Searching for a Water-type

"Remember, 72 hours from now, Gardevoir will come to pick you back up." 

"I understand, don't worry." 

Giving her Gardevoir a nod, the female ranger teleported away again. Meanwhile, Lukas started looking around himself before pulling out Pidgey's Poke ball. 

"Pidgey!" 

"Pidgey fly a bit higher and see whether you can spot any large bodies of water." 

At first glance, he already determined that he was in a valley surrounded by mountains. 

This didn't come as a surprise to him, however, since he asked the Gardevoir to send him to a place close to some mountains and a large water source. 

If he hadn't told her of any preferred environment, he would've probably spent all 72 hours just searching for an area that suited his goals. Cindy chose a forest area to look for Pokemon, so they separated. 

"Pidgey!" 

Turning his attention to his Pokemons call, he sees Pidgey pecking the air in one direction. 

"Did you find a large water source?" 

*nod* *nod* 

"That's good then. You can stay out since it isn't dangerous here, but tell me if you find a group of water Pokemon." 

"Pi!" 

Since he is on a timer, Lukas decided against a leisure walk, instead he picked up his pace. 

'At times like this, I slightly envy Cindy and her Arcanine.' 

Some larger Pokemon are very popular among trainers for their ability to carry them on their backs, thereby significantly shortening travel time and exhaustion. 

'Well, I guess I just have to wait until Pidgey evolves to Pidgeot at most.' 

Unfortunately, he will have to wait until she reached the Gold-rank for that. 

'No, since I'm combining advancement and evolution, I'll have to wait until she reaches the Platinum-rank.' 

Eventually he reached a very large lake situated right in the middle of the valley. The lake's surface seemed very tranquil at first glance, but Lukas can imagine that below surface will be another thing altogether. 

Walking along the shoreline, Lukas kept his eyes open for water-types who will probably like this environment very much. 

1 hour of walking and searching later he discovers a small clearing surrounded by trees on all sides except the shore, pondering for a moment he set up his camp there. 

"Okay everyone, this place is pretty safe so you can do whatever for the next three days, but remember to come back here in the evening, understood?" 

All his Pokemon that he let out of their Poke ball answer positive before Kadabra is the first to teleport away. The chance of something happening to a Pokemon here is very small since all Pokemon tribes living here have a very close relationship with humans, so the most that will happen is some of his Pokemon will a challenged to spars and such. 

… 

*sigh* 

"Finding a suitable partner doesn't seem to be easy, what do you think?" 

"Lucario!" 

"Well true, until Pidgey I never had to look very hard, a fitting Pokemon always just so happened to appear in front of me." 

It is already noon the second day and approximately 24h have passed since Lukas first entered the NNPR. 

Splashing his feet in the lake in front of him, Lukas is in deep thought about how to proceed from here. 

"Haaaaa, screw it, I guess I'll take a dive next." 

While he came across a plethora of water-type Pokemon capable of walking on land, no one among had anything special going for them. Even the groups of royal starters he discovered until now were nothing special. 

He found a bask of Totodile-line members shortly after he left his camp yesterday, and a nest inhabited by the Squirtle-line just this morning. 

Because one of the surrounding mountains turned out to be a volcano, the lake's higher temperature makes it an unsuitable place for the water-type royal starter of Sinnoh leaving only the Mudkip-line that Lukas hasn't come across yet. 

Of course, he also met regular Pokemon with the highlight among them being the school of Horsea and another one consisting of Tadpole-line members led by a Platinum-rank Poliwrath. 

Going back to his tent, Lukas grabs his bag and after searching for a bit takes out a small diver's kit. 

He calls it a kit, but it's really just a diving mask and some flippers. Obviously the mask isn't normal, it lets him stay underwater for about 2h. 

*splash* 

After telling Lucario he'll be back, Lukas immediately jumps into headfirst into the water. 

At first, he sees very little, that is, until diving along the bottom of the lake for about 10 minutes. 

He first came across a small coral field. It also didn't take long until he discovered the first Pokemon. Goldeen, Tentacool, Staryu, Remoraid as far as he could see different Pokemon kept appearing one after the other. Lukas let his eyes wander around them at first. 

*bling* 

That was until a light pink sparkle of light coming from a small cave formed by some overgrown corals caught his attention. Having his interests piqued, he made his way over. 

*swish* 

Just as he reached the small opening, however, something came out and swiftly escaped. 

'Found it!' 

In the short glimpse he got of the Pokemon that quickly scurried away, he saw something fascinating. He took a quick look around and managed to spot the same light pink sparkle from earlier again. 

This time, however, he approached much slower in order to not scare the Pokemon giving off the light away. 

What he saw as he got closer confirmed his guess that his search for a water Pokemon was coming to an end. Even at first glance, one could tell something about this Pokemon was different. Whether it was the color of its fins being pink instead of the normal blue or the small gem giving off a pink sparkle situated on its forehead. 

Unable to resist any more Lukas activated his ability. 

__________________ 

Species: Feebas 

Gender: Female 

Age: 1+ 

Type: Water, Fairy 

Rank: Iron(high) 

Abilities: Swift Swim, Torrent 

Traits: Type Variant, Natural Charm 

Affinities: Water, Fairy 

__________________ 

'YES!' 

Lukas was jubilant at getting his confirmation. Like he guessed this Feebas had a type variation not some other genetic altercation. 

As for the boons for having the Type Variant trait, the Pokemon in question will become a natural at learning moves of that type. Even having the chance to learn moves that are normally exclusive to some special Pokemon-lines. 

Her Natural Charm has two effects, first it lets her charm Pokemon of her own gender and second, Pokemon of the opposite gender have a small chance of getting charmed after attacking Feebas with a physical move. 

Having learned from his earlier mistake, Lukas slowly got closer to Feebas while also some Poke food out of his waterproof pouch. 

As Feebas came closer, examining the food in Lukas hand, it did not react much when his other hand slowly started to touch and caress it. 

Seeing the Pokemon begin eating out of his palm, Lukas flashes a smile underneath his mask before he continued to pet her at the places he knew she liked it. 

It did not take long until Feebas ate all the food presented to her yet feeling the comfortable petting from Lukas it decided against fleeing instead staying close to Lukas. 

In moments like this he was grateful that his ability not only showed him a Pokemons stat sheet but also about their likes and dislikes. 

... 

*splash* 

"Lucario?" 

"Huff...yes, I found a suitable partner." 

Getting greeted by his first Pokemon Lukas takes a deep breath of fresh air before leaving the water. 

"Luc!" 

"Don't worry I'll introduce her to everyone later, first let me get dry myself, also I'm hungry as well so I will deal with that too." 

After drying himself and having a few bites from a nutrition bar, Lukas examines the Poke ball he pulled out of his diving pouch. 

The way in which he caught Feebas was pretty unspectacular all things considered, all he did was pet her until he slowly ran out of air. When he had to leave he presented Feebas with a Poke ball and as if understanding his meaning she did not resist her capture in the slightest. 

He later introduced her to his team in the evening when everyone returned.