Works of Nature

[Trainer Sonjo]

((Alright, listen up. This Role-Play is primarily INVITE ONLY. If you want to join in, you have to be active; you must post at least a few times every day. If you have internet issues or limited access, don't even bother. Next, you must type with good grammer. Self explanitory. Lastly, you must be absolutly committed to RP. If you slack off, that leaves us hanging. And we'd rather avoid that. As a side note, this RP takes part in the past. Make sure your character's bio fits with events in the past before you consider joining.

Participants:
Carrie Slovak
Trainer Sonjo

The limit is four. Once the limit is filled, that's it.))

Kenji had just made it to Slateport, landing on the beach's sand. He's thanked the Seaferer that transported him here, and the old man departed for his home. Having his companion Grovile beside him, he took a deep breath of the air, and looked to his partner. "Well then, let's go to town, shall we?" The leafy Pokemon nodded, and the both of them made their way to Slateport, examining the sceneary around them.

Checking his supllies, he was embarresed to find himself short on supply. Luckily for them, the two of them were near plenty of vending stands, who sold various items. Kenji wondered where he should look first, and enetered the area.

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

The sky rested high in the sky, beating down with an irrepressable heat upon her raven head. It was at times like these that Beth wished her hair wasn't black; it just soaked up all the heat and made it feel like she was boiling eggs on her head.

She sighed, bringing an arm to wipe the sweat running down her face. Even in the shade of a medicinal stall it was sweltering, or at least to her.

'This is what I get for going south,' She thought sourly.

Crest, however, was positively basking. The Houndoom lay sprawled at her feet, belly up and legs in the air. She grinned heartily, her eyes closed and thoroughly enjoying the afternoon.

Beth frowned down at her with a mixture of jealously and disbelief, slumping deeper into her seat. She had already rolled up the soaked white sleeves of her blouse, and had long since unbuttoned the top few to allow for more circulation.

She wiped more sweat from her face, trying to remember why it was she had come to Slateport again. It wasn't like there was a Gym badge to get here...

Oh, yes. She had needed to restock, but she had done that already. She, however, was adamant about not leaving the city to go hiking through the wilderness until the weather cooled off some.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji looked among the venders, who were all fighting for his attention. I need some provisions, which incluse some Max Potions, and revives. Full Heals wouldn't be bad either... He took a random stab at a vender, which had a girl and her Houndoom resting underneath it's shade. Grovile took interest at the girl and approached her Pokemon.

After buying the stock he needed, he noticed Grovile wasn't by his side. He looked around for his green pokemon, and found him hovering over the two. "Hey, Grovile!" He rushed over to him, Grovile not understanding what worried him so.

"Sorry about that, Grovile here likes to wonder off, occasionally."

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth looked up as the Grovile approached, all possible curiosity being sucked out of her by the heat.

Crest, however, didn't react quite so calmly. She yelped loudly and with a single feet was off her back and on her feet, huddling behind her trainer with her tail between her legs.

Beth sighed.

"It's no problem. Crest just doesn't like people."

She waved to the Shiny Pokemon still cowering behind her.

"You can probably see why."

This time she waved to the market at large; most who passed by would stop for a few seconds to gape at her Houndoom (a Pokemon not found in Hoenn, and Shiny no less) before either moving on or approaching to take a closer look. She shooed them away, irritation making her eye twitch.

The heat didn't help, either.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji watched as the sweat dripped down Beth's face. He could sypathise, having the right side of him absorbing the sunlight. "I see you're suffering from the heat. There's a shack on the beach near here that gives cold soda away to passing trainers. I was going to go there myself, to tell the truth." He looked down on his Leafy Pokemon, who was fanning himself with the leafs on his arms. "Wanna go there?"

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth nearly cried 'Hallelujah'.

She heaved herself from the chair, shaking her soaking bangs out of her eyes. Crest whined as her protection left her.

"Thanks. With this heat I don't think I could have thought of it myself."

She frowned heartily at the prospect of stepping out into the direct sunlight, but she sighed and waved for Crest to come.

"It won't be so bad if you stay by me," She reassured the devil-dog kindly. Crest whined again but slowly scooted out from behind the chair, coming close to her Trainer and rubbing against her jeans like glue. "Let's go before I die."

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

"Then it's settle. Let's go!" He marched out of the stall area, and off the steps which lead to the beach. It was breezy, waving the wind whip across Kenji's face. It was relaxing, and the wave's crashing just further fit the situation. Grovile's headleaf flowed in the wind.

