Individual RP: MuddyMudkip

NBP1
@MuddyMudkip

Three days ago, itching to go on a run, Trevor had energetically bounded through the main door of the first ranger outpost. Perhaps a little too energetic, Trevor apologetically smiled at the receptionist, who had looked up in surprise as he suddenly burst through the door. The outpost, to his surprise was unusually quiet and relatively empty. There was neither the usual bustle of trainers filling forms out and waiting for their applications to be taken by rangers nor the various noises that signaled the presence of rangers in the back room. The back room was usually never quiet. While it was where many of the rangers did their paperwork, there would always be someone who was getting in trouble for pulling a couple of pranks or an animated discussion going on.

Taking a quick tour of the building, Trevor concluded that were no rangers or trainers in the outpost. There was only him and a few secretaries who were busy with paperwork. Sighing, he went to his desk – the one he’d last used a few months ago; he knew that it was going to be a slow day at work.

A thin layer of dust covered the table. Apart from the various office supplies that the rangers occasionally borrowed from each other’s desk, the only item that had yet to be covered with dust was a folder with a note. Apparently, it contained the paperwork pertinent to his previous run – one which was halted midway and was currently on hiatus. For one reason or another, his trainer had to exit the park in the middle of the journey and had yet to come back to the outpost to complete the necessary forms. According to the note, one of the secretaries had found the paperwork filed in the incorrect place. Most of the other secretaries would’ve transferred the documents to the correct section for him, but the one who’d discovered his mistake had taken a disliking to him the moment he first step foot into the outpost. Rubbing his forehead, Trevor made a mental note of steering clear from that particular secretary for the duration of his stay at the outpost. He was in a cheerful mood, and there was nothing that would spoil his mood as quickly as the secretary’s shrill, screeching tirades. Having no idea where to actually file the documents, he asked one of the other secretaries to file it for him.

For the next few days, the first thing he did upon entering the outpost was ask if there were trainer’s who wanted to go through the park. To his disappointment, the answer was always the same. There were around four people waiting, but when he asked for the necessary paperwork, the receptionist would get this crazed look in her eyes, grin like a loony and start going on. It was something about pokemon Z, new additions, Fairy-types and the like, but to be honest, he had no idea what the receptionist was talking about. Not bothering with the receptionist’s apparent madness, Trevor would always sheepishly nod his head in response, smile, and exit the room as quickly as possible. He’d have to ask someone to check on the receptionist’s sanity.

Browsing through files on his tablet, Trevor yawned as he fiddled with the stapler on his desk. He’d been busy with school for quite some time – the reason he hadn’t showed up at the outpost for months, and with his semester ending, he figured he would have ample time to explore the national park. While he could’ve went exploring on his own, he didn’t want to miss an opportunity to meet a new trainer, so he busied himself with various menial tasks at the outpost.

Suddenly, someone angrily slapped a folder onto his desk. Trevor looked up from his tablet; lo and behold, the person who had unceremoniously dropped the documents on his table was the secretary that despised him. He produced a cheeky smile as she quickly spun around, stomped her way out of the room, and slammed the door. “Elisa Fleming, huh. Isn’t she a ranger?” he said to nobody in particular.

Trevor grabbed his tablet, downloaded a copy of Elisa’s file and went to the lockers. He was definitely not going to go to Mt. Oktori in shorts. After changing into a jacket, a pair of boots and a pair of pants, he went over to the front desk. Beaming, he said, “Tell Ranger Fleming I’ll meet her at outpost number seven.”


----
Name: Elisa Fleming
Location: Mt. Oktori
Items: 3 Park Passes, 3 Parkballs, 3 Superballs, 3 "Got Time to Escape?" Packages, 2 Pokedolls, 2 Super Potions, 2 Max Potions, 1 Soothing Fragrance, 1 Hyperball, 1 Blank Voice Disk, 1 Intermediate Bellow Disk [Durant], 1 Supreme Park Ball, 1 Uncommon Voice Disk [Shroomish], 1 PokePlayer, 1 Digital Camera, 1 Apricorn Box
Remaining Encounters: 20
Area Effects: n/a
Pokemon Encountered: n/a
Current Encounter: n/a
Pokemon Captured: none
MCR: 0/?

