For the person who had overcome Guzma already, instead of positioning people on the route and reducing the safety of a majority of the trial takers, scheduled battles were put in place. Creig was scheduled for approximately after midday lunch rush, as long as nothing went wrong. Fun thing about things going "wrong", many assume that is something severe and harmful, that need not be the case, it might not even get in the way of the schedule. When checking on the Route 10 guards early in the morning while dew and light mist were out, Creig spotted movement, less than half his size dark coloration. He pointed it out before fully identifying, it turned to them giving Creig a good look, it was a sneasel which ran off when it saw it was spotted. Creig wanted to catch it, but he had obligations to do first, it was a pokemon displaced and may not be healthy and it may be a leftover partner of those punished by the Tapu.
While they had been waiting Creig had Shrift pick up the scent to help with tracking. An hour from the call two more Aether and a Joy came up the road with permission to track the sneasel. Nurse Joy thought that Shrift was a good choice being swift and capable of adding cooling to wherever sneasel was to make it more comfortable. This particular Nurse Joy needed a bit more exercise, needing to be carried part of the way. A bit behind some trees they came to a cave, they didn't want to be seen as dangerous intruders, so they called out "Alola". Out from the cave ambled a drampa eyeing them with suspicion, till it spotted Nurse Joy, it didn't totally relax but did call back into the cave, they let Nurse Joy take lead.
"So, Drampa, we noticed sneasel in this unusual habitat and foremost wanted to check if sneasel was O.K. and if it wanted relocated, or a couple of the trainers following me have expressed interest in having sneasel join their team, no catching will be allowed for any pokemon that doesn't want it here."
Drampa nodded and called out in acknowledgement, and out of the cave, staying with drampa between it and everyone else came sneasel, and surprisingly farther back two snorunts. Creigs' heart lit with desire, but he overwhelmed and tamped it down with compassion and respect, not that it went unnoticed, he never reached for a pokeball or hid his hands, he sat and put his hands on his knees and watched.
"Oh, there are three of you" a quick pause when the pokemon stiffened in reaction to Creig "would you mind if I examine you? or would you rather comfey?" Nurse Joy asked while releasing a comfey behind her. Sneasel nodded carefully, while for now the snorunt looked on. Nurse Joy finished a quick check over "well sneasel, you're actually in fine shape, I'm sure you heard but I'll reiterate, you can make your own way, have us relocate you, or go with either that one or that one." pointing to a bruiser of an Aether and to Creig. With sneasel checked Nurse Joy turned to the snorunts', who indicated they wanted to be seen by comfey. Everyone waited and after a while comfey came over to Creig, then indicated between him and Shrift.
"It is good to do favors for both healers and those in need" Creig indicated to Shrift who yipped happily and proceeded to follow comfey, where she used powder snow to cool the area around the snorunt.
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Sneasel actually liked the idea of being part of a trainers team, sure he wouldn't compete in the trials if he went with either of these men, but that wasn't eminently important to sneasel who guessed these men would travel to other parts of the world. While sneasel contemplated the two men, sneasel was answering some of Nurse Joys' questions to the best of sneasels' abilities. Previous partner, head shake, how everyone ended up here, point to water, spread arms to indicated big, bring arms to dirt quickly and violently, mime panic. Yes the big wave, the tsu-na-mi, swept them off the mountain, yes stuck in cave all hot season, summer, drampa was very kind and helpful. The eager/wanting mans' vulpix was helping cool down the snorunt still, so he took a closer look at the two hopefuls. The big one had the feel of dark, and the other was focused and icy, each calling differently to sneasels' nature. Sneasel at least, hadn't been personally put off by the ice mans burst of desire, and was quite impressed with how he had brought himself under control so quickly. Sneasel would do a test.
Sneasel indicated to get the two mens' attention then indicated for them to make offers and promises. The ice man frowned, interesting, but the dark man spoke first, food, strength, prestige as a rescuer and defender, more rangery than the usual trainer, but mostly normal things. Sneasel turned to the ice man to hear his words.
"I can tell you my intent, and you can choose if it pleases you to follow, but I dislike promises." The ice man takes a deep breath before continuing "I have seen it as such, those who easily make promises easily forget them and never fulfil them thereby, those who do so with intent to follow through do not keep them due to not having or losing the power to keep them, sometimes it seems like the world or the beyond moves against promises, as if arrogance was being punished. This is how I see it, you may see such as mere cynicism, but this is a choice I continue to make: no promises, intent and hope." Sneasel was a bit taken aback by that, but it was full of rational honesty from ice man. "I am Creig, for the next few months, I intend to help in the Island Trials, to include battling those whom participate, after I intend to take at least one league challenge, with perhaps a trip to catch a few pokemon beforehand, I'm not obsessed with the top position, but I like the idea of challenging limits." Ice mans gaze swept over sneasel and the snowrunt "I'll be frank, if it's tactically expedient I'll probably switch who is on active team, if I get a position like a gym leader, I'll have to use teams other than just those on my personal team, and honestly I'm not much attracted to glalie, I much prefer frosslass, but it is Not, my intent to treat anyone badly, I just admit to some favoritism. I intend to nickname anyone, if any, who chooses to come with me"
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Sneasel could tell it was honest, completely. Yes it wasn't the typical, and that left sneasel a choice, wierdo or "normalcy". Now it was the big man who had desire in his eyes, while ice man, no he had introduced himself, Creig waited in self-control. Sneasel realized a bigger difference between the two, one spoke of dreams, the other actually said who they were, was aware of who they were, and in the end that's what decided it. Sneasel walked over and chose the ice man, chose Creig. "Thank you" Creig gave sneasel sincere thanks, carefully reached out a hand and petted sneasels' head, while physically cold, it was warm and Creigs face glowed with happiness.