Once at the shack, he ordered for the refreshments, which were served almost instantly. He looked over to Beth. "So, what brings you to Slateport?"

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth took the cold drink like a dying woman. She took several large gulps and sighed before answering.

"Restocking, mostly. I'm running about doing some training for this year's League. I hope to become good enough to score a good rank."

Crest remained glued to her jeans, tail wrapped tightly around her and shivering whenever someone happened to glance curiously her way.

"You?"

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji took a sip of his drink before answering. "Well, I've been sent here to deliver a package of sorts." He reached into his puch, and took out a small box. "This thing. I don't know what's in it, or why this person wants it. My job's just to deliver, I guess." He put the box away. Grovile guzzled his drink, letting out a sigh of relief.

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

She looked at where he had put the box away, considering.

"Who are you delivering it to?"

She leaned against the counter, unaware of the annoyed look the owner shot her.

"That doesn't look like a normal package, especially if you're delivering it and don't know what's in it."

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji shrugged. "Some person at the museum. I don't know anything other than that." It was rather bizrre now that he thought about it. The person he got it from looked rather shady, come to think. But he really didn't concern himself about those things.

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth finished her drink, looking at the cooling, empty can in her hand longingly before tossing it into the nearest rubbish bin.

"Well, why not go do that now? I have nothing else to do until tomorrow, anyhow."

Crest cowered closer to her, unnerved by the idea of hanging around complete strangers. Beth patted her on the head comfortingly.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

"Sure thing." Kenjo hopped out of his chair, bringing his soda with him. Grovile had already finished his can, and was looking for a place to throw it. There was a bin near the cornor, which the green Pokemon tossed his waste into. Two points; Grovile chimed to himself.

The group headed out of the shack, and back into town. Kenji looked for the Museum, to see it was just ahead of them. They got inside, feeling the cool air. The clerk asked for a fee, but all Kenji had to do, was flash the boxto her, and she gladly accepted it.

"Well, that takes care of that."

However, there was a man in the cornor who eyed the box with a delivish smirk. He'd wait to make his 'move'.

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth stretched and scratched the back of her head, suppressing a yawn.

"Well, that didn't take long," she said in a bored tone of voice, "I suppose I'll go check out the Contest Hall or something until tomorrow."

Crest was no longer cowering; instead she took a look around, interested, though still glued to her Trainer's jeans. She barked with happy relief at the idea, and stopped just short of taking her owner in her teeth and dragging her there.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji cracked his knuckles shortly after hearing Beth. "Fine with me. Bayleef's been needing a good contest." Grovile agreed to his master's words. They bid farewell to the clerk at the desk, and departed from the museum.

Kenji looked over to Beth, covering the roof of his head so he could see through the intense sunlight. He'd just relized something that needed to be done before they did anything else. "Oh, I forgot to properly introduce myself. My name's Kenji Mosaki."

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

"I'm Beth Cassalin. Nice to meet you."

The sun was even hotter than it had been earlier, and without the shade of a roof over her head Beth began to sweat heavily. It wasn't too terribly far to the Contest Hall, but it would still take them several minutes to arrive.

"You said your Bayleef has been needing a good contest. What does it specialize in? Has it participated in many contests?"

Beth thought of her own Pokemon. She very rarely entered Contests, herself, and only then in certain categories, like Tough or Cool.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji thought of the contests he and Bayleef had entered earlier in his journy. "Well, Bayleef's gifted in the Smart and Beauty divisions. We've trained pretty hard to get each preformance just right." He smiled, as he looked down on his belt, starring at Bayleef's pokeball. "She's won a few ribbons here and there." Grovile crossed his arms in envy.

Just then, screams and shoats came from the direction of the musuem. A man in a black drenchcoat rushed out of the door, holding a conspicous box. The stranger rushed passed the group, not even sparring a passing glance. Almost imediately, Kenji turned to Beth. "Should we go after him?"

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth was already running after the man.

"Come on, Kenji!" She shouted over her shoulder, pushing past people in the streets in an attempt to clear a path. "He's going to get away!"

Crest was running at her heels, trying to avoid the people pressing in around her while keeping up with Beth.

The man was speeding down the main street, passing by the market the girl had been resting in earlier. The exertion plus the heat was making it hard to see past her sweaty bangs, but even then she saw him turn the corner, slipping into a narrow alley off the street.

She followed.

It was harder to keep up here, since the grass was unkept and rather littered with old trash people had carelessly tossed into the alley. She stumbled over it, rushing towards the end. The man was there, tucking the box away in a hidden pocket. He grabbed onto the wiring of a fence and began to haul himself up.

