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Mt. Moxie

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Day 1 - Steven and Aggron go for a hike
  • Panoramic_Vacuum

    Hoenn around
    Partners
    1. aggron
    2. lairon
    Steven is awake just as the sky is beginning to glow. He's still feeling a bit sleepy, but he blames the shift of traveling to this new time zone (or potentially timeline? He's not certain which is the truth, and he doubts it really matters in the end.) He opens the blinds quietly so as to not disturb Aggron, who is still comfortably snoozing on the area rug. In the gradually brightening room, Steven discovers a well-stocked bar beneath a marble countertop, and a high-end coffee machine atop it. He enjoys his first cup at the bar, perched on one of the stools and reading one of the scientific journals he brought with him.

    Soon, the sun spills over the horizon and lights up the room enough to wake Aggron. He grunts and rolls over, stretching and shaking off the sleep with small clanks of his armor.

    Steven turns on his stool, finishing the last of his cup while another is already brewing. "Good morning. What do you say to a quick hike before breakfast?" He's got a small map in his hand that shows some of the trails that lead their way up the island's mountain, Mt. Moxie.

    Aggron shakes himself again, and eyes Steven skeptically. Steven sets down his empty cup and offers a shrug.

    "Well, I don't know what our host has planned for the festival events. This might be our best bet to do some exploring on our own, and I'm rather interested in seeing this island for myself."

    Aggron considers it, but doesn't look completely convinced.

    "How about," Steven begins, uncovers the plate they brought back from dinner last night and slides across the countertop, "let's have these pastries on the patio first. And see if that changes your mind?"

    The scent of the berry tart shakes off any of Aggron's remaining drowsiness, and he follows Steven and his fresh cup of coffee to the patio door. He throws the doors open, and he and Aggron freeze at their first look at the room's outdoor area.

    Bathed in the crisp morning light is one of the most beautiful gardens either of them has ever seen. Flowers and shrubs of all shapes and sizes line the sides of the spacious yard. A meandering stone path winds its way through the garden, ending at the fence at the far end. There, beneath a pergola wrapped in vines sits a small table for two framed by the sun rising over the ocean beyond.

    Aggron makes a choked noise of surprise before excitedly (but carefully) picking his way along the path, stopping to observe the flowers in every bed. Steven chuckles and makes a mental note to ask the island staff what some of these plants are; he has a feeling Aggron is going to want another garden plot or three when they get back home.

    Steven sets the pastries and his coffee down at the small table before moving one of the chairs aside. Aggron, snout covered in morning dew (no doubt from curiously sniffing all the plants) plunks down at the table, and the pair enjoy their light breakfast in comfortable silence.

    ---

    The sun is fully above the horizon when Steven and Aggron set off from the dorms towards Mt. Moxie. It's not a long trek to get to the base, and it's still early enough that they don't run into anyone on the way there. Steven selects a path that will take them up the mountain quickly without being the one that's marked as the highest difficulty. They take it at a casual pace, stopping every so often to inspect an interesting rock, or make note of a cave entrance here and there.

    There are a few places where there is a break in the trees, offering a brief glimpse of the island from up high. It's at one spot that Aggron pauses as a shadow passes overhead. Steven hears his partner's footsteps stop, and follows Aggron's gaze skyward. He shields his eyes against the sun and spots a familiar silhouette above.

    "A Charizard?"

    Aggron watches the dragon circle overhead and huffs an affirmative.

    Steven watched until Charizard circled out of sight behind the trees, and brought a hand to his chin. "Hm, I didn't take Blue for an early riser, or a hiker."

    Aggron shrugs, keeping one eye on the sky in case he spots the Charizard again, but he never reappears.

    "Oh well, I'm sure we'll find out soon enough," says Steven. A quick consult of the map shows the pair that they are almost to the top, so they press onward up the trail.

    It's not long before they break through the trees and find themselves as high as this trail will take them. It's not all the way to the top of the mountain, but close enough that there's nearly a 360 degree view of the island.

    As Steven is taking in the sights, Aggron starts with a snort; there's a shadow moving quickly across the trees. He turns his snout up and catches sight of Blue's Charizard soaring overhead. It's clear from the way the dragon is banking towards them that he's spotted Aggron as well.

    Aggron thumps the ground with his tail, and Steven turns to where his partner is looking.

    "Ah, it is Blue's. I don't see him though." Steven waves up to the fire-type as it approaches. "Hello, good morning!"
     
    Day 2: Sleet Slinks and Sniffs Sneakily
  • unrepentantAuthor

    A cat that writes stories.
    Location
    UK
    Pronouns
    they/she
    Partners
    1. purrloin-salem
    2. sneasel-dusk
    3. luz-companion
    4. brisa-companion
    5. meowth-laura
    6. delphox-jesse
    7. mewtwo
    8. zeraora
    Sleet smirked to herself as she crested the hill. She was tough stuff, making it up here. She had moxie. Fuck yes.

    She'd not climbed up her for fun, though. She'd climbed up here to gauge the distance from the island's amenities, to see if it was frequented by many trainers, to determine its likelihood as a location for holding captives. Had the missing people been taken to the tunnels, for instance? Hmm...

