Barnaby didn't have to hike long before he encountered his first Ice-type Pokemon.

An Alolan SANDSHREW toddled over to him, cautious but curious. It was very similar to it's Kantoan cousin, save for it's color and a slightly more bulbous head. It was so odd to see one of the little shrews here in Hoenn, but the oddity and novelty of it all was quickly beginning to wane in Barnaby's mind considering how common things like rifts in time and space were becoming.

Perhaps that's why an aurora borealis was present in the skies above the Safari Zone right now? Some anamoly caused by the recent events across the region? It had to be.

The ROCKET admin decided not to think too deeply on it right now. Instead, he released his own SANDSHREW to perhaps draw the wild one in. His was friendly enough. It waddled the rest of the way toward it's icier cousin, chuffing affably along the way.

"Come on, little one. Don't you want to play?"

catching SANDSHREW
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Though hesitant at first, the white, frost-covered SANDSHREW waddled over toward them, looking like a little yeti pushing through the snow.

Although it was in it's element, it's Kantoan cousin wasn't dealing with the cold weather nearly as well. Barnaby's SANDSHREW almost immediately began to shiver; this seemed to spur on the wild one, as it hastened it's step until it was able to huddle closer.

Sharing it's warmth? Precious. Barnaby figured it could continue doing just that... while being in his ownership. One Safari Ball later and the SANDSHREW was his.

SKIPPING
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Just as Barnaby pocketed the Safari Ball, movement in the near distance drew his eye upwards. There he saw a small group of MAREEP. One of the lambs, in particular, appeared interested in him and his SANDSHREW.

It's fleece was so bouncy and full, it's expression so innocent and adorable, that the sheep looked almost like a life-sized stuffed animal. After being gifted an AMPHAROS by Martín del Mar last holiday season, it seemed fitting to capture another of the line this time of year. Barnaby had grown fond of Isobel, after all, and didn't mind getting her a companion of the same species.

"Rollout. Separate it from the flock and herd it this way."

Barnaby was confident in his Pokemon's skills; a sentiment bolstered by it's type advantage as well.

catching MAREEP
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The flock of MAREEP, adults and babies alike, bleated their distress when Barnaby’s SANDSHREW divided the chosen sheep from it’s group. They were too frightful, however, to try and fight back - instead they stood at a distance, watching with bowed heads.

“Good boy.” The ROCKET admin praised, chucking a Safari Ball at the MAREEP. It was captured moments later. Seeing their success, the little shrew waddled up for congratulatory pets, which Barnaby was more than happy to give.

SKIPPING
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Morning crept into early afternoon as Barnaby continued down the Safari Zone trail.

As he walked, he saw in the distance a few SNEASEL playing around on an frozen-over pond. The group looked young, perhaps a gaggle of adolescents, and they were sliding around almost as if they were ice skating. Barnaby found it rather cute, so he had his ROTOM snag a quick video and sent it to Martín del Mar with the following text:

wanna go ice skating soon? ❤️⛸️

Continuing down the path, Barnaby paused when he saw something odd hanging from the boughs of a barren tree. Normally he wouldn’t have noticed the PINECO, but there were no leaves to hide where it had attached itself to a tree limb. With a nod he motioned for his SANDSHREW to ROLLOUT into the base of the trunk in an attempt to knock the Pokémon loose.

catching PINECO
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The abrupt fall was enough to stun the PINECO; thankfully enough it didn’t have to to SELF-DESTRUCT. Quick on the draw this time, Barnaby secured the Bagworm Pokémon in a Safari Ball before continuing his trek through the park.

As he walked, snowflakes began falling from the overcast sky. They landed like small diamonds in his blonde wig, remaining there as an icy adornment. Gathering his coat around him, Barnaby was just thinking that it was probably best to head back before the weather worsened. He turned to head back in the opposite direction, but as he did so saw a starkly red color between the trees.

A DELIBIRD! Coming towards him with a purpose. It was dragging it’s pouch-like tail behind it, the contents of which were obviously weighing it down. As it approached closer the Delivery Pokémon scrounged around in it’s “bag” for a moment before revealing a delicious looking Oran Berry and presenting it to Barnaby’s SANDSHREW, who took it gratefully.

“Well aren’t you a sweet one, hm? I know just the courier who could use a well-mannered bird like you on their team.” With thoughts of Locke Jamison on his mind, Barnaby lobbed his last Safari Ball at the DELIBIRD.

catching DELIBIRD
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