12 Mating

"How do I make Cosmog stronger?" I asked curiously. "Can't I just train her like any other Pokémon?"

[Cosmog is not a normal Pokémon anymore, and she does not get stronger the same way that others do. She can still gain experience from battles, but there are other ways you can both get stronger and increase your bond level. Your level is displayed by the color of your Paradise Ball. Nurse Joy's was slightly pink because you have a positive relationship with her. If you take Lusamine's ball out now, it will be dark gray, shifting to black. Cosmog is still white since you have not Mated. Any Partners that you have not mated with will range from white to black. Once you have mated with them, the color and intensity of the ball will vary on the strength of their emotions toward you. The more they like you and the stronger your bond, the brighter it will be.]

"Wait, you are saying that I am going to be mating with Pokémon? Isn't that a bit... I don't know, wrong?" I asked, unsure.

[It is not wrong if you feel comfortable with it and your Mates are willing as well. There are many different ways to Mate with Pokémon, including the traditional way of intercourse, but some also enjoy other things like cuddling or snuggling.]

"What about Sylveon? Can we mate too?" I asked, wondering if my favorite Pokémon was able to mate as well.

[Yes, you can mate with Sylveon, but you should concentrate on Cosmog first. While you will catch many Pokémon in the future, not all of them will become your Teammates, and you are going to have to build a Team of Pokémon that you keep with you at all times, with a few to switch out depending on what challenges you will face. For now, mating with your Pokémon and training them is your first priority.]

"Well, I guess that is that, then," I said. "So what do you suggest I do now?"

[You need to get to Phenac City and buy some supplies, but you should also set up a Base Camp so you can return here without having to use an Ultra-Wormhole every time. You have some money in your bag for supplies, along with some other things you might find useful, but you need to make it last. You are going to have to do a lot of walking through the desert.]

"I think I can manage that, but how do I set up a Base Camp? Do I just need to find a spot and then...?"

[Yes, you just have to find a spot and then tell your System to allow you to set up a Base Camp. There are different settings for the Base Camp depending on what you are looking for, but I recommend that you put it on the easiest setting so that it can be used as a waypoint. You will be able to use it to teleport, and you will be able to see where it is. You should name it something so you can remember where it is. I suggest using your name, so you do not forget.]

"That sounds like a good idea," I said as I thought about what I was going to name my Base Camp. "I think I am going to call it 'Landon's Place."

[That is a good name for it. I suggest you head out now and get started on your journey.]

I nodded my head and then walked over to where my bag was lying in the sand. I picked it up, put it on my back, and then started walking north toward Phenac City. It didn't take me long to reach a big lake that I rushed over to and then started to drink from. I must've drank for a good five minutes before I finally came up for air and then started to fill my water bottle that was in my bag.

[It is good that you are staying hydrated, but you need to be careful. There are Pokémon in this lake, and they might not take kindly to you taking their water.]

I looked around the lake carefully, but I didn't see any Pokémon. "I don't see any Pokémon," I said out loud.

[Just because you cannot see them, it does not mean that they are not there. You need to be careful and maybe try using your Psychic ability to sense them.]

"My what? I have a Psychic ability?" I asked, wondering what she was talking about.

[Yes, all humans have Psychic abilities, but they are generally very weak, but I have increased yours as much as I could. You should try using it to sense the Pokémon in the lake.]

I concentrated on the lake and tried to sense anything that was in it, but I didn't feel anything. "I still don't feel anything," I said after a minute.

[You need to concentrate harder since you are not used to using your Psychic ability. It will take some time for you to get used to it, but you should be able to do it with practice.]

I nodded my head and then kept my concentration on the lake. I started to feel a very faint presence in the water, but it was so weak that I couldn't tell what kinds of Pokémon they were. "I think I feel something, but it is so weak that I can't tell what they are."

[That is because they are very far away. The Pokémon in this lake is not close to the shore, but you should be able to tell what kinds of Pokémon they are if you concentrate hard enough.]

I did as Cryo said, and then I was finally able to make out the faint presence of three different Pokémon. One was a Water type, one was a Psychic type, and the last one I wasn't sure about since it kept changing. "I think I have them. There is a Water type, a Psychic type, and then one that I can't quite make out."