Dual Pokemon Quest

[Blacksheep]

Lee

Pokemon journeys start at ten. It's traditional. Some people argue that the age should be moved up. Kalos has an older age for starting out on their journeys after all, and they bring out plenty of talented trainers. It would be safer. But pokemon journeys at a later age are known to be harder. No one agrees why that is. Some say it's because people are more stressed at that age. Some say it's because the balance of school and travel is more difficult. Some say the awareness of the journey means people are less willing to participate in such a journey.

Lee is too aware of why journeys start at ten. It's because it's the age when children are the most open to connect with pokemon without losing themselves in their nature. Children who start on a journey too young come back strange. Pokemon love them, but they never quite fit in with other humans again. And the older a person becomes, the more set they are, the less they are influenced and shaped by the pokemon they interact with. Between ten and twelve is the optimal age to ensure that people understand and connect with pokemon without being overwhelmed by them.

Lee doesn't know if he's lucky or unlucky that he doesn't have to worry about not having that connection. When eight he'd gotten lost in the mountains during one of the camps meant to help kids prep for going on their pokemon journey. A zangoose had found him and taken care of him for a couple months before he was found, and even followed him back to Fallarbor and his parents' berry farm. The zangoose had liked him enough to train him in self defense, and he had found himself developing an extra sense of the world. It was like the world was filled with currents that moved with the beat of life. He didn't understand everything the zangoose tried to teach him, but it was enough to get him started down the path of using aura.

If his parents hadn't realized that he knew aura perhaps he still would have gone out on his journey a year later, perhaps with the zangoose as his starter. Instead his parents had contacted fighting type specialists to help him train. It wasn't always useful. Sometimes they would know things that helped him expand his new aura sense. Sometimes it didn't connect with him at all.

He was late, far too late for a normal pokemon journey. But Lee was finally going on one. He had put his foot down after the zangoose left him last year, demanding that he get a chance for a journey. Every other kid he knew in town had already gone. There were whispers about why he was being held back, that something had happened when he had gone missing years ago that had made him unfit for a journey. He was old enough to emancipate himself, and did so with little regret. He needed his freedom.

Lee had enough money to purchase a rowlet as his starter. Using his aura had helped him save up enough money to get the pokemon he wanted. The only thing left was the choice. He looked at the pair of rowlets that had been brought over for him to choose from. One of them blinked up at him calmly, while the other chirped happily under his gaze and puffed up for his attention.

[ ]Pick the cheerful energetic rowlet
-[ ]What's his name?
[ ]Pick the calm rowlet
-[ ]What's his name?

Lee had his pokemon now. Now to get out of Fallarbor and leave it behind as fast as possible.

[ ]Head south to Meteor Falls
[ ]Head east towards the desert

 

[Blacksheep]

Archer's head twisted around cheerfully from his perch on Lee's shoulder tracking things in the mountainous terrain that Lee couldn't. The pulse of the mountains around them was different from the one in Fallarbor. It was hard to put a finger on exactly what it was that made it different. Perhaps the currents felt more jagged? Or the waves welled and crashed faster? If Lee wanted to know he would need to take the time to try and tap into it, but he was still too close to Fallarbor to do that.

He was looking at a solid month's worth of travel through the mountains to the rest stop before the desert. It wouldn't be easy. Sticking to the main path would be his best bet if he wanted to travel swiftly and move on to other parts of the country. He could take a chance and spend more time here however, venture off the path and away from what was safely marked for human passage into the territory of wild pokemon that were much less understanding of human intruders. That would be a risk, especially when Lee hadn't yet caught more than one pokemon or put in time for training. Still, high risk, high reward.

