Time for training

[rainexsage]

It had been a day or so since getting her starter at the Lab, and already Yuki felt like she was making progress towards her next goal, that was, getting to cadmiumberg and the gym leader therein.

She had her starter of course, trailing along beside her under the shade of her parisol. It was still spring weather and not not enough yet that an ice type might be uncomfortable. The air was clear and smelled of fresh rainfall. All in all a lovely day for a walk though she had yet to see any pokemon. Or other trainers for that matter. As lovely as it was, it seemed most people were staying indoors. The words of the girl back at the lab came to mind again.

"Things aren't as safe as they used to be..."

Still she wasn't too concerned. If she got to the next town without incident that just meant that she could rest up at the pokemon center and perhaps continue her training within the relative safety of the city. Or at least its outskirts.

[kitsunaii]

Not far along the path to Cadmiumberg, a lone trainer stood leaning against a tree. She looked young, perhaps middle school-aged, and was wearing a school uniform that consisted of a skirt, blouse, leggings, and fancy black shoes. In her left hand was a Poké Ball, which she was tossing up and catching repeatedly. It almost looked like she was waiting for someone, as though perhaps she had asked her crush to come this way so she could confess to him, but her face lit up when she saw Yuki coming her way.

Giving a small cough to announce her presence, the lass stood straight and turned towards the trainer, brandishing her Poké Ball with a friendly smile.

"Hello there!" she called in a cheery voice, moving to meet Yuki halfway. "Do you want to battle? Please? My little Pokémon need training, and you're the first one to have come this way all day!"

[rainexsage]

"Hm?" Yuki looked up, having been lost in thought. The trainer startled her a little but when she realized what was going on she stopped in the middle of the road and smiled at the girl in front of her. "O-oh? A battle? You want a battle right now?" she asked, looking both excited and uncertain. "I'd love to, of course but, I'm fairly new at this. What do you think Vale?" she asked, looking down at her starter. It would be his first battle after all. She wanted to make sure it was ok with him.

"Nil!"

Well given the fact that the little vanillite clearly thought it could handle this Yuki folded her parasol up and tucked it into her pack. "Well that settles that then." she said pleasantly. "I would be delighted to have you as my very first match."

[kitsunaii]

"Alright, great! Well, come on out, little one!" The lass tossed the Poké Ball into the air, releasing the Pokémon inside in a flash of red light. "Hoooo!!!" It was a little brown Hoothoot, and he looked pretty excited to be in a battle.

"Okay, Gingham, let's go!" The Hoothoot puffed out his chest and tried his best to look intimidating, but how scary could a puff of brown feathers possibly be? If anything, he made himself look cuter by fluffing himself out like that..

Lass Brooke wants to battle!

[cs=3]
Hoothoot	Level 4
20/20	no status	normal stats

[rainexsage]

Yuki couldn't help but put a hand to her mouth in order to try and hide the small smile that arose from the hoot hoot's 'fearsome' display. It really was such a cute Pokemon, though she was beginning to think there was no such thing as a Pokemon she didn't like.

Alright. Vail it's your turn! she called out, and the little purple ice cream cone moved forward trying to look just as fierce and failing just as adorably.

Trainer Yuki sent out Vanillite

[cs=3]
Vanillite	Level 5
20/20	no status	normal stats

[kitsunaii]

The Lass looked excited to battle, and was delighted when the trainer she had decided to fight allowed her the first move. "Alright, Gingham, let's try a Tackle attack first!" The little owl obliged with a sharp "Hoot!", rushing at the Vanillite and attempting to smash into him.

[cs=3]
Hoothoot	Level 4
20/20	no status	normal stats

[rainexsage]

"Vail are you alright?" she asked worriedly as the small ice cream pokemon took a direct hit from the Hoothoot.

"Nil!" he replied, shaking himself off. While the hit had been solid there hadn't been much force behind it. Fluffy bird pokemon didn't weigh that much after all. Yuki looked relieved.