"Not so fast! Crest, Bite!"

Crest, no longer skittish now that they were away from the crowds, bounded forward and snagged the man by the leg, growling warningly from her throat. She tugged on the material caught in her teeth, intent upon pulling him back to the ground. Beth caught up just as the man lost his grip on the fence and toppled over backwards with a painful thump.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

By the time Kenji and his Grovile had cuaght up, the Houndoom already taken the man down. Wow, It was so shy earlier. Crest really packs a punch. Kenji took off for the man, who was stumbling to get up. He grasped the man's neck, and slammed him against the fence.

"Alright, you theif. Where is it?"

The man laughed. "I have no idea what you're talking about, kid."

Kenji got angry. He tightened his grip, and asked again. "Where's the box?"

Struggling to move, the man reached into his pocket, and tossed the box to his left. It was the same box Kenji had earlier. "There... Take it and let me go!"

The boy dropped the man, who backed up against the fence. He reached to the box, and put it back in his pouch. There was something odd going on.

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth called Crest off as the man quickly scaled the fence, dropping to the other side. He sent them one hateful look before scampering off, muttering something about ungrateful kids.

Beth stepped forward, a serious expression on her face.

"Now we really need to know what's in there. If someone broke into the museum just to steal that little old thing it has to be important somehow."

Crest had since stopped growling, resuming her earlier chore of cowering behind her Trainer's legs, eyeing the Grovile warily.

"Who did you say you got it from again? And where?"

She was already moving out of the alley, kicking discarded rubbish from her path. She sighed in the fresh air out in the main street, being sure to shield Crest from the passerby's view. Today promised to be a long day.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji followed Beth and sighed, Grovile trying to sneak a stare at Crest. He didn't know much about the man he had got the package, and just wanted to help the man out.

"Well, I met a man in Lilycove who claimed to work at the mueseum here. He wanted me to deliver the package, since his ship was delayed for anoter two days due to technical difficulties. He seemed to be a researcher of sorts."

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth brought a hand to her face and closed her eyes, thinking hard.

"I'm from Lilycove, and I don't know anyone who worked at the museum who was a researcher."

She eyed him sharply.

"Are you sure he said the museum? Or maybe it wasn't because his ship was delayed. Maybe it was because it wouldn't pass by inspection that he got you to carry it?"

She shrugged, dragging her feet towards the Pokemon Center. Crest whimpered at the idea of moving through the crowds but timidly followed.

"Whatever it is we can go check it out later. I'm bushed, I'm hot, and I want something to drink. Lilycove is a ways from here, but it shouldn't take long to get there if we want to check it out."

Crest whined sadly at the idea of moving around with people she didn't know, and rubbed her head against Beth's leg in an attempt to change her mind. Beth shook her head at the devil dog.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji splapped his hand to his face. Could I have been had? He woundered what could possibly be in the box; that it was sooo important that this man would go through the trouble and have him go and deliver the box to the mueseum, just to be stolen. He shrugged to himself, as Grovile took in the sunlight, enjoying every minute of it.

"What a mess..."

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

"Of course it is. That was probably the guy's plan. I bet you anything that 'thief' was a cohort of his, and staged the picking up of the package as a theft so no one would get a chance to open it or something. The question woud be, then, who are they and what's so important?"

She sighed thankfully as she stepped into the Center. She took Crest up to Nurse Jane, an older woman with reddish-pink hair and a wrinkly smile.

"Good to see you too, Jane," Beth responded to the lady's greeting, "how's the nieces?"

Jane sighed. "The Jennies are riling up trouble these days. We can't seem to control them. They're all about catching dogs and tracking down would-be criminals. At least the Joys are looking forward to following the family tradition of nursing."

Beth smiled and congratulated her on the family's progress, watching as a cringing Crest was led away, along with the Pokeballs she had carried with her.

She sat down in the nearest seat, stretching out her legs and resting her army boots on the low rising table before her. She thanked that ancient, mythical Pokemon Mew for the AC, ignoring the fact that the Pokemon hadn't yet been proven to exist.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Grovile took Kenji's other Pokemon, and chased after Nurse Jane. He laughed to himself, seeing the leafy green Pokemon scurry about, trying to get the nurse's attention.

He sat down at the opposite side of the the chairs, resting his chin on his right hand. "What a day this turned out to be. And here I though it'd just be the run-of-the-mill Tuesday of running about... So much for that idea..."

