bohren_rpg | Badgeless in Bohren

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Badgeless in Bohren

WHO: Sheik (

sheikahguide), OPEN
WHAT: Taking a break from wandering. Interrupt him?
WHERE: Route 293, near the shrine
WHEN: After the tournament

What an inglorious start. Sheik had arrived in Johto and immediately headed off to register Shadow, only to make it back to Quakesburg just in time to miss the tournament - and, to add insult to injury, he had missed the gym leader there, as well.

Frustrated but determined, he had stocked up on his supplies - food, healing items, Poke Balls and the like - and headed out to route 293. Someone had mentioned that the gym leader was possibly heading there, and Sheik was rather set on finding him.

Now, though, he was taking a break, settled against a smooth stretch of wall near the entrance to the shrine. Nearby, he could hear tourists heading in and out - but right there, at that moment, it was just him and Shadow, curled up next to him and fast asleep.

Maybe he'd have something to eat...

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Kurt followed Sheik's lead and sat, feeling a little bemused by the pace at which they were going. He hesitated at the bread--he'd fallen out of the dieting habit, the constant walking giving him a ravenous appetite most mealtimes, but the sight of calories still gave him pause. Shrugging it off, he took the offered sandwich and dressing. A salad sandwich. The idea never occurred to him before.

"What," Kurt said through a mouthful, realizing he'd been asked a question. The sandwich was really quite good. "Oh! Goldenrod, in Johto. Ah, and you?"

He turned at one point to call Hermes over only to find him gone. Rolling his eyes, he figured the Smeargle had simply wandered off again--he'd return eventually.

"Really?" Sheik blinked over his sandwich, "So am I. Well - I only moved there when I was eight, I'm originally from Blackthorn City. And I only lived there until I was fifteen."

He had thought that had sounded like a Johto accent, really. Not that the differences were huge, but he did have a good ear for them.

Finishing off a chesto berry, Shadow then padded off in the direction the Smeargle went. Sheik glanced at him, then shrugged a little - he wouldn't go too far.

"How was your trip over?" he asked, taking another bite of his sandwich.

"That's a coincidence," Kurt said, startled as well. He travels through two regions and the first trainer he has more than a passing acquaintance with is from the same city? Well, almost?

"It was fine, I guess. I went through Sinnoh first, and then here. Like I said, I tend to arrive just as everything interesting has wrapped up, so nothing's really happened. Well, except for when I walked into that Combee nest." Kurt frowned. That had been...an adventure, though at least he'd come out of it with his first caught Pokemon. "Er, you? Did you come here straight from Johto?"

Hermes had been wandering for several minutes now, slowly growing bored with the shrine itself and intrigued by the temple beyond. He eyed the newest tour group speculatively, then discarded that idea. He preferred his explorations unhindered--besides, they'd probably try and find his trainer rather than allow him along. When he judged it safe, he slipped through, into the temple itself.

"It is," he murmured, "I hadn't expected anyone else from Johto to be here. And I went through Sinnoh as well... I didn't really see anything there in particular, though." Combees? He had heard of them, but never seen one. They did seem reasonably harmless, at least.

"The ferry took a fair while, though... I am not much of a sea traveller," he added, pulling a face. That was only somewhat of an understatement - he had spent the majority of his time in his cabin, ignoring requests for battles and reading, writing, or playing music.

Shadow, using a seemingly preternatural ability to slip through his namesake, was hot on Hermes' tail by now. Really, he couldn't help it - that waving tail was almost like a beacon to his more animalistic instincts. It was simply begging to be pounced upon, really!

Silently, he headed into the temple after the Smeargle.

"It's not a very interesting region," Kurt agreed. "Mostly cold. Good scarf weather," he added thoughtfully. "I didn't mind the ferry. The salt air is terrible for the skin, but I spent the entire trip inside my cabin anyway." He shrugged and didn't add that it was less to avoid the air and more to avoid being inadvertently challenged to a battle or running into someone he actually knew from home. He still hadn't gathered up the courage to call or send word to his dad yet. He wanted at least some sort of accomplishment under his belt first.

Hermes bounded through the temple quite happily once he was in, garnering some glares from the more somber folks. As long as nobody tried to stop or catch him (which had happened a few times before he took to wearing the Silk Scarf his trainer had given him at all times), he felt free to ignore their stares.

He'd never been in a temple before. He slowed for a better look around, not noticing his silent shadow.

"Mm, I do like scarves." Kurt may have noticed. Sheik still hadn't taken his off yet. "And I spent much of my time indoors, as well... I only really went out when Shadow got restless."

And speaking of restless Umbreons... Shadow was drawing closer to Hermes, red eyes fixed on that brush-like tail. And suddenly, with little to no warning... pounce!

Kurt grinned. "So I see." Kurt could see. Not many people can pull off a long scarf in warm weather, but Kurt reluctantly admitted to himself that Sheik was managing it quite well.

