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Xuying stares a little blankly at the Porygon-Z as the Cufant disappears into the safari ball, something like ... disbelief colouring his face. Yeah, disbelief seems to be about the right word for this. "Don't tell me you actually can communicate just fine?" the researcher mutters to himself, raising an eyebrow as he gets nothing in turn but a blank stare from itself. There is truly not too much to argue between those two, as it seems, so Xuying merely shrugs and continues on.[break]
[break]
And the same spiel repeats itself, with the Porygon-Z seemingly chatting up a Pidove, for lack of better description, and Xuying throwing a safari ball to capture the Pokémon. "You know, we should have some serious talking ..."

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"Right, so let's see ..." Xuying mutters as he takes out his notebooks with the few words he scribbled about this month's Safari Zone and all that he would need to ensure that this visit is going smoothly. Maybe a little more smoothly than some other visits he had in the past, for sure ... However, he has never truly worked with the Porygon-Z on capturing Pokémon before, so he does not have much of a scale when it comes to this ... wildcard of a Pokémon.[break]
[break]
Whatever did happen with that dubious disk, really?[break]
[break]
Speaking of ... "Z? Where are you?" he wonders out loud, eyes wandering over the scenery - only to see how it seems to be ... chatting with a Cufant? He cannot fathom what a broken record of a Pokémon could ever want to convey to something else, left alone a sentient being, but the sight makes him chuckle no less. It's ... fascinating, to say the least. And just about enough distraction to throw a safari ball at the Cufant, hopefully securing the first catch of the day.

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Another month, another attempt ... at least this time around, it seems like there won't be any Fire starters that could set him - figuratively, metaphorically, physically, actually, literally, sporadically - set him on fire or something. He really thinks his collection is starting to steer eerily towards those, but perhaps that is just his luck ... There are quite some, after all.[break]
[break]
This time, he is accompanied by his longest-standing companion, a friend he had since early on, and who changed from helpful to super helpful to ... this. Distorted noises are coming from the Porygon-Z as it floats along, eyes looking any direction and none at all. "Yeah ... that was definitely a dubious disk for sure," he only shakes his head, a wry smile on his face. But such is the woes of fate and the laws of the known. They can, thusly, only venture to seek that which he does not know yet.[break]
[break]
So, off they go.

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His mumblings should not quite go unnoticed, though Xuying could genuinely not tell whether or not he actually intended for such to happen. Did he want to have his complaints be heard, or would he prefer to be like old man yelling at cloud for his displeasure with an event he semi-voluntarily agreed to go to? Huh ... how curious. But fact only is that he is faced with a person now, dressed in purple and tip-toeing the line of obnoxious and picturesque, with a Lyrancroc to fit the whole show. His own Pokémon are in their balls with no intention to put them out, to be honest, though that is mostly for the party's safety and less because of them. He wouldn't even want to think what shenanigans the shiny Rotom would be up to ...[break]
[break]
Still, he offers a friendly smile to the other, humming, "seems fair enough. What would you say is the most fun part about it, then?" In the end, it does seem like if nothing else, the stranger enjoys dressing up for the occasion, and probably has the money to do such as well. Not necessarily things he can relate to, to be honest, but then again, that possibly makes it only more intriguing, if the other is down for a chat. Hopefully he doesn't get the idea to dance or something ... oof.

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Unfortunately, his hopes of having the other possibly accompany him down to the strangest and most dangerous area of this place are going up in flames just like that, having been ready to ask just when she mentioned 'asking for someone stronger to tag along'. A pity, really, since he doubts he will find someone on-the-fly, but then again ... who knows? He already ran into Maki on his merry way, perhaps he's lucky enough for it to happen twice. Or thrice, if he really needs it to.[break]
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Or maybe a couple more times.[break]
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Sighing dramatically, however, he merely nods in reply, "guess I gotta go a little more prepared. Thanks for the kind advice, however." It does not deter him from going entirely, though. But perhaps, he'll go in a little more prepared ... maybe. For now, his attention is caught by the Lapras passing by - a nod to the Metagross, and it is Meteor Mashing onto the dual type, so that Xuying is able to catch it. "Well, how do you like your stay here so far?" Xuying then asks, continuing this chat with more ... possibly senseless questions.

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The last one presents itself in the form of a Dreepy, floating right into their way and looking quite more combat-ready than the others. But it's nothing compared to the Torchic that nearly knocked him over, so the catch happens easily enough once he manages to get a hold of it after a ray of Confusion by the Metagross, throwing the last safari ball in his current possession to see about capturing the last one.[break]
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"Phew ... that should be all, right? Time to get going," he pats the Metagross as they make their way back to the entrance, humming. Yeah ... nice work once more.

