokemon seems unharmed, and moreover benefited from it." So far, he had not heard of a rift that was detrimental to them. There were many religious explanations, and few scientific ones for their occurrence as of yet.

"The rangers do their best. Sometimes they leave Pokemon to evolve in unexpected ways across the biomes, it's caused a few stirs before." Callan's Flygon perched down against the ground, seating itself not unlike a four-legged house pet waiting patiently. It was a massive one, large enough to carry Callan's full body on its back without breaking a sweat.

"I'm Callan, it's nice to meet you Shalin." He responded. The wildest rider? "Are you a motorbike enthusiast then?" Regardless, a park was a decent place to practice, but... "There's a few open areas around the Slateport Harbor by the Lilycove Gym. They have some training equipment free of charge and an open space for training, if you prefer." Generally they were used by registered Challengers for last minute preparations against the gym, but there was nothing stopping a regular trainer from using them. "If you'd like, I can show you there."

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POSTED ON Jul 26, 2022 6:25:40 GMT

Prance seemed to appreciate the compliment. If Callan didn't mentally object to direct communication, the Wyrdeer would echo the words directly into his mind, "Thank you. I try." The psychic-type smiled when Callan scritched the side of her neck. It felt good at first, but he found a sensitive spot after a while. "Hey, not there! That tickles!"

"Space-time distortions? That's what those are called?" Shalin asked. "Did you see any really big, red-eyed Pokémon like those two dragons? I was so scared I wasn't going to make it back when I saw them." If they were this common, her intense curiosity would make her want to seek out more. If she had to deal with Pokémon like that, though, the risk might not be worth the reward of going. "They're so scary. If one forms on top of you, you can't get out until it disappears. They don't last long, but it seems like everything in there just wants you dead!"

"Great to meet you, Callan!" Shalin smiled, always excited to show her talent to new faces. "No, I'm a Pokémon enthusiast." While she didn't release Queen Zing, she held up the Poké Ball containing her and let Callan look through its transparent upper half to see the saddled Queen Beedrill. "She's the sweetest thing you'll ever meet, but I can't bring her out here. Stupid noise ordinances..." she sighed. It seemed like Callan had a much better place to practice with her Wyrdeer. "That sounds great, Callan! Lead the way!"

Callan Young

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Prance Wyrdeer Good
Kiara Pyroar-F Good
Queen Zing Beedrill Good

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POSTED ON Jul 27, 2022 15:31:41 GMT

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"I see, so you can talk by speaking into others minds." Callan replied, "In any case, it's nice to meet you."

"I haven't specifically encountered them myself, but I've known quite a few trainers who have. They are fairly terrifying yes." Generally, just another notch of danger in many of Hoenn's rising difficulties.

Upon hearing her say yes, Callan clicked the button on an Ultra Ball on his belt, sending out Eurea, his Gardevoir.

EUREA ♁ | POKERUS FORM | SYNCHRONIZE | PSYCHIC, CALM MIND, DAZZLING GLEAM, TELEPORT, DRAINING KISS, LIGHT OF RUIN

"Take us to outside Lilycove Gym."

The Gardevoir formed a small warp bubble between the four of them. A tingling sensation could be felt on the skin, before a brief, disorienting moment where one's sense of gravity was lost, before immediately returning again.

Almost immediately, the air was cooler, the smell of brine was in the air, and they were outside Slateport Harbor. Just outside a large, if simple, Pokemon gym.

"Come with me." Callan gestured, as he moved towards the side of the gym to a fenced area, he pressed his PokeNav over the gate and swung open the back, which was a completely open area in the shape of a track and field, with various training equipment for prospective challengers, including a small battle stadium in the middle of the track field. "Are you taking the Pokemon Gym Challenge, Shalin?"

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POSTED ON Jul 28, 2022 4:58:47 GMT

The psychic field that formed around the four caused Shalin's head to start pounding during their warp to Lilycove's Gym. It subsided as soon as the white veil faded, the rider's upper body swaying in dizziness. Her lower body stayed still, held in place by the Wyedeer's psychic harness. "I can do that, too, but not at the range that Pokémon can," Prance's words echoed in the girl's head, and the Gardevoir could have picked up on that if it wanted.

"It feels like someone turned on the air conditioning," Shalin let out a sigh as her headache subsided. "Teleporting feels so weird!" When prompted, she guided Prance to walk alongside the back of Lilycove Gym; there was an entire track and field for her to practice with. "Thank you! This is perfect."

When asked about the Gym Challenge, Shalin replied, "No, I am not. I actually charter expeditions to the most remote corners of Hoenn. Places you couldn't get to without some very specific Pokémon." She briefly shared tales of her journeys through the home of a tribe that had befriended giant bird Pokémon long before Apricorn Balls existed, a swamp cave formed out of a fossilized Dynamax Seviper, and a trip to the lowest above-water elevation in all of Hoenn. "Thank you so much." She mentally directed Prance toward the track section of the training facility. The control wasn't graceful-looking, but it got the job done. It was clear her mental communication with the Wyrdeer was not even remotely refined. "Can't think of a better place to relearn with her than here."

