Sea Slug Field Study

[RCCaughtem]

SubonicXP

"Oh no! I didn't even think about her outfit! Oh I'm so embarrassed." The teacher fretted. "That does remind me though, the professor is expecting to meet you downstairs in the teacher's lounge when you got back, he should be there now. If you'll excuse me I must check on the little miss." With that said the nice teacher scurried over to the little girl in pink, hoping that she was okay.

Ryan nods and leaves the teacher to take back over control of her charges. He makes his way down to the Teacher's Lounge and knocks on the door. " Alola, Professor Oak!" He calls out.  

[RCCaughtem]

SubonicXP

Ryan would find the door open and after stepping through he found a pretty typical room for such a place. A smallish room with a table, some cabinets, a fridge, a microwave, just the bare essentials for a teacher to get away and unwind with a snack during the middle of the day. Sitting at the table was the man he had come to see, Professor Samson Oak, the tropical cousin to the Pallet Town professor. Professor Oak appeared to be examining a Kanto Pokedex, it looked pretty old but from Ryan could tell it worked fine. Must have been a very early model because it looked nothing like the ones he was used to seeing in Kanto, perhaps before his time.

"Ryan! There you are!" Samson Oak declared as he spotted Ryan, putting down the Pokedex and walking over to him to give him a welcoming hug. "How was the field trip? Was it like how you remembered? See anything interesting?"

Ryan returns the hug but does being mindful of his tiny companion on his shoulder. "The trip started out as I remembered it, but turned into one crazy experience. It seems a dress code is going to have to be enforced from here on out. A girl chased after her notes, but when the Gastrodon saw her in her pink and white dress, they mistook her for a Shellos of all things and kidnapped her! I had to rescue the poor girl, but it seems fate had a play in all this. For when I retrieved the girl, I found this little one on my shoulder here. It was being bullied by its own because of how unique it is. I rescued it as well and then got everyone out of there quickly. I had only put the Gastrodon asleep and wanted to be as far away from them to not provoke any further attacks, so we are back earlier than expected." The channeler explained to the Professor. Ryan was starting to feel the craziness of the day beginning to catch up to him finally. The adrenaline must finally be wearing off.  

[RCCaughtem]

SubonicXP

Professor Oak had indeed spotted the Shellos on his shoulder, but perhaps later than he should have as he only noticed it when it was inches away from his face. Immediately upon seeing it he became completely focused on it, barely registering anything Ryan said as he eyeballed the strange slug.

"What an unusual coloring..." He pondered as he pulled away from Ryan and leaned in close to get a look at the Shellos. "It also has additional appendages on its head. Curious..." Once he got too close the Shellos let out a little hiss and after wiggling its body that same slightly thick goo began to ooze out. "What's this?" Oak questioned as he watched the goo ooze out, the man ever cautious as he took a finger and wiped some off, the Shellos befuddled that the man actually touched him after his threatening display.

"Fascinating! Normally Shellos and Gastrodon only produce a watery sweat-like substance that only appears to be poison but this particular Shellos is actually secreting a poisonous sweat! It's not just for display!" Oak declared with joy. "You simply must let me examine this one! This might just be the variant I've been waiting for all these years!"

Ryan watches the interaction, then furrows his brow. " I am not sure how well that would go over, Professor. As I said, when I found this little one, it was surrounded by other Shellos, being rather bullied by them. And I have a feeling that it wasn't an isolated incident either. It initially resisted me until it realized that I wasn't afraid of it and liked it for what it is. Then it came with zero hesitation and made no process in leaving the island either. It wanted to get away from there. I am not sure separating it from me would be a good idea. " Ryan cautions the Professor.  

[RCCaughtem]

SubonicXP

Samson Oak would let out a sigh and resign himself to being denied his study. "Very well. Could you do me just one favor then? You still have your old Pokedex? Pop it into the nearest PC and give my lab in Malie City permission to access its data. That way I can collect data on your new find remotely without interfering. Not as thorough as I would like but it will do." Oak said before going over to the table he was sitting out and picked up his belongs.

"Well, I suppose I should return to Malie City now. It might interest you that today is the Ancestor's Festival. Remember that? The festival to celebrate the people of Johto that founded the city. I'm much too busy to partake in the festivities but don't let that stop you!" The professor said before departing.

Ryan can tell the Professor is disappointed, but right now would not be the best time for his new friend to be poked and prodded in a lab. "I most certainly do still have that old thing. I have thought of exchanging it many times, but have decided against it. A nostalgia thing really. And don't worry Professor. Now that I am living back here in Alola, I will make some stops by your lab for some in-person updates as well, once our little friend is a bit more socially adjusted." Ryan explains to the Professor.

