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Here's the information on Penny, her team, and the restaurant. After the opening day event last thread, and the steady week of work, the restaurant is in a better spot financially. At the moment, the vibe is paradoxical in the sort of food it serves, but will settle on one as the restaurant matures. Scyther's training has also been reflected.

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>>5589896

The menu at The Tall Tale! Tankoyaki is the new item this week, but nothing else has changed since the last update of the char sheets.

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>>5589899

The information that Penny has. 'Potential Research' isn't all-encompassing. There are plenty of write-in options still available, that I just haven't put down yet, and there might even have been some that slipped my mind.

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>>5589901

Lastly, where we left off last thread (>>5589774), The Tall Tale is currently experiencing its morning lull. Right before lunchtime is the most unpopular period, as Fish and Chips doesn't make a very good breakfast. As such, there's the usual block of time for Penny to do something before rush hour.

>Train Scyther. You're getting pretty close to a marked increase in his skills. [5/8]

>Practice cooking Flying-types. Your Ducklett supply is getting limited. If you can't have the quantity, you'll work on increasing the QUALITY even higher. It'll be a gradual process, as you learn the ins and outs of Flying cuisine. [2/8]

>Go talk to Brady. He's here pretty early, and is eating his usual order. His bag is with him, which he lacked the last time he was with Munroe, so it looks like he's planning on going out again.

>Chat with the sailor chick who's here once again, and who's ordered a bunch of side dishes.

>Those nerdy looking fellas are back. They have luggage with them today, and their conversation is a little bit more subdued.

>Work on a breakfast menu, having more options will increase revenue in the morning. Your new chef will make sure you're not overwhelmed by this addition, and help you maintain your free time.

>Write-In

And lastly, a start of thread reminder that I don't take combined options under the majority of circumstances. If multiple options are picked, I'll only count the first one mentioned in a post.

This quest isn't really my thing but I gotta say, I respect the hustle. Quality effort QM.

>>5589905
>>Train Scyther. You're getting pretty close to a marked increase in his skills. [5/8]

>>5589907
Thank you!

Oh, yes, I should count the votes from the old thread here. If you left your vote there, don't repost, please.

>>5589814
Go talk to Brady (Ask him about Rotom)

>>5589815
>>5589819
Train Scyther

>>5589816
Talk to sailor lady

I like the character sheet.
Question : Herbal food and robbery malus are still active on Scyther?

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>>5589922
God fucking dammit, I knew I was missing something. Sorry, here's the corrected version. The buff and debuff has already run out.

>>5589905
>Train Scyther. You're getting pretty close to a marked increase in his skills. [5/8]
I voted this in the last thread as well

>>5589905
>Train Scyther. You're getting pretty close to a marked increase in his skills. [5/8]

>>5589905
>Chat with the sailor chick who's here once again, and who's ordered a bunch of side dishes.
When we have a sous chef we can start training Scyther at our leisure, lets speak to more townsfolk. I honestly can't believe we skipped over the Team Dash grunt, that seemed like a one time appearance that won't ever come back.

>>5589905
>Write-in
>Post a help wanted ad for a sous chef

As much as we're vying for Liam to stay longer, Macy is still going to go soon. We need qualified help to get some of the higher-level responsibilities done so we can focus on running the business and developing the menu.

Also am I the only one who suspects that Liam is Sizzlebro's son?

>>5589905
>Practice cooking Flying-types. Your Ducklett supply is getting limited. If you can't have the quantity, you'll work on increasing the QUALITY even higher. It'll be a gradual process, as you learn the ins and outs of Flying cuisine. [2/8]

>>5589905
>>Go talk to Brady. He's here pretty early, and is eating his usual order. His bag is with him, which he lacked the last time he was with Munroe, so it looks like he's planning on going out again

>>5589905
>Train Scyther. You're getting pretty close to a marked increase in his skills. [5/8]
might wanna work on that breakfast menu next though

>>5589905
> Talk with Brady

Probably some good hunting intel there.

>>5589905
>>Those nerdy looking fellas are back. They have luggage with them today, and their conversation is a little bit more subdued.

>>5589905
>Train Scyther. You're getting pretty close to a marked increase in his skills. [5/8]

>>5589905
>Go talk to Brady. He's here pretty early, and is eating his usual order. His bag is with him, which he lacked the last time he was with Munroe, so it looks like he's planning on going out again.
I’ll back the other anons who mentioned he’d have some good hunting/catching tips.

>>5589937
We already posted our own ad last thread and have a couple interviews lined up.

>>5589905
>Go talk to Brady.
Maybe we can be hiking and/or hunting buddies?

>>5589905
>Train Scyther. You're getting pretty close to a marked increase in his skills. [5/8]

>>5589905
>Those nerdy looking fellas are back. They have luggage with them today, and their conversation is a little bit more subdued.

>>5589905
>>5590573
On second thought, changing my vote to:
>Go talk to Brady. He's here pretty early, and is eating his usual order. His bag is with him, which he lacked the last time he was with Munroe, so it looks like he's planning on going out again.

>>5589905
>>Train Scyther. You're getting pretty close to a marked increase in his skills. [5/8]

>>5589905
>Practice cooking Flying-types. Your Ducklett supply is getting limited. If you can't have the quantity, you'll work on increasing the QUALITY even higher. It'll be a gradual process, as you learn the ins and outs of Flying cuisine. [2/8]

Ducklett is her THING
I'd like to train Scyther next when he has a buff to training, since he's 3 away from the next tier and training while he's in a neutral state got him 2 levels. he did get 1 level naturally from octillery practice, so this is hardly a concrete estimate of the most action-efficient course of action, and we don't really know when we'll next get a chance to get him in a receptive mood, but I think it's solid enough reasoning to make decisions on.

>>5589905
>Check our Spagetti alle clamperl

Valentina trashed this. Is there a need for improvement?

Also other ideas for improvement from her review:


Marked up wholesaler food/slop sides we could improve:
- house cheese stick dipping sauce
- house salad dressing
- make our own bread or source fresher bread from a nearby bakery for better garlic bread?

Not bad (the other sides):
- Bucket o’ Clauncher (This seems like a ripe opportunity for improvement. Brady likes it so maybe we make some variations and run them past him.)

Augh. That was annoying. Whole site died. Goddamn I hate captcha.

>>Train Scyther. You're getting pretty close to a marked increase in his skills. [5/8]

Got it written up. Posting in a moment.

>>5590778
I think I conveyed that part poorly. Scyther only got 1 point from training. However, for the last two days, he's been getting an automatic +1 each day. I bundled them together, so that I wouldn't possibly forget to add it in at the end of the work shift.

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>>5590872

>Train Scyther. You're getting pretty close to a marked increase in his skills. [5/8]

With nobody else around at the moment, you decide that you might as well train your partner. You've been letting him chop up Octillery this week, now it's time to get a bit of precision out of him. You whip out a Barraskewda and heave it onto the counter.

"Alright, buddy, here's your chance. We're gonna train you to start chopping up fish."

"Ther! Scyther! Scyther?"

He stares at the fish with intrigue, raising his arms over his head. Your partner walks back and forth, looking over the carcass and working out where to slice first. He's better suited to cutting large fish. It's a dangerous prospect, as any wastage from him will be devastating due to how much meat is on the body. However, he can't cut small fish with his gigantic claws. It's simply too much to ask from him at this point in time.

"You remember the basics, right? First, you cut off the fins. Go ahead."

He touches his scythe to the orange fins, then slides them across the counter and separates it from the body. You toss the fins into a bin while observing him at work.

"Alright. Now, I want you to touch your arms to it- like that. Parallel. Yeah."

It's not like most Pokémon can properly understand a concept like 'parallel', but he obeys well enough. He sets his scythes on the surface of the body and begins raking it in one direction, scaling the Barraskewda while you wash them into the basin with a hose. After he's done, you grab the Pokémon, and with monumental effort, flip it over.

"HRRGH!"

They're about thirty times heavier than their pre-evolution, but you manage to get it flipped onto its other side so that Scyther can scale it too.

"Slow down, bud. Don't rush it. It's not time to cut into it yet."

You gut the fish on your own. That's definitely something Scyther doesn't have the precision to do. After pulling all the organs out and draining the blood, you give the area another wash, then give him clear orders to cut at specific points. Under your supervision, he manages to do a good enough job at it to produce food that you can take pride in serving. He heads off to clean his claws under the ultraviolet sanitizer, while you examine the large cuts of meat he's managed to get off the fish. There are plenty of meat scraps left clinging to the bone, and you save those for later. You can make yourself some home cooked soup out of it later on.

The prepared filets go into the refrigerator, and you move on to cutting up some smaller Pokémon by hand.

"Good job, Scyther!"

>Scyther Training- Tier 1: [6/8]

=====

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>>5590873

One training session later, you find yourself swamped with customers. You put him to work on cutting up vegetables and Berries, as well as mincing ingredients for the dishes, while you handle pretty much everything else. You fry and grill fish, ladle soup into bowls, and expertly carve up Ducklett and serve it with quinoa. The Tankoyaki is properly on the menu now, although you haven’t had the chance to reprint it. You’ve been forced to use a single large poster instead, which you’ve mounted on the chalkboard sign outside. Hyping it up for the last few days has led to it being a very popular dish, that you won’t ever risk running out of.

You notice quite a few new customers, who come for takeaway orders. They’re mostly teenagers who get the Tankoyaki and sit down to take photos before moving off. After working hard for a busy couple of hours, you settle down and serve the last of the Ducklett.

Ding!

The bell rings, and you see a tall man stride into the restaurant. He looks around at the décor, taking in the aesthetics of The Tall Tale. He doesn't seem like a customer, and you quickly head over.

"Hi, I'm Penny." You say, holding a hand out.

"Pablo. You are ze chef and owner?" He asks, his Kalosian accent slipping through.

He accepts your handshake, gripping your hand firmly and giving you a swift nod. His movements are jerky and twitchy. A curly black mustache sits on his upper lip, and he has a sling bag with him. He digs into it and pulls out a folder, which he sets down on a nearby table.

"Shall we get to ze interview?" He asks, motioning to the papers.

"Uh... Not yet, sorry. Can you wait a little while? I still need to wrap up. Have a seat in the meantime."

Pablo nods and settles into a chair. You fetch him a glass of water while attending to customers.

Ding!

The door opens again, and you see a bespectacled, older fellow walk in. You don't recognize him as being from town.

"Hey there." He greets, recognizing you immediately. This time, he's the one to offer a shake. His hands are rough and calloused.

"Hi. We spoke online, right? You must be... James?"

"That's me." James confirms, as he looks around the place like Pablo did. "You're quite young to have a whole new restaurant under your name."

"Yeah. Fresh out of my apprenticeship. Have you been working in the industry long?" You ask, as you show him to the table Pablo is waiting at. The two give each other casual nods in greeting.

"I have. I'll settle down and wait, however, it seems like you still have work to do."

