Trails of Tera Steel (Kiseki-inspired Pokemon Academy Quest)

You take a deep breath now that you're finally outside the Tauros Fort for the first time in almost a week. Stretching your arms, feeling your joints creak having spent all day cooped up inside the Fort's Inn and Library for the past week studying and preparing. But now you're free!

A couple of the guards wave you goodbye as you head down to the outpost. Tauros Fort is a massive military installation built into the mountainside that guards and overlooks the valleys separating Paldea and Kalos. An informal trading outpost had sprung up not that far away from the Andosin side of the fort. It's considered an informal meeting ground for the various clans.

It's also through here the news and products of the rest of the world filter into the northern highlands, traded for your people with currency and sometimes rare and difficult to obtain Pokemon byproducts. Like Tauros Hide for Cellphones, Mareep Wool for TVs and Generators, and Dragonscale for Orbal Trucks. Your own phone was something you got for trading in Tauros Hide you skinned yourself.

It's also there where your ride is waiting.
Leaning on his Mudsdale and reading a magazine with them and his Mudbray next to him is your older brother, Michel. "You done squirt? How'd it go?" he asks after spotting you. You show him your Trainer Card in response. "Huh, it does kinda look like the old man's."

Gramps or Old Man Jenkins. Not literally your grandfather—he died before you were born. Jenkins is the oldest person in the clan. A Trainer from the War, it was his stories that convinced you that you wanted to be a Trainer. That and seeing his Dodrio, Doremi, in action. A lot of what you know from training and battling comes from him.

Oh shit, that reminds you, he asked you to get him a large pack of cigarettes while you're here. One purchase later and you're helping your brother pack the stuff the clan sent you two to buy while you were here. You load them onto saddles on Mudbray's sides and back, making sure they wouldn't fall off. You run your hand through the back of Mudbray's neck to make sure he was okay. Then you were off, onto the great endless plains of the highlands cradled by towering mountain ranges. You stand up in your saddle behind your brother while riding on Mudsdale, feeling the wind in your hair. You'll miss this.

It takes you just under four hours to get to where your clan has been encamped for the past few months. It seems like their celebrations have already started. From the number of Pokemon outside the encampment, it seems news already spread to your extended family from other clans and they came to visit. You dismount and help Michel with unloading. With that done he tells you to go ahead, he'll also handle giving Gramps his smokes. He tells you to have fun and remember to bring him some airag cause he'll be staying with the Pokemon.

Making your way into the encampment, you're dragged by a number of kids who spot and rush you to the biggest ger where the main party is being held.

"There's the woman of the hour!" shouts your dad, Jamukha Ganzorig, as you enter. Before you could say anything, you're put into a crushing hug by your mom, Fadime, who says she's so proud of you. You try to downplay it out of embarrassment but she's having none of it. She invited the entire extended family and told the whole clan all about it. Your cheeks flush at the attention, but a part of you preens and feels proud of the impressed looks you're getting.

From how your dad smirks at you, he noticed. The celebrations lasted the rest of the day into the night. Drinking, eating, dancing, gambling the whole works. You dance briefly with your best friend Kali—who from her breath when she got close to you—is already drunk. She looked kind of sad. You remember she took the first exam with you, but she didn't pass despite being much smarter than you. She says it's because she struggles with Paldean a lot more compared to you. A quiet part of yourself thinks she deserves what you got way more than you.

Dad, already drunk, hands you a bottle of alcohol, says it's your first real step into being an adult. Mom flicks him on the head and tells you to only drink a sip if you don't end up like him. You dutifully listen and take a little sip of airag, a fermented milk. You give the rest of the bottle to your brother, who's only now joined the rest of the family in the ger. He just got back from having to cook for the Pokemon. He says he had to bring out three whole Miltanks to feed them all. You head out of the ger as the celebration moves on without you; you want to check on the Pokemon.

They seemed to be having a great time, though: a Rhyhorn seemed to already be passed out drunk on alcoholic Sitrus juice while the rest of the Pokemon were laughing, arguing and some were play-fighting in a makeshift arena. In the center was the strongest Pokemon in the clan, Doremi, who was definitely drunk from how his heads were swaying. Speaking of…

An old man wearing a deel walked up next to you. His hair was completely grayed out and he wore spectacles. He had a cigarette in his mouth and only one arm, he says he lost it in the War. His remaining right arm was holding onto a walking cane, you go over to aid him but he brushes you off.

