Alola! Welcome! [First Topic]

Kari quirked a brow at the ranger's reaction, but shrugged. "Someone's crabby today." She mused, looking down at her Torchic.

The tiny chick Pokemon nodded in agreement with her and Kari reached down to pick him up, gently wiping the tears from his eyes. "Aww, don't cry little Taru. Rayler was just startled, he wasn't mad at you! Tell ya what, we'll head home and get some food in you alright? How does that sound?"

"Torchic tor!"

With that, the two left the reservation as the first official trainer/Pokemon duo resulting from the Oasis project.

~~~

Angel's eyes widened in surprise at the girl's reaction before a soft, musical giggle escaped her. "A ghost? I'm not sure... I might be. Hmm..." She held her hands up near her face in probably the least scary way physically possible.

"Boo!"

Her voice was soft and light, airy even. Just as demure and feminine as her appearance. Stifling her giggles, she smiled at them and curtsied in a very formal and polite manner. "I seem to have gotten myself lost again... would you mind helping me?"

Fey was dying on the inside, but wasn't she always? Like most encounters, she let her friend do most, if not all, of the talking. She herself was not much of a social butterfly, but Stella sure was. Quietly, she let them exchange words. A ghost? This girl did seem ethereal, but were human ghosts even real? Ghosts only existed as Pokemon... right?

"I guess we can help... we need to go get Poke Balls, anyways."

"Okay," Stella beamed at Fey's agreement to help the maybe-ghost. Though her face fell almost immediately, as she realized she wasn't totally sure which way they had come from in the first place. "Uh... Fey, do you remember where we-- No, wait, I think I got it!"

Without waiting for an actual response, she took off in a seemingly-random direction, though after just a minute or so she realized she probably should've waited for them to at least say something before running ahead. "Sorry," she said as she waited for them to continue.

~

Zoey, after Kari's departure, leisurely made her way back to where they were handing out Pokeballs. She was already pretty happy to have Lighter around, and she couldn't wait to see what other Pokemon she might meet with time. For now, though, the Litwick had chosen her, and she was happy with that.

"Hi," she greeted Claire. "This little guy decided to stick with me. That's what we're supposed to do, right?"

Claire smiled at the girl and the Litwick. She remembered burning herself multiple times trying to properly care for this Litwick and all of its siblings. She nodded as she fumbled in the pocket of her apron, pulling out a miniaturized Pokèball. Pressing the button, the capture system expanded to its normal size. She handed the Pokèball over to Zoey. "Take care of that Litwick, I can already tell that you two are gonna be good friends," she told the pair of them.

Angel followed demurely after the energetic young girl, large furry creature strolling beside her. She only then realized she had yet to introduce herself "My name is Alison White. My father has always called me Angel, so feel free to refer to me as such." A puzzled expression clouded her face as her attention was drawn to her new companion. "What to call you..."

She reached down and tangled her long, dainty fingers through his messy white mane.

"I think I'll name you Seraphim."

~~~

A young, short brunette came streaking into the reservation at top speed. She had almost been late! Her doting mother had held her longer because her hair was all messy, but her efforts were in vain anyways. Joey's long brown hair was once again wind-swept and rumpled. The young girl didn't seem to care much about her physical appearance though, as her bare arms and legs were covered in band-aids and old scars. Clearly she was active and not afraid of getting hurt.

She paused for a moment and braced her palms on her knees to catch her breath. "Phew! Now to find a... ah! Hey you!" She called. She hadn't had to look far before she spotted exactly what she was looking for. A small purple mouse stood a short distance away, perched atop a rock and seemingly fighting off any Patrat or Bidoof that seemed to want to perch atop the rock with her. At the young girl's cry, the Rattata turned to look at her in surprise, whiskers twitching frantically.

Joey raced over promptly, sweeping the Rattata up into her arms and excitedly stating "You're gonna be my new best friend! Your name is Whiskers!"

The Rattata looked too stunned to argue as Joey raced over to Claire, seeing her giving a Pokeball to another trainer. "Hey miss old lady person, I've found my partner!"

Miko looked up to see the girl she had met earlier looking down at her. A huge, beaming grin swept across her face. ”Hello again!” She hummed, glancing down at her Pokemon. She giggled as her Fennekin rubbed it’s cheek against the back of her hand. It tickled. ”Ooh, you got your Pokemon too!” She trilled, pale green-and-gold gaze coming to settle on the bird perched on Olive’s shoulder. ”Cute!”

Tilting her head to the side and resting it against the night-black feathers of the Murkrow, Olive rolled her eyes with a hint of amusement. "I don't care if its cute. It has to be strong." she responded, nonchalantly eyeing down at the small Fennekin and its undeniable attachment to simple trinket. Miko and her were quite similar, weren't they? She was yet to find out why the annoying bird creature picked her, but most of the reasons it was still hanging around were because the Kalosian girl was too uninterested and dismissive anyway. It could hang around for all it wanted, as long as it wasn't some weakling.

