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Zephy smelled the juice and jumped. If anything brought Bulbasaur running, it was berries. She looked around, expecting to hear an enthusiastic "Bulbabulbabulba" as her pet stampeded toward the scent of its favorite food, but heard and saw nothing but the buzz of the crowd and the slowly diminishing ocean of people with the fading sunlight.

Her face fell farther the longer she waited; five, ten, fifteen seconds. It didn't seem like he was coming.

"Whatever he's into, it must be even more delicious," she grumbled, slipping into her oversized coat and checking her pockets disdainfully. "I just hope he saved some for me - damn thing ate all my rations... Heh. Rations. Did I really just say that?

"Anyway," she continued, taking some balls off her belt, "I was gonna challenge this gym, but it looks like I've got bigger things on my plate right now. Either of you got a flashlight? Oh wait, nevermind. INFERNAAAAPE!"

She breathed a sigh of relief as her Pokemon walked out the gym doors and stopped in front of her. Losing two Pokemon in day would have been too much for her.

"We're gonna go look for Bulbasaur," Zephy said to Violet and Hashire. "Thanks for your help - are you guys hanging out in Olivine for tonight? Maybe we can get together later."

Violet looked at Zephy. "Here" she said, handing her the vial. "I've got plenty more. Maybe it'll attract your Bulbasaur.." She opened her eyes wide at the Infernape. Her hands itched toward her camera, but she stopped herself. She was almost making friends, she shouldn't ruin it by being paparazzi at their pokemon.

"I'm always here" Violet said. "I live here... unfortunately.. If you're gonna go looking and you want an extra few hands, we'd be glad to help. We know the area better than most around here, Right Mimey?" She asked.

"Miiiiiime!" He responded, and continued playing with Violet's goggles.

She smiled, and looked around while the other Trainer was talking to Zephy. She spotted the Togekiss flying high up in the air, and aimed her camera at it, zoomed as far as she could, and snapped a picture. That one was for her mother, who had two little Togepi that she raised. She's be interested in this new Pokemon

"Thanks a lot, I'm sure he'll be happy to have it when we find him." Zephy slung the vial around her neck and noticed Violet's hands twitching. She must have been the girl with the camera earlier. "Go ahead, I'm used to 'Nape here attracting a lot of attention. There aren't any of them where I'm from eithe--"

"Oh! Thank you, sir!" Zephy hadn't been addressed by a Pokemon professor since she had gone to Pallet Town as a little girl and it came as a huge surprise to her. She was a little nervous to be speaking to someone so well-versed in Pokemon matters. She gently patted the Ninetales' head and held out Bulbasaur's empty Pokeball, then sat in front of the Slowking and tried to visualize her wayward pet in as much detail as possible. It was easy to bring him up in her mind, his markings were very distinctive; he had a deep teal diamond around his eye and three triangles arranged in a pyramid on his side.

She waited, hopeful for the Professor's Pokemon to come through for her. She wasn't used to asking for help, but she was too worried about Bulbasaur to worry about being polite.

((Spoiler: Bulbasaur was taken by Team Rocket))

"T-TAKEN!?

"What do you mean he was taken? Who takes someone else's Pokemon? I mean, can you even do that? Ugh, what a jerk! Well, if they think they can take my Pokemon, they better be ready for my Pokemon to kick their a**!"

She recalled Infernape and threw out another Pokeball. Chickadee, her loyal, affectionate Dragonite, materialized before them. She took on a motherly role toward the rest of Zephy's team, holding them as dear as her own children, and as such, she was furious at the news of Bulbasaur's kidnapping. "They got a lotta nerve, whoever they were, but they stole the wrong chick's Bulbasaur."

She turned to Ninetales, then to her company. "You must all be really busy. I'm sorry to bother you guys with this. Um, you don't have to come if you don't want to, it might get a little, um, ugly." She jerked her head in the direction of Chickadee stomping in a circle, its cheeks and eyes red with rage.

"Sure I am sure I can get something. Especially if it is a recent memory." Owwin let Solomon take over and probe the wounded Togekiss. "Sloooooo..." The process started again. The humming, the pupils dilating and contracting. It didn't take nearly as long, pokemon minds were easier to probe.

After a few seconds he got done and he was shaking. "King Sl, Sl, SlowKing" Owwin was puzzled. "Something about, robots. Heavily armed, and a balloon." I don't know what is going on, but we should notify the police in case it gets bad." Owwin reached into the worn leather briefcase he carried and pulled out a cellular phone. "I normally use this to keep n touch with the lab but I think you should notify the police and put out an alert. You wil be able to give them better information. Tell them Professor Nimmo is with you and that I believe it is a high priority case." He handed Zeph the phone. "Now to see if we can get a lead."

Owwin didn't spend a lot of time working with fire pokemon. Most pathogens couldn't survive their body temperatures for long, and genetic defects didn't often present themselves because they were naturally resistant to mutations from solar radiation. Owwin only had a Ninetails to study their ridiculous natural longevity and the mystery of mineral evolutions. He was glad he hadn't brought his Wheezing along as he had planned.

"My Ninetails is a great tracker. He puts police Arcanine to shame." Owwin said that more to reassure the Trainer than to praise his pokemon. "hopefully we will be able to find your Bulbasaur."

The Ninetails began to sniff the ground and lead them through the crowd.

(We're gonna need some Team Rocket Music and their old school motto. Anyone wanna hunt for it?)

"Alright, it seems like we're going to be getting serious in a bit. I might as well follow suit."

Hashire recalled Jet Tengu, who had been perched on his shoulder during the trek to the cabin, and grabbed another Pokeball. Leviathan popped out and held in the roar it so loved to emit upon being released.

Hashire then reached behind him and grabbed the handle of something that was obscured by the cloak he carried. Pulling his arm back, it was a blade he held in a reverse grip. He always carried it with him. Just in case.

But then a thought crossed his mind.

"Shouldn't we stake the place out first? I have a Pokemon that excels in stealth. It'd be able to get in and out no problem to let us know what to expect."

Hashire grabbed another Pokeball from a different pocket. This one appeared as if it had been painted black on top, and it was monogrammed with 'The Shadow' as well.

((XD your mime jr is so cute))