{What You See} First Steps {Is What You Get!}

[Corvina]

" I hope I made the right decision... "

James asked himself as he took the first steps on to Route One. He hoped that his Seaward would serve him well in battle, and that he'd have the patience to trainer her. Patience was something he lacked, which would probably come to haunt him later.

One deep brown eye absorb the path that laid before him, almost with a look of discontent. Hmph, he would've been able to enjoy this place more with vision in both his eyes. He had only started to get used to looking through a single eye. It was quite annoying, considering he usually tripped over roots in the ground. And the artificialness of his other eye was very noticable. It was like a large empty pupil with no iris. Curse his bad luck...

Looking up to the sunny sky, James took a moment to flush all the negative thoughts from his mind. He was oceans away from his family now, so he didn't have to worry about that anymore. Thinking about that put a smile on his face. Feeling his foot catch on a tree root wiped it away though as the male crashed to the ground face-first.

Lifting his head from the earth, James sat up and stared at his bloodied palms. This was nothing compared to the pain he experienced back when the Seviper attacked him. He only thought of this as annoying, considering he repeated the same klutzy mistake what... well, he had lost count of how many times now.

Ah, how embarassing...

[Rafa]

A clear space followed the tree. Alas, it was suddenly taken up by a small pink ball.

"Hoppip, hoppip..." it cooed merrily, jumping around on the earth.

What it didn't notice was a tree root on the opposite side of James. It tripped over it, very much like how the human in front of it just did. The Hoppip looked up at the trainer, just noticing him, and its eyes, well, frowned.

"HOPPIP!!!" it wailed, crying, though no tears were visible.

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[Taradactyl]

[ooc// Corvvie! ... Can I call you that? ... May Zane join in, please? He doesn't like to travel alone. (Not true, but where's the fun in that?)]

[Corvina]

( Haha, sure, you can call me that! And yes, go right ahead, James needs some company. ^-^ )

Well, at least he wasn't the only clumsy one around. Hearing the Hoppip before seeing it, James casted his eye upon the wailing Pokemon, staring at it with a bit of disgust. However, that disgust turned into opportunity as he reached for a Pokeball on his belt.

" A Hoppip... Hmm, why not? "

James spoke, standing back up and dropping the Pokeball on the ground before the Hoppip. The device burst open, shooting a red light out to the right of the sphere. It spread out into a long and thin object, until it took shape of a Seaward. The Water Pokemon squealed once she was released from that cramped object, raising her neck and spreading her fins.

" Marina, this is your first battle. Use Tail Whip. "

James whispered to the Seaward, who nodded and squeaked in response. Marina raised her tail before the Hoppip, and began to wag it temptingly. Well, might as well kick of the battle with toying with the Hoppip's stats. Both James and Marina didn't know much about the Hoppip, so they would learn what this Pokemon was about as the battle progressed.

[Rafa]

"Hop...pip?" it said, awed that a Pokemon had just appearing out of a red and white ball. At least, to it it looked like that. It watched as the human whispered something to the Pokemon, which the Hoppip recalled to be a Seaward - or something along those lines - and then the Seaward started to move its tail in the Hoppip's face.

From its experience, the Hoppip knew to defend itself when another Pokemon approached it. This time, though, it was too amazed by both Pokemon and trainer that it only half-functioned. As an attempt, it moved itself up and down, which humans knew as the move Splash.

{{Eh, this'll be an easy battle for you 0_0 This Hoppip doesn't know any damaging moves XD}}

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[Corvina]

( There's no problem with an easy battle! Thanks for playing as a Hoppip! XP )

James sweatdropped as the Hoppip Splashed around pointlessly. Eh, was this some kind of joke? He almost pitied the Hoppip's helplessness, but then he thought how easy this battle could get. If that Pokemon couldn't hurt Marina at all, then she could win this battle without a scratch! Of course, this was probably going to be the only painfully easy battle that was going to be thrown at him, so he had to take advantage of it.