"Not this time, this is important." he says, having made his way next to where you were standing.

"So, uh… what's up old man." you ask.

He stays silent for a bit before responding. "You'll be coming with me to get your starter tomorrow." You already knew that but with how he said he seems unusually… pensive. "Congrats on becoming a trainer kid. Try to get a good night's rest. Also one of the brats is calling for you." As he said that, you hear Timothee and your younger sister, Tamara, calling out to you from your family's ger.

You're dragged by your adoptive brother to the clan's sole computer and he challenges you to a match in Showdown, a popular battle simulator. You of course win, 'cause you are a strong 6' 0 " teen and he is a small-brained itsy bitsy little child. Tamara teases him for it because she has a crush on him, and you almost feel sorry for him. He prolly did it to try and impress her. It's all really cute.

As the celebrations slowly wind down, you help your mom clean up after the festivities. Once that's done and guests and party goers go to their respective lodgings for the night, your mom and dad have a talk with you.

"We know that you'll be leaving soon out into the world." he says as you sit around the table. Meanwhile, Mom goes to retrieve something from a drawer. "We wanted to prepare you as best we could for your time in Paldea and so…" He scoots over to give room for Mom to also sit down as she lays a lockbox on the table. Is that…

She opens it and your eyes widen. The Ganzorig Heirloom. Your father always talked about how your clan was founded by a warrior who went south with Emperor Rodrigo. For his services, he was awarded with wealth and a dagger made of folded Skarmory Steel. Lightweight and deadly.

"Go on, take it," he says. Y-you don't deserve this. Your stomach feels heavy all of a sudden.

"And here's something from the entire clan and your relatives," says Mom as she passes over an envelope.

You open it and it's cash. Lots of it. More money you've seen in one place than you've ever handled in your entire life. You feel yourself starting to tear up. You feel two presences take up and hug you.

"No matter what happens, we're so proud of you, Mariana. We hope you know that." Says your dad.

"Please be safe and enjoy yourself." Says your mom. Now you're starting to cry.

It takes a while for you to calm down, they say a few more words you don't hear before heading to bed exhausted. You don't deserve any of it.

You wake up in the middle of the night. Checking your phone, it says that it's around 2 AM. You can't sleep. Nerves, maybe? You decide to go out on a walk to clear your head. Heading outside you look up into the night sky with its countless stars in its tapestry. Paldeans at the fort always talked about how you couldn't see stars in the cities as well as you could in the routes or here in the Highlands. You look at the gers of your clan, white Wooloo wool contrasting colorful Ariados silk.

After you leave for Mesagoza, it's likely that your clan is gonna move and encamp elsewhere for the rest of the summer. Fuck, you're not make it to this year's Naadam since school starts in July, that fucking sucks. It sucks so bad that you're starting to feel yourself tear up. Soon you're crying. Ugly crying, you keep yourself quiet not wanting to wake people.

"Why the fuck are you awake at this time of night."

Looking up, you see old man Jenkins. You're not sure if you woke him up, though from how he looks he seems he hasn't slept at all.

"Just nervous is all…" you mumble while wiping your tears with the hem of your sleeve. You feel him sit down next to you and you feel ashamed of how you're forcing your issues on someone like this. Ungrateful of how lucky you are.

"Whatever crock you're thinking about yourself right now, stop it." he scolds you.

He licks his lips, a reminiscing look on his face before he speaks. "When I left for my own Journey way back when… Ain't gonna lie, it fuckin' sucked. Things were harder back then and not in the way old coots like me always complain about. We didn't have that Ditto cell shit in the centers, if a Pokemon got wounded or hurt, it took weeks to months till it got better. It was a more hateful time, too. Back then, even those stiffs in the forts could call ya the nastiest shit. Not saying things are perfect right now. I saw the looks they give us sometimes."

