Tragically, Andrea was no stranger to hospitals, and this was overall the second time she was visiting Josh in one. Mauville’s General Hospital was overbooked with victims of poisoning and survivors from the Megalopolan prison, but they’d still managed to secure a room on the tenth floor for the city’s Gym Leader.

The young PokéManiac tentatively knocked on the door, before allowing herself in. She held a bouquet of flowers in one hand, while cradling her treasured Fuecoco in the other. “Hi, Josh… You’re back here, huh?” Her attempt at humor was offset by a melancholy look and bags under the eyes denoting a lack of sleep due to recurring night terrors.

Josh Devlin //mission thread

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Indeed, the PokéManiac had set up a picnic table, where she prepared sandwiches alongside her darling Fuecoco. The girl looked insanely focused when she applied the top slice of bread, so much so that she didn’t notice she had a visitor until directly spoken to.

“Oh! Hi, Ms. Visionary--I mean, Naomi!” She waved at the Unown avatar, who finally had a name, although the circumstances by which she’d learned that name (a wanted poster by the HBIC) were less than ideal. “They really oughta update your picture, am I right?”

At the mention of Ogerpon, a green shape flitted under the table. “She prefers the name Pon, and she’s doing a lot better, though she still doesn’t feel comfortable around most people.” Andrea explained, before looking down at her feet. “And I’m… d-doing okay too.”

Naomi Sato

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Ultra Plant. That world was unfamiliar. When not ravaged by thunderstorms, it was steeped in darkness much like Lesser Megalopolis, but unlike the latter, there were no signs of civilization save for the few abandoned power stations scattered about.

One such station became the starting point of Andrea’s exploration, but she was decidedly not the only human in the vicinity. Someone had arrived before her; a woman with a Poipole.

“Ms. Lulu!” The draconic cosplayer jovially waved. Her own companion for the trip was an Illumina Slowking whose peculiar, luminescent markings lit up the dingy interior.

“Fancy meeting you here! Are you on an adventure? Can I help?” The dragon lover exuded a positivity that almost felt forced, unlike their past encounters, when she had effortlessly been a ray of sunshine.

Lulu Flint

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"Business, I guess." Answered the young woman. Her Hydreigon kept an eye on Theo, but it did not act hostile towards him. The multi-headed drake was familiar with his scent by that point.

"You were in that Megalopolan prison too, weren't you?" The dragon-costumed girl wasted no time with her questioning. "There was so much stuff going on, I could barely keep up, but I'm pretty sure I saw you at one point. Lulu Flint was there too."

THEO BECKETT //mission thread

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The familiarity of the voice caused Andrea's body to relax. Recent events had made her more alert than usual, fretting that somebody could knock her out at any given moment and drag her back into that horrid cell.

"Hi, Johanna! Are you exploring Area Zero too? What a coincidence!" The young PokéManiac remarked with forced positivity. The trauma was still fresh. She had not been prepared to meet her former cellmate so soon after the fact.

Ogerpon wrapped one of its vines around its caretaker's arm, nagging her about moving forward with an impatient "Po-o-on!"

"OK, OK! We'll get you those crystals!" The woman exclaimed. "Would you two like to join us?" She asked the bluenette and her sentient sandcastle.

Johanna Joy //mission thread

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Eris’ imagination, however simplistic, was sufficient. The sudden sound of clapping spooked the poor little ogress, who hid behind her caretaker’s legs. “Don’t worry, it’s just an NPC. They’re not real.” Said Andrea in an attempt to console her.

Cookies were the real cure to social anxiety. At the sight of the enticing treat, the green-clad creature outstretched her stubby arms as if to say ‘gimme’. She seemed comfortable in the company of other Pokémon, including Reiner, whom she regarded with a smile. However, when the short human referred to her as Ogerpon, that smile turned into an angry frown.

“PON!”

“Just Pon will do.” Andrea explained. She didn’t know who had come up with the name Ogerpon to describe the species, but she was having words with them later. “I’m actually curious about it myself. What would your ideal Gym look like?”

The Grass-type legendary pondered the question for a few moments, before raising her arms over her head, while standing on her tiptoes to appear as tall and imposing as possible.

“A mountain?” The dragon-costumed woman muttered in confusion. “I guess you could build a Gym on top of a mountain.”

Eris Halla

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Area Zero. A few months ago, the place had been swarming with intrepid explorers from both factions. Now, the ongoing war effort kept most of them busy. Buried deep within the chasm, many treasures still waited to be uncovered.

Entering the massive Terastal cavern, Andrea searched for the familiar path she had traversed with Josh Devlin on their last excursion, but could not find it. Much of this complex cave system was still uncharted territory.

Shimmering crystals jutted out from the ground and the surrounding, rocky walls, prismatic light being reflected on the big, starry eyes of Ogerpon, who bounded with joy.

“Pon~!”

The dragon-costumed woman laughed softly. “Pretty neat, huh? Area Zero has the best-quality Tera Crystals you can find!” Her body suddenly tensed up. “W-who’s there?!”

She could hear the sound of footsteps. It looked like they were not alone down there. Was the thing approaching them friend or foe?

Johanna Joy //mission thread

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