On the Road Again~

[gyron]

The sounds of "Send Me on My Way" by Rusted Root in an acoustic version reverberated on the road... again. Missy, Abby, and Tyrone had started for the next town right away, not losing any time to start the next morning. Missy didn't like the idea at first, but didn't mind so much after a bit, especially with the music going on. "This is nice actually..." she muttered to herself, not expecting a long and arduous adventure starting like this.

Abby laughed and kept strumming her guitar. "Well, I hope so, because we are going to compete in competitions you know. I plan on winning every one of them obviously, but we gotta keep sharp and do good!"

Tyrone looked slightly confused but nodded eagerly after a bit. Missy only rolled her eyes and kept walking. "Well..." she said outloud. "At least we don't have to engage in grueling battles and gyms and such..."

Abby chuckled, shaking her head a bit. Tyrone started to try to sing to the song but was not doing to well, which made Abby giggle more. Missy herself smiled but was a bit more serious then her partners, looking around in the forest. She didn't know why, but she felt like they were being followed...

[calitana]

Rapidash slowed from a slow walk to a slower walk and finally to a stop. Cassie tried to encourage her to continue walking. The pokemon tossed her head and her flames flared making tit clear that she wasn't taking another step.

[gyron]

Missy thought they were followed. No sooner had she turned her head a flaming Rapidash had entered the Route, gaining up on them until it slowed to a walk and finally a small gait. Eventually, it stopped completely, much to the dismay of its owner or whatever she was.

Missy tugged on Abby's skirt and pointed towards the newcomers. "Hey Abby... there's a lady there!" Abby turned around, Tyrone peeking over her head. He let out a loud "Cynda!" in their direction, indicating that he liked the fire Pokemon she had with them.

Abby smiled and started to walk towards them, eventually reaching them after a few minutes. "Hey there! Is there a problem at all?"

[calitana]

Cassie looked down with embarrassment coloring her cheeks. "No not really Rapidash is just tired. We've been moving pretty much all this week." Again Cassie tried to get Rapidash to move. Seeing as she was going to be entering a losing battle Cassie dismounted and began to unsaddle the fire horse. She wouldn't be able to let Rapidash rest properly in her poke ball with it on. Well at least she had convinced the professor to let her borrow a shower so she no longer reeked from her trip down.

Seeing that the girl wasn't moving Cassie paused in her movements. "Uh Miss you don't have to wait for me. I'll be fine on my own." Her mind instantly jumping to dangerous scenarios that she had heard all her life, being a cops daughter. Not that this girl looked dangerous but still.... and what if she found out about Mirage. Not that Cassie believed that the female member of her team was actually a Mew but rather a different species such as a Ditto or Zorua in disguise.

Well if she didn't leave she could call out Arid. Most girls were scared of Skorupi. With that decided she plastered a tight smile on her face.

[dizzy]

"Ngh, but are we gonna walk the entire way there?"

"We haven't been walking that long! How else did you think we were getting anywhere?!"

"Oh, relax! I'm only playing!"

Nadia inhaled sharply, inadvertently giving Feray a tight squeeze. The Trapinch let out a squeak of surprise and Nadia immediately loosened her grip. "Sorry!" Nadia frowned a bit and began patting Feray on the head in an apologetic manner. She hadn't meant to but if she was going to have to deal with this sort of thing the entire journey someone was going to be sore.

"Well let's just stay focused okay?"

Aidan huffed a bit and waved his sister off. He turned his attention instead to Meri, who was busy running circles about him as he was walking forward. "Hey," he chuckled, "We're going to have to find some sort of alternative because you're making me quite dizzy!" The Oshawott froze mid-spring to glance up to Aidan and smile. "Wott?" Aidan couldn't help but to smile back. "How about chilling in my backpack?" He proposed, gesturing to his new bag. "I'll unzip it some and you can jump right in!" Meri glanced at the bag, seeming to think this compromise was not nearly as amusing as her current means of transportation, but she obliged and quickly scurried up Aidan. "H-hey that tickles!"

