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[lovesnuffles]

Trina made her way to the gym. THAT wasn't hard to find. It was the most popular building in town. But she needed to talk to the gym leader to find the Breeding Center, according to her sources.

As she arrived, she looked at Larvitar. The gym looked a little ... bare. "Is it supposed to be like this? Looks like no one is here," she said to Larvitar.

She walked around, looking for someone to ask what was going on. She walked to the back of the gym before finally spotting someone. "Oh, hello?" she asked. "I'm looking for the gym leader. I need to ask about the Breeding Center. Where is everyone?" she asked.

[Bayhound]

He hadn't turned around when he heard someone enter, mostly because he figured it was the Gym Leader herself, and if she caught him snooping... well. It would provide the perfect opportunity to catch her in conversation and try to pry out whatever information he could about the Breeding Center. He already had his suspicions and theories, of course, but... he'd like to have them ironed out before he moved onward to Torrentia. So when the feminine voice reached his ears proclaiming that whoever it was had also been seeking information, Gauge knew he was doomed.

Whirling around with eyes ablaze, the teen snorted at what he saw. Some chick garbed in poke-fan attire... just great. Although she looked older than him, her demeanor made him instinctually knock her down a peg. Chinook poked her head out from behind an old crate and sniffed toward the girl and her pokemon, rolling her eyes. Apparently she wasn't enthused either. However, Kalkaska bounded forward with a wagging tail, standing beside the Vulpix, and behind the Zorua stood a rather odd creature indeed. An Absol... with wings? He remained calm, keeping his feathery sails folded to his side as Gauge set to answering Trina.

"No idea" he replied bluntly, shrugging. "The Center's locked up, and I was surprised to have even been able to get in here." Chinook cut in then, pushing her nose into the air.

"Maybe they all went to fly south for the winter. Good riddance! All the birds around here were starting to make the town smell like--"

Kal bonked her snout before she could finish her sentence, and the breeder continued. "I came here looking for answers too, but nobody's around. Don't you think it has something to do with all that suspicious activity lately?"

[lovesnuffles]

Trina was surprised. This boy was not the gym leader and didn't even work for the gym apparently, but he had a talking Pokemon also! What a coincidence. Maybe. Things were becoming more and more weird with Trina's life lately. Also ... what was that odd winged Pokemon he had? She had no idea. It looked like an absol, but Absol didn't have wings.

"The Center is locked up?" Trina asked dejectedly. Well that wouldn't do. "How are we supposed to take the challenge then?" she asked. She frowned. Suspicious activity. "Come to think of it ... I was just at the lab a couple days ago and there was something going on. I believe Professor Conifer mentioned something about danger and some Team or something ... She was so busy, I had to get my Pokemon from a Suicune, if you can believe it." Trina surely couldn't. "I asked to help, but they wouldn't tell me anything."

Larvitar nodded. "I know what it is! It's Team Necro. They've BEEN causing trouble lately. I heard the Professor talking about it," Larvitar nodded wisely, clinging to its trainer's leg, staying kind of behind her in fear of the three new Pokemon.

[Bayhound]

Gauge sighed. "Isn't it obvious? Whatever's going on means that we can't go to the Breeding Center, and that ultimately means that we can't take the challenge. There are plenty of other towns ahead, so missing out on one won't do us much harm. If for some stupid reason the head at Paradisia wants an excuse, we have Trevor to blame. ..And this.. Team Necro."

"You call yourself a talking pokemon, hiding behind a human like that? Honestly. To think I was ever bred from the same place as you!" Chinook sniffed, turning away from the Larvitar. "Fear must run strong through your kind. Can't imagine what will happen once you evolve." Gauge rolled his eyes again and adjusted his hat, strolling past Trina and heading for the door.

"Unfortunate, though. Wanted to get Sitka certified... or at least, I assumed it would be possible here. He's capable of flight and all." Hearing his name, the Absol lifted his head, claws clacking against the hard floor for a moment. "So I guess all we can do is move on, but I'm almost tempted to wait until I can find someone to travel with. If Team Necro really is acting up, I don't want to risk being outnumbered." At his side, the Vulpix huffed.

"Really, all he's doing is waiting for a cute girl to show up that he can tag along with. Hm, you know, you could ask her, Gauge. Unless you think she's too ugly."

The breeder groaned.

[lovesnuffles]

Trina didn't like this boy, she decided. Or his insulting Pokemon. She looked down at Larvitar, noticing it seemed to let the other Pokemon's words affect it. She knelt down and patted her Pokemon to reassure it and glared at the other Pokemon. "It's ok Larvitar. You're the best in my eyes," she said. Larvitar hugged her legs.

Trina wasn't sure at all that she wanted to travel with this boy, even if he did ask her. He was a brat. That was all there was to it. "Well then, I suppose we might see each other in the next town," she said briskly. She picked up her Larvitar, waved off the boy and began strolling towards the direction of Route 802 as she had seen on the map at the Pokemon Center.

[Bayhound]

Gah, this wasn't happening! Gauge rubbed his temples as he saw the girl walk away, glaring at Chinook for what she said earlier. She arched a brow in question and simply shrugged, earning her a nip to the ear from Kalkaska. While the two of them tussled, the breeder was left wondering what to do. Those that were still actually in Gustella already had groups of two or more, and he didn't want to be in another situation like that. One other person was more than enough for him.

Sensing his new partner's discomfort, the Angel Absol lifted his head and loped forwards, outpacing Trina and standing in her path so she could go no farther. Sitka looked down at her with a gentle gaze and shuffled his wings. He seemed to look at her and say 'why yes, he's annoying, but I, an Angel Absol, have chosen him for a reason', and left it at that. He continued to block her path until Gauge arrived by his side, the Zorua and Vulpix in his arms.

"Didn't you hear me before? We're more likely to get picked off by Team Necro if we travel alone. You wouldn't want to harm your pokemon like that, would you?" he asked, brows furrowed. "Let's make a deal, for our pokemon's sake, to at least travel the next route to Torrentia together." Yes. That would be his excuse.

[lovesnuffles]

Trina stopped dead in her tracks as the odd winged Absol blocked her path. She hoped a battle wasn't what it wanted, but it made no move to attack. It was simply stopping her so its breeder could catch up.

She listened to the boy. As big a brat as he was, she looked down at her Larvitar. Larvitar was still so sensitive and new to battling, it was scared. Slowpoke hadn't battled yet either and while she had faith in her Slowpoke, she knew the boy was right and Slowpoke would not be able to take on Team Necro by itself.

Finally, she sighed, then nodded. "Fine," she said. "For our Pokemons' sake."

[Bayhound]

"Good" he breathed, shuddering as if the word itself was a pain to say. "No need to waste time here, then. After you?" Gauge nodded towards the door, more than happy to be the lagging wheel in what trek was to come. Sitka moved out of the way and stood behind his trainer quietly, Chinook still glaring at Larvitar from the teen's arms.

"Hopefully Torrentia isn't shut down too."

[lovesnuffles]

Trina started down the path again, this time with the boy following her. Larvitar looked over its trainer's shoulder to find the Vulpix glaring at him. He stuck his tongue out at the other Pokemon and then quickly ducked back into his trainer's arms.

This was going to be a very difficult and rocky journey with so many conflicting personalities, but as the boy said, there was safety in numbers.

"My name is Trina, by the way," she said, figuring they may as well know what to call each other if they were travelling together.