Hermes was completely absorbed in people-watching, and so when he felt the sudden weight on his tail he jumped a good foot in the air. Which was about as high as he could go with an Umbreon on it.

"--Gle!" He whirled around, wild-eyed, and glared at this-this-pouncer.

It was his thing, really.

"Why did you come to Bohren?" Sheik asked curiously, "For the tournaments or the league circuit?" Or something else, perhaps - people always had their reasons.

"Breee!" Shadow returned insistently, letting go of Hermes' tail and doing what probably looked like a little dance. Even quiet Pokemon needed playtime!

"The tournaments", said Kurt, then amended with, "Or the league challenge. Well. Either, I guess. Both." At this point he would be happy if he came out of this with anything to show for it.

"Um, you? Oh, well, I guess the tournaments, you said," he asked then quickly corrected himself. "We both just keep missing them."

Hermes watched the dancing Umbreon for a moment, rather nonplussed. He tilted his head thoughtfully, then shook it and scowled once more. "Hey! What was that for?"

"We do indeed," Sheik murmured, then sighed and settled back against the rock. "I suppose I wanted to see more than just Johto, as well... and Kanto didn't really appeal." Stupid parents.

He frowned to himself for a moment, then asked, almost cautiously, "Have you heard of the Ranger Task Force? I am... considering that as a possibility."

"Come and play!" Shadow immediately said, stopping his little dance - the Umbreon was a firm believer of economy of words. "I am bored."

"It has been nice, seeing the Regions up close," Kurt said vaguely, trying not to think of the ever-present downsides such as--ugh--wearing the same outfits every week. "I'd never really been out of Goldenrod before."

"The Ranger Task Force," repeated Kurt. "I don't think--I've heard of Rangers. I didn't know they had a...task force. What do they do?"

Hermes considered this for a moment. Wandering around a barely populated shrine people-watching and pick-pocketing until his trainer made him give it back versus..."Alright," he said, and sprung away. "Catch me!"

Sheik nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "When I was doing the Johto circuit," he mused, "I did see a great deal of it... there were towns I had never heard of, like Cianwood City. It was certainly new."

He quirked a quick smile. "When you return, you should see Ecruteak City. Follow route thirty-five north from Goldenrod, then turn east into thirty-six at the National Park. There's a wooded area around halfway through - head north there into thirty-seven, and you're at Ecruteak. Fascinating history. It's faster with a bike."

That worked, Shadow decided. And he was off, silently cursing the Smeargle's better speed even as he worked off far too much restless energy.

"I might do that," said Kurt, deciding not the ruin Sheik's nostalgia by mentioning that once he returned home, he'd probably end up locked in the Hummel Garage by an understandably incensed and overprotective dad. He was not looking forward to that homecoming.

"But, ah," said Kurt, trying to change the subject from thoughts of home. "You said you were interested in becoming a Ranger? One of those guys who live in the woods with Pokemon and protect them from poachers or something?"

Hermes had a mad grin on his face as he dashed through the shrine, using the statues as climbing aids/jumping off points to better confuse his new companion. The trainers and other humans around were starting to make noise, but he paid them no mind. It had been awhile since he'd had the chance to really play with a fellow Pokemon like this.

"Not quite," Sheik chuckled. "The Ranger Task Force - they're an organisation here. And they do protect Pokemon from poachers, but they also investigate claims of abuse and mistreatment. They were the ones you would have registered with them when you arrived."

At least, he hoped he did. Sheik had had to do so doubly - both to register as a trainer, and as an Umbreon owner.

Speaking of said Umbreon, he was darting around statues and the occasional human, chasing after Hermes as best he could. Not his fault that Umbreons just weren't made for jumping off statues!

Finally, though, a few security guards were beginning to approach the two Pokemon. "Guards!" Shadow called to Hermes in warning, and promptly turned tail and bolted for the entrance.

"Oh, those," said Kurt, tilting his head thoughtfully. He remembered them. "I was wondering about them, actually. I had to register for a license and to get into Sinnoh, but I did that both times at a Pokemon Center. No Rangers involved. I guess they're pretty strict here."

Hermes had spent a good time in the city streets as a trainerless Pokemon, and he still had the appropriate instincts. He turned on a dime--but he forgot that he was in fact, in mid-air at this point and ended up crashing into the ground. He sprang up instantly and ran off, but he was disoriented and in his confusion didn't realize he was about to run into the Umbreon until it was too late for him to stop.

"Mm," Sheik agreed, "I expect they'd want to avoid problems that have been seen in the past - Rocket in Johto and Kanto, and such."

Impending tackle oh shi-- Hermes' momentum sends them both sprawling, Shadow lying there dazed for a moment before he scrambles to his paws again. Now, where did those guards go - and, for that matter, the Smeargle?

"The Rockets--either you mean a terrible cover band or the infamous criminal organization. Ha." Kurt laughed awkwardly, then quickly made himself stop. He was never any good at jokes. "Uh. Yeah. I saw that post on the network earlier. I didn't even know they were still around, really."

