[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

Spoiler

You Teleport or glide to the campsite. There are several Berry bushes growing there in 2017, so each of you can have 1 Sitrus Berry.

It sure is easier going in 2017! The Route is well-kept, and there don't seem to be any looming threats from wild Pokemon, Scimitars, or ancient traps. Maybe word hasn't spread quite yet...


A few hours later, you reach Teazel Valley! The eponymous teazel plants are everywhere near the town - big spiky plants that are currently flush with purple blooms. The most common Pokemon here is Beautifly - they flit from flower to flower along with other pollinators. A rare Vivillon is considered to be a lucky sight in Teazel Valley, and some people read fortunes in the patterns on their wings (something Shiva discovers from the Guide). 

Combee will collect double Honey here. 

The Valley is actually several shallow bowls grown together. 

One contains all the town's buildings: fresh grocers, outfitters, a cluster of battle arenas, and hostels. 

One mini-valley has been allowed to grow a little wild, and that's what you're walking through right now: small forests and lots of campsites. You even see an RV with a familiar bovine Pokemon on top...

The final shallow bowl is the biggest. Two great horns of land cradle a broad expanse of Tall Grass, native grasses, sparse trees, and many bodies of water surrounded by gentle hills. A log gate and gatehouse fills the entire gap in the horns, sealing off what must surely be the Safari Zone. 

Mist rises from the pools and gathers under the dense forests, but the rest of this region is warm sunlight! There are plenty of boulders rising up above the greensward, where reptile Pokemon soak up the heat or mammalian Pokemon nap. Nidoran, Buneary, and occasionally Azumarill dig warrens in the lee of the boulders. There are rumors of forgotten barrows and tunnels beneath the ancient valleys, so sometimes people will glimpse very strange Pokemon.

This is also the town where all sorts of high ranking League officials come to train. 
Lots of lesser trainers work to earn enough money to buy better Safari equipment.

Cool, free Sitrus Berry.  Yoink.

Everything seems quiet now, but Nathan is a little on edge.  As soon as the Scimitars find out Juni's been captured after she disappeared for three years, the heat will be on.

Anyways, Teazel Valley is definitely knownfor the Safari Zone first and foremost!  And also in particular, the Safari Cup!  Marco once came first in that event, so Nathan definitely has some big shoes to fill here.

On top of that, Nathan has a particular goal in mind: see what he can learn about that Delta Parasect that Vincent briefly ran into during his own visit here.

...he's gonna need some cash, that's for sure...

That RV with the Miltank on top definitely catches Nathan's eye as well, though.  And Shiva's I bet.  They're the only two currently in the group who would recognize it, in fact.

Needless to say, Nathan's eager to see some friendly faces.  And assuming the RV's owners are aroynd, Nathan's definitely gonna beeline for the RV to say hi!

"Belle!  Tramp!  Long time no see!  How ya been since the Spring Festival?"

Not sure which encounter I want to pick yet, tbh.  Definitely wanna do this small bit of RP, though!

"NAAATHAN! Wow! Good to seeya, buddy!"
"Aw, it's Nathan! Looking tan! And something different about you... I guess you're growing up!"

"MOOOO"

"Yeah! We're still touring Creshire, just to see what's happening. We caught last week's Safari Cup and we'll leave after this week's is over. It's a special treat because they let you in the upper floor of the Gate to watch the tourney inside the Zone!"

"Chipchip chip chipchipchip!"

"Oh! This is Pachirisu, our newest roadtrip partner. She likes to sit on the dash and watch the world go by. Haven't yet convinced her that the top of Trax is the place to be!!"