He purses his lips, realizing he's rambling. "What I mean to say is that feeling awful leaving the only home you've ever known for a world you only read about… It's normal. You're not spoiled or some shit for feeling that way. Cry and just let it all out. And for fuck's sake, tell this to your goddamn parents, they're better at this than I am." he finishes, hopping up to stand. You're silent. "Now go back to sleep. I'll be dragging you off to go somewhere tomorrow after breakfast."

"Remember you wanted to go on to Mesagoza cause you wanted to get stronger and see the world, didn't you?" You meekly nod. You do wanna go to Mesagoza, not just in pictures. You wait until he leaves before you go back into your ger to sleep, falling onto your like your body was made of lead.

You wake up to the sound of your alarm blaring. Right, you needed to wake up at 6. You had stuff to do. You do your part of the morning chores: checking on the Pokemon, helping cook breakfast and waking up the other brats in their ger. You'll miss this.

You tell your parents about how you felt last night. They…well…

"Mariana Ganzorig listen to your mother!" you shrink into yourself. You tried to give both the money and the dagger back and she's furious. "You're talking yourself out of doing what you want. We're giving you these because we want you to be safe and to succeed because we know—if you don't believe yourself, believe us—that you are going to accomplish great things in your life. Now come here and I'll hug that nonsense out of you." She takes you in a vice grip of a hug. "Now repeat after me, 'I deserve this because I did my very best and accomplished it'." You repeat after her, voice high because of how hard she's squeezing.

"Get over here or you're gonna sleep alone tonight." says your mom to dad who's been letting her handle the conversation. He trundles over to where you're being crushed to death and joins on the pile. Your clearly inevitable death is interrupted by Chimu, Mom's Chimecho, telling her breakfast is ready. Right, she had them and Ravs, Dad's Staravia, keep an eye on the food and keep it cooking.

It's your job to wake Timothee and Tamara up for breakfast. If you don't, those two brats would sleep the whole morning away. You drag the two sleepyheads for breakfast, and you let them pester you for details about your first battle. After breakfast, you help clean up and go over to where Old Man Jenkins is taking a swig from a flask. "Drinking already?" you ask.

"Nah it's water, you'll be needing it so bring one yourself." he replies. And so you do.

You help strap the saddle and harness onto Doremi, who looks like he has a hangover. The Dodrio is actively avoiding looking at sunlight to the mockery of Gramps who apparently told not to drink too much. You do one last check of your belongings, making sure you have the water he said to bring, some pokeballs you bought, your phone and some Tauros jerky and that's pretty much it. Travel on Doremi is always pretty quick.

You sit in front of Gramps with your hands gripped on the reins of one of Doremi's heads. He's the doughy sad one named Mi. With one last check, Doremi takes to the skies in one massive leap. His muscled legs push him off the ground in a jump, leaving behind a small crater just outside the encampment and sending dust flying everywhere. Doremi maneuvers in the air using his other two heads and his mastery of Flying Type Energy. Or at least, that's what Gramps explained to you when you asked.

From above, you see the sheer vastness of the highlands, your people and the Pokemon that inhabit it. You see other encampments in the distance, other clans around your area. Herds of Pokemon living their lives: Tauros grazing in the fields, Dubwools and their Wooloos lazing in the sun and even a few Cyclizars running across the plains chasing after a flock of Doduos. Suddenly Doremi's right head fires off an Ice Tri-Attack at the Cyclizars, cutting them off from pursuing the Doduos. Gramps hand still on the reins for the center head, flicks his finger at Do, the right head. Looking around you also see other Flying types in the sky. Staraptors and their flocks, some Swablu led by an Altaria and far off in the distance you can see a Salamence. If it's the same one that regularly tries to fight Doremi, it's probably not gonna try again after getting trashed so recently.

Finally, Gramps says that you've arrived at your destination. Slowly Doremi comes in for a landing, taking care to make it soft as possible. It seems he really is hungover. Landing on the ground, you notice that you're decently far off from the encampment. About an hour or three of travel on horseback. And Doremi just crossed that in just a few minutes. You're always impressed with how strong he is, but today really is showing you just how terrifying he must've been in prime. But like Gramps, he's a crotchety old thing. Case in point: after landing, he sticks all three of his heads in the ground.

