Poke' Entomology

Pokemon scientist fanblog based heavily on prof-peach's blogAsks Open!

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

I was wondering how I would pull off this chapter for a long time now. Like you have no idea how many times I thought this chapter over, even months ago. Literal months of planning!

Hard to believe how much of this I pulled out of my ass at the last minute!

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

And so ends another arc. Kinda. We still need to see if Sandy can escape from his prison, and if he can get the other guys out to. But I think with this chapter, we're coming up on the late game. I've told about as much of this story as I can and there aren't all that many plot points left for me to follow.

It's so weird thinking that the story might be over soon... Well, unless I wind up thinking up another twist within the next few weeks. You never know~

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

Fighting art block by the moonlight, Writing stuff by daylight~

Something something... real fight!

...

Just take your dang chapter. I'm a writer, not a lyricist!

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

Another chapter is up! Enjoy!

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

This chapter took way too much effort to put out. Everything from my illness, to writers block, to the dang website itself tried to stop this chapter from going up!

But I'm a spiteful bitch and I got you your chapter! YOU HEAR THAT WORLD? I LIVED TO SPITE YOU! IN THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO LEFT, I SPITE YOU!

I! LIVE! OUT! OF! SPIIIIITE!!!

...Ahem. Enjoy!

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

I have been just so sick this week. Recovering, but still feeling yucky. Here's hoping I get better soon.

But also, chapter 101! Awesome!

[herpsandbirds]

This is easily one of the CRAZIEST videos I've ever gotten. I was rafting down a river when a Yellow Jacket came, landed on my bright pink waterproof phone pouch, and started drinking from the water droplets that had gathered there.

The most amazing part is how the water droplet magnifies the Hornet's mouth parts, so you get to see them up-close!!!! It was FASCINATING to witness!

Here's some of my favorite still shots from that video:

What do you think? 🥰

[westformiles]

@onenicebugperday

!!!

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

Yippie! Yay! Chapter 100 is up! (hopefully)

[vintagewildlife]

"I can't believe humans would hunt the thylacine to extinction, humans are fundamentally evil" Hey, did you know that extinction was long thought to be impossible, and within 50 years of humans realizing that extinction via overhunting was a possibility it practically stopped happening? Did you know that humans are so desperate to prevent more losses that they're funneling millions of collective hours and billions of euros into helping other species? Hours and euros that could be spent on humans, and species on whom humanity's own survival does not depend? Did you know that due to an accidental introduction of rats, the Lord Howe Island stick insect population was brought down to 24 individuals and now there are tens of thousands of them?

This bug. This bug that, to most humans, is utterly useless, relatively gross, and completely foreign. Humans saved it because humans do not want to cause another extinction ever again if they can avoid it.

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

Weekend upload! One more chapter till the big 100, but I just couldn't keep the big surprise until then!

Longtime readers are in for a treat!

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

Bit of a shorter one this time. I wanted to make it longer, but the old man convinced me that this was funnier. Sorry!

Also, please forgive random chapters phasing out of existence. The website appears to be held aloft by a middle schooler's toothpick bridge project.

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

This chapter is... it's a little out there. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Maybe I should rewrite it? Idk.

Guess all writers feel that way about some of their work. I'll let this one be and try to do better next time.

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

Last call last call, come get your chapters before it's too late! You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!

Cause I don't know how you got in my room... get out.

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

I'm really feeling the weather over here. It's so freaking hot! You know what? I'm going to do something nice for my characters for once. Yeah! I'll put them somewhere nice and cool and have them relax! I'm sure they'll enjoy that a lot.

(insert screaming from the bottom of the pit)

I'm such a nice guy~

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

You're gonna laugh at this chapter! Yeah!

You're gonna cry at this chapter! Hell yeah!

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

Okay, I'm hoping there won't be a repeat of last week's chapter. Is it angst? Is the secret to a stable webpage angst? I'll load up this chapter with a lot of it if it'll help!

...Okay yeah, you caught me. I was going to that anyway.

[poke-entomology]

Pitt-Stop

I'm feeling giddy! So much sappy stuff in this chapter, I just wanna happy punch something!

[poke-entomology]

Minor major update, Fanfiction.net is throwing a hissy fit and not letting anyone see the new chapter...

If the problem isn't fixed soon I'll repost on here. Hopefully ONE of these websites is willing to work with me.

[poke-entomology]

Yay! It's working, finally!

