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Level 1 MISSION- Long Live the Queen!

Find and explore the hive of your favorite Bug pokemon to collect data for our research team. While you're in there, fight three basic stage Bug pokemon, capture one, and take out their queen.

Pokemon:
Any unevolved, non Legendary Bug Type pokemon

Funds upon Completion: 500

Pokémons used: Drop [4], Star [4], Lora [3] & Eve [0]

Items

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wanting to take a break from civilization, Nunctanemus was packing his backpack and to set off for a weekend trip. Luckily, he was able to find Aqua’s mission that perfectly matched his need for some rest – there was a request to observe Bug Pokémon. Could there be something better than to kill two birds with one stone?

Before leaving, Nun spoke with a few Bugcatchers to get some tips on best locations. One of them recommended him a hidden place, which he marked for him on the map on TADS. The location guaranteed there won’t be many other trainers, so the Pokémons should behave naturally.

He went through the list of items again. Water? Checked. Food? Checked. Pokéballs? Checked. Warm blanket? Checked. Phone? Checked. Matches? Checked. It looked like he had everything, being prepared to spend the night in the wild – it was warm enough, so he didn’t have to worry about the temperature much.

Just in case he left a note where he went on the kitchen table and phoned his parents to let them know where he was headed to and when he was to return. N locked the front door and left.

~*~

When Nunctanemus arrived on the set place, the sun was already setting down. The man secured his bicycle to the tree and for some time just enjoyed the scene. It was very calm and quiet, much unlike in the city. Weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold, with a nice breeze.

Before looking for a place to sleep, N decided to take a quick walk. He send out Eve – a green Pokémon that would surely blend into the environment easily and provide a great tool for spotting any problems – or Pokémons worth observing.

The two quickly found the group of Scythers and Scizor. Nunctanemus took out his phone and got a few quick shots. ‘They’ll fit the report nicely,’ he thought. Later, he observed how those almost human-sized mantises trained by fighting among themselves. A lone Scizor controlled the situation from a strategic position.

It was getting darker and darker and the activity of the Pokémon has also fallen, so Nun decided it was great time to get some sleep. He took the blanket out of his backpack and spread it over the grass, but when he lied down, he felt something hard that stung him.

“Ouch, what the…” he cursed as he jumped to his feet to check what caused the unpleasant experience. It turned out that a small Weedle hid between the grass. “You’ll pay me for this, bug,” the man said. “Go, Lora!”

Growlithe jumped out of her Pokéball, ready to fight, but Weedle was faster. It blown a sticky string of silk from mouth and reduced Lora’s speed even more.

The dog replied with Flame Wheel of his own and the strength of it was big enough to one hit KO poor Bug. “Nicely done, Lora,” the dog was praised by his master.

~*~

The rest of the night passed without any major events and Nun woke up fully rested and ready to take on the adventure. It was time to gather even more information about Bug Pokémon. The Scyther group he saw yesterday was gone, but, thanks to Eve’s help, he was able to find a field full of flowers and… Caterpies, Metapods and Butterfrees.

N took some photos again – it was easier to use them in report rather than trying to draw them or describe with words. He spent some time observing how Butterfree pollinate flowers, while Caterpies spend time eating leaves.

After a careful look, the man was able to select one of the little Bugs that moved away from the pack. He sneaked on it quietly and, once again, sent out Growlithe. Quick Flame Wheel did the job once again and after one hit knock out, Lora was victorious again.

Unfortunately, Nunctanemus wasn’t the ninja he imagined he was. After attacking the Caterpie, Butterfree noticed him and started to chase him.

To gain some distance, N called Shinx out. “Star, use your Light Screen. This will hopefully slow them down a little bit!” he shouted, continuing his escape.

His decision was right. Wild Pokémon stopped a little bit after being blinded by Shinx and ultimately gave up a chase. N fell down on the grass and breathed heavily from the effort. He wasn’t accustomed to much physical exercise anyway.

The grass was cool and felt nice. Nun closed his eyes and soon felt asleep, not realizing it might not be the safest of locations.

~*~

He was woken up some hours later by the sounds of a fight. There was the Scizor he saw yesterday battling some Scyther. They seemed to be focused on their encounter, but as soon as they noticed his presence, in unison turned their attention to the man.

Nunctanemus was in trouble, so he did not waste any time and sent his Growlithe and Treecko to battle. “Lora, use your Flame Wheel on Scizor. Eve, use Crunch on Scyther!”. His plan was simple – Growlithe was to be a powerhouse, while the second Pokémon would serve as a decoy, slowing the foes and maybe grabbing their attention.

His Pokémon started their attacks. Growlithe cloaked herself in flames and charged at Scizor, dealing him visible damage due to super effectiveness of type matching. In the meantime, Treecko used Crunch on Scyther – it wasn’t that effective, but still hurt the foe.

It was the time for the wild duo to reply. Scythe started with Pursuit, aimed at Treecko, and Scizor followed with Fury Cutter, making the susceptible Grass type to faint.

“You did well, Eve,” said N as he recalled his Pokémon. “Drop, it’s your chance now. That Scizor is weak, finish him with Water Gun. Lora, Flame Wheel again, this time on Scyther!”

His plan seemed to be working. Squirtle’s attack was enough to knock out Scizor, while Flame Wheel from Growlithe weakened Scyther considerably, who used Wing Attack on Squirtle, cutting his HP by half.

“That’s the spirit!” shouted happy N. “Pokéball, go!” he said as he threw the ball at Scyther. One tick, two… And Scyther broke free!

“Aww, snap!” N wasn’t happy about losing his capsule.

Scyther followed with another Wing Attack aimed at Drop and Squirtle fainted.

N quickly grabbed another Pokéball and decided to give it a second chance. “Pokéball, go!” he exclaimed again.

And this time it worked! One tick, two, three… Scyther was caught. “Welcome to the family, Scyther. I hope you’ll like it… Blade,” N named his new Pokémon as he picked up the Pokéball.

~*~

It was high time to go back. Two fainted Pokémon, the sun slowly setting down and some report material, N really had no other option than to return.

As he cycled back to Fuchsia, he thought that he just make more trips like this. ‘If only Eve was here…’