Pokemon: Gallade
Nickname: Adrian
Gender: Male
Ability: Steadfast
Nature: Adamant
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Hidden Power [Water]|TM Rock Slide|TM Substitute|TM Drain Punch|TM Bulk Up|TM Stone Edge|TM Earthquake|TM Will-o-Wisp|TM X-Scissor|HM Rock Smash|BM Shadow Sneak|BM Confuse Ray|MT Ice Punch|MT Zen Headbutt

Pokemon: Gengar
Nickname: Gohs
Gender: Male
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Sludge Bomb|TM Psychic|TM Focus Blast|TM Energy Ball|TM Thunderbolt|TM Psych Up|TM Substitute|TM Protect|TM Sunny Day|TM Explosion|TM Counter|TM Giga Drain|TM Will-O-Wisp|TM Trick Room|TM Taunt|TM Snatch|TM Torment|TM Hidden Power [Fire]|HM Rock Smash|BM Disable|BM Clear Smog|MT Icy Wind|MT Role Play|MT Pain Split

 

@Sky Lark;

"Ugh, what is with all this 'new Pokemon' madness?" I muttered under my breath as I pushed through the door of the main ranger outpost with my shoulders, my hands rubbing my tired eyes. I sighed heavily, exhausted. I'd spent the better half of the past week or so roaming the various zones of the National Park, on the look-out for any new species of Pokemon that we had received intel about while also going about doing my regular ranger duties of watching out for any other unusual happenings and tending to the wildlife.

I hadn't seen heads or tail of anything new, though, which, quite frankly, pissed me off. In hindsight, I guess I should've known that expectations could only lead to disappointment. I sighed again, shaking my head clear of those defeated thoughts, finding myself standing in a very empty Headquarters.

I wasn't surprised by the lack of life, though. Some of the other rangers were likely caught up in a run or were attending to their other duties as a ranger, and I knew others were busy with some classes they had taken up, as had I up until roughly two weeks ago.

My eyes swept around the main lobby once more as I felt a slightly depressed wave of emotion wash over me, drowning me in mixed feelings of boredom and overwhelmingness. It was difficult to explain this weird state of contrasts; I was just so tired already yet very much itching to get right back out into the heat of work and actually doing something, and I was bored in this lonely place with no one really to chat with, with nothing really to do...

To the secretaries and the receptionist behind the counter, I must've looked quite foolish just standing there, and I could just tell that a dramatic look was probably plastered on my face despite my best efforts to keep my expression neutral, normal. Suddenly feeling rather self-conscious and embarrassed, I soon found my feet taking me to the notice board in a petty attempt to make it seem like I was, in fact, doing something worthwhile.

Considering that I was already standing in front of the board, I had figured I had might as well check out the backlog - if there even was one in the first place. And to my initial delight, there was a waiting list, indeed! As a matter of fact, there were - not just one - but four trainers who wanted to head on through some area of the Park!

Oh, but how even more disappointed I became when I approached one of the secretaries and offered to take one of the trainers.*My smile vanished, along with the brief, gone-in-a-flash fuzzy feeling of renewed vigor and delight, the moment she shook her head and replied, "I had contacted six trainers a few days ago to confirm whether or not they still wanted to go on a run after having waited for quite some time; four of them had said they'd rather wait a bit, considering the rumors about new Pokemon and whatnot. The other two have been taken by Makina already." She smiled apologetically, but I couldn't help but feel profoundly let down.

"New Pokemon? What new Pokemon?" I was barely able to control my rather defeated tone; it wasn't that I was angry at anybody, more like just terribly crestfallen and downcast. "I haven't seen any sign of them anywhere..." I trailed off, exasperated.

"Have you checked all the areas? Maybe you could go on a run yourself." I was sure she was just trying to help, probably couldn't think of much else to say.

"I have - oh wait..." I'd visited all the various zones of the Park recently, that's for sure, but I'd never fully explored three of these locations over the course of the week: the Enigma Ruins, for obvious reasons, and the mountains, Deckbi and Oktori, because I had never been a fan of places that were burning warm or freezing cold. And right now, of the three, I decided that I'd rather take a trip through Mount Oktori.

I was quick to fill out the entrance form, though had to think for a bit when I reached the "Pokemon Information" part. I ran through a mental list of all my Pokemon, eventually settling on my Gallade and Gengar. Adrian was an obvious choice - his Psychic-typing would most likely take care of most of the Fighters in the area, while his Fighting side would cover the Ice-types; furthermore, he was one of my closest partners, and I'd figured it would be good to have an ol' pal by my side. Gohs, I felt, was the right decision for the job as well; him being a ghost meant that he was immune to most Fighting-type attacks, and with all due thanks to his former trainer, he had learned how to use tons of different attacks and techniques in battle, which I was sure would help out one way or another. I also figured I'd take this opportunity to try bonding with him, to try and establish that connection everyone desires between Pokemon and trainer in order to make the team even stronger.