    The inteleon crept inside, and disappeared into shadow.

    @Flyg0n
    Sleet used Odor Sleuth...!
     
    Day 3 ~ Jade & May
  • Chibi Pika

    Stay positive
    Staff
    Location
    somewhere in spacetime
    Pronouns
    they/them
    Partners
    1. pikachu-chibi
    2. lugia
    3. palkia
    4. lucario-shiny
    5. incineroar-starr
    <><><>​

    Jade kicked a few rocks down the slope as she made her way up the trails of Mt. Moxie, keeping her eyes out for... well, she wasn't sure what, really. No one had gone missing around here, and it wouldn't really make sense for any of the kidnapped trainers to have been taken here. Still, the prospect of this island being full of Legendary Pokemon was too important to ignore. Whether they were in any way responsible or in danger of being targets themselves.

    Nine kept his ears pricked and his tail high as he leaped from rock to rock. Every so often he started at a sound, but it always turned out to just be a random wild Pokemon.

    "It's weird to think that the Legendaries in this world are so different than the ones back home," Jade mused to herself. It was hard to imagine any legends showing up near a trainer festival back home, aside from Mew in disguise, maybe.

    "*If they really are here to see strong trainers, it's weird that they'd stay hidden,*" Nine replied flatly.

    Jade folded her arms behind her head. "I guess they wouldn't just want to appear in front of anyone."

    Nine considered for a bit, then gave a flick of his tail and then dashed further ahead, scouting out the trail in front of them.
     
    Day 4 - Investigators In Flight
  • Hanafuda

    Novice Ornithologist
    Pronouns
    He/Him
    Partners
    1. rowlet
    As Seb was walking back towards his dorm, he saw Mt. Moxie in the distance. “Hm. That looks like a nice place to go to.” He turned towards Zack, who was perched on his shoulder, with a smile. “Not today, but how about you? You haven’t flown much at all, right? Well, outside our room, anyway—that place is big. Wanna have some fun up there? You know, to stretch your wings.”

    The Pidgeotto smiled in anticipation. True, he didn’t fly much outside now that he thought about it. Without hesitation, he leapt away and flapped his wings, flying towards the mountain. Jack soon followed with his leek grasped in his beak.

    “I’ll see you guys back in our room!” Seb exclaimed with a wave before continuing on his way.

    “Aw yeah!” Zack shouted with excitement, the wind brushing up against his face. His crest waved around as he flew. “Finally we’re doin’ some epic flyin’!”

    “Yeah!” Jack exclaimed beside him. “Ith refreshing!”

    “Nothin’ beats the feelin’ of freedom when you’re flyin’, eh? The wind on your face, your wings touchin’ the clouds, the world below ya…” Zack looked up with sparkling eyes. “It’s even better with the sunset.”

    “Or thunrithe,” Jack added with a slight chuckle.

    “Heh, yeah, that too.”

    The birds enjoyed their flight as they surveyed the land below. Perhaps there was something interesting to see.

    [[Zack and Jack used Foresight!]]
    @Flyg0n
     
    Day 4: I Spy... Something Silver (Violet/Hazel & Clink)
  • MintyMimix

    Otherworldly Dessert
    Location
    Florida
    Pronouns
    They/Them
    Partners
    1. lurantis
    2. noivern-astrea
    Violet had some pointed questions she wanted to shake out of their "gracious host", but Hazel had stopped her from trying to strike up a conversation at the Water Veil Cove. She proposed they instead followed him and his Pokémon to see what he was trying to do now that the news about the kidnappers got out. With any luck, maybe they could stumble upon a clue as to their whereabouts. Violet relented and agreed.

    Once Xavian had finally took his leave, the duo trailed him from a distance away — making certain to be as careful and quiet as possible, even if that meant Violet losing sight for a few minutes. Thankfully, Hazel's sharper senses could course correct when necessary. When they saw the host and his Pokémon arrive at Mt. Moxie, the two looked at each other with the same silent question: Was he trying to contact a mythical Pokémon?

    Tailing them became a more difficult task as daylight slowly faded and the need to scale the rock walls to avoid being spotted became ever more present. Hazel took a deep yet quiet breath as she clung onto the wall with one claw and hung onto her coat with another to prevent it from flapping in the wind and making noise. There had been unearthed findings that Sneasel of the past could perform this feat with ease, but she was certainly not one of them. Nonetheless, the Weavile assured herself she would be safe — Violet had been spotting her just a short distance away. The girl knew how to scale these rocks better than the Weavile could, to her surprise, but Hazel needed to take the lead. It was a stealth mission, and she had the smaller body and greater senses.

    Taking another deep breath, Hazel pushed herself just barely above the top of the cliff before being able to finally take a peek at her quarry. Hanging onto the rock wall with Violet underneath her, Hazel kept her head low and her eyes open as she tried to carefully observe the Clink. She wanted to see if there was something amiss about the Klefki's appearance and actions.
    @Flyg0n
    [Foresight]
     
    Day 5 - Hero’s Path
  • Hanafuda

    Novice Ornithologist
    Pronouns
    He/Him
    Partners
    1. rowlet
    After Seb was finished getting some TMs from the Skill Swap Shop, he hiked up the mountain nearby. He sent a text message to the general group chat, unsure of what his intended receiver’s username was.

