This is (Not) a Field Trip

[astralprogenitor]

Let's go! Expedition time!​

Players participating: @polliwoggi | @Shaddaling | @Zakiax I will edit in the rest when I'm sure who all's playing ...

Trainers participating: Ricky Ramirez | Nguyen Lan | Yune Bloodthrone will add others shortly
Pokémon participating:
Ricky: 47, 56, 326
Lan: 51, 90, 356
Yune: 3, 4, 331, 360, 403

Expedition area: Darksallow Valley

 

[astralprogenitor]

(a future tracking post)

 

[astralprogenitor]

"And at six make sure all the babies get their snacks - especially Pepper because if I come back and that fuckin onix is chewin' on the side of this building again I'm gonna coat you in feldspar and throw you in her food bowl, you got it?"

Ricky huffed at the intern, then waved them off before pulling up his phone as he stalked off from the main office of the Enrichment Center. Truly, he didn't have time to leave - when did he ever have time to do anything except his job during work hours? - but he couldn't help the allure of getting out on company time for just a little while. Besides, it was still work, and even related to his day job; they could really use a source of fresher forage while the farms were still being constructed, and if they could find a nice spot to mine some mineral-rich rock or, even better, river silt that wasn't brackish, that would be great.

It just, well - he didn't particularly expect to be the one going and searching for it. Weren't there other people who'd signed up to go wander the wilderness? People who wanted to be out in a bunch of sticky thorn bushes and muddy pitfalls and who knows what the hell else? He wasn't one of them, even if he was curious what the rest of the island held. What a conundrum, though the choice was already made for him there - the boss said he needed to go, to set a good example, to do the surveys himself, and honestly he'd tuned out there. Hayashi already knew that he would do whatever he had to in order to keep his job; why even bother with the explanations? Just point and he'd go, like the dumb little stoutland he was.

"Alright, look alive!"

Enough grumbling - Ricky announced himself with a loud voice and sudden movement as he pushed through the double doors leading from the facility's employee section and into the general common area; as they swung shut behind him, he lifted the rotom-tablet he held in one hand, and its eyes shifted into an overly-dramatic swirl as he waved it gently over his head. He tried his best not to look annoyed, lifting his brows and managing, at least, a half-crooked smile as he looked over the people seated and standing around the several benches at the edges of the room. A more genuine softness crossed his face briefly as an overly excitable pikachu - one of their employees' pokémon - perked up and darted over to run circles around his feet, but his attention turned back to the human element present soon enough.

"The Enrichment Facility group expedition to the, uh... what th-- Darksallow Valley! Is leaving as soon as possible. If you're goin', I need your name, ID, and a scan of the poké balls you're bringin. Marko here is gonna be takin' all that info, so line up if you're comin'. Niceties can happen after we get you logged, 'cause I am not gonna be standin' here all day when there's shit to do."

Assured he'd definitely been loud enough for everyone to hear, Ricky released Marko - the poor rotom-tablet - allowing it to spin once before its screen flickered to life, displaying an information log.

"Please register here! Do not worry - I will not bite, unlike Mr. Ramirez," the rotom announced, laughing with a soft crackle of static at the lowered eyebrows and thin line of lips its words drew from its brash coworker.

 

[Shaddaling]

Lan hummed as he finish sending Wynnie a message on is phone asking if he had arrived yet, switched it to vibrate, and tucked it into his heavy duty cargo pants. He had picked out his to go trail blazing outfit from back when he and Kennedy were working as trail guides. Good broken in boots, heavy duty cargo pants, cotton t-shirt. The clothes shown sign of wear and tear, and the Lake of Rage T-shirt was one of his favorites, worn soft and the red gyrados nearly faded to a pink. The rainbow socks were new, but it was all cotton, breathable, and above all washable. Well besides the cute little swablu barrettes keeping his hair out of his eyes. They had just been too cute to pass up.

He had not been in the Enrichment Facility that often, the last time had been to obtain the soft pink shiny eevee. Such a serious little thing in a pastel fur package. Lan still hadn't picked a name for them, hopefully Wyn could help.

Ooh, looks like their serious leader was here. And not looking too pleased to be doing this and Lan got that. He had dealt with enough idiots in dangerous areas to hear it in the voice. He wasn't half bad at hiding it. Lan eyed him slightly, giving a nod before leaving the group, walking smoothly to the Rotom dex with unabashed curiosity.

