[Koa Leilani]

The rain poured along the rough roads of Route 7. Thankfully for Koa, he had a grey hoodie and longer pants in the event of weather like this, along with an umbrella. He was sitting on Kupuna, his Drampa's, back as she leisurely carried him along the route. Azura, his Popplio, happily splashed along the road beside them, sometimes waddling a little further away from Koa than he would like. When that happened, the long neck of Kupuna loomed over and scooped her back near them. He couldn't help but give a small smile as he was alongside his first two Pokemon. The reality of it all was still very surreal. He was an official ranger of the Arciel region now. Well, he had only just been given the official title, but the reality of the matter is that he's still just a newcomer. He's been in Arciel for a few years now and the Popplio he met back in Alola was no longer a baby, but she was still full of energy and happiness.

Koa still had his worries and doubts about the future. Would he be cut out for this trainer business? He missed out on his home's Island Challenge and fell into what would be a bad crowd for a while. His thoughts were cut short as Azura jumped up into his arms out of nowhere, nearly knocking him off balance "A-Azura, hey!" He laughed, hugging her with one arm "At least dry off a little before jumping up here, would you?" He teased as he played with one of her ears. She barked happily as the group continued their journey along the route. Koa's goal for this excursion was to search for Pokemon to add to his team. If he was going to help others and better himself as a trainer, he would need a wide variety of Pokemon to tackle a multitude of situations.

The route was a little rough, but otherwise pretty. Gorgeous mountain vistas and many resting spots along the way. He hopped off of Kupuna for a moment to look back towards Birch City, which was a ways behind them now. There was a hint of pride as Koa thought about how far he's come already. There was still much to do before he felt he was ready for anything serious. He should see if he could meet any other rangers one day and learn from them. There was also the matter of his Aura. That day all those years ago revealed this ability of his. Even now he doesn't know much about it at all given the rarity of Aura users. Maybe one day he'll meet another.

He climbed back onto Kupuna's back and had an idea. He pulled out a small incense burner from his bag. "Should I use this already?" He muttered to himself as he looked around. "Might as well, right?" He set Azura next to him on Kupuna's back before he lit the Grass Incense he bought before beginning his trip. "Let's see what comes, huh? Maybe we'll meet a new friend, or we can get some battle training." He said. Azura barked again, staying close to Koa. Kupuna lowered her head and rumbled softly in agreement as they continued on their way.

[Jenesis]

Grass Incense 1/5

A wild Stantler has appeared!

What will you do?

	Stantler Lv2
		5 Energy
	Huge!	Careful
	Intimidate
MOVES
Me First, Tackle
NOTES
N/A

[Koa Leilani]

Soon the group's advance would be halted by the sight of an absolutely enormous Stantler. Koa didn't even think they could get as big as this one. It was almost the size of Kupuna! He gulped a little and wondered what their course of action was. The Stantler stared intently at the group and stamped its hoof into the ground. It seemed angry, or territorial. Did the incense threaten it? "W-Whoa there..." Koa said, hands out. However, Azura hopped off Kupuna with a determined look in her eye "Azura...? You want to fight that?" He had his apprehensions, but he adjusted his glasses and gave a nod "Alright, if you're sure...let's take it on!"

With that, Koa called out to Azura "Get it with Pound!" Though as Azura leaped towards Stantler, it countered swiftly with Me First and stamped its hoof against Azura and kicked her away. Koa bit into his knuckle, worried. He shook a bit. His first action, a mistake? Kupuna sensed Koa's unease and shifted slightly to get him to focus. "Y-you're right...sorry, Kupuna..." Azura was already back on her feet and barked at Stantler. "A-alright. Azura, Water Gun! Keep your distance!" With that order, Azura bounced to the side and took a deep breath before shooting a spray of water from her nose. Stantler charged at Azura, but the water struck right into its face as he stumbles and shakes its head from the attack. It snorts and looks ready to charge again. Azura meanwhile, landed with a little pose before she turned to face Stantler again.

"Wait for it, Azura..." Koa said. For a moment, Stantler stood there. Then, it suddenly charged for her again to Tackle her. "Now, Pound!" Koa called, and Azura jumped up again and slapped down on to of Stantler's head, springing off and sending it hurtling towards a hill, which it promptly scrambled off of. Koa and Kupuna looked over the hill, and the Stantler had fainted from the stumble. Azura happily bounded towards the two and jumped to Koa, pleased with herself as she gave him a little high-five. "Good job, Azura! Come here." He hugged her tightly and pet the top of her head "You're not too hurt are you? Come on, let's keep going." He said as he pat Kupuna's side. With that, she started moving forward again. So far it seemed Azura was more than ready for Pokemon battles. The battles during ranger training saw to that.

