victory_road | Area Zero Field Trip

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Area Zero Field Trip

Early in the week, Riegfried and Soy sent out a recorded video: an invitation for all guests on this Paldean vacation to join them on a little field trip into Area Zero within the Great Crater of Paldea. It is a spot known for fascinating explorers, academics, and seasoned battlers, however is generally off-limits due to the dangerous nature of the very powerful pokemon within. Which makes it the perfect place for a little study trip!

(They add that the trip was approved by the Paldea League, which is in charge of granting such access, but isn’t the idea of heeding the call of adventure no matter what more thrilling?)

Anyone interested in spending two days in Area Zero will be asked to gather in front of the Academy on the morning of the 9th, from where flying taxis will take everybody to the Gate Entrance. From there, warp panels bring you inside the crater, to the first of many research stations. While most of the space within is dedicated to computers and scientific equipment, the sleeping quarters have plenty of beds to accommodate you all overnight.

You are also met here by several of the scientists stationed at this research station who have an offer for you. While you can just explore the area on your own, you could also contribute to the general body of knowledge and understanding and perhaps complete an assignment or two.

Completely optional. Really. If you can resist five harried scientists giving you big Lillipup eyes.

Outside the research station, Area Zero awaits. The grassy ground spirals down in a corkscrew pattern with occasional caves branching off. A wide river with rushing waterfalls cuts its own way through. Light sparkles off of crystal formations and gives a glittering appearance to the whole space, which is otherwise dimmed by a foggy mist. Area Zero lives up to its reputation when it comes to mystery, but as for danger? The Pokemon up here seem to be a little stronger than others encountered in Paldea, but all things considered, they hardly seem worth being warned about.

But there is the sense of something more. Maybe you hear clicks and whirs coming from something unseen, or see a colorful glow that fades before you can reach it. You may simply be unable to shake the feeling you’re being watched.

And even at the higher points of Area Zero, you may outright see the source of all this: Creatures that resemble familiar Pokemon, but behave like machines. Despite their appearance, the PokeGear recognizes them as true Pokemon.

These Pokemon are reclusive until the trip leads to Area Zero’s depths, but within those underground caverns it’s a different story. More of the Pokemon there share that robotic quality than not. Some display aggression, some fear, and others curiosity. This is their home, and visitors from the outside world are so rare. How can they be sure what to expect?

Anyway, have fun, be safe, and make sure you are back at the Research station at 10PM on the 10th. We are only allowed to leave 10% of participants behind!

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[is it still looking]

Have you ever actually been in a battle? Not here obviously, but in your home world? Any kind of fight? Have you ever punched someone?

[Riz is starting to have flashbacks to their very first day in battle and the tables. Those fucking tables, man.]

[ it is ALWAYS looking ]

Rest assured, I've been in several combative situations. I've gone against F.O.W.L., cursed teapots, and evil sorceresses.

[ Although there is a slight pause. ]

Granted, I've usually been the one offering ideas and encouragement while my companions and sibling have done the actual physical touch, but I'm certain I've learned enough by watching them in action.

[Riz sucks in a breath. Oof.]

Can I offer you some constructive criticism?

Of course. That will always be something I welcome with open arms and great enthusiasm.

[ Which comes across a tad hollow when she's refusing to look at him due to her constant research-typing, but it's still meant sincerely. ]

Your plan sucks and you are going to get yourself killed.

[ Pause.

Hey, she's finally looking at him! It's more of a glance, but hey, it's something. ]

I'm sensing a bit of distrust about my intelligence and planning methods.

[Riz wants to say that he isn't doubting her smarts, but actually, he kinda is, isn't he?]

Yeah, I guess that's right. I'm sure you are smart. You seem smart to me. But smarts can only get you so far if you don't have what it takes to back it up. You're like, what-- [He squints at her, he's never been great at judging ages] eleven? What are you going to do when those pokemon out there knock out your pokemon? This isn't an official trainer battle where you can just walk away when they go down. These are real, wild pokemon, who don't give a fuck about rules. What are you going to do when one charges at you? Solve math problems at them?

[He's harsh, yeah, but he is a harsh little guy. And more importantly, he's seen other kids die; ones older than her, with some magic at their beck and call even. But there won't be a crazy ass school principal here who'll shoot himself and the guidance counsellor (not in that order) to revive them. If she dies here, she's gonna stay dead. Hell, even if she just gets injured, there's no clerics that can take care of it easy as anything.]

I'm thirteen - but that could mean little, given that there's a chance of time discrepancies between worlds. One person's century could be another person's half hour.

[ Hardly the point, but the nerd had to bring it up. Moving on.

She then finally stops typing, takes the coffee cup with both hands, and CHUGS THE ENTIRE THING DOWN.

She's pretty sure she saw Arceus telling her to not go into the light.

She then lightly pats her mouth with her hand to remove any stains. ]

In that case, I have no time to waste in improving myself and my Pokemon. Loathe as I am to pause my research, I won't get better by staying still. It's time I enter the caves myself and find out what battles are actually like.

I thank you for your honest opinion.

Woah woah woah, hold on!

[Riz catches her by the back of the shirt before she can slip by him, trying very very hard to ignore the voice at the back of his head that wonders if this is what his mom has to deal with every damn day of her life, and oh gods, he owes her so many apologies.]

When I said you shouldn't go out there or you'll get killed, that doesn't mean do it even more determinedly. Just-- [He can feel a headache settling in] If you are so determined to have a pokemon battle, beat me first. If you can do that, I'll let you go.

[ Yoink!

