Act One: Whisper Across the Sea

[➤ GRAZ !]

geneva

[atrb=height,50][atrb=background, i51.tinypic.com/2598o02.jpg,true][atrb=border,0,true] [atrb=style,width: 500px; padding: 20px; height: 450px; overflow: scroll;] [atrb=width,500][atrb=height,450] Boy I hear you in my dreams I feel your whisper across the sea I keep you with me in my heart You make it easier when life gets hard Whisper Across The Sea I Geneva felt the wind rustle the grass beneath her feet. This was it. A new adventure was about to begin. It was dusk, and the ocean was the colour of blood, illuminated from behind by a sun that had just crept out of sight. The girl stood alone on the grassy knoll that surrounded the Romulus Pokémon Laboratory, windswept and breathless. There was a bluster from the ocean, but the wind wasn’t harsh - it was good to feel alive. The Laboratory itself, half high-tech science facility and half ancient cottage seemed unperturbed by the gales, sitting quietly in the middle of some picturesque trees and flowers. Even at the setting of the sun, this was a strikingly beautiful place. Behind her, the tiny port where she had docked in her journey from Adenne. Ahead of her, she saw the famous Verda Bridge stretching across the ocean, stoic in its defiance of nature’s natural boundary. She was clutching a Solastellan Guidebook, though she hadn’t read it. She wasn’t sure whether she was confident about this - starting a new journey was a big step. She’d bought the book in a moment of doubt, but now she felt as though she didn’t want it. She wanted to experience it all anew - no more hand-holding. In a rare moment of audacity, she closed her eyes, felt a gust envelop her and send her flaxen hair flying, and then threw the guidebook as far as her arms would allow, letting the wind do the rest. The book landed with an inelegant -thump- upon the sandy beach that fringed Romulus Isle. Immediately feeling bad, Geneva rushed over and saved it from the incoming tide, before depositing it in a recycling bin. She wasn’t a litterbug. Nonetheless, she’d made her gesture, shrugged off the chains of the oppressive guidebook and was finally free - unfettered, even, to do as she wished. She made her way into the Laboratory. ”Olleh?” Her voice was shaky. She wasn’t even sure she’d pronounced it right, but she’d been told this was how everyone greeted each other in Solastella. It was probably wrong - she was pretty sure that most people in Solastella didn’t even speak Solastellan and almost certainly sure that ‘Olleh’ was somewhere in-between Solastellan and English. That didn’t matter now. All that mattered now was the freedom to be. word count: 405 tags: - ooc: -

[ZOM]

The lab at this hour was hardly the hub of activity it could be during midday, but it was never lacking in energy. Machines hummed, aides finished their work in back rooms before turning in for the day, and the Pok?mon out back called out happily or bickered with one another as they ate their meals. Night shift would begin soon, and although her nervous greeting did not go unheard, Geneva was greeted with casual and passing "olleh"s as the lab assistants left the building to let the nighttime staff take over.

One of the fleeing aides was kind enough to pause and wave while greeting Geneva, then call out in Solastellan to someone in the back. "Erehe moc, Jay! Elpa plehs deen!" She seemed to be using slang mixed in with the native Solastellan. Her job presumably done, she grinned at Geneva and absconded after a cheerful "ebdoo!"

Moments later, a tall, lanky man with sunburned pale skin and a long mop of curly brown hair emerged from the back door connecting to the yard. He spotted Geneva and blinked sleepily at her, his heavy-lidded pale blue eyes decorated by bags; he seemed to be running on little rest. Still, he smiled as he brushed dirt off of his white coat and headed towards the young trainer-to-be. "Ah... Olleh. Um, yrros, but... do you speak English? I have trouble with Solastellan sometimes. Accent gets in the way."

And as far as accents went, his was certainly thick, and most certainly was not a native Solastellan one. His voice seemed to roll along, drawling, taking its time to get out all the syllables; every sound seemed to find its origin at the back of his throat, making his "a"s sound like "ah"s and "i"s sound nearly the same. This along with the quiet and mumbling way he spoke would have made him unreasonably difficult to understand in Solastellan for even a native speaker, and he didn't speak the language especially well anyway.

He was an awkward-looking fellow, all knobbly knees and elbows and spindly limbs, and where the sunburns on his face had faded, thick patches of freckles stained his pale skin brown. He carried himself in a way which implied that, despite his unusual height, he couldn't do much harm even on the rare chance he wanted to. After spending a moment looking sheepish, he seemed to be struck by a realization and extended an arm, laughing a little. "Jay Black. Lehiya?"

