(After this post)

The Nidorino waves his right paw again.

????!Nidorino: <Oh, reading memories uh? Must be unconfortable... I wouldn't like it no thanks, Poison type here...> -- shakes head and steps back -- <It's OK then... don't worry. I'm just going to wander around doing absolutely nothing of relevance. Unless you somehow get currency to spend, that is...>

The Nidorino turns tail and walks away in a random direction. Meanwhile, the Espeon tries to search deeper until he senses something warm, if harsh, all around him.

«...Oh? Where is this...? ...Ouch! Take this~! ....? Food? Outside?»

The Espeon lets himself be dragged by the very faint memories for a moment, becoming stronger and lifting the veil that covers them as he falls in tune with the sensations that surround them, lost into the shape of (rusted up to an almost unbelievable point) routine in the adult brain of the gator.

«....Oh! Food outside~ Mom is going to teach us to be a good hunter!» -- purrs.

(After this post)

Espeon: <...Fine then, here I go~>

The Espeon leaps up to Skye's back, with some difficulty because of both his previous incursion and because clinging to the Steel Pokémon's body was a much harder task that required somewhat uncomfortable use of fangs.

????!Nidorino: <...Those peoplemons are all [nut]jobs...>

Espeon: <So... let me examine your mind and tell me what do you want me to try to find.>

The Espeon starts focusing on the memories Skye holds, finding her much much harder to examine, as if somehow a veil of unwritten history was covering the Skarmory's memories, as well as the already hard to process sensory barriers. Still, as soon as he found a random tendril of memories floating around, he clung to it with his full attention, hoping that Skye would be able to guide him in the right directio of whichever she, in the end, wanted to go.

(After this post)

Espeon: «...Again with the human stuff? Ugh... I guess at this point I should no longer question it... though,» -- takes a mental look at Skye and Lake -- «had the humans that much difficulty to understand, beyond the barrier of spoken language? Or... did they just not want to see...»

Feeling the presence of this Pokémon in the memories is important, the Espeon inquiries mentally to Skye whether he should continue digging, or perhaps switch to somewhere else, or just drop the matter altogether.

Meanwhile, outside...

????!Nidorino -walks along a Sentret couple: <...[Herbs]? Very fresh and nice, only Ꝑ12. Come on, you only get these prices near the [Perch]...>

Unruins of Alph

∽Last night∽

After receiving the thanks from Skye and Lake, the Espeon goes drink some water from a drink, smiling as the Nidorino is trying to chase a small Pidgey flock and convince them to buy [herbs]. After that he returns to the group, and waves them a goodbye presumably before they go to sleep.

∽This morning~

The Espeon wakes up after a night of sleeping on a nearby tree. He yawns and leaps down to take a look around when he notices a greenish-Salamence landing nearby. With a Rattata on his muzzle.

Espeon -looks quizically: <...My, I can see somemon elese likes the good cuisine...>

A certain Nidorino can be seen scampering around, giving chase to a family of Pidgeys trying to convince them to switch to Treicko buy some [herbs]...

(After this)

Espeon -blinks a couple of times: <...And here I thought I had seen all.>

He turns and walks around for a moment, thinking. Then he addresses Gino again.

Espeon: <Well, it can not be as weird as those weird mons who "remember" there are humans around. Can you believe that kind of stuff?> -- waves a paw -- <Still, if you want to, you're pretty lucky. You'll be my last client as a seer. I'll only charge you Ꝑ200... or a favor after we're done...>

(In response to this...)

Espeon: <...I miss my mom~> -- sniffs -- <Uh... ah. Oh, yes, memories and stuff. Riiiight.>

The Espeon lands on the grass, wipes a couple of tears, blames it on an allergy and wishes Gino good luck.

Espeon: <...I don't know why suddenly everyone believes in fairy tales about humans but whatever, I think I have a cleaner idea now... I've heard very embelished tales about humans are told in the region of Unova. Whoever is telling them must be quite skilled because, honestly, you guys feel like you were drugged living in a fantasy world.>

The Espeon goes drink some water again, then returns to Gino.

Espeon: <As for payment, that favour we talked about... Do you have a day of spare time? It'll take less than that, but I don't want to make promises.>

(Looks like this post... :cool: was replied to.)

Espeon: <...Really? Like, really? Thanks! You are a great cat-like-dragon-thing! Hang on, I'll go fetch my stuff...>

After a moment the Espeon returns with a small stash and a necklace holding a Shell Bell. The Nidorino from before eyes the scene curiously as he scratches his ears with his right paw.