You look around where you landed, a nearby forest to your south, a massive cliff face to your west and vast endless plain everywhere else. The only other landmark is an ovoo, a cairn or religious site for your people. A large pile of stones stacked up and surrounded by offerings, carved slates and khadag. Khadag are high-quality scarves used to wrap gifts and important items. In this case, it is wrapped around the ovoo.

You didn't think Gramps was religious. "If you wanted me to go to an ovoo there was one much nearer to the encampment." you complain.

"Shut up. You'll find out once you touch it." he replies. With him offering no further explanation, you shrug and walk up the mound of stones surrounding the ovoo and touch it—

"For what's it worth I'm sor—"

Snow. Endless unceasing snow surrounds you on all sides. A cold so thick so all encompassing you feel nothing. Nerves deadened and moving is difficult. You do feel one thing. One thing that suffuses your every being so much that it's choking you.

hate

bile fills your throat hateful curses words and mockeries spill over all the little hates in your life drowning you you hate your mother you your father you hate your sister you hate the old man you hate that little petulant brat you hate those paldeans you hate your relatives you hate your people you hate pokemon you hate those mightyena teeth gnashing snarling howling hunting in the day in the sun who tore and bit and killed you who was innocent you hate yourself you hate you hate yourself you hate your face you hate you're too red you hate your body too tall too ugly too boyish you hate your skin you scratch you scratch until it bleeds and your nails are nubs and your fingers bloodied you hate your throat writhing little under your skin you will scratch scratch scratch kill kill kill until you feel no more other than

cold

Your mind is clear and you see It. It's lounging almost lazily. A long feline body with a coat of ceaseless white snow interrupted by glimmering crystals of ice, like stars in the night sky. Upon its mouth where its fangs should've been were two black blades of cold steel. And Its eyes were a deep deep blue filled with nothing but—

You blink.

Your eyes shoot open and you try to move before you're pushed down by Gramps onto something soft. By the worried chirping, it seems to be Doremi. "What the hell happened to you? I didn't get it bad when I did it." Gramps asks.

"I touched it and I got a vision and I—the feelings came rushing back." Bile rising to your throat, you puke your breakfast onto the ground next to you, gramps holding your hair back while you vomit your guts out.

"Here." he says handing you your water flask. "See, that was more my reaction the first go around. What'd you see?" You take a massive gulp of water and wash your face with the rest before answering.

"I saw…" hate. cold. It "...a Pokemon. What was that?"

He straightens up from his ever constant slouch and looks you dead in the eyes. "A Legendary."

You face pales.

"Up for storytime, kid?" Not much of a choice, really. "It was right after the war. My division was coming back from Unova. The memories of that Shadow Lugia fresh in our minds." Re, the lead head of the Dodrio, rubs his head against Jenkins' back as a way to comfort him. "I…stumbled upon some old legends, and I couldn't get them out of my head." There's a story there. "But I put it out of my mind for a while until…" he looks at the ovoo then back to you. "After that, I went around all the highlands lookin' for all the stakes. A couple of 'em were under lock and key by the Paldeans, which was fine and dandy. Others are like this over here, turned into ovoo's and sealed up good with Psychic and Dark type shit to keep 'em down. Still prolly missed a few. Never did find the shrine proper for this one, and I don't think the Paldeans did either."

"T-this one?" Your voice is weak, like you could vomit all over again.

"Right, I was getting to that. There's four of these Legendaries across Paldea. At least as far the Paldeans could tell from the stakes that keep 'em locked up. Siphons off their energies or some shit so they don't build up enough to break out. Of the other three, two of em have wholeass forts on them, with boots and everything. The third one, well…" he scoffs.

"The Paldeans say they have it under control and then they tell me it's in fucking Casseroya Lake. If they could build shit there they'd have done so a long fuckin' time ago. But they can't 'cause its Casseroya fuckin' Lake. Prolly left it to local Domains to keep an eye on." he finishes pulling out a smoke as he does so.

You two just stay there silent for what feels like hours. Contemplating what you just learned.

"Where do I come in?" You ask after mustering enough courage to do so.

