Battlegrounds : A Pokémon Role-Play { Closed } - Day Two: On the Road to Jade Forest

[Tortilla the Hun]

[HEADING=3]The previous day...[/HEADING]

"Oh, this is not going well," Caleb muttered as he stood in a small clearing quite a ways from the lake. He was somewhere between Lake Lapis and Route 3, that much he was certain. By the looks of things, it was growing more likely that it would've been much faster and easier if he had doubled back and went up Route 3's trail instead of trying to navigate the space between. After much more trekking, Caleb finally came across a less sheer part of the cliffs that hasn't appeared too difficult to ascend. "Up we go then," he muttered as he began to climb. Foot by foot, slow but sure progress was made, though not without wiping sweat from his brows and palms frequently along the way.

Caleb's headway was suddenly and surprisingly halted when he attempted to clamber onto an admittedly odd looking rock. With a gruff, "Geodude," the stone shifted and rose, sending Caleb toppling back. He tumbled down the rocky slope, fortunately landing on his backpack throughout most of the fall. All the while, the Geodude just watched before settling back into its small crevice.

"Oof!" Caleb landed on his stomach in the packed dirt at the base of the cliff, knocking the wind out of him. Spike, who had been holding onto the large pack just a moment before, came to a rest just a foot shy of the boy, hitting the dirt with a small grunt. For about a minute the pair just lied still, recuperating until the trainer spoke up again, almost wheezing. "Okay. New plan. We make camp here then just follow the trail onward from the lake. Sound good?"

The Elekid let out an exasperated sigh of agreement. And so, after securing themselves a level patch of grass, they set up for the night.

[HEADING=3]Currently...[/HEADING]

"Elekid?"

"No, we've just got a little further to go. I'm sure the others haven't moved too far ahead. Don't wanna be alone for long, especially if there'll be more of those 'Equinox' goons in this region," Caleb said, partly for his own assurance. Maybe they've already forgotten about you, the self conscious part of him thought. You haven't even met most of them.

Trying to put those thoughts away, the trainer began to consider his first course of action once he arrived at the town. He figured he would make a trip to the Pokémon Center so he could get his team at maximum efficiency. After some time walking and wondering, he found he was already entering Kalita City. The sight wasn't as wondrous as his first arrival into the region, but it was much more welcoming than a makeshift camp in the wilderness. With a more brisk pace, Caleb strolled into the Center and went up to the front counter to take care of his first order of business.

 

[Lambi]

Heidi cheered on the challengers as each of them went up against Barrett, and when Eurydice showed her the message about going out to level her Pokémon, she nodded towards her. She wouldn't be far away, and there weren't that many left to challenge the Ground gym leader.

Once badges had been handed out to the winners, Alix mentioned the two nearest gyms to them. The options being either Fire or Dark. Considering her own team, Dark would be a better choice. "I'd rather go for Dark myself. I have a particular weakness to Fire, considering four out of six Pokémon on my team are Bug types." Sure, she had two Water types, but they probably wouldn't be enough to take on the Fire gym. Besides, one of those Water types was Lewis, her Surskit, who also happened to be part Bug. "So, I at least need more training. And possibly other types of Pokémon." Arceus damn it, as much as I like Bug types, I guess I have to admit that I need other types on my team.

Yani just flied happily over Heidi's head, and she was glad that her trainer decided on the gym that she'd be good in. If she had any Bug type moves, that is. Maybe she would by the time they'd be at the Dark gym.

 

[CounterAttack]

The votes seemed to be in favour of the Dark Gym, east of Kalita. Sounded good to Alix, although she knew she needed to train up her entire team before taking on another Gym. Gideon and Jen in particular, so they evolved into their Fighting-type forms, Dewott and Combusken.

"So yeah, are we going to... Natree City next then? When are we heading out?"

"I'm fairly certain there's a couple of people that have wandered off on their own. Maybe we should wait for them before going too far ahead... I might get lunch while we're here," was Alix's answer. She recognised the boy with the Elekid heading up to the counter to get his Pokémon healed. As the guy approached, a second nurse emerged from a back room, a tray of Poké Balls in hand, and waved to the Trainers sitting around the table.

"Oh, neat, looks like they've patched up our Pokémon." Alix folded up her map and stuck it back in her pack before heading over to pick up the two that she'd left in the nurse's care. With the Balls containing Gideon and Stana back in her satchel, she headed for the dining hall off the main lobby.

[hr]

On the large TV screen in the dining hall was a news program of some sort. "A team from the Kalita, Natree and Topasa City Police are investigating the disappearance of thirty-year-old Elise Monteiro, who went missing two days ago while out on a walk through the eastern paths of the Jade Forest. 'Details are difficult to uncover,' says Detective Sergeant Jane Jenny, 'as Ms Monteiro has no immediate family after her husband passed away of a heart attack three years ago. Anyone with information on Ms Monteiro's whereabouts should contact their local police department.' Ms Monteiro is unemployed and has no family in the region." The unfolding story was accompanied by an image of a Caucasian woman with black hair in a ponytail, green eyes and plain gold earrings.

The news-anchor switched stories to something about a new store opening on a Department Avenue in Topasa City, specialising in jewellery, elemental stones, and occasional combinations thereof. Alix wasn't paying attention, too focused on acquiring some food for herself - the staff had provided sandwiches - and her Pokémon.

[hr]

As Eurydice walked the streets, a small pink and cream-coloured Pokémon paused in its grooming to watch the familiar human. "Nya?" It gave chase, playfully hiding behind trash cans or streetlights as it followed Eurydice out of the city.

 

[NeoAC]

Alix's move towards the counter was followed by Robyn getting up to grab Natalie's Pokeball. As she headed into the dining room, she caught the ad for the Topasa Department Store. "Ohmigod! Look at all the kickass stuff!" She spotted Alix over by the food. "Can I change my vote??? I didn't know Topasa had all that stuff in it!"

 

[Mr. Omega]

Russel was letting the others decide where to go. He figured staying with the group would be better than going alone, and he might make a friend or two while he was here. So far, the vote seemed to be favoring Natree. He nodded in approval, considering that he'd have at least some advantage no matter where they went. Still, with Mera being as shaken up as she was, perhaps Natree would be the better way.

He chimed in when Robyn spoke up. "As nice as stuff is, I'll throw my vote to Natree City. Besides, I'd like to head through the forest. All sorts of interesting stuff there..." he said, wondering what sort of pokemon would be there.

 

[SkyeNeko]

Eurydice urged Ponyta into a fast jog back up the hill. She had raced her down, beside a train track that ran along through the city, to get her some exercise before they set off again. Ponyta got antsy when they stayed still too long, or when she was in her pokeball a lot, so Eurydice took the time to run it out of her when she could. A few Pidgey flew off here and there, without effect.

It looked like it was about noon as they made their way back. Surely, all the gym matches were done by now. There weren't a lot of people out here by the tracks, but Eurydice did see a few running to do errands. A pair of schoolkids battled Pichu in their backyard. Some girls waved at Ponyta from a passing train, and she was all but too happy to chase the train for a mile.

By the time Eurydice got back to the gym, Ponyta was sufficiently tired, and her butt was sore from all the horseback riding. Eurydice stretched and returned Ponyta to her pokeball before heading into the Pokemon Center to see if she could find any of her travel companions.