[➤ GRAZ !]

geneva

[atrb=height,50][atrb=background, i51.tinypic.com/2598o02.jpg,true][atrb=border,0,true] [atrb=style,width: 500px; padding: 20px; height: 450px; overflow: scroll;] [atrb=width,500][atrb=height,450] Do you hear me? I’m talking to you Across the water, across the deep blue ocean Under the open sky, oh my Baby I’m trying Whisper Across The Sea II A flush of relief filled Geneva as she realised that this Lab assistant probably knew as much Solastellan as she did. Although he spoke a little bit of slang (and obviously understood whatever the aide had babbled to him), she didn’t really pick up much. ”Oh, hi - I’m Geneva Watkins. I’m here for a Pok?mon, esa el.” She was surprised how easily the Pidgin Solastellan came to her - perhaps it was because of the many hours she’d spent rehearsing it in front of the mirror. The last thing she wanted was to appear like a tourist. ”Don’t you find it hard not being able to speak much Solastellan? I thought everybody spoke it all the time here!” She shrugged nonchalantly. The dying sun cast its final rays across the sky and then faded, revealing a perfect, untouched sky - glorious and resplendent in the dark of the ocean. In the distant, lights glimmered on the waves like fireflies dancing on glass - the cities of Menes and Sierraville were not too far, and they tore through the night with pinpricks of bright against the deep black of the sky. Geneva’s eyes twinkled as she watched the horizon through the window of the laboratory. This was going to be a great adventure. word count: 192 tags: ZOM ! ooc: short post :C

[ZOM]

"Figured as such," Jay said, smiling and jamming his hands into his pockets. "Any idea what yer lookin' for? We've got just about everything t' choose from." He chuckled a little at the question, sheepish and shrugging back at her. He'd tried to learn Solastellan and was putting forth regular effort to read up on the language and practice with some of the Solastellan aides, but it just wasn't going well. "Ah, well, sorta. I ain't never been much good with languages, so I'm learnin', but... yeah, gives me some issues at times. You'll find most folks 'round here speak English well enough, though."

The girl seemed momentarily distracted and enraptured by the sunset outside, and Jay turned to look too, smiling. This island sure was beautiful. It was a shame he didn't get to see a lot of the daytime hours, since working night shift meant he had to sleep pretty late. The days were long, though, albeit not as much this time of year, and he spent what time he could spare outside with the Pok?mon whether he was working or not. Growing up on a Pok?mon ranch back in his home region meant that he felt most comfortable surrounded by fences and animal sounds, and sometimes he'd hang out with the Slakoth and spend lazy hours napping in the dimming sunlight. The other aides liked to make fun of him for that, but it didn't bother him none.

His thoughts, and his admiring of the now-dark skyline outside the lab, were interrupted by the sound of a Pok?mon scurrying in through the front door. He had left it open just a crack, and in ran a Treecko on all fours, making a beeline for the tall human. The gecko scrambled up Jay's pants leg and all the way up to his shoulder, where he then perched, blinking huge yellow eyes at Geneva. "Hey, Saul." Jay grinned at the tiny critter, who grinned back and then directed the cheerful expression at the prospective trainer before him. "Well, say hello. And then fetch one'a the phones and an ID card, please?"

Saul the Treecko nodded and waved at Geneva enthusiastically before scurrying down his trainer's limbs again. The gecko was full of energy, an amusing contrast to his sleepy human counterpart, and he was all too eager to run errands to help out while Jay saw to their visitor. "Ah... yeah. So lemme know what Pok?mon you think you want, and uh, I'll fetch a few of 'em so you can pick."

[➤ GRAZ !]

geneva

[atrb=height,50][atrb=background, i51.tinypic.com/2598o02.jpg,true][atrb=border,0,true] [atrb=style,width: 500px; padding: 20px; height: 450px; overflow: scroll;] [atrb=width,500][atrb=height,450] I’m lucky I’m in love with my best friend Lucky to have been where I have been Lucky to be coming home again <3 Whisper Across The Sea III ”Any Pok?mon?” Geneva wasn’t sure whether it was a joke. What was the point of having starter pokémon if you could start with any pokémon? She shook her curls. No, there’s no reason for him to lie. Plus, there were plenty of ships passing by - it wouldn’t be impossible for the Laboratory to build up a breeding stock - like a library. She thought back to her time in Adenne. She loved the library there, and she couldn’t wait to find on here. Imagine how many books there must be, and three whole languages to write them all in! No, she was being distracted. Leaving the inner bookworm at the door, she returned to earth with a dizzying spin and spoke clearly. ”Erm, I... I don’t know what it’s called, it’s a sort of small brown pokémon. It has large years and a cute button nose and a crescent moon pattern on its forehead. I can’t remember what it was called. Tersa? S-sorry...” Ginny wasn’t sure why she didn't remember, but she didn’t. The poor girl felt a fuzziness descent over her vision, and she only had time to wave weakly back to the Treecko before she collapsed onto the floor. ”S-sorry, I fell. I think I tripped on something.” word count: 226 tags: ZOM ! ooc: you can guess what it is, right?