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>>5590876

Finally, your last applicant skips in and flashes you a smile. She's a girl with bright blue hair, styled into twin tails. She looks a lot younger than the two who've just walked in, around the same age range as you and Macy, probably. Can't have years of culinary knowledge behind her, but she certainly looks enthusiastic.

"Hi! Isabella here. Nice to meet you, Ms. Pudding, I've been reading about your restaurant a lot." She gabs, as soon as you head over and catch her attention.

"Oh, you have? That's good to hear."

This one only just applied late last night, when you were already asleep. You sent her a message in the morning, and fortunately, it seems like she's found the time to make it. You direct her to the seat, then head to the kitchen to prepare your last orders. A couple orders of Tankoyaki are laid out for them, so that they're not left bored while their interviews await.

You mentally review the three of them, as well as what they've told you about themselves online. You should definitely choose one to interview first, and find out the most about. Unlike that time where you grabbed part timers, you can only hire one chef this time.

Pablo is a chef from Kalos. He's been working here in Wokhei for a while now, and online, he said that he parted ways with the restaurant he worked at due to 'creative differences'. When asked about why he wants to work in a seafood restaurant after spending so long in fine dining, he cited dishes like the Ducklett and Murkrow that you sold, talking about the potential for him to help with high-class cuisine you seem to be going for at times. His specialities are Poison-type Pokémon, but to him, it's more about the focus on presentation and cooking style than the actual type.

Then there's James. The guy quit his old job to go globetrotting and pick up culinary skills from various regions. Now he's back to his hometown of Lobraise, after a long journey, and would like to put his skills to good use. He's an expert in Rock-type Pokémon. Surprisingly, he mentioned online that his old restaurant used to stock Fossil Pokémon. You were taken aback by that, and asked him plenty of questions about it, but he remained tight-lipped over text.

Finally, Isabella, who's a Water-type chef like yourself. She learnt the trade in Stewview, at an official Culinary School, currently has a provisionary license, and this will be her first job as a chef in a restaurant. She's looking for an internship for school, and is hoping to come on permanently at the end of it. She has her license, but will be just as unexperienced as Macy in certain aspects. You took a look at her profile, and saw that she was 21. Quite a bit younger than you. If you choose her, you'll have to liase with the school and serve a supervisor role in her eventual grading, which might be a bit of an extra work.

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>>5590878

Pick someone to INTERVIEW first and find out more details about. After that, you'll truly decide on who to hire for your restaurant. You need to find out a little more about each in your interviews, but whoever seems the most interesting to you ought to get some special attention.

>Pablo. The type of Pokémon he cooks is quite different from yours. However, if you really want to go for that expensive, classy vibe that you've taken some steps towards, he's a good choice. He brings things to the table that you might be completely lacking. You fear potential conflict though. The fucking French- I mean, people from Kalos tend to get a little uppity about their food, and he clearly has quite a bit of professional pride.

>James. He's an old hand, and can bring lots of experience to the table. He's also a pro at Rock-types, which is one of your subspecialties, so if you expand your menu to include them, he can definitely help out greatly. He'd be a mixed bag of skills, with experience in the industry for quite a while, and despite being hired as YOUR helper, he could probably give you quite a big of guidance.

>Isabella. She's new to this, so you can guide her in the direction that you require from the very start. The lack of experience means that, as young as you are, you'll be the most senior employee in the kitchen. She's also doing this for a school internship, and seeks to impress you enough that you might want to hire her for real. You'll be putting faith in her to be a good student, and you'll have to do a little bit of extra paperwork with the school in Stewview.

>>5590880
>>Pablo. The type of Pokémon he cooks is quite different from yours. However, if you really want to go for that expensive, classy vibe that you've taken some steps towards, he's a good choice. He brings things to the table that you might be completely lacking. You fear potential conflict though. The fucking French- I mean, people from Kalos tend to get a little uppity about their food, and he clearly has quite a bit of professional pride.

Am afraid of James illegality. Also, the Kalosian, all high and mighty they are, tend to have their shit together when it comes to food, taking influence, subliming them.
While still asserting us as the boss, while recognizing the guy as an expert technician, we might benefit of his guidance. Plus his expertise is good for mareanie and tentacool lines collab.

>>5590880
>Pablo. The type of Pokémon he cooks is quite different from yours. However, if you really want to go for that expensive, classy vibe that you've taken some steps towards, he's a good choice. He brings things to the table that you might be completely lacking. You fear potential conflict though. The fucking French- I mean, people from Kalos tend to get a little uppity about their food, and he clearly has quite a bit of professional pride
The french love japs and vice versa. We bring up Masao and he might get excited

>>5590880
>>Pablo. The type of Pokémon he cooks is quite different from yours. However, if you really want to go for that expensive, classy vibe that you've taken some steps towards, he's a good choice. He brings things to the table that you might be completely lacking. You fear potential conflict though. The fucking French- I mean, people from Kalos tend to get a little uppity about their food, and he clearly has quite a bit of professional pride.

>>5590880
Ugh. I want James, but I’m worried about Isabella being poached by Sizzlipede.
>Isabella. She's new to this, so you can guide her in the direction that you require from the very start. The lack of experience means that, as young as you are, you'll be the most senior employee in the kitchen. She's also doing this for a school internship, and seeks to impress you enough that you might want to hire her for real. You'll be putting faith in her to be a good student, and you'll have to do a little bit of extra paperwork with the school in Stewview.

>>5590880
>James. He's an old hand, and can bring lots of experience to the table. He's also a pro at Rock-types, which is one of your subspecialties, so if you expand your menu to include them, he can definitely help out greatly. He'd be a mixed bag of skills, with experience in the industry for quite a while, and despite being hired as YOUR helper, he could probably give you quite a big of guidance.
This isn't so much about who we're choosing, this is just the interview.
I think we should learn about James more, where the other restaurant got fossil pokemon from for instance.
Though, interviewing Isabella could also be interesting.
We could just hire all three.

>>5590880
>James. He's an old hand, and can bring lots of experience to the table. He's also a pro at Rock-types, which is one of your subspecialties, so if you expand your menu to include them, he can definitely help out greatly. He'd be a mixed bag of skills, with experience in the industry for quite a while, and despite being hired as YOUR helper, he could probably give you quite a big of guidance.

Experience with different kinds of cuisine and synergistic with our specialty? I have the feeling he can help fuel the creative approach to our menu that's been our edge against Sizzlipede. Help us stand out more and make unique dishes they won't be able to rip off easily.

Interested in Isabella as well, just because its always easier to train someone from the ground up then have to gel with someone who may already be set in their ways, but I think James is the most interesting option so far.

>>5590880
>James
A Rock-type specialist will also be god at working with flying-types, which are abundant here, AND he's a local!

Isabella seems nice, but sadly has little to offer us at this time.

>>5591006
>spoiler
"Unlike that time where you grabbed part timers, you can only hire one chef this time."

>>5591015
Ah, my bad.

>>5590880
>Isabella. She's new to this, so you can guide her in the direction that you require from the very start. The lack of experience means that, as young as you are, you'll be the most senior employee in the kitchen. She's also doing this for a school internship, and seeks to impress you enough that you might want to hire her for real. You'll be putting faith in her to be a good student, and you'll have to do a little bit of extra paperwork with the school in Stewview.

Likely the best fit but will require the most supervision.

>>5590880
>>James. He's an old hand, and can bring lots of experience to the table. He's also a pro at Rock-types, which is one of your subspecialties, so if you expand your menu to include them, he can definitely help out greatly. He'd be a mixed bag of skills, with experience in the industry for quite a while, and despite being hired as YOUR helper, he could probably give you quite a big of guidance.

>>5590880
>>Pablo. The type of Pokémon he cooks is quite different from yours. However, if you really want to go for that expensive, classy vibe that you've taken some steps towards, he's a good choice. He brings things to the table that you might be completely lacking. You fear potential conflict though. The fucking French- I mean, people from Kalos tend to get a little uppity about their food, and he clearly has quite a bit of professional pride.

>>5590880
>>James. He's an old hand, and can bring lots of experience to the table. He's also a pro at Rock-types, which is one of your subspecialties, so if you expand your menu to include them, he can definitely help out greatly. He'd be a mixed bag of skills, with experience in the industry for quite a while, and despite being hired as YOUR helper, he could probably give you quite a big of guidance.
I'm most interested in James as a hire, and he's also the least defined, so he's where more detail will be useful to have
Pablo is a bit too prickly and his benefits are too distant from where we're at right now. Maybe if we were a year or two out, had fixed our sides, had a bit more leeway to go for exotics like Poison types, and established a clearer vibe in his direction, he'd be perfect, but as it is, he's probably mostly a source of more conflict.

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Fixed the name typo

>>5590880
>>Isabella. She's new to this, so you can guide her in the direction that you require from the very start. The lack of experience means that, as young as you are, you'll be the most senior employee in the kitchen. She's also doing this for a school internship, and seeks to impress you enough that you might want to hire her for real. You'll be putting faith in her to be a good student, and you'll have to do a little bit of extra paperwork with the school in Stewview.

>>5590880
>>James. He's an old hand, and can bring lots of experience to the table. He's also a pro at Rock-types, which is one of your subspecialties, so if you expand your menu to include them, he can definitely help out greatly. He'd be a mixed bag of skills, with experience in the industry for quite a while, and despite being hired as YOUR helper, he could probably give you quite a big of guidance.
Interview James, try to learn about the fossils.

I want to hire Isabella, though. Especially to keep her from getting poached by Sizzlers.

Uh guys, how do you eat a rock type? Some if not all are literally rocks. Are we gorons?

>>5591990
QM has suggested that many of them are built more like a crustacean or mollusk, with juicy bits inside a hard shell.

>>5591993
I see, just jumped in this thread so I didn't catch it. Soft insides should have been the go to for me, they have tongues and eyes in the show after all. It's very interesting this quest. Have we talked about fighting or ghost?

>>5590880
>James. He's an old hand, and can bring lots of experience to the table. He's also a pro at Rock-types, which is one of your subspecialties, so if you expand your menu to include them, he can definitely help out greatly. He'd be a mixed bag of skills, with experience in the industry for quite a while, and despite being hired as YOUR helper, he could probably give you quite a big of guidance.

We don't really have much time to spare for Isabella. And I'm afraid that Pablo will have similar issues like with his old work place especially with our mixed menu. Also we have much better guess on both of their skills then James so we need more info about him to be sure we are not getting into a trouble.

>>5591734
Ayy thanks anon!

>>5590892
>>5590912
>>5590942
>>5591132
Pablo

>>5591006
>>5591012
>>5591013
>>5591103
>>5591228
>>5591785
>>5592043
James

>>5590996
>>5591089
>>5591775
Isabella

James' interview scene will get particular attention in writing. The next vote will be for the actual hiring to confirm it.

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>>5592154
>James. He's an old hand, and can bring lots of experience to the table. He's also a pro at Rock-types, which is one of your subspecialties, so if you expand your menu to include them, he can definitely help out greatly. He'd be a mixed bag of skills, with experience in the industry for quite a while, and despite being hired as YOUR helper, he could probably give you quite a big of guidance.