Espeon: <Well, then we can go. This will be glorious! We'll teach them...> -- hops up to Gino's back -- <Let's fly south, to the [sacred forest]! I'll guide you~>

YEAAAAAHHHHHHHH~!

Ilex Forest Sacred Forest

It's a normal Friday of normality, where absolutely no abnormal things happen. Caterpie and Weedle are wiggling around, noming leaves under the watchful eye of a Butterfree or a Beedrill. Hoothoots announce the passing of the normal minutes of a Friday, with one of them complaining something about a "leap second" coming soon and annoying the rest. A Spinarak is bullying two smaller Spinarak to get their lunch money and spend it on Lansat juice. Two Growlithe are examining the grass in search of an easy meal. A small Stantler herd, having taken a detour from their usual migration route, enjoy the view of the small mountainridge to the east. A mother Raticate is gathering her offspring for a small trip to the western beach. Two or three random Paras annoy passerbies with their incredibly low encounter rate.

Yup, it's a normal Friday.

Nothing weird or unexpected could possibly happen.

(After this)

The Espeon tried focusing, obviously sensing some distress in the angry buzzing approaching.

Espeon: <...The smugglers? Wish I knew! That's why I want to be a P.I.!> -- walks before Gino -- <But I have strong suspicions about who the dealers are. And with a big dragon like you around... we should be able to uncover them easily.>

Across the clearing several Pokémon are making their away. A Noctowl was angrily staring at the duo from a perch, apparently exasperated at his lost chance for an easy meal. From behind some trees, a couple of Rattata, Oddish and Swadloon were looking expectant. A Leavanny appeared out of nowhere and entered the clearing, facing Gino decidedly to give the children time to reach safety.

Leavanny♀: <B-b-b-big monster, go away!> -- points to the direction the angry buzzing comes from -- <Leave our children alone, or else!>

Taking the opportunity, most Spinarak were already climbing to the safety the dense branches could offer, and the Oddish were gathering in small groups and camouflaging themselves in the tall grass.

Espeon -hushing to Gino: <...I have the slight impression we are not exactly welcome...>

As soon as those words are pronounced, a group of four Beedrill arrive to the clearing and start dancing around Gino and Espeon. To the possible surprise of both of them, a Ursaring appears following the quartet.

(After this post)

At the mention of suspicious characters, all Pokémon started eyeing each other with hints of curiosity, blaming or threatening. For a moment it felt like things were not as nice in the forest after all. Everyone were staring at each other, everyone was under suspicion.

Except the "Dunsparces". While they gave some shifty looks in various directions, no mon bothered with them.

Espeon: <...I feel even less welcome now.> -- pats Gino -- <Lemme try something.>

The Espeon walks up to the Ursaring, eyeing the Beedrill with some nervousness, and addresses the larger Pokémon.

Espeon: <We meant no ill will. We are just trying to find a specific Pokémon to deal in business with.>

Ursaring: <...This business means I can not nom more honey?>

The Espeon fell perplexed for a moment, then turned to Gino for a hopeful moment and then back to the Ursaring.

Espeon: <...I don't think so, no.>

The Ursaring narrows his eyes at the Espeon, then at the Beedrill, after a moment he simply shrugs and turns back to walk away.

Ursaring: <As if I cared anyway. I was just making sure no one else wanted to steal that honey...>

One of the Beedrill flying around Gino leaves the Salamence and goes to talk to another one.

Random Beedrill #3: <...That's right, we were supposed to chase that Ursaring out of our hive when this happened...>

Random Beedrill #2: <.....> -- mentally facestingers -- <Don't tell the others... Fine then, random cat and... thing. You can stay for a while.> -- turns to his group -- <Everymon at the Ursaring!>

The Beedrill enter a frantic dance, poking the air with their stingers and scaring the smaller Pokémon around; then they start giving chase to the Ursaring, who hurries away. The Leavanny starts collecting some of the Oddish and Sewaddle to call them away from the Espeon.

Espeon -to Gino: <...It looks like we are on our own...>

(After this)

Espeon: <...A tree with guards? Most likely all important trees are guarded by Beedrill and Ariados... but I think you are up to something...> -- points to the Leavanny gathering the saplings -- <Those bastards, I'm sure they are dealing Lansat to saplings and kits... so the tree must be near a nest or a school.>