[Independent Study] If You Can't Do It Alone

Powar's Energy = 19 - 5 (entry) = 14

It may have been a cloudy day, but for Powar, it was sunny. Yes, it was harder to photosynthesize while the weather was what it was, but at least there was hope that he could actually be successful. Today, Powar is making his second trip into the Pecha Forest. This time, he is not alone, though. This time, he has a Totodile he met on Peak Academy campus. He looked strong, but also was very gentle as evidenced by the touch he gave into his shell on that fateful day. Also, he knew a lot about Turtwigs, so maybe he could learn how to be a better Turtwig from a non-Turtwig that knows a bunch. At the same time, this adventure started because Chiron asked him for help trying to study on a major he shared: Essential Skills. Fortunately, he was about to try to do some cooking on his own after getting a literal taste in his own class, so if the pair could work together, they could both possibly earn merits from the endeavor.

The hard part would be physically gathering the materials to cook with, so Powar was off to Pecha Forest for Round Two.

In addition to having the Totodile by his side, a certain Delibird dropped an odd stone in his stocking in the passing holiday. He's held onto the green and brown stone ever since, with it being the currently sole possession in the brown bag strung around the Turtwig's shoulder. With the Totodile by his side, he's more ready than ever to finally fill his bag, especially now that there's a reason to fill the bag. So much to do, so much meaning to his life. "This is the place. We just need to find as much food as we can, without completely passing out. Shouldn't be too hard of a task, with you around." With one more smile at the Totodile, just outside the forest, Powar takes a deep breath of photosynthesized air, despite it being less than usual, and walks slowly into the forest.

Chiron was trying to figure out what exactly the Essential Skills were. His dad signed him up for that class because it would be useful for when he gets older.nChiron agreed to it, it would help him in the future, right? Well, he needed help trying to figure out how exactly to study for Essential Skills to get a leg up on the competition and or classmates. He didn’t ask Powar here for help, no, he just saw Powar and the two decided to look for Essential Skills food things together. Yeah, that’s obviously what happened, Chiron would never ask for help because he knew what he was doing! He just...um...he decided to observe one of his fellow classmates. That was all, he didn’t ask for help. He didn’t need help. He obviously didn’t need help, he just said that to follow Powar around.

Because Chiron needed help.

“Well, of course it won’t be hard, Powar.” Chiron explained to the Turtwig. “For the aforementioned reason, and because Pecha Forest is the easiest dungeon out there, used by low level exploration teams to train constantly.” Chiron put on a confident grin, knowing his new friend would be impressed he knew that. “There’s one minor issue, though...how exactly does one find food in a dungeon?”

Powar's Energy: 14

"Yeah, easy dungeon. Honestly, I've heard a similar statement from a Piplup I saw on my last trip here. Something along the lines of my 'first adventure' not actually being an adventure."Finding food in a dungeon? That was a pretty good question. Good thing the stories he's heard all had one thing in common in regard to Mystery Dungeons. "On the front of Berries, I've heard lots of stories about Mystery Dungeons. They change so significantly over time that even flora like Berry bushes could disappear and reappear elsewhere. One day, they're picked clean, the next, there's another Berry. We just need to keep an eye out for those bushes."

The Turtwig took another deep breath, with the tree cover even further reducing the density of oxygen while still permitting for a slightly higher amount than normal. It wasn't completely dark, but the partial cover dampened the sunlight a tad bit. "But of course, all of that is just Fairy-Type tale lore."

“Dungeons don’t really change.” Chiron corrected the lesser informed Pokémon. “The berries ‘appearing’, as you say, is just them regrowing.” Still, keeping an eye out for berry bushes was smart. He’d do that. Maybe it wasn’t so bad having someone accompany you to a dungeon. Chiron could have figured out to look for berry bushes on his own, though, he would have been smart enough. In fact, it was time to demonstrate his smarts. “Did you know there’s more than fifty different kinds of berries?” Chiron stated, not exactly knowing what the different kinds were called but knowing they exist. “There’s sixty seven different types, to be exact.” You can never impress someone too much.

Powar's Energy: 14
He was just getting acquainted with this smart fellow of a Totodile, but one can only get so far with Powar after correcting him on such an important thing as his learnings from stories. When the Totodile proceeded to add another fun fact about Berries, it seemed like he was already trying to avoid facing him head-on. The Turtwig's previously peppy high pitch grew slightly deeper as the Turtwig voiced his defense. "So you mean to tell me that these 57 kinds of Berries just happen to regrow within hours? That there's always a clear sense of direction through these Dungeons? How do you explain Berry bushes being everywhere? How do you explain the large number of lost Pokemon cases? Or the Pokemon that need help from the Guild?"

A thousand questions washed over Powar, but it was too much to get out. He started drawing heavy breaths, and he dropped off his legs to fidget rapidly. Today already wasn't a good day, and it might get worse.

Chiron sighed, crossing his arms as he stood in place. He was rather unamused at the moment by Powar. “There are berry bushes everywhere because we’re outside. In a forest.” Chiron explained to the Turtwig. “Those that need help from the guild are the ones that get so helplessly lost in a forest they start walking around in circles thinking everything around them changed. And, if I may suggest that something a little more sinister is at play here, those lost Pokemon probably weren’t even in those dungeons to begin with. Maybe they left and that’s why they couldn’t be found.”

Chiron had noticed Powar was getting defensive, but that wouldn’t stop him. “There’s a logical explanation for everything, Powar.”

Powar's Energy: 14

Powar trembled more in his panicked state as Chiron tried to explain things... he started to ponder of the validity of his stories... were they really just glorified figments of imagination? Was what he knew about the world really only what he thought he knew, and the real world is not at fancy as he thought it was? Was it really that much simpler of a world than he thought it was? Was it, at least in the Pecha Forest, not as dangerous as one might think? Were those lost Pokemon cases really just cases of less-than-smart individuals?

After pondering all those things, Powar started to feel like there was at least a tad bit of compassion... much like the Chiron he first met on campus. The reason he offered to take him here. Chiron wasn't just trying to show off the random knowledge he had about random things. Yes, Chiron burst his bubble and ruined his high hopes of stories that were a motivator to become a part of, but he was giving more realistic expectations of the world, especially given the fact that it would be more peachy and less dangerous than his original expectations.

Powar's shaking and fidgeting slows a bit, as he starts to weep. Yep, he was getting emotional. Here's hoping he has better luck after having exposed his bad side to a friend he met exactly one other time. In a hollow voice, Powar begins to speak. "A... logical explanation..." Yep, his stories threw things to extreme measures... but isn't that what makes it memorable? That it's not normal? "Thanks. For not just running off." Powar wiped his few tears, and got back up on his legs, with a shred of confidence he didn't have before. "Let's do this."

Arestortle carried out 10 launched of one Pecha Forest :

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“Why would I run off?” Chiron asked, curiosity in his voice. “All you’re guilty of is being uninformed or misinformed. You didn’t just commit a horrible crime like murder, I’d have no reason to run away from you or run off.” Chiron looked around for berries, or berry bushes, searching for anything he could find. Who knows, maybe he might find something he could use for his invention. Maybe some stray wood or something sturdy? A platform, really. “Besides if you committed murder I’d want to know why. It’d be interesting.”

Dia-mond Star carried out 1 launched of one Pecha Forest :