Not in Kansas-Intros

[Sleetfoot]

The college really wasn’t too far away so the four friends made it to the cave in relatively good time. They had been planning this trip for about two weeks now and the once boisterous group of eleven hikers had whittled down until only five had remained dedicated. But it didn’t matter. This was going to be the best adventure ever!

The seven-seating van came to a halt in a dusty little parking area. It was still about a ten minute walk to the opening of the tubes but that was ok. They had all brought plenty of water and good hiking shoes. Once everyone was out of the car with their bags in hand, the van was locked and the five friends started their walk toward fate.

It really wasn’t that difficult. The terrain was fairly flat except for one or two larger boulders along the way which were easy enough to go around. It was one they actually got to the opening of the cave that the first problems were sited. It was pretty much a vertical climb down to get into the tubes and many of the rocks were completely covered in ice, making the trip even more difficult, but the group was determined.

They made it down with little incidents. One of the girls had slipped and lost her footing but regained it quickly enough that no harm came to her. Once they had landed on the ground, it was a fairly flat ground, at least for a little while.

All five members of the group had brought various types and sizes of flashlights so the cave was pretty well lit for them. So much so, that a tiny little shine off a rock caught their eye. When they looked closer, they realized it looked more like a small ball of light. That was slowly getting larger!

Eventually it was close enough that they could see what it was and not a single one of them could believe it! They rubbed their eyes and blinked, even pinched themselves to make sure they hadn’t fallen asleep on the drive or something but they were all awake. And they were all being staired down by a pokemon.

Curious to no end, the small group followed the walking lamp an it led them behind a few rocks and through a tunnel. When the emerged, they couldn’t believe anything to be real.

A huge canyon with a path leading out of it stood before them. There was a waterfall on one end and a large pool of water in the center. There was a grassy field to one side and even a small graveyard (with an ominous and convenient gloom hanging over it). And all around ran pokemon!

[Lightfur]

They were already inside the lava tubes, cavorting about like the irresponsible teenagers they were, and most of them were having tons of fun. Miriam Hawthorn, on the other hand, was still trying to figure out how she had gotten roped into this. This was not her kind of activity, this outdoorsy stuff. Really, she would vastly prefer to be curled up at home with a book, listening to music. Or maybe playing Scrabble with her brother, although it was difficult to get him to play after beating him so thoroughly and so often. Ah, well, whatever. Miri was with friends, although how she ended up being friends with such a motley crew, she would never fully understand. And poor Jen put up with enough of Miriam's nonsense that Miriam felt obliged to do something that Jennifer found fun once in a while.

Of couse, all grouchy thoughts flew out of Miriam's head when they spotted the Shinx. A Pokémon? Who in their group had come up with this prank? It must have taken some preparation! Her initial hypothesis was proved wrong, though, when the confused group entered what appeared to be a Valley of the Pokémon or something similar. And there, on a ledge, with packs of gear scattered on the ground, were six pearly-colored pokéballs laid out, as if it were fate… Miriam walked over, the first of the stunned travelers to do so, and picked one up, although not the one that the spectral Shinx had faded into. Tentatively she pressed the button on the front of the pokéball, and in a flash of light the contents of the pokéball had emptied themselves onto the ground in front of her… Those contents being a Pokémon, as one might expect. To be precise… An Eevee. "Oh!" gasped Miriam, as the beautiful little creature peered up at her, and she feel to her knees to examine him- she felt instinctively that the Eevee was a he. "You guys, just look!" Hesitantly she extended a hand, and the Eevee brushed up against her like a cat, allowing her to stroke him.

Arkadiy- or Mark, as he insisted that everyone but his parents call him- was moderately shocked by the appearance of imaginary creatures, but as Miriam took her new Eevee into her arms and stood, beaming, he followed her lead. Striding forward, he chose a pokéball at random. "Come on, you guys!" he called back to his friends. Mark hadn't seen which pokeball the Shinx has dissolved into, but he hoped a little that he got that one… Something about the sparky little creature was extremely appealing to him. And when he pressed his button, exactly what he had been hoping for hopped from the ball in a burst of light. The cheerful little creature rubbed up against his legs, apparently adjusting to his scent and familiarizing herself with him. Smiling, Mark scooped up the blue-yellow-and-black pokemon and moved away from the ledge so that his other friends could grab pokéballs as well. "Hello, little one." he murmured to his new friend as he sat, cross-legged, at a short distance from the ledge. "It is nice to meet you." He felt it probable that the Shinx agreed.

[Nightpaw]

Jennifer had thoroughly enjoyed the hike down the cave, though she felt that if she hadn't found her grip again on the icy decline, she would have broken her arm or leg. She felt a little bad for dragging her friend Miri along, but It would be good for her to get some sunli--- ....well, exercise, anyway. And she seemed to be at least enjoying hanging out with people, so that was good. Jen skipped along with the rest as she fel behind a bit, and was the last to see the strange Cat-like figure before the group. "But it can't be!" she exclaimed, but hurried along with the group to see where it would go.

As the found the beautiful canyon, lake, and strange Pokeballs, excitement rose in her chest. She stupidly asked the question, "But what if they belong to someone else, but quickly changed her mind, since there seemed to e truly no one else around. Besides, who would just leave their Pokemon laying here in their pokeballs? She cautiously walked up to the set, now 2 short, and reached for the one that felt the warmest, which she took for meaning that she felt comfortable with it. She released the creature within, and smiled as small, tan and greenish mouse appeared at her feet. It rubbed it's eyes, and looked up at her, a bit surprised, but apparently happy to see her. She laughed, because she felt the same way. It was a Cyndaquil, a handsome little guy too. She picked him up and stepped aside, to stand with Miri and Mark. She grinned at Miri.

[Nightpaw]

Ooc:............