"Ok good, um, let's try powdered snow!" she ordered, figuring it would be a good idea to retaliate after that. Vail took the command in stride. Puffing itself up a little it let out a long stream of icy breath that froze the water in the air around it, creating a small flurry that raced along towards the owl pokemon.

[cs=3]
Vanillite	Level 5
15/20	no status	normal stats

[kitsunaii]

The brown owl tried his best to dodge the ice cream cone's attack, but his efforts were futile and the snow razed against him, causing very significant damage. Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for Yuki, the Powder Snow had managed to freeze the poor bird in place. Vail would be able to finish him off with one more attack, if he chose.

[cs=3]
Hoothoot	Level 4
8/20	Frozen	normal stats

[rainexsage]

The hoothoot was frozen solid, now was her chance to end the match. It was exciting, her first win. It was a silly thing to get excited over given the obvious advantage her pokemon had over a flying type. But she couldn't help but feel proud.

"Alright Vail, once more if you please. Icicle spear."

The vanillite drew himself up, shards of ice circling around him before hurling them at the immobilized bird pokemon. While this was a new attack, and his aim was a bit shaky, not all of them would need to connect.

[cs=3]
Vanillite	Level 5
15/20	no status	normal stats

[kitsunaii]

Poor little Gingham could do nothing as the spears of ice rushed towards him; he was trapped with no way out, and was struck easily by the attack. His ice broke and he fell out with a hoot, eyes closing as he fainted.

"Aww, I'm sorry, buddy, maybe next time we can win!" The girl used Gingham's Poké Ball to return him to safety in her pocket as she spoke. "Well, you win. Here, you won this fair and square." A small bag containing some money was placed in Yuki's hand as the lass walked away. "It was a good battle, thank you!"

Vail gained 4 exp points! Vail gained 5 happiness points! Yuki gained $600!

As the lass disappeared into the distance, a wild Magnemite showed up, floating along the path as though she had been there a million and one times. She spotted Yuki and moved cautiously towards the trainer and her Pokémon, ready to fight if necessary but not appearing to be overly hostile.

[cs=3]
Magnemite	Level 8
20/20	no status	normal stats

[rainexsage]

"That you, take care ok?" Yuki said cheerfully as the girl wandered away and her Vanillite floated up to recieve cuddles for doing such a good job. "Are you doing alright Vail?"

The pokemon responded affirmatively that it was just fine and with that they continued on. Though not for too far before she spotted a wild magnemite just floating down along the road as though it belonged there. How unusual, though she supposed some pokemon just weren't very people shy. And when she saw it approaching she waved at it.

"Well hello there, you seem friendly." she said, giving the pokemon a warm smile while Vail just regarded it curiously from his seat in Yuki's arms. "Are you having a good day?"
An odd thing to ask since even if it did give an answer she had no way of understanding what it said. It seemed that was just something that she felt polite to ask even if the person she was speaking to happened to be a pokemon.

[kitsunaii]

The Magnemite seemed surprised that the trainer didn't immediately want to fight. Didn't trainers always want to fight wild Pokémon? She blinked slowly and tilted herself first one way, then the other. "Magnemite? Magnemite?" She floated around the trainer, looking at her critically, trying to figure out if there were any negatives to a trainer that didn't fight wild Pokémon as soon as she saw them. Finally, she looked approvingly at Yuki and nodded. "Magnemite."

Suddenly, she floated away, motioning for Yuki to follow her off of the set path. After a few minutes of walking, if Yuki decided to follow the Pokémon, the Magnemite stopped in front of a pair of huge berry plants. Three Cheri Berries weighed down on the branches of one, while five Pecha Berries were ripe to be plucked on the other. The Magnemite looked happy that she could help a pleasant trainer with these berry plants.

[rainexsage]

While trying to fight a steel type with a party that so far consisted of mostly ice types wouldn't have been a good idea in the first place, Yuki generally didn't feel the need to pick fights with pokemon who weren't looking for them. After all there were plenty of wild pokemon who were looking for battles and for that matter plenty of trainers as well. With all the willing participants she felt like picking fights with pokemon who weren't looking for them would just make her something of a bully.