"Well, well, I think I like your sense of humor Marko," he said lightly before frowning on the screen, carefully typing in his name and id number. He much more prefered his phone where he could just bring it up in the auto correct. It was so much easier. He scanned each of the poke' balls he was bringing, Flap Jack had been left to Kennedy's care the mimikyu fusion still too high strung for missions. Three though was not a bad showing. "There we are." He finished with Christmas's scan and stepped out of the way of the next trainer.

"I don't believe I have seen you outside of the Enrichment Facility Mr. Ramirez," Lan said lightly looking over the man in cool interest. Lan mainly had contact with Lucy when picking up or filling out forms for adoption. "Let's have a successful trip."

 

[Nym]

'Yes. I arrived 28 minutes early.'​

​

The text had been sent moments after Lan's initial one, curt and concise. He wasn't the type to use emotes or shortened form, leaving his answers as short as possible so he could rid himself of his phone easier. He was not an easy person to communicate with via phone, having grown up without much use for one, no one to talk to, and no instinctual need to keep it charged or close by. He had only marginally improved in the accessibility department thanks to Lan, who would continue a conversation without Wynnie present, leaving him with too much to read and a mild headache from trying to parse through the disjointed topics left for him in his absence. That, and, perhaps, he actually enjoyed Lan's texts, but that was a different conversation he was unwilling to have.​

​

28 minutes early and absorbed entirely into his newest book from the recent shipment, Wynmond had effectively drowned out his surroundings with the steady heartbeat of horror trickling from the pages of his book. He hadn't noticed when Lan slipped inside, nor when the other trainers took their places amongst the benches -- not until a louder and abrupt voice signaled their arrival and snapped Wynmond from his tales without apology. The corners of his mouth tightened as he tucked his book carefully into his pack and straightened his lanky posture, an ankle resting on a knee. Barker stirred from his sleep beside his legs on the bench, yawning with pointed teeth and a soft hum while he unfurled himself clumsily over the edge of the bench seat, caught by an extended hand from his trainer. ​

​

Wynmond wasn't surprised that Lan was the first to approach the rotom, although he did wonder when his friend had arrived. With a gesture for Barker to follow, Wynmond shouldered his bag and wandered behind the trainer, clearing his throat to not surprise either Lan or the rotom. He wordlessly offered his IDs and pokeballs to Marko, notably lingering his gaze over the cheerful rotom. Ah, they were a tablet, how useful! He tutted approvingly, a hand under his chin as he observed Marko at work. He had wanted a rotom phone himself for quite some time but had been unsuccessful in his pursuits. Rotom's were both rarer and in hot demand these days -- obtaining one wasn't as easy as just going to the store and buying a phone.​

​

Once his obligated duties were over and he had returned his belongings to their respective places, Wynmond nodded towards Ricky and found Lan, drifting to his side. Barker crooned beside his feet, eying Lan with hopeful wide eyes -- where a Lan was usually meant a Christmas would follow, and the totodile was dying to see his friend.​

​

"Hey. When did you get here?"​

 

[PeterPan_da144]

Gingko and Artemis had been towards the back of the group the entire time. Artemis was quietly observing everyone around them, recognizing a few faces, but not every one of them. She even noted a few things that could become conversation starters later, such as the horror book one young person was reading, and the quaint little hair clips another wore that Gingko was bound to adore. So when those two seemed cordial with each other, she made sure to lock that bit of information away for later. Perhaps she could find herself and Gingko some new acquaintances as well.

Gingko, on the other hand, was bouncing on the balls of his feet eagerly. He was shorter than Artemis, and sometimes was mistaken as her younger sibling. Coupled with his boundless energy, it was a valid assumption. Even if he hated it. His hands were shoved into his pockets as he rocked, ready to greet the group and explore. But Artemis had hushed him into quiet for now. He could make friends when they were out and about, and possibly more spread out. So when they were called forward to start registering for the group, there was little Artemis could do to stop him from darting towards the front to be the next one to register.

Aww, that was a cute little Totodile that one had! Gingko would smile down at it, and if it noticed him, he would wave. Finally it was his turn, and Gingko slid up to input his ID with too eager fingers. He had to retype it three times before he was finally able to scan in his two Poke'balls. A majority of his and Artemis' Poke'mon could not be brought along, having been deemed too strong. Though neither of them faulted the process. It made sense to them. Already, humans were an invasive species on this previously untouched land - as far as they knew, anyway. So it was better to keep any Poke'mon capable of heavy destruction away from the wildlife until they could learn about the ecosystem properly.

Gingko stepped back and towards the little Totodile, crouching down to watch it curiously.