"Hey do you hear something?"

Aidan's momentary childishness was interrupted by his sister's habit to think out loud. He humored her for a moment and paused to listen as Meri got comfortable in his bag. "No?"

"Ugh, you're no help." Increasing her pace, Nadia kept her ears open and sure enough, up in the distance, two girls were conversing. "Ha! See there? I told you so!" Quickening her pace even more to go meet the strangers she called out over her shoulder and winked. "Guess I might not just have to be stuck with you this whole journey!~"

[calitana]

Cassie looked down the road she had just come from. Two people were now one it headed their way. Great more strangers. She gave a slight grunt and she lifted the heavy western saddle off Rapidash.

Maybe the'd just pass by. Yeah it wasn't uncommon for trainers to pair up and travel together here, but if there were two then they already have a partner and didn't need another one. Right? Oh she hoped she was right. Her father's stories about the hassle legendary Pokemon trainers went through to keep their legendary Pokemon safe bounced through her head.

Yes this was Varaia and legends weren't nearly as rare but still. She was a cop's daughter and she knew how cruel the world could be. Not that she really believed that Mirage was a Mew but others might.

[dizzy]

Upon further inspection, Nadia came to the conclusion that both individuals were female, and both appeared to be around the same age, somewhere near Aidan and herself. Casting a glance backwards once again, she checked to make sure Aidan was still following her, which of course, he was. She saw him wave ever so slightly and gesture forward, encouraging her to go talk.

Ha! Nadia attempted to stifle her snort. I don't need permission from you! Wasting no more time she strode right up to the other girls, Feray chattering all the way.

"Hey there!" Nadia began confidently. "How's it hanging?"

[calitana]

Cassie lifted an eye brow at the odd expression. She didn't think that people still used that expression. "Hi," Cassie answered and she placed the saddle in the grass. "Okay I guess." She hoped that was the right terminology. She un-clipped Arid's ball and gave it a toss. "Arid walk with me."

Arid waved his claws and tail cheerfully at the sight of potential new friends. Maybe it looked a little threatening because a few of the small Pokemon backed off. "I'm guessing all of us are headed to Gustella?" Arid scuttled over to the saddle to automatically guard her stuff. Cassie smiled. maybe a Skorupi wouldn't be so bad.

[gyron]

Abby chuckled. In the matter of a few minutes, a lot of people had showed up in one area. She cocked her head and nodded. "Yeah. Honestly though I wanna get a full team of Pokemon as soon as possible." She smiled and strummed a bit on her guitar. "I don't know I just think it would be pretty cool, having a team of six so soon..."

Missy looked at Abby sharply and tapped her with her tail. "Meeeeeeeow! You better not replace me though!" She groomed herself a bit and smiled. "I'm irreplaceable~" Abby and Tyrone rolled their eyes at the Meowth and observed the group. Tyrone was particularly interested in all the Pokemon, eventually getting off Abby to observe and sniff everyone a bit, poking Nadia's foot. "Cynda, cynda!"

Abby only shook her head and shrugged. "Sorry about that miss. My Cyndaquil, Tyrone, is kinda... curious." She went over to the Cyndaquil and held him close in her arms, although with a small struggle. "I'm Abby Holse by the way. Nice to meet y'all!"

[dizzy]

"Woah!" Nadia was caught a bit off guard when the Meowth standing about the others girls had started talking. She'd heard some pokemon could learn to speak in a human dialect, but she'd never seen it for herself. That's pretty cool! She thought to herself. Surprised yet again when she felt a small tap at her feet, Nadia chuckled when she discovered it was Abby's cyndaquil, Tyrone. "It's not a problem!" she replied, addressing Abby. "I don't mind at all." Glancing to both girls quickly, Nadia introduced herself. "I'm Nadia Hollands! And this is Feray," she added, placing the squirming Trapinch on the ground. "And yeah I'm headed to Gustella."