I handed the paperwork to the secretary and requested that she'd give me a ring whenever my run happened to be claimed. I thanked her for everything then headed back outside to look for my Blade Pokemon and inform him of the upcoming trek through Oktori. I found him soon enough, and though he didn't seem too pleased with the prospect of buffing his way through the snowstorms and vicious cold, much less with Gohs coming along, he didn't try to argue his way out anymore - and for that, I was grateful. Not long after that, I received a call from the very same secretary, informing me that a certain Ranger Trevor would be meeting me at outpost number seven - the one right by the entrance to Mount Oktori's frost-covered area.

"Adrian, have you seen my jacket, by the way?" I asked my companion as soon as the call had ended. I rummaged through my bag, pushing aside some unused Parkballs, Pokedolls, and healing items. I was definitely not going to Oktori without at least some layer of warmth protecting me from the bitter cold.

<You probably left it back in your room,> the Gallade answered telephatically. <I'll go grab it.>

As he was enveloped in a veil of blue energy, I couldn't help but tease, {Hey, better save some of your mental power for later!} The last I saw of him before he vanished completely was the indignant roll of his eyes, which only made me laugh.

The thing about Adrian was that he never liked being looked down upon or his capabilities doubted; he constantly strived to prove to others that he was strong, both physically and mentally, and would always work towards becoming better, better than the rest.

While I was still chuckling to myself, there was another flash of blue and my Pokemon reappeared next to me, my jacket and gloves in his arms. He handed them to me silently, and when I thanked him, he only gave me a grunt and a nod in response. Laughter still continued to dance in my eyes, even when I was surrounded by Psychic-type energy and teleported to Mount Oktori's outpost.

As soon as my feet hit the ground, icy breezes swept past me, little flakes of snow brushing against my face and hair - the only parts of my body that weren't clad in cotton and wool. I let out a cool, shaky breath as I began to feel the cold make its way through the garments and into my body. I rubbed my hands together to generate some heat as I looked around for my ranger. When my gaze finally landed on him, I lifted a hand in greeting and managed to introduce myself in spite of the cold. "Hey, I'm Elisa. You must be Trevor, my ranger for today, right?"

 

NBP2
@MuddyMudkip

After grabbing some supplies and teleporting to outpost number seven, Trevor tapped his pokeball, releasing his pokemon in the process. He had decided to bring along Pulse, his Bronzong. Usually, Trevor didn’t recommend bringing Steel type pokemon into cold environments, knowing very well how their joints were prone to freezing. Pulse however, along with every other Bronzong, was a bell – a magical floating bell with the capacity to summon rain. As far as Trevor knew, Bronzong didn’t have joints, and in the event that they did and Pulse got frozen over, Trevor was pretty sure that two rangers would be able to figure something out.

Trevor opened the door of the outpost, a cold wind chilling the tip of his nose the moment he did so. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” murmured Trevor, his breath forming puffs as he spoke. Not at all familiar with the unforgiving terrain and knowing that this was one of the more difficult areas of the park, Trevor was unsure he’d be able to do his job well. After all, Ranger Fleming had yet to arrive, and he was pretty sure it would only take a couple of calls to the first ranger outpost before he could swap assignments with a more experienced ranger. Maybe he could get reassigned to the woods or the great lakes, he mumbled, sighing not long afterwards.

Are you sure about that? enquired Pulse telepathically. It may be a long time before you get another chance to explore Mount Oktori. Also, you might learn a thing or two from Miss Fleming.

Trevor knew that his pokemon was right. He’d heard a lot of good things about Ranger Fleming, and this was the perfect chance to get to know one of his fellow rangers better. Scanning the terrain to pass the time, he noted the general absence of trees. Grass and shrubs comprised most of the flora in the immediate vicinity, and while there was the odd tree every now and then, Trevor couldn’t help but feel that the land was a bit barren. Mt. Oktori didn’t have the vibrant sounds of life that the woods had or the constant buzz of the power plant. Overall, the landscape seemed to be cold, dreadful and desolate.

The sky was full of gray clouds, and a light snow started falling as Trevor waited for Ranger Fleming to arrive, trying to warm himself up in the meantime. As he paced around near the entrance of the outpost while rubbing his hands vigorously, unintentionally trampling the pale grass in the process, a trainer and her Gallade appeared, a faint blue trace of energy hovering in the air around them. She was bundled up in wool just as he was.