"Can your old man ask you a favor?" he says, looking at you. "I know it's a lot to ask for but… when you go around Paldea, could you, y'know, take a look at the stakes, see if they're still standing. A couple of 'em were under guard by the Paldeans so those should be fine. But the others, those too hidden or out of the way, you'll have to check on them. I'll give you a notebook where I wrote down where I remembered they were and just a map of all the stakes I know about. There's probably a couple missing or has just been wrecked by time. Can't expect you to do much about those, so don't bother. Look, I know it's a lot to ask for and it's a heavy burden to put on a kid, so you don't have to say yes."

You stay silent. It is a heavy burden, you're glad he noticed that. But… you remember that day when you felt so utterly weak to do anything. The only thing that saved you and your sister was him and Doremi. What kept you going afterwards was the thought you could be that strong one day, powerful in a way he was. Where nothing could ever hurt you and the people you cared about ever again.

The moment you decided you wanted to be a Trainer, that was on your mind. Where so many people and even other clans, most of them strangers to him aside from a few, rely on him to train them and defend them from threats too powerful like what happened during that day. You once asked him why kept running around and he said, "If not me, then who?" You look at him and Doremi. Really look at them and you notice just how old they are.

Jenkins's hair is completely gray and thinning, his skin is gaunt and patchy in places. Doremi's feathers are more gray than brown and his claws are starting to dull. Both of them were covered in wrinkles. They can't keep doing this. Even that massive leap to bring you here forced Doremi to take a rest afterwards. He presents it as a choice, but it's not really one for either of you. You say no and he'll just keep going and doing what he's doing, checking on the stakes, running around putting out fires with little complaint. And you'll never say no, not really. After everything, you and your clan owe him too much.

"Yes, I'll do it." he doesn't deflate in relief or jump in joy. He just has a grim expression on his face. You try to respond with one of your own to show your determination.

He looks away, scoffing, "Don't try to pull that look on me, it doesn't fit you." He stands and pulls you up with his cane. "That's enough serious shit for one day. C'mon, let's get your starter." Oh right, that's what you were initially going out for.

"You ready, old bird?" He asks Doremi who just stands up, grumbling in response. You both get on the Dodrio and he takes off leaving the ovoo behind. From the looks of it, you're heading somewhere closer to the mountain ranges that separate the highlands from Kalos. If you squint, you could almost make out where Tauros Fort should be. You eventually make it to what looks like a monastery.

Doremi lands near the monastery in a clearing where an irate monk wearing a blue habit and a Medicham were waiting. From the pained look on gramps' face, he must be having a conversation with the psychic. Before you two could even dismount, the monk was already berating Jenkins.

"What took you so long, we agreed on a time, dammit! That Pokemon is starting to make my monks and even the rangers and boots worried." he scolds while pointing a finger at gramps.

"Jeez, lighten up, will you, Lev? I'm here now." Gramps' replies.

The monk turns their gaze on you, looking you up and down. "She knows and agreed to it?" he asks. Before gramps could respond, you nod at the question preempting him.

Lev sizes you up one more time before gesturing towards the Medicham, who levitates a notebook towards you. It seems bizarrely new and seems to not fit the actual monk in front of you. "Wrote down the locations of the stakes that we know. As well as a ritual that will reinforce the seals on them. You'll need a decently powerful Weaver or Null for that, but you're a Trainer so that shouldn't be too hard for you." With those two weird titles, you knew everything you needed to know about him and the monastery—-both of them are with the Geomantic Church.

Ugh, Fae, why couldn't they just use the words Psychic Types and Dark Types like the rest of us. From how the Medicham's smiling she prolly heard your surface thoughts on that. Wish you could listen to telepathy without it hurting, but mom didn't let you practice with Chimu.

"C'mon, let's go, leave that stick in the mud behind." says Gramps as he drags you into the monastery. You leave Doremi behind who's gorging himself on some berries on the trees of the clearing.

"Let's go meet your starter."

Who's your starter?