It takes a bit of time to finish serving the rest of the customers. The last customers get their food, and you flip the sign outside to indicate that the place is closed. You'll be spending extra time cleaning and closing later, since you're being delayed by the interviews you have to do.

"Could you come up first, Mr. James?"

"Just James is fine, really. If you're planning on hiring me, that is." He smiles, as you guide him to another seat. He settles down, his back straight and his hands folded on the tablecloth. You take a good, long look at the middle-aged chef. He has grey hair and large mutton chops, that stop just short of being a beard. There's a bit of stubble, but otherwise he's well-groomed and professional. Clearly not his first interview, but you're probably one of the less fancy places he's applied for.

"Alright. James-"

It feels weird calling someone that much older than you by his first name. It's less egregious with your master, since you use an honorific, but you still can't get yourself out of that apprentice mindset, where people much older address you as one of the adults and expect you to do the same. It's a similar situation with Officer Robert.

"Where were you before coming back home?"

"Alola. I've been travelling, like I said, and that was the latest stop. I went there to end off my trip with an actual vacation location. Did pick up a lot of local cuisine too, though."

He motions to the Slowpoke poster above the counter.

"Part of why this place happened to grab my attention. Ate a lot of Slowpoke tail there, so I felt like I was gravitating towards it, y'know?"

"Maybe we should add it to the menu sometime... Anyway, where did you work before it?"

"Oh, all sorts of places. I worked in Roastville, Bakehold, there was a period where I was head chef in a Flamburg restaurant."

"All up North, huh?"

"Yep. That was years ago, though, I've been on the road for quite a while now. Galar, Alola, Kanto, all sorts of places."

"Which restaurant did you cook those Fossil Pokémon at?" You ask, leaning forward in interest.

"An overseas one. You know that most of them are protected, yes? They're either owned by trainers or kept in habitats for scientific study."

You nod.

"Yep. How'd you get the chance to cook them?"

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>>5592213

"Well, the majority of aquatic Fossil Pokémon are used to higher temperatures. The seas nowadays are too cold to house them, and they don't thrive. Omanyte is an exception."

"It is?"

"That's right. Omanyte can thrive in our current climate. Quite a few have been released by trainers in attempts to reintroduce them to the population. Which I think is... real unwise."

You can't help but agree, seeing how invasive species have been such an annoying thing to deal with recently.

"And they started reproducing, so hunting them got legalized?"

"Bingo. They taste real good. They're legal to import, but not to farm locally. There's technically places they can live in Wokhei, particularly around Boilerside, but farming is illegal to discourage people trying to place them back in the ecosystem."

Despite being an expert on Water-types, you didn't know that! Must be the Rock-type expertise coming in. Importing Omanyte might be quite the novelty, then. Most restaurants would likely not think of serving them in the first place, due to Fossil Pokémon in general being assumed to be illegal to serve up.

You spend a little while more talking to him about Rock-types that you prefer serving. He's on the same page as you when it comes to implementing Klawf and Crustle eventually. The fact that he grew up right here in Lobraise is what got him interested in Rock-type cuisine in the first place. He certainly knows local ingredients, which plays into that local hunt theme you've been growing interested in.

Next up, the other two get their turns for interviews. You're doing it in the order they approached you online in, so Pablo is next. He brought a proper portfolio with him, showing pictures of dishes he's cooked, awards he's received, and images of his old restaurant staff. There are a lot of fancy spots in there. His Soupe de Poison is one of his signature dishes, and the 'safest' Poison-types are also usually Water-types. There's a bit of overlap with your skill set there, in his mildly toxic speciality, which you could potentially make use of. He asks you just as many questions as you ask him, though, about your work process and the state of your kitchen. He provides a high standard as an employee, but it's clear he has equally high standards for you as a boss.

Isabella, the last one to be interviewed, is bubbly and excitable. She promises to work hard and do her best, for the sake of the internship, and talks about how grateful she would be if you hired her. Her Water-type speciality means that she won't have to adapt as much to your cooking style, but her lack of experience is the most obvious problem. You're already sorta training three people, and it might eat up more time, even if she does have the highest affinity with your restaurant.

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>>5592214

Once you go through all of them, you thank the three for their time. You pass out some bottled drinks as a parting gift, and promise to get in touch soon. They head on out, and you begin cleaning the kitchen and closing up shop. While you work, you think about who you want to hire for real. You've heard a little bit about all three, and James most of all, so now you have to select the person who you'll be working with as your second in command.

>James

>Pablo

>Isabella

>>5592215
>>James
As long as he's not doing anything sketchy, he seems like a bro. I want to serve Omanyte now.

>>5592215
>James
Backtracking from my first input with the frenchie as James is not illegal sighted, good synergy, easy to deal with thus opening sweet, sweet time to train scyther and jailbreak rotom phones

Also, should have asked about their partner pokemons.

Also, we should ask Liam if he wants to come for Hunt/Poke catching as safety is a concern when out alone

>>5592215
>>Pablo

>>5592215
James

>>5592215
>James

>>5592224
Supporting this choice and line of reasoning. Hunting buddy!

>>5592215
>James

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>>5592285
I'll take that as a full support of Rotom phone research.

>>5592215
>>James

>>5592215
>>James

we should keep isabella on the backburner.

>>5592215
>>James
It'll be good to have someone with a lot of experience to help us over some of the hurdles of establishing ourselves in the market. He also seems pretty easy-going so I dont think he's likely to cause problems with other staff members (assuming we hire another server after the kids leave)

>>5592215
>Isabella

>>5592215
>James
Sure, I’ll back the train even if I’m worried about Isabella getting snapped up by Sizzlipede.

A note for Isabella and Pablo
>If they do get hired elsewhere locally then keep in mind that we’re looking to collab with other restaurants and chefs.
We’re looking to create unique dishes to highlight each other’s specialties. They help us design/make one for our restaurant, we help design/make one for theirs, teaching the other exactly what they need to do in order to bring out the type we’re specialized in for that dish. Full credit where it’s due, any chef involved will be mentioned by name along with where they work.

It ought to mean more for Isabella, as if she works for another restaurant and they partner with us then she gets to absorb our knowledge. We’re the only Water specialist we know here. For Pablo, I’d assume getting his name on a dish at another restaurant would be the main draw.

I'd love to get a special contract with Pablo like "Pablo's Thursday"

>>5592366
Honestly not a bad idea.

>>5592359
Yeah, I'm hoping this doesn't make her want to take revenge on us or something silly like that.
Though your ideas are pretty good.

>>5592215
>>James
As much as I love the idea of branching into some poison types
I think James would be the best option
Also I can't help but imaginen him as James from the anime with MuttonChops

>>5592215
>>Isabella
Really really really really really really really really don't want her to get poached by our competitor.

>>5592215
>>Isabella

>>5592214
>Isabella

>>5592215
>>James

Gonna close votes, count, and write!

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>>5593321
>James

As you clean up for the afternoon and finish closing, you decide that you want James around. He has both experience, and expertise that overlaps with yours. You’ll be able to expand your menu in another direction with him here. You’ll have to let the others down, unfortunately, but that’s how it is. You can’t afford multiple chefs if you’re still planning on getting a partner.

Speaking of partner, that’s tomorrow! You’ve been planning on going out to catch one. At the moment, the only other alternate option you have is contacting Anissa to obtain a Paras Egg. That should be easier than going out. Anything else will require an exploratory trip. You wonder if you’d be safer with multiple people, and consider inviting Liam along. You’ve encouraged him to catch a Pokémon of his own, and that could be a good opportunity.

However, you’d be responsible for him out there in the wilderness. Your license allows you to hunt, and like your old fishing trips with Masao, bringing Liam along would mean he’s allowed to act as your assistant. That would make him your responsibility if anything were to happen. You finish closing up shop and head upstairs to relax, while planning out what you’ll be spending your afternoon and evening doing.

You hate it when places don't get back to you fast. You don't want to do that to Isabella and Pablo, so after an hour or so of lounging around and doing assorted chores, you head onto your laptop to send him a message.

>Hi, James. Thank you for coming by earlier. I'm interested in having you as a sous chef, could I confirm that you'd be able to start working on Monday like you said earlier?

He replies in a short while.

>Yes, I would. I look forward to working with you.

>Great! Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask... Do you have any Pokémon partners?

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>>5593380

As a licensed chef, his own Pokémon would be able to help in the kitchen as well, and he definitely has some. That's a little bit of extra labour, like Scyther. However, you know that you can't take it for granted that he'd be willing to put his Pokémon to work. You also need to think about where it could slide into the workflow. For example, if you were to get a job at another restaurant, you wouldn't automatically have Scyther work alongside you. And speaking of Scyther, it'd have to be a Pokémon who could get along with him. It might make the kitchen too crowded if you have to acclimate him both to a new partner and James' assistant.

>I do. A Breloom, Mienshao, and Minior.

>Minior? Those are rare, did you catch it in Alola?

>I did, it's quite an adorable one. It'll just be me working, though.

As a Rock-type specialist, it makes sense that he's gotten Pokémon who can deal with them easily. They're decent hunting partners, rather than being kitchen aides like certain creatures could be. The choice is a little similar to you in that aspect, with a Scyther that's more specialized for killing than cooking. Minior is a bit of an odd choice, and it makes you curious. You'll have something to chat with him about later on, then.

>Alright. See you Monday!

You move on to texting the other two, informing them that you've decided to take on James instead. Both of them respond with humility, and Isabella asks for recommendations on other places that may be hiring in town, for the sake of her internship. You let her know about The Bay Leaf, and she thanks you, stating that she'll go check it out.

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>>5593384

With that out of the way, you work out what you want to spend the afternoon doing. You feel that you want to stay home in the afternoon, and possibly go out at night for something. There are quite a bunch of prospects you can pursue at home. You're done with chores and errands, fortunately, so there's no need to worry about those for now. There are also two decisions you might want to make, in addition to everything else going on.

>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday? (There's potential risk in bringing him along for the first time)
>Would you like to contact Anissa about purchasing that Paras? (Will select it as the second partner, and will mean Sunday can fully be spent on hunting)

You ponder on whether to send the two of them a text or not, before you start spending your Saturday break on something.

>You can spend the afternoon practicing. Scyther is tired for today, but you might be able to make some food out of the remaining Ducklett and brush up on your Flying cooking. [2/8]

>Read an old article that might still have relevant information. There's definitely a ton of bloat that's useless by now, but there might still be something helpful lying in the backlog. (Write-in)

>Work on your menu. There are a lot of things you could still add. Promotions, new items and Pokémon, styles of cooking, etc. (Write-in, some example choices are in the potential research sheet)

>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone.

>Write-in (Something else entirely)

The thing with Liam and Anissa are Yes/no votes that decide on potential paths without affecting the choice of activity, feel free to abstain if you're indifferent.

>>5593385
>>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone.