" Well then, use Tackle Marina! "

James gave the next order, brimming with confidence. Oh, it was times like these when he felt good. He felt so alive when he was dominant - when no one could beat down his ego. He couldn't feel this way much at home, so it was a pleasant change of pace for him. No more arguing and pointless orders for him!

The Seaward listened to her trainer's words, and raised her neck even more. She had to impress her trainer, so he would treat her like a princess! James seemed like a pretty swell guy, but unfortunately she didn't know what he was like under that temporary boost of confidence. She didn't know what the boy was like when things didn't go his way.

Bouncing up to the Hoppip, it almost looked like she was copying the Grass Pokemon's Splash. However, that wasn't the case. Instead of flopping around in place, Marina was creeping up to the foe, jerking forward when she was close for a Tackle.

[Rafa]

The Hoppip, who was studying James with intensity, noticed that he seemed to be...Well, MOCKING it. This got it a bit riled up at him, and it was somewhat prepared for the next move. It stayed in its final position from the 'splashing' around, as if immobilized. As the Seaward inched up ever-so-closely, the Hoppip sprung up and swiftly used a Tail Whip in the Seaward's face. It fell back from attacking with a look of accomplishment on its face, only to be hit by the root it tripped over earlier. What a poor Hoppip...

{{Heh, no problem^^ I like this Hoppip, if I do say so my self XD}}

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[Corvina]

( 'Tis a funny Hoppip indeed. XD )

Marina giggled when the Hoppip began to wag its stubby tail at her face, taking no notice that her defense fell a bit. Hehe, the Hoppip was funny, in her opinion. One could say that she was mocking the little pink Pokemon too...

Watching the Hoppip get hit by the root that he tripped over, James couldn't surpress his laughter. Ha, that just made his day. The male had absolutely no sympathy for that poor little Hoppip - how could he have any sympathy after so many years of pain?

" This is nothing. Tackle it again! "

James roared, almost sounding like an evil dictator. Maybe he was enjoying this battle a little too much, but oh well. No one was watching him, right? He had no reason to be ashamed of his outburst of childness.

Marina giggled to James' hearty command, not taking it as being strange one bit. She seemed to overlook the male's overenjoyment, considering that she was pretty much laughing at anything. So, she had no reason to think that James was a little out of whack!

On the move again, the Seaward focused back on the battle. She still had to win this thing, after all. Remaining in place and giggling herself breathless wasn't going to make the Hoppip fall over and faint. Lashing out again, she repeated the Tackle much like the one before.

Hmm, what a peculiar duo...

[Rafa]

The Hoppip looked up at it's two opponents, now QUITE angry.

<It's rude to laugh, y'know...MEANIES!> it said in Poketalk, straightening itself up.

Alas, it was only met by yet another Tackle from the Seaward, and shot backward a few feet from the sudden impact. It seemed to be used to been thrown about, though, and quickly recovered from the blow. The Hoppip paused for a moment, though, and a mischievous smile seemed to form across its face.

Suddenly, it shot forward with a bit of impressive speed, and quickly flipped around. It made a full turn with its tail, aiming right for the Seaward's face with the Tail Whip.

{{Yes it is. XD}}

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[Corvina]

Marina paused in her giggles for a moment as the Hoppip spoke up. Well, she did feel a bit guilty for attacking, but this was a battle, right? She was allowed to fight however she wanted! James just stood there, observing the Hoppip's face boredly. He couldn't understand a word that Hoppip just said, so of course he didn't say any mean remarks back. Even if he could understand it, James wouldn't care if the Hoppip called him mean. It would be more like a compliment, in his case.

" I say you try another Tail Whip. Show that Hoppip how it's really done! "

James chuckled, amused as the Hoppip wag its tail in Marina's face. Ha, that wasn't going to do much to his Seaward! Especially if that Hoppip wasn't going to physically damage his Pokemon either...

Marina followed the Hoppip's tail as it swung from side to side, feeling her defense weaken a bit. Oh well, that wasn't a problem to her. Moving back, Marina extended her tail out in front of her, and wagged her tail much like the Hoppip did. She smiled, trying to show off her attack, which she considered to be much better than the Hoppip's could ever be!