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth shrugged, looking around the Center. The plain gray wall paint and sterile white floors were the same as always. Trainers were running about, dressed up in the latest fashion of army boots (like her own) and close-cut hairdos. She wasn't partial to that, herself, preferring her shoulder-length black perm. Yeah, it might be old-fashioned, but she didn't care.

Over in the corner were the latest models of PCs, fully equipped to transfer your Pokemon from a storage unit to wherever you were in under five minutes each. It really was a vast improvement over the old ones, and she had heard that Oak from Kanto had been the one to fully develop it. The man was getting on in years, and from what she had heard he had only quit his own task of catching Pokemon in the last five years.

It was kind of shocking, all things considered. Technology was starting to leap forward in bounds, and part of Beth wondered at what the world would be like for her children, if she ever had any. She held no doubts they'd want to be Trainers, too.

Or would catching Pokemon still be a favorite occupation by that time? It made her head spin.

She shook her bangs out of her eyes and rested her head against the back of the plastic-covered couch, closing her eyes to block out the bright floodlights attached to the ceiling. She could still hear the steps of those that rushed by on whatever business was theirs, and it was starting to drill into her head.

"How much longer do you think it'll take Nurse Jane to check up on our Pokemon?"

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji looked up, and let a yawn pass by. "Well, the medication process itself takes about ten minutes. Then, when she actually applies the medicine, it takes another 10 minutes. So I'm guessing in about 20-25 minutes." He looked on the wall to see the clock's arms. They were pointed at the two, and the thirteen mark. It was 2:13.

Kenji himself stook to a very stict black and white fashion, quite literally at that. Sandles fitted him more than any army boots did.

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Minutes began to slip by, and the longer Beth remained unmoving in her seat the more antsy she got. Time was passing by at a snail's pace, and she was certain if she didn't move soon she'd go insane.

She twitched her foot, trying to get the numbing sensation of a limb being asleep to go away. All it did was send tingling spikes up her foot.

She sighed, tapping her fingers on the seat beside her.

"One day this kind of thing won't take more than a few minutes. Just you watch. And Pokemon will be transferred instantly to wherever you are, and there won't be any more Janes, just Joys and Jennies running about. And Oak will be some old man handing out books to kids and sending them on impossible errands for kicks. Just you watch."

She sighed.

"What a world it'll be next generation. Kind of makes you wish it would never come. Anyhow, I never did hear where you're from, did I? Well? What's your Grand Purpose for gathering Pokemon?"

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji couldn't help but laugh in disbelief at Beth's prediction. Hearing his new friend's question, he prepared to explain with detail.

"Oh me, I live in PetalBurg. I plan on becomming the international champion of all of the leagues. It's been my dream ever since I was just a small boy. My father doesn't believe such a things can be done, seeing how difficult it is just to beat one of the leagues. But that's just him."

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

She raised an eyebrow.

"All of them? I can see why your Pops is skeptical. I think I'd be content just with doing well in one of them, since, like you said, they're so difficult. I've never wanted to be a Master, I just wanted to collect some Pokemon that I could spend time with. As it is, I still feel kind of guilty for leaving my mother back in Lilycove all by herself."

She stretched her legs, sighing again. It wouldn't be too long until Jane came back out, Crest with her. The lady was one of the few people the devil dog could stand to be around.

"Well, I wish you luck with that. It won't be easy. It'd probably take you your whole life to accomplish that. Now, wouldn't that be something?"

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji nodded. "Yes, but that's what makes the journey worth while. I'm going to prove my father wrong, and be one of the best trainers that ever lived. That'd be a great story to tell my kids when I come of age." He tried not make himself sound so egotistical, but he couldn't help it. That was his dream afterall.

He looked up at the clock once again. It was 2:30. Just three more minutes...

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Those minutes passed by in general silence; Beth tapping her foot in random staccatos across the floor, and Kenji occupying himself. Beth didn't really know what he was doing; she still had her eyes closed.

At last, the squeak of a cart being rolled their way caught her attention, and she perked up, eyes peeking open. Nurse Jane smiled at them warmly as she stopped before them; Crest tight to her heels and looking around the populated Center with scared, nervous eyes. She trotted over to Beth immediately, taking shelter beneath the low table. Her tail stuck out, quivering but otherwise perfectly still in the hopes of not attracting attention.

Beth took the five other Pokeballs she carried with her from the Nurse, thanking her with a beaming smile for the check-up, even though it was unnecessary. She tucked them away, being careful to make sure they went to the right spots.