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The warnings of the other don't fall on deaf ears, but ... well, Katharina Strophe could probably have told him more about the specifics, too, and he might not have retained much such information. They all seemed so far and distant, pretty much out of his grasp and hence unimportant for his own being, but it seems that they are further and further treading on territory that might make him more or less acquainted with such creatures, whether he wants or not.[break]
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Huh ... how interesting.[break]
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"Why of the robotic clones moreso than the other possibility?" he is curious, however, wondering if Josh would deem the robotic clones more of a threat than whatever else there may be. However, his attention is just as easily distracted by the Blitzle, and further down the Archeops that flies by - fast, but not fast enough that Xuying wouldn't manage to throw a Pokéball, just in case he is able to get ahold of one of the fossil ones. "Uh - but, yes, definitely agree that we should leave before getting into a fight ..." Yeah, he may be insane and lack most senses of danger, but he is not that without his instinct for self-preservation. "Fought many such guys before?"

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He should truly know better after all the warning and the words of caution that MAKI YUKIMURA has uttered the last time he ventured into these lands - should probably have known better after seeing the lands for himself, and all that came with it, and how last time ended ... Well, but to err is human and to do the same mistake twice or even more in the pursuit of science and his own curiosity is something that he is excruciatingly good at sometimes. Sometimes, his sense for self-preservation gets the better of him, but sometimes ...[break]
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At least this time, he starts with the Metagross, not bothering about the malfunctioning Porygon-Z that can stay warm in its Pokéball, for sure.[break]
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However, much like last time, he also is not quite alone, or not for long, as a somewhat familiar figure makes way into his field of vision. Xuying looks - squints - before recognition strikes and his expression eases into a smile, "oh! Fancy seeing you here, too. What brought you here all the way?"

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With two more safari balls remaining, Xuying and his Pokémon partner are making haste through the remaining Safari Zone, with the researcher on the lookout for whatever he might have missed during his previous visit to this place. Soon enough, stumbling over a Joltik, it only needs a distraction caused by Hyper Beam to enable him to throw a ball at the Pokémon.[break]
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Holding the one safari ball with the Joltik in one hand, and the empty one in the other, he hums, "only one more to go ... I guess?"

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Seriously ... he feels like he is turning into a part-time farmer just by the courtesy of travelling Hoenn and being somewhat acquainted with a forest ranger that lives somewhat self-sufficiently, and who he helps with the garden every now and then. But neither Xuying nor his Pokémon are actually that proficient when it comes to agriculture of much any way. He could probably get familiar with the machines. But actual Mareeps ...? Huh. How did he end up here again?[break]
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Thankfully, he hasn't been asked to do the task of rounding up some lost sheeps on his own, and a stranger is worse than a friend or even just an acquaintance, but its better than nothing. (Oh, how little he does know in the grand scheme of things ...) Looking over to the other, he doesn't know if he actually introduced himself, though, so he puts on his friendly smile as they walk to where some villagers have seen a couple sheeps the last, "by the way, I don't know if I mentioned, but I'm Zhou Xuying. You can just call me Xuying, or XY for short. Or XYZ, honestly, your pick." And, after a heartbeat, he added, "have you ever had something to do with Mareeps before?"

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To be honest, Xuying doesn't quite know he got into this situation - well, for someone who approaches the world so self-assuredly, so confident in knowing his way (seemingly so), he sure gets tossed around by the whims of time and fate over and over. But perhaps, this is all part of the grand plan where ... who knows where it'll end. He sighs. In this current moment, it has led him to a late harvest of sorts, the chillier breezes of late autumn are pulling at his nerves, but it's no impossible feat to pluck some berries from the many trees that an elderly couple has standing around in their garden. They've been nice enough to offer him to take home a few of them if he wants to, though the Porygon-Z and the shiny Rotom have been no help at all, so he's been doing all the work himself. Hmph. At least his Metagross is a reliable companion when it comes to floating up to the berries in higher areas ...[break]
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"Yeah, one moment," he calls out by the sound of noise coming from the house as the researcher reaches for one of the heavier berries, turning around to see a new face instead. "Oh - hi, expected to see Mrs or Mr Jones, but you are ...? You also here to help?" He gestures to the berry trees that still have to be harvested. And so far, things have been quite peaceful, even though he knows from doing gardening work for Islwyn that it isn't that easy all the time ... hm ... "Oh, the name's Xuying, by the way - Zhou Xuying. Call me Xuying, XY, or XYZ if you'd like, though," he gives her a wave with his gloved hands and a friendly smile.

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Watching as the Pumpkaboo disappears into the safari ball and it stays that way, he feels more motivated to go through the rest of the Safari Zone once more. There should only be two more that he hasn't even met by now, right? "Wonder what that will be ... I forgot to ask the warden again," he easily chitchats with the shiny Metagross, although he is sure that it can probably understand him a little, even without voicing such empty air that brings nothing new to the table. But - oh, well. As if life isn't full of its own mysteries and nonsenses, right? So he walks right past a Cubone, his eyes set elsewhere.

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