[attr="class","heartinjured"]

Whoa…

What were these things?!

Originally she’d come by the Mossdeep Space Center to drop off a delivery from the family café to some of the scientists that had placed a rather large order for a business meeting, however on her way back and out of the place everything started going to shit…

“What the hell’s going on?!” she exclaimed as she squinted through the gloom, trying to pick out if she was still in Hoenn.

(Look, it was her very first time encountering these things, and so she was confused to all hell about them!)

It didn’t take long before she’d accidentally stepped on something that crunched underfoot…

“Huh?” she blinked as she looked down and picked up a piece of something… red?


What was this?

“Hmm…” she continued to herself, looking around and making sure there wasn’t anything else coming at her from out of the weird energy crackling around, before she beat a hasty retreat.

---

Izumi picked up a Red Shard!

[attr="class","main"]



Another one. Mars has never believed in coincidences, and today is not the day when that will change.
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Upon first seeing the announcement of the space-time distortion’s appearance, the banker had sighed, temporarily putting his plans aside to make a quick trip to Mossdeep City. Why? Possibilities.
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An Unown accompanies him, as Unown always seem to do, yet the Unown-X that marches by Mars’ side is not his only companion when breaking through the membrane that surrounds the rift. There’s also a Goodra with him. One that, as expected, begins to change the moment it steps in.
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Aside from that, nothing else changes.
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At least there’s a red shard, if anything.


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[attr="class","juliaw"]

This time, Julia sought out the distortion that had descended around Mossdeep's Space Center. She was no scientist, but she wanted to understand these strange distortions more, especially now that she had a Pokémon from one. Naturally, Snaily's Poké Ball was among those on her belt today. The metal-shelled Sliggoo had taken quite a liking to Julia and Sparkie after they'd saved her from a rampaging Infernape. Unfortunately, that had one big downside: her absentminded displays of affection usually ended with Julia and Sparkie having to avoid getting caustic slime on them so they wouldn't be digested. Julia had already gone through multiple pairs of heavy-duty gloves trying to pet her. Touching her shell didn't (usually) carry the same risks, at least.

[break][break]Outside the crackling purple dome, Julia let Snaily out of her Ball. The Sliggoo poked her head out of her shell and waved her feelers in the air. She looked confused and turned her blind eyes toward her trainer, letting out a slimy, warbly squeak.

[break][break]"We're at another space-time distortion," Julia explained. "Like the one we found you in."

[break][break]Snaily just stared blankly for several seconds before stretching her body out with a pleading warble. Julia smiled wearily and scratched her shell. That seemed to placate her.

[break][break]"Come on, let's check it out." She stepped through the purplish membrane separating Hoenn from this anomaly, skin tingling at the contact. A moment later, she heard the clatter of steel on pavement as Snaily rolled after her.

[break][break]Julia somewhat recognized the two Pokémon that immediately ran at her, barking furiously. They looked like two red Growlithe with long, shaggy white manes and tails. More importantly, even with those manes covering their eyes, they didn't look too happy to see her and Snaily.

[break][break]Snaily didn't even need a command to tuck into her shell for Shelter. The Growlithe both charged at her with Flare Blitz, but the attacks barely scuffed the metallic shell.

[break][break]"Now use Hydro Pump!"

[break][break]Only the crackling of the dome answered. Snaily stayed firmly in her shell, unmoving.

[break][break]"Uh, Snaily?" Julia asked, voice cracking on the last syllable. "You okay?"

[break][break]No response. The Growlithe, barely able to do any damage to the Pokémon in front of them, turned their attention to Julia, instead.

[break][break]"Uh-oh."

[break][break]They charged at her, mouths ablaze with Fire Fangs. Julia dove out of the way and landed on the hard ground with a grunt. She scrambled to grab another Poké Ball, gaze darting back and forth between her belt and her assailants. Lazuli should be able to handle this. Just gotta—

[break][break]A glow caught the edge of her vision. She turned to see that it was coming from the inside of Snaily's shell. The Growlithe, too, noticed it and whined their confusion. The light emerged from Snaily's shell, growing and changing shape, and Julia's eyes rounded when she realized the Sliggoo was evolving. When the light scattered, a Goodra stood there, her tail curled and hardened into her new shell. Her eyes were as droopy as her melancholic pre-evolution's, but she wore a gentle smile as she looked at her trainer.

[break][break]"Wow..." Julia whispered. "So that's what you look like now."

[break][break]The Growlithe growled at their newly evolved opponent, and Snaily's face hardened as she turned toward them. She took a deep breath, body straightened despite the weight on her back, and then shot a powerful Hydro Pump at them. The pups yelped in alarm before they were driven back by the force of the attack. They looked at each other, fur and manes dripping and soggy, before turning tail and running away.

[break][break]"Way to go, Snaily!" Julia cheered. Snaily squeaked happily and toddled toward her, arms open. "Wait, hang on, your slime—!" But there was no stopping this hug train. Julia struggled for a moment, only to realize that there wasn't any stinging or melting or anything. "Oh! I can touch you now!" The disappointed-looking Snaily perked up immediately when Julia hugged her back. When Julia was finally able to pull away, she was covered in harmless slime.

[break][break]"Heh. IIIII'm gonna need a shower after this."

[break][break]Harmless or not, it was still messy!