Camp Actions
[ ]Look at what pokemon are near the path, open for human interaction
[ ]Leave the main path, head deeper into the mountains, with the dangers that involves
[ ]Look to catch a spinda, they are supposed to live in this area
[ ]Look to catch a shroomish, they can be found almost anywhere
[ ]Look for zangoose, does it live here? Can you still find them?
[ ]Look to catch a swinub, they make a great powerhouse
[ ]Take the risk of tapping into the current
[ ]Write-in

Pokemon Actions
[ ]Train Archer in battle
-[ ]Write-in specific training (speed, offense, dodging, train a move)
[ ]Spend time getting to know Archer
[ ]Play with Archer
[ ]Write-in

Travel
[ ]Focus on traveling east as fast as you can
[ ]Take your time traveling east

 

[Blacksheep]

Archer loves his human. He loved traveling with him down the path. He didn't like the high point of the day much. It was too bright then, and he liked to nap on Lee's shoulder then. But waking up before the sun and watching the world around them until his human woke up, and staying up late watching the stars, warmed Archer's heart.

There was so much to see in the world. It felt like he was constantly rushing to try and track all the things he heard in the mountains around them. There were other bird pokemon here, but none that were like him. He was different from all the pokemon here along the mountains. He knew he came from a place where there had been many nest mates like himself, and then he had traveled far with another rowlet to meet his human. And now they were off to see the entire world together.

Archer thinks his human might be looking for something as they're traveling. He tries to be helpful, looking around himself, but he doesn't know what it is. It has to be something interesting, something beyond the normal pokemon they encounter as they walk. So Archer plans to make a racket if he spots anything unusual to make sure that his human doesn't miss it.

They encountered a couple spindas dizzily crossing their way across the path. Archer hooted in amusement seeing them try to find their way. They doubled back on their path at least twice before managing to cross.

[ ]Try to interact
[ ]Just watch

They found an entire cluster of shroomish in a dark shaded part of the trail, staring grumpily at those who had dared to interrupt them.

[ ]Try to interact
[ ]Just watch

They even spotted a seviper on the hunt. It looked very interested in the food that Archer's human was preparing for supper. Archer fluffed himself up and spread his wings. No food thieves allowed here!

[ ]Try to interact
[ ]Just watch
[ ]Chase off

Between traveling Archer's human took the time to speak to him. Archer didn't know how humans spoke yet, but he listened carefully. He did his best to give his own replies. He wanted to encourage his human, and let him know he thought he was awesome! Archer got distracted sometimes by a sound he heard, but he always did his best to pay attention when his human was talking. He had a lot to say. And he was great at figuring out the best spot on Archer's head to scritch into his feathers and really rub so it felt just right. Archer would find himself melting into a ball of feathers when it was done just right, giving sleepy coos of pleasure.

Archer's human joined him looking at the stars at night a couple times. That might have been some of his favorite times. He loved getting to share how bright and vibrant the stars were with his human. There was something about the view that just called to Archer. He would never tire of it.

Camp Actions
[ ]Look at what pokemon are near the path, open for human interaction
[ ]Leave the main path, head deeper into the mountains, with the dangers that involves
[ ]Look to catch a spinda, they are supposed to live in this area
[ ]Look to catch a shroomish, they can be found almost anywhere
[ ]Look to catch a swinub, they make a great powerhouse
[ ]Take the risk of tapping into the current
[ ]Stargaze
[ ]Write-in

Pokemon Actions
[ ]Train Archer in battle
-[ ]Write-in specific training (speed, offense, dodging, train a move)
[ ]Spend time getting to know Archer
[ ]Play with Archer
[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

The spinda eventually find their way off the path once more and off to wherever it is the creatures were trying to head. One of them pauses to acknowledge the pair before running off to catch up with its comrades.

The shroomish are calm and watchful as Lee passes by with Archer. They are in sync with each other, their own pulses beating together.

The seviper is the hardest to deal with. It braces itself and hisses sharply at Lee's approach to chase it off. Archer of course isn't taking any of this, and is quick to puff himself up even further and let out a screeching growl to warn the seviper off. The seviper finally backs off and starts heading back into the rocks it came from, clearly irritated that it couldn't get any of the food. Of course, if an aggressive pokemon had been pushing too hard along paths people travel, rangers and battlers would have been called in to deal with the problem. If it wanted to stay living as it was, it couldn't push too hard. Human paths meant human rules.