I want the Rotom partner over any wild thing.

>>5593385
Read an old article that might still have relevant information. There's definitely a ton of bloat that's useless by now, but there might still be something helpful lying in the backlog. The many flavors of Tauros

>>5593385
>>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone.

Let's research the train yard pokemon as partners. I'm interested how Timburr does in a kitchen environment.

>>5593385
>>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone.

>>5593385
>You can spend the afternoon practicing. Scyther is tired for today, but you might be able to make some food out of the remaining Ducklett and brush up on your Flying cooking. [2/8]

>>5593385
>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday
>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone.

>>5593385
>>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday
>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone

Joltick baby

>>5593391
Forgot to vote on the Liam issue when I brought up the idea...>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday? (There's potential risk in bringing him along for the first time)

>>5593385
>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday? (There's potential risk in bringing him along for the first time)
>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone.
Are we grooming Liam at this point?

>>5593725
technically yeah. dunno why anons are obsessing about this particular dude though

>>5593385
>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone.

>>5593385
>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone.
>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday? (There's potential risk in bringing him along for the first time)

>>5593725
Yes. But this is the good kind of grooming.
Would Liam need license to catch and cook fish for himself?

>>5593743
Fish is probably an exception, with mandatory-reading fishermen handbooks per locale to describe what fish must be released or captured instead of cooked.

>>5593731
Anons just want a boytoy or two

>>5593766
i get it, but there are better boytoys, liam is just an overworked kid that wants to fuck off in the near future

>>5593766
Nah, Liam is a little brother.
Travelling salesman Harry, however, owe us... reparations

>>5593385
>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday? (There's potential risk in bringing him along for the first time)
>Yes

>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday? (There's potential risk in bringing him along for the first time)
We’ve gotten surprisingly close to him, so sure. If we’re really unsure about him then we can have him stay near the truck until we whistle for him. There should be a few common patterns to indicate “hey hunt is done cleaners can come over” versus “oh Arceus help I’m dying here”.

>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone

>>5593731
He’s had some available bond moments in the evening and I haven’t minded that much. Most I’d expect from him are some occasional ingredients he sends back to us while traveling though.

>>5593750
I’d imagine there are carveouts legally for subsistence vs. commercial fishing too. The guidebooks would be essential to avoid eating endangered or unsafe pokemon, I’m sure.

>>5593731
>dunno why anons are obsessing about this particular dude though

It's a character with an actual goal that is driven and hardworking plus he has an appearance of underdog so I want to help him. It's like a side quest.

>>5593385
>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday? (There's potential risk in bringing him along for the first time)
No.

>Would you like to contact Anissa about purchasing that Paras? (Will select it as the second partner, and will mean Sunday can fully be spent on hunting)
Nope.

>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone.
What everyone else said, let's research Trainyard Pokemon. I really don't want a Rotom, though, and every time somebody brings it up I want it less.

>>5593385
>>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday? (There's potential risk in bringing him along for the first time)
No
because i forgot to add that to my original response

>>5593725
My vote is yes btw

>>5593385
>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday
Yes
>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone

>>5593725
>grooming
As an apprentice or successor, maybe. He doesn't seem like Penny's type, though I guess you never know how anons will vote. I see Fenton as a better romantic match.

It's more like we're mentoring and helping him out (and if he finds a passion for hunting or cooking and we get a lasting employee and friend out of it, neat!)

>>5593725
>Are we grooming Liam at this point?
We just had a discussion with him a out getting his own Pokemon, and how that would be good for him and his mental state.
So MY thought on this was, if we were going to potentially be getting a new one that it would be a good experience for him to join us and see how it goes down for himself.
100% Big Sis energy rather than cougar going after young boy energy

>>5593917
time to tame the spinarak that saved our asses

>>5593924
SPIDERBROOOOOOO

>>5593924
Team spider isn't my first choice, but it's definitely a close second.

Rotom obsessed anon here,
kinda against joltik or spider as outside of hunt I can't really see what they bring to the table.
Would prefer Timburr both for hunt and help at the restaurant Rotom can wait a later spot opening

>>5593970
>Not seeing the potential for them to make nets and other silk decorations or table cloths for the restaurant
Smh

>>5593385
>Invite Liam
Ara ara Liam kuuuuuuuun. Lol

>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard
Had to look up Rotom. Cool as heck.

>>5593385
>Invite Liam to go hunting on Sunday? (There's potential risk in bringing him along for the first time)
Yes

>Would you like to contact Anissa about purchasing that Paras? (Will select it as the second partner, and will mean Sunday can fully be spent on hunting)
No.

>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone.

If there's another option besides the Trainyard, I'd be interested in researching that instead. I'm interested in catching something, maybe the Trainyard, but the more that one fucking guy talks about Rotom the less I want to support the choice. So not the phone.

>>5594198
>If there's another option besides the Trainyard, I'd be interested in researching that instead.
on the top of my head there's the hunting grounds we usually go and the local park

>>5593939
>>5593924
>>5593961
Spider-Bro would be neat, but I'm open to other suggestions. Maybe not Rotom, though. Seems like a long-shot.

Ah, shit, I kinda fucked up. Sorry fellas. I forgot to add the Write-in tag at the end of the Research option to specify what exactly you guys wanted to research. I'll leave it open for a couple more hours so people can add that to their votes. But after that, I'll look through and count the ones with specific things. Looking like general trainyard ecosystem research is in the lead, inviting Liam, and a final no to the Paras.

>>5594093
>>5594405
Research: Trainyard.

>>5593725
Personally I just want to help prepare him for his journey, it is his dream after all

>>5593385
I don't even want a new partner yet, when did we decide this week was the week?? I thought all the partner-talk was just random anon musing
>>You can spend the afternoon practicing. Scyther is tired for today, but you might be able to make some food out of the remaining Ducklett and brush up on your Flying cooking. [2/8]

>>5594490
I indicated quite a while ago that the hunt at the end of week 3 is when a second partner would be available, once the restaurant was in a stable spot.

>>5593391
>>5594093
Phone research

>>5593575
>>5593612
>>5593792
>>5594442
Trainyard and Pokemon research

>>5593596
>>5593608
>>5593725
>>5593731
>>5593743
>>5593776
>>5593820
Research in general

>>5594198
NON trainyard research

Sorry once again for not properly indicating it was a write-in. I'll take it as the general research options not having objections to the specific ones that have multiple votes. Which means looking into the trainyard and its pokemon is the course we'll go with. Will wait one more hour for objections, then write and post.

>>5594509
It's ok QM, it was quite clear a write-in was expected.

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>>5594509
>Pursuing research, such as looking into the Trainyard or something about the phone. (Trainyard information)

You send Liam a message.

>Hey. I'm going hunting this Sunday. Are you interested in coming along?

He replies after about ten minutes, while you're in the middle of vacuuming under the couch.

>Out in the woods? What do you need me to do?

>Just wondering if you're interested in learning. But I should probably pay you since it's kinda work related. I'm planning on going to the Trainyard to catch a new partner, maybe you could get one at the same time.

>I don't think so, I'm not ready. Plus, hard to house one when I'm out all day, and I don't have the money to upkeep it.

>Right yeah. You thinking about it, at least?

>Definitely. Ok I'll see how and let you know by 2night?

>Sure. No pressure, just want someone to watch my back after last week

>Oh yeah, that incident.

You set the phone down and take your place in front of your laptop. After nearly getting Scyther stolen last week, you're a little wary to go out all by yourself. That's not the only reason, though. You also want to spend some more time guiding him, and maybe cultivate a new interest in the culinary world. You recall the conversation from the other day about passions and interests. If he has any interest in eventually getting into the same line of work, you'd love to provide him the opportunity to start, or at least see how it's like.

You don't plan to depend on him accepting, though. Even if he says no, you'll still be heading out there to catch something, whether as a friend or food. You're also not completely certain that you'll be going to the yard, you suppose you'll see on the day itself. For now, though, you want to be well educated on the yard. Brady has provided almost all the information for you, but you decide to dig deep into the web to figure out what exactly you can find in there.

First, you take a look at naturalist sites reporting on Lobraise's wildlife. There's a short documentary you find on Sliggoogle that talks about the yard, urban explorers posting their logs, and wildlife photographers who have slipped past the fence to take shots. Everybody is completely blatant about trespassing, so you take it as fact that nobody really cares about it. You busy yourself with the various articles and writeups on the yard, hoping to find something useful.

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>>5594588

The results make you grateful that you spent the additional time looking. The area is a lot smaller than the woods and hills, so obviously the variety is lower, but there's still an impressive amount of life around the area. One thing you discover is a photo of a Wynaut wandering around the tracks. Psychic-types are a rare find out here, and they're thought to have medicinal properties that boost mental clarity. They're common in supplements and medicine, with proven efficiency. There's no mention of whether they're actually invasive, though, so it's likely that they're one of those rare Pokémon types who wandered through the woods and decided to stick around in that little sanctuary of a trainyard.

Secondly, there seems to be a population of Grubbin there! You know for sure that there aren't any of them outside the yard, and soon enough, you find an article from a while ago that talks about it. It's the exact same situation as the Pachirisu, where they used to be native to the forest, but found major success only when the yard was built and abandoned. Their affinity with electricity caused them to migrate en-masse into the yard, where they linger near the bottom of the food chain. There haven't been Vikavolt sightings, so either the Charjabug aren't fully evolving, or the Vikavolt don't stick around.

After spending the rest of your time brushing up on research, you're very certain that you've obtained all the publicly available information on the old railway yard. You can now reliably seek out specific Pokémon, though species that are naturally rare are difficult to come across regardless. It shouldn't be an issue to do a targeted search now.

You close your laptop and head over to the kitchen to whip up a snack for yourself and Scyther, then lounge on the sofa while thinking of what you want to spend the evening doing.

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>>5594589

Saturday is the only time you can really go out, so if you want to enjoy some time exploring town, today is the day to do it. Last week's nice dinner at The Bay Leaf was satisfying, and going again could net Scyther some bonuses for the first half of next week, along with the hunt. However, prioritizing spending time with your partner means that you'll pass out on meeting people or socializing with other humans.

>Head out with the intention of meeting people. You'll get ready to go to a place you can have dinner and spend the evening, like one of the pubs.

>Contact somebody you know. You'll take a look at the people you have contact with, and spend some time with them. Maybe you could invite somebody out, or even contact your family/sensei and spend the evening calling them.

>Go grab dinner with Scyther instead, you should give him a reward for his hefty progress in cooking this week. You can feasibly get him started on fish preparation after a few more sessions.

>Stay home and practice cooking. You can give up on socializing for today. You have plenty of time to sacrifice on practicing Ducklett in the comfort of your own home, so if you do choose to do it, there'll be more progress than usual. [2/8]

>Write-in

>>5594590
>Head out with the intention of meeting people. You'll get ready to go to a place you can have dinner and spend the evening, like one of the pubs.

>>5594590
>>Go grab dinner with Scyther instead, you should give him a reward for his hefty progress in cooking this week. You can feasibly get him started on fish preparation after a few more sessions.