"Hey, whose all the company?"

"Hmph." Nadia had momentarily forgotten about her brother. "This is Aidan."

"Hey everybody," he answered giving a little wave. "It's a pleasure." Meri gave an indignant squeak from his shoulder as she clamored from his backpack, and Aidan quickly introduced her too. He broke off when he noticed the Scorupi. "Woah, cool pokemon!" He grinned, pointing down to the small poison type. His attention wavering yet again he noticed the guitar in Abby's hands. His eyes lit up. "Cool, you play guitar?" he questioned eagerly.

"No," scoffed Nadia. "She just carries it around for fun." Glancing back to the others she added, "You can ignore him if you want."

[gyron]

Abby smiled and shook her head. "Nah, dont worry about it..." She played around with Tyrone's fur a bit which made him all sleepy. "Little Missy here, my Meowth, didn't believe me at first until i played a few songs for her..." She chuckled a bit and put Tyrone on the ground so he could explore.

Missy was slightly dissapointed at the Pokemon selection around her... Nobody good for a Meowth such as myself... she mumbled in her head. She sighed though and sat on the ground, a little bored now. "Meowwwwwww... So Abby, tell me, when we gonna train for the Contests?"

Abby shrugged and put her finger on her chin. "Honestly, i dont know... I still haven't had much inspiration about what to do..." She looked at the others and asked. "So, what are you guys? Trainers? Breeders? Coordinators?"

[dizzy]

Meri bounded down from Aidan's shoulder, playfully leaping atop Feray's head to stare inquisitively at Tyrone. "Osha!" she squeaked happily.

Aidan reached up to adjust his beanie after Meri had hit it during her scramble to the ground. "I'm a Coordinator too!" he beamed. "Or rather, in-training to be one, I guess?" Absentmindedly scratching his cheek he continued. "But it's kinda like you said, I don't really have any inspiration. My other pokemon is a Torkoal, this crazy, kinda funny, fire type. I dunno how he's gonna mesh with Meri yet," Aidan finished shrugging.

"Well, I'm a trainer," interjected Nadia. "Me and Feray are going to be fantastic, and I can't wait to get some new team members!"

At the mention of her name Feray began to chatter eagerly, inadvertently causing Meri to tumble off her head.

[calitana]

Well there went her plan with Arid scaring theses people off. Cassie sighed and Dug out her glasses from the saddle bags. If they weren't going to leave then she should be able to see them more clearly. with the glasses settled on her nose the slightly fuzzy outlines came into focus.

Once she had Rapidash taken care of she joined the conversation by clearing her throat. "I'm Cassandra Walker please call me Cassie. I'm aiming to be a coordinator. Pleased to make your aquatince."
Not.
Arid chirped wanting an introduction. "And this is Arid my new Skorupi and this stubborn girl is my Aunt's Rapidash."

[dizzy]

"Pleasure to meet you as well Cassie!" grinned Aidan. "And you too Arid!" The boy knelt down to pat the pokemon on the head. "Aren't you cute? Yes you are!"

Nadia rolled her eyes at her brothers antics and the fact that she was now in the company of three coordinators. Not that she really minded too much, she just would have loved to have met some trainers. Gesturing down to her brother she repeated herself. "Seriously, just ignore him if you want, maybe he'll leave. But really, Abby and Cassie, can I call you Cass?" Nadia swung an arm around either girl. "It's awesome to meet ya!"

[calitana]

"If I say no will that stop you?" Cassie patted and took off Rapidash's bridle. "Rest now girl." She patted her velvety nose and tossed the bridle over to where the saddle was. Arid scuttled over to investigate it and then dragged it over the saddle. Once done he went back over to Aidan to continue being praised.

With horror Cassie realized that Mirage's ball was shaking. She flinched and a bright light faded into the form of her second Pokemon.