 

[CounterAttack]

"Ohmigod! Look at all the kickass stuff! Can I change my vote??? I didn't know Topasa had all that stuff in it!"

Evidently Robyn had followed Alix into the dining hall. Alix looked up from her dishes, surprised. "Wait, what? Oh... oh wow. That Shiny Stone set's pretty." She found a table, set her plates down, and watched the news article unfold: the store's owner was talking.

"We use the smallest evolutionary stones we can find. Each numbered set is composed of a necklace and a set of earrings. All hand-cut from a single stone, and the jewellery can be used to evolve a Pokémon 'cause each set comes with its own cradle to fit the pieces together for use."

"Does using the stone to evolve a Pokémon affect the jewellery's value at all?"

"Well, there's a chance some stones might lose a little of their sparkle, but it's a small chance." The footage cut to a panoramic shot of a wide open space filled with shops and stands, with plenty of people going about their business. "Dusk and Diamond Jewellers is the fourth store to open in Topasa's Department Avenue in the past three months. And the value of their shares are expected to rise even further with the debut of their newly patented versions of elemental stones. Sonia Shore, Gensia News."

Alix was rather tempted to change her vote as well. The Shiny Stone set earned several points in Topasa's favour... but the Dark-type Gym was the better choice if she wanted to strengthen her team some more. Besides, Matti was still young: they had a way to go yet before Alix could evolve him up to the majestic Togekiss. "Sorry, Robyn, but I think we might have to pay Topasa a visit later... maybe after we visit Natree City? I'm definitely gonna check that out when I get the chance though."

Losing interest in the next news story, she quickly set about feeding her Pokémon. Gideon, Jen and Matti got seats at the table, while Ludevic just slept through the proceedings and Stana, being a quadruped, ate on the floor. The latter earned an extra scratch behind the ears for her participation in the Gym battle, though.

 

[Pm0n3y]

"What about that girl in Jade Forest?" Morgan piped up, also evidently joining Alix in the cafeteria. "It's the goody two-shoes sailor part of me, but i'm thinking we should go check it out. We have to go through that forest anyway, right? Knowing our luck, one of us would most likely just bump into her." He told the two girls, thinking of several ways the sidetracking could prove of use. "It could be a good opportunity to train, we could end up as heroes in the local paper, and I figure it'd be a nice story to tell in the future. Besides, how big can a developed forest be? She couldn't of strayed that far off the beaten path..."

 

[Fragrance of Mtn Dew]

In the end, Alan wasn't able to work up the nerve to face Barrett that night. He was no stranger to fighting in front of a crowd, but the fact that he was much less familiar with Pokemon battles than boxing made him pretty nervous all the same. Challenger after challenger stepped up to face Barrett until it was announced that the gym was closing for the night and Alan was forced to return to the Pokemon center to rest.

The next day Alan woke up bright and early for a light breakfast and a morning run, though Mary was much less enthusiastic about this than Clay or Samson, before heading out to the gym. This time he wouldn't back down. Although he would have to wait his turn as it seemed that a lot of people were just as eager as he was and had gotten here before him. "Already waited all night and now I gotta wait some more huh? What a drag..." He muttered as he entered the Gym and took a seat once more.

Alan watched the challenger after challenger for what felt like far too long. Though he was slightly pleased to see many familiar faces among the winners, he was ready for his own turn to come. So when he saw an opening had to stop himself from running up to the arena and settled for a brisk walk instead. At long last he stood across from Barrett who greeted him with confident grin. "Heyyyyyy I remember you from the lake! Was wonderin' when you'd finally quit watchin' and step up to take me on! All your buddies already won but I gotta rep to keep up so don't think I'll be goin' easy on you." Barrett sent out his first Pokemon, a Diglett, as he spoke.

"I'd expect nothing less. Actually, I'd be pretty ticked off if you did go easy on me." Alan replied with a grin of his own. "You're up Samson! Let's show 'em what all our training has done!" Alan said, sending Samson out to take on the Diglett. Samson was pretty much his ace in the hole for this fight, though he intended to let Clay have some of the action as well. "Alright Samson, let's hit him fast and hard with a Peck!" Samson let out an excited cry as he flew towards the enemy Diglett as fast as he could.

If the lopsided matchup bothered Barrett at all, he certainly didn't let it show. "Using type advantage is pretty smart, but you're gonna have to put a little more effort into it than that. Diglett, use Sand Attack!" As Samson drew near, the Diglett kicked up a cloud of sand that got in Samson's eyes causing him to halt his attack in confusion. "Now! Scratch while he's vulnerable!" As Samson tried to shake the sand out of his eyes, the Diglett landed a decent blow that sent the Taillow flying back a bit.

Type advantage didn't mean much if the attack couldn't connect. "Guess I shouldn't expect him to be totally defenseless even at a disadvantage.... Alright Samson, stay in the air for a bit and use Focus Energy! When you're ready go in for the Peck again!" Samson nodded and flew a bit higher out of Diglett's reach, charging up and letting his vision clear before shooting back down towards his foe.

"Don't let that hit you! Use Sand Attack again!" Barrett shouted, recognizing that if that hit connected it would be bad news for Diglett. Once more, the Diglett created a cloud of sand but this time Samson was ready and closed his eyes as flew into it to reach his target. After a brief moment of suspense, the sand cleared to reveal Samson standing triumphantly over the fainted Diglett.

Barrett recalled the Diglett, his grin fading only slightly. "Takes balls to go for a shot in the dark like that. I like it! But fightin' like that will only get you so far. Show 'em what I mean Rhyhorn!" Barrett said, sending out his next Pokemon.

Alan pulled out his Pokedex to confirm what he thought he knew about Rhyhorn. Damn, Rock and Ground type... There goes my advantage. Clay doesn't have any moves that will work well here either. Sorry Samson, but you're just gonna have to wear him down as best you can... Having taken a moment to think up a solid strategy, Alan then gave his commands to Samson. "Alright Samson, start out with a Growl to soften him up a bit and then go in with a Quick Attack!"

Despite being a bit worn out from the fight with Diglett, Samson nodded enthusiastically and let out a fierce growl that caused the Ryhorn to step back a bit in intimidation. Samson used this opportunity to make his charge and smash into the Rhyhorn, though the attack didn't have much effect on the it's tough skin. "Don't just take that from him Rhyhorn! Hit him back with a tackle!" The Rhyhorn obeyed Barrett's command, though somewhat hesitantly and it showed in the half-hearted tackle that connected with Samson.

Even though the blow had been weakened though, Samson still seemed to be on his last legs after taking that hit. Alan knew that Samson would fight as long he was physically able but he'd already done so much in this fight. Asking for more just didn't feel right. "Alright Samson, you did great! Let's let Clay take it from here though." Samson looked disappointed but didn't protest as Alan recalled him. "We're halfway there Clay! Let's finish strong and take our first gym badge!"

Clay emerged from his Pokeball raring to go. Alan decided it would be best to put that energy to good use right away and try to get some momentum to carry them through the fight. "Start off with a Fake Out!" At Alan's command Clay dashed towards the Rhyhorn, making it look like he was aiming an attack at it's left side but spun around to hit him from the right at the last second. The fake out worked, catching the Rhyhorn off guard and leaving it totally open to a follow up attack. "Great! Now hit him with a Tackle!" Clay crashed into the Rhyhorn with all his might and the force of the blow almost knocked it over. The Rhyhorn teetered on two feet for a moment before managing to stabilize itself and landing back on all fours.

