original starter thread for former member's character at the ranger station. Sarah used to be a ranger NPC and was the one who was there when Foongus/T was selected. the following is the audition for Foongus from the giveaway.

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The mountain wind on Route 7 was harsh this high up, whipping up the dust of the road and causing the ex-ranger to squint her eyes, covering them with her hand during an especially violent gust. Right about now she was wishing she’d kept a few more of her things rather than discarding them back at the station for her old coworkers to pick through. Those sunglasses, for instance. Too expensive and she thought they would be too easily broken in her rucksack but man would they come in handy now. At least she had the forethought to keep her parka for the cold upper mountain she was getting closer to in her asent. For the briefest of moments she considered turning back to take shelter til the wind died down or just go backwards up the other routes rather than going the way she was to catch a ferry up to Cassieopeia to begin the journey. She’d gotten her starter at the outpost biomes before leaving, and it was safely snuggled inside its own personal pokeball along with the one containing Petunia and a bagful of five empties and the rest of her supplies. She hadn’t expected it to be so….lonely so soon.

As she trudged up the craggy path her foot caught on a rock jutting in the way and she tripped right over into the tall grass - and came face to face with a Foongus lying in wait, seemingly taking shelter himself from the wind and catching some Zs. She knew she could get up and outrun it if need be obviously but she kind of liked the idea of company, especially if she could stick low to the ground like this. So long as he didn’t know any poison moves just yet. ”Hey buddy…” she said, sliding her bag off her shoulders and folding her arms under her chin. His eyes flew open and he gave a hop of shock at the human being inches away, before cringing at the pain he’d been trying to sleep off from his last battle. It only took a second for him to drain enough health from the human to pump him back up to fighting status again. Sarah groaned, feeling suddenly fatigued and glad she was laying down.

Foongus flexed his nubs < Ahhh, thanks bro! > he said, giving a waving wobble of his top. It was only then that his vision focused a little more clearly and he realized he recognized this chick, but...from where, < Do I know you? > he asked, honest and curious by nature. No point letting anything like a lie hold him back. ”Hmmm, I don’t think so. I’ve never met a wild Foongus before - come to think of it, I’m not sure what you’re doing on this route..you should be on 6 not 7.” she took his continued look of confusion as a reason to give a bit of background qualifiers, ”Well see, we had Foongus in the biomes at the rang-”

< Ranger Station yeah that’s it! Yo I’m so glad to see you bro! Thanks for coming to check on me, for real, I wondered how long it would take and it’s only been a few days now. That guy you sent me with kept me long enough to battle me against some friggin skull dog and then dumped me without even having the decency to heal me! Like, dude, I’m tough but I’m not indestructible. That thing used me like a chew toy! I got one move for cryin out loud!> the little mushroom’s nubbins curled inward like he was making fists that he didn’t have but yearned for. It took until the end of his story for her to realize he was the very Foongus she’d given out as a starter just before leaving the Rangers. And he had been abandoned???

”He wasn’t even authorized to begin catching here! Are you serious? He was supposed to start in Cassi and-!” she exclaimed, but had inhaled so sharply that she began to sputter and cough. ”Well, I’m not a ranger anymore but I can always take you back to them anyway. Maybe this is a sign to turn back after all.” she said, frowning and scooping him up. He did a backflip out of her hand, < Huh-uh no way babe! I’m out so I’m out! You want me, you can have me, but you gotta train me up, you feel me? Otherwise I’ll just hang here til someone else comes along. I’ll be alright. >

Sarah stood up at last, hands on her hips as she grabbed Petunia’s pokeball and released the elderly pancham, ”Tuney, you remember the Foongus from the station. Please help me explain that he needs to be returned to them.” The masked bear blinked blearily against the icy wind and after a moment or two of really waking up from the glorious nap she’d just been having she put two and two together, shaking her head. < He’s been exposed to the wild, now, he’d have to go through weeks of isolation and quarantine to even remotely be ready to be presented to another trainer. It’s not like he has an identifier on him that you could have checked, and when things like this happen - few and far in between as they are - I’m sure the rangers would prefer he go with someone who knows what they’re doing and know the procedures to rehabilitating an abandoned pokemon than for him to risk going with another jerk-off who was displeased with their starter result and abandoned them at the first opportunity. Another day out here in this cold and he’d have never recovered - you’re in your coat you don’t realize how bad it is up here. Imagine being a grass type on your last leg….stump…>

Sarah waved her gloved hands, ”Alright, alright, you’re right. Okay, Foongus let’s get someplace warmer and we’ll train you up a bit so you can help us once we really get started. I’ll make sure to spot you” she promised, inserting a random gymrat term she was pretty sure she’d used correctly, ”And see to it that you’re not in any situations that are too much - but you won’t be handled with kid gloves either, yeah? she took out one of the empty pokeballs and offered it to him.

< Yeah, bro, you got it. I’m so puuumped! I can’t believe my luck, so you seriously left the Rangers woah, that’s badass! We’re gonna get so pumped, are you hype? I bet you’re hype. > he flexed a few more times, bouncing in place and then approaching the ball. It was only then that she noticed the fact that his color was a bit off - bits of his creamy stump were turning blue and the underside of his round top was shivering so quickly it was almost imperceptible. And yet here he was still talking about getting ripped and playing it off like it was no big deal. Petunia was right, he was literally out of his element up here, and no matter how tough he was acting there was only so much he could do before nature took its course. ”Yeah, buddy, I’m hype. Say - do you have a name yet? I’ve been labelling the balls as we go and I want to get it right.”

< Oh ah..nah...That dillweed didn’t even have the decency to name me, haha! > he tried to laugh it off but his voice was tinged with sadness, < I’m alright, though, I’ll be alright. I bet you could come up with a good one. Just...what’s her name? Petunia? Don’t….don’t do me like that. Give me something strong sounding, a’right? > he said, looking a little panicked at the idea of being called Daisy.

Sarah couldn’t help but to laugh as she pressed the button to return the wise old sage Petunia, ”Got it, nothing floral. Something badass. I’ll think on it and ask you next time we see each other. For now get some rest. We’re gonna do some hardcore training tomorrow once we make it to the next town. Lots of lifting! I know that’s your favorite!”

The last thing she saw was the look of absolute elation on the Foongus’s face at both the idea of getting ripped along with the fact that she’d actually remembered that fact. With a shimmer of red he disappeared into the ball and she waited to see if it’d take before packing up and getting back on the road.