newberktown | Sixteenth Flight. [audio/action for travel party.]

Current Location: Blackthorn City.

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Sixteenth Flight. [audio/action for travel party.]

[Among the background bustle--familiar sounds for anyone who's set foot in a Pokemon Center--there's a small whine from an Eevee, almost like a prompt for Hiccup to speak. After another second or so, he does.]

Uh... Has anyone ever, uhmm. [There's another pause. How should he put this...] Lost...half their pokemon? [He clears his throat before continuing, quicker this time like an excuse.] I still have all their pokeballs, and those are registered to all of them still, according to the people at the Center. But I can't find them anywhere...

[Hiccup sighs, and there's a subtle clunk as he moves his hand to the 'gear to shut it off. Before he does, though, there's one last mumble.]

I can't believe this is happening again...

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It could be that they didn't have the time to look for them.

[But surely the ability to recall Pokémon that are fighting back would be worth a few minutes?]

Well, if they somehow find themselves near Ecruteak I could always tell you. What are their species?

[Hiccup does manage a smile at that, giving a gentle headpat.]

That was very considerate of you, Miles. I'm sure she'll be touched to hear that.

[Because even if having a scared baby dragon didn't have anything to do with why Carmen was sad, having yet another being that was looking out for her and going through great trials of bravery might just cheer her up some.]

I'd like Carmen to be happy again soon, too. Is there anything I can do to help?

It wouldn't be easy to take them all... Er, give me a minute.

[Because now he's got to go through and see for sure which ones have left--when he decided to make his situation known, he'd just had a general idea of things. It's a little relieving to see that he hasn't lost quite as many as he'd thought. Some of the dent had been caused by recent releases.]

Looks like a Kabuto, Blitzle, Treecko, Vespiquen... Feraligatr and Staraptor, Lapras and Aerodactyl... An Igglybuff, Charmander, Larvitar... An Ampharos and a Flaaffy, and a Carracosta. [He exhales, double-checking his mental list. Nope, fourteen was right. Dang.] They'll all be registered under 'Hiccup Haddock'.

Because they're-- they're my pokemon.

[He's a bit incredulous, but if Hikaru is paying attention, he'll notice a bit of doubt. After all, he'd been confident that his dragon wouldn't ditch him, and look where that had gotten him.]

[...Well.

Yes, actually.

...

Hug now plzkthx the world is a scary place, Hiccup.]

Thanks...

[And he really is grateful. It helps that others are offering to keep an eye out. Hiccup also takes the opportunity to explain just which ones had left him--fourteen in total. A little under his original estimate, thankfully.]

There should be a Staraptor, a Feraligatr, a Lapras, an Aerodactyl, a Charmander, a Carracosta, a Blitzle, a Kabuto, a Larvitar, a Treecko-- [big breath.] --an Igglybuff, a Vespiquen, an Ampharos, and a Flaaffy.

[Y-yeah, he's...not sure how some of those ~~LAPRAS?~~ actually got away unnoticed.]

All should register me as their original trainer, I think...

That... sounds odd. Never heard of anything like that happening to anyone else. Anyone you travel with see them leave?

Yeah, well, I may not know much, but if they can walk and talk, then they're also free to do as they please.

[He sighs boredly.]

They're a pain in the ass to deal with sometimes, but that's just how it is.

[He wasn't quite expecting that, but he's always happy to hug a dragon! Especially one that wasn't too keen on him before. Leap hops down from his perch, lightly butting Miles's leg to show his support. Let him help with this part, too, guys. Everybody likes fluffy cat-fox-dog-things.]

Okay, okay... How about we get you back home, alright? Looks like you've had enough adventure for one day, huh, bud?

[A second full confirmation for Hiccup being special enough in getting his pokemon to leave. Great.]

Astrid didn't. I'll check with Carmen when I see her. My other pokemon don't seem to know much, either.

... There are rumors of these creatures being stolen from those like us. Ever hear of that happening, where you are?

...Ouch, that's a lot more than I thought.

[Which means it's also a lot worse than he thought.]

Most of those are not very common, at least. They'll be easier to recognize if I see them.

[He shrugs, not particularly concerned that there may be holes in this theory. Worrying about that would be too much like actually being helpful.]

Worked pretty well to get you to think it wasn't theft, didn't it? Not that I did it or anything, but if I was gonna, I'd sure as hell try not to make it obvious.

[Now this is something Larry doesn't hear about every day.]

You lost 'em? Did they just walk out on you or something?

I'm not saying that they can't do what they want. I just don't think they would do that.

[Aaaand now he's secretly thinking it's Hikaru's pokemon that should have left, not his, with the other boy talking like that.]

You don't really sound like this is your thing.

[Yes, please, Miles has had more than enough adventure for one day, thank you best friend dragon buddy Hiccup.

Someday he will repay this kindness by helping you find all your lost roster members or something, seriously. BUT FOR NOW, he will just stick with you like cling wrap and try his best to be brave the whole way home.]

Mmn. [Hiccup's not going to argue with that.] Really, thanks. Hopefully I can find them before they get too far away from Blackthorn, though...

Some people think it might be. I haven't heard anything like that in this area though, and there are fourteen missing. It wouldn't be easy to take them all without them being in their pokeballs, right?

[He's hoping, at least. Them having left him is bad enough, but if they were stolen...]

I... I guess. That's the best theory I've got right now, unless they really have been stolen...

[But it's pretty clear from his tone that he seriously doubts that's the case.]

Not sure. Never seen these people take any of our creatures before. They might have ways. Anyone see anything odd or...?

[Hopefully this is a wild guess.]

[Snobby sigh.]

It isn't exactly. I just like all the cute ones. Raising them and traveling is far too much work!

[Okay, he's pretty sure he doesn't trust this guy.]

So just how would you take fourteen creatures against their will without leaving a trace?

Not that I know of? The dragons were agitated, but that was a more interpersonal issue. I don't think that had anything to do with odd activity in the area. I can ask to make sure Astrid, Carmen, and the Joys haven't seen anything weird, too.

How are you supposed to get to know them at all, if you don't put effort in?

Who said I wasn't getting to know them? That's the fun part! All the other stuff, like traveling and catching more, as well as being patient with leveling up, are the tough parts. I like my party, even if some of our personalities clash sometimes.

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Sixteenth Flight. [audio/action for travel party.]

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