"Don't let him push you around like that! Tackle him right back!" Barrett shouted, looking a bit worried after seeing Clay almost knock the Rhyhorn over. The Rhyhorn didn't seem too fazed by the hits it had taken and charged Clay immediately. Clay stood his ground and tried to match the Rhyhorn with a tackle of his own. The two remained locked in place for a few seconds with neither one able to gain much ground over the other. Eventually though, Clay began to get pushed back and the Rhyhorn used that oppurtunity to break the stalemate with a sudden burst of strength. "That's it! Now use Bulldoze!" As Clay stumbled backwards, the Rhyhorn reared up on it's hind legs before smashing into the ground. The attack landed just in front of Clay but the force of it caused the ground to tremble and sent Clay flying back even further.

Though the move didn't reach him, Alan couldn't help but wince as he watched Clay take a beating. It was clear now that Clay couldn't match the Rhyhorn's strength and the force of that last hit seemed slow him down a bit as well. As Clay slowly got back to his feet, the Rhyhorn approached and reared up on it's hind legs for one more Bulldoze. Alan's experience in the ring told him that they had to turn the tide here or they'd never get the momentum back. The window of oppurtunity was brief but it was still there! "Clay you have to hit him now before he hits the ground! Tackle him now!!" Alan shouted at the top of his lungs. Clay seemed confused but only for an instant as he decided to trust Alan and go for it.

Clay charged in and crashed into the Rhyhorn with all his might. The Rhyhorn, caught completely off guard and still in mid air, could do nothing as it fell backwards. Barrett's jaw dropped, along with many others in the crowd, as the Rhyhorn struggled to flip over and get back to it's feet only for Clay to jump on top of it and begin pummeling it into submission before it could recover. The crowd fell silent as the Ryhorn eventually gave in and stopped struggling, only to erupt into a roar of applause and cheers a moment later as Clay pumped his fist into the air in a victory pose.

Alan couldn't have wiped the smile off of his face even if he tried as he ran into the arena and scooped Clay up with his good arm, giving the Tyrogue a big hug. "WE DID IT! YES!! I can't believe we actually pulled it off!"

"That makes two of us then!" Barrett had approached after recalling his Rhyhorn, grinning widely even though he had lost. "A moment's hesitation from you or your Pokemon and you never woulda pulled that off. Take guts to make a call like that and a lotta trust. That'll sure as hell earn ya my Arena badge and the TM for Bulldoze. I bet you'll put 'em both to good use." Barret said, handing Alan his winnings and offering a handshake which Alan accepted gratefully.

"Thank you. It was an honor to have battled with you. I can't wait to see what the rest of the League has in store for me!" Alan pocketed his winnings, still wearing a huge smile and exited the gym. He hadn't felt this great since the last time he'd won a boxing match. And though he was excited at his victory he couldn't help but feel even more excited at the thought that many more battles like that one awaited him.

But after that, he definitely needed a rest. Alan made his way to the Pokemon Center and got Clay and Samson treated, making his way to the dining hall after they were patched up for a well deserved lunch. There he spotted the familiar faces of Robyn Alix and Morgan, whom he recognized but had never really spoken to, and made his way over to them. "Hey guys! I saw your gym battles while I was waiting for my turn. Great stuff. Congrats on the wins!" He said, greeting them enthusiastically and still in a great mood from his own win.

 

[CounterAttack]

"Well, I guess," Robyn said answering Morgan as he came in to discuss the TV. Although in her opinion he was focusing on entirely the wrong thing. Her frenemy Alan showed up. Hadn't seen him in a while. He was in a good mood though. Must have been victorious. "Thanks," she offered in return.

"Speaking of beating our first Gym..." Alix fished out her winnings from her match against Barrett, and pinned her Arena Badge to the right side of her jacket, taking a moment to find the best spot before she put a hole, even a small one, in the fabric. The cash - a sizeable amount - went into her wallet, and the TM back into her pack where it couldn't be damaged. There were instructions on the back of the TM case, she noted.

Reusable Technical Machine instructions: Open case and slide disc into Pokédex slot, then scan the individual species to which you wish to teach the TM's move. For best results, species should remain still during this process.

"I'm ready to head out to Natree whenever you guys are."

[hr]

It was another hour or so before most of the others had gathered near the south-eastern gate. Alix remembered there being a couple more guys around... but then, it wasn't like their group was official or anything. People could come and go as they pleased. With everyone set to go, the nine Trainers headed out onto Route 4, and the Forest beyond.

Route 4 was a plain and simple area: gentle hills bedecked with long grass made up Gensia's southern coast, with woodland to the north and east. A few Trainers could be seen, whether battling or just lounging in the flowers with their Pokémon or their friends. Alix also spotted a few tiny islands just offshore: people were battling with larger, more powerful species on the islands.

Once again, seeing an unfamiliar route set Matti off. Alix kept a tight hold on him despite his wriggling and squeaking. "Hmm... you're still as much of a handful as ever, mister." She made a face at her charge, who just giggled in her arms.

Spoiler: Pokémon Team Updates

Update #07

Alix:
Matti (Togepi), level 11. Sweet Kiss, Charm, Extrasensory, Metronome (Serene Grace)
Stana (Poochyena), level 12. Tackle, Howl, Astonish, Sand-Attack (Quick Feet)
Ludevic (Abra), level 9. Teleport, Foresight, Metronome (Magic Guard)
Gideon (Oshawott), level 13. Tackle, Tail Whip, Water Gun, Learned Focus Energy (Vital Spirit)
Jen (Torchic), level 11. Scratch, Growl, Focus Energy, Ember (Speed Boost)

Elias:
Currently Absent

Russel:
Munchie (Gulpin), level 16. Pound, Smog, Yawn, Sludge (Liquid Ooze)
Rory (Ralts), level 10. Growl, Confusion, Learned Double Team (Trace)
Mera (Lotad), level 12. Astonish, Water Gun, Absorb, Nature Power (Rain Dish)
Egg (???) Egg Watch: Ready to Hatch!