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The two snorunts, who turned out to be siblings, after some discussion between them, decided to follow sneasel and thereby Creig. Creig, gave? them pokeballs. He felt he should have come up with sneasels' name first, but he had automatically though of names for the snorunt that fit their spooky existence, Will and Wisp, he would tell them after telling sneasel, her, nickname. Creig and his patrol partner stayed to explain to the four wild pokemon the events that had transpired that caused them to end up stuck in a cave. Shock and mournfulness were felt by the pokemon. Drampa had been prepared to be lonely, but hearing about Guzma and the young orphans he was overseeing filled the dragon with purpose, who flew off when explanations were done. On the way back Creig focused on figuring out a nickname for sneasel, and noting down that he needed a razor claw and a dawn stone. Sneasel was conscientious of the terrain, much like rangers from fantasy games, Aragorn, no too masculine, hmmm, Arwen, Wen, still no, Strider, maybe, synonym? Skater? it was missing something, Sleigh, ah, this felt right, it evoked Christmas to Creig, much like Evgryt, except this was a vehicle which brought blessings to the good and beatings to the bad.
When they got back to the pokemon center, while they rested a bit, Creig told them the nicknames he had thought of. The pokemon thought about them a bit, then showed that they enthusiastically accepted. As for the scheduled battle, it was decided that as part of how the new guys would intergrate, was to watch how those already trained would battle. Creig also had to do a bit of research on his new pokemon so it was fresh when creating strategy that suited them long term. His pokemon used powder snow so that the snorunts' had a comfortable place to sit while they watched, Sleigh apparently didn't have a weather effect move yet so couldn't help.
When the Teen walked in they both confirmed 1v1, two members for the battle. Creig liked to start strong first, unless he was deliberately using battles for training, so out came Toboggan. The opponent had a fletchling, the fact that if could fly and had range with ember created problems, he thought about switching immediately but decided to go for it, he had to learn to deal with such things at some point. The little bird getting a feel for the air currents in the building gave Toboggan time to do a full set of Defense Curls "Spin Snow", instead of getting stuck in Rollout, a short burst into a targeted Powder Snow was better. If the floor had been flammable they would have been on the backfoot instead of even, fletchling couldn't maneuver well enough to bombard Toboggan rolling around, not that Toboggan could catch the passing bird with his move either.
Toboggan was built for long fights, though he did seem a bit dizzy, fletchling was flagging though, it had been doing the bird equivalent of running sprints for a couple minutes. Creig did consider switching in Shrift to actually hit the opponent, but wasn't actually there yet, the opponent changed strats first, going for melee. Peck was incoming "Hold fast, ground it", they let it hit while hitting with Fury Cutter, the best timing for ember was now, it didn't come, only a cry of concern "Spin". Toboggan spun over the bird to the other side, it took five seconds for Toboggan to waddle to face fletchling, the bird almost picked itself up, two smacks of Fury Cutter. The birdy was returned, another was sent out, a stronger one, Wingull, Creig switched to Shrift despite this.
They tried to hit with confusion immediately, too annoying, Disable. They started using growl, useless against Shrift, it was noticed quickly when Powder Snow never flagged, then the real attacks began. Wingull was too strong for Shrift, she got a couple hits in, but she was on her last legs, she wanted to hide, to hide, to HIDE, the ability Snow Warning activated creating a hail storm, it was too late, she got knocked out. Creig returned her, told her "Thanks, Congrats". Toboggan came back out, and with Hail out and wingull injured Creig felt they could win. Wingull came in the instant the match resumed, before Toboggan could go for his defense Creig called "Mist", making further obfuscation on the field, wingull flew too low looking for its opponent. The second Powder Snow caused the freeze condition, allowing Toboggan to have at it, the teen surrendered before wingull could be fainted.
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Post Script(PS) Nate caught up to Rosa in found ledyba groups and Rosa made friends with a Petilil who she would train egg moves tomorrow since two were healing, and the third was Sweet Scent which could help the search and counting practically. Guzma had 3 challengers, one got past, no rechallenges as of yet.