She stood, popping her lower back. Crest inched her way out from under the table cautiously, looking up at Beth with wide, questioning eyes.

"So," She spoke finally, looking straight at Kenji, "What should we do now? We still have some time, though right now I'd rather go to bed and forget the heat."

She ignored the fact that it was only half past two. "Otherwise I think I'll wander around for awhile."

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji cracked his neck, as Grovile returned to his side. "Well, I think I'll get a room here, then practive martial arts a little. It's a perfect do to exercise."

(The next Morning.)

Kenji woke up bright and early, stretching as soon as he woke up. He saw that Grovile was already up and about, doing squats and other exercises. "Ah, 'morning, Grovile." The leaf Pokemon greeted Kenji, and he soon after made his way to the lobby.

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth was already waiting in the lobby, a chipped gray mug filled with black coffee held in her hands. She rubbed tiredly at her puffy eyes, grumbling about being kept up all night.

Crest looked up at her in apology, wanting to explain that it was only because of all the little creaks of the building during the night that she kept yelping.

Beth sighed, scratching at her face. She sipped her coffee, wrinkling her nose at the bad taste. There was, however, no milk or cream to be found in the Center, so she was forced to drink it as it was.

She looked up when Kenji entered, and she waved at him miserably.

"You look like you got a good night's sleep," She mumbled, eyeing his visible lack of exhaustion with irritation.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji raised an eyebrow and Grovile hopped onto a chair, waiting for his master to do the same. "Didn't you get a good sleep? You certainly don't look it." He ordered a drink from Nurse Jane, taking his seat beside his travelling companion. "I can tell you're not exactly a 'Morning Person'."

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

"What did you expect? Crest kept me up all night. She jumped at every shadow and every creak."

Crest protested weakly, and Beth sighed. She patted the devil dog atop the head.

"It's all right. I guess I deserve it for making you go out in those crowds yesterday."

She drained the rest of her coffee, face going through several spasms before her expression settle into disgust.

"Note to self: The Centers have terrible coffee."

She returned the coffee to the refreshments area and came back, stretching and scratching at her eyes.

"She would get going? I'm all ready, and the longer we wait, the hotter the day's going to get."

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji got up, setting his drink aside. "Sure, I rather set off in the morning myself anyway." He quickly chugged his cool drink, and rushed it back to the refreshments area. Grovile chuckled at the black dog; he thought it was rather hilairious that such an intimidating Pokemon would be so afriad. Kenji got back, and adjusted his pouch. "Let's go, then."

The two of them bid farewell to Nurse Jane, and set off for Lilycove. They passed the Port, and went on to travell the route going north. The morning Pokemon were active, and could be heard in every which direction. "Have to love the fresh air."

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

((OC: Crest is Shiny (blue) which is why she's a scaredy cat, silly. ))

Beth stretched her arms above her head, rolling her sleeves up to her elbows. She pulled a thin hairtie from the pouch at her waist and pulled her hair up messily, thinking to keep it off her neck. It was bad enough it was black.

"Yeah," She agreed, though sort of glad her boots kept the grass from scratching away at her feet. She grimaced at his sandals. "Though I don't like the feel of grass on my feet. It feels weird."

Crest whined in agreement, trying to keep to dirt-covered areas as much as possible. She was a bit picky about how dirty her paws got, and hated it when her feet started to itch.

"So, what do you think of the package deal? If the guy who gave it to you is still there do you think he'll give up and confess, or will we have to beat it out of him?"

She'd much prefer the first option to the second. Beating the snot out of people wasn't her forte.

 

[Trainer Sonjo]

Kenji's pupils went to the upper left of his eyes, just as they usually did as he thought on a question asked. "He'll probally fess up. We gace him quite a scare, and he looked like the type who would bark rather than bite." His sandles rustled through the grass. Grovile nodded in agreement, and smirked remembering yesterday's events.

 

[Carrie_Slovak]

Beth shrugged, and for awhile they walked on in silence. The sun began to climb into the sky, and the temperature slowly began to rise.

She wiped some sweat from her face after some time of walking, sighing at the heat beating down on the top of her head. She wished badly for some shade right about now...

She started, bringing a hand to her forehead so she could shade her eyes. She squinted, and after a moment's discerning pointed ahead with a triumphant cry.

"Look, look! A building! That means shade!"

Beth grinned happily, bouncing from one foot to another as she picked up the pace. Crest yelped in offense and followed after her, none too happy she suddenly decided to start moving faster without even warning her.