Heidi:
In Party:
Yani (Yanma), level 12. Tackle, Steel Wing, Quick Attack, Double Team (Speed Boost)
George (Starly), level 8. Tackle, Growl, Quick Attack (Keen Eye)
Eve (Combee), level 7. Sweet Scent, Gust (Hustle)
Daniel (Metapod), level 7. Tackle, Bug Bite, Struggle Bug, Harden (Shed Skin)
Laura (Mudkip), level 10. Tackle, Yawn, Mud-Slap, Water Gun (Mold Breaker)
Lewis (Surskit), level 10. Bubble, Quick Attack (Swift Swim)

In PC:
Mike (Chimchar), level 8. Scratch, Leer, Ember (Iron Fist)

Morgan:
Chase (Chinchou), level 10. Light Screen, Bubble, Supersonic, Learned Flail (Volt Absorb)
Spike (Poochyena), level 10. Tackle, Howl, Learned Sand-Attack (Quick Feet)
Sting (Weedle), level 7. Poison Sting, String Shot, Bug Bite, Poison Tail (Shield Dust) - Eligible to Evolve
Bruce (Squirtle), level 10. Bubble, Tackle, Tail Whip, Learned Withdraw (Torrent)

Alan:
Clay (Tyrogue), level 14. Tackle, Helping Hand, Fake Out, Foresight (Vital Spirit)
Samson (Taillow), level 13. Peck, Growl, Focus Energy, Quick Attack, Wing Attack (Scrappy) - M
Mary (Mareep), level 9. Tackle, Charge, Thunder Wave, ThunderShock (Static)

Robyn:
Nina (Petilil), level 15. Growth, Sleep Powder, Mega Drain, Extrasensory (Own Tempo)
Scout (Sentret), level 9. Scratch, Foresight, Defense Curl, Dizzy Punch (Keen Eye)
Natalie (Swablu), level 15. Peck, Roost, Sing, Astonish (Cloud Nine)
Sauza (Metapod), level 10. Tackle, Bug Bite, Struggle Bug, Harden (Shield Dust) - Eligible to Evolve
Laila (Torchic), level 11. Scratch, FeatherDance, Focus Energy, Ember (Speed Boost)

Erika:
Burtha (Swinub), level 12. Powder Snow, Mud-Slap, Icicle Spear, Learned Bulldoze (Thick Fat)
Aerial (Pidgey), level 11. Gust, Razor Wind, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack (Big Pecks)
Bre&#241a (Poochyena), level 13. Tackle, Howl, Sand-Attack, Learned Bite (Rattled)
Maya (Metapod), level 10. Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite, Struggle Bug (Shield Dust) - Eligible to Evolve
Ygritte (Cyndaquil), level 10. Tackle, Leer, SmokeScreen, Learned Ember (Blaze)

Eurydice:
Ponyta, level 13. Tackle, Tail Whip, Ember, Flame Wheel (Flame Body)
Budew, level 8. Absorb, Growth, Learned Water Sport (Poison Point)
Ralts, level 10. Growl, Confusion, Learned Double Team (Trace)
Shinx, level 10. Bite, Tackle, Leer, Charge (Intimidate)
Ducklett, level 11. Water Gun, Water Sport, Defog, Wing Attack (Keen Eye)
Geodude, level 7. Tackle, Defense Curl, Mud Sport, Rapid Spin (Sturdy)

Brandon:
Norma (Drilbur), level 16. Metal Claw, Rapid Spin, Mud-Slap, Fury Swipes (Mold Breaker)
Perry (Marill), level 15. Dizzy Punch, BubbleBeam, Rollout, Defense Curl (Huge Power)
Grey (Croagunk), level 14. Astonish, Poison Sting, Pursuit, Taunt (Poison Touch)

Rachel:
Ninja (Scyther), level 15. Vacuum Wave, Night Slash, Focus Energy, False Swipe (Technician)
Totodile, level 13. Scratch, Water Gun, Rage, Bite (Torrent)
Vulpix, level 11. Ember, Fire Spin, Roar, Quick Attack (Drought)
Nidoran M, level 11. Peck, Morning Sun, Double Kick, Sweet Kiss (Poison Point)
Abra, level 10. Teleport, Foresight, Metronome (Magic Guard)

Spoiler: Route 4 Capture List

Wild Pok&#233mon Levels: 10-15

Common Catches:
Blitzle
Oddish
Budew
Natu
Pineco
Ledyba
Pansage

Rare Finds:
Combee
Audino

Spoiler: West Jade Forest Capture List

Wild Pok&#233mon Levels: 10-15

Common Catches:
Caterpie
Metapod
Pineco
Wurmple
Ledyba
Pansage
Sewaddle
Petilil
Shroomish

Rare Finds:
Scyther
Sawk
Bulbasaur
Chikorita
Treecko
Turtwig
Snivy

 

[SkyeNeko]

Eurydice urged Ponyta forward. The coastal path was beautiful. It reminded her of her home on the islands... Ponyta was enjoying the salty air as well, stopping frequently to nibble on the grass. A little girl, who was playing in the grass with what her Pokedex identified as a Blitzle, squealed in delight and ran up to the pair. She barely came up to Ponyta's chest, but she was all over the fire pony, who gave her a wet lick. "Oh my gosh it's a Ponyta! Look, Blitzy!" Eurydice got down from the saddle, and was immediately greeted by a curious Blitzle, smaller than her Ponyta, but equally persistent. Eurydice was hesitant to touch its mane, which was sparking with electricity the same way Ponyta's mane was shining with fire.
"Aw, he likes you! It's OK, he's friendly! Aww, it's so cute... is it a girl or a boy Ponyta?"
Eurydice only smiled apologetically.
"Ooooh, she's so pretty and cuddly!" The Blitzle, jealous, started to nudge his trainer. "Hey, um, will you battle me? I heard that trainers, when they make eye contact, they should battle, you know?"
Eurydice felt kind of bad. The kid didn't even look 10, and only had one pokemon.

"Alright! I'll use Blitzy, and your Ponyta!"
The Blitzle excitedly stomped the ground, getting ready to battle. Ponyta looked between her trainer and the smaller horse. Eurydice nodded in agreement, taking her place a few yards away.
"Go Blitzy! Fight! Use um... Quick Attack!"
Blitzy pawed the ground and broke into a sprint, ramming into Ponyta. Ponyta tottered a little, but didn't seem to take too much damage. She again looked at Eurydice, confused.
"Uh..." Eurydice made a small rolling sign with her finger.
"Yay! Do it again!" Blitzle ran into Ponyta again. This time Ponyta laid down and kicked a little, before laying still. The girl had a huge grin, yelling triumphantly. "Oh my gosh! Did I do it? This is my first win..." Eurydice pulled out her wallet, giving the girl P$100. "Wow... I can finally buy another pokeball! I'm gonna try to catch a Chikorita! I saw one when I was with my mommy!"

Ponyta got up and trot over, licking the little girl's head again, and leaving her with a cowlick. Horse-lick. "I can't wait until school, and I can tell my classmates that I beat a full grown trainer!"
Oh well, whatever. A bunch of preschoolers will think I'm a pushover.

 

[razer17]

Rachel walked the streets leading to the gym with trepidation. She had barely started battling pokemon, and now she was going to try and defeat one of the countries top trainers?

?Is beating a few kids in battle really enough? Even if that Ratata was in the top ten percent of all Ratatas.? Rachel wandered aloud, as she turned the corner that took her to the gym. It wasn't much to look at, dilapidated as it was. It stood out like a sore thumb in comparison to the rest of the town, with it's lovely architecture and well kept lawns.

Rachel decided not to go in, choosing to circle the block a few times first, instead. She found that walking cleared her mind, especially as the hot afternoon slowly made way into evening, complete with a cool and refreshing breeze. Ninja followed along just behind her, wings lightly fluttering in the wind. Rachel had yet to actually see him fly, though she knew that Scyther's occasionally did. Sometimes she wondered if Ninja couldn't or wouldn't fly, though he was fully grown when he had caught her so she wasn't worried she'd taken him before he could learn.

She rounded the corner towards the gym for at least the 5th time that day, and decided that she had had enough. She needed to either go in or give up, and the latter wasn't really an option. Her hand lingered on the door knob for a few seconds, before deciding to put Ninja away prior to entering.

