[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] 4/4 WARDEN SAFARI BALLS REMAINING!

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]It was historical precedent that new trainers in the Hoenn region would be presented with one of three starter Pokemon; Treecko, Torchic, or Mudkip. These days, there was a lot more flexibility, but many trainers still sought out one of those historical three. They were practically symbols of the Hoenn region by this point.[break][break]

By this point, Isaac couldn't be further from a new trainer. However, he was much in the same boat. There were three other Pokemon he was seeking out today, and that meant he only had the chance to bring one of the three Hoenn starters back in the remaining ball. Thanks to Watson, he never had to face the dilemma all those years ago. Now, he'd finally have his chance.[break][break]

Would Treecko be the one? Its too cool for school for attitude certainly had appeal, and its agility and suction cupped feet made it a natural scout. And, if Isaac was being honest, Grovyle was easily the coolest looking form of any Hoenn starter, period. However, for some reason, the idea just wasn't sticking with him. Maybe he just needed to see the other two out and about before deciding?

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[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] 4/4 WARDEN SAFARI BALLS REMAINING!

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Torchic were also very interesting options. They were energetic and spirited fighters, standing up to any foe no matter how imposing. They were also natural underdogs, only becoming stronger and faster the longer a match drew on. If Isaac was being honest with himself, Torchic would probably be the Hoenn starter he identified with the most.[break][break]

But when was Isaac ever honest with himself, really?[break][break]

He needed a little bit more time to make his decision. There was still one more starter to look at, after all. And with its neon pink coloration, it wouldn't be very hard to track it down. Isaac made his way deeper into the Safari Zone, scanning the horizon for the last of his available options.

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[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] 4/4 WARDEN SAFARI BALLS REMAINING!

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]And then there was Mudkip. Representing where the land met the sea, one could argue it was the most Hoenn of all of its traditional starters. It was an exceedingly well-balanced Pokemon, exceeding at little but adept at almost everything. You could never go wrong with a Mudkip, whether as a new trainer trying to get your start or an experienced trainer looking to round out your team.[break][break]

Yeah. They were popular for a reason.[break][break]

Isaac waited by the edge of the riverbed. It felt just days ago that it was full with Magikarps. Now the unmistakable violet hue of shiny Mudkips were teeming in it instead. For a moment, Isaac wondered just where all of the Magikarp went after the month's rotation ended. Were they ushered back to another part of the safari zone? Or were they all released back into the wild? And how did the Warden get his hands on so many shinies?[break][break]

Forget the League. This was clearly where the real seat of power lied.[break][break]

Isaac waited at the river's edge, like an Ursaring trying to catch a Basculin. He kept very, very still and very, very patient, not even risking the disruption that breathing would cause. He watched as the Mudkip circled, closer, closer, ever closer still. And then, when it lapped just close enough to the edge of the river, Isaac let his first Safari Ball of the night fly.

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[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] 3/4 WARDEN SAFARI BALLS REMAINING!

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Phew! Catch well done. Now Isaac could move on and look for his next target. The Safari Zone had a few particularly rare and desirable Pokemon this month, including snowy-white Eevees, beefed up Tauroses imported from the Paldea region, and even a few-[break][break]

THUNK![break][break]

Isaac instinctively flinched away from the sudden shadow flying over his head, but luckily whatever had landed didn't knock him on the noggin. Instead, when Isaac opened his eyes, he saw a Bagon embedded in a nearby stone like a lawn dart. Its powerful skull crest had split the stone in half, but not nearly enough; the poor thing was still embedded in there![break][break]

Had Isaac brought his Pokemon with him, this would have surely been a life-changing experience where they eroded the stone away to help free the Bagon, then maybe climbed right back up yonder cliff to help the little guy fly. Then they'd join forces, so moved by each other's spirit and determination that they would become fire-forged friends. You know. How these kinds of things always went.[break][break]

Unfortunately, Isaac had no Pokemon with him. His twinky physique was completely unsuited to splitting rocks in half with his bare hands. And unless he could bribe the rock into opening up with bait, none of the items that he'd brought with him would be of much help. All he had was a hammer, and everything was starting to resemble a nail.[break][break]

Good thing there was one surefire way of getting a Pokemon out of a jam! Isaac threw his Pokeball towards the Bagon, basically cheating the little dragon out of this unfortunate trap. Why work harder when you could work smarter?

"?"

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[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] 2/4 WARDEN SAFARI BALLS REMAINING!

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Phew! Roaming the Safaro Zone was tiring work. He'd gotten through a surprising amount of it without the Warden's bell ringing, too. At this rate, he might even have a chance to sit back, relax, and enjoy Hoenn's most unparalleled stretch of quasi-natural beauty. Ah, bliss. Maybe he needed to go on sunlit excursions more often. Nighttime mission duty was getting tiring.[break][break]

One of those clouds was shaped like a dahlia. The next one was shaped like a motorcycle. After that was one shaped like an extreme close-up of an Eevee's head. And behind that cloud was one shaped like a wing-[break][break]

Wait, no, one of those wasn't a cloud. It was an entire-ass Eevee! Oh shit![break][break]

Isaac wasn't surprised to see one come so close. For as rare as Eevees were, they were an incredibly curious and well-socialized species. They tool humans less as potential threats and more as potential best friends. Sure enough, this ons pawed the ground in dront of Isaac, swishing its tail playfully. A human was here, and that meant it was playtime![break][break]

He reminded of Vivi, pre-evolution. Isaac couldn't help but smile as he took out a bit of bait and obliged.[break][break]

It was only when the Eevee sleepily flopped against Isaac's side that he remembered what he was here for. Right! This was the Safari Zone, not the international fetch championship! And at this rate, Isaac's remaining time was going to be numbered. Nevertheless, he reached out to give the Eevee a soft tap with his Safari Ball. That was three down, one to go.

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[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] 1/4 WARDEN SAFARI BALLS REMAINING!

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Shit, shit, shit, shit. Only a minute or so left, and Isaac still had a Safari Ball burning a hole in his pocket. He had to think quickly, and fast. Were those Treecko and Torchic still there? Was another Bagon going to come falling out of the sky? Ugh. No dice. What were the chances that a horde of safari Pokemon were going to come stampeding towards him?[break][break]

As if on cue, a horde of Tauros came stampeding towards Isaac.[break][break]

His triumph was short lived, for Isaac promptly remembered that a stampede of Tauros hurt really, really bad. In a panic, he flung his Safari Ball at the Tauros in front of the pack, before diving behind the nearest available tree or rock that could serve as cover. There he waited, chest pounding and breath heaving, as he waited for the clopping of hooves to fade into the distance.[break][break]

They were close. Far too close for comfort. If it wasn't for the natural barriers between him and the Tauros, he would've been pounded into an Isaac Tartare. However, the Tauros naturally veered away from any objects that could break their stride, and Isaac took solace in hearing the hoofbeats grow increasingly distant from his position.[break][break]

Finally, once the cost was clear, he rushed out towards his Safari Ball. Had he managed to catch the Tauros off guard, or would the stubborn creature end up breaking out on him?

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