So she didn't really think twice about following the Magnemite until they reached the berry plants. Eyes widening when she saw all of the berries hanging heavily off of the branches. What a generous pokemon! picking the berries and stowing them carefully in her pack she offered one of the Pecha berries to the magnemite.

"Here, you deserve something for being so helpful." she said, smiling kindly at the little electric pokemon.

[kitsunaii]

The Magnemite shook her entire body to say no, since she had no lone head to speak of. These berries were all for Yuki, and the Magnemite didn't want any of them. She was happy enough to be helping a pleasant trainer, and she wasn't hungry or weak enough to need the assistance of berries. However, once Yuki gathered the berries and was most likely to be on her merry way, the Magnemite, which had apparently gotten attached to her, tried to communicate that she wanted to come along. It was difficult to tell someone this without speaking the same language as they, but she hoped butting gently into the trainer's shoulder and looking as happy as a mouthless, single-eyed creature could look would be enough.

[rainexsage]

(help it's too cute)

Yuki paused when she felt something hard and round bump gently against her shoulder. And she looked down to find the magnemite prodding her as though attempting to convey something. Despite the fact that it had no facial features to speak of the fact that it was positively radiating friendly intent was enough to get the message across. And with a smile she set Vail to float next to her and picked up the magnemite.

"Oh, do you want to come along then?" she asked, smiling softly. "Well aren't you adorable, of course you can. The more the merrier. I guess you'll need a nickname then, how about Minerva?"

The magnemite seemed pleased by this, or she hoped it was pleased. It wasn't shocking her so that seemed like an approval at any rate. So taking a pokeball out of her bag she gently tapped it against MInerva's head and watched as the pokemon was drawn inside. The ball didn't even wiggle before the light flashed letting her know it had been a successful capture.

"Isn't this exciting Vail? You already have a new friend." she laughed, clipping the newly occupied ball to the side of her purse. "It's a lovely start."

(making another post after this to introduce one of the promo pokemon into the main team)

[rainexsage]

Of course her trip down this route was really only just starting. And while she spent some time walking without anything eventful happening she paused when she thought she heard the cry of a pokemon coming a ways off the path, a little deeper into the forest. Vail seemed to hear it too since he squirmed out of Yuki's arms and started drifting off without her.

"Vail, vail wait for me!" she protested, hurrying after her errant pokemon. "Don't run off without me!"
Chasing after the little purple pokemon she finally caught up to it at the base of a large tree, and finally she discovered the source of the noise. A little snowrunt curled up on a patch of moss prone and unable to do more than cry weakly.

"Oh you poor thing..." she said softly, kneeling down next to it. She'd seen in her pokedex that snowrunt did live on this route in the winter. This one must have gotten left behind when they moved on however and it was easy to see why. Apparently suffering from paralysis it could only shiver when Yuki placed a hand on it to check for injuries. It wasn't in critical condition but it was clearly in bad shape nonetheless. It must have come off poorly in a battle, perhaps covered by the snow until just now when the spring had thawed everything away.

"It's ok. Shh, it's alright. I have something that will make you feel better." she soothed, pulling out a cheri berry from her pack. How lucky it was, that Minerva had helped her find these not a few minutes earlier. Holding the berry out to the pokemon the snowrunt took a few tentative bites before the juice from the berry went to work and it was able to sit up on its own. She, because Yuki could see now that it was a girl, looked up at the trainer warily. Still too weak to run. Not sure if she wanted to.

"Here, I'm going to put you in one of these, and the next town we stop at I'm going to take you to a pokemon center alright?" Yuki said, pulling out yet another pokeball. "I'm not going to hurt you and everything is going to be ok."

Apparently trusting the kind words of the trainer in front of her, the snowrunt let Yuki tap it gently with the pokeball. Squirming once, twice, before finally settling in. With a sigh, and a little less enthusiasm than Minerva's capture, she clipped the ball to her bag and straightened up while Vail hovered next to her looking worried.

