On my spare time...

[Spirit]

Anima finished of her battle quiet nicely and headed for the next city, Torrentia City. The place had a nice feel to it. The scent from the lake that the great city floated over flooded the land. She was alone this time. She ended up loosing sight of her friend, Kerum during the battle with the bikers. She walked through the town with her Feebas in her hands, the Pokemon she befriended followed her as well. Finally she found the Pokemon center and healed her Pokemon friends. They had to be ready for anything.

"Hm...Maybe we should go find the gym leader and get the riddle since we're here. Don't you think my friends?" She asked her newly healed Pokemon. They all seemed to agree on it. "Alright, lets go find the gym then."

It didn't take too long to find the gym, which was a large clear area in the middle of the city. "This might the place...." Anima said calmly and looked around the the leader of the Gym, someone by the name of Aquafina.

[Aquafina & Becker]

Peeking his head out of the lake curiously, Storm watched Anima for a few minutes before leaping out and running towards the gym. Knocking on the door, he waited for Aquafina to answer and gestured towards Anima when she arrived. "Oh, hey there. I'm Aquafina, the gym leader around here. What can I do for you?"

[Anima Everhart]

Anima watched as a Floatzel suddenly jumped out of the water and dashed towards what she guessed was the building she was looking for. As she expected, Aquafina, the gym leader opened up the door and greeted Anima.

"Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Anima, I'm a breeder. I was wondering if I may hear the riddle to the Torrentia breeding center so I may take my test."

[Aquafina & Becker]

"Oh, that old thing? Sure, just wait here for a second," Aquafina said, whistling to Storm as he ran into the house, coming back a few seconds later with a plastic bag containing the riddle. Pulling it out, Aquafina unrolled the paper and began reading.

"Underneath you must seek
That is where to go.
This place is not for the meek
It fills fire-types with woe.

Your guide is dragon-like and beautiful
And may seem like a gigantic prick.
But over this you shouldn't mull,
For what else do you expect of a Milotic?

Well, hope that helps. Say hi to Becker for me if you find her," the gym leader said, rolling the paper back up and placing it back into it's bag before heading back inside.

[Anima Everhart]

Anima left and thought about the riddle. 'So the guide is a Milotic...' Anima looked at the Feebas she held in her arms. Her Feebas would become one of those some day. She smiled and went back to thinking about the riddle.

'So it will not be a place fire types are fond of. Fire types dislike Rock, ground and water. Seeing as our guide is a Milotic and this area is known for their aquatic Pokemon.' "I believe we should look for a large body of water." Anima said out-loud to her Pokemon. The Feebas in her arms squirmed a little, liking the idea of a swim. Thankfully for Anima, she didn't own any fire Pokemon, in fact, Anima actually owned two water types, which would make it easy for her to find a Milotic. Anima walked over to a large body of water and looked at it calmly.

"This might be it." Anima smirked slightly then turned turned to Damon, he didn't have a Pokeball like most of her other Pokemon and wasn't a water Pokemon either. "Do you want to stay at the center while we attempt to find the Milotic and take the test? You will have a harder time looking around in the water." The Poochyena thought about this for a moment. She did have a point, but should he let that bring him down? After a moment of thinking Damon let out a low growl and shook his head. He wouldn't back out just because of a little water.

Anima smiled at her friend's determination. "Alright, I have an idea then." Anima grabbed out one of her Pokeballs and released the Pokemon inside, Cenric. "Cenric, we need to look in the waters for a Milotic, however Damon wants to come with, despite not being a water type Pokemon, is it alright if you help him?" Cenric nodded to his trainer's request.

"Thank you, my friend. Now lets see if we can find ourselves a Milotic. Anima said, jumping into the water and letting go of her Feebas, who happily swam around in the waters.

[Aquafina & Becker]

Watching Anima and her Pokemon jump into the water, Storm grumbled to himself that he didn't get to shove her in like the others. Still, he leaped in after her and gestured to follow him as he dived down.

Below the surface of the water, a vast underwater paradise could be seen. The bottom of the lake was filled with all sorts of colors both from pokemon and from human decoration. It was almost like an underwater city, with the pokemon going to and from corals and caves and swimming in straight lines like a road. In the center of this complex network was a large bubble with a building inside. From the bottom of the bubble, a long, serpentine form emerged and swam towards the group.

"Lotic." It said upon reaching them. Extending it's hairlike fins forward, it gave each member of the ground an underwater respirator and beckoned them to follow, leading them towards the bubble. It showed them where to crawl from the bottom and they were in the bubble on perfectly dry land. As they arrived, a Swanna approached them and began flapping her wings to dry them off while a woman came out from the building nearby.

"Hey there you guys. Glad to see that you made it over pretty well. Now the--thank you swanna--now then, I am Becker, the Head of the Deep Seas Breeding Center. Ready for my challenge to see if you are worthy of one of my eggs? I hope you are up to getting a bit wet some more. Follow me, I`ll show you what you need to do." She said leading them towards the building.

[Anima Everhart]

"Well, I'll be honest. I'm not here for a chance to receive a breeder egg, as nice as the thought is. I have a water type who needs a cherish ball, that is why I am taking this challenge. I hope you don't mind." Anima explained as she followed Becker and waited for the instructions for her test.