>>5594590
>Head out with the intention of meeting people. You'll get ready to go to a place you can have dinner and spend the evening, like one of the pubs.
Phantom Pourhouse is my vote.

>>5594590
>Go grab dinner with Scyther instead, you should give him a reward for his hefty progress in cooking this week. You can feasibly get him started on fish preparation after a few more sessions.

>>5594590
>>Contact somebody you know. You'll take a look at the people you have contact with, and spend some time with them. Maybe you could invite somebody out, or even contact your family/sensei and spend the evening calling them.

Call Masao, ask him about dealing with competition

>>5594590
>>Stay home and practice cooking. You can give up on socializing for today. You have plenty of time to sacrifice on practicing Ducklett in the comfort of your own home, so if you do choose to do it, there'll be more progress than usual. [2/8]
we need more plates to serve so we dont run out of food.

>>5594590
>>Go grab dinner with Scyther instead, you should give him a reward for his hefty progress in cooking this week. You can feasibly get him started on fish preparation after a few more sessions.

>>5594590
>Go grab dinner with Scyther instead, you should give him a reward for his hefty progress in cooking this week. You can feasibly get him started on fish preparation after a few more sessions.

He works so hard for us.

>>5594590
>Head out with the intention of meeting people. You'll get ready to go to a place you can have dinner and spend the evening, like one of the pubs.

>>5594590
>Head out with the intention of meeting people. You'll get ready to go to a place you can have dinner and spend the evening, like one of the pubs
Let's get fucked up!

>>5594590
>>Go grab dinner with Scyther instead, you should give him a reward for his hefty progress in cooking this week. You can feasibly get him started on fish preparation after a few more sessions.

>>5594590
>Head out with the intention of meeting people. You'll get ready to go to a place you can have dinner and spend the evening, like one of the pubs

>>5594590
>Head out with the intention of meeting people. You'll get ready to go to a place you can have dinner and spend the evening, like one of the pubs.
Let's go to the phantom pourhouse and chill with Fenton. Maybe we can figure out a more permanent solution to the haunting problem than getting a banishing from time to time.

Just caught up, real good stuff mate, at first i thought this was gonna be a shitpost due to the OP image, but i was very pleasantly surprised.

>>5594590

>Head out with the intention of meeting people. You'll get ready to go to a place you can have dinner and spend the evening, like one of the pubs.
I’d prefer a new place if it exists. Otherwise I’m actually okay with going back to Anissa’s and either enjoying a quiet evening chatting with her or a waitress or seeing if we find someone we recognize and waving them over. If not, just eating in peace.

Take it easy for this night though. Penny can recharge for tomorrow’s hunt.

>>5595186
See, the Fenton idea is a good one, but there’s also a part of me that wants to keep “getting our spirits banished” by Fenton for the inevitable misunderstandings.

I do admit to getting some laughs out of MC suffering when it’s at that level.

>>5595186
Thank you! Definitely a shitposty concept, but one I'm having fun running with sincerity.

>>5594593
>>5594649
>>5594721
>>5594798
>>5595030
>>5595186
>>5595227
Head out

>>5594603
>>5594654
>>5594663
>>5594685
>>5594949
Scyther Dinner

>>5594661
Stay home

Gonna write. Will be a short one, but I'll most likely make another tonight.

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>>5595604

>Head out with the intention of meeting people. You'll get ready to go to a place you can have dinner and spend the evening, like one of the pubs.

You can't help but feel like your social life is lacking. You went out on that second week (first week of business) to visit the Dragon's Den, and you took a night off to go to the Pourhouse when you were having those troubles with ghosts, but apart from that you haven't had the chance to meet new folks. All the interaction has come right to your doorstep, in the form of regulars, and while you have pretty decent relationships with some of them, you're not a large presence around town yet.

"Scyther, I'm gonna be going out tonight. Behave, okay? I'll go get ready."

"Scy!"

You leave him to watch television while you head to the wardrobe and get changed. After last Sunday, you're wary of him getting snatched again, even though you know rationally that Harry and his Thievul are probably long gone by now. Keeping him in his Pokéball means he could be stolen from you, but you can't exactly have him walking around while you're trying to enjoy your night. The belt you use to keep his ball secure is of decent quality, so it hopefully won't be as easy to snatch as the contest dude from the other day.

It's a little cold out, since it's been a rainy week, so you decide to put on something warm. There's a nice knitwear set you brought from home, that you bought long before coming here, and you realize you haven't had the chance to wear it yet. It's a grey two-piece, with baggy sleeves and a long collar. It looks good enough to go out on a Saturday night with, while doubling up as a warm, comfortable outfit. Once you're done, you head for the living room and return Scyther to his ball, then check that you have everything in your purse.

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>>5595628

There's a short list of locations you're already familiar with. The Den, the Pourhouse, that little League-franchised bar that's familiar to people from out of town, but you've also learnt of a few new spots recently. You plan out your route, intending on walking instead of taking your truck. Being on your own, rather than inviting anyone else, means that you have no designated driver, so you'll have to leave the keys behind. You thumb through a list of places and addresses.

>The Dragon's Den. Go-to spot in town for locals, and seen by everyone as the #1 bar in town. That means it's crowded and a little chaotic, but the atmosphere is familiar. You're trying to become well-liked in town, and truly integrate into the local population, so this might be a great place to become a regular at.

>The Phantom Pourhouse. This is the place Fenton and his goth friends frequent. You're not sure if he's around, but after the exorcism from last time, you've developed a slight urge to check the place out again and get to know it on the surface. The spirits that are clinging to you without a doubt are less horrifying than the first set, but that's probably because Skwovet aren't that scary in the first place, even as hypothetical ghosts.

>The Poké Martini. If you want to run into people who are passing by, this is the best place to do it. It's a franchise found all across the Wokhei region, and travellers tend to seek them out for consistency (and their rewards program). Shiny, new-ish, and not too pricey, but it's nowhere as beloved by local people, so you'll find less of them there.

>The Lullaby Lounge. This is a Jigglypuff-themed bar that does karaoke nights on Saturday! It's smaller than some of the other places, but has a reputation as a sort of hipster/alternative bar to the classic, traditional pubs and drinking spots that can be found around here. It's summer break, returning college students might be present here.

>The Spirit Saloon. Oof, this one looks like it's slowly dying. It has low ratings. Apparently, it's a Wild-West themed place, and it's too gimmicky to be popular in a small town like Lobraise. If it was old, it probably would have become a cultural staple like the Dragon's Den, but its failed to find a footing. Whoever opened it made a financial mistake.

>Write-in. If you can think of other activities you want to pursue or seek out, you could head for one of them instead of just another bar, so long as it's somewhere to socialize and meet new folks.

>>5595630
>>The Dragon's Den. Go-to spot in town for locals, and seen by everyone as the #1 bar in town. That means it's crowded and a little chaotic, but the atmosphere is familiar. You're trying to become well-liked in town, and truly integrate into the local population, so this might be a great place to become a regular at.

Let's get cursed again Sunday, and go double-exorcise

>>5595630
>The Phantom Pourhouse

>>5595630
>The Lullaby Lounge. This is a Jigglypuff-themed bar that does karaoke nights on Saturday! It's smaller than some of the other places, but has a reputation as a sort of hipster/alternative bar to the classic, traditional pubs and drinking spots that can be found around here. It's summer break, returning college students might be present here.
KARAOKE!

>>5595630
>>The Dragon's Den. Go-to spot in town for locals, and seen by everyone as the #1 bar in town. That means it's crowded and a little chaotic, but the atmosphere is familiar. You're trying to become well-liked in town, and truly integrate into the local population, so this might be a great place to become a regular at.

>>5595630
>The Dragon's Den. Go-to spot in town for locals, and seen by everyone as the #1 bar in town. That means it's crowded and a little chaotic, but the atmosphere is familiar. You're trying to become well-liked in town, and truly integrate into the local population, so this might be a great place to become a regular at.

>>5595630
>The Dragon's Den. Go-to spot in town for locals, and seen by everyone as the #1 bar in town. That means it's crowded and a little chaotic, but the atmosphere is familiar. You're trying to become well-liked in town, and truly integrate into the local population, so this might be a great place to become a regular at.

>>5595630
>The Spirit Saloon. Oof, this one looks like it's slowly dying. It has low ratings. Apparently, it's a Wild-West themed place, and it's too gimmicky to be popular in a small town like Lobraise. If it was old, it probably would have become a cultural staple like the Dragon's Den, but its failed to find a footing. Whoever opened it made a financial mistake.
This sounds a bit sad. I'm curious to see it.

>>5595630
>>The Dragon's Den. Go-to spot in town for locals, and seen by everyone as the #1 bar in town. That means it's crowded and a little chaotic, but the atmosphere is familiar. You're trying to become well-liked in town, and truly integrate into the local population, so this might be a great place to become a regular at.

>>5595630
>>The Phantom Pourhouse. This is the place Fenton and his goth friends frequent. You're not sure if he's around, but after the exorcism from last time, you've developed a slight urge to check the place out again and get to know it on the surface. The spirits that are clinging to you without a doubt are less horrifying than the first set, but that's probably because Skwovet aren't that scary in the first place, even as hypothetical ghosts.

>>5595681
+1

>>5595631
>>5595664
>>5595666
>>5595670
>>5595685

Dragon's Den it is! Writing.

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>>5595790

The Dragon's Den. Go-to spot in town for locals, and seen by everyone as the #1 bar in town. That means it's crowded and a little chaotic, but the atmosphere is familiar. You're trying to become well-liked in town, and truly integrate into the local population, so this might be a great place to start. You pour out some dinner for Scyther before you go, and wait for him to empty out the bowl. You'll get him some snacks later, on the way back.

Despite meeting a thief there, you had a good time. Can't really begrudge the bar itself. You're familiar with the route too, and figure that you should visit again instead of looking for a new watering hole. Some of the other options on the list seem enticing, but there's always next week. You keep Scyther out of the ball so he can walk with you the whole way. He enjoys spending time in the evening air, and once the three-storey pub comes into sight, you return him and securely fasten the ball to your waist.

You head inside, and are immediately hit by the lively sounds of the crowd. It's decently crowded today, with a particularly large group of travellers ordering drinks on one side of the bar. You see a few people going over to them with pens and paper, and a few of them are signing autographs. Some kind of sports team, perhaps? Lobraise is too small to have any kind of athletics scene or local team, so they must be passing through.

The varnished oak and orange lighting gives the place a rustic charm, that makes you feel right at home. You give the Dragonite skull a passing glance as you walk towards the counter. The bartender and owner is there like last time, serving drinks to Darrell and a few of his hunting friends. You recognize some of them from Opening Night, where they brought their own families to share the Pecking Ducklett special. He nods to you when he sees you, and you wave back.

Once he's done with their group, the Bartender walks over to you.

"Same as the other week?"

"The other week?"

