Name: Kira Blackwood
Age: 18
Pokemon: Vibrava, Dewott, Jolteon, Vulpix

Name: Cognac Arzi
Age: 19
Pokémon: Zoroark, Absol, Umbreon, Houndoom, Krookodile, Weavile

Whisper. Point. Stare. Back away.

This sort of attention was something this traveler was more than used to. After all, even back home, his rarer, more peculiar Pokémon typically attracted a lot of attention to themselves, and to him. Pokémon from Unova were rare in other regions, though there were patches of them scattered throughout certain areas. One of this traveler's most trusted partners was a Pokémon from Unova...but this creature was rare even in its home region!

So, of course, people stared. They whispered. They pointed at the strange Pokémon and his nonchalant, quiet Trainer. The creature itself mirrored its Master and ignored them all. The two of them stood side-by-side on the deck, leaning against the railing and peering out over the expansive, swelling sea around them. The Trainer was taller than his trusted Pokémon, but only by four inches or so. They stood perfectly still. The salty air whipped at the Trainer's hair and the Pokémon's thick fur. A small crowd of people, other passengers on the luxury line, began steadily forming behind them, most of them intent on getting a closer look at this very rare creature.

"I do beg your pardon."

The whispering stopped short. The Trainer was glancing over his shoulder, a single bright, honey-colored eye fixed on the nosy group. "I don't mean to intrude on your...whatever it is you're doing, but...it's very rude to stare," he continued, voice low and velvety. He had a strange accent...a peculiar mix of an English and French accent. "Disperse, would you? We didn't charter this ship to feed your inane curiosities."

Warily, the group started dissolving, the curious passengers going their separate ways. The chestnut-haired Trainer, all decked out in an expensive black suit, reached out and patted his Pokémon's broad shoulder, almost as if he was apologizing for the impolite behavior of his fellow men and women. The Pokémon didn't even flinch.

Mere minutes later, the impressive luxury liner began approaching its destination. Slateport was the largest active port city in Hoenn, but even it wasn't accustomed to welcoming such a large liner into its dock. The massive ship just barely fit into the dockyard building, almost scraping the ceiling during its entry. The passengers quickly poured out of the ship, bustling along and jostling others as they did so. The strange Trainer was one of the last passengers to leave the ship. When he did so, his rare and rather intimidating-looking Pokémon was still by his side. The Trainer dragged a couple of suitcases along behind him. Other than the six Luxury Balls lining his belt, that seemed to be all the luggage he had brought along with him.

"Come, Shadow," the Trainer called, making his way out of the large building. The large Pokémon's ears perked up considerably--he quickly broke into a powerful bound to follow his beloved Master, startling a portly old woman wobbling her way out of the market and almost causing her to drop the armful of vegetables she'd purchased earlier. "We ought to find a Pokémon Center...and then we should find a place to stay for the next day or so. We still need to chart out our course, so to speak. I know you don't want to do Contests..."

The fox-like Pokémon wrinkled his nose. "Zoooo," the creature grumbled under his breath, obviously not liking the idea of Contests. "Zo."

"All right, all right..." The Trainer chuckled, traipsing along without a single care in the world. He had a graceful gait, like he was a skilled dancer. "Have it your way. You and your juvenile stage fright. What a dreadful thing it is. Perhaps one of our other companions might be more open to the idea. I certainly hope so. It seems like fun."

The black and red-furred Pokémon snorted in response, purposely dragging his feet behind his Trainer. He was still attracting a generous amount of attention to himself--people would glance at the strange pair, look away, and then quickly glance back to get a better look at the Pokémon, looking very confused. It was a rare breed, indeed. A few passing Trainers, mostly rookies, whipped out their Pokédexes to get a better idea of what the Pokémon really was. Both the graceful Trainer and the powerful Pokémon ignored the unwanted attention, trooping along the cobblestone path toward the Pokémon Center.

"Kira Blackwood, your Pokemon are fully healed and ready to continue their journey. Please come and receive them!" Came the sweet and caring voice of Nurse Joy, arousing a petite female from her light slumber. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing a pair of ocean blue eyes in which within nano seconds were shrouded in excitement. Getting up from the all to comfy couch of the Pokemon center, she stretched a short few seconds before making her way to the nurse. Handed three Pokeballs, she jumped a little in pleasant surprise as a spikey yellow colored creature jumped into her arms licking her face.

"Jolllllllt!" The Pokemon exclaimed, nuzzling her cheek with his nose.

"Alright!" Kira laughed, patting the energetic Jolteon lightly on his head. "I am so proud of the four of you!" She hugged the electric Pokemon tightly for a few moments as she let everything in the past several hours sink in.