[] Machop: Gramps takes you to the Monasteries' Arena. It's a wide open space with seats on a downward slope towards the arena. On the stands were a handful of Machokes and Machops dressed in colorful deels, gis and other clothing. A couple of Rangers and Soldiers were also watching the match. A singular Machamp, bare from the waist aside from a hakama skirt, was meditating with the arena in front of him. On the arena proper, there were two Machop fighting, both looked wounded but one seemed to be worse for wear with their left arm hanging limply off their side and their right hand broken. Seemed. He's faking the broken arm and you could tell, but his opponent couldn't. One misguided strike and a vicious counter and the match was over to the booing and hissing of the audience. Yet the Machamp remained silent, meditating.

"Nasty little runt, isn't he?" Grandpa uses his cane to point at the victorious Machop who's looking around soaking in the boos and hisses. His eyes land on you, he grins and wipes his bloody nose with his broken hand. "Say hello to your partner."

• Starter will be Machop
• Machop will begin at the Early 1-Badge Level (200/2000)
• Ability: Guts
• Tera Types: Fighting, Rock, Dark, Steel
• Will know additional moves (Facade, Mach Punch, Reversal)
• Final Evolution into Machamp will either require Machoke to fully master their strength or for them to master their chosen fighting style to their satisfaction.
• Knows Andosin Martial Arts (Bokh). Can learn more
• Machamp is one of the physically strongest Pokemon available in Paldea. Line will make a good sparring partner if you're into that. (Periodically gives some PROW XP)
• Personality Issues

[] Zubat: Further down into the Monastery, Gramps leads you to an old amphitheater. It's half collapsing, parts of it having broken down due to age leading to a cave opening. He points his cane and you look up in shock. Hundreds and hundreds of Zubats on the roof of the Amphitheater, a handful of Golbats with their mouths closed and in the center is a Crobat. In an eye-blink, the Crobat flies down and lands on Gramp's outstretched arm.

"Miss you, hon. How's the sprogs?" The Crobat makes a low hissing noise in response which causes the old man to laugh. "Brought the kid I told you about, where's yours—" Before he could finish, a Zubat flies up to your face and you nearly fall over in shock. Both Grandpa and the Crobat laugh. Even without eyes, you could see from how the Zubat moves that it seems apologetic and shrinks away from you. "Told ya they're alike!"

• Starter will be Zubat
• Zubat will begin at Late 0-Badge Level (800/1000)
• Ability: Infiltrator
• Tera Types: Poison, Flying, Bug, Steel
• Will know additional moves (Hypnosis, Dual Wingbeat, Shadow Sneak)
• Is the simplest to fully evolve of the Starters.
• Crobat can fly and carry you around across settlements and routes if you're so inclined. Crobat poison also has a lot of uses and versatility. Is extremely fast.
• Is just like you frfr.

[] Dreepy: He leads you to an empty courtyard in the Monastery with a clear view of the sky. "Rangers and Boots are gonna kill me for this." he says, pulling out a bizarre flute then blowing on it. It sorts of looks like a— your thought was interrupted by a thundering noise from the sky. You look up and see what made that sound just arrive up above you two. 'A Dragapult' you finish your thoughts. The flute is like a Dragapult. The dragon floats down towards Gramps and nuzzles up towards them, which the old man affectionately returns. Before either could say anything to you something bolts out of the holes on the horns of Dragapult, knocking you over.

"Well you too are acquainted now, I suppose." He quips at you. You look down and see a Dreepy wide eyed doing circles on your chest.

• Starter will be a Dreepy
• Dreepy will begin at Early 0-Badge Level (50/1000) (Gained XP from beating you)
• Ability: Infiltrator
• Tera Types: Dragon, Ghost, Steel
• Will know additional moves (Double Team, Shadow Sneak)
• Will evolve into Drakloak once it learns Extremespeed
• Final Evolution into Dragapult will require Mariana to return with them to the Andosin Highlands for a Trial from the Pokemon's sire, Jenkins' Dragapult.
• Once fully evolved, it is one of the fastest Pokemon in the world.
• Dragon types are temperamental to raise, having ego issues.
• Is a newly born hyperactive child
• Will absolutely outlive you

With less than half a month away from the beginning of the School Year in the Academy, you still have some time left for last minute preparations. Doing odd jobs for cash now that you're a trainer. Crash reading of books and study materials. Maybe even spinning by the Battle Arena once the entrance exams are over to have some battles with other Trainers.