Mission level: 1
Mission Name: Fearow of Water
Objective: A group of Fearow have been harrassing travelers near the Power Plant. To make things worse, they have our emblem on their legbands. Naturally, we're getting
blamed for it. Go and stop the Fearow (fight 3-5) and bring back one of the legbands.
Catch-able Pokemon: Bellsprout, Oddish, Machop, Spearow
Reward: 1000 PD
Current Pokémon Team:
1/Zeni (Evo point: 0)
2/Wani (Evo point: 5)
3/Kuma (Evo point: 2)
4/Dora (Evo point: 5)
5/Tarte (Evo point: 1)
6/Char (Evo point: 0)
Inventory: all items in the bag
Mission Body:
After receiving the Charmander from Prof. Sycamore, Yamato returned to his room and called out all of his Pokémon so that he could introduce his new friend.
"Everyone, this is Char, our new teammate. Try to get along with each other, ok?"
All of them gathered around the Charmander. It seemed like they were introduced themselves in Poké-language. But somehow, Char looked like he wasn't interested. Zeni offered him a friendly handshake, but Char shot out an Ember instead. Zeni used Water Gun on his hand to extinguise the fire, then tried to punch him in the face. Yamato quickly held the turtle's hand
"Wait. Don't fight each other. Let me have a talk with him"
Yamato turned to the Charmander and spoke with the most gentle voice he could spoke
"Char, you shouldn't do that to the others. Let be friends with each other, ok?" this time, Yamato offered him a handshake. But sadly, Char used his sharp claws and scratched his face. He couldn't hold his anger that he shouted: "YOU LITTLE..."
If Yamato's other Pokémon didn't hold him back, who knows what he would do to that Charmander
After a while, he finally remained calm.
"He acts just like how Dora did before" he thought, looking at the Aron. The Aron seemed to understand, and turned away in embarrasment "That means I have to gain his trust by going on a mission with him"
Yamato opened the TADS to check if there was any mission available for him to do. He looked at the mission called "Fearow of Water"
"Look like the power plant in Kanto is in trouble. Better get there. Since the Fearow may be too strong, I'll take some of you guys, too just in case"
Yamato went to the harbor and got on a boat to Kanto. He walked to Route 10, where connected to the Power Plant. The area was completely empty. Even the nearby Pokémon Center had to be closed down for safety.
He sent out his Charmander, who then immediately turned his head to the opposite side.
"Char, why do you have to be this way? We can be friends, can't we?"
The Charmander didn't say anything. Then suddenly, they heard a weird noise from above. They looked up and saw a Fearow diving down at them. They both jumped out of the way. When they could stand up, they saw that they were surrounded by a group of Fearow. Apparently, there were 5 of them. The Fearow that just attacked them had a legband on its leg.
"I think that he is the leader of them. We have to get that legband. Char, use Ember"
But the Charmander completely ignored his command. The leader Fearow gave them a signal, then the whole group attacked the red lizard. He fought back, using his tail to burn some of the Fearow. But there were too many of them. They continuosly attack the poor lizard with their beaks. Yamato returned him to the Pokéball. However, that made him the only target of the birds. He tried to pulled out another Pokéball, but too scared to do so. Suddenly, another Pokémon appeared and attacked the attacking Fearow with a Cross Chop. It was a Machop. After rescuing him, it held Yamato's hand and pulled him into the Pokémon Center. As soon as they entered, the Machop pulled a table to block the entrance.
"Phew, I thought that I'm finished.Thank for saving me by the way"
Machop just let out a sigh, then went deeper into the Pokémon Center. There, he noticed several Pokémon were also there. They were Oddish and Bellsprout, and most of them were injured. Yamato pulled out some Potions and sprayed on them
"Those Fearow forced you to leave your home, didn't they? Here, these will help"
The wild Pokémon felt better, then thanked him for his help.
"Heh, it's nothing. Don't mind it"
Yamato then sent out his Charmander, offering a Super Potion to him. The Charmander didn't accept it, then knocked it from Yamato's hand with his tail
"Come on, what do I have to do so we can be friends?"
But suddenly, the Machop punched him, knocking him to the wall. It looked so angry for some reasons. And before Char fought back, Yamato returned him to the Pokéball. The Machop came over, bowed its head as if it was saying sorry. Machop signalled him to give it the Pokéball, then took it to the healing machine. The Machop pressed some buttons and the machine started working. Yamato amazed at how a Pokémon could use human technology, while he couldn't even use it. The Machop gave him back the Pokéball after healing it, and at that time, Yamato noticed some injuries on the Machop
"Here, let me help you" Yamato pulled out the Super Potion and sprayed it on the Machop "This is for saving me earlier. Beside, since Char didn't accept it, I guess you should take it"
Again, the Machop bowed his head, but this time, it was thanking him. Yamato smiled, then headed to the entrance.
"The Fearow are still out there, and I have to fight them"
The Machop stood next to Yamato, then said something.
"I guess you want to help me, too. Ok, then. Let's work together"
And then, they got out of the Center. The Fearow spotted them, and flew at them with full speed
"I believe in you, Tarte"
He sent out the Shieldon to the battlefield and commanded him to use Iron Defense. The Shieldon glowed brightly into a silver color. A Fearow tried to Drill Peck it, but ended up hurt itself. The Machop took this chance and used Karate Chop on that Fearow, knocking it down.
"One down, four to go"
A Fearow then flapped its wings and formed a huge wind with them. Machop tried to stand still, but Shieldon was blown away and went back into the Pokéball
"It's Whirlwind. I have to change to another Pokémon. Go, Kuma"
The Cubchoo emerged from the Pokéball and made a cute pose
"Kuma, use Icy Wind"
The Cubchoo opened his mouth, then blew out a cold wind. The NevermeltIce on his head glowed, boosting the attack power. Two of the Fearow dodged the attack, so only two of them were hit. Their winds were covered with ice, so they couldn't move fast. The remaining Fearow charged at Kuma with Drill Peck. Both of them attack at the same time, knocking him out.
"Kuma, come back" he pulled out another Pokéball and sent out his Dora, the Aron. Machop stood next to him
"Let's battle with Machop, Dora. Use Headbutt on those at the back first"
Machop and Dora charged at the Fearow whose wings was covered with ice. Dora headbutted one of them, while Machop used Cross Chop on the other one. Both of them were knocked out right away.
"Great job, only two of them left"
They both turned their heads to the remaining Fearow. But just at the time they did, they were attacked with Drill Peck. Dora wasn't damaged much, but Machop was knocked out on the side of the road. Yamato ran toward it and picked up the Machop
"Are you ok, Machop?"
It just gave a slight nod. Yamato pulled out another Pokéball, then sent out Char. As usual, he didn't even look at him.
"Char, just listen to me this time. Use Ember"
Char ignored his command, then charged at the Fearow with a Metal Claw. He attacked the one without the legband, and almost knocked it out. The leader Fearow then used its wings to attack the Charmander, who was still on the air. Char crashed on the ground, his body was serious injured.
"CHAR!!! Dora, use Headbutt on that Fearow"
Dora tried to headbutt it, but the minion Fearow interfered by using its own body to block the attack. The leader used this chance and knocked the Aron down on the ground. Dora fainted from the crash
"Return Dora" he returned Aron and sent out his Wani, the Totodile. Char also got up and prepared to fight
"Char, fight along with Wani"
He ignored again and charged at the Fearow with his Fire Fang.
"Argh, it can't be help. Wani, use Ice Fang"
Both Pokémon used their fang to attack the Fearow. It shouted in pain and collapsed on the ground. Yamato quickly took the legband and called the local police to take care of the Fearow.
After a short while, the police and Nurse Joy came. The police took the bird and said that they would take care the rest. Nurse Joy noticed the Machop, who was being sprayed Super Potion by Yamato.
"Oh, is this the Machop that was around here before?" she took a closer look on him "Yeah, it's really you"
"Do you know this Machop?"
"Yeah, he was abandoned by a Trainer. I let him stay with me in the Center. He helped me taking care of this Pokémon Center. But when the Fearow attacked, I forgot to bring him along"
"So Machop is a stray Pokémon?" Yamato thought
"I see that you are a good Trainer? Do you want to take care of him?" Nurse Joy asked
"I do, but what about you?" he asked the Machop "Do you want to stay with me?"
It agreed with Yamato, too. Yamato pulled out a Pokéball and captured him. He then returned to Kalos finished this mission. Although Char still disobeyed him, he caught another Pokémon in this mission