The pokedex was a marvel of technology, containing map, phone, internet, and of course an encyclopedia of current pokemon knowledge. There were even specific apps that could be downloaded for the pokedex, depending on what one decided they wanted, most aimed towards modifying a pokedex to more specifically cater toward a user's pokemon interests. The very latest studies were locked unless a user allowed the data their pokedex gathered to be used in further pokemon research, but that was considered a bonus for those who were interested in studying pokemon more in depth.

Archer was very interested in watching Lee play around with the pokedex, trying to tap at the screen with his beak to see what he could do. Alas, the pokedex was indeed responsive to his actions, making navigating the pokedex around a curious rowlet more challenging than it might have been otherwise. Archer was very interested to listen to Lee explain how he was looking for a zangoose and study what the pictures looked like. Archer hadn't seen a pokemon like that before, and he rather liked it. He liked the idea of finding one for Lee. He puffed himself up and trilled his intent to scour everywhere around them until they found a zangoose like Lee was hoping for.

Archer did find more pidgey, a pidgeotto, and several taillows. But the real prize came when Archer spotted a zangoose ahead of Lee. He lifted off his human's shoulder and shot ahead to where the zangoose was currently eating a seviper. He hooted happily and flew around to make sure that Lee could spot them with ease. The zangoose watched the rowlet and approaching human warily. This wasn't the old zangoose that Lee had hoped for, but Archer had successfully found one.

[ ]Try to ask the zangoose about the zangoose Lee knows
[ ]Catch the zangoose
[ ]Just watch the zangoose

Archer was proud to have done so good for his human. Even better, Lee stayed up that night to watch the stars with him. Something felt truly right about having Lee there watching the night sky with him. Archer knew he would do anything for his human.

>>>>
Archer had grown very used to spending his days listening to Lee talk and flying about to look at what was around them. It was comfortable. Archer was more than happy with exploring the world and learning about it as his human spoke. So it was a surprise when Lee interrupted their routine to offer something new. Archer was absolutely thrilled to try this new thing that Lee was offering, and listened closely to do his best to understand what he was being asked.

It seemed like flight practice. Archer was definitely being asked to fly around. But it wasn't simple straightforward flights or dives. No, he was being asked to fly in circles, and do dips, and try to move sideways. There were so many new ways being suggested on what he could do flying in the air. Some of it was easy, but other parts Archer had never put together in such a way before, despite having done parts of it individually. It was incredible! How was his human so good at figuring out how to direct Archer in flying when he didn't have wings himself? He wasn't hiding any, was he? Archer checked, but no Lee was definitely flightless. He was super amazing to have figured out all these new tricks that Archer could do! Every time that there was a stop and Lee called for him to fly Archer was eager to show off what he'd been taught and see if there was anything else he could do he hadn't realized yet.

---

I realized I don't actually know how much time detail you want to spend on traveling along the Route, if you want a day-by-day, or week, or speed up to the end of the route. So let me know your thoughts there!


Camp Actions
[ ]Look at what pokemon are near the path, open for human interaction
[ ]Leave the main path, head deeper into the mountains, with the dangers that involves
[ ]Look to catch a spinda, they are supposed to live in this area
[ ]Look to catch a shroomish, they can be found almost anywhere
[ ]Look to catch a swinub, they make a great powerhouse
[ ]Take the risk of tapping into the current
[ ]Stargaze
[ ]Write-in

Pokemon Actions
[ ]Train Archer in battle
-[ ]Write-in specific training (speed, offense, dodging, train a move)
[ ]Spend time getting to know Archer
[ ]Play with Archer
[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

The zangoose focused hard on the human and his feathered companion that had interrupted his meal. He wasn't too disgruntled by this turn of events, as he was curious about humans. What he had heard of them seemed to be true, as the human kept a respectful distance from him before beginning to talk to him. The zangoose looked at the winged pokemon for help. The feathered pokemon was young, but he understood more of how humans talk, and explained that his human was looking for a zangoose. But apparently not this one. The human was insistent that he was looking for a zangoose, but his companion couldn't explain it more clearly than that. The zangoose did promise that he'd pass the word along. It would be slow, considering how zangoose did not tend to cross across territories once settled, but others would hear about the human looking for a zangoose.