[ZOM]

"Any Pok?mon," Jay agreed, nodding. He seemed a little amused, but not surprised by her reaction; most trainers from other regions who came to the Solastellan lab to get started were astonished by their wide range of choices. Jay, himself, had started out in a region with only the usual few to pick between, although he didn't regret for a second that he'd picked Saul.

He waited patiently while Geneva became lost in thought. The aide rocked back and forth on his heels, watching her idly, knowing just how hard it could be to make the proper decision when faced with so many options. Once, a soon-to-be trainer had spent a full few hours just wandering around the back fields, interacting with all the different Pokémon so that she could make an informed choice. Jay hadn't minded, even though he'd had work to attend to. He liked it when trainers took their time with this.

When finally she had come to a decision, although she apparently wasn't entirely sure what the name of the species was, he smiled at her. "You'll mean Teddiursa, I think. No worries--" But he froze, startled, when the girl spontaneously collapsed. It took him a second to react, but then he was kneeling down next to her, frowning with concern. "Miss Geneva, with all due respect... that didn't look much like a trip to me." Saul, too, had stopped what he was doing to stare in alarm at the fallen girl. He abandoned the phones and IDs which were held en masse in bins nearby, and launched himself over to his trainer and Geneva, scurrying right up to her and patting at her cheek nervously. "Are you alright? Need some water?"

Getting her some Pokémon could wait just a moment. For now, he had to make sure this little lady was alright; that was more important. Jay glanced around and stood up, pulling a chair from one of the desks over so that Geneva could sit once she'd gotten herself upright. "Here, ma'am." He offered her out a hand, as well, in case she needed help standing.

[➤ GRAZ !]

geneva

[atrb=height,50][atrb=background, i51.tinypic.com/2598o02.jpg,true][atrb=border,0,true] [atrb=style,width: 500px; padding: 20px; height: 450px; overflow: scroll;] [atrb=width,500][atrb=height,450] I’m lucky I’m in love with my best friend Lucky to have been where I have been Lucky to be coming home again <3 Whisper Across The Sea IV Geneva brusquely shook off the lab assistant’s offer of a helping hand. ”I.. I’m fine, thank you.” She clambered onto the chair that had been laid out for her, perching on it delicately, preening her hair very properly. ”A-anyway, to the matter at hand. A Teddiursa would be much appreciated, thank you.” she smiled weakly, looking at Saul more closely. ”I’ve never seen this type of species before,” she said, trying to move the conversation on from her embarrassing fall. ”What type is it? It looks a little like a Sna-Snivy? Is that what they’re called? Sorry, we don’t really get many lizard types in Aria.” She bit her lip, willing away the awkward silence filling the room. Instead, she looked out of the window, watching the mists of night glide across the waves, and in the distance, a pinprick of light or two. ”There aren’t any ghost ships on this ocean, are there?” word count: 226 tags: ZOM ! ooc: whoops, that was a long wait.

[ZOM]

Though obviously still concerned, Jay cleared his throat and nodded slowly at Geneva's dismissal of her fall. If she wasn't worried, then he supposed it wasn't his place to dote. He could be one helluva mother hen, sure, but he'd refrain. He hardly knew the gal, anyway, and he was on duty. Had to be professional and what-not. "Ah... yeah. Okay. One sec." He resumed Saul's unfinished job back at the bins, retrieving some freebies for the girl. Smartphone, ID card... check.

Meanwhile, Saul was still firmly attached to Geneva, refusing to drop the subject of her health as quickly as Jay had. He was clinging to her arm and peering up at her with worried yellow eyes, although this expression faded and was replaced by a grin at the question about himself. "Tree-cko!" he enunciated proudly. The little gecko did know some of the Snivy at the lab, but most of them were too snobby for his tastes.

"Heh, yeah, Saul's a Treecko. Cute bugger, ain't he? Has more energy'n I know how to handle half the time." Jay chuckled, turning back to the girl and his Pok?mon. "Saul, c'mon, let the lady go. Round up them Teddiursa for her, will ya, please?" The gecko stuck out a long, prehensile tongue at his trainer before releasing his clingy grip on Geneva's arm and hopping to the ground. Saul ran off, and Jay handed over a smartphone to Geneva.