Hermes is equally stunned for a second or two before he shakes himself back to alertness. Gah! He used to be so good at this running away from humans thing! He turned quickly towards the door, but the guards were already moving to block it, and he wasn't sure if he could make it past them in time.

Well. This was going to be awkward.

That got Kurt a raised eyebrow, then Sheik just shrugged. "The latter. I would want to avoid them causing more problems, really... it's worrying."

"Look cute!" Shadow hissed to Hermes, then carefully padded over to the guards.

Growlithes had nothing on the puppy eyes he aimed at them, big and red and wibbly. "Bree?" he nearly whimpered, gesturing with a paw outside - could he get back to his owner, please?

Kurt shrugged. "They were beaten down at least once before, weren't they? And right now the worst they've done is post creepy messages on the network--I've seen scarier things in my father's closet."

Look cute? He didn't know how to look cute! He had more of a...stylish look. So--right! Licking his paw, he swept it across his brow and walked over as casual and cool as possible, plopping down next to the Umbreon. Shadow seemed to have things covered, so he let the other Pokemon take the lead and concentrated on appearing unaffected and unafraid, as though he got caught running around shrines and falling on his face every day.

The guards watched both of these displays with some bemusement. There was a muttered discussion Hermes couldn't quite catch between them, and then one knelt down and reached out a cautious hand, first to Hermes who winced but allowed the man to fondle his scarf, confirming him as a trained Pokemon, and then towards Shadow.

Sheik couldn't help but laugh a little at that. "True. I expect some champion will appear out of nowhere to fight them off, or something."

Shadow, giving the guard a wary look, still lifted his head to butt at the guard's hand with his nose. That, at least, would show show the black collar with his soothe bell and the registration tag from the RTF (as a rarer Pokemon, he needed one).

The guards murmured something out, then the kneeling one sighed. "Okay, boys, it's time to go back to your trainers. We'll have to have a word with them."

Now, Shadow's ears really did droop.

Kurt grinned. "Who knows, if you join the Rangers maybe you'll be the one to swoop in and save the day. Well. Assuming the day needs saving, anyway." He couldn't for some reason really gather up any sort of concern about the Rockets. He'd heard stories of course, and he hadn't been that young when they were at their peak, but he and his father had never really be bothered by their antics and it had all seemed very far away.

Hermes winced even as he allowed himself to be guided into standing and walking along the guards. As they moved back towards the entrance to the shrine his mind was already whirling--what was the best way to pin this on the Umbreon? It was his pouncing that had started this whole, after all.

Sheik chuckled a little at that - he wasn't really the heroic type. He was generally the kind that supported the heroic types and made sure no one attacked them from behind. "Perhaps. I suppose we shall simply have to see."

It didn't take too long for the guards to find them - or rather, Sheik found them by spotting Shadow and calling out. "Where did you get to?" he frowned as the Umbreon made a beeline for him, hunkering down and giving the guards a glower.

The guards frowned as they drew nearer. "You two own the Umbreon and the Smeargle, boys?" one asked.

Giving Kurt a startled look, Sheik nodded. "The Umbreon is mine, yes."

Kurt shared Sheik's startled look at the sudden appearance of the guards and their formerly wandering Pokemon, but with a sinking heart--and a look at his droopy-eared Smeargle--he was quickly getting an idea of what was going on. "What did he do," Kurt asked, his eyes firmly on Hermes, well used to his particular brand of mischief.

Hermes quickly gave up looking cool, which worked on his trainer about as well as appearing cute would have (that is to say, not at all), and instead sort of sidled up beside him, copying his arms crossed, instinctive holier-than-thou attitude.

Kurt rolled his eyes, but didn't comment.

"We caught them running wild around the shrine," said the other guard, frowning at the two Pokemon. "Caused a lot of trouble, could have caused a lot of damage. The shrine isn't a playground--Pokemon aren't meant to be in there unescorted."

Good going, Shadow. Now this called for diplomacy.

Resisting the urge to sigh, Sheik squared his shoulders and apologetically explained - "I'm terribly sorry - we've only recently arrived in Bohren, and I expect the two of them wanted to explode the local area. I didn't realise they would enter the shrine - they won't do it again."

And yes, that would be a hard look Shadow was getting.

The first guard gave them a hard look of his own, then nodded once. "Right. We'll let you off with a warning this time, since you're new - but make sure they don't cause trouble again, hmm?"

Kurt wisely let Sheik take the lead on this one--diplomacy was not among his strong points. He satisfied himself with looking suitably disapproving--not that was difficult--as Sheik calmed the guards and they left with only a warning for the four of them.

When they were gone Kurt let out a small sigh. "Well, I guess we know they didn't break anything valuable," he said, relieved. He still wasn't used to living without an allowance and he didn't think he could afford to replace some valuable statue or holy cloth or whatever was in the shrine itself.

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