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>>5595799

You barely even remember what you got. You look at the old man, with his bushy white beard and mutton chops that rival James'. He observes your confused expression for a moment, before shrugging.

"Pinap Colada. But I take it it doesn't matter. What can I getcha?"

That's nice of him, to recall your order from all that time ago. Either you've left some kind of impression, or he's that attentive to all his customers. He smiles as you order a Pika-tini, and starts whipping it up while you look around the bar at the various patrons. There's certainly people you can get to know here. You look over the dinner menu as well, while listening to the hustle and bustle of the crowded den.

>Darrell. Might be good to talk to him, after the failure to hunt down the Rhydon. He did approach you with the idea in the first place, could have something to say.

>The barkeep. Get to know him and learn a little more about the Dragon's Den. He's in the F&B business, same as you, so there's a common point to talk about.

>Go find out more about that sports team, since they're probably not sticking around long term.

>The server who's waltzing around with a few small Pokémon while chatting with the customers. She's in the same outfit as last week, but her hairstyle has changed a little.

>Officer Robert and his friend. The guy he's with looks a lot more intimidating than him. He's a broad shouldered man with a gaunt face and dark blue overcoat. He's currently deep in a drink while glowering at Robert, and the local cop is getting more frantic as he speaks.

>>5595802
>Go find out more about that sports team, since they're probably not sticking around long term.

>>5595802
>The barkeep. Get to know him and learn a little more about the Dragon's Den. He's in the F&B business, same as you, so there's a common point to talk about.
or
>Officer Robert and his friend. The guy he's with looks a lot more intimidating than him. He's a broad shouldered man with a gaunt face and dark blue overcoat. He's currently deep in a drink while glowering at Robert, and the local cop is getting more frantic as he speaks.
I can't decide between the these two, they both sound interesting to me.

>>5595823
Same, dude, same.
Leaning more towards barkeep than Robert though

>>5595802
>>Go find out more about that sports team, since they're probably not sticking around long term.

>>5595802
>>Officer Robert and his friend. The guy he's with looks a lot more intimidating than him. He's a broad shouldered man with a gaunt face and dark blue overcoat. He's currently deep in a drink while glowering at Robert, and the local cop is getting more frantic as he speaks.

Let's support our local cops also conversation might be abut the incident.

>>5595802
>>The barkeep. Get to know him and learn a little more about the Dragon's Den. He's in the F&B business, same as you, so there's a common point to talk about.

>>5595802
Would rather chat wirhbRobert about the Rhydon, but since that isn't a popular choice...
>The barkeep

>>5595802
>>Darrell. Might be good to talk to him, after the failure to hunt down the Rhydon. He did approach you with the idea in the first place, could have something to say.

>>5595802
>>The barkeep. Get to know him and learn a little more about the Dragon's Den. He's in the F&B business, same as you, so there's a common point to talk about.
Robert sounds like he's actually working rn, probably shouldn't disturb him.

>>5595802

>Officer Robert and his friend. The guy he's with looks a lot more intimidating than him. He's a broad shouldered man with a gaunt face and dark blue overcoat. He's currently deep in a drink while glowering at Robert, and the local cop is getting more frantic as he speaks.

He protecc

>>5595802
>Officer Robert and his friend. The guy he's with looks a lot more intimidating than him. He's a broad shouldered man with a gaunt face and dark blue overcoat. He's currently deep in a drink while glowering at Robert, and the local cop is getting more frantic as he speaks.

>>5595802
>>The barkeep. Get to know him and learn a little more about the Dragon's Den. He's in the F&B business, same as you, so there's a common point to talk about.

>>5595802
>>Go find out more about that sports team, since they're probably not sticking around long term.

>>5595802
>>The barkeep. Get to know him and learn a little more about the Dragon's Den. He's in the F&B business, same as you, so there's a common point to talk about.
maybe there's some kind of local community of restauranteurs that could help us deal with sizzlers without (too much) confrontation. but even if there's not, it'd put some egg on cinna's face to be as welcomed as he is, given how xenophobic his attitude is

>>5595802
>>The barkeep. Get to know him and learn a little more about the Dragon's Den. He's in the F&B business, same as you, so there's a common point to talk about.

>>5595813
>>5595861
>>5596081
Sports team

>>5595823
>>5595870
>>5595891
>>5595908
>>5595970
>>5596243
>>5596372
Barkeep

>>5595868
>>5595910
>>5595947
Robert

Bartender time, gonna lock it in

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>>5596698

>The barkeep. Get to know him and learn a little more about the Dragon's Den. He's in the F&B business, same as you, so there's a common point to talk about.

"Hey, uh... I don't think I got your name." You say, as the Bartender walks within earshot.

"Edwin. No need to introduce yourself, I'm familiar."

"Nice to meet you, Edwin. I take it you know I'm new here, then?"

"That's right. Heard quite a bit about you, and read about your place in the papers. I need to make time to come on down with the family eventually."

"I'd love to have you! This place has been around a long time, right? Are all the staff part of the family?"

Edwin shakes his head. He motions to the server who's always accompanied by her Pokémon. A few of the fellas from the sports team are playing with the Chingling she brings around, while the Smoochum is stealing from a laughing patron's plate.

"Not all of em. There's my daughter, my wife and son in the kitchen, and my youngest son who's not working tonight. Other staff are just folks from around town, though. Just a handful, we don't need too many to keep the place running."

"I see. I've been having trouble with numbers myself. Just hired a chef this afternoon, its been me and three staff for the last couple weeks. My Scyther included."

You take a short pause from the conversation to look at what the Dragon's Den has on the menu. He points out a couple things that might catch your attention. Namely, the Mareep burger and Tauros pie.

"Burger is our speciality. We don't get people coming by to review our food, though. Not really a restaurant, the Den is just a place for townsfolk to come enjoy a cozy night. Not too worried about ratings. Your place, though... Heard you've been having some trouble with critics?" He asks, pulling up a stool so he can sit opposite you at the bar counter. The way he's occasionally pulled away to serve up a few drinks reminds you of your own afternoons at The Tall Tale. He seems a lot more proficient at multitasking though, and his hands are often full of glasses and bottles of spirits while you chat.

"Not really trouble. The critics are fine. One of them was a little... bitchy, I guess. But she gave us a good review in the end."

"That's good. Wouldn't want anyone to make trouble for a new place just trying to start out here in town. Might pump some liveliness into good ol' Lobraise."

That statement makes you think of the issues you've been facing. You wonder if it's a good idea to talk to him about the apparent feud with Sizzlipede Sizzlers. There's no telling what the relation between the various eateries in town is. They've known each other for far longer than you have, so you might end up complaining to one of Cinna's allies. You decide to wait a little while before bringing it up, though, and order the Mareep burger with a side of Morelull oil fries.

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>>5596756

"Comin right up! Those fries are a bit of a sleep aid, might make you drowsy if you're aiming to get drunk too. If you plan to be up before noon, I'd recommend cuttin' off either the drinks, or fries."

You nod in agreement, resolving to stop at another cocktail. Hearing about the unique properties of a Grass-type makes you wish you were a bit more familiar with them. There's a lot of potential there, but you're not good at cooking them, and it'll be a long, long road to improvement.

Soon, the burger is set down in front of you. The Mareep meat is juicy, with a distinct sweetness to the mix and an electrifying tingling sensation. It's diluted by Shuca Berry paste being slathered atop the thick patty, preventing the static from being anything other than lightly pleasant. Meat floss tops the already fluffy bun, making it resemble the Pokémon it came from.

"This is delicious!" You exclaim, as the molten cheese leaks out from your burger. "This is one of the best burgers I've had, it's better than most of the places in Grillburg!"

Edwin grins, clearly happy with your reaction.

"Family recipe. We've tweaked and adapted it over the years. Bit of a hidden gem, I suppose. Nobody comes all the way just to try our burgers, but everyone in town knows that it's mouth-wateringly delicious. We like it that way too."

You take your time to savour it, while chatting about miscellaneous things regarding the den. He talks about how the building has been in the same spot for three generations, and how things were like during the railway project. There were a ton of people passing by back then, and Poké Martini opened around the same time, so they did a lot to try and attract new customers from out of town. The evening is pleasant, and you feel like you've made a new friend by the end of it. Most of your time is spent chatting with Edwin. He's a fellow business owner who has decades of experience over you, and he's a good professional to turn to for advice.

Near the end of the night, however, when you're feeling like you should be getting going, you remember what you wanted to bring up to him.

"Need me to call you a cab or something, Penny?"

"Nah, I'm feeling alright to walk home. I'll have my Scyther with me, so it'll be fine."

"All good, all good. Anything else I can getcha, for the road?"

>Bring up the topic of Sizzlipede Sizzlers directly fucking with you, and the rude attitude of its owner. Maybe Edwin will have something useful to say about it, or could assist in some way.

>Abstain from it. You want to try and solve it yourself, without involving other people or businesses that might have some kind of stake in it. Going to somebody for rescue might not be the most respectable course, and there's always the chance of them already being friends.

>>5596757
>>Bring up the topic of Sizzlipede Sizzlers directly fucking with you, and the rude attitude of its owner. Maybe Edwin will have something useful to say about it, or could assist in some way.
Can we edge into it first instead of going balls to the wall? But given

>Wouldn't want anyone to make trouble for a new place just trying to start out here in town.

it seems like he'd be on our side.

>>5596757
>Abstain from it.
While I'm sure Edwin would help us, Penny seems like the kind of person who wouldn't want to bother someone with something this petty. Also, given how much better our seafood and Ducklett is, I honestly think this will blow over sooner rather than later.
Cinna's probably just buttmad that we were trained by a legendary master. Or he has a massive crush on us and is too poorly socialized to recognize it. Or both.

>>5596757
>>Abstain from it. You want to try and solve it yourself, without involving other people or businesses that might have some kind of stake in it. Going to somebody for rescue might not be the most respectable course, and there's always the chance of them already being friends.

>>5596757
>>Bring up the topic of Sizzlipede Sizzlers directly fucking with you, and the rude attitude of its owner. Maybe Edwin will have something useful to say about it, or could assist in some way.

>>5596757
>Bring up the topic of Sizzlipede Sizzlers directly fucking. Maybe Edwin will have something useful to say about it.

I just want to hear his opinion about the guy.

>>5596757
>Know anybody who’d be up for a collab?
Still gets us info we’d use against Cinna.

>>5596757
>Abstain from it. You want to try and solve it yourself, without involving other people or businesses that might have some kind of stake in it. Going to somebody for rescue might not be the most respectable course, and there's always the chance of them already being friends.

>>5596757
>Bring up the topic of Sizzlipede Sizzlers directly fucking with you, and the rude attitude of its owner. Maybe Edwin will have something useful to say about it, or could assist in some way.

>>5596860
Backing this.

>>5596757
>>Bring up the topic of Sizzlipede Sizzlers directly fucking with you, and the rude attitude of its owner. Maybe Edwin will have something useful to say about it, or could assist in some way.