"I'll go get my Pokeball then. Feel free to join me for training later." she hummed, smiling her usual, tired smile. Them, turning on her heels, the black and white haired girl vanished through the thick forest, making her way towards the exit of the reservation, trying to find Dr. Claire. Finally, reaching the open again, the girl approached the woman giving out Pokeballs to the young trainers. "One for me?" Olive extended her hand nonchalantly.

Miko shrugged. ”I don’t mind how strong they are, as long as they don’t hate me.” She replied. Slowly, carefully, she stood up, making sure to hold Fearn so they didn’t fall. The Pokemon nestled in the crook of her elbow as she held it rather like a baby. It just looked so adorable, curled up like that. Miko was in love already. She held out her hand, and the Fennekin took the stick in it’s mouth, making delighted little purring sounds as it settled back down again. Miko walked through the maze of trees as she tried to find the exit, her feet brushing against the blades of grass and fallen leaves on the ground.

Finally, she was back at the front of the reservation. The ground here didn’t feel as pleasing as the grassy terrain of inside, but oh well. She would get her Pokeball. Miko walked up to Professor Magnolia, not noticing the little bits of twig that had tangled in her long white plait. ”Hiya! Can I get a Pokeball, please?”

As the rest of the crowd, having found their Pokémon, flocked towards the owners of the reservation, Tori remembered that she needed a Pokéball for her new companion. She should probably also find Hazel.... Who knew what her sister would get up to, left alone? "Come on, little one." She reached down to pick up Sparky, and the Blitzle almost jumped into her arms. Though she'd wanted an awesome, powerful Pokémon.... she oddly wasn't too disappointed with the small, adorkable creature she'd picked- no, that had picked her. She shouldn't get conceited. Time enough for that later, after she beat every other trainer on the island.

The tall girl walked up to Dr. McKinney- if that was her name?- and nodded at the zebra-like creature in her arms. "May I have a Pokéball, please? And- do you have any advice for me? Where do I start, raising a Blitzle?" Though it stung a little to actually ask for help, there was no shame in getting a leg up by asking those who actually knew about Pokémon from experience rather than just reading about them. If she wanted to become the best, it was time to start now.

--

Hazel eventually drew herself out of the hug. There would be more time for that later. As much as she'd like to carry him everywhere, Aura would need a Pokéball. She stood up, and the Riolu did as well, putting a hand on her leg to steady her as she nearly pitched forwards. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, reaching down and offering an arm to him. The small blue canine leapt up onto her arm, using it like a perch, and off they went.

As she walked, she noticed other teenagers with their Pokémon- a Torchic, a Litwick, a Murkrow. Though she knew she should probably go and talk to a few of them, make some friends now that she was finally on even terms with them, she didn't want to. She was too shy. Aura watched the people they passed, seeming to read them somehow, a grave look in his eyes. She wished she could do that. The silence between them was companionable, just the two of them together as Hazel walked through the fields. Where was Tori? Her sister had probably found a really awesome Pokémon. But it didn't matter. She wouldn't trade Aura for any of them.

As she approached Professor Magnolia, about to ask for a Pokéball, the Riolu on her shoulder suddenly tapped her. "Hmm?" The short-haired girl turned her head and looked where he was pointing. Aura's large black paw was pointing straight at another girl who was doing the same, with long hair and a Fennekin on her arm. "What, do you want me to go talk to her?" she whispered, looking at the Riolu. He nodded firmly. "But... I'm no good at talking...." Oh well. She might as well talk to someone.

Taking a deep breath, Hazel walked up to the girl, as well as Professor Magnolia. She turned first to the older woman. "Hello! I'm- we're ready for a Pokéball, please." Then she turned to see the other girl, who had done the same. She stuck out her hand to shake. "Um, hi. I'm Hazel, and this is Aura. Who're you?" Well, she managed not to sound like a complete idiot. The Riolu on her shoulder climbed down onto her proffered arm, and looked curiously at the Fennekin, reaching out a paw and lacing it on the other Pokémon's head. "Riolu," he said- by way of introduction, she imagined.

Unblinking and unwavering, he didn't even do so much as flinch when the smaller girl nearly dropped her Phanpy straight on his face. Callum swung his arms and hopped onto his feet, the blue electric rabbit immediately vacating from her comfortable position once the zone she had been using as a playground trembled and shook, hopping to the ground back to Plusle. "Nope, sorry, no can do! I don't wanna play with someone who just tried to smash my skull open!" Everything about her screamed 'predictable' and 'boring,' from her quaint naive remarks and answers to just how... gullible she could easily be. Easy to break and shatter like glass; just one push before everything toppled.

Callum tossed his hands behind his head, grinning from ear to ear with a relaxed carefree gait, a skip to every other step or three. Lazily waving without another look towards her, he called out, voice drowned out by the wind, the people, and the Pokemon: "Toodle loo~" Both of the Cheering Pokemon stuck close to his feet, refusing to leave. He passed by everyone, without missing a beat in the haunting of a ghost, vanishing into the sea of faces and more.

Not a single Pokeball found its way into his hands, even as he vacated the reservation.