The dirt road leading up to the actual town was old and worn, it did have tire tracks, but the indents in the road made me think this town used carts more often than cars.
But my focus was soon removed from that because holy shit there were so many cute pokemon! The rice patches were actually a hot spot. And it seemed the people here cultivated that.
Yanma and Yanmega both buzzed around, eating bugs, and to my delight there were a few Woopers swimming in the paddies Making little Wooper calls.
I had to resist the impulse to start chasing them. Woopers were so cute!
"What is that?"
"Wooper? Water and ground type. They are common in Johto."
"Oh! I’ve heard of those! I think.. Does it evolve? Get bigger?"
"Yeah Quagsire."
"That’s it! I saw one at a tournament once!" Ivy exclaimed, but the noise sent the Pokemon all disappearing away from us. "Oh! I didn’t mean-"
"It’s okay. We aren’t going to capture anything without introducing ourselves first anyways. C’mon." I said hip bumping her a bit to get her moving again.
We had already seen a few Johto Pokemon way up here. That filled me with hope we might see even more!
The road ended, and there, on an old wooden bench, were two people. A younger man with dark hair, and an older woman that had fully grayed out, but still looked as active as ever. They both were wearing work clothes, dried mud on their boots.
They were obviously taking a break from working the rice paddies.
"Hello!" I greeted them, but they had both been watching Ivy and I for a while as we walked up.
"Outsider children?" The man greeted not quite with hostility, but he wasn’t looking kind either.
"I’m Vicky! This is Ivy! Is this Mossui town?" I asked, although I already knew it was.
The man looked at the woman and then back to us.
"It is. What are you doing here?"
"Great! I’m a Pokemon Trainer from Kanto! It’s a region to the south in case you didn’t know. This is Ivy also from Kanto! We came here looking for pokemon to make friends with!"
"Then just leave. There is nothing for you here. We don’t welcome Outsiders here."
"Vicky?" Ivy asked, looking worried but I just shrugged it off. I didn’t come all this way to leave without my arms full of Goomy.
"I’m not here to intrude on your town. I just figured it would be polite to introduce ourselves. We are going to head around the mountain to find Pokemon. We won’t bother you."
"Girls. You are young. Outsider or not. Leave Kitakami. Head back up the road and do not return. This place is protected, pokemon take even less kindly to outsiders than we do." The old woman offered and I instantly locked my eyes on hers.
Huh. Her eyes were cool. All golden and almost slitted. Very cool.
"I know. You have your ’Loyal Three’ right? Your legendaries. And the Ogre on the mountain." I revealed.
The old woman blinked in shock, and even the man looked concerned.
"You know things we don’t usually share with outsiders."
"I heard the story." I demurred with a shrug. "I understand you are worried that we might cause trouble, but that won’t happen. Ivy and I are friends with Pokemon. I’ve come to make new friends! To see if anyone wants to join my team and travel all over the world!" I said arms raised up above my head.
"Hmph. You are a child. The woods and Mountains of Kitakami are dangerous. Pokemon have lived here undisturbed by humanity since this town was built. They are dangerous and powerful. Far too powerful for a young child! Where is your parents? The ones who brought you here? I will speak with them." The man replied, sounding just a bit pissed.
"I’m a full fledged trainer in Kanto. We traveled on our own."
"What? What sort of fool place would send such tiny children out into the wilds!?"
"Kanto sends out most children at ten to start a Pokemon Journey." I answered and the man literally stumbled back looking shocked.
"Does your region have no urge to protect its children!?"
"Actually we are sent out with Pokemon to grow strong enough that we can survive. Because the world is dangerous no matter where you are." I answered with a shrug. "Besides Ivy and I have both completed the Journey and received permission from the Pokemon League to travel outside Kanto! We are both amazing!"
"Children." He scoffed, but the woman shook her head.
"Enough Kito. There is no point in arguing against the ways of other regions. Girls, we will not stop you if you wish. It is not our way, as long as you do not cause trouble for us. But neither will we assist you. Your safety against the great packs are in your own hands, do not beg us for help. Unless you are leaving immediately after." The old woman offered, sounding at least a little softer at the end when offering some minimal help.