She supposes one advantage a human body has is that she can no longer be lifted in the air with one hand. She finally fully faces him, blinking a bit. ]

While I'm sure this is an exercise to defeat my hubris more than my Pokemon, you are fully aware that I could just slip away when your attention is no longer on me? Honored as I am that you're concerned over my well-being, realistically you can't watch over me twenty-four-seven.

First of all, way to undersell my skills. I am a private investigator, you know. You wouldn't be my first stake-out.

[says the kid that definitely looks high school aged (even if he does dress like a middle-aged man)]

Second, even if you do slip away, doesn't mean I'm not gonna try. What kind of attitude would that be -- I might fail so I'd better not do anything? Besides, maybe once you've gotten a taste of a real battle, you'll get what I'm saying here.

[Do not parrot his words back at him at any point. That would be very rude!!]

[ She can't help but raise an eyebrow. She's a hummingbird, not a parrot, but she does feel an urge to repeat " What kind of attitude would that be -- I might fail so I'd better not do anything?" right back at him. But she also has a feeling that might not make things better. ]

Very well. Let's proceed to an area that will suffer far less damage for this battle. Loki, put your game face on.

[ o_o ]

[Riz marches ahead of her, mostly so he doesn't have to look at Espurr's face. Those eyes are going to haunt his dreams. Good thing he barely ever sleeps.

In the end, he ends up leading her outside, to the field just outside the research station. Having a pokemon battle inside would be silly and shouldn't be encouraged!]

Just so you know, the pokemon I'm going to use for this is nowhere near as strong as the actual pokemon out there in the wild. But he should already be able to show you just how out of your league you are.

Besides, all my other pokemon are beat.

[He gestures at the flapple which has been curled up around his shoulders all throughout this conversation, fast asleep.]

If you knew Tumble, you'd tired he has to be to be asleep like this.

Mm-hmm.

[ Loki toddles up in front of Violet, ready to fight. Violet herself takes a deep breath, placing her hands together, eyes closed. It almost looks like she's meditating...

... But then she clenches her hands into fists, a switch flipped when her eyes open. ]

BRING IT ON! I'M GOING TO CRUSH YOU INTO THE GROUND, YOU ... uh... what was that word Lena suggested... ah, yes. YOU DWEEB!

[ this is her attempt at trash talk. she thinks this is just what people do. ]

[Oh she wants to get intense, huh? She wants to talk trash?!!? Riz can do that too. Except he doesn't talk trash so much as he hisses.

Then pauses. And sighs.]

Ignore how crap that sounded, this body is so bad at hissing.

[He mourns his proper goblin hiss, the way he can bare his teeth and lay flat his ears. Stupid human bodies, what are they good for?

In any case, when Violet let Loki toddle forward --goddamn that stare-- Riz reaches for a poke ball and releases Spin Cycle the Dreepy onto the field.

Espurr should be a psychic type, right? Which means--]

Spin! Use Infestation!

Loki, use Fake -

[ Now, in her research, she had learned that this move typically goes first and has a good effect of making the opponent pause, which opens up a chance for a powerful follow-up attack. In theory, it wasn't a bad idea.

In practice, Dreepy is a higher level, with higher stats, which include higher speed. So Violet doesn't even get a chance to finish the sentence before Dreepy's attack hits, and hits HARD, pretty much knocking Loki to the ground in one shot.

She blinks a bit. ]

... Oh. Dear.

Get it now?

[At least Riz doesn't sound malicious saying that. Just kind of overly blunt, perhaps.]

No matter how well you prepare, sometimes the power difference is just too big. And this little guy would get flattened just as quickly by the pokemon down there as your weird cat just did.

[Spin Cycle huffs and pouts. No he would not, father. He would inflict such violence upon them. He'll sunder the very ground beneath their feet.]

[ Violet gets on her knees, giving Loki a bit of a poke - he's definitely knocked out cold (but for some reason HIS EYES ARE STILL OPEN o_o ) - before gently trying to pick him up. ]

Once he recovers, I'm going to have to give a thorough and detailed apology for putting him through this encounter.

[there is so much wrong with that cat]

I'm sure he'll understand. These animals can be pretty smart. Here--

[Riz reaches into a small bag, taking out a small, tied together cluster of herbs, holding it out to her.]

This'll bring him back around. It's pretty bitter, so he probably won't like it, but it'll put him back on his feet.

This is a surprising amount of generosity for what could be called pig-headed behavior on my part.

[ She's still going to take the herbs, so she's not complaining. ]

Naturally, my apologies are also extended towards you.

[ Not that it's going to stop her from sneaking out later so more threads can happen, but, y'know, gotta be polite. ]

[Riz snorts softly.]

Trust me, this is nothing compared to how pigheaded the rest of my friends can get.

[Nor, of course, how pigheaded Riz can get at times.

And frankly, if he ever finds out she will sneak out in some nebulous future, he'll feel a true mixture of exasperation and pride. He wouldn't be a rogue if he didn't sometimes believe in completely flipping off the rules and doing the sneaky thing.]

Still, the effort and concern is deeply appreciated. Even if these herbs do restore Loki's energy, I think I'll still retreat inside so he can get some rest after his vicious smack-down.

[ She finally takes out a Pokeball to return him, so enjoy that one last shot of o_o before it's gone for the day. ]

[With Loki's disappearance, Riz feels like he can finally breathe, like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders, like an unspeakable evil has, for the moment, been defeated.]

Makes sense.

And hey, after we are done here, if you ever need someone to test your battle skills on, I'm down for spars.

[ you know he's still staring at you from within the pokeball somehow

She offers the tiniest hint of a smile. ]

Thank you for the offer, Riz. I'll be sure to take you up on it another time.

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Area Zero Field Trip

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