"Say 'cheese', ma'am!" He held up an ID card as though it were a camera and snapped a quick picture of the girl before handing it over. "That'll be yer ID, and it holds yer money, too, so be careful with it! It already has 100 Soleres on it, unless you'll be wantin' some of that in Parsennes." He paused and smiled bemusedly at her question, tilting his head and peering out the window. "Ghost ships... Well, not that I know of, but there're always stories. Used to be pirates out on the water, I bet, an' it's sure a big ol' puddle, ain't it? Can't be sure." He winked.

Saul was as energetic as Jay had described him earlier; he burst back into the room with a chipper cry, and three Teddiursa followed after him. The cub at the head of the pack seemed nearly as full of energy as Saul, although he was overenthusiastic. He slipped on the tile and stumbled enough to nearly fall. The other two bears were calmer. One was gnawing on a twig, and the other was staring meekly at her feet.

"Miss Geneva, you can take yer time gettin' to know each of 'em, and when yer ready, lemme know which one you want."

[atrb=border,0,true] ♂ Teddiursa, Lv 5 #1 Scroll for more details -NAME- is perpetually excited to be alive! He laughs at every joke, bounces with glee when presented with even the worst gifts or least sincere compliments, and he's so full of energy that he has no trouble doing everything (walking, talking, eating, playing, battling, everything) with extreme enthusiasm. He tends to act before thinking things through, and often he will make clumsy mistakes or say something rude due to lack of forethought. Still, he always means well! He makes a great deal of effort to share his energy with everyone around him, since he can't imagine how dull being sad or tired must be. Name: - Ability: Quick Feet Moves: Covet, Scratch, Leer, Lick

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♀
Teddiursa, Lv 5
#2

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This creature is gluttony personified. She never stops being hungry, not ever, regardless of how much she might eat. Although apathetic about most things, food will excite her and motivate her like nothing else can. In a similar vein, the best way to win her heart is with the offer of a good meal or three. She is fiercely loyal and protective once someone has won her over, but for the most part, she is lazy and careless. You'll never see her without something in her mouth; even if she can't find anything edible, she will gnaw on twigs or her paw or her friends until she gets some real food. Because she never stops munching, she is big for her age -- in terms of overall size as well as girth. It's quite an advantage in battle, actually, because she knows how to throw her weight around.

Name:
-

Ability:
Pickup

Moves:
Covet, Scratch, Leer, Lick

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♀
Teddiursa, Lv 5
#3

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It's hard being an introverted, shy little creature amidst a sea of fierce battlers and strong personalities. -NAME- isn't very strong, and she isn't very outspoken or confident. Loud noises and mean looks terrify her, and she becomes a bundle of frazzled nerves at the mere idea of confrontation. For her, big decisions are daunting and even small ones require a great deal of contemplation before being made. Making commitments scares her most of all, because she fears she will be unable to follow through, or that whoever's on the other end of the commitment will leave her alone again. Despite all of her anxieties, -NAME- is very thoughtful and very smart. She may be shy and may not say much, but she'll remember your birthday and get you a gift regardless of how well she knows you, and she'll do her very best to comfort someone in distress, even if she'll probably start crying right along with whoever she's attempting to help. She offers surprisingly good advice, too.


Name:
-

Ability:
Pickup

Moves:
Covet, Scratch, Leer, Lick

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[➤ GRAZ !]

geneva

[atrb=height,50][atrb=background, i51.tinypic.com/2598o02.jpg,true][atrb=border,0,true] [atrb=style,width: 500px; padding: 20px; height: 450px; overflow: scroll;] [atrb=width,500][atrb=height,450] I’m lucky And when the coyotes they sing at the park It's when the city life starts falling for the sea Winding roads are winding down and the flying man'll hit the ground Every motion is closer to touching the coyotes sing when they call on your lovin. Whisper Across The Sea V Geneva was glad that there weren’t any ghost ships on the ocean, but talk of pirates concerned her a little. She brushed it off as hearsay, however, taking the smartphone and scanning it over the three pokéballs available to her. ”Ym.. the third one, please.”, she said, taking it hesitantly. Was that what she was supposed to do? She hated situations like this. It all felt so ritualistic. As Geneva was pondering this, she felt dizzy and embarrassed. She didn’t like this at all. It was nauseating. She felt nauseous. This was nausea. She said nary a goodbye before she ran out of the sleek laboratory, slowly lurching around the midnight grass surrounding the beautiful Remus Isle. The sky was crisp with the smell of the sea, the fragrance of its smattering of wildflowers filling her sinuses. It was too much. Geneva bent over, vomiting on the well-kept grass. ”So much for the pristine lawn.” she thought to herself. word count: 226 tags: ZOM ! ooc: damn, that’s adorable..