Thanks, I guess. I thought that changing the way catching a Pokémon would be more interesting. Guess this one can't be submitted into the contest

Mission level: 3
Mission Name: Johto National Park: Bug Catching Contest!
Objective: The National Bug Catching Contest is on the horizon of the day once again! Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in Johto's National Park, a contest is held to catch
the very best Bug Pokemon! Each trainer is given 20 Park Balls and may only use 1 Pokemon to fight and capture the rarest bug type Pokemon.
Cheaters are everywhere though, so be careful. Should one ambush you, they will fight you with the Pokemon they brought in plus the Bug Pokemon they have caught. You
may only use the Pokemon you brought in and the Pokemon you have caught to defeat
them, but keep in mind that the winner gets to take the loser's Bug Type Pokemon for judging. Once that's done, return to the Contest Judge and wait for the award ceremony.
Catch-able Pokemon: Caterpie, Weedle, Paras, Venonat, Scyther, Pinsir (or any of their evolutions, if allowed at your rank)
Reward: Depends on how well you did in the contest (decided by grader).
1st Place: Sun Stone and 2000 PD
2nd Place: Everstone and 1500 PD
3rd Place: Random Berry and 1000 PD
Consolation: Berry Juice and 750 PD
Current Pokémon Team:
1/Char(Evo:1)
Inventory: all items in the bag
Mission Body:
Yamato looked at the list of mission with his TADS, trying to find the perfect one for Char, the Charmander. He managed to find an easy mission for him. And since today is Tuesday, he immediately got on a boat to Johto. He entered the house that lead to the National Park. The man standing behind the reception desk greeted him: "Welcome to National Park. Today is Tuesday, and we're holding a Bug Catching Contest. Do you want to enter?"
"Yeah, that's why I'm here" Yamato said
"Then please fill in your information as well as the Pokémon you will use" the receptionist gave him a piece of paper "You can only use 1 Pokémon to participate in the event. We'll keep your other Pokémon until the contest is over"
"Ok...Here you are" Yamato handed over the paper and 5 Pokéballs.
"Please bring this box with you and wait inside the park until further notice. In this box, there are 20 Park Balls, which are the only kind of Pokeball that are allowed to be used in this contest. Remember, you can only catch one Pokémon. If you catch another one, you will have to release one of them"
"I got it, thanks"
Yamato entered the park and saw that there were many other participants in there. Most of them were Bug Catchers or Bug Maniacs, and even Collectors.
"It's a little weird that a Sailor like me entering this contest" he thought while holding Char's Pokéball "But it's even weirder for a Sailor to have a Fire-type Pokémon"
"Come out, Char"
The fire lizard turned his head away at the time he was called out.
"Char, don't act like that. I'm your Trainer, so we should befriend with each other"
The Charmander still didn't give an answer
"Fine, let's see who will win by the end of this day"
He returned him to the Pokéball and waited for the contest to start. Not too long after, an announcement was made from the loudspeaker: "Attention, please. The Bug Catching Contest will begin shortly. The time limit is 30 minutes. The Contest will start... NOW!!!"
Everyone started running into the grassland area and the forest area right after they received the signal. Yamato also tried his best to look for a Pokémon in the middle of the forest. After a while searching the bushes, he finally found a Carterpie.
"Let's go, Char" he sent out his Charmander "Char, use Ember"
Char let out a loud yawn. He curled up and went to sleep, ignoring his command. Meanwhile, the Caterpie was crawling away.
"You must be kidding me. Wake up, Char, before it disappears"
He came over and shook the lizard in attemp to wake him up. But he received an Ember on his face instead. And before he knew it, the Caterpie was nowhere to be found.
"Great, now I have to find another Pokémon"
He didn't have to look much, because he spotted a Kakuna just right over there, on a nearby tree
"Char, try using anymove on it. It can't move, so this one is easier for you"
The Charmander opened his eyes and had a quick glance at the immobile bug, then went back to his sleep.
"Listen to me, please. I'm your Trainer and you have to do what I say. It's nothing hard, right?"
Suddenly, the Kakuna's glowed and cracks started appearing on its body. A Beedrill slowly got out from the cocoon. It spotted Yamato and Char, then attacked them with its stinger. Yamato returned Char and dodged the attack. While the bee didn't notice, he hid into a bush and waited until the bee went away.
"Guess I have to find another bug to catch" Yamato said in disappointment
Later, he managed to find a Weedle, a Venonat and a Paras. However, he couldn't caught any of them, thanks to Char's stubborness. He even tried to catch them by throwing Park Balls without weakening them. But of course, they could easily escape. Yamato couldn't take it any more, and turned his head to Char. He woke him up and asked
"Char, why do you have act this way? Do you hate me or something?" Yamato received a nod from Char "Why? Please tell me what I do that you don't like "
Char said something, but he couldn't understand a word. He really wanted to know what he did that Char hated him. Suddenly, a shadow figure jumped out from a nearby bush and attacked Char with its blade. Char couldn't dodge the attack in time, so he was knocked down on the ground. Yamato looked closely at the attacker, and realized that it was a Scyther, and it was somehow angry. It turned to Yamato and readied its blades. But Char got up and fired an Ember at the bug. The Scyther jumped out of the way to dodge the fireball
"Char, did you just save me? I'm so glad" But the Charmander ignored him and attacked Scyther with his Metal Claw "I guess that you only want to get your revenge" he sighed
The lizard growled, then opened his mouth. His fangs were covered with fire. Then, he rushed at the bug and bit one of its blades with a Fire Fang. The Scyther was flinched by the attack, but managed to throw Char away. It then used Slash repeatedly on him, making him badly injured. But that helped him activating his ability. He used his Ember and knocked the Scyther to the tree. Yamato took this chance and threw a Park Ball. It shook a few times until it stopped and let out a "Ding"
"Yes, I caught a Scyther" he picked up the ball, then turned around and asked the Charmander "Char, are you ok? I'll heal you right away"
Yamato offered him a Super Potion, but he declined. He then looked around and saw some Oran Berries in the nearby bush.
"Still don't want to befriend with me? Fine, I'll use it on Scyther instead" he held the Park Ball on his hand, then thought "But why did it attack me? It looked like it was mad"
Suddenly, another Pokémon attacked him. He fell over, and the Park Ball containing Scyther rolled on the ground.
"Heracross, get me that ball" a man wearing glasses came out and ordered the bug
Yamato quickly grabbed the Park Ball before the Heracross could get it. He turned to the man and asked
"What are you doing?"
"Hehe, I have been trying to catch a Scyther for days so that my collection can become greater. Just a while ago, I found this Scyther and attacked it sneakily. But it got mad, and looked for the attacker. Luckily, you were near it, so it thought you were the one. I only have to wait for this perfect time, when you weaken and capture the Scyther. Now, give me the Park Ball and maybe I'll spare your life"
"You think that I will hand over Scyther to you just because you say so? I caught it so I will keep it"
"Who cares? I only need that Scyther, and I will do anything to get it. Go, Heracross. Horn Attack"
Yamato rolled over to dodge Heracross's attack. However, the attack hit the Charmander, who ignored the conversation from the beginning and kept on finding more Berries. The red lizard got angry and attacked it with an Ember. The Heracross was hurt by the attack, but it could still fight.
"Heracross, use Megahorn"
The horn on top of Heracross's head glowed brightly, then charged at Char. Even though the attack was not effective, Char could barely stand after receiving that Megahorn. But Char didn't give up and let his battle instinct take over. He let out another Ember, but this time, the fire grew bigger and turned into a Flamethrower. Along with his Blaze ability, the fire even grew bigger, enough to knock the Heracross out.
"Arghh, come back, Heracross" the man returned his Pokémon
"Now that you're out of usable Pokémon, please don't bother me again"
"Who says I'm out of Pokémon? I still have...this one"
He threw out a Park Ball and a Pinsir came out from it. The Pokémon looked a little worn out, and its body had many bruise on it
"Wait a minute, you're not allowed to use the Pokémon you catch in the contest for battle"
"I don't care. I'll do anything to catch that Scyther. Pinsir, use Seimic Toss" he commanded
The Pinsir rushed at Char and pinched him with its pinchers. Then it jumped to the sky and threw him down on the ground. The red lizard was completely knocked out from the crash.
"Come back, Char" he returned his fainted Pokémon and held the Park Ball tightly on his hand "I really don't want to break the contest's rules, but you leave me no other choice. Go, Scyther"
The Scyther came out from the Park Ball. He turned his head around and glared at Yamato.
"Scyther, you're misunderstanding. Believe me or not, but the one that attacked you is that man. I need your help to defeat him"
Scyther seemed to believe what Yamato said, and readied his blades. Both Pokémon were tired, so even one hit would decide the result of this battle.
"Pinsir, use Guillotine"
"Scyther, use Double Team"
The beetle's pinchers glowed, then rushed over the mantis. But Scyther glowed brightly and duplicated itself, making the Pinsir attacked one of its copies.
"Scyther, Sword Dance"
The Scyther and its copies swung their blades elegantly, thus increasing the Scyther's attack.
"Pinsir, Guillotine again" the man commanded
The Pinsir's pinchers glowed again, and this time, they could catch the real Scyther. The mantis tried to escape, but it only made the beetle gripped it harder.
"Be careful, Pinsir. I don't want to cut it in half" the man said
However, the Scyther wasn't fainted from the tight grip. It managed to use Slash at the Pinsir, giving itself a chance to escape.
"It's look like my Scyther is stronger than your Pinsir. Scyther, use X-scissors"
The Scyther glowed brightly with its Swarm ability, then its blades formed an X, and with an amazing speed, it cut the Pinsir and returned to his position. The Pinsir was knocked out. The man returned his Pokémon and ran away. Yamato came closer to Scyther and said: "You did a great job, Scyther. But...I'm sorry about catching you earlier without knowing that you had your own reason to attack me. I guess I should release you"
However, Yamato surprised that Scyther bowed to him, as if he was saying sorry, too.
"Does this mean...you want to join me?" Yamato received a nod from him "Then it's settled. Welcome to the team, Scythe. That will be your nickname." He glanced at the watch on his wrist "We should get back to the center of the park so they can judge you"
Yamato returned Scythe to the Park Ball and went to the center of National Park. And he was just in time, too.