[Rafa]

The Hoppip observed the two as they ignored its attack. It was very angered now, and wanted to jump the Seaward, but, alas, it was too small for that. It stuck its tongue out at both human and Seaward, only to be distracted by the latter.

The Seaward seemed to be copying what the Hoppip just did. Hoppip felt its defense drop a bit, but it was intently following the Seaward's tail. Its head moved from side to side as the Seaward did with its tail. After a about half a minute, thought, the Hoppip got dizzy - or so it seemed - and fell backward.

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[Corvina]

James rolled his eyes when the Hoppip stuck its tongue out at him and Marina. When he looked back over at the wild Pokemon, he noticed that it had grown dizzy in the short time that he had looked away. Were the Seaward's attacks really that powerful? He only thought that the Tail Whip was going to lower the Hoppi's defense - not make it fall over!

" Er well... In that case, Tackle again! "

James said with uncertainty, wondering if the Hoppip had fainted. No, that would be impossible; Tail Whips weren't supposed to do damage.

Marina was a little surprised herself when the Hoppip fell on its back. Nonetheless, the Seaward began to giggle at the wild Pokemon's... well, misery. Hearing James telling her to use Tackle, Marina crept back a bit. Once she felt she was far enough away, she pounced towards the fallen Hoppip, testing to see how much fight it had left with a Tackle.

[Rafa]

The Hoppip knew it hadn't fainted yet, it was just pretty dizzy. It attempted to get itself up, when it heard it's opponents laughing at it. The laughter confused it a bit, and it fell back again. Nonetheless, it got itself up again. Only, this time, it was knocked down by a Tackle from the Seaward.

<Can't even let a Pokemon get up without being disturbed...> it muttered to itself, as it prepared to use its trump card already.

Suddenly, a green glow surrounded the Hoppip. It quickly faded away, and the Hoppip swiftly got itself back up, charged with power. It knew that it could always rely on its Synthesis move in battle.

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[Corvina]

Synthesis?

James' expression went glum when the Hoppip started to recover some of its health with that attack. No freaking way! All that hard work that Marina had done... It just faded away? Even the Seaward was silenced, disappointed that the Hoppip recovered some of its health back.

" Argh! Not cool! Marina, Tackle it down again! "

James fumed, obviously irritated by the Hoppip's recovery. Well now, it looks like the male was all flustered instead of the Hoppip!

The Seaward heard her trainer's sharp tone of voice, not wanting to disappoint him anymore than he already was. Looking all serious now, Marina sprang forward, trying knock that Hoppip's health back down with another Tackle.

[Rafa]

<Fufufu!> the Hoppip chuckled, obviously enjoying it's opponents' reactions. It was especially joyed that the human had thought he had almost fainted it. Well, the Hoppip was at least going to put up some of a fight.

While the Hoppip was gloating in its small victory though, it was hit by surprise by the Seaward's Tackle. It is said that you are more hurt when not suspecting attack, so the Hoppip was quite shocked and critically hit. So much that, well, it's Synthesis move it just used was quite useless now.

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[Corvina]

Was this Hoppip just wasting his time? Unimpressed, James stared at the Grass Pokemon through an angry eye. So, Marina had just made that that Synthesis attack useless. Well, that was good, considering he was growing bored of this battle quite quickly now. It wasn't all that interesting when the foe couldn't even really fight back...

" Marina, no more games, alright? Let's finish this Hoppip off now! "

James instructed, shifting his gaze to the Seaward. He could see that his Pokemon had the same opinion as him about this Hoppip. She still remained silent and a distracted expression occupied her face.

Slithering up to the Hoppip again, Marina prepared to take down that wild Pokemon before it could use Synthesis again. If that Hoppip got the chance to heal again, this battle would stretch out even longer! Upon nearing the Hoppip, Marina jumped forward, attempting to use what she hoped would be the last Tackle.

[Rafa]

<Eh?> the Hoppip said, immediately hit by the Tackle.

It fell over, quite exhausted. Nonetheless, it had a little energy left. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to defend itself and it sighed.

You may now catch the Hoppip.

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