Remembering that Ranger Fleming was bringing a Gallade, Trevor approached her with Pulse following close by. Waving, she called out. "Hey, I'm Elisa. You must be Trevor, my ranger for today, right?"

“Mhmm,” he responded, nodding in affirmation. Pointing with his thumb, he continued, “This here’s Pulse, my Bronzong. As you can tell, it’s probably going to be colder than usual today. We haven’t even started the climb, and there’re already patches of snow around. Though, if you’re looking for Ice types, that’s probably a good thing.” Trevor trailed off, his mind whizzing between the various pokemon known to inhabit the area.

You were about to drift off again, Pulse silently remarked.

Trevor’s eyes narrowed slightly. No way! He chuckled as he responded over the telepathic connection he shared with his pokemon.

If you say so. If Pulse were human, he’d have sported a knowing, teasing look. The telepathic connection was more than enough for both Trevor and Pulse to know what each other was thinking though.

Offering Elisa a smile, Trevor apologized. “I’m relatively new, so I haven’t really gotten the chance to explore the area. Shall we get going?”

It didn’t take long before Trevor heard the sound of sniffling. He turned around, about to offer Elisa a tissue before spotting the actual source of the sound - a tiny bear-like pokemon. Mucus dripping from its nostrils, the Cubchoo was playing near the base of the mountain and hadn’t noticed them yet.

“Do you fancy battling this little guy?” Trevor asked. “Beartic seem cool,” he commented. As an afterthought, he mentioned, “No pun intended.”

----
Name: Elisa Fleming
Location: Mt. Oktori
Items: 3 Park Passes, 3 Parkballs, 3 Superballs, 3 "Got Time to Escape?" Packages, 2 Pokedolls, 2 Super Potions, 2 Max Potions, 1 Soothing Fragrance, 1 Hyperball, 1 Blank Voice Disk, 1 Intermediate Bellow Disk [Durant], 1 Supreme Park Ball, 1 Uncommon Voice Disk [Shroomish], 1 PokePlayer, 1 Digital Camera, 1 Apricorn Box
Remaining Encounters: 19
Area Effects: Quite chilly, Snowing
Pokemon Encountered: Cubchoo
Current Encounter: Cubchoo
Pokemon Captured: none
MCR: 7,391/9,000

Pokemon: Gallade
Nickname: Adrian
Gender: Male
Ability: Steadfast
Nature: Adamant
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Hidden Power [Water]|TM Rock Slide|TM Substitute|TM Drain Punch|TM Bulk Up|TM Stone Edge|TM Earthquake|TM Will-o-Wisp|TM X-Scissor|HM Rock Smash|BM Shadow Sneak|BM Confuse Ray|MT Ice Punch|MT Zen Headbutt

Pokemon: Gengar
Nickname: Gohs
Gender: Male
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Sludge Bomb|TM Psychic|TM Focus Blast|TM Energy Ball|TM Thunderbolt|TM Psych Up|TM Substitute|TM Protect|TM Sunny Day|TM Explosion|TM Counter|TM Giga Drain|TM Will-O-Wisp|TM Trick Room|TM Taunt|TM Snatch|TM Torment|TM Hidden Power [Fire]|HM Rock Smash|BM Disable|BM Clear Smog|MT Icy Wind|MT Role Play|MT Pain Split

 

@Sky Lark;


Ranger Trevor nodded then pointed at his Bronzong, introducing the Pokemon as Pulse. He said something about it being colder today, considering how there was already quite a bit of snow covering the barren land, with more white flakes falling delicately to earth. "Though if you're looking for Ice-types, that's probably a good thing," he ended. I smiled kindly as he trailed off; I didn't mind him sortof zoning out or rambling a bit there - it was pretty easy to get rather nervous and start spurting out whatever things come to mind when you were taking someone through the Park, it was a rather large responsibility, being a ranger.

“I’m relatively new, so I haven’t really gotten the chance to explore the area. Shall we get going?”

I nodded. "Sure." With that, we made our way towards the snow-covered mountain, ice crunching under our shoes.

We hadn't even made it that far from the outpost when we spotted our first encounter for the day. The sound of sniffling caught our attention, alerting us to the presence of a small bear, but not before causing both of us to assume the other was in need of tissue or medicine. The air was very chilly, after all, and it wouldn't be long before we'd probably be sneezing like the Chill Pokemon we'd just spotted. Hopefully, the atmosphere wouldn't be bad enough to cause some runny noses; I really did not want to deal with dripping snot today.