Mission: Birch's First Break In (Level 1)

Objective: Professor Birch's lab in Littleroot Town was broken into and all three of his Pokemon (Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip) were stolen. Find the thief and defeat them. They will use each stolen Pokemon against you. Once defeated, return to Professor Birch. He will allow you to keep one of the Pokemon as a reward, if you wish.

Obtainable Pokémon: Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip
Reward: 500 PD
Team: Zubat, Scyther, Horsea, Magikarp (all 0 Evo)
Items of note: Amulet Coin, held by Zubat


indenthereInclement weather was always a strange sight for desert-dwelling Rei Hikari. He regarded it as an anomaly; for the most part, the weather in his desert home was sunny. Oh, once a year, it would get cloudy, followed by a torrent so powerful that he'd have to stay in his cavern home, with a grouchy Countess sulking on his shoulder. His Zubat hated the rain simply because she couldn't go hunt for insects and small mammals.

indenthereSo, it was no surprise to Rei that his Zubat was a complete grouch that particular evening in Aqua's temporary headquarters. She flew in and out of the closet that became her home, each time getting more and more impatient. Lightning flashed outside, causing Rei to look up from the map he was studying.

indenthere"Well, it's certainly going to be a rough night for us, Countess," he commented, sympathizing with his Zubat. The cafeteria in the building was closed, and he ran out of his stash of oranges. He was starving, tired, irritable; but he had work to do, and nothing was going to stop him from tonight's mission.

indenthereRei focused on the map again. The paper was a blueprint of a building familiar to new Trainers from Littleroot Town, its simple design and tall ceilings perfect for any Pokémon. But these blueprints of Professor Birch's lab did not contain the knowledge that Rei so desperately needed; they didn't tell him how much the Professor had increased security since a recent break-in. Indeed, Professor Birch's lab was targeted by so many thieves that it was almost impossible to figure out what the latest security upgrades were in place.

indenthereA wan smile on his face, Rei looked out of the one window in his candle-lit room and once more surveyed the skies. Angry anvil-shaped clouds were barely visible against the darkening sky, with lightning dancing from cloud to cloud every so often. As luck (or perhaps careful planning) would have it, this large storm would be following him to Littleroot, arriving at around two in the morning, which left Rei ample time to scout ahead and wait for what he received a tip for: a Pokémon burglary gang, notorious for break-ins, was going to raid Professor Birch's lab this night.

indenthereRei rolled up his map and placed it back on his library shelf. He would have to leave now if he wanted to beat the storm that would be following him. The Countess, noticing his movements, swooped down and landed on his shoulder, under his hood. To cheer her up, Rei pulled out a soft Caterpie-shaped gummy candy with a strawberry liquid filling. She bit down ravenously, stopping only to nuzzle her head against Rei's cheek as a sign of thanks. He exited his room, locked it, and headed off to the nearest docks, making sure the Hoenn ships would be operational after the storm.

indenthereOnboard a small rental boat (which, after much protest by his Zubat, he promised to return intact), Rei followed the path in his mind. There was a river that cut nearby Littleroot's neighbor, Oldale Town. He would take that river, pass by a few routes, and reach Littleroot just before the storm hit. After about an hour, the boat slowed to a halt by the riverbank, and Rei jumped off. He creeped the boat into cover and waded ashore.

indenthereRoute 103 was without its usual Pokémon Trainers this evening, most of them having gone home to eat and settle down for the night. Rei sighed in relief; he didn't want to battle so soon. As he crept through the tall grass, the Countess' ears twitched, and she zoomed out from the hood, right in time to intercept a passerby Zigzagoon. The Zigzagoon cried out in surprise; he thought he would get the jump on the Aquan and his Zubat. Rei looked down at his TADS to check the hour. Night had barely fallen. He had time for a quick battle.

