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Arian isn't getting much sleep lately. It's rare that he comes to check on his garden outside of harvest, trusting in Vileplume, but he decides to make a visit to certify Vileplume's wellbeing. It's late in the evening, and he would've thought himself alone, but a MASCHIFF meanders the garden with Vileplume struggling to fend it off.[break][break]

"Hey there..." He gives the pokemon a start, and it might've scampered off if it hadn't been dosed with Vileplume's spores. But it still manages to put up a fight, though he's reluctant to punish this one overly. Instead he catches it, contemplating a name...[break][break]

Maybe... Moxie?

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It seems so obviously dangerous to push his luck by being here, but then there is much he stands to lose by not laying claim to what was rightfully his once. As Adrian meanders through the woods in search of a once lively grotto, he finds it has come to be overrun by rampant growth of weeds.[break][break]

Luckily, his plants still bore fruit.[break][break]

The Vileplume that remains here lies dormant, surrounded by a dense growth of vines. Perhaps it has grown accustomed to being left alone for great spans of time—he hopes this is considered to be a great deal more liberating than cumbersome for the creature. Adrian reaches for a tool from his backpack, finding a sharp instrument to cut away the undesired brush.[break][break]

The rustling of the growth drowns out the sounds of night. It's only when he goes to wipe his brow after extensively clearing out patches of invasive growth, that he notices the rustling somewhere behind him. On edge, he manages to slowly turn around, finding a set of eyes in the dark. Hmmm, I wonder what you are...?[break][break]

"Vileplume, wake up," he calls out loudly. The LUXIO takes this poorly, nimbly exiting the hedges and approaching him and his berry garden. The Vileplume is slow to rouse, but eventually joins the standoff. "Vileplume, u—"[break][break]

Abruptly the Luxio ROARS, cowing his Vileplume. Its hairs stand on end before small arcs of electricity streak along its body, its feet digging into the earth before it tries to make a dash for Adrian.[break][break]

"You cheeky runt," Adrian mouths in contempt, reaching suddenly for a spare pokeball and pitching it in the creature's path. In the moments it's caught in the sphere's clutches, he readies a separate pokeball, realing his Arcanine onto the field. When it released, it was clear he had an advantage, though the creature seemed desperate for a berry—and lunged for the patch regardless.[break][break]

But Howitzer quickly caught it by the scruff, tossing it away. After a rough landing, it managed to stand itself up, though it seemed to struggle with what to do next. Perhaps it was wounded? At the very least, he could see its bones through its skins enough to mean it was probably hungry. Ah, hell...[break][break]

Adrian had too many pokemon under his care. In the past he might not have been troubled by this, but now, with his own movements feeling so restricted, it seemed cruel to try and bring anything else under his guardianship. And yet...[break][break]

Preparing another pokeball, Adrian tried to capture the creature again. He could always re-release it into the wilds, but part of him knew he would never bring himself to do it...