(Azura Energy 4/5)

[whimsae]

Koa Leilani

A wild Pancham has appeared!

What will you do?

	Pancham Lv6
		5 Energy
	Average	Calm
	Mold Breaker
MOVES
Tackle, Leer, Arm Thrust
NOTES
N/A

[Koa Leilani]

Koa continued to hold onto Azura after her successful battle as they drifted along the route at a nice pace. He thought about the future of his team. What should he try to catch? How many should he catch? Would he be able to look after them? He sighed a little bit, though he smiled as Azura cuddled into his side. Soon the rain let up and the sun shined down along the route. The brilliant shine of the wet roads and the calming silence was breathtaking. Koa put his umbrella away and took in a deep breath, content with his travels.

The new silence was broken by the sound of heavy striking noises. Curious, he looked around, as did his Pokemon. Kupuna grumbled a little bit and turned towards a nearby tree. Koa hopped off and gently placed Azura on Kupuna before walking towards the tree. A Pancham was striking the tree with a series of punches and kicks. The force was pretty surprising for such a small Pokemon. As leafs drifted down from the impact, it snatched one out of the air and proceeded to start chewing on it as they tend to do. It turned around to spot Koa as well as the Pokemon a little ways away. It just stared at them for a while, not seeming overly perturbed by their presence. In fact, it sat down and rested against the tree, hands behind its head. It didn't seem opposed if Koa wanted to sit by it.

The calm, relaxed demeanor of the Pokemon was rather refreshing compared to the Stantler from earlier. Koa sat down next to it "Heya there. You out here all alone, huh?" He asked as he looked around. No other Pancham or Pangoro seemed to be around, so that's what he assumed. "Trying to get stronger, but making sure to get some rest and relaxation when you need it...I could learn a lot from that kind of attitude." He said. The Pancham tilted its head slightly at the human's words, but otherwise didn't make any motions.

"We're both on our own little journeys, aren't we? I'm doing what I can to improve myself as a person, trainer, and ranger. Though it's tough to go it alone forever. Sometimes to reach your full potential, you need the help of others. Do you want to be with a group of friends who will be by your side and support you?" He stood up and turned around with a Pokeball in his hand "If you want to learn and grow alongside us...that's your decision, okay? Whatever your decision, let's live our best lives with no regrets!" He said as he threw the Pokeball at Pancham.

[Jae]

Go, PokeBall!

One... two... and...

fbcctBpzp_


The Wild Pokemon was caught!
One Pokeball has been removed from your inventory.

[Koa Leilani]

He waited in anticipation as the ball connected with Pancham. With a flash of light, it's pulled into the Pokeball and it falls to the ground. He stayed still as the ball began to shake. One...two...this was exciting, but also very stressful. Koa had officially captured his own Pokemon before. Then...three! The Pokeball stopped shaking, which meant the capture was a success! Koa reached down to pick up the Pokeball and gently pressed it against his forehead "Thank you." He said before he pointed it towards Azura and Kupuna before he let the new addition to their party out.

The Pancham stretched a bit and looked at the other Pokemon. She smiled slightly and waved at them. Kupuna bowed her head and Azura happily bounced towards her. The two of them communicated for a bit and seemed to get along quite well! Koa was thrilled to see this, and proud that he was able to catch something. "Kupuna, do you think you can carry all of us?" He asked, not wanting to burden her. She nodded happily as the Koa and Azura climbed onto her back. He looked down at the Pancham "Come on up! Uh...hm, you'll need a name...how about Makoto?" He said, remembering several references to a strong character named 'Makoto' in fiction. The newly dubbed Makoto seemed to agree with the name and climbed up alongside the others. "Makoto it is. Welcome aboard!" He said with a bright smile. He pat Kupuna's side "Alright, onward!"

[Jenesis]

Delinquent Brynne would like to battle!

Vullaby Lv9 5 Energy Average Careful Big Pecks MOVES Gust, Leer, Fury Attack, Flatter

[Koa Leilani]

Koa whistled as they group pressed forward, with Azura singing alongside the whistling. With how things were going, he was in a great mood. Though as they proceeded further down the route, a rowdy voice called out "Hey you! What's that on your hand?" Koa looked around and saw a woman in punk clothes approaching. He frowned a bit and looked at the back of his hand at his Team Skull tattoo "This old thing?" He said as he shook his head "It's nothing. It has nothing to do with me anymore."