?Sorry Ninja, I'm going to put you away for a short while, so bare with it, please.? Rachel said, giving him a quick smile to reassure him. He still didn't particularly like being put into the pokeball. He gave her a reproachful look for a moment, before visibly relaxing. ?Scy-ther?. The bright light of the pokeball encased him for a split second before he disappeared into the confines of the little white and red capsule.

Rachel attached Ninja's pokeball to her bag, then gently opened the door. She had delayed this enough. As she stepped through, the difference between the outside and inside was immediately obvious. The fading and cracked bricks were swapped for clean white walls and impressive viewing platforms. Heavy wooden floors in the arena showed some signs of the many pokemon battles that had gone before, but other than that the place was immaculate. There was no one currently battling the leader, though some trainers were fighting with the ancillary members of the gym. Despite these battles going on in the room, the first thing Rachel noticed was the man stood in the centre. A large black man sporting an incredible green mohawk was not a common sight.

There was no form of orderly queue or anything, so Rachel wondered whether she should just approach the leader, or if she should wait for the people already battling other trainers to challenge him.

?Come to think of it, I'm not really sure how this gym thing works. Do I have to fight everyone, or just the leader?? She muttered out loud.

?Well, you fight any trainer that challenges you, as well as the leader.? A voice came from her right.

Rachel was startled a little, but regained her composure and thanked the man who had given her the information. A short round of questions and answers, and Rachel felt a lot more knowledgeable on the way gym's worked. She decided to make her way over to the leader, whom she had been told was called Barrett.

?So, another challenger approaches, eh?? Barrett boomed. ?You a straggler from that group that came through earlier??

?Hmm? No, I've been on my own.? Rachel replied.
?Ah, 'kay. Seemed like there was a big group of out o' towners comin' through, thought you might have been one.? Barret said, ?Well, anyhow, you here to earn my badge??

?Yeah, I'm here to start my Pokemon League challenge.? Rachel said with a slight nervous tremble to her voice.

?Well, there ain't nothin to worry about, so let's just get started. Go, Diglett!?

?Okay, well, go Totodile!? Rachel took the Totodile's ball from her bag and opened it up, the small crocodile Pokemon coming out of the white light. It stood opposite the Diglett, and let out an inquisitive ?Toto-??

The two pokemon stood in between the trainers, eyeing each other up, shifting around nervously. ?Diglett, use dig.? Barret instructed his pokemon firmly. Diglett swiftly moved out of sight, going below ground. ?Totodile, move around, see if you can avoid his attack.? ?Totodile?? Came the confused reply. Still, whether due to Rachel's command or just natural intuition, the Totodile started to move around the arena.

Diglettet popped up out of the ground. Totodile didn't manage to avoid the move completely, and was caught on his right side, knocking him off balance. Totodile caught himself before he fell to the ground, but he was winded a little bit. ?Dig, dig? Diglett said happily, pleased to have gotten in the first hit. ?Totodile, reply with a water gun!? shouted Rachel.

A spurt of water came from Totodile's mouth, hitting the Diglett full on. Diglett reeled backwards, away from the water, soaked and clearly hurt. A weak sounding ?Dig-lett? came from the pokemon, and Barrett decided it was time to switch out. ?Come back, Diglett, and go Swinub?

?Swin, Swinub!?. The new Pokemon fixed the Totodile with a stare, immediately prepared for battle. Totodile took a moment to size up his new opponent, and Barrett took the moment's hesitation to give his Swinub some instructions. ?Hit him with a mud slap, Swinub.?

Swinub gathered up some dirt from the floor and threw it at Totodile. It hit the Pokemon right in the eyes, lowering his accuracy. Totodile tried to reply with another water gun, and completely missed. ?Time to come back, Totodile?. The tell-tale light came shining out of the pokeball, swallowing up the Totodile. ?Go Vulpix!?

The fire fox Pokemon came out of her Pokeball, and bounced around the floor for a second, before realising the situation. ?Swinub, use mud slap again!? came the booming voice of Barrett. Vulpix was quicker than Totodile, but was still hit by some muddy projectiles. Still, the mud took a toll on the fire type. ?Vulll?. ?Vulpix, use Ember?.

Small amounts of fire flew towards the Swinub, badly hurting it, but it wasn't done yet. IT threw another load of mud towards Vulpix, but the fox anticipated it this time, throwing itself to the side. The spread of the attack meant some still hit the Vulpix, luckily it wasn't enough to knock her out. ?Another Ember, Vulpix, this one needs to end the battle?. Fire sprouted out towards the Swinub again, almost setting it's fur on fire. ?Swin-uuu.? the Pokemon cried out, as it fainted.

Barrett threw his pokeball at the fainted Swinub, and with that, the battle was over. ?Well done, gal. You've earned your first gym badge. That there's the Arena Badge, so wear it proudly!?

?Thank you so much! That was a great battle, it was really close.? Rachel replied. She had actually had a lot of fun during the battle, which hadn't been the case when she'd been battling the younger trainers earlier. She stuck the badge on her bag strap, above her Pokeballs, and then recalled the Vulpix. ?You did good, Vulpix, I'm proud of you?.

?Well, you've taken your first steps towards the Pokemon League, you should be proud of that, young lady. Now, if you don't mind, someone else is waiting.? Barrett flashed a smile, and then waved his hand towards the door. Rachel took the hint, and headed off. She decided to head off towards the Jade Forest straight away, since it was still to early to go bed.

 

[tsatoma]

The wide expanse of hilly grassland and dense forests promised a new and exciting adventure, filled with wonder and intrigue. At least, that was what Norma and Perry thought as they viewed the new route ahead of them. The two took off ahead of the group, only stopping after Brandon chased after the two Pokemon and scolded them for running off.

"Now I'm not mad at you two," Brandon began after he had caught up to them, kneeling down to be at a closer level to them, "I know you two are young and want to have fun, but you can't just run off like that. You two are too young and inexperienced to be running around, what if you two got attacked or some bad guy tried to nab you? From the looks of it there could be many grass-type Pokemon around here, and both of you are weak to those types. So just stick close, and if you want to battle let me know. I'm looking to perhaps add a new member to the team, so we'll keep an eye out, okay?"

With the two Pokemon nodding in agreement, Brandon let out his Croagunk to stretch her feet. "Grey, I'll be training you up the most due to the type seen at the next gym. Do you want to train in the hills or the forest?" he asked his shy Pokemon, who replied with a small shrug as she poked at a rock at her feet. "Well, the other two seem to like the flowers and grass here, so we'll just stay along the coast then," he told her, watching as Grey looked at her trainer's other two Pokemon playing with some flowers. Grey scoffed at their child-like behavior, crossing her arms and marching in a huff towards the forest.

I really need to try to socialize her a bit more, Brandon thought, calling to Norma and Perry for them to follow. "We're going to be going to the forest for now, you two come along. Let's go and battle a bit," he told the two as they got up from their playing and followed after Grey.

 

[Pm0n3y]

Morgan found himself ready to embark on this new forest, but he paused at the gate. He had a hunch. Taking up one of his pokéballs, he released Sting into his hand. The once chipper and upbeat Weedle looked concerned and motionless in the sailor's palm. "Sting? You alright, bud?" As he asked, the Weedle began glowing in his grasp. Morgan instantly knew what it meant. "You were close to evolving? I had no idea, you should've told me!" As the light faded, a large bug eyed cocoon was left. The evolution was complete. "Cool, a Kakuna!" As he announced the obvious, his pokédex vibrated in his pocket, forcing him to take a look at it.