indenthere"Countess, Confuse Ray." The Zubat sent out her sinister ray, and her target was confused. The Zigzagoon tottered to one side and rammed headfirst into its foe. The Countess was smashed from the sky onto the ground, her wings scraping against the dirt and scratchy grass. Determined to win, she returned to the air and swooped down, viscously biting down at the Zigzagoon. It cried in pain and attempted to slash out at the Zubat, but instead its paw smacked a sturdy tree trunk.

indenthere"Once more, Countess. Bite him." The Countess rushed in to attack again, but the Zigzagoon, its mind cleared, lunged out and grabbed the Zubat in midair. Zigzagoon kept its hold as the pair dropped down to earth, and the Countess once again felt the ground on her unprotected skin. She shrieked in pain and furiously bit at her attacker's paws, trying to break free. The Zigzagoon, not willing to let go, rammed its head repeatedly against the Countess before it finally released its hold, its front paws tattered and torn from all the bites. The Zubat was not much better off, with blood dripping down from open wounds along her backside.

indenthere"Finish him, Countess. Leech Life." While the Zigzagoon attempted to tackle Zubat down once more, the Zubat narrowly dodged its front paws and closed her mouth on the Zigzagoon's neck. Its life force draining away, the Zigzagoon collapsed. The wounds on the Zubat's back stopped oozing blood. Tired after a harsh battle, the Countess glided over to Rei's shoulder. He patted her on the head and offered her another treat.

indenthere"You did well, Countess. You're done battling for the night, I hope. I'll need you well enough to fly when we stake out the lab." She accepted the candy and praise with pride.

indenthereRei placed the fainted Zigzagoon at the roots of a nearby tree and continued down the path to the nearby Oldale Town, skirting the outside of the town limits to avoid the people residing there. The wind began to pick up, and the Pokémon whose homes were in the forest gathered near tree roots and other places of hiding, fully aware of the approaching storm.

indenthereRei held his hooded cloak fast to him; he wasn't going to let a small gale steal his favorite article of clothing without effort. The Countess clutched tightly to her master's body, flattening herself against his shoulder in an effort to have less aerodynamic drag.

indenthere"At least we can count on the storm being here," he grumbled. "This has got to be the most empty route I've ever seen." The Countess nodded her agreement. He stopped at the edge of a ledge facing south, and surveyed the area. Route 101 was pretty quiet, but perhaps that was simply because nobody would be out and about at such a late hour.

indenthereRei slipped his bag onto the ground and checked the contents. He had his Pokémon quickly briefed before heading out to Hoenn; don't linger for too long outside, and always stay close to him. After all, the thieves were seasoned Pokésnatchers.

indenthereSeeing nothing suspicious on the route, Rei hopped down the ledges and set off to the quiet town of Littleroot, taking care not to step on any small twigs. Large, heavy drops of rain began falling from the sky, splashing against the dusty path hungry for moisture. Rei frowned. The terrain wasn't going to be favorable for much longer. He quickened his pace.

indenthereIt was a deluge by the time he reached the outskirts of the lab. Strong gusts of wind bent the tree canopies to their will, and a crack was heard in the distance. Lightning flashed, and an earth-shattering boom rolled across the town and shook Rei to the bone. The Countess suppressed her instinct to cry out in alarm. The two watched as all power was cut from the residential homes. The white lights of the lab, however, kept their glow for a moment; the lab had its own generator for natural events such as these (or so Rei read), so it was a mild shock to the Aquan when those lights, too, flickered and died. His pulse began to quicken, his eyes narrowed, and his grip tightened against a Pokéball.

indenthere"So it begins." Rei crouched and began his vigil, the rain now coming down in sheets.





indenthereThree figures moved quickly in the now darkened corridors of Professor Birch's lab. The tallest one, a lean, trim lad, opened up a device and set it against the cold metal wall. To his left, a shrill voice urged him on.

indenthere"Come on, come on! We don't have much time before those sensors re-activate. Let's grab the goods and go." The owner of the voice, a short, stocky female, shifted nervously, her eyes darting from one side of the hall to the other. Sweat trickled down her neck as she bounced on the balls of her feet. She was a mess when under pressure. The man sighed. Of all the rotten luck, why did his crew put Karra in charge?

indenthere"Well, Karra, some things take time. Like this tunnel maker here. And good food. And lasting relationships. And-"

indenthereHer face flushed. "What do you know about love? You couldn't tell if love was in your face!" With a huff, she turned to her other partner, who was looking down at a paper throughout the conversation. The last partner in crime snorted.

indenthere"We've got a mission to complete. Keep your mind on the job. When we're done here, we'll have plenty of time to talk about how you two waste mine." The words were harsh, but they were accompanied with a joking smile. The speaker turned to the man against the wall.

indenthere"Well? We done here, Ross?"

indenthere"... Almost." The man's brow furrowed in concentration, he typed commands on his screen. At his feet, the machine glowed, and with a soft click, the Pokéballs that were nestled safely in Birch's lab desk were teleported to the thief's feet. The third thief picked up the device, its purpose fulfilled for the day. Karra and her teammates exchanged hi-fives.

indenthere"Another job well done, fellas. Congrats. Science saves the day again!" Her team, satisfied with a job well done, headed out to the ever-worsening weather.

indenthereThey didn't really expect a lunging Scyther immediately upon stepping out into the downpour.

indenthereRoss and Karra were thrown bodily into the squelching mud, the wind knocked out of their lungs. The third was tackled by the frightening Scyther's owner, a hooded man who wasted no time throwing their gear aside. The Scyther leaped off of the two, sure that they held no weapons other than their Pokémon. With a swipe of its sharp scythes, the delicate, expensive tunnel-and-capture machine was ruined. Karra was the first to rise.

indenthere"You... You clod! How dare you! Treecko, help!" She hurled the ball at Scyther's feet. Ross did the same, and a Mudkip hopped out. The two stolen Pokémon were frightened, and with shivering legs, turned to face the menacing Bug-type.

indenthere"Help us out, Sanras!" The third, who finally broke from Rei's grasp, hastily tossed the last stolen ball. Rei responded in kind, summoning out his Horsea, while commanding the Countess to assist Yami.

indenthereThe battle began with a flash of lightning. Amidst the rolling thunder, the trainers barked out orders.

indenthere"Yami, ready your stance. Double Team. Countess, confuse that Mudkip. Leviathan, Focus your aim on that Torchic." The three immediately set about their orders. The Horsea fixed its gaze on Torchic and began building pressure in its snout. Scyther made illusory copies of itself, and prepared another lunging swipe. The Countess, meanwhile, glowed purple and launched her ray at the Mudkip.

indenthere"Torchic, dodge those scythes and Peck!" While the Scythers made a swooping attack against his approaching foe, Torchic thrust its face against one of its targets, and successfully made contact. Yami cringed for a moment, but was able to successfully keep the illusion of two copies.

indenthere"Treecko, help Torchic out and pound against Scyther's thorax." The Grass type, following up right behind Torchic, attempted to slam its clenched fist against the nearest image of the Scyther, and thanks to his ally's successful hit, was able to correctly guess its target. All three images of Yami looked pained, but determined.