Callan Young

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Prance Wyrdeer Good
Kiara Pyroar-F Good
Queen Zing Beedrill Good

{WC: 267}
{PC: 4}

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POSTED ON Jul 29, 2022 15:13:59 GMT

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"It is, but it's such an excellent saver of time once you get used to it." Of course, it came with limitations. Teleport was usually for short distances only, the farther our, the more difficult it was, at least for him and Eurea, which unfortunately made visiting his daughter in Unova impossible.

As Shaling spoke about her profession, Callan smiled and nodded. "Sounds a bit like Ranger work, but I imagine these hard to get to places must really be rural." Hoenn definitely had areas where reaching it required an experienced local hand. Having come from the city, he was familiar with a few of the ancient legends. But not enough to be entirely familiar with Hoenn's landscape. Pacifidlog for example, was a place completely existing in another dimension to him.

"Sounds like quite an adventure." He replied. On his end, his early adventures were long gone, he was now in a stage of his life where he had expectations and people counting on him. Even though it felt like he was just beginning, it was an interesting point in his life as well. "I take it that you enjoy your work though, right?" Callan's Flygon slid back into its Pokeball.

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POSTED ON Jul 30, 2022 6:14:18 GMT

"Kind of," Shalin answered as Callan related her profession to Ranger work. "I thought about joining the Rangers, but I just don't think I would enjoy everything they would make me do. Plus, I like being my own boss." Prance's horns briefly glowed a bright purple, leaving psychic residue nearby as she discharged a buildup of telekinetic power through them. "Oh, they're pretty far. The next one I've got my eye on is called the Mirage Palace. It's nestled in the corner of the Fiery Path, and it's dangerous enough that Ranger rescues from there are done strictly on a voluntary basis. I love every bit of it, though; every time I go, I learn something new and exciting about how Hoenn used to be thousands of years ago!"

Shalin gave Callan's idea some thought. While she wasn't quite sure what Prance's species was now, she noticed the hooved Pokémon could use a lot of psychic attacks after evolution. "So Callan, when I'm on this Pokémon's back..." she trailed off, shaking her head. "Do you have any idea what species of Pokémon Prance is now? She's definitely not a Stantler anymore, but I never knew Stantler even evolved until...well, it happened. But I'm sure she's a Psychic-type now. It's like she has me in this invisible harness when I'm riding her. It's so weird."

As to prove her point, Shalin tried to lean to the Wyrdeer's right to touch a nearby pole, but could not overcome the psychic harness to do so. To an outsider not familiar with the power of a psychic-type Pokémon, it looked like she was contorting her body in a very uncomfortable way. "I wonder..." She whispered into Prance's ear, "Hey Prance, do you know to teleport, too?"

Prance replied directly into her mind, "Yes, but I've never done it with someone on my back before. I don't know if I can take you with me. I can try, though."

"I want to try teleporting with Prance, too, Callan!" Shalin's smile suddenly perked up. "While I enjoy the wind in my face a bit more, the ability to teleport could come in handy in a pinch. You have any pointers for us before we take off?"

Callan Young

{WC: 375}
{PC: 5}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Prance Wyrdeer Good
Kiara Pyroar-F Good
Queen Zing Beedrill Good

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POSTED ON Jul 30, 2022 13:51:11 GMT

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"That makes sense, a large organization's nothing like being self-employed after all." Callan replied, smiling. "Having people around you can be interesting too, I've added so much to my skillset thanks to being part of a group of Pokemon speicalists around me." Callan paused. "But if you ask me, yeah, I definitely enjoy making my own personal decisions better, and I'm not usually one that works well with other people."

Callan looked towards Prance, attempting to do his best to assess the situation, but he wasn't an expert in Pokemon physiology, this was something he'd have to pass to someone of a higher level of skill than he was. "I can't say that I do, but if you ever have time, I recommend heading to the League HQ in Evergrande City. Eva Morales works there, and she's doing research on these new species." He gently pats Prance on the side of her fluffy neck.

Callan paused, considering her request. "Teleporting's rather dangerous unless you know what you're doing Shalin. I don't doubt your skill, but I think your Pokemon is a new species and there's not a lot of data to go along with it. Eurea and I have been partners for a while and I learned it with her by studying it from books." He paused, but there was nothing wrong with giving a few pointers.

"I think in general, the trick is to be able to communicate with your partner clearly where you want to go. Your Pokemon can read minds, so grant them the ability to see into your head, then picture clearly where you want to go. The more defined a space, the easier it is to move there. The less defined, the more dangerous the teleportation is." Callan paused. "If you're dead set on it though, I'll do what I can to teach you."

The alternative was a potential disaster. Psychic type Pokemon were powerful, but definitely needed a guiding eye.