Archer was very pleased with his success in helping his human with the wild zangoose and hooted his pleasure before cheerfully nipping Lee's ear. He had done it! He had successfully passed on the message! And his human understood, and rewarded him with scritches on his head before they went on to look for more interesting things to do. Like investigating the place where ash fell from the sky. It had gently coated an area, leaving it all with a sooty grey coating that somehow turned into nothing but stains of color if touched. Archer was very pleased to investigate this fact thoroughly, at least until he realized that it had coated his wings so thoroughly he couldn't shake it off to fly properly.

[ ]Wash Archer with water
[ ]Use preening oils to help wash Archer
[ ]Let Archer figure it out himself

Archer was thrilled when Lee decided to teach something new to him. He seemed very focused on giving Archer a way to attack when flying. Or something that was connected to flying. It wasn't leafage, Lee wasn't satisfied when he used that. Lee actually did more research on his device that had shown Archer the zangoose picture before asking Archer to try buffeting things with his wings, or striking with his beak. Pecking things was a lot easier than trying to use his wings. At some point while striking things with his beak he must have started doing things right, as Lee got very excited and cheered him on. Encouraged Archer started striking even harder all over.

Archer learned Peck
Camp Actions
[ ]Look at what pokemon are near the path, open for human interaction
[ ]Leave the main path, head deeper into the mountains, with the dangers that involves
[ ]Look to catch a spinda, they are supposed to live in this area
[ ]Look to catch a shroomish, they can be found almost anywhere
[ ]Look to catch a swinub, they make a great powerhouse
[ ]Take the risk of tapping into the current
[ ]Stargaze
[ ]Write-in

Pokemon Actions
[ ]Train Archer in battle
-[ ]Write-in specific training (speed, offense, dodging, train a move)
[ ]Spend time getting to know Archer
[ ]Play with Archer
[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

Archer is clever and wise and quick. He is not, however, used to dealing with these difficulties. As rowlets go he is still fairly young, and hadn't truly had the opportunity to get himself into big messes he would have to clean out for himself. He was eager to rise to the occasion however, and did his best to start working through the ash.

Alas, he had bigger dreams than capability. It was a very good thing that his human stepped in to help him. Archer could follow along as Lee gently worked the ash loose and preened his feathers, letting him mimic it to help clear the ash himself. It was so much more thorough than he was used to having be necessary, even with Lee being a touch clumsy when he started. Archer had not liked that part. But he was cleaned of the ash, and Archer would be able to do this alone in the future. He puffed up proudly and showed off his newly shiny feathers to Lee.

Being with his human really was the best. He loved the travel, and spending time watching the stars together at night. Even better, his human was clever, and would invent little puzzles with levers and pegs for him to play with. They even had a game they did together where they put different colored pegs in a box, and whoever got their pegs in a line won. Archer really enjoyed that one, getting to compete against his human. Archer was always proud to show off when he solved a puzzle to his human. He was getting quick at figuring them out. And his human was starting to come up with more puzzles where they played together. Some of them were more tricky than others. Humans had to have entire worlds in their head with the way they played.

They saw a couple more zangoose as they traveled, ones that came to look at him and his human, but while Lee was polite to each one, there was also a thread that this isn't what he had been hoping for. He still hadn't found his zangoose. And then they reached a place where the mountains and cliffs grew even steeper, and there was a change in the path.

[ ]Continue to wait on Route 113
[ ]Turn south on Route 111
[ ]Head for the passage towards Mt Chimney on Route 112
[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

The pokedex did indeed hold a plethora of information about the pokemon that lived surrounding the routes that he wanted to investigate. There was a fair amount to sort through, covering mountainous terrain to pokemon migration to favored breeding grounds. Figuring out from there what pokemon generally lived there was simple, if hard work involving a lot of listing. Some of the pokemon were rare to find near the paths, preferring living further in the wilds and only choosing to join humans that came out to seek them.