indenthere"Mudkip, squirt a Water Gun at that Zubat!" A blast of water, made more powerful with the rain, rushed toward the Zubat. Though she was weakened in the previous battle, she retained much of her agility, and was able to at least swipe Treecko with her powerful wings before getting clipped by the gush of water. She cried out in pain and crashed to the ground, conscious through sheer will alone. Treecko wasn't so lucky; when Scyther noticed the attack against his green foe, he made a decisive follow-up attack, slashing the Treecko in the face causing no small amount of bleeding. The Treecko, now blinded with pain and confused, lashed out and dealt itself a final blow, knocking itself out.

indenthereIn the meantime, Rei called back his Zubat, unwilling to push her too hard, and sent out his Magikarp. Desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose. Good luck, Magikarp.The fish Pokémon, delighted to be in the torrential rain, splashed in a puddle and eagerly awaited commands.

indenthere"Well, here goes nothing. Tackle that Torchic with all you got, once you see Leviathan shoot her Water Gun!" Magikarp readied itself, and on cue, the long-built pressure in Horsea's snout shot out with a crack. Torchic was sniped between the eyes. A critical hit! The Torchic staggered and with its last burst of energy, attempted another jabbing peck at the Scyther.

indenthereBefore the attack landed, however, a red blur zoomed past Mudkip, Scyther, Horsea, and the downed Treecko. There was nothing quite as entertaining as watching a Magikarp with Swift Swim.

indenthere"KAAAARP!" With a battle cry, it launched headfirst into the enemy. It all proved too much for the poor Torchic, and it, too, passed out. Rei's team turned to face Mudkip, who watched his companions fall one by one in quick succession.

indenthereThe life of a stolen Pokémon was rough.

indenthereRoss was at wit's end. How was he to beat this crazy Trainer in a one-on-three? He gave what he knew was his last command to Mudkip.

indenthere" Sling another Water Gun at that Scyther!" The Mudkip shot another round at the images that were all too quickly gaining ground on it. Unfortunately, it hit a false image, and the real Scyther stopped inches from Mudkip's face, its left arm raised.

indenthereRei nodded. "Team, finish this match."

indenthereThey were happy to oblige. A combined Slash, Tackle, and Brine made short work of the unwilling foe. Rei faced the thieves, all in various stages of panic.

indenthere"Perhaps if they were your Pokémon, the fight would have gone more in your favor. But they are not, and I give little mercy to thieves. Give me your money and the stolen goods, and don't even think of running off before Officer Jenny comes over. This battle is over. You have lost."

indenthereKarra spat at Rei's feet. "I hate your kind. Always so self-righteous. What makes you any better than us, huh? You think us taking Pokémon who were used as lab rats all their lives are in the wrong? You don't know anything, you pompous-"

indenthere"That's enough," Sanras growled to the team leader. The thief looked Rei in the eyes. "We are well aware that the law forbids theft of captured Pokémon. We know the risks involved with being in Furtum." As the officers showed up to the delayed signal from Birch's lab, the thief gave one last farewell to Rei.

indenthere"I'm sure you'll see us again someday. Maybe then you'll know more of the truth." Officer Jenny frowned.

indenthere"Perhaps you'd like to continue talking and give us more reason to believe you're a bunch of hoodlums?" She pushed the criminals in a vehicle and called Rei over.

indenthere"Excuse me, sir, but we're gonna have to take you in, too, until we can prove your innocence in this case."

indenthereRei shrugged, then nodded his compliance. He looked up at the sky. The storm had finally passed, and the first rays of daylight were attempting to make their early morning appearance. The Countess, tiredly gnawing on an Oran Berry an officer gave her, slumped on his shoulder. It was going to be a long day.





indenthereRei Hikari was awoken by a rap on the head.
indenthere"Come on, Mr. Hikari. You're free to go. Professor Birch sent us his assistant. Apparently, he had footage of the whole thing. It's luck that you were able to apprehend them, and nothing more." Officer Jenny scowled.

indenthere"Something's fishy about all of this. Don't think I'm not keeping an eye on you. People don't just wait outside in a storm and just happen to come across a burglary by one of the most notorious Pokémon burglary gangs in the Hoenn area." Rei said nothing, save for a thank you. He knew that if he mentioned the anonymous tip, he could be held accountable for not immediately reporting it to the police.

indenthereOutside the police station, a scrawny, bespectacled lab assistant greeted the Aquan and his Zubat.

indenthere"Hello there, Mr. Hikari. Thank you for all your help today." He paused a moment to adjust his glasses.

indenthere"I'm glad we were able to quickly get you out of there. Birch is so glad the whole incident was resolved without too much police interference, of course." The assistant reached in his bag and handed out a Pokéball.

indenthere"Here. The Professor insisted you keep this for your troubles."

indenthereRei stared at the man. Was this the man who gave the tip? What am I missing here...? He bowed and thanked him for the generous gift.

indenthere"Tell Birch it was no trouble. I'm glad everything worked itself out in the end." With that, he accepted the Pokéball and headed back to Route 103, returning to his rented boat with more than he expected. His mind went over the information obtained the other night, but in the end, he couldn't make sense of it.

indenthere"I shall have to do some research into this 'Furtum' group. Do you suppose the tip was just a way to introduce me to this gang?" He received no reply. The Countess silently sucked on her gummy Caterpie candy, mulling over the events along with her partner.

indenthereAfter returning the boat, he traveled to Slateport and found passage to Kalos. On the deck of the ship, he tossed out the gift Pokéball and smiled.

indenthere"Well, a Treecko. Good to meet you, little one. Sorry we had to give you a rough first impression." The Treecko cautiously approached the Aquan.

indenthere"I'm Rei. This is the Countess. We're not so bad, I think." Treecko nodded and looked around. It had never left Hoenn before. Everything was so new. Hoping that Rei kept no animosity to its previous encounter, he climbed on his new Trainer's arm and acquainted itself with its new friends. Together, they enjoyed the ride home.


Author's Notes

I haven't done one of these in a while, so I've decided to mess around with the posting style a bit. I'm not sure if I'll keep the small print. It's useful in not making too large of a speech bubble, but it might be taxing on the eyes to read. Plus, the indents might look too large when I change font sizes. Also, I opted out of using color or other emphasis on quotations this round to see which would be easier to type and read. I'll probably do something about it; the way this print is, I might add color or bold print just to add variety in the wall of text.

Thanks for putting up with me while I experiment!
-Linda

Yay! I wonder if this can go in the Mission Contest. I think I need to post 2 more times in the main RP to do that, though. Hm.

Off to go edit my profile.

Mission Name: Long Live The Queen! (Level 1)

Objective: Find and explore the hive of your favorite Bug pokemon to collect data for our research team. While you're in there, fight three basic stage Bug pokemon, capture one, and take out their queen.