The Gustella town's test was not very difficult, it was more of a trivia test, something easy for one who knows about eggs. Torrentia city was suppose to be much different and some would say more difficult then the first test. Anima was not afraid though, win or loose she wouldn't back down from the test.

[Aquafina & Becker]

"Alright, come with me then. And please put one of those on before we get started," Becker said, indicating a rack of wetsuits as she walked past them and stuck her head out into the bubble.

"SQUAD 42, FRONT AND CENTER!" She yelled. Five pokemon broke off from the reef and made their way to the bubble, popping up from the bottom and waiting for instructions from their trainer, who turned and observed her challenger.

"By now you should know that a proper breeder should be able to recognize a pokemon by its egg in order to know how to care for it. A proper breeder should also be able to take command of a new pokemon whom you've had no prior contact with. It's important not only for raising newborns, but also for when you need to take in pokemon that need a home, whether they think they do or not." She explained, shedding her clothing until only her bathing suit remained. Shaking herself to crack her joints, she leaned against Milotic and smiled at Anima.

"This test will determine how well you can adapt yourself to new pokemon and garner their respect. You must choose one of these pokemon, and you will ride and/or hold onto them and race me and Milotic. We will do one lap around the lake. To pass, you must beat me in this race. You may command your steed to attack me and Milotic to try and slow us down, but you must also try and guard yourselves from our attacks if you get too close. So, which do you choose? Pick carefully." She finished, moving out of the way of the 5 pokemon who waited to be chosen.

Speed: 8 Bulk: 3 Endurance: 6 Maneuverability: 7 Strike: 7 Guard: 5	Speed: 9 Bulk: 3 Endurance: 4 Maneuverability: 9 Strike: 6 Guard: 10	Speed: 4 Bulk: 7 Endurance: 9 Maneuverability: 5 Strike: 7 Guard: 7	Speed: 8 Bulk: 5 Endurance: 10 Maneuverability: 10 Strike: 8 Guard: 1	Speed: 6 Bulk: 4 Endurance: 8 Maneuverability: 5 Strike: 9 Guard: 3

[Anima Everhart]

Anima grabbed the wetsuit and Put it on as she listened to Becker's words. Before looking as the Pokemon who appeared. The five Pokemon each seemed like great Pokemon, each with thier own unique abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Immediately one caught her attention, a Pokemon she was very familiar with, Dewgong. Ah, the lovely ice type Pokemon. Anima loved them so. She was about to pick the ice type when she remembered something.

Becker said this test was about Pokemon that were new to the trainer, while Anima knew Becker probably meant the Pokemon in general, not the species, Anima felt it would liven her experience if she chose a Pokemon she was unfamiliar with both individually and species wise.

"Hm...I think I shall cool the Vaporeon." She said walking over to the aquatic fox and petting the Pokemon a little.

[Aquafina & Becker]

The unchosen pokemon retreated back into the sea as Vaporeon assessed her partner. Becker smiled at the choice as she handed Anima a respirator.

"Not bad, good choices. Now then, we're gonna head out of the dome here and swim to the starting line of the lake. It's marked, so no worries. We'll start from there and make one full lap around the lake. The first one back to the starting line wins. During that time, you may attack me and Milotic, but we can also attack you. In order to win, you must beat me in this race. Now, let's go." She said, diving into the water with Milotic not far behind. Vaporeon grabbed Anima's ankle and pulled her under as well, making sure she had her respirator in before leading her to the starting line. The starting line was comprised of four clamperl side by side, with one being a royal purple. Milotic and Vaporeon settled behind the clamperl as Becker swung a leg over her Milotic's neck, grabbing the two antennae like reins. Turning to her challenger, she spoke through her respirator.

"This is our line AND our buzzer. One by one, the clamperl will close, and when the shiny one closes, we take off. We are going to be followed by remoraid the entire time, but don't worry, they are wearing cameras, and are simply broadcasting the race to the rest of the city. Be sure to put on a good show for them. Now then, let's get ready. Mount your pokemon." She said as she adjusted herself on Milotic.

Becker's Racer:

Speed: 7 Bulk: 9 Endurance: 8 Maneuverability: 8 Strike: 6 Guard: 6

[Anima Everhart]

Anima nodded her head and got on the aquatic fox's back. " I hope your ready, my friend." She smiled at the Vaporeon, petting it a little before preparing for a race that would decide if she can catch her Feebas friend.

[Aquafina & Becker]

As Becker got prepared for the race, a swarm of Remoraid approached, each of them trying to catch the best view of the racers. Soon after, the Clamperl began to open, although the first one closed almost immediately after. As the second and third closed, Becker braced herself for the race, clutching Milotic's antenna just as the final, shiny Clamperl closed itself and the two were off.

[RESULT: 5]

[Anima Everhart]

The times were ticking, the time are gone. Each little Clamperl closes till one. Shiny as it is, this one shall shut too. And once they're all closed, the race shall begin. The shiny Clamperl closed and now it's time. "Alright, my friend, I trust you to try you best. Lets go!"

[RESULT: 4]


It was a decent start.

[Aquafina & Becker]

Seeing Anima beginning to catch up with her, Becker smiled and urged Milotic forward.

[RESULT: 0]

[Anima Everhart]

Anima caught up, this was a good sign. While it would be better to be ahead, the pace they were going at was good enough to stay near the Milotic and Becker, hopefully Anima and the Vaporeon would be able to pass her as well.

[RESULT: 1]