    Hanafuda: Hey, Coleane. It’s Seb. Hope you’re doing alright. Zack’s been looking like he wants to fight, so I had an idea. Meet us up at Mt. Moxie.

    He pocketed his phone, sitting down after having climbed close to the summit. He waited, letting the soft breeze cool his face. He lifted his head and closed his eyes in relaxation.

    “If only life felt this good…”
     
    Wes and Gladion: the Bromance sequel
  • HelloYellow17

    Gym Leader
    Pronouns
    She/Her
    Partners
    1. suicune
    2. umbreon
    3. mew
    4. lycanroc-wes
    5. leafeon-rui
    After a day of no disappearances, Wes had almost allowed himself a tiny ray of hope that maybe—just maybe—the kidnapper was having second thoughts. Or maybe they had grown intimidated as everyone on the island grew more tense and vigilant. He knew it had been a foolish thing to hope for, but he held on to the thought all the same…

    Xardian’s morning announcement quickly brought him back to reality. *Two* disappearances in the night…it’s as if, rather than getting intimidated, the kidnapper was only growing bolder, doubling down on whatever the hell their plans were.

    Wes was in a fog all through breakfast and the better half of the morning after that announcement. Even now, they still had such little to go off of, and the disappearances continued left and right…

    Gods. Are they going to keep going until there’s no one left?

    Feeling more lost than ever, he decided they may as well begin poking around places they hadn’t yet seen. So, in the late morning, he headed for Mt. Moxie with Neo and Novo, both of whom were absolutely thrilled at the prospect of a hike. Wes shot a quick text to Kimiko telling her where he was headed…just in case. He’d toyed with the idea of asking her to come with him, but…well…after yesterday, he wasn’t sure he wanted to risk ruining what few good relationships he had left.

    He was so lost in thought he almost didn’t realize they’d reached the mouth of the cave until his PDA pinged and jerked him back to the present. He pulled the device from his pocket to see a message:

    Conversation With: Wes

    Hey. You doing any better? Still got all that on my mind. Wish it hadn't been such a mess.
    At least we know everyone's still on the island? Can't be that many places to hide people here.
    A tiny smile tugged at the corner of Wes’ lips as he read the message. It was good to know not everyone he’d interacted with hated his guts. He quickly typed out a reply:

    Hey, I’m doing alright. I’m a hell of a lot better than I was a few days ago, anyway.

    I’m thinking the same thing. And where better to hide people than in caves, right? Anyway, I’m headed to Mt. Moxie if you’d like to tag along. Traveling in groups and all that.


    @Shiny Phantump
     
    Day 6: Gladion’s Wish
  • Shiny Phantump

    Through Dream, I Travel
    Location
    Hallownest
    Pronouns
    She/Her
    Partners
    1. sylveon
    2. absol-mega
    3. silvally-psychic
    4. ninetales-phantump
    5. cosmog
    6. gallade-phantump
    7. ceruledge-phantump
    As he was leaving the spot he and Wes had been poking around in, Gladion’s phone buzzed. Probably Odette getting back to him. He pulled out his phone, read the message, and…

    He understood her desire not to say too much in a way that could be intercepted, but her information was still frustratingly vague. He’d have to track her down later. Like, seriously, how does one just search for Jirachi? What, was he just going to stumble upon them at random? What kind of place would Jirachi even want to stay?

    Still, if it could make Hazel better, it would be worth working out. Honestly, the idea had somewhat superseded the missing trainers in his head, priority-wise.
     
    Day 8 - Request For Backup
  • Hanafuda

    Novice Ornithologist
    Pronouns
    He/Him
    Partners
    1. rowlet
    Seb was riding on Zack, flying around the mountain and enjoying the cool wind on his face. He wasn’t as prepared as the others when it came to the heist plan. What if his tongue slipped and said something he shouldn’t have said? What if he worsens the mood? He tried to clear his mind by breathing in the air around him, but he couldn’t stay as calm as he wanted. The Golden King was still out there. It was entirely possible that a big fight would break out once they discovered the identity of the kidnapper. In case that happened, he hoped Zack and Jack were ready.

    “So, about what you said when you evolved,” the Farfetch’d told his friend as he flew beside him. “Were you really afraid of overshadowing me?”

    “Yeah,” the Pidgeot said, eyes focused at the front. “I just want you to keep up with me. Don’t want ya to get rusty with your sword.”

    “You know, to be perfectly honest, I was also afraid of being overshadowed.”

    “Really?”

    “I guess, deep down, I was jealous of you. You were gonna be the stronger one of the two, but I kept remembering that I’m the one who can set you straight. I guess, in a way, we’re still equals?”

    “Jack-o…”

    “So I’ll still help you however I can. Even if it’s on a small scale.” Jack gave a determined gaze to his friend. “I’m counting on you, hero-to-be.”

    Zack gasped in delighted shock after hearing those words. He smiled, eyes glimmering with hope. “Yeah. Me too, buddy! And on Seb!”
     
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