"Do you fancy battling this guy?" the Ranger asked. "Beartic seem cool. ... No pun intended."

I chuckled and said, "They are pretty interesting, alright." Now, as to whether I wanted a Cubchoo...

<You aren't planning on actually trying to catch that sick weakling, are you?> Adrian interrupted my train of thought. <I could finish him with one blow!>

Stop being so arrogant, I replied immediately, my eyes darting from the wild creature to the Gallade. And if I had said that out loud, I probably would've snapped, my tone scolding. I bet my expression right now was less than pleased. Just because you think you're strong doesn't mean you can belittle others or their capabilities, I continued, But, no, I'm not going to battle the Cubchoo. Happy now?

My Pokemon looked away, silent, but he definitely wasn't admitting that he was wrong. I sighed - I still had quite a bit to go, getting through his thick skull, even though Adrian was one of my closest partners; it was just in his blood, in his character, that stubborn pride, always ruining everything.

Turning my attention back to Trevor, I apologized, "Sorry, my Gallade needs to learn more about humility, it seems." I managed a smile, as if to say it wasn't too serious of a matter. "But anyway, I think I'll pass on this one, not really what I'm looking for right now. Besides, he looks pretty happy already over there, and I wouldn't want to disturb him and his playtime."

I dug my hand into my bag and clutched a stuffed toy, ready to toss it to the Ice-type in the slight chance he decided to block our path. "In case he doesn't let us pass, though, I've got a Pokedoll."

I did hope I was making the right decision, though. Beartic weren't that great of a Pokemon, but they certainly weren't terrible or the worst either. We were just starting our journey through Mount Oktori so I was still pretty confident - and hopeful - that there'd be better options later on. Still, I couldn't help but feel a small sense of doubt...

 

NBP3
@MuddyMudkip

Glad to have garnered a chuckle, Trevor waited for Elisa to make her decision. He noticed Elisa had gone quiet and assumed that she was telepathically communicating with her pokemon, something that was fairly common among the rangers. He had his thing with Pulse; she had her thing with Adrian. Trevor was pretty sure there was also a ranger who almost always brought along an Espeon. It seemed, however, that Elisa was unhappy. Mouth set in a thin line, her gaze shot toward her pokemon.

Trevor wasn’t particularly familiar with the specifics of telepathy nor was he trying to pry, but he was pretty sure that Adrian had somehow angered his trainer. Trevor immediately looked away, not wanting to get involved. Suddenly finding the tuft of grass at his feet particularly interesting, Trevor waited for Elisa’s response.

"Sorry, my Gallade needs to learn more about humility, it seems," Elisa apologized.

It was Trevor’s turn to have a “chat” with his pokemon. He was about to ask Pulse what had gone on between Elisa and her Gallade, but Pulse, cut him off. You should know by now that while I do possess the ability to tap into the mental conversations that go on between others, I don’t find listening in particularly proper.

You sound like my mother, retorted Trevor. He knew though that Pulse, as always, was right.

"But anyway, I think I'll pass on this one, not really what I'm looking for right now. Besides, he looks pretty happy already over there, and I wouldn't want to disturb him and his playtime. In case he doesn't let us pass, though, I've got a Pokedoll." continued Elisa.

Trevor nodded in acknowledgement. The four of them started shuffling to the side, trying to silently move away, but for some reason, the Cubchoo was compelled by some unknown entity to look up, causing it to lock eyes with the Gallade. The ursine pokemon advanced, and while the Cubchoo maintained a friendly, playful stance, it was clear to both rangers that they wouldn’t be getting away without dealing with the wild pokemon.

Elisa grabbed the Pokedoll from her bag and offered it to the Cubchoo. Curiosity dancing in its eyes, the Cubchoo, approached its new playmate, allowing the rangers to take their leave.

After a few moments of trudging through the light snow, Trevor mentioned, “I almost forgot. Would you prefer taking the trail up Mt. Oktori, or shall we see what the caves have to offer?” The conversation was interrupted, however, when a bipedal pokemon sprung up from behind a snow drift. Well-versed in martial arts, the young pokemon eyed both rangers and their pokemon, taking up a fighting stance not a moment later. If anything, the Tyrogue was gutsy.

Turning to Elisa, Trevor called out, “Nice one. Maybe a Tyrogue is more to your liking?”

