Jason was usually pretty good at minding his own business. If you kept your nose out of other people's affairs, life was a lot simpler that way; less stress, less mess, less of a chance of you getting personally acquainted with someone's fist when you started butting in when you weren't meant to. But when he saw a little girl and her team of Pokemon traipsing around in the Outskirts of all places, Jason knew he had to intervene. [break][break]

The Outskirts were a rough place, to say the least. The little pay-by-the-day motel he'd been staying at had been sketchy enough, but he knew the derelict buildings that solemnly populated this place could house all sorts of unseen dangers. Someone could easily jump out from one of them and sling the kid over their shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carry her off, for one thing. Jason didn't consider himself a particularly good man by any measure, but the thought of it made his stomach churn with worry and disgust. [break][break]

Of course, if the kid actually had any concept of 'stranger danger', he would have half-expected them to start running for the hills the moment he approached, even as he made every effort to appear as casual as possible, [break][break]

“Hey, kid,” Jason called as he slowly ambled over, laidback at a glance but cautious upon closer inspection, “This isn't a playground. Are your parents nearby?” [break][break]

The Popplio at his side 'bwarked' cheerfully, clapping her front flippers in agreement.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Lucia Aldrete

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Before Lucia's little expedition could even begin in proper, a sudden voice around her caused the child to nearly jump up into the air at his voice. The DUnsparce caught this action and quickly moved in front of her. With a fearsome puff of his midsection, Hero would attempt to appear far more intimidating that he was by outsizing the perceived enemies in front of him. Lucia, however, swung back around with a rather anxious expression.

"U-Uh, hi."

The Popplio by the man was cute, all things considered. Her eyes danced across the two walking over to her as she took a step backwards in preparation. He seemed pretty worried about her, but that was also a tell tale sign of people who meant harm! Or maybe he was just some local that really did show concern.

"Y-Yeah. They're nearby. Around the corner." she lied through her teeth. "I'm just looking for Pokemon, but what are you doing here?"

Jason Huang

☉

The Dunsparce was actually pretty cute, playing the hero by inflating himself up like a little pufferfish. Jaina waddled over to sniff at him, completely oblivious to the fact that he was trying to be intimidating, [break][break]

“I live in the area,” Jason replied with a shrug. He raised an eyebrow, considering something, “Your parents must not be from around these parts, if they think this dump a safe place for their kid to go looking for Pokemon. You should track them down, head to a safer part of the city.” [break][break]

His warning came from a place of unearned authority; it's not like he was a local either, but anyone with a healthy level of situational awareness could tell that these parts were sketchy. On the other hand, anyone with a healthy level of situational awareness would probably see himself as being pretty sketchy too, [break][break]

“I'm Jason,” he offered by way of casual introduction, “And that's Jaina.” [break][break]

He inclined his head towards the Popplio, who seemed well and truly determined to make friends with the Dunsparce.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Lucia Aldrete

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He introduced himson as Jason, with the small blue Popplio by him chirping to her in greeting. Lucia was taken by how adorable the little gal was! Some of those water-type just were perfect at being the cutest things on the planet! Hero did relax a bit at her showing some bits of friendliness.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Lucretia, but Lucia is fine." she introduced herself, "And this is Hero."

At Jason's suggestion, she took a moment to gather her courage and shake her head at his suggestion to leave. If she was going to take on those gym leaders, she was going to need a team of the best Pokemon she could find. And they weren't going to be laying around safe places. She would have to take risks, and this was one of them.

"I'm sorry, b-but I can't. I have to get stronger so I can participate in the Gym Circuit. And the only way I'll get some of the good ones are going into the dangerous zones. My parents..." she flinched a little at the combination of words. An unpleasant reminder. "They won't mind if I do."

[pass this round]

Jason Huang

☉

Jason felt a pang of sympathy for the girl in spite of himself. The gym challenge? Made sense, for a kid her age. God, when was the last time he last dreamed of being a Pokemon champion? When he was twelve, thirteen at the oldest? Just before Jason found that his future had already been tidily arranged for him by forces outside of his control, [break][break]

“Nice to meet you, too,” he replied with a genuine smile, “But this place really is dangerous.” [break][break]

And for reasons that didn't have just to do with Pokemon. Jason's smile momentarily faltered as he puzzled over the dilemma at hand. Lucia was insistent on sticking around, it seemed, and what little was left of Jason's conscience balked at the idea of some terrible fate befalling her. He looked down at her in appraisal, [break][break]

“Want some company?” [break][break]

If the girl had a lick of sense, she'd probably turn him down regardless of his good intentions. If not, then that was probably more reason to be concerned, but at least he'd be able to keep an eye on her, and hopefully get the chance to give her parents the tongue-lashing of their lives for letting their daughter run around this derelict slum like it was a mcpognald's playplace. [break][break]

Meanwhile, Jaina, emboldened by the lowering of the Dunsparce's hackles, waddled closer to give him an affectionate pat on the head with one of her front flippers. She seemed quite pleased at the opportunity to make a new friend.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Lucia Aldrete [break]
skipping!