"Great! That’s a relief!" I called out happily even if Ivy didn’t look as confident. "Alright! Then I guess Ivy and I will be off to see what we can find... You wouldn’t happen to know where I could find some Goomy would you?" I asked suddenly and both adults blinked before a disgusted look crossed their face.
"You are looking for the slugs?" The old man asked in disbelief and I instantly knew I had my answer!
Goomy were here!
"Yes! More than anything! Where can I find them? Can you tell me? I mean I’ll find them either way, but it would save me time!"
"What’s a Goomy?" Ivy whispered to me but I just smiled brightly at her.
"If that is what you seek..." The man shakes his head. "They are often found in caves near the Mossfell Confluence to the east. Near water and caves. They infest the damp caves found there. Disgusting things."
"Then you won’t complain if I just capture all of them right?" I asked just to be sure, but the look of disgust was good enough for me.
"Alright! C’mon Ivy! Time to capture the bestest blobs!"
"Blob? Vicky, what are you trying to capture exactly?"
But I was already moving. No point in talking to these people. We had introduced ourselves to some of them, and now it was capture time!
"Vicky! Wait for me!" Ivy called out as I ran east out of the town laughing as I kept spotting cool pokemon!
This was a wonderland!
—--
"Sleep powder!" Ivy cried out while I just laughed. The attack only kinda worked, hitting a few of the pokemon, but Ivy was running around and the pokemon were following. We hadn’t gone very far out of the town, just off the road. Following along a small stream on our right, and grassy fields and forests to our left. Before Ivy had gotten distracted by something and walked right into a patch of Fomantis.
Honestly the pure grass type was super cute, and I wouldn’t mind capturing one myself, but Ivy had freaked out when they all woke up as she made too much noise and then attacked her. Which only caused her to make more noise, pissing them off even more.
Venusaur was currently decimating the entire field of them with sleep powder as Ivy ran around in circles around her Pokemon as they chased after her.
I guess they didn’t want to consider Venusaur as a threat as she was just too big.
Either way?
Hilarious!
"Help me!"
"Why? You got it under control! Fomantis are Grass types! They spend most of the day sleeping under the sun! So watch out for the... Oh you figured it out!" I called out as Ivy started screaming as she dodged honestly pretty weak Solar Beams. These Fomantis weren’t exactly powerful.
"VICKY USES GERMAN SUPLEX!" I screamed out as I exploded back out of the water behind where Riolu was still trying to regain its feet. My arms wrapped tightly around her little body and I flung myself backwards into the water.
"Riiiiii-" *Splash*
After a few seconds of water all around me I pushed myself back to my feet.
"IT’S SUPER EFFECTIVE!" I cried out arms raised to the sky. Yeah! Vicky wins! Vicky is the champion!
"Lucario." A voice called out and I looked up to see a pretty unhappy much bigger, much angrier fighting type staring down at me, from the other side of the stream from Ivy.
"Rio! Riolu!" The little brat splashed back to her feet and pointed at me, not noticing the fun was over as an adult was here. Then a second later it followed my stare and noticed the adult.
"Eep!" It squeaked.
Yeah, that’s how I felt too.
"Lu-Lucario." It said with a tone I was well familiar with. Angry parent voice.
"Ri! Rio!" Riolu tried to deny whatever had been said and pointed at me as if that was the right answer.
Silly pup. You never try to say it’s someone else’s fault. That only makes parents angry.
"Lucario!" Mama Lucario snapped and Riolu flinched and seemed to almost sink into the stream.
"Vicky what do we do?" Ivy called out and that finally broke my staring contest with the Lucario.
"Nothing Ivy. It’s okay." I called back. As I slowly made to move out of the water. Lucario probably wasn’t going to attack us from behind.
Which is when I heard something both cute and concerning.
*Achoo!* The Riolu sneezed loudly, shaking its little head after and I frowned.
The water was super cold. Dangit. It was just a baby, even if it needed a good ass whooping...
I sighed. Reaching for my pokeballs on my belt, Lucario noticed the movement and growled a warning at me.
I flinched a bit. Even from across the stream the Lucario’s growl nearly shook my chest.
