...Round 08: Vs. Wartortle...

Name: Hwang Hyelim (Scientist Aid) 황혜림 
Age: 16
Trivia: Allergic to nothing
???: -

Current Pokémon Party:

Toro (50) ♂
 Brave Nature

Rosso (50) ♀
 Naughty Nature

 

Rono (50) ♂
 Impish Nature

Wailo (50) ♀
 Sassy Nature

 

Passo (30) ♂
 Relaxed Nature

-

Name: Do Kyungsoo (Coordinator?) 도경수 
Age: 16
Trivia: Allergic to nothing
Ribbons: 05

Current Pokémon Party:

Emy (37) ♂
 Lonely Nature

Furry (33) ♀
 Relaxed Nature

 

Rosy (35) ♂
 Calm Nature

Pachy (30) ♀
 Brave Nature

 

Pixy (32) ♂
 Modest Nature

-

 

There was a breeze in the air and wild Pokémon in the trees and bushes. It was a picturesque normal day and almost surreal-

Except that it was surreal.

Because there was a distinct patch of snow by the lakeside and from her vantage point she could still clearly see the shifting, transparent image of Snowpoint City hanging mid-air. 

She stared at it a moment longer, lips pursed while Rosso was keeping an eye out for any wanderers. 

"Hyelim!" a familiar voice called out. She turned around, relief escaping her expression; she could legally isolate the area if a professor deemed it necessary. 

"Professor Jo," she greeted politely, tilting her head.

"Hyelim," the man repeated, grinning. He passed her immediately, eyes locked onto the opening behind her. "This is amazing! Quarantine the area, will you?"

"Yessir," Hyelim agreed immediately, recognizing the lost-to-the-world look in the Professor's eyes (thankfully, this time, according to plan). 

"Hyelim," another voice called. She turned, matching eyes with Kyungsoo. "Where in the world have you been? Are you ok? Don't cancel on me last minute like that; it makes me worry."

He finally seemed to look past her and he gaped.

"Is that...?" he trailed off.

"That," she explained, her lips quirking slightly in amusement, "is why I wasn't able to make our meeting date. I fell through. It was a smaller...opening before."

"Where does it lead?" he asked, eyes focused on hers. She her lips.

"Snowpoint City," she answered honestly, saved from any additional conversation when a loud gasp was heard clearly.

"Is that what I think it is?" a male - clearly another professor - questioned, near running up to the scene. 

"Professor Im!" Professor Jo greeted, grinning. "Can you believe it? Where are the others?" 

"Professor Lee and Jung are on their way," Professor Im reassured, chuckling good-naturedly. He sobered, spotting the odd phenomenon. "We're going to need assistance in...exploring the pathway."

"That," Professor Jo decided, pursing his lips, "we can agree on."

...

"I can't believe you sometimes," Kyungsoo complained, sighing.

"Believe me?" Hyelim repeated with confusion.

"Yes, you," Kyungsoo confirmed, absentmindedly wringing his hands together. "We plan a get-together for the first time in months and you get swooped up in a magical portal."

"It wasn't my fault," Hyelim defended in reminder, one eyebrow raised.

"That came out wrong. I can't believe your luck," Kyungsoo corrected, sighing once more. "And next time, you can tell me you know."

"I wasn't certain what had happened," Hyelim admitted, turning to the professors then. "Professor Jo, did you call?"

"Over here," Professor Jo confirmed, waving the female over.

"This conversation is still not over," Kyungsoo stated, furrowing his brows.

"Later," Hyelim promised before darting over to the adult. "What do you need?" 

"Well actually, I need your help," Professor Lee declared, adjusting his glasses. 

"We have a gym leader in mind to help us investiage," Professor Im explained. "The problem is..."

"The last time we asked for a favor...basically, a female has to request it," Professor Lee completed with a sigh. "And seeing as you're currently the only female here..."

"You want me to call and make a request," Hyelim surmised, sighing. 

"How do you know the person wasn't joking?" Kyungsoo asked suddenly, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

"Not much of a joking type," Professor Jung inserted, chuckling. "So will you do it?"

"I don't see why not," Hyelim agreed, shrugging off Kyungsoo's hand while reaching for Professor Lee's Pokégear - one of the older handheld versions. 

"Hyelim," Kyungsoo hissed but already the call was connected.

"Hello?" Hyelim called first, stepping away from the group - and Kyungsoo - for some semblance of privacy. 

"Who are you?" a distinctly female voice questioned with underlying steel. 

"I'm Hyelim, Professor Jo's assistant," Hyelim introduced, giving Professor Lee a puzzled look. "He said that one gym leader requested a female dictate the next favor?"

"Hwang Hyelim? Birthdate the 27th of March?" the female asked with slight recognition.

"January actually," Hyelim replied automatically.

"Good," the female declared, amusement clear in her voice. Hyelim relaxed slightly. "What is the favor?"

"There's a...portal by Lake Verity and from what we gather, it leads to Snowpoint City," Hyelim explained factually. She paused. "Based on my experience, the trip is-"

"Dizzying and sudden," the female completed matter-of-factly, "because you didn't see it coming."

"Yes," Hyelim confirmed, surprised. "How do you...?"

The question trailed off between them. 

"I'll be there in 48 hours. Is the area quarantined?" the other questioned, command in her voice.

"Done," Hyelim answered immediately.

"Keep it that way," the female ordered firmly. Her voice switched to amusement again. "And tell Professor Lee I was teasing."

There was silence.

"So?" Professor Jung asked. Hyelim processed the conversation for a second before finally speaking.

"No one told me the gym leader was female."

"What?" Kyungsoo sputtered, flushing. The Professors looked between each other and shrugged.

"Ok," Hyelim sighed, moving onto the more vital matters. "48 hours."