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Lucia continued to pout at Jason, her cheeks puffed out in indignation. She had stuck her heels in the ground and shook her head at his comment about needing to get back to safety.

"I don't care...I have to do this! Even if it's dangerous, I'll do whatever it takes."

To her surprise, after some back-and-forth, Jason offered to join her. She thought on it for a moment but her head bobbing up and down was the telltale sign of somebody she had decided to place her trust in, for better or worse.

"Um, okay. I just wanna get a few. Then we can go back, I promise!"

Lucia led the way deeper into the derelict area, happy to have a plus one to watch over her. For such an independent kid, she was a pretty poor choice of character, had she known Jason's background. Still, she was far too focused on trying to improve herself. Jason would catch up and find her stalking a Sneasel that was picking through some of the remnants of a fallen building. Lucia smirked with a pokeball in hand.

"I got this one!" she whispered, tossing a pokeball at the little guy.

[attempting catch on sneasel]

Jason Huang

☉

The kid had guts, for all her insistence on sticking this venture out. A little thankful that he'd be able to keep an eye on her, Jason trailed behind, eyes darting from the child to the vacant buildings around them. [break][break]

In his periphery, he caught the waddling gait of a Krokorok as it ambled towards a dumpster, before hefting itself up to take a peek at whatever treasures might be inside. Jason had half a mind to catch the thing, until he watched the Pokemon scramble out of the veritable treasure trove with a moldy burger in it's grubby little mitts. Ew, gross. [break][break]

At least Lucia seemed to be having better luck. Jason watched from a few feet off, careful to avoid the Sneasel's line of sight as the girl tossed a Pokeball at the creature. The kid had good taste, he thought with a smile, and watched with interest to see if her catch had been successful.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Lucia Aldrete [break]
skipping!

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

The pokeball let off a small click as Lucia pumped her fist in the air in celebration. She let out a pleased squeal while hopping along to collect her new pokemon. Behind her, the Dunsparce would slither away to ward off any attackers.

"I did it!~ I bet the kids back at Blueberry haven't done this before!"

She laughed to herself, showing off her new catch for Jason and looking back around for more creatures to join her party of pokemon! She gazed all around the abandoned streets for their next quarry before stumbling over an emptied fish tank display of some kind of. It was super big, like one of those giant novelty ones that showed off water types to the public. Flowing around in the breeze was a patch of alge, swaying away while Lucia approached.

Until several of the strands lauched out to try and attack her!

Thankfully, Hero was in the way to intercept the attack. He cried out to the mysterious alge monster before it revealed itself to be a Pokemon, and one that Lucia had seen before.

"Oh, I know this one! From an aquarium visit once! A Dragalge, right?" she smiled gleefully and pointed at their foe. "DRILL RUN it, Hero!"

The Dunsparce sped along the ground, firing off its drill tail at the Dragalge, with a pokeball following not so long after.

[attempting catch on dragalge!]

Jason Huang

☉

“Well done!” [break][break]

Jason smiled and gave a few short claps in congratulations. The gesture might have come across as sarcastic to some, but he genuinely meant it; a kid ought to enjoy themselves while catching some new Pokemon for their team. There was something a little bitter there too, though, when he considered how different his own experience capturing the creatures had become. But there was no time to get mopey; Lucia was already on the move again. [break][break]

He knew the patch of algae floating in an abandoned tank was probably bad news, but he didn't get the chance to warn the girl before the Dragalge hauled itself out from the murky water to strike at her. Jason cursed his inaction as the Dunsparce lurched forward to it's trainer's defense, but at least Lucia didn't seem to be particularly troubled by the encounter. Jason jogged up as the Dragon was struck by a rather fierce-looking DRILL RUN, and opted to wait in the wings in case things went south.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Lucia Aldrete [break]
skipping!

[attr="class","pokeclass"]