But I wasn’t going to try and capture the pokemon. So instead I slowly continued to reach for my Pokeballs and then without any sudden movements released the one pokemon that would sort this out.
"Chansey!" She cried out happily as she appeared on the side of the stream. I had made sure she wouldn’t appear in the water.
Chansey wouldn’t have liked that.
"Lucario."
"Chansey! Chanse!" She greeted the Lucario and then Riolu sneezed and Chansey’s eyes practically turned into stars of light as she focused utterly on the baby pokemon that was sneezing and wet.
"Chansey!" She demanded and even Lucario flinched back at the depths of Chanseys call.
Which is the exact worst thing ever happened. *A-achoo!* I sneezed as well. And then the full attention of Chansey locked onto my soul. I could feel the way her eyes shifted into stars of focused light.
There was no escape.
—--
A few minutes later. The situation had changed.
Arcanine had been released which almost started a fight between Lucario and Arcanine as they both sized each other up.
Then Chansey had looked at Arcanine and with one word any hope of battle was over. Riolu and I had both been given a blow dry express as Arcanine had dried us both out completely.
Chansey had still forced me into fresh clothes, and when I came back from around a tree redressed, she had wrapped a blanket around me and snuggled me up to Arcanines side, even dropping a little pat on my head telling me I was a good girl and I should stay put.
Then Chansey did the same thing with Riolu. The baby pokemon was pressed into my side and the moment Chansey’s back was turned I felt the baby pokemons elbow blast me in the side.
I returned the favor and a moment later blankets were forgotten as I tried to hit her with a noogie on top of her head, while she was going for kidney shots.
"Lucario!" The voice startled us both and we went back to just snuggling into the warm fur of Arcanine pretending as if nothing had happened.
Yep. Perfectly good girls here! Lucario scoffed and then to my surprise walked away disappearing into the forest.
"Vicky..." Ivy added, sounding disappointed. She had actually been nice enough to start setting up a small camp. A fire thanks to Arcanine was going and she was currently warming up some water.
"It’s this Riolu! She’s crazy!" I whined to Ivy who just sighed.
"I’ve never even seen these Pokemon. Why are you picking fights with them?"
"Huh? Really? Riolu and Lucario are fighting types. The Emanation, and Aura pokemon respectively. They actually can tell people’s emotions through aura to an extent so they can tell good and bad people apart!" I said which is the exact moment I was elbowed in the side again.
"Okay they can usually tell." I corrected as I punched back through the blanket.
Ivy didn’t seem to appreciate that Riolu and I were still trying to hit each other but didn’t argue. A few minutes later as the water was finally warmed up Lucario returned with an arm full of apples.
"Oh that’s nice. Thank you." I answered as Lucario didn’t just give one to Riolu, but handed me and Ivy one as well.
I munched down and Ivy smiled brightly at Lucario. "Thank you!" She looked very happy that all the fighting was over.
"Chansey!" The goddess agreed, taking an apple, and then wandering over to my bag and digging through it. She then came out with a few berries from my bag and handed them first to Riolu and Lucario.
Riolu quickly took the berry and scarfed it down as she fought between eating the apple and the sweet Pecha berry.
I was given a Pecha as well afterwards and I nibbled on it between my apple as well.
"Lu-lucario." Lucario spoke looking at Chansey, and then Chansey giggled.
"Chanse! Chansey chanse." She offered, reaching over and to my surprise patting me on the head. I flushed a little because Chansey being affectionate was nice but! I had a feeling she was treating me like a kid!
"Lu." Chanse got a response and Lucario nodded her head slowly reaching over and patting Riolu on the head as well.
Riolu and I shared a look and scoffed together as one.
It’s not like we liked being treated like kids!
Ivy started giggling and I turned to glare at her which didn’t help as she just laughed more... Which is when I noticed that Riolu was glaring at her too.
I turned my glare to Riolu who glared back at me, but then I noticed something important.
"Are those rain clouds?" I asked, and Lucario, Ivy, and Chansey all turned to look.
"Oh no." Ivy exclaimed seeing the darkening clouds coming in over the mountains.
—---