But just in case it decides to do another thing, I'll still post the chapter below.

Chapter 92: Moments of Vulnerability

Important Characters Sandy (Male Sandshrew) Buddy (Male Mankey) Plato (Male Wynaut) Arte (Female Tarountula) Able (Golett) Jolt (Voltorb) Gulga (Female Slugma) Pepper Fields (Female Kangaskhan) Cheri Fields (Female Cherubi, Pepper's adoptive mother) Bramble Fields (Male Kangaskhan, son of Pepper)

Sandy looked on as the team of three gathered up everything they would need for their next exploration. Buddy, proud and excited, led the group as their temporary leader! It was little surprise to the old explorer. The boy had been putting fourth every effort to keep the team, and the town as well, out of harm's way while Sandy and co were off on their own missions. It was little wonder they had so much trust in him.

Coming up in a close second place was Able who showed incredible drive to try and learn and improve once he learned that it was even possible to elect temporary leaders! While the Golett's knowledge and skill was to be admired, he didn't quite have the same sway as buddy. But the two agreed to hold another vote if they ever had to fill in for Sandy again in the future. Able excitedly agreed and promised to continue growing in the meanwhile... Well, he actually said, -"ADVANCEMENT" and patted his friend on the back, but you get the idea.

Seeing as they were headed off to try and cure Muk of his Shadow Pokemon affliction, Arte was a natural pick to join Buddy on his trip. And since they were heading to a place called "The Green Lands" they expected to find loads of Grass and Bug pokemon, so Gulga was an obvious third choice. The two girls happily packed their bags in their shared room while Sandy and Buddy had a last minute talk.

"Bud... there's no more I need to say I think. You've come a long way. You're no longer the cheeky Mankey that gave me trouble way back when you started. You've learned every trick I have to teach and then some, so I'll just say this. Look after each other, know when to retreat, and I love you. Now get out of here and make me proud." He hands the smaller pokemon the ball containing Muk with a smile. Looking up at him with tears in his eyes, Buddy nods and tries to keep his emotions under control.

-"Okay... Okay! I won't let you down, partner!" He pockets the ball and retrieves something else from his bag, a familiar set of rings attached to a thin chain. Sandy accepts it from him with eyebrow raised, a question he didn't need to bother asking. -"Able heard back from Diancie recently. Apparently just having that on your person can give you good luck! It's nothing world shattering or anything and he also didn't want to cheat in the vote, so he gave it to me to hold onto before anyone put their ballots in."

"Wait, wouldn't that mean you had more luck before the vote started?"

-"...Able?"

-"POLITICS"

"Heh, looks like Able cast his vote even before he wrote anything down on that paper. Well whatever, I counted the votes myself. Good luck or no you still won, Three to two... The last vote went to Bramble for some reason. I- I don't really have an explanation for that one."

-"He'd be so good on our team!" Gulga shouts from across the hall.

"But alright, if it makes you feel better, I'll hold onto The Queen's Hand for you while you're out adventuring. Sound good?"

-"Yeah, sounds good, partner. Stay safe, okay?"

"That's my line, you cheeky Mankey!" The two faux wrestle, Sandy's arms having healed enough to be able to ruffle his friend's hair. Even if he couldn't muster the strength to fight seriously just yet, the younger pokemon let his old friend do what he wanted, laughing the whole while.

-"Is dinner almost ready?"

-"Bramble, hush. I'm sure he's just about done... Sandy dear, are you alright in there?" Pepper calls out to the kitchen. By this late hour the bar was closed and the Fields family (minus Cheri who had retired upstairs around 7 in the afternoon) returned to the back room where Pepper keeps all their personal things as well as her private room. Sandy was laboring in the kitchen, unable to lift the weightier pans which were almost as large as himself, but doing well enough with his arms no longer stinging from moving around.

"Just one more minute. I want to give it a little more time to brown on top." He calls back, throwing together a few small sides of greens while he waits for his main dish to finish. "Alright friend, let's see if this old human recipe is any good." He whispered, half in prayer half in remembrance for his old companion.

Throwing open the oven and pulling out the wide dish, the air fills with the smell of fragrant cheeses and exotic sauces. The Kangaskhan duo sniffed the air as Sandy wheeled in a serving tray he had borrowed from the storage room.

-"My, that smells delightful~" Pepper swoons in her chair. Bramble stares so hard at the food he forgets to be snarky.