Route 113 Pokemon
Skarmory
Spinda
Shroomish, Breloom
Makuhita
Teddiursa
Ursaring
Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine
Rhyhorn, Rhydon
Nosepass, Probopass
Mawile
Aron, Lairon, Aggron
Meditite, Medicham
Electrike, Manectric
Trapinch, Vibrava, Flygon
Swablu, Altaria
Zangoose
Seviper
Tropius
Absol
Snorunt, Glalie, Froslass
Bagon, Shelgon, Salamence

Click to shrink...

Route 111 Pokemon
Trapinch, Vibrava, Flygon
Cacnea, Cacturne
Shroomish, Breloom
Makuhita
Teddiursa
Ursaring
Rhyhorn, Rhydon
Nosepass, Probopass
Mawile
Aron, Lairon, Aggron
Meditite, Medicham
Electrike, Manectric
Zangoose
Seviper
Tropius
Absol

Click to shrink...

Route 112 Pokemon
Numel, Camerupt
Shroomish, Breloom
Makuhita
Teddiursa
Ursaring
Rhyhorn, Rhydon
Nosepass, Probopass
Mawile
Aron, Lairon, Aggron
Meditite, Medicham
Electrike, Manectric
Trapinch, Vibrava, Flygon
Zangoose
Seviper
Tropius
Absol
Torkoal
Slugma, Magcargo
Magby, Magmar
Vulpix, Ninetales
Cacnea, Cacturne

Click to shrink...

Route 111 Desert Pokemon
Cacnea, Cacturne
Baltoy, Claydol
Golett, Golurk
Trapinch, Vibrava, Flygon
Torkoal
Vulpix, Ninetales
Numel, Camerupt

Click to shrink...

More zangoose came to see him while he studied, but still there was no sign of the one he wanted.

---

I am rolling for encounters with the zangoose that Lee's looking for, no luck so far on that.


Camp Actions
[ ]Look at what pokemon are near the path, open for human interaction
[ ]Leave the main path, head deeper into the mountains, with the dangers that involves
[ ]Look to catch a spinda, they are supposed to live in this area
[ ]Look to catch a shroomish, they can be found almost anywhere
[ ]Look to catch a swinub, they make a great powerhouse
[ ]Take the risk of tapping into the current
[ ]Stargaze
[ ]Write-in

Pokemon Actions
[ ]Train Archer in battle
-[ ]Write-in specific training (speed, offense, dodging, train a move)
[ ]Spend time getting to know Archer
[ ]Play with Archer
[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

It feels strange seeing the growth around the cliffs and plateaus and gullys lessen, changing to sharp desert growth that clings and digs in dry and sharp. Archer is delighted to explore this change in terrain, checking what's there. A seviper comes across them as they pass through hissing at them before it slithers off the path chasing its prey. It feels strange to pass through an area marked for humans to travel through and yet encounter more pokemon than anything else. A vibrava passes overhead as often as other flying pokemon do, content to ignore the human traversing so far below them.

Lee's started memorizing how the stars look above as he gazes up at them. Archer can't help but be excited when Lee begins looking up constellations to share with him, telling him about Arceus and Rayquaza. The story of the Champion emblazoned in a star cluster awes Archer. It's amazing to think of someone so grand they're immortalized in stars.

Lee's started searching again, but he's not seeking out zangoose this time. He does his best to try and track the vibrava that he sees, and looks into places that look like they'd be good for nests. So far a pack of electrikes and a manectric, a herd of lairons, a makuhita, and an ursaring have all very angrily chased them away. None of them were impressed by a human sticking his nose into their homes. It takes a couple weeks before he finally comes across a couple of trapinch tussling with each other.

[ ]Immediately try to catch one
[ ]Wait, and catch the loser
[ ]Wait, and catch the winner
[ ]Interrupt the tussle and try to befriend
[ ]Interrupt the tussle and challenge to battle
[ ]Write-in

Archer's human was very smart, and had a lot of ideas of what Archer could do. He also seemed to grasp what Archer leaned towards instinctively. He got that Archer didn't like things hitting his wings while in the air, and started teaching Archer ways to dive back by pretending to brush the edges of Archer's wings. It was never quite a touch, but it was enough to have Archer moving away and listening as his human explained. This wasn't as easy as learning to peck, or increasing his agility in the air. He was dodging with purpose, and from the way Lee watched him Archer knew that this was only going to grow more complicated. The rowlet was eager to rise up to the challenge though, and pushed himself every step of the way. He would get this down, even if it was harder to learn than what came before.