Kira Blackwood started out on her Pokemon journey only four and a half months ago. Her fellow companion Jolteon, whom she had raised since she was nine, and Oshwatt accompanying her. An hard working Pokemon Trainer she was, longing to reach the level of the Pokemon League champion some day in the near future. It was a dream she had carried since her beloved Jolteon had hatched and here she was. Resting in Slateport's Pokemon center, five Hoenn region badges tucked her backpack and merely three more to go! Three! How was this possible?

Coming back to the present by the Pokemon in her arms wiggling free, Kira let her arms fall limp to her sides. "Alright, alright. I did say we'd stay put and explore a couple days before continuing. So let's exit, shall we?" Kira said lightly, pointing to the doors of the center. Before the female could even finish her sentence, the Pokemon had jolted to the door. Standing on its hind legs, paws against the glass doors like a cat waiting to be fed. Kira pushed the doors open, watching her Pokemon bolt away. ”Wait! Byte, get back here! Kira hollered, watching and realizing where he was heading.

The large and peculiar Pokemon was what caught Kira first, standing there nearly as tall as the male figure walking next to it. It was a Pokemon she had never seen before..in real life that is. Kira was a genuinely curious person, wanting to learn everything there was to know about Pokemon. The Unova region Pokemon were about the only Pokemon she could have said she hadn’t put as much study time in. She walked rather quickly towards the lot of them, Byte’s fur sparking with electricity as he pawed at it’s feet, but he wasn’t challenging it. This was his strange way of greeting another Pokemon, but she could tell the Pokemon was filled with as much curiosity as herself.

Finally reaching them, she looked at the new Pokemon for a long second and to whom she could only assume was the trainer. ”I’m sorry about that.” Kira spoke, pointing at Byte who was still interacting with the large Pokemon. ”He has a one track mind. If he sees something interesting, he automatically goes to investigate.” Kira said, laughing a little after her she finished.

The uncommon Pokémon's reaction was swift--so swift, in fact, that his Trainer nearly missed it. The large, fox-like creature stopped dead in his tracks, striking ice blue eyes snapping down to the creature sniffing curiously at his clawed feet. His upper lip lifted over his razor-sharp teeth and a low, almost territorial growling sound rumbled out from deep within his chest. His fur bristled, the thick hair standing up in an arch along his back. He lifted a single large paw, armed with long, curled crimson claws, obviously intending to strike at what he believed was a foe. An enemy. Something that was planning to attack him.

"Shadow!" The creature froze mid-strike. His Trainer, now a few paces ahead of him, was now standing and facing him, tapping his dress shoe-clad foot on the ground. He folded his arms across his chest, raising a well-defined eyebrow. "Where are your manners? This Pokémon is just curious--can't see you that? It obviously means you no harm," he chided, shaking his head a couple of times. "Simmer down. That's no way to treat a stranger."

The impressive beast, evidently called Shadow, relaxed his posture. That arch of fur standing up along his back flattened considerably, though not completely. He kept a wary blue eye fixed on the creature below him. He certainly wasn't acting like a Pokémon should. He seemed to want nothing to do with the other Pokémon, though he did sniff the air a couple of times to perhaps try and pinpoint the other's scent. His Trainer appeared to be satisfied with his trusted partner's behavior, because he tore his eyes away from Shadow and turned them on the other Pokémon's Trainer.

"My most sincere apologies." For how young this male seemed to be, he certainly spoke in an articulate manner. He was dressed in a fancy way, as well. One thing was certain--this young Trainer definitely wasn't a resident of the port town of Slateport. He didn't look the part, nor did he act the part. And that rare Pokémon...

"Shadow is uncomfortable around strange people and Pokémon," the Trainer explained, glancing sympathetically at his closest confidant. The rare Pokémon was still, not moving a single muscle, as the other Pokémon greeted him. "He always has been. Oh, ah..." The young man flashed the other Trainer a rather charming smile, taking a few steps forward. He extended his hand, still smiling. "My name is Cognac. Cognac Arzi. I just arrived here moments ago by ship. I live in Unova. I, ah...I completed my quest for the eight badges in Unova, and now I plan to travel the world with my trusted companions. I, ah...I train Dark-type Pokémon, exclusively. Like my illusion-creating partner, my Zoroark. Shadow."

Shadow, the Zoroark, turned his head in Cognac's direction as he spoke. Cognac was a well-known Trainer in Unova, but not well-known anywhere else. The fox-like creature broke away from the other Trainer's Pokémon, returning to his Master's side. He felt most comfortable when he was close by his Master, of course. Cognac patted the creature's arm, attention fixed on the unfamiliar Trainer.

"And who might you be?" he inquired, head tilting slightly to the side. At the very least, Cognac seemed friendly. His Pokémon friend, though...