[table border=2]
[tr]
[td rowspan=7]

[/td]
[td]#171: Kakuna♂[/td]
[td]Cocoon Pokémon[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2]

[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Height: 2'00" / 0.6 m[/td]
[td]Weight: 22.0 lbs. / 10.0 kg[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Ability: Shed Skin[/td]
[td]The Pokémon may heal its own status conditions.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2]Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Bug Bite, Poison Tail[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2].[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2]While awaiting evolution, it hides from predators under leaves and in nooks of branches.[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]

"Poison Tail, huh? We'll try that out first chance we get." He promised the cocoon, letting him latch on to his duffel bag.

 

[razer17]

Jade headed out to Route 4 at a leisurely pace, strolling along with Ninja not far behind. She had overcome her first gym leader, on her first attempt no less, and she was feeling waves of pride wash over her. Ninja, on the other hand, wasn't particularly overjoyed. He clearly noticed that something had changed whilst he was locked in his Pokeball. He preferred to be out of his ball anyway, but felt especially jealous that Rachel had done something exciting without him.

She made her way through the gate and took a whiff of the fresh coastal air. Rachel felt invigorated by the air and the cool breeze rolling in from the ocean, causing the tall grass to mirror the waves out at sea. She noticed several people and Pokemon spread out throughout the route, some alone and some in small groups. Just ahead of her was a group of children, one of whom was staring at her Scyther intently.

?Hey, Lady!? shouted a boy, perhaps 11 or 12 years old. ?Is that your Scyther!?? He asked, excitedly. ?Err... Yeah, he is? replied Rachel hesitantly. Ninja stepped forward having heard his name called. ?Scyther? Scy-ther? buzzed the mantis Pokemon. ?He's so cool! What's his name?? asked the kid. ?He's called Ninja?.

?Did you catch him in Jade Forest? I've always wanted to see one, but I'm not allowed in there.?
?No, I caught him back home, in Goldenrod. Ninja, go say hello? The young Scyther walked towards the boy, fluttering his wings slightly. ?Scy?. He cocked his head slightly, enjoying the sudden attention. The kid walked around and admired the pokemon, before asking for a battle. ?Are you sure, Ninja is pretty strong...?

?Well, my Blitzle has a few moves too!? The boy said defiantly.
?Well, okay then. Ninja, get ready for battle!?

Ninja jumped back from the boy and lowered into a slight crouch, ready to pounce on his opponent. The boy threw a Pokeball and released his Blitzle, which quickly prepared for battle. Rachel and the boy simultaneously called out attacks to their pokemon. Both Blitzle and Scyther moved quickly, but Ninja was the quicker of the two, getting in a vacuum wave. The Blitzle was dazed as it was hit by the strange vacuum sensation, but recovered quickly, not hurt significantly. ?Bliiitzle? the cry came from the Pokemon, as it's mane started to glow yellow. Rachel tried to warn her Scyther, but it was too late, the Bliztle discharged electricty from it's mane, zapping Ninja, and seriously hurting it.

Rachel realised that she was in trouble. The Blitzle had the type advantage over her Scyther, and she would need some luck to beat it. ?Use Night Slash!? She commanded Ninja. It was make or break, but she new that Scyther would often land a really powerful Night Slash, and she hoped he would this time.

Scyther slashed his scythes towards the Blitzle, and hit, but it didn't seem to have the same powerful effect as it did other times, leaving the Blitzle hurt, but still in the battle. It's mane glowed again, and released another powerful Shock Wave attack. Scyther was still close by from his Night Slash, and took the full brunt of the discharge, sending it flying towards the ground. He was barely conscious, and Rachel knew the battle was over. ?Time to come back, Scyther, that Blitzle has us beat.? She threw Ninja's pokeball to protect him from further harm, then turned towards the kid.

?Well done, you and you're Blitzle are really strong. I'm sure you'll be a great trainer someday?
?Wow, thanks lady. You'd have beat me if you'd used your other Pokemon, though. I wish I had some more Pokemon to keep me company.?
?Well, maybe when your older you will.? Rachel said, then bade her goodbyes to the children.

Having used a potion on Scyther, she released him from his Pokemon, the wounds all gone, apart from those dealt to his ego. He seemed to be a little down, so Rachel let him battle some of the wild Pokemon that littered the area, trying to decide which ones she might like to catch.

 

[Mr. Omega]

Russel had gone a bit further ahead of everyone else, wanting to get a decent feel of the forest. He liked the shade and the atmosphere, but he could do without the hordes of bug Pokemon. He took a moment to sit down near a large tree, setting his backpack aside. "Oi... we might need to catch a bug to help us with the next gym." he said to Munchie, who just nodded, staring off into space. "Hm... up for a quick nap, buddy?" he smirked, stretching and getting comfy. "No need to rush things. Got the whole day ahead of us..." he said, closing his eyes, unaware of his backpack moving.

The movement wasn't unnoticed for long, however, when a bit of light emerged from the opening in his bag. "What the heck?!" he opened it, aware that the egg he had gotten yesterday was finally hatching. "Didn't think it'd be so soon! C'mon... let's see who you are!"

He opened the top, and saw the empty case... and a light-blue thing with pointed ears was sitting in his back, almost instinctively throwing the top of the container out. Muuuuuunch!

[table border=2]
[tr]
[td rowspan=7]

[/td]
[td]#446: Munchlax ♂[/td]
[td] Big Eater Pokémon[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2]

[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Height: 2'00" / 0.6 m.[/td]
[td]Weight: 231.5 lbs. / 105.0 kg.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Ability: Thick Fat[/td]
[td](Fire and Ice-type moves deal 50% damage)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2]Moves: Metronome, Odor Sleuth, Tackle, Zen Headbutt [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2].[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2]It hides food under its long body hair. However, it often forgets it has hidden the food.[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]

"A Munchlax, huh? And it came with a nice little move. Gotta thank him for that..." he muttered, happy to see his new companion already helping himself to a few of the berries in his backpack. "I think he takes after you." he said to Munchie, prodding him jokingly. Gulpin chuckled, then laughed harder as Russel strained to get the new Pokemon out of his bag "Jeez, he's heavier than he looks!" he panted as he let the thing down "No shoulder rides for you, that's for sure." The Munchlax offered a half-eater Pecha Berry to Munchie. "Awww, I think he likes you already" Russel said, glad to see there wouldn't be any problems. "Say, Munchie, how about you go get some berries for the three of us while I get some things set up with our new buddy here?"

Munchie gave a small salute and hopped off into the forest. With that done, Russel sat back down to look at his new companion. "So what's your name gonna be...?" he contemplated. "Can't go around having Munchie and Munchlax. That'd get confusing fast. You kinda look like a 'Richard' to me. That sound good to you?" The Munchlax seemed to like it's new name, happily biting into his berry and swallowing it whole. "So, Richard it is. Now you're going to have to do some serious training to catch up with the rest of the guys..." Richard looked back at Russel worriedly, his lower lip quivering. "But it can wait. Can't train on an empty stomach!" he laughed, giving Richard a pat on the head. "Besides, Munchie, Rory and Mera will be more than happy to help get you up to snuff."