Camp Actions
[ ]Look at what pokemon are near the path, open for human interaction
[ ]Visit the ranger station here, it would be nice to not camp for a night, maybe get a tour
[ ]Head into the desert
[ ]Turn back into the mountains
[ ]Take the risk of tapping into the current
[ ]Stargaze
[ ]Write-in

Pokemon Actions
[ ]Train Archer in battle
-[ ]Write-in specific training (speed, offense, dodging, train a move)
[ ]Spend time getting to know Archer
[ ]Play with Archer
[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

The pair of trapinch separated as Lee approached and declared his challenge. The trapinch took a moment to measure up the trainer and the rowlet he brought with him. Archer puffed up confidently. He could take these guys on, especially with what his human had been teaching him! The trapinch bobbed their heads in acceptance of the challenge and backed up to give room. For a moment everything was still. Archer fluttered forward to settle on a rock instead of Lee's shoulder. Then at some signal everyone understood without speaking, the battle began.

The trapinch were tough fellows, but they were uncoordinated. They would slam into each other and mess up each other's attacks, or force the other to stop. Perhaps if they were more experienced they would be able to take better advantage of another pokemon attacking at the same time, but it was clear that at this point the trapinch had been primarily solitary. It didn't help that Archer didn't move in expected ways, and was quick to respond to Lee's calls. As hardy as the two trapinch were it couldn't stand up to not only a type disadvantage, but a pokemon trainer with a solid knowledge of tactics and a pokemon that responded with ease to his trainer's calls. This may have been the first proper battle Archer had been in, but he shone with the potential he could one day grow into.

The battle was called, and the trapinch settled down and lowered their heads towards Lee. Only one of them would be caught and go with Lee. Their respect was earned, and they were eager to work under such a gifted human.

One Trapinch Acquired
Male, careful, quick tempered
[ ]Name

The ranger station set out here looked comfortable, overlooking the path between the desert and the mountain. There was a postboard outside it with notices about dangerous pokemon in the area, the importance of hydration, and current trainers registered as traveling through the area at eight. An older woman answered the door when Lee knocked with a large manectric padding along behind her. The electric dog gave a questioning woof and tried to push past to get to Lee and his pokemon. Archer shifted slightly on Lee's shoulder while his trapinch sat and stared.

"Down Roger! Down!" She glanced at Lee and smiled at him. "Sorry about that. How can I help you? Do you want a room for the night?"

[ ]Ask for a tour
[ ]Ask for a place to stay
[ ]Write-in

Lee was asking Archer to do something new again. Archer had a hard time understanding this one, as it went against his natural grain. Leafage was in a straight line, but Lee seemed to want him to zig zag it? Move around while doing it? Spread it out? Archer didn't want to disappoint his human. He put in a lot of time practicing, even when Lee wasn't watching him, to make sure he could get this down. The resulting move was more like a flurry of leaves caught in a gust that sliced what it reached, weaker than a normal version of Leafage, but he managed to get it down. All that effort had been worth it when Lee smiled at him with pride at the end.

 

[Blacksheep]

The ranger smiled warmly at Lee. "Ranger Cara Fillo at your service." She opened the door the rest of the way, her manectric finally getting past to start sniffing at Lee and investigate his pack. Cara waved the way into the station. The front was set up as a lobby with a reception desk that was partly hidden away.

A man came out from further in the building. "Oh, we have a guest?"

"We do! Lee, this is my partner, Ranger Ash Indigo."

"Good to meet you Lee," Ash said cheerfully. He looked at Archer and nodded approval. "Cool pick for a starter."

"Hungry, or do you want the tour first?" Cara asked cheerfully.