Pokemon Hopes & Dreams: Sinnoh Beginnings

Okay, Plebian's vote ended up getting counted twice for some reason, while Theadier didn't cross their votes (maybe they'd planned to do that later?), but either way Lost Tower wins and Hearthome definitely wins

Your route planned out, you followed Cynthia south from Solaceon, Cyrus having taken off in the opposite direction with barely a farewell for either of you.

"Well, off you go," Rowan at least offered "I suppose this will all be new to young ones like yourselves".

You had soon left your hometown to find yourself in a route crisscrossed by a river, surrounded by forests and even dotted with holes. Navigating this road might be easier if you had a Ride Pokémon handy due to the sudden pits and the sandy climbs out of them, but it still looked like you could make your way through here easily enough.

You could spot a couple of nearby grass patches that might do for your first Pokémon capture, though it was still obviously daytime, winter too, and you knew certain Pokémon would only appear at night or elsewhen in the year.

"Oh, making a capture?" Cynthia took notice "No offence, but I already had my team planned out beforehand, so I can't say I'll be joining you right now. But I guess you've already read up on how to catch a Pokémon?"

You swiftly nodded, and thought that even if you couldn't find anything interesting, Turtwig could use the training anyway. It soon became clear the local Pokémon were:

(You may select up to five Pokémon try catching, all Trainers having an active Team of Six, and can write-in nicknames)
[ ] Starly
[ ] Bidoof
[ ] Bonsly
[ ] Mime Jr.
[ ] Budew
[ ] Ralts
[ ] Vulpix
[ ] Psyduck
[ ] Take a chance (may find a surprise Pokémon)
[ ] Just train Turtwig

After you'd done, you turned around to see that Cynthia had suddenly vanished. Calming yourself, the most likely option there was that she'd just been impatient enough to head straight for that Lost Tower.
Said Tower loomed nearby, looking like a pale obelisk. It admittedly may not've been the best move to head in there after battling wild Pokémon, but you figured a place like it would be way more active at night anyway, and you just wanted to check if Cynthia was around, so you figured you'd be okay.



As you stepped into the cemetery, you didn't see much beyond the gravestones and light yet thickening mist, just a Gastly or two and what looked like a Woobat. However, as you cautiously took more steps in, you could then hear what sounded like an... argument of some sort?

There were voices coming from the upper floors, one of which you certainly recognised as Cynthia's. "You're talking gibberish! You mean you're going to disrupt this place and mess with people's lives just for 'excitement'?" she spat out sharply at an unknown figure, leaving you tensing.

"Oh you wound us, little trainer girl. Our motives go beyond merely the personal," said a deep yet flowery voice belonging to a man who, you could see from your hiding spot down the stairs, was more than dressed for any occasion with a top hat and ruffled trench-coat "As Team Romantic of the Marchenreich, we exist to put wonder and magic back into all people's lives".

A girl, also part of Team Romantic you guessed from her puffy Victorian princess dress, chimed in with "The good citizens of Hearthome downwind toil their uneventful lives away, so while it may be... difficult for the uncultured to appreciate, by creating an especially memorable event for them, we'll be making their existence much more meaningful".

"By releasing the fog from here and siccing a horde of Ghosts on the city?!" Cynthia snapped at them, but the two Romantic Grunts only giggled in response.

"Just watch us" the man slyly smiled.

Glancing down and spotting you, Cynthia went "Evelyn? Hey, great that you're here. Listen, I know this may be asking a bit of you, but I need help taking these clowns down. I just hope they're not those Fairy-type users I've heard about..."

You hesitate, not knowing what to do, but it also occurs to you that, if you don't stop these two now, you'll be dealing with a much more serious Ghost swarm in Hearthome.

[ ] Send out Turtwig.
- [ ] Take these guys out.
- [ ] Tank hits while Cynthia's Pokemon attack.
- [ ] Write-in.
[ ] Send out one of your caught Pokemon (write-in).
- [ ] Take these guys out.
- [ ] Tank hits while Cynthia's Pokemon attack.
- [ ] Keep dodging their attacks while Cynthia whittles them down.
- [ ] Write-in.
[ ] You're not sure what to do, but you think Cynthia's got this.
[ ] Write-in.