Munchie had returned with a handful of berries of varying type and flavor, putting his stubs where his hips would probably be triumphantly. Gull gull pip! "Ok, boys. It's a bit early to lunch, but just the perfect time for some brunch, don't you think?"

 

[CounterAttack]

Alix wandered along the coast for a while, careful to keep a hold on her charge lest he slip out of her arms and go running off. Or worse, trip and fall... or jump in the water when he couldn't swim... She shook her head and hurriedly put a bit of distance between herself and the water's edge -

Thump! "Aah!" "Togeh-prrrri!"

"Hey! Watch where you're walking, lady!" A kid a few years younger than Alix, no more than thirteen, stood there with an annoyed look and his hands on his hips. Alix quickly realised she'd walked into him in her haste. "Oh, um, sorry."

"Sorry? That's it? At least battle me for the trouble..."

Wow. Rude much? "I suppose I can battle... let's see what you've got." The kid sent out a monkey-looking Pokémon, except it was primarily red and cream. "Sear! Pansear!" That kind of colouring usually meant a Fire-type... Alix promptly pulled out Gideon's Ball, keeping Matti back. Gideon, bright and cheery as ever, tossed his scalchop from one paw to the other.

"Ugh, really? That's why you wanted me to send mine out first, isn't it? Fine, whatever. Pansear, Acrobatics!" The little Fire-type dashed forward, a blur of colour, and delivered the first hit on Gideon. The Oshawott reeled, but remained standing with a tough grin on his face: a worthy opponent despite being Fire-type.

"Gideon, Focus Energy, then Water Gun as it moves in."

"Gideon? What sort of a name is that?"

"I note you didn't name your Pokémon," Alix shot back. Gideon, meanwhile, had become surrounded by a faint blue glow as he sharpened his concentration, immersing himself in the battle. Sure enough, Alix's opponent ordered another Acrobatics, and Gideon blasted the Pansear with a spray of water, drenching it. It screeched to a halt, spluttering. Unbidden, Gideon charged forward and Tackled the Fire-type, receiving a set of scratch marks in return.

"Another Water Gun!" The second spray was enough to ensure the plucky Fire-type didn't get back up. The kid seemed to be getting more and more angry as the battle progressed; he was already fuming as he recalled his first Pokémon. "Fine! Didn't want to use my newest recruit so soon, but here! Beldum, you're on!" Sure enough, his second was a hovering Steel-type, robotic in nature. "Zen Headbutt!"

Alix liked Beldum and its evolutions, Metang and Metagross. She hadn't seen any up close in recent memory, but she knew what they were like: slow to start, but hard-hitting. "Gideon, you're almost definitely faster than he is! Dodge out of the way, then hit him with a Tail Whip!"

The kid laughed. "Seriously? Who uses Tail Whip?"

"It won me the match against Barrett," was Alix's response. Gideon threw himself flat on the grass, allowing the Beldum to rocket forward straight over him, then leaped up and batted the Steel-type in the face with his tail. He did, however, glance over at Alix, as if to say, You aren't gonna swap out so soon, are you? The look cost him a hit, though, as the Zen Headbutt connected the second time around. Gideon sat down hard, a large bruise quickly forming on his side.

"Gideon... you lost your focus. Need to work on that." Alix called him back. Jen was the best answer she had to a Steel-type, so she pulled out the Torchic's Poké Ball and sent her into the fray. "Tor?"

"Togeh!" Matti wriggled in the crook of Alix's arm, but she paid him no heed save for tightening her grip on the Togepi. "Jen, I've got a new plan for you. It's time to teach you how to battle properly."

"Oh, you can't be serious. Sending out a raw recruit in the middle of a match... who taught you to battle?"

"Not gonna lie, kiddo, I'm teaching myself as I go," Alix answered. "Jen, we're going to try evasive manoeuvres! Dash out of the way of the Beldum's charge once he starts moving, then hit him with an Ember while he's turning round!" The Tail Whip from Gideon wouldn't help much with Jen's focus on Ember, but Alix had an idea for training the shy Jen in the long term.

"Torrr..." Jen seemed uneasy, but she did as she was told. She waited until the Beldum had begun to charge, then zipped to one side, hopped around and spat a small ball of flame at the unwieldy Steel-type as it spun on the spot.

"Good work, Jen! Again!"

"Come on, Beldum, hit her!"

Thanks to her Speed Boost ability, Jen's reactions improved as the battle progressed; again the Beldum charged, and again Jen simply ran out of the way to attack while the slower Pokémon was trying to turn around. Jen seemed to be getting bolder, too, as the match went on; she got used to the rhythm of the battle. Dash, Ember, dash, Ember. For some reason, the kid didn't seem to figure out how to counter Alix's strategy... after a few minutes of this, the Beldum simply tired itself out and Jen's fireball knocked it out of the air, steaming from the heat.

"Tor! Torchictorrr!" Jen hopped up and down, trilling with excitement at her first win.

"Excellent work, Jen! Come here!" Jen ran to Alix and rubbed her feathers up against her Trainer's leg. Meanwhile, Alix's opponent recalled his Beldum and stomped off to Kalita City in a huff, not wanting to stick around. Alix let the kid go: he wouldn't have been gracious about the loss anyway. Instead she took a seat in the grass, ruffling Jen's feather-crest before she dug out a snack for the Fire-type. Matti was finally allowed to walk about; he ran straight to Jen for a warm hug despite her chirruped objections and the grumpy look in her eyes.

[hr]

"Now where am I going to find someone with a suitable countermeasure..." Ahead of Russel, a tall man dressed in a rather... foppish, was the best word to describe it, forest-green outfit, strode out of the woods and back onto the beaten path, taking a moment to adjust the white streak in his black hair before continuing.

"Oho! You, sir! You have a Poison-type with you... where are my manners? I am Florian Ilex, of the Gensia Elite Four. Grass-type Pokémon are my specialty." He sketched a bow in Russel's direction, straightening with a flourish. "Might I enlist your aid in dealing with a... rather disruptive, shall we say, situation? A small band of renegade Poison Pokémon have settled somewhere in the western half of the woods. And unfortunately for me, I just happen to have absolutely nothing suitable for shepherding them out of here and back to their natural habitat further north."

[hr]

On a thick tree branch high above Russel, a hooded figure dressed in black and gold observed the Trainer, his new arrival, and the high-ranked Trainer who had approached him.

Hidden in a bush on the outskirts of the forest, an identically-dressed teenager silently studied Rachel's battling style.

A third shadowed Brandon, keeping to cover as she made sure not to lose sight of him while he and his Pokémon entered the Jade Forest.

And a fourth watched Alix's slow but tactically-minded victory from a cluster of trees.

All, however, made a point of seeing without being seen.

 

[Mr. Omega]

Russel's eyes widened at the sudden guest. "Well holy crap. One of the E4. Can't say that was how I was expecting to start the day." He got up, brushing himself off. "Oi, guys! Come on. We got someone to talk to." He turned to Richard and Munchie, nudging them with his feet. Both yawned and walked forward.