>>5596757
>Bring it up, but gently
Don't launch into a tirade or whine. Just ask what he knows about Cinna, and if they aren't friends, bring up that he's been a bit hostile and ask if that's normal for him, or why it might be happening... Plus maybe ask for advice.

>>5596757
>>Bring up the topic of Sizzlipede Sizzlers directly fucking with you, and the rude attitude of its owner. Maybe Edwin will have something useful to say about it, or could assist in some way.

>>5596757
>Abstain from it. You want to try and solve it yourself, without involving other people or businesses that might have some kind of stake in it. Going to somebody for rescue might not be the most respectable course, and there's always the chance of them already being friends.

No need to drag the entire town into our spat

>>5596757
>>Bring up the topic of Sizzlipede Sizzlers directly fucking with you, and the rude attitude of its owner. Maybe Edwin will have something useful to say about it, or could assist in some way.

>>5596757
>Abstain from it. You want to try and solve it yourself, without involving other people or businesses that might have some kind of stake in it. Going to somebody for rescue might not be the most respectable course, and there's always the chance of them already being friends.

>>5596757

>Abstain from it. You want to try and solve it yourself, without involving other people or businesses that might have some kind of stake in it. Going to somebody for rescue might not be the most respectable course, and there's always the chance of them already being friends.

Honestly, I think just ignoring Cinna and overpowering his bullshit with sheer excellence is going to piss him off way more than getting outside help. Nothing more aggrevating than throwing a punch at someone and them not even noticing it.

>>5596757
>>Abstain from it. You want to try and solve it yourself, without involving other people or businesses that might have some kind of stake in it. Going to somebody for rescue might not be the most respectable course, and there's always the chance of them already being friends.
if it drags on then we might want allies but for now it's just a small thing

>>5596757
>>Bring up the topic of Sizzlipede Sizzlers directly fucking with you, and the rude attitude of its owner. Maybe Edwin will have something useful to say about it, or could assist in some way.

>>5596757
>>Abstain from it. You want to try and solve it yourself, without involving other people or businesses that might have some kind of stake in it. Going to somebody for rescue might not be the most respectable course, and there's always the chance of them already being friends.

>>5596757
>Abstain from it. You want to try and solve it yourself, without involving other people or businesses that might have some kind of stake in it. Going to somebody for rescue might not be the most respectable course, and there's always the chance of them already being friends.

Seems in poor taste.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5596782
>>5596801
>>5596822
>>5596934
>>5596978
>>5597114
>>5597180
>>5597324
>>5597864

>>5596787
>>5596796
>>5596869
>>5597316
>>5597333
>>5597374
>>5597465
>>5597932
>>5598153

>>5596860
>>5596957

9/9/2, gonna roll a dice and stop votes.

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>>5598178
>Abstain from it. You want to try and solve it yourself, without involving other people or businesses that might have some kind of stake in it. Going to somebody for rescue might not be the most respectable course, and there's always the chance of them already being friends.

Nah. It's a problem between you and some asshole who thinks he's hot stuff. You shouldn't drag anybody else into a spate between restaurants. If anything actually harmful or illegal had happened, maybe you would be more inclined to approach a well-known local for help. However, everything that's taken place between Sizzlers and the Tale has been a business affair. It's not Edwin's place to do anything either.

"Thanks for the meal. Goodnight, Edwin!"

"Have a good rest. Oh, and take care tomorrow, y'hear?"

You nod. Speaking of tomorrow, Liam replied sometime during the night, accepting your invitation to take him out hunting. You sent him a short list of items to bring and attire to wear, with particular emphasis on good shoes. You'll be paying him too, and picking him up from a central location before driving out to the woods. You walk home with Scyther by your side, a little woozy and tired, but still in good shape to be on the move.

As you pass by an alleyway, you feel an abrupt spike of fear. Something rustles in the darkness, and you think you see shapes moving at the edges of your vision. You spend a few moments staring into the gap between the two brick buildings, while Scyther casually cleans his scythes beside you. Could it be a Pokémon? Those thieves from last week, still lingering around to try and get you?

No, Scyther isn't reacting much, and he's sharper than that most of the time. You realize that it's most likely the restless spirits, perhaps aggravated by the idea of you going out to take more lives. They're a lot easier to shrug off than the Dark-type Murkrow, who already have an ominous aura. You're not keen on gathering up more of these spectral stalkers, but harmless ghosts definitely beat running into the Thievul and Nickit again. You feel a pit in your stomach whenever you think of the idea of being robbed by one of them a second time.

After some more walking, made significantly slower by your tipsiness, you reach home. You head upstairs and finish up your usual nightly routine, check to make sure all your equipment is washed and clean, then turn in for the night.

=====

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>>5598207

Your sleep is disturbed by bangs and clatters in the night. You get woken up several times, but fortunately, that's the most the spirits bother you. It's a little bit hard to get out of bed in the morning, and there's a lingering bitterness on your tongue. There's no hangover to deal with, though, so your plans for the day aren't ruined.

Scyther eats his meal with relish, scarfing down everything in his bowl in anticipation. He can't wait for dessert later. You're not sure if you want to be focusing on hunting or capturing today, but you make sure to bring all your supplies anyway. You have Pokéballs, Potions, Revives, and a bottle of Antidote and Paralyze Heal. You know that you ought to have a Repel on you, but after last week, you feel an irrational avoidance to it.

You'll be driving your truck into town to pick up Liam in a little while. You hope it goes well, and you have a good chance to talk to him. While you eat breakfast, you thumb through the news and focus on a couple of articles that catch your eye.

>Moves and techniques: Why just four?
>Loose Porygon disrupts data centre in Poachold
>Simmersand ship capsized by off-season Wailord migration

Two posts today too, since the next one will just be a selection.

>>5598208
>Moves and techniques: Why just four?

>>5598208
>>Simmersand ship capsized by off-season Wailord migration

>>5598208
>>Simmersand ship capsized by off-season Wailord migration

Is whale gonna be back on the menu soon?

>>5598208
>Simmersand ship capsized by off-season Wailord migration

>>5598208
>Moves and techniques: Why just four?

>>5598208
>Simmersand ship capsized by off-season Wailord migration

>>5598208
>>Moves and techniques: Why just four?

>>5598208
>>Loose Porygon disrupts data centre in Poachold
a disruption in the more illegal side of the region means we might see the nest kicked up

>>5598208
>Loose Porygon disrupts data centre in Poachold
I fucking love the porygon line.

>>5598208
>Loose Porygon disrupts data centre in Poachold

>>5598208
>Moves and techniques: Why just four?
How will the QM justify game mechanics

>>5598208
>>Simmersand ship capsized by off-season Wailord migration

>>5598208
>Simmersand ship capsized by off-season Wailord migration
so it happened again

>>5598579
dunno if QM was the one who said of implied this, but i read somewhere that the 4 moves are the skills that they have actually trained and can use without any hitches, kinda like having particular dance moves that you can execute flawlessly. that's a good justification, imo

>>5598208
>>Loose Porygon disrupts data centre in Poachold
I can be ok with catching a wild Porygon

>>5598211
>>5598246
>>5598265
>>5598579

>>5598215
>>5598221
>>5598226
>>5598247
>>5598629
>>5598655

>>5598306
>>5598398
>>5598478
>>5598673

Wailord news time

>>5598673
yeah same. those little dudes have a soft spot in my heart. same with shuckles, but dunno if you can find some locally

>>5598685
>>5598673
Porygons are the bomb dude. When i first caught one I celebrated by eating 2 cheeseburgers.

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>>5598680
>Simmersand ship capsized by off-season Wailord migration

Earlier in the week, a fishing vessel narrowly avoided being damaged by migrating Wailmer. However, an oil tanker returning from Unova wasn't so lucky yesterday afternoon.

The migratory habits of oceanic Pokémon have been highly unusual lately, and ships have been taking special care to avoid known travel routes of dangerous Pokémon such as Sharpedo. Despite this effort, the S. S Mola, transporting over 50,000 barrels of gasoline, met an untimely fate when a Wailord pod surfaced beneath the ship. Simmersand coast guard immediately mobilized upon receiving the distress signal, and were able to rescue a significant portion of survivors before the Mola was completely submerged. Efforts to locate other survivors were unsuccessful, and local authorities are keeping a close eye on the situation.

On top of the loss of life, large amounts of oil have been released into the ocean South-East of Simmersand, endangering countless Pokémon and heavily polluting the environment. The accident has been met with a heavy outcry by residents, who are concerned about currents taking the spill dangerously close to the waters that they live around.

"It's far away," said Captain Pequod of the Simmersand Coast Guard. "Hopefully it won't leach out any further, but the spillage is a decent distance away from the shore. You don't have to worry about it directly reaching Simmersand."

However, the location of the oil spill has made it difficult to mobilize efforts to clean it up and survey the wreckage. The distance from shore forces Coast Guard vessels to take extremely long trips, making it a logistical nightmare to reach by boat.

"We're working out what to do about the spill. We have protocols for these things, but it's still going to be a real mess to clean up." He said.
The Daily Dex offers its condolences to the people of Simmersand affected by this tragedy. To donate money to the Simmersand Coastguard, click here.

=====

Well, shit. This will surely affect the fish.

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>>5598769

You stare in horror at the aerial image of the spill. A black blot of oil stands out amidst serene blue waters, tainting the ocean as far as the eye can see. Cramorants and Wingull are visible in the shot, flying by obliviously. The spill is far from shore, but fishing will definitely take a hit regardless. Your suppliers are probably going to have a harder time going out there, and people will likely want to avoid seafood for fear of eating contaminated Pokémon. Whenever there's a spill like that, business tends to suffer.

And there's the fact that people have died in that crash. The Wailord will probably be dealt with by hunting vessels, which will be trying to heavily disrupt their migration routes and violently force them out of habituated waters. It's a last resort, and only happens every other season, but a disaster of this scale is definitely enough to warrant it.

"Hey. Get a load of this, Scyther..."

He looks at the photo, not really understanding the severity of it. Not that you expect him to, though, you just need someone to share the disgust at the situation with.

You spend so long engrossed in it that you're almost late to pick Liam up. You only notice when you get a text from him saying that he's leaving the house, and you hurriedly grab your gear for one last check.

=====

"Hi. Morning." You say, as Liam opens the door and slides into the passenger seat. He has a backpack that he sets on his lap. It doesn't look like the kind that's appropriate for trekking in the wilderness, but it's bulging with equipment.

"Morning, Penny." He replies, looking a little sleepy. You take a look at his outfit again. You made sure last night that he had appropriate wear for hiking, and got him to confirm his attire in advance. He doesn't quite have camo, but pale khaki garbs are good enough.

"Did you happen to read the news?"

"About the oil spill? Yeah, I did. Messed up how this stuff can just happen like that..."

You check that the truck door is locked, then hit the gas and start heading towards the outskirts of town.

"There've been a lot of issues going on with the sea lately, with migrations and Pokémon hordes showing up." You remark, as you drive past the street that The Bay Leaf is on. It's still early, but a lot of people are milling around and enjoying breakfast at the various cafes on the boulevard.

