Lilycove to Foretree

[banov]

The good weather persists for those who leave scenic Lilycove City, venturing deeper into the island nation of Hoenn. To the South, the dark and looming Mt. Pyre can be seen jutting out of the massive Bay that separates Hoenn's north and south.

Those who can't navigate through water, however, must find their way northward to the forested lands of Foretree. Rare pokemon, ancient tombs, very tall grass, and the Safari Zone are among this path's many attractions.

[The Rose Kirlia]

A Kirlia somewhere, sings.

And dances.

To the beat of her own drum and her trainer's excitement. They were off to find adventure, off from their break of relaxation. To the tall grass they go! But who to find them? What adventure might find them?

No one knows.

But Kimiko knows no fear for what she loves! The two march off in search of something fun to do.

[Rick Xeros]

The events in Lilycove had shaken Ahz to the core. The images he saw, the way it made him feel. It was all too much to take in He had left his two companions without a word and headed of the Foretree City.

Presently though he found him self completely lost. "Riolu hurry up..." Ahz whined helplessly. He'd sent his energetic little fighting type to check out the tops of the trees. Hoping he could find route 120 again. That was three hours ago. "This is ridiculous what was I thinking sending him! He's probably roughing up a wild pokemon or pestering some trainer by now," Ahz grumbled.

"Ri- rio!" Riolu cried happily jumping from tree. It was the most fun he'd had in a while, since Ahz almost never let him out. Unless Riolu burst out by himself. He was well aware of the time he was wasting but as far as he was concerned his master could wait.

Suddenly Riolu spotted a female trainer off in the distance. He could hardly contain himself. 'oh-hoho this is gonna be fun...' he thought "Ri-hee-hee-o!" he chuckled and moved in closer on the trainer. "Rio ri rio riolu..." {Now where to begin...} he whispered to himself surveying the area. He decided to start things off by jumping on top of the trainers head and run off. Hopefully leading her back into the woods and off the main trail.

Riolu went in for the attack and jumped at the trainer. "RIO!!!" He cried excitedly.

[banov]

Dirk studied his map carefully as he travelled along the route at a quick pace. He on rhyhorn's back, having saddled it all up, and now rode it. It wasn't too good at turning, true, but its stamina and running speed definitely made it a better vehicle than Dirk alone.

He still had two more tombs to investigate; one deep in the desert at Hoenn's center, and one located on a small island somewhere in the southwest. That island was going to be the hardest to reach, by far, let alone find. But he'd tackle that hurdle when it came.

For now... Foretree City awaits!

[The Rose Kirlia]

Kimiko was minding her own business, being a happy little sap and marching on to adventure when suddenly-

"RIO!!!" BONK

-something landed on her head.

And, mind you, it wasn't very light. The weight of a little kid and the force that came down on her knocked her over and made her do a spectacular faceplant into the ground. Didn't look very fun for the girl, but the little blue creature that knocked her over looked as if it was. Kimiko got up and warily looked for the scamp that did this.

Her eyes were directed towards the Riolu that stood there in front of her, tauntingly.

"Ooh, I'm gonna get'chu!!!"

[Rick Xeros]

((XD awesome Rei))

Riolu looked at the girl with an evil smirk, then switched to sticking out his tongue and pulling down on his eye lids. "Rio rio olu!" He taunted and took off into the woody forest leaving just enough distance for the girl to see where he was headed.

'Hell yes! This is going great!' Riolu mused happily jumping from tree to tree. 'Once we get far enough in... I should double back and loop around her a few times. Get her really dizzy and confused.' he thought carefully. 'Still gotta be carefull not to lose her...'

[banov]

Dirk pulls rhyhorn to a stop beside this little scene, stepping off its back and standing over a fallen Kimiko as riolu bounds off into the forest.

"Uh, Kimiko?" he says, a bit cautious; "What's going on?"

