Route 116 presented another option for Koji, a new direction leading to the Rusturf Tunnel and then to Verdanturf Town – if he so choose to follow the full length of the path. He wasn’t sure, he hadn’t really been sure of anything. He was still in that place of ‘I could do this, or I could do that’ and not ‘I will do this, I will do that’.

Infuriating, yes. But he had no one to blame except for himself.

With his hands tucked firm inside both of his pockets, Koji sauntered through the forest aesthetic with no clear idea in mind. Perhaps an opportunity to build upon his team might appear, maybe a stroke of inspiration would take him. His focus was diverted as he heard the beginning rumblings of a loud, absolute scream.

”What th-. he says turning around to face the direction of the high pitched scream, his words are immediately cut off when discovering the source of the noise as a body falls straight into a collision with him. Koji hit the deck first, cushioning the impact for the other person. The thud with which he hit the ground debilitating for a few short moments.

”What happened...”

The initial cobwebs soon gave way, and Koji was alert and well aware of the pinkly haired woman whom fell and who’s fall he had managed to stifle, if not catch. An awkward lopsided smile featured across his face, awkward because this wasn’t how he ordinarily became introduced to someone new. But life was full of surprises, and this would be filed under said category. ”I don’t think I really was either.” he commented to curb any embarrassment that could be.

Koji would let the woman move out of the position first, not move as well and cause further confusion. Taking her hand when it was offered to aid in helping him up from the ground as well. ”Koji.” he returned the greeting. ”You alright?”

His question would become irrelevant. Emerging from behind the line of trees came two Pokemon, aggression plastered across their movements. The bird seemed to take lead, issuing a Peck attack that Nabi responded to swiftly. Guess that meant the other was for Koji to deal with. Reaching to his belt, he unclipped one of his Pokeballs. A tap on the frontal circle emitted a red flash of light that would take form of his selected mon.

Visceral was the loud roar that came from the jaws of the green-armored dinosaur, and almost immediately did the wind within the immediate area pick-up, carrying with it rough particles of sand. It didn’t help with vision, as Koji held an arm up across his eyes to block the weather. He could make out the figure of his Tyranitar, knew the Kadabra was just ahead and likely caught by the sand as well. ”Ikki, get in close to CRUNCH!”

Ikki rampaged forward in the only way that a Tyranitar knew how to move, unbothered by the sand as it came up on the psychic Pokemon. Kadabra’s eyes fell pink as a same colored forcefield fell around Tyranitar, but as it let out another prehistoric roar the forcefield shattered and the tyrant burst forward, dark energy seeping from its jaws as it crunched down on the Kadabra’s tail. It lifted the Kadabra up in its jaws, tossing it away to skim across the floor. Reaching for a spare Pokeball, Koji threw it at the weakened mon that the ball consumed in an attempt to capture.

notes: capture attempt on kadabra

Unlike Anakin Skywalker – or Nabi in this case, Koji didn’t have any sort of ill will towards the sand that was storming around them in reckless abandon. Perhaps he was used to it, perhaps it was the closest reminder he had of home that seemed to be in a near constant state of raining ash down from a nearby Mt. Chimney.

Whatever it was, hearing Nabi’s disdain as she screamed aloud about her hair brought a sly smirk to appear across Koji’s face. ”I can’t!” he called back. ”It’s Tyranitar, it just sort of happens.” just in time the grand dinosaur roared above the shifting sands.

Whether it be the storm or a general attunement toward calamity, the Dodrio appeared to stumble and stagger over itself with its legs criss-crossing back and forth as it wobbled through the climate. Tempting fate, Koji tossed out another Pokeball in hopes of its capture.

notes: capture attempt on Dodrio