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>>5598771

Liam doesn't mention the oil slick again, but he has a lot of questions about what you'll be doing today. You let him know that you're interested in finding another Pokémon today, but you also want to gather up something interesting to serve tomorrow. There'll be less time to get meat compared to other weeks, since you want to invest time in capturing instead of just hunting.

You pause by the edge of town, consulting the map and showing him the several hunting locations that you know of. Where to this week?

>The popular spot that you visited last week. The more people around, the better.

>Visit the isolated, less-frequented area that you went to on your first hunt here. Liam is here for company, so you don't feel as nervous about the prospect.

>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.

>>5598773
>>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.

>>5598773
>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone
IT'S TIME
>capcha GGRAW

>>5598773
>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.
We can catch a pokemon, and it's a good way to show Liam how it's done for when he goes to his journey.

>>5598773
>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.

>>5598773
>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.

>>5598773
>>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.
Let's go

>>5598773
>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone

Spiderbro spiderbro gonna go catch us a new spiderbro

>>5598773
>>Visit the isolated, less-frequented area that you went to on your first hunt here. Liam is here for company, so you don't feel as nervous about the prospect.

>>5598855
Honestly I'm more set on Timburr. Good against rock types for hunt and carry shit around in the kitchen

>>5598773
>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.

>>5598773
>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.
Not set on it, but having a Wynaut or Wobbuffet serve drinks would be dope.

>>5598773
>>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.

>>5598855
>>5598872
>>5598904
I'd be okay with any of the three, honestly.

>>5598904
>>5598912
Aaaand we missed "Wobuffet's buffet" restaurant name.

Honestly, I can get behind wobbuffet Waiter, but I'd still prefer Abra or Inteleon for that role.

>>5598949
>Inteleon
I'm 95% sure we're locked out of Water types as partners, because we see them as food.

>>5598952
It's possible to pick a water type without any issues. Masao has his water team, and the other two elemental restaurants have partners affiliated with their speciality types.

Also, fun fact related to that question, I made it a point to have all three starters in thread 1 be organic pokemon, so they could theoretically be eaten. Scyther, Munna, and Swirlix. It never amounted to anything in the end though, but I felt having a partner like that would put emphasis on the pokemon eating aspect, while something like Klink is immediately inedible and doesn't prompt any thought.

>>5598952
>because we see them as food.
anon, we see every pokemon as food.

>>5598984
Not Klink! or, like, Porygon or Rotom or digital entities like those, I'd wager

>>5598773
>Visit the isolated, less-frequented area that you went to on your first hunt here. Liam is here for company, so you don't feel as nervous about the prospect.
I really wanna go looking for that Rockruff we met on our first trip. Cute doggie > Practicality

>>5598949
please, anon, a buffet is BARELY a restaurant
I approve of the pun though

>>5598984
>we see every pokemon as food.
anon, every pokemon is food.

>>5598773
> The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.

I have to admit, I mostly just want to check out the new place.

>>5599099
yes, exactly my point

>>5598773
>>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.

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>The Trainyard. It's abandoned and not visited often, so you'll most likely be alone.

"We're gonna go hunt at the railway station. You ever been?"

"No, never. Isn't it off limits, though?" He asks, looking a little worried.

"Nah. I've talked to a couple of different people in town, they've all said the same thing. It's fine."

It might be a bit dangerous to teach him about hunting in an area you're not familiar with, but you really want to give this new location a visit. You've done your research and know what Pokémon are native to the region. You pull over by a gas station to show him the list you've gathered up. He takes a look at the photos of Klink and Tandemaus.

"Oh, wow. I've never seen any of these around town before. Except the Burmy." Liam remarks.

"How long ago was the project anyway? I hear everyone talk about it like it was supposed to be a big thing." You ask.

"It was. It was supposed to connect us to Stewview. I think it was... Ten years ago? Then after three years of work, the whole project fell through."

Liam motions to a poster by the gas station, advertising a Wednesday night discount at Poké Martini.

"That franchise opened a bar because they were expecting a big tourism boost. They wanted to capitalize on travellers who would spend a few days in town before making the trip to Simmersand."

"I've considered going there, but there are more interesting places for sure."

"Yeah. Me too."

"Hey, don't get any ideas. Aren't you too young for that?" You say, raising an eyebrow and looking to him.

"Not now! In two years or so. I'll hopefully be out on my own journey by then, so I can do whatever I want." He says, a hopeful smile crossing his face.

After topping up the gas tank, the two of you head inside to pay. You grab a couple of sports drinks and a sausage roll, and Liam gets himself a packet of trail mix. Then it's off to the woods.

=====

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>>5599680

You head off the main path and follow a dirt trail deeper into the woods. Liam looks around, transfixed by the greenery zooming by. The two of you catch sight of various Pokémon as you drive by. Dappled sunlight shines down on the train tracks ahead, and you begin to follow them. There are intermittent stumps on either side, where trees have been cleared to make space. The wood that makes up the tracks is old and rotted, and the metal is rusty. Yellowish moss fills in the gaps, and you catch sight of a pair of Pidove bathing in a shaded puddle between the struts. They're still around, and gradually becoming part of the ecosystem. Might be too late to completely drive them off.

"Never been out here either, I guess?"

"No. Never."

"Are you nervous? Hunting isn't for everyone, so if you want to stay in the truck-"

He shakes his head.

"I'm already all the way out here. I want to learn more about what you do. Plus, I work in a restaurant, can't be shy about this kind of stuff."

Yeah, that's a good attitude. You nod and continue driving, following the tracks until you see the chain-link fence. Despite the elements beating down on it for years, the fence has held up. You can't get through it by car, so you look around for any kind of entrance. You remember Brady telling you about a break in the fence on the North edge, so you drive all the way up there until you catch sight of it. That's when you kill the engine and head to the back of your truck to look through your equipment. Scyther is let out of his ball, and he immediately takes off, enjoying the fresh forest air. Liam watches him flit around, no longer as nervous as before.

"First thing we should do is go in and scout the area out. Scyther will keep us safe, so no need to worry about encountering anything in the tall grass." You explain.

He nods and takes a sip from his sports drink. The weather is nice and cooling, and the recent rain has caused the parched plants to start flourishing again. New growths and budding flowers are visible in the bushes. There are puddles of water from a late-night drizzle.

The three of you head for the fence.

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>>5599683

Scyther could easily cut this thing apart and head inside. However, you don't want to test your luck by vandalizing it, even if nobody comes out here. You send him over, and the two of you slip through the opening instead.

"What are you planning on catching?"

"I don't quite know yet. I've been looking into the different Pokémon, but I haven't come up with a final answer. I guess I'll know it when I see it. You got your Pokéballs?"

Liam lifts the hem of his shirt to reveal the belt. He has a couple of empty ones clipped there. He told you that he had no intention to catch anything, but it's always useful to have.

"Good. Let's go ahead."

Scyther flutters to the ground and rejoins you. All three of you head further into the compound, and as you walk, you plan out the subject of your search.

>Search on the ground. There are probably larger Pokémon out in the open, like the Timburr, Varoom and Wyanaut. However, you know that a lot of them are rare, so you might struggle to locate the ones you actually want to find.

>Turn your gaze upwards and look at the crumbling infrastructure that you'll see once you reach the trainyard proper. That's where you'll find clambering Bug-types.

>Explore the constructed portions of the yard, like the platform, maintenance rooms, and hidden dens. You'll find things like Maushold hiding in the cracks, or Pokémon who prefer being indoors.

>>5594589
Linking back to this post as a reminder of what can be found in the trainyard! If you require further clarification on what pokemon fit into which option, feel free to ask.

>>5599685
>Search on the ground
Timburr or Why not a Wynaut?

>>5599685
>>Search on the ground. There are probably larger Pokémon out in the open, like the Timburr, Varoom and Wyanaut. However, you know that a lot of them are rare, so you might struggle to locate the ones you actually want to find.

>>5599685

>Search on the ground. There are probably larger Pokémon out in the open, like the Timburr, Varoom and Wyanaut. However, you know that a lot of them are rare, so you might struggle to locate the ones you actually want to find.

With a secondary preference for the bug types.

I'm fairly interested in a Timburr, but I'd be happy pursuing a Joltik as well. String Shot, Electroweb and Shockwave would all make powerful hunting tools, even if I'd prefer a pokemon with opposable thumbs.

QM, how's public perception on consuming some of these pokemon? Maushold is literally a family of pokemon, and Wynaught is an infant.

>>5599685
>Explore the constructed portions of the yard, like the platform, maintenance rooms, and hidden dens. You'll find things like Maushold hiding in the cracks, or Pokémon who prefer being indoors.

>>5599685
>Turn your gaze upwards and look at the crumbling infrastructure that you'll see once you reach the trainyard proper. That's where you'll find clambering Bug-types.
Team Spider-Bro, rise or die.

>>5599762
Timburr line is kinda fucked up because he's a little guy. Maushold is fine in public perception because eating a set of pokemon isn't any more brutal than frying up four unrelated specimens, but there would probably be pokemon rights groups that use eating them as an example of brutality. Most Psychic types are considered to be intelligent enough that eating them is taboo, but Wobbuffet feels like it's retarded enough a pokemon to be one of the exceptions (other exceptions are things like Girafarig, Slowpoke, and Grumpig).

>>5599685
>>Search on the ground. There are probably larger Pokémon out in the open, like the Timburr, Varoom and Wyanaut. However, you know that a lot of them are rare, so you might struggle to locate the ones you actually want to find.
I prefer Timburr to Wynaut, but both would be cool.

>>5599685
>>Turn your gaze upwards and look at the crumbling infrastructure that you'll see once you reach the trainyard proper. That's where you'll find clambering Bug-types
Spiderbrooo

>>5599685
>Turn your gaze upwards and look at the crumbling infrastructure that you'll see once you reach the trainyard proper. That's where you'll find clambering Bug-types.

>>5599685
>>Search on the ground. There are probably larger Pokémon out in the open, like the Timburr, Varoom and Wyanaut. However, you know that a lot of them are rare, so you might struggle to locate the ones you actually want to find.

>>5599685
>Turn your gaze upwards and look at the crumbling infrastructure that you'll see once you reach the trainyard proper. That's where you'll find clambering Bug-types.
I didn’t choose to embrace the spider. It chose me instead.

>>5599685
>>Search on the ground. There are probably larger Pokémon out in the open, like the Timburr, Varoom and Wyanaut. However, you know that a lot of them are rare, so you might struggle to locate the ones you actually want to find.

>>5599685

>Turn your gaze upwards and look at the crumbling infrastructure that you'll see once you reach the trainyard proper. That's where you'll find clambering Bug-types.
Spider brooooo

>>5599685
>Turn your gaze upwards and look at the crumbling infrastructure that you'll see once you reach the trainyard proper. That's where you'll find clambering Bug-types
THE SPIDER BRO CALLING