[The Rose Kirlia]

"I have no idea, Dirk, but I know one thing. I'm gonna get back at that little rascal!!" Kimiko replied, not aware of Riolu's intent, but she was going to chase it down. She pushed off the ground to get up and then she picked up to where the little guy was headed. She ran off, with her Kirlia following suit.

[banov]

Dirk watched her scamper off into the woods, vaguely seeing the small blue riolu bouncing off even further away. He gives rhyhorn a nice pat on the head. "Well, hey, let's see what's up. It sounds like there;'s something big going on."

Rhyhorn just calmly barrels forward, following the pair into the forest from a fairly safe distance.

[Rick Xeros]

Riolu had lead the girl trainer in fairly far, far enough he thought to implement the next phase. Riolu ducked into a tree quickly and discreetly. He peered out at the trainer, who was only a little ways behind his current location. She seemed to be closing the gap quickly enough though. When she was close enough, he jumped down and stuck his tongue out at her. "Rio~rio ri rio!" he taunted and took off again.

Elsewhere Ahz had gotten tired of waiting so he started to search for Riolu. He sent out Raia a little ways ahead of himself. He could only hope the stupid thing wasn't getting beat up but he wasn't sure it would be that bad if he was.

[banov]

Unfortunately for the riolu, phase 2 does not go quite as planned. Sure, he hides behind a that tree, and sure he jumps back out for a big surprise; but before his feet even meet the ground, they're caught in something else. Something long, stretchy, sticky, and most surprisingly of all, completely invisible.

To the average observer like Kimiko, the riolu appears to pull some kind of bizarre backward flip in the air midjump, suddenly yanked by his ankle up and up until he dangles off some invisible rope from the above tree branch. It quickly becomes clear, however, that this is no invisible rope; a pink tongue materializes into view, wrapped around the riolu's foot and attached to a green lizard perched mischievously on the tree branch. "Kekekekekekeke..." it giggles.

It seems, after all, that it's someone else's turn to pull a prank. Out from the bushes leaps this newcomer; clad in camouflage and some weird mashup of styles, a wild haired teen makes her appearance. She laughs at the dangling riolu. "I saw that naughty thing you tried to do, little riolu. Ha ha! But it seems the predator has become the prey."

((In this topic, Dirk: out, Iza: in))

[The Rose Kirlia]

Kimiko quirked her eyebrow, slowing down and looking up at the tree where the Riolu was dangling. 'Aw, I guess the chase is over then...' She was wondering what happened until she looked at the Kecleon perched in the tree, holding the poor little blue critter.

"Er- do you know this Riolu?" She asked the taller girl, looking at her clothing and trying to decipher her style.

Meanwhile, Mint stayed back a bit, trying to catch her breath. She wasn't used to running, that's for sure... she tried to communicate to the Riolu, using her Psychic powers, trying to decipher its thoughts.

[banov]

"Do I... know it...?" Iza glances up at the blue thing, making an effort to deduce that answer. "Nope! Absolutely not!" She smiles a toothy smile. "But I saw it jump on your head! I like his style!"

Kecleon, getting bored with holding the riolu, uncurls his tongue and draws it back in... leaving the blue pup to fall onto the ground with a bit of yelping.

[The Rose Kirlia]

Kimiko rubbed the tender spot on her head and cringed a bit. "Ah, it left a bruise..." She can't help but give a grin, too. As much as she hates to admit it, it does have some style... if the critter didn't jump on her head and knocked her down and instead demonstrated in on someone else, she would of laughed.

Mint, just before the Riolu made contact with solid earth, caught it with Confusion and set it down on the ground. "Kirlia~?"

"What is your name?"

[banov]

"I'm glad we agree!" Iza says with a wide grin. "Let us hug as people who can agree on things!"

Before Kimiko could answer Iza wrapped her arms around the shorter girl and a tight hug. Kimiko could faintly feel Iza's hands moving a bit oddly behind her back.