"Enjoy! It's uh, my first time making this, but one of my old adventuring buddies swears by it. Something they made whenever their partner came to visit. He-" But the two were no longer listening, simply staring at the food. With a smile he cut into it and served everyone out a piece, much to their delight.

Later...

Bramble lay with his head on Sandy's lap. The kid had eaten his fill and, even though he had specifically sat on the couch next to the man as a way to stop his mom from being seated next to him, wound up falling asleep when the shrew began telling stories about his old adventures. His worries over the 'mom thief' soothed and forgotten for the moment, he was quickly claimed by peaceful dreams.

"Heh, guess this little fighter was more tired than he realized."

-"Oh yes, he'll do that. Bramble has always been quick to fall asleep due to his illness." The two had many chances to talk about that nasty subject over the many nights they had spent together. Bramble's illness had always been a troublesome thing, but not one they ever needed to seriously worry over. Maybe at one point early in his life, but with Doc's medicines and a stable environment, the boy was improving bit by bit.

"Maybe I'll ask Harvey to bring him out on another ride one day. Might be cute to see him fall asleep out on the carts like when we last went on a trip." Pepper giggles at the thought as Sandy continues. "And who knows? If he ever does get around to designing lights like he had dreamed of, he'll need connections. Trade for materials and shipping and all that business stuff I was never good at."

-"I think that sounds lovely." She pauses a moment to look over the man gently patting her sleeping child. -"You know, I think you would make a great dad."

"Oh? You mean that the way I think you do?" He asks. Pepper smiles back, eyes tender.

-"I think I do mean it that way, yes."

"Well then, should we get this little one to bed? If I'm going to do this properly, I'll need at least one spare knee to get down on." His heart thrums loudly, but Pepper shakes her head.

-"In a moment, I think I'd like to have an important talk first." She pulls her chair a little closer, resting her arm on the couch. -"Did I ever tell you about my first?"

"No, I always figured it was a rough subject."

The woman cringes. -"Boy, you don't know the half of it. He was a famous explorer, you know? And I mean famous, famous. As in, he's the leader of team (G11aF9)."

Sandy gets a sour expression hearing that garbled text. Town weirdness strikes again!

-"Oops, sorry! I forgot your rank was too low for that information."

"It's fine, it's fine. I'll rank up eventually... So, you were saying?"

-"Right, the point is he's a big shot. We met years ago and he swept me off my feet. We had a few happy years together but... there was an argument. Bramble was very young then and he was in much worse condition than he is today. He thought I was..." *sigh* -"It's hard to explain."

"He found out you were a bandit leader?" Sandy guessed. Pepper's face alights with fear.

-"How did-"

"Pepper... I've seen the meetings you have late at night. They pass you secret information, come to you for comfort or protection, and I don't have proof of this but I'm fairly certain you were sheltering bandits down in your basement during that whole SN panic just days ago."

-"Oh Sandy, I didn't want to keep secrets from you! I just-" He raises a hand, gently touching the side of her face.

"It's alright, you have your secrets. I'm fine with that. Besides, I'd be a hypocrite if I judged you for something like that. I have way too many 'friendly' conversations with bandits to ever judge someone for having connections to them." He looks her in the eyes. "Pepper, I don't know what your old flame did or said back when they found out, but I'm not them. You're special to me. Bramble is special to me. I want to be in both of your lives. If part of your life is running intel for bandits or offering them comfort, I'm fine with that. Especially after learning that the whole organization is a glorified daycare service."

Tears spilling over, Pepper pulls Sandy in for a tight hug, holding him while she cries into his shoulder. The two stay for a while until they hear Bramble shuffling in his sleep.

-"Oh! Oh dear, we had best get him to bed, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah. No worries, I'll take-" *wince*

-"He he, 'I'll' take him to bed. You go rest. Nurse's orders~"

"Heh, sure Pepper. Thanks. I'll do that."

Letting the larger woman pluck her son out of his lap, Sandy lets his tired arms relax. Watching Pepper head out to Bramble's room and shut the door behind her, Sandy can't get out of his head how lucky he is to have come to Rift Town back on that fateful day... Then with a start he realizes, Pepper shut the door behind her. "Wait, did she want me to rest in-" Checking the handle, he finds the door leading out into the inn proper locked. Looking over his shoulder, he sees that the door to Pepper's personal bedroom has been left intentionally wide open.

His injuries throb painfully in anticipation of the night he has ahead of him.