"Nice to meetcha. Russel Manov. I've got a nice little Poison pokemon here." he said, gesturing to Munchie. "I also have a Psychic type, Rory. And Richard hear knows how to use Zen Headbutt." He extended his hand to shake the tall man's hand. "I'd be willing to help. Any listing I've found haven't mentioned many poison types, so getting something out of the ordinary could be fun. So I'm down for whatever challenge you're offering." he was hoping the big guy would then lead the way.

 

[Lambi]

Not staying too far from the others, Heidi had her Pokémon train against some of the wildlife there. Had to get them all trained up for the next gym. It was going well enough. They were all handling the fights fairly well. Laura stayed away from the Grass types, obviously. Eve and Daniel both kept an eye on her to see if any Grass types got near her, and dealt with them as swiftly as they could. It was a little difficult for Daniel, but he had help from Eve and George who lifted him up. Lewis mostly used Bubble on anything that wasn't a Grass type, and Quick Attack on anything that was. When George wasn't helping Eve lift Daniel up, he was attacking other wildlife on his own. Same with Yani, who didn't even notice that Daniel needed help. She mostly stayed close to Heidi, and occasionally attacked Pokémon she saw were wild.

After a good session of training, however, Heidi noticed a Pokémon who she just had to catch. "Aww yeah, sweet! A Natu! Yani, you're up!" The dragonfly nodded and went straight for the Natu with a Steel Wing attack, who responded to the attack with an Air Cutter. That put Yani at a clear disadvantage, since she didn't have any Bug moves to counter with, and Flying moves did super effective damage against her. "Tsh, no good, I gotta switch. Yani, pull back! Laura, you're up!" Yani gladly headed back towards Heidi, and Laura took her place. She started with a Yawn, which made Natu yawn and become drowsy. She managed to use a Night Shade, which Laura countered with a Water Gun, before the Natu fell asleep. Heidi didn't waste a moment in throwing an empty Pokéball at it. Three shakes and a click later, the Natu was caught. Heidi picked up the ball and scanned it with her Pokédex.

[table border=2]
[tr]
[td rowspan=7]

[/td]
[td]#117: Natu ♀[/td]
[td]Little Bird Pokémon[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2]

[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Height: 0' 08" / 0.2 m.[/td]
[td]Weight: 4.4 lbs. / 2.0 kg.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Ability: Magic Bounce[/td]
[td]Can reflect the effects of stat-changing moves[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2]Moves: Air Cutter. Safeguard. Night Shade. Lucky Chant.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2]Level 12[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td colspan=2]It picks food from cactus plants, deftly avoiding buds and spines. It seems to skip about to move.[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]

"Pretty good, if I say so myself. I'm gonna name you Natalia." And with that, the Pokéball disappeared, and Natalia was sent to the PC box. "Good haul. Now back to the training with you all." Heidi said to her Pokémon, who went back to do just that. Yani stayed on top of Heidi's head, though, which she didn't say anything to since that Air Cutter attack took a bit out of her.

 

[elementsoul]

Before leaving the Pokémon Center Erika was sure to grab a quick bite to eat for herself and her Pokémon. While they ate, she fooled around with the TM she had gotten from Barrett and quickly upon studying the move added it Burtha. After she put the TM and her Pokédex away and tried to decide where she should keep her Arena Badge. Ultimately she decided on keeping them on the right strap of her backpack.

[hr]

After leaving the city Erika decided to head into the tall grass fields surrounding the path of Route 4. Releasing all of her Pokémon she gave them each orders on which Pokémon to use each attack on as she saw them.

Breña was told to focus on using her Bite on the Natu while all others were told to hold back off them and to steer them towards Breña. Tackle was to be mixed in upon other types she ran into for a change of pace. Ygritte was basically told to spam Ember and to finish off anyone weak with her Tackle attack. Aerial was told to focus on the grass and bug Pokémon as they came. Burtha switched up Icicle Spear and Snow Powder on the grass types while also taking a fair bit of damage in return. Maya was told to be used together with Burtha in order to mitigate the damage from the super effective grass attacks.

Before long, her group ran into Blitzle. Erika froze at the sight and her Pokémon stalled with her. Slowly she backed away and the Blitzle excited by the sight of a person ran towards her. Slowly she backed away and the Blitzle, who was excited by the sight of a person and ran towards her. Calling out to the first of her Pokémon that she saw, Erika yelled out, ?Maya, use Struggle Bug!?

The Metapod jumped in front of the incoming Blitzle and produced several orbs before they launched at the incoming Pokémon. Still working with each other, Burtha slammed into the ground and a shockwave directed towards it sent the Blitzle tumbling knocked out.

Maya would have also incurred damage by working with Burtha, but by this point the Metapod was glowing and a Butterfree had taken flight out of its back. Erika quickly pulled out her Pokédex and scanned her Pokémon.






Name: Butterfree [color=FF00AA]♀[/color]


Species: Butterfly Pokémon


Height: 3'07" / 1.1 m


Weight: 70.5 lbs / 32.0 kg

Ability: Compound Eyes - Boosts the Pokémon's accuracy.


Description: It loves the honey of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen.


Moves: Air Cutter: Flying, Special.
................Confusion: Psychic, Special.
................Struggle Bug: Bug, Special.
................Bug Bite: Ground, Physical.


Item: N/A


OT: Erika Park // 27718



Not wanting to run into anymore Electric types, Erika quickly retreated into the West Jade Forest. There she returned Breña into her Poké Ball, since she already knew there would likely be a lot of Bug Pokémon and that her Dark Type would not be suited well to this situation.

Suddenly Burtha took off into the Forest leaving Erika and her other Pokémon trailing behind her. Ducking and jumping over various roots and branches Erika caught up to her Swinub launching a Snow Powder attack against a Bulbasaur. The Bulbasaur dropped the berry it was about to eat and launched a Vine Whip attack at the Swinub.

Feeling the pain from the lashing, Burtha quickly fired back with Icicle Spear. Four bursts of icicles launched at the Bulbasaur, all hitting dead on, leaving the Pokémon in bad shape. Quickly Erika pulled out a Poké Ball and threw it at the Bulbasaur. Surprisingly the Ball opened in midair, pulling the Bulbasaur in and instantly locking.

A little shocked at the event, Erika took a moment to walk up and pick up the Poké Ball. Burtha on the other hand was extremely fast to go and eat the Berry on the ground; almost right away she looked better since that Vine Whip hit.

Quickly Erika pulled out a potion bottle from her bag and pressed the nozzle to the button of the Poké Ball. After spraying the whole bottle into the ball, Erika returned the empty bottle to her bag and pulled out her sticker sheets, updating the sticker on Maya?s ball and her new Bulbasaur?s. Finally she pulled out her Pokédex to get a quick scan, before letting the Bulbasaur out and introducing it to the rest of the team; smoothing over any rough edges as needed before continuing on with the group.






Name: Bulbasaur [color=FF00AA]♀[/color]


Species: Seed Pokémon


Height: 2'04" / 0.7 m


Weight: 15.2 lbs / 6.9 kg

Ability: Chlorophyll - Boosts the Pokémon's Speed in sunshine.


Description: The seed on its back is filled with nutrients. The seed grows steadily larger as its body grows.


Moves: Tackle: Normal, Physical.
................Growl: Normal, Status.
................Leech Seed: Grass, Status.
................Vine Whip: Grass, Physical.


Item: N/A


OT: Erika Park // 27718