"It's ok Vail, she'll be fine but let's keep moving. It won't help anyone if we just stay here now will it?" she said, gathering her pokemon back up into her arms. "Thank you, you've been a big help but don't just float off like that next time ok?"

[Doomulus]

Stephen paced briskly down the path of Route 2... unknowingly, in the direction opposite to the one most trainers go. He was actually headed towards Oxyville, without any knowledge that he was. It didn't seem to bother him, at least, not as much as the fact that his train tickets got mixed up and he was sent to Cadmiumberg as opposed to somewhere actually nice, like Potassiville. One could easily see the frustration mixed up on his face, in contrast with how relaxed he was walking.

Of course, he was walking alone. What kind of person would just walk their Pokemon all over the place? "It's not like they're canines," Stephen said, responding to nobody in particular. He did, however, sneak a quick look at the ball containing the Solosis in his bag. The closest memory he had about it was the sound of an Egg hatching within the thing. He never really bothered to look at it, though the faintest curiosity was nibbling away at him.

On the subject of someone who brings their Pokemon with them wherever they go, Stephen ended up walking into just that. The neophyte scientist gazed first into Yuki's silvery eyes, a feeling of tension mounting in his heart. The confrontation between Trainer and Trainer... was this the feeling that he's supposed to get? The feeling that any moment now, he could be springing into battle against a powerful new foe, and possibly earn glory and popularity among others by making his name. Then, he realized that he was a Researcher, and the tenseness quickly melted away. His expression defaulted to his regular deadpan, and he looked as though he were about to pass her without saying a word. Would the lady he was passing let this opportunity/misfortune pass her by like this?

[rainexsage]

It seemed she would not for she spoke up before he could completely pass her by and waved to him, her own expression one of mild interest and friendly intentions to contrast his own rather stoic demeanor.

"Oh hello there, I'm surprised I haven't seen many people on this road up until now." she said, approaching him with vanillite still in tow. "I think just one other trainer. Where are you headed?" she asked, looking him over once to try and get a feel for the young man. If nothing else he looked practical, practical and perhaps a little distant if his expression was anything to go by. He didn't seem like he was having a very good day which was a shame since Yuki's had been nothing but lovely so far.

[Doomulus]

Stephen actually looked surprised as the fancy-looking lady spoke up to him; it was clear he wasn't really expecting for anyone he was passing to advance on him like that around here. (That is to say, make any sort of social advance at all.) He didn't express it, but he was also just the slightest bit glad that she did. The researcher quietly eyed the ice cream cone sitting in her arms and looked up at her hair. Something seemed off about the hair. It seemed it was almost thematic - the icy eyes, the icy-looking Pokemon, the icy-looking hair...

The question struck him before he could ponder to himself further. "I do not know, far away from this wasteland," Stephen said. "Excuse me, did you get your hair dyed? It's kind nagging me." Another tucked away, sealed area of his brain would even go as far as to consider her kind of 'cute'. Luckily, it was one Stephen listened to made every attempt to ignore. "I'm not certain what sort of statement you're making with that icy-blue theme," he continued.

[rainexsage]

A little taken aback by the rather blunt question and mildly, well maybe not so mildly, rude follow up to it she just sort of looked at him for a moment before chuckling softly to herself.

"No I can't say that I did, it's pretty natural but I'm not from here myself. I grew up in Sinnoh, around snowpoint city have you heard of it? It's very cold, so maybe the landscape just rubbed off on me." she replied. The rather tactless way he'd addressed her hadn't seemed to phase her; or if it had she'd just let it effortlessly roll off her back. Instead she smiled at him and tickled her pokemon under the chin.

"Besides, Vail is technically purple, not blue. But it's really more like an indigo in the right light so I can see how you might get the two mixed up." she continued. Another person might have meant that as a veiled insult but Yuki made it sound sincere. As though it was really an understandable mistake, could've happened to anyone.