Pokémon Available for Capture: Any non-Legendary Bug-type Pokemon, basic stage.
Reward: 500 PD
Pokémon: Zubat, Treecko, Bagon, Vulpix, Inkay
Notable Items: Orange Flute, Amulet Coin (held by Vulpix), black sludge (Zubat), exp share (Inkay), Lucky Egg (Treecko)



indentMunch.

indentMunch munch.

indentMunch munch.

indentMunch.

indentSunlight poured through the tall windows of Coumarine Hotel. Papers lined the floor of a small room, each filled with various astronomical data. In a corner, a Whirlipede munched away happily at the overflowing trash pile, occasionally making origami from well-inked sketches of the night sky. A mound of completed works lay at its side: a hat, a flimsy monocle, and a paper cup, all miniatures of the human models that the Whirlipede found in a book titled "The Dapper Gentleman."

indentA Treecko lay basking in the rays of sun, a leafy twig held lazily in its mouth. It sighed in contentment; it felt good to slack off. On the opposite wall, a small kiddie pool half-filled with water held two Pokémon deep in conversation. The Seadra in the pool made ink art on the water's surface, and a delighted Inkay swam through the images.

indentIt was officially "Chill Day" for half of Rei's team. Their boss left a day ago for research on a mission he received through his TADS. The door handle twitched, and all Pokémon turned to face the opening door.

indent"-and that's why I can't just set fire to the hive. Honestly, Countess, you have some disturbing ideas sometimes." He looked at the mess around his room.

indent"Gex, I thought I told you to put these papers in their folders while I was away!" His Treecko leaped from the floor and quickly made itself busy. Rei turned to the pool.

indent"As for you two, I thought I told you to make more ink for the pen." The two Pokémon ducked their heads lower in the water. His attention was directed towards the paper bin.

indent"See? At least Cho here knows the meaning of productivity." The Whirlipede continued munching away, never keeping its heavy-lidded eyes off of the slackers. The Seadra huffed and turned away; she still hadn't gotten over the embarrassing defeat by the venomous bug. Rei sighed. He looked down at his team, and four pairs of downcast eyes stared back.

indent"Alright, alright. We'll finish this up later. We have a new job to do, anyways." His team cheered; another day of tedious labor avoided! They gathered around Rei as he stooped low and pulled out a map from his bag.

indent"Ok, from what Yami, the Countess and I have gathered, here’s what we’ll be doing.” A gloved finger pointed to a forest north of a marked road.

indent“That’s Santalune Forest. Normally, they don’t have any issues with Bug-type Pokémon living in the forest, but a recent resident has made the forest path rather unpleasant.” His Whirlipede eyed Rei curiously. What was so bad about Bug-types taking over what was “theirs?” Rei knew that look. He laughed sympathetically.

indent"I know, I know. This land has always belonged to Pokémon. I'm not on some crusade. It's just that these new residents are being too destructive for even the local Pokémon there." The Wirlipede accepted this logic. He turned to the rest of his team.

indent"Well, if nobody else has any objections, we'll set off now." He turned to his Seadra. "Leviathan, stay here. You'll be a bit out of your element on this one. Not much water where we're going." She nodded and went back to the pool. He smiled at Whirlipede, who had already reverted to chewing on paper.

indent"Cho... You keep doing what you do." He returned Treecko and Inkay to their Poké Balls and headed off to the forest.

indentThe soft forest ground absorbed the steps of Rei Hikari as he traversed through the uneven terrain. He looked to his Zubat for guidance.

indent"Well, we're here. Where do you think the nest is?" Rei asked, a bit worried. The bat flew to the west, where the underbrush was thickest, and the trees blocked the sunlight. The forest path was far from that stretch of the forest. He adjusted his brown cloak and walked off the path.

indentTwenty minutes later, Rei felt certain he was lost. He glanced up at the canopies, and saw glowing eyes staring back at him. He suppressed a shudder and faced back to the thicket. The air around him seemed to hum with excitement. After a few moments of resting by a tree, he pulled out his map and his compass.

indent“I could’ve sworn I was headed west, but seriously, where are we?” He frowned and turned to his Zubat.

indent“Countess, we are either at their nesting area, or we’re so lost we may as well call it quits. What do you think?” A sudden movement ahead answered the perplexed Aquan. The Zubat reflexively rolled to the left, narrowly dodging a scythe-swipe. Rei gulped. He was hoping his reconnaissance was incorrect.

indentA nest of Scyther.

indentA large gathering of Scyther was a rare occurrence, but not completely unheard of. Normally solitary creatures, Scyther would usually only band together if they were new to the region. However, in the large numbers that they were reportedly appearing, it would drastically change the ecosystem. As far as bugs go, Scyther were at the top of the food chain, and that made a huge impact on the rest of the residents in the forest.

indentBut Rei didn't have much time to contemplate the effetct of Scyther in the forest at the moment. There was a problem in front of him. He sized up the Pokémon. It seemed to be a juvenile Scyther; its wings were not fully grown, and its scythes were smaller, and the owner of them almost looked clumsy with using the blades as weapons. Rei sighed in relief; at least this wouldn't be too tough.

indent"Countess, use Confuse Ray, then Wing Attack. Don't let it come too close." As an owner of the dangerous Bug-type, he knew how devastating a Scyther could be if it got the upper hand on its foe. The Zubat shot her sinister ray just in time; the young Scyther, now confused, tripped over its own scythes before hopping back up and relaxing its body. The bat dived in for a Wing Attack, slashing out and avoiding the scythes. The young Scyther's attempts at attacking the experienced Zubat ended in failure, continually ramming into a thick trunk or the ground. At last, its vision cleared, and with a powerful swipe, knocked its pesky foe out of the air. The Zubat crashed into the ground, taking a moment to recover. The arrogant Scyther took this moment to dance in a frenzy, heavily increasing its Attack stat, but leaving itself open for an attack. The Countess did not miss the opportunity. The juvenile Scyther fainted on the spot, never knowing what hit it.

indentRei’s belt wiggled. Inkay gained another experience point without effort.

indentA tired Zubat glided back into Rei's hood, considering herself done for the day. Rei pulled out a gummy candy for her to suck on as a reward for her efforts. The buzzing in the air grew louder; it seemed as though the hive knew an intruder was in their grounds. Rei quickened his pace towards the sound; if he could just beat the queen, the most likely leader of the group, they would abandon the nest.

Another Scyther lunged out, cutting off Rei's path. This one was significantly larger than the last; clearly, no novice to fighting. Rei decided against sending out his Zubat once more, choosing his hardy Bagon instead.

indent"Go on, Cloud. Headbutt." The hesitant Bagon looked at Rei in doubt. Rei smirked, knowing exactly what would egg on his companion. "If you can't beat this guy, how are you ever going to fly?"

indentThat set off Bagon's motivation. Every day, since it was born from a Salamence, the little Pokémon had always wanted to fly. It knew it had a long way to go, but nothing would stop it from trying. Not even a murderous-looking Scyther. It lowered its head and charged. The two clashed, and blood spurted from both Pokémon. Rei tried to not think about how much pain the Bagon must be going through, and continued commanding his Pokémon to attack until it fainted from the effort.

indent“Sorry, little one. I needed his health lowered somehow. We wouldn’t be able to finish this battle otherwise,” he commented sadly as he tossed out another Pokémon to challenge the weakened Scyther.