The girl took a closer look and smirked "Seriously? You were one of those Team Skull goons back in Alola? Didn't you guys royally screw up a few years back? Like...worked with that crazy Aether Foundation lady? Stuff like that doesn't just go away, kid."

Koa clenched his fists "Look, I'm trying to make up for it, alright? Who are you to walk up to a stranger and start berating them like this? I'm a Ranger for Arciel now, so-"

"Ooh, a Ranger, huh? Throwing around rank to get me to back off? That ain't going to work. Instead, Mr. Ranger, how about you show me what you got and let your battling do the talking?"

That was not what Koa was trying to get across. He wanted to tell her that he was a Ranger so he could better himself, not to act superior to her. Kupuna was not pleased with how this trainer was speaking to Koa, and motioned for the group to climb off. Once everyone was off, the opposing trainer sent out a Vullaby.

"Flatter!" The other trainer commanded as Vullaby fluttered around Kupuna, seeming to shower her with praise. Through a strange surge of confidence, the usually level-headed Drampa started to thrash about in pride. "Hey, Kupuna, what's gotten into you? Come on, relax...hit it with Twister!" Despite his call, Kupuna fell to the side with a heavy thud.

The other trainer laughed "Some trainer! Alright, Fury Attack!" The Vullaby dived down and started rapidly jabbing at Kupuna with its beak several times in succession.

Makoto growled and started to stomp forward, but Koa picked her up "Don't worry...she'll win this." He said, doing his best to remain calm despite the stress. "I know you can hear me! Twister!"

Kupuna rose up and roared as she swung her neck. A tornado caught the Vullaby in its wake, which prevented it from making any proper attacks. "Echoed Voice!" Once more Kupuna roared, this time accompanied by a deafening sound. Though it was out of the twister, the Vullaby is launched away by the follow up attack and was down for the count.

"As I was saying..." Koa said as he ran a hand through his hair "I'm a ranger so I can better myself as a person. It's never too late to make a change for yourself." He said as he walked up to Kupuna and pressed his hands on her side "You did good...hang on, I'll get you patched up." With a deep breath, he tried to channel his aura into Kupuna and mend the slight injuries she sustained. Without another word, the other trainer had recalled her Vullaby and left.

This was always an exhausting ordeal, but it was worth it to Koa. The well-being of his Pokemon came first in his mind, so he continued to channel as much energy as he could, gently petting her side as the aura did its work. Once the pain faded from the injuries, Kupuna let the rest of the party back onto her back. Koa shut his eyes for a moment after using his aura. It wasn't often he tried to use it, but it always left him tired when he did. Makoto gained a bit more respect for Koa after what she saw him do, and Azura simply stayed by his side as he rested.

[whimsae]

*Clink* Congratulations Koa Leilani you've received...

Chesto Berry x2!

Wakes a Pokemon

[Koa Leilani]

After a while, Koa sat back up with a yawn and a stretch. "How long was I resting for...? Not too long I hope." He said to himself. They were passing by a few trees when he saw something up in one of them "Oh, stop for a second!" He said as he jumped off and walked towards it. "A berry tree, let's see if there's any left here..." He muttered as he reached up and picked a couple. "Looks like we got some Chesto Berries. Never know when these'll come in handy." He said with a smile.

He put the berries away in his bag and rejoined the others. "Hopefully things calm down for a while. I...didn't expect to have that sort of trouble here." He said, looking at his hand "Maybe I should buy some gloves..." His Pokemon stayed by his side since he was clearly distressed about something. The natural empathy that Pokemon seemed to have towards a trainer was something to behold. He missed out on so much, didn't he? He would make up for lost time.

[Jae]

A wild Paras has appeared!

What will you do?

	Paras Lv4
		5 Energy
	Tiny!	Hardy
	Dry Skin
MOVES
Scratch, Sleep Powder, Stun Spore
NOTES
N/A

[Koa Leilani]

A very tiny Paras started to skitter about in the grass nearby. It was so small! Koa and is Pokemon admired the adorableness that was the tiny Pokemon as it went about its business. Koa saw no reason to disturb it and continued on his way, but appreciated the sight nonetheless.

He reached over and pat the top of Makoto's head "I'm not sure how much of the world you've seen, but there's a lot in store. Are you excited to come along with us?" He asked. Makoto appreciated the affectionate gesture and leaned into it. Of course she couldn't verbally answer his question, but she at the very least seemed content to be with the group.