"You know, I just might. Jhoto was my second home after having to leave Alola as a kid. " Ryan says before waving goodbye.

Ryan stops by the Pokemon Center right to the east of the Pokemon School. He swaps out one of his pokemon so he can keep his new Shellos friend with him and gets it a pokeball.

Once that is done he does as the Professor asks and gives his Malie City Lab Team access to his old dex. He then makes his way to the ferry and makes his way to Ula Ula Island and Maile City. As he steps off the ferry, he can already feel the festive vibe in the city and it only gets stronger as he heads towards the wonderful gardens that make Malie City famous here in Alola.  

[RCCaughtem]

SubonicXP

When Ryan arrived the festival was in full swing. Children were running around wearing Hoothoot masks and flying Gligar kites. The town elders were partaking in traditional tea ceremonies and other rituals. The other islanders and tourists were having fun hitting up all the different kinds of booths and stalls. Malie City already made one feel like they were in Johto but today was the one day of the wear that you almost forgot where you were and almost expected to see Sentret scurrying around and to be hit by some old monk preaching about Ho-oh. If any of the other Snagems felt right at home here it would be Sub, Ryan probably figured. Ecruteak was his hometown after all.

Regardless this was a time for Ryan to just enjoy himself. GRAY had yet to hit him up and alert him to some trouble to ruin his outing nor did he see not even the slightly bit of spray paint to make him think those Skull thugs were around. This was a nice way to end his day.

Ryan felt like he himself had stepped through a portal to Ecruteak. He almost expected to see Morty walking about with his Gengar, Eusine going on and on about Suicune. The only thing that really dampened the immersion was the Alolan Weather. Right now the wonderful briskness of Autumn would be starting to settle on his second home. The leaves starting to change. Good times and memories. He might have to go back soon. See how everyone is doing.

As Ryan strolled along, something caught the corner of his eye and brought him out of his thoughts. It was a Pokemon Mask Shop. Ryan remembered these! They were the highlight of the Ecruteak Autumn Festival. He would stop and look to see what masks were being offered. He was going to move on when he spotted a Suicune Mask. It was actually rather cool looking, almost practical to a point as well. His gaze was rather fixated.  

[RCCaughtem]

SubonicXP

"Interesting, isn't it?" An elderly woman asked Ryan as she approached from behind the counter where the masks were being sold. "You have a good eye, I must say, that mask has a special history behind it." She said with a smile, a knowing look in her eye. "Needs a new coat of paint but that particularly mask hails all the way from Johto. Story has it the mask was originally worn by a vigilante who used to steal from the wealthy in Goldenrod to help the poor of Ecruteak. It's said one day they just disappeared and all that was left was the mask."

The woman would look back at Ryan to see his reaction and let out a chuckle. "At least that's the story my husband goes on about. I don't know where he got it from but it does have an aura of mystery about it. Would you like it? I don't know why but it seems like it's made for you. Go ahead, try it on." She said, taking the mask off the display and handing it to Ryan. The mask of a vigilante, a sort of Robin Hood. Ryan wouldn't be able to ignore how fitting it was for a Snagem like him to be the successor of such a mask.

Ryan would blink and listen to the old lady's story. by Arceus! Even if there wasn't a shred of truth to the story, which somehow Ryan thought there just might be given the history of the mask, the irony of this mask being offered to him now was not lost on him. Sub would get a kick out of it for sure!

Ryan takes the mask and puts it on. It almost felt like putting on an extension of himself it fit so well! And then he suddenly had a thought: this might be worth a buy, given the nature of some of the tasks he accepted on the behalf of the team. If he ever wanted to show his face in some places without issue after a Snagem excursion, a mask like this would be critical for disguise.

"It's perfect. How much would you be asking for it, ma'am?" Ryan inquires of the old lady.  

[RCCaughtem]

SubonicXP

RCCaughtem

"It's perfect. How much would you be asking for it, ma'am?" Ryan inquires of the old lady.

"My, it looks like it belongs on you. And I'm not just saying that for a sale!" The old woman said with a laugh. "For you young? How about five hundred Pokedollars. I can't imagine selling it for any more than that."

Ryan swings his pack around and fishes out the money and hands it over. "Thank you, ma'am! I will take great care of this!" Ryan states before wandering off to enjoy the rest of the festival.

-Fin-