indent“Good luck, Gex.” The Treecko hopped onto the ground and got ready to fight to the death, as was expected when facing a type-disadvantage. It did the only thing a frightened gecko could do: Quick Attack, over and over, in the hopes of not dying immediately. The Scyther made short work of the Treecko, using an X-Scissor attack, but the damage was done. The two fell side-by-side. Rei recalled his Treecko.

indent"Well, that could've been worse. Let's find that queen and be done with it." The fatigued Aquan ventured deeper into the forest, where the buzzing became almost painful.

indentThen, suddenly, silence. Rei looked around. There was a crystalline structure hanging over a large, ancient oak tree. He stared, marveling at its grandeur. His mouth dropped upon closer inspection of the nest. It was huge! And so much more complex than he expected a Scyther nest to be. He pulled out his journal and made a quick sketch of his observations, then put it away for later use. It almost looked like a home, with multiple floors, and holes every ten feet for what Rei assumed were doors.

indentAt the top of the structure, a large Scyther poked her head out. Rei held his breath. That must be the queen! His eyes narrowed as he noticed a conspicuous blinking object attached to the back of the Scyther's neck.

indent"What in the world...?" Rei muttered. The Scyther turned to face the Aquan, a look of profound sadness etched on her face. Rei immediately understood: this nest wasn't the intention of the swarm of Scyther. The queen was somehow being manipulated.

indentBut who would do that, and why?

indentRei had no time to answer that question. The queen jerked in a spasm, and her eyes glowed red. She assumed a battle stance, while numerous Scyther and Scizor surrounded Rei and his Zubat.

indentCertainly, not a fight he could escape from. He tightened his grip on a Luxury Ball.

indent"Alright then, let's battle this girl. Maybe we'll be able to take that thing off if we defeat her. Vulpix, come on out," he called, sending out his Pokémon. The Vulpix cried out, denying the Scyther the satisfaction of intimidating her. The Scyther took that to mean the battle started, and immediately lunged out to swipe. Rei knew a few choice hits would be all it took to knock his Pokémon out.

indent"Vulpix, Fire Spin. Surround yourself with the flames!" The Vulpix followed the unorthodox command, setting the air around her ablaze, forming a flaming cloak. The Scyther halted in its tracks, very afraid of the fire wall it was about to ram into. Rei smirked; if there was one thing he knew about bugs, it was their irrational fear to fire.

indent"Now, Flame Burst!" The Vulpix shot out a ball of fire at her foe, setting the Scyther ablaze and damaging the nearby Scyther and Scizor who had circled them. The queen Scyther wasted valuable time putting the flames out on her body. The Vulpix took this opportunity to further damage the deadly Scyther, spitting a scorchingly hot line of flames at the enemy. The Will O' Wisp placed second-degree burns all over her target's body, making every move cause blistering pain to the Scyther. Even her attacks were significantly less painful than they would've been otherwise.

indentRei decided now would be a good time to capture the queen. He plucked a Net Ball from his bag and tossed it at the Bug Pokémon. The hive immediately panicked; their queen was captured! The ball clicked closed, and Rei picked it up. After a moment of hesitation, he sent out the ball. The injured queen looked from her subjects to her new master, and lowered her claws. The hive responded in kind, becoming immediately peaceful, all staring at their beloved queen.

indentRei smiled faintly at his new Pokémon.

indent"Hello there. Let's see what this thing on your neck is." He walked over to her neck to inspect the device.

indent"Strange. It's certainly not meant to capture you, but it's fastened onto your carapace pretty tightly." He took out a magnifying glass from his bag and carefully observed the centerpiece of the strange device, a glowing gem. He recognized it immediately.

indent"Hey, that's a gem from the Reflection Cave!" Rei frowned. "What the heck is it doing here?" He pried open the socket holding the gem, and it clattered to the floor. A great sigh erupted from the Scyther. She bowed to Rei in thanks, and turned to her subordinates. Her scythes glowed white, and she waved and danced about. Rei didn't understand much of Scyther communication, but he guessed it was important.



indentThe queen spoke in her native tongue, her voice laced with pain.

indent"I am free from the oppression! No longer shall we sully our great name with petty acts of destruction and violence." The large swarm cheered, glad to be done with dishonorable acts.

indent"We shall be the guardians of this forest, in repentance for our previous deeds." Her voice lowered, and her eyes shone with rage. "Should those humans who placed this technology on me return to the forest, cut them down. They are no friends to Pokémon." The Scyther and Scizor nodded their agreement. An old Scyther raised its head to speak.

indent"Queen, are you to leave us? You have been captured." The queen nodded.

indent"I shall explore this new land and find those who have wronged me. If this trainer proves to be a dishonorable man, I shall cut him where he stands." The swarm nodded their approval. The queen turned to her eldest daughter.

indent"My dear, it is time for you to claim the throne. Fight well for your title." A young Scyther nodded and raised her scythes.

indentWith that, she lowered her arms, turned to Rei, and nodded.



indentRei took the sounds and gestures to mean that she was ok with becoming his teammate. He took out the Net Ball and returned his new Pokémon, not wanting to make her pass out on their first meeting. The Scyther seemed to ignore him, watching the new battle for supremacy instead. Rei decided it was a good time for him to go.

indentAn hour later, he exited the Pokémon Center and walked to his hotel, curious to see how his two Scyther will behave with each other. He sent them both out. Yami and the former queen stared each other down.

indent“Alright, you two. I don’t want squabbling over who’s the superior Bug interrupting our missions. If you have a problem now, work it out.” The queen tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at the male. Yami was proud, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew a veteran fighter when he saw one. The numerous scars helped. He lowered his gaze, accepting her prowess. She moved close to Yami and bonked heads. Rei was puzzled. Was this normal behavior? He’d never witnessed Scyther-to-Scyther interactions before. He did notice that the tension in the air had dissipated. The two Scyther looked his way and bowed in unison. He grinned at the pair.

indent“Welcome aboard, Genmei.” She accepted her new name. It sounded powerful. Pleased with how things turned out, Rei recalled his Pokémon and returned to the hotel. At the lobby, the receptionist smiled and waved him over.

indent“Good evening, sir. You have a letter addressed to you.” She handed it over to a puzzled Rei.

indent“Uh… Thanks.”

indentShe flashed him a smile. “No problem, sir. The sender was here earlier, but unfortunately, you were not. Have a nice day!”

indentRei walked to his room, a little uneasy. Who the hell even knows I live here? He tore the envelope apart, and unfolded the yellow pages. In neat, even handwriting, the letter stated:



Hello again. I see you have interrupted an experiment of ours. Between this event and the conflict at Birch’s lab, I believe you are beginning to become a nuisance of sorts for Furtum. I sincerely hope your actions are not intentional opposition to our group and our cause. We would hate to have you be the instigator of a “gang war,” as it were.
Be careful with your actions.
-Sabras



indentRei’s brow furrowed. “These guys again? Man, there’s just no end to the strange people we meet outside of the desert, eh, Countess?” he grumbled. Rei occasionally wondered if leaving his home in Hoenn’s desert was a wise decision. His Zubat nuzzled closer to him, knowing what he was thinking.

indent“I know, I know. I’m just being pessimistic.” He scratched her fuzzy head affectionately. “Thanks.” He locked his hotel door and began researching the elusive group, Furtum.