There was one Pokemon he had always wanted to try raising, but he never had a chance to find one in Alola even though they were very common there. Maybe someday soon he'll find one, but he wasn't in too much of a hurry. He was focused on trying to get through this route and the forest ahead.

[Jae]

What's this? You've found...

Pink Apricorn!

Can be cooked and crafted to make a Love Ball.

[Koa Leilani]

As they passed by a tree, Koa leaned back and saw something interesting. A Pink Apricorn? Now that could be useful, though he had no idea how to make Pokeballs himself. "Kupuna, let's get a little closer to that tree." He asked as she complied, moving a bit closer as she continued moving.

"Excuse me, you two..." He said to Azura and Makoto as he leaned to the side slightly and held on to Kupuna carefully. It wasn't that high up in the tree, so it shouldn't be that hard to get the Apricorn while they were still on the move. Azura and Makoto watched, a little worried that Koa might fall off if he wasn't careful, so the two of them grabbed onto his sides in case he started to tip over.

He reached over and made a grab for the Apricorn, though it was a bit stuck to its branch "Uh oh..." He muttered as he began to stumble out "Not good, not good!" He shouted. All of his Pokemon worked to pull Koa back so he could keep his balance. If anyone was watching, it'd almost be comedic how quickly this went sideways. "Almost, almost! Careful, everyone!" He called out, slight hint of panic in his voice. Finally, with a quick snap, he fell back with a deep sigh. The Apricorn had been retrieve successfully, though not without a bit of a scare. "Phew, sorry for the scare...but I got it." He brushed off the apricorn and put it in his bag.

((Dexterity check for the apricorn!)

[Jae]

+1 Dexterity

A wild Makuhita has appeared!

What will you do?

	Makuhita Lv7
		5 Energy
	Average	Jolly
	Guts
MOVES
Tackle, Focus Energy, Sand Atatck, Arm Thrust
NOTES
N/A

[Koa Leilani]

They had made amazing progress. Touring the region, participating in gym battles and other such things was deemed a necessary journey for the young Ranger. His first years living in Arciel were tough, but he had barely stepped foot outside Birch during his training, so to see the rest of the region in person was exciting, but also intimidating. There was a lot to see, and not all of it was safe. Still, that was the job he signed up for and he would stick to it.

Soon, a very excited looking Makuhita stood in their path, bouncing on their feet and jabbing at the air. Was it wild? It had to be, Koa didn't see any trainers nearby. It let out a hearty shout and pointed at Koa's group before pounding its fists together. It wanted to fight. Now the question was who would Koa send? Kupuna was starting to get tired from the travel and from her previous battle. He decided to focus on Azura's training for now, and sent her out to face the Makuhita "Go for it, Azura! Show it what you got!"

Makoto was interested in seeing how well the happy go lucky Popplio did in a fight, so she watched intently. Makuhita stamped one foot into the ground and prepared. "Water Gun!" Koa ordered as Azura sprayed a jet of water at Makuhita, who nimbly dodged to the side despite its size. It responded by scooping up a handful of dirt in its hand and throwing it Azura. Some of it got in her face as she shook her head in distress. Koa realized that it would be even harder to hit with longer ranged attacks if she could barely see..."Pound!" Azura saw the blurry image of Makuhita and slapped down on its head, though it seemed to just be preparing for something. Once she confirmed where it was, she started letting out a strange, song-like note that increased in intensity. The wave of energy emitted hit Makuhita like a truck, but the tenacious Pokemon didn't fall just yet. It unleashed a series of open palmed thrusts with its arms, striking Azura multiple times, some of them striking extra hard from its sheer focus.

Koa called out to her "Azura! Use that move you did last time! D-Disarming Voice!" He called, finally recognizing what the move was. Once more she let out that note that blasted against Makuhita, this time the effective hit sent it tumbling away to the side, unconscious. After the battle was over, Koa rushed over and picked Azura up "Good job, girl...you took some pretty bad hits there. We'll find a place to rest for the night before continuing on, okay?" He said, smiling down at Azura as he pet her. Despite her exhaustion, she let out a happy bark. He climbed back onto Kupuna with Azura in tow. "Alright, Kupuna, let's find a place to camp out for the night." With another low, rumbling affirmation from the Drampa, they moved on. They would come across a cabin soon and take a rest there for the evening. Once morning came, they would continue on their way.

[whimsae]

Congratulations!

Your thread is complete and now locked.

Koa Leilani

Your thread has been locked. Because it was 1 page, you receive 100 Pen, 2 rare candies and 1 Repeat Ball.