Or even just hanging out with your friends (if you have any) and family for the last time in quite a long while. It'll be three years until you'll be able to graduate from the Academy.

You could also try to get to know your starter. The one who's gonna be your partner for the rest of your life. Unless they're an egg. In which case you can try and find a way to hatch an egg as soon as possible.

2 AP AVAILABLE (Every option Costs 1 AP)

[] Grade 9 Trainer Work: Now that you're a trainer, there are a variety of odd jobs that typically people need doing. A lot of them are too minor for rangers to do, clearing out lost wild pokemon in nooks and crannies, babysitting pokemon, going to isolated hamlet's and villages too small to be on most maps for favors and such. All the grunt work the Ranger's are too busy or are too minor to handle. It's not much, but it's honest work.

• Roll a d6 for a Pokemon encounter. Catching Possible, if not added to party will be turned over to Rangers
• Gain some Cash (Roll 10d100*20)
• +200 PROW XP

[] I'm not Book Smart, I'm Poke Smart: Look, you readily admit that you're more of a hands-on learner than anything else. Sure you barely passed Sunday School, struggled in any subject that didn't involve Pokemon and was kind of a menace in class. BUT! That doesn't matter now, you're about to go to the most prestigious Academy in all of Paldea and if you don't wanna make a fool of yourself then better hit those books, search up those terms and start asking questions.

• +200 KNOW XP (Is increased to +400 KNOW XP With Trait Catching Up.)
• Gain Trait Fundamentally Fundamentals: +10% KNOW XP for the first month (4 Turns) in Mesagoza

[] Going into Tall Grass: You have it. The battling bug. You love battling, and you can't get enough of it. You have an idea on how you can get more. Borrowing your brother's Mudbray and going to the market outpost to buy potions and some of the more delicious berries there. You then go to a nearby forest in order to fight some wild Pokemon. It takes a bit to get the idea of "If they fight your starter and win, they get berries and if they lose, no you won't be catching them and will even heal them with the sprays Trainer's use." You need them to agree before you fight them, local Pokemon can hold onto some pretty nasty grudges if they think you've wronged them for no reason. But you eventually manage to get the idea across. Along with some challengers.

• +200 SKLL XP
• +200~500 POKE XP
• +2 MXP to All available Moves
• Lose P2000 for buying Berries and Potions. Outcome of battles will dictate how many berries and potions will be left to you.

[] Will the Childhood Best Friend Win?: Your best friend is a girl named Kali. She's the one you normally hang out with when you just wanna goof off or have fun. They'll be starting their Trainer Journey this August. For one reason or another, they won't be attending with you to Mesagoza. But doesn't mean you can't keep up with one another or just hang out. Hey, maybe you could watch a movie together. Maybe she'll actually watch it this time rather than just staring at you during it. You don't know why she always does that.

• Even if not taken Best Friend will still be a Minor Character going on a Trainers Journey
• +200 CHRM XP
• Don't you just wanna hang out?

[] Family means no one gets left behind: Not including the farewell party they're gonna hold for you no matter what. You could choose just to spend time with them. You could even introduce your Starter to them. They're technically gonna be part of your family as per custom. You likely aren't gonna be seeing them for almost a year unless your Field Exercise takes you to your hometown.

• Set Starter Bond to Bond 2 (You will be able to give them a nickname. You'll be more acquainted with their tells and moods.)
• If taken with Dreepy give a total of +150 XP. They will beat your family like they beat you human.

[] Your Partner: You have a Pokemon. It still feels like a dream at times. But you, Mariana, are a Trainer. "It is (checks notes) the duty of every Trainer to come to understand and be understood by their Pokemon. And through this relationship can both parties become more whole and holistic people." On The Relationship Between Trainer and Pokemon by Samuel Oak. Well, with that out of the way, wanna hang out and hit some trees or run around the plains?

• Set Starter Bond to Bond 1 (You will be able to give them a nickname.)
• +3 MXP to All available Moves
• +100 PROW XP

Massive thanks to Nemastraea for proofreading this update
Massive thanks to SectionXIII for answering my questions in regards to nomadic cultures