[text | @strife] + action! intro post!

[nimbuster]

Who: Cloud Strife
Where: Network + Route 29
When: mid-November
Summary: Cloud arrives in Johto.

1. Network - text

How do you catch a Pokemon if you don't have one to battle with? Can I just throw balls at it until one of them works? Feels like I'd run out fast.

2. Action - Route 29

Fortunately, Cloud is used to trekking around in the boonies, so the three-day journey on foot from New Bark Town to Cherrygrove - traveling through a forest filled with wild Pokemon, unarmed and alone - is no big deal to him. But Cloud's never been afraid to get scrappy when he needs to, and wild places don't scare him...and, well, he's used to being alone. So none of this really bothers him as much as it might bother someone else, even when CJ insists it's time to go hunt berries and takes Cloud literally when he tells the Swablu fine, go ahead, see if I care.

Which is why, when someone runs into him on his way through the forest, they'll find a 16-year-old blond in a military uniform squaring off with a Heracross. He actually holds his own for a brief bit, fighting with a style that's part military CQC training and part tenacious cornered animal, until the Heracross manages to slip its horn under a punch, scoop Cloud up with it, and toss him into a tree.

Comments

text; un: s.kaiba

[blue_ice]

They didn't give you one? Seriously?

You only have five shots, so your best chance is probably to try with a docile species. Some Pokémon will join you without a fight if you bribe them with food.

[nimbuster]

No, I have one, it's just not with me right now. Uh, who's 'they'?

Didn't know you could just bribe them...animals usually don't like me much. Guess I'll give it a shot, though. Thanks.

[blue_ice]

Where's your starter? Team Rocket didn't steal it, did they?

Anyway...where the starters came from. I don't know. I think someone has to be catching and preparing them all for that 'Mom' woman.

The berry harvest's wrapped up, but you should still have something you can use. Skwovet---they're the ones that look like brown squirrels---are probably the easiest to bribe. Once you have at least one on your team, it'll be easier to catch more.

[nimbuster]

Team what? No, it wandered off to look for food or something. I think it's just sulking because I told it my hair wasn't a nest.

Wow, creepy.

Think there's some trail mix in this bag. Squirrels should like that.

network

[phoenixwiz]

Wait a minute, they didn’t gave you a starter when you arrived?

Anyway, the best advice I can give is to try to catch a docile species in whichever location you’re currently at. Some Pokémon can actually want to join your team if you give them food. Or they could simply approach you at any moment.

[nimbuster]

[Cloud's starting to think he should have explained in more detail when he sent that message. Whoops.]

They did, it's just being a little shit right now. It's mad because I wouldn't let it nest in my hair.

I don't really expect anything to approach me. Unless it wants to use me for furniture, I guess.

[phoenixwiz]

Oh okay. I thought for a moment they might have missed out on getting you one soon. Thanks for the clarification.

So, um, your starter Pokémon thought that your hair is a perfect location for a nest? Yikes, I never heard of that many avian Pokémon trying to make furniture out of their Trainers until now. And I’m very sorry if they are being mischievous at the moment.

[nimbuster]

Apparently, Swablu do it a lot. Dunno what you're apologizing for, though.

text;

[prayreturn]

If you have trouble and cannot get your starter to obey you, I could send you one of my Pokemon to help you get to the next town.

(Before you ask: it is no problem. Some of mine have not gotten the chance to stretch their wings or legs for a while.)

[nimbuster]

I don’t need help. This is just annoying.


[Cloud, being both stubborn and sensitive about being capable, is pretty sure that if he accepted help dealing with squirrels and rats, he’d just die.]

[prayreturn]

If that is the case, then I would recommend finding a Pokemon that has already been weakened though fighting other wild Pokemon. If it has already been weakened, then it would be easier to capture.

[nimbuster]

Now there's an idea - let them fight each other first, THEN start throwing balls. Good call!

text;

[machismost]

You can just throw balls at it or you can go fight it yourself. Some people use rocks but I don't think that's very manly. If you wanna convince a Pokemon to come with you take responsibility and use your own strength!

[ Kirishima... no... ]

:D

[nimbuster]

I did try that, but I probably should've started with something smaller. It didn't go well. Do you usually fight Pokemon yourself?

would that I could have had him run in and backup cloud on route 29 but distances lol

[machismost]

Yeah dude I've fought most of my Pokemon!

Wait. I just realized how that sounded. Not to catch them but just in training!

But I did fight my starter when I first got here and later my Sawk. I've also had to punch a ton of Zubats and Pidgey while I was traveling but that was more self-defense.

alas! XD

[nimbuster]

Training makes sense. What kinda starter did you have?

I've seen a bunch of Pidgey. One did look like it might've been thinking about stealing my lunch. So maybe I should practice punching them, too.

text;

[outofsynth]

You can throw balls, but some of them are a lot harder to catch if you haven't battled them first.

Doesn't your starter like battling?

[nimbuster]

Dunno, I told it to quit nesting in my hair and it flew off to sulk about it.

[outofsynth]

[Ah. He can't really blame him for not liking that. Min knows he would find it annoying, but... this world isn't really set up for people who don't have Pokémon.]

Do you think it will come back?

Text

[crystalmaster]

... You could try making friends with them and seeing if they'll just come with you?

[Radley is certainly wondering what happened to the starter. This could be a hypothetical question, but then again ... knowing this place, maybe not.]

[nimbuster]

Doubt it. Animals don't usually like me much.

[crystalmaster]

... Ah. Is that why your starter is absent?

Route 29

[1stclasspuppy]

It took Zack a bit to get to Cloud, he was all the way a few cities over in Ecruteak and with only the borrowed mudsdale from Geddoe he couldn't go too quickly but the moment he got the message Cloud was back he was on the hunt for him.

He had some of his pokemon with me in their balls and ready to go if he needed help. When he'd arrived at Cherrygrove he began searching for Cloud but couldn't find him. The town was small so when he didn't find him he headed towards route 29 instead.

It's there that by chance he sees the end of a pokemon battle with Cloud not looking too hot. "Cloud!?"

[nimbuster]

Cloud wasn't expecting to see Zack until he got to Cherrygrove, so he was fully prepared to make the journey alone and didn't mind doing it. So it's startling to hear Zack's voice right now, and it's mortifying to hear it right now of all times. Great, the first thing Zack sees of him now that he's back is his utter failure to defend himself. Cool. Perfect. Cloud just loves that for himself.

He scrambles up from where he landed in a heap up in the branches of the tree, balancing between the branches to peer down at Zack, a few leaves stuck in his hair, catching his breath.

"Zack! You're early. ...uh, hi."

[1stclasspuppy]

Zack could have waited for cloud, He probably even could have warped but that thought didn't occur to him till much later. All he knew was Cloud was here and he had to see him as soon as he could. When he pulled up he jumped off the horse with ease and looked up into the tree, arms open wide for Cloud to jump into them. "Cloud! Come down! What are you doing up there silly head?"