Artemis had finally reached the front and tapped her ID in with ease, before setting it to say she wasn't bringing any Poke'mon, and joining Gingko off to the side. "Don't harrass others Poke'mon," she chided Gingko gently.

 

[sharkberrypizza]

"No, I just --"

A set of black lips pursed under a pair of violet-shadowed eyes.

"I don't think you und--"

Interrupted again - why didn't they listen?

"I'm not here to --"

Oh fine. Anything to make the buzzy, static-filled demanding stop! What did it really matter if the rotom scanned his ID, or the registration of his pokémon he was carrying? Maybe it was a new method of entering the building? All Frankie knew, really, was that he'd been accosted nearly the moment he'd entered the main area of the building.

"So, now can I --"

François had come with Harlequin curled lazily across one shoulder, barely awake as she was, and with Mimette tucked safely away in his ball. Both of which were the reason of his visit - one for a check up, and the other for a potential grooming consult - and yet as he began to say so, as surely this must be the new receptionist?

"François Myme, registered for expedition to Darksallow Valley!"

"Excuse me, I didn't sign up for any expedition."

"You registered for the expedition when you scanned your ID." the rotom answered, clearly pleased with its explanation.

"But, I --"

"Please wait over with the rest of your group!"

Visibly flabbergasted, the thespian went to open his mouth in protest again, then ... shut it, changing his mind. He glanced once from his fusion pokémon, to the ball clipped on his leather belt at his hip, to the rotom, then offered a one-sided shrug and a lopsided smile of acceptance at the rotom who hovered, bemused, nearby.

"It would be a great opportunity to meet new people." he offered it casually, to which the tablet offered a crackling laughter in response.

With a deep breath, he centered himself before turning around. he wasn't entirely ready to put on a performance that morning.

But what the hell.

"Hello, everyone!" he brightly offered to the group that had gathered thus far, a short, curt wave accompanying the introduction. "Can anyone tell me exactly what I've gotten myself into?"

 

[Zakiax]

Yune sat in the back of the room with Salsa on his lap. Burrying his face into the tail of his eevee. His other Eevee, Cream was next to them. There was already way to many people here, but if he did not go now he knew he would not explore the new route on his own. Plus he wanted to see what sorta flora was in this new route. Maybe something he could use in his cooking. Unique berries or something else.

'It will be okay' Yune thought to himself, patting Salsa.

When the rotom made its way over to him, he was hesitant to let it scan his id and pokemon he had on him. Still unsure if he really wanted to commit to this or not. After a bit of internal debate he finally allowed the rotom to do so.

Well there was nothing he could do now he was fully commited to this exploreation. Despite his internal axieity. Though he figured he could just tag along in the back of the group and not talk to anyone and just do his own thing while sticking to the group. As long as no one tried to talk to him he figured he would be fine.

 

[Rano713]

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!" Desi flew into the Enrichment center already apologizing, Meowster Catastrophe trying her best to trip her up by darting between her legs as they moved. Bao, her cute little trifox, was wailing her heart out to announce to the world how displeased she was to be carried like this. Desi was holding her exactly how she wanted to be held, one arm cradling her bottom and curled mostly around her body and the other holding her to Desi's shoulder. The thing she was actually protesting was the speed that Desi was going at. Once it registered that they were no longer moving at speed, the trifox was perfectly content to snuggle into Desi's neck and innocently look around.

Desi loosened her hold on Bao so that she could reach into her pockets. Their face flushed in embarrassment as she tried to dig out her phone. Or wait, no, the rotom needed their ID. Juggling the pokemon and trying to pull out the correct thing, several of the contents of her pockets spilled out.

"Ah, sorry, " -strawberry chapstick went rolling- "Just one-" -a pocket knife was next- "One second!" a fidget toy, travel-sized notepad and a pack of mint gum were all victims of gravity before Desi was able to retrieve their ID to present to the waiting rotom. With a sheepish grin, she scanned each of the pokemon she was taking with them before squatting to retrieve their fallen items. Their sprigatito had been quick to chase down the rolling chapstick, but had started batting it around instead of bringing it back.

"Hi, I'm Desi! Are we uh, waiting for anyone else before we depart?" They introduced themself to the group as a whole, pleased to meet the whole host of new faces. They were probably never going to live this down so they were just going to pretend they hadn't rushed in here like their pants were on fire. They had set an alarm-two even!-to help them get here in a timely manner but they hadn't taken into account the time their pokemon settled or gather the paltry amount of things they could take with them or the time it took to reach the actual center from their dorm. Next time they'd be better prepared but considering it was the day after they'd arrived to the island, they were willing to give themselves a break.