----
Name: Elisa Fleming
Location: Mt. Oktori
Items: 3 Park Passes, 3 Parkballs, 3 Superballs, 3 "Got Time to Escape?" Packages, 1 Pokedoll, 2 Super Potions, 2 Max Potions, 1 Soothing Fragrance, 1 Hyperball, 1 Blank Voice Disk, 1 Intermediate Bellow Disk [Durant], 1 Supreme Park Ball, 1 Uncommon Voice Disk [Shroomish], 1 PokePlayer, 1 Digital Camera, 1 Apricorn Box
Remaining Encounters: 18
Area Effects: Quite chilly, Snowing
Pokemon Encountered: Cubchoo, Tyrogue
Current Encounter: Tyrogue
Pokemon Captured: none
MCR: 0/4,000

Pokemon: Gallade
Nickname: Adrian
Gender: Male
Ability: Steadfast
Nature: Adamant
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Hidden Power [Water]|TM Rock Slide|TM Substitute|TM Drain Punch|TM Bulk Up|TM Stone Edge|TM Earthquake|TM Will-o-Wisp|TM X-Scissor|HM Rock Smash|BM Shadow Sneak|BM Confuse Ray|MT Ice Punch|MT Zen Headbutt

Pokemon: Gengar
Nickname: Gohs
Gender: Male
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Sludge Bomb|TM Psychic|TM Focus Blast|TM Energy Ball|TM Thunderbolt|TM Psych Up|TM Substitute|TM Protect|TM Sunny Day|TM Explosion|TM Counter|TM Giga Drain|TM Will-O-Wisp|TM Trick Room|TM Taunt|TM Snatch|TM Torment|TM Hidden Power [Fire]|HM Rock Smash|BM Disable|BM Clear Smog|MT Icy Wind|MT Role Play|MT Pain Split

 

@Sky Lark;

You'd think that, if someone was so engrossed in what they were doing, they wouldn't be looking up and scanning the area oh-so suddenly, right? I mean, we weren't even making any noise - the snow under our feet wasn't crunching that loudly, surely. But for some unknown reason, that was exactly what the Cubchoo did and so it had noticed us, or Adrian, to be more specific. The two were staring each other down, maintaining constant eye contact as the bear inched its way towards us.

Not wanting to get into a fight - which was bound to happen, considering the circumstances and knowing just how feisty my Gallade was - or waste any time, I wagged a Pokedoll right in the wild creature's line of vision, drawing its attention away from my Pokemon. The Ice-type gazed at the doll with unmistakable curiosity written across its features; soon, it was much too distracted with its new toy to pay us any more heed and we were able to make our escape, continuing along the snowy path towards the towering mountain.

After a while, Ranger Trevor asked whether I'd rather take the mountain trail up or explore Oktori's extensive cave networks. Before I could answer, or even think of my response, however, another Pokemon - a fighter with a predominantly pale purple body and brown hips and feet - decided to pop up, emerging from a snow drift and simply bouncing with energy.*As soon as he spotted us, he immediately rearranged himself into a battle-ready stance with a series of "yah's, ha's, and hi-ya's" and a quick show of rapid punches and kicks. I liked this guy already! It was adorable and invigorating at the same time, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of adrenaline as well when the Scuffle Pokemon got pumped up, expecting a fight. And this time, I wasn't going to be one to disappoint.

"Maybe a Tyrogue would be more to your liking?"

"Definitely." I nodded, determination and anticipation now etched onto my face as my eyebrows scrunched up in concentration. Gallade or Gengar, that was the question.

<Its species are known for their seemingly boundless energy as well as their sheer enthusiasm for battle, their eagerness to compete, to face even foes that are by far larger and stronger than them,> Adrian informed me as he eyed the wild entity, sizing him up.

Well, that would explain the bandages on his torso and wrists. I figured he was was the type of chap who was dead set on improving, getting stronger - always seeking a challenge and never backing down, no matter how many losses and drawbacks he would have to suffer.

Sounds just like someone I know, I hinted as laughter danced in my eyes. When the Psychic-Fighting-type rolled his eyes, his sensitive ego clearly offended,*I felt my*lips curve into a smirk, and I had to bite the bottom one just to keep myself from bursting into a fit of giggles.

<Then let me fight him,> he shot back. Ahh, that's my Gallade, always twisting things to his advantage, striving to make sure that everything was in his best interest. <I'll be able to wear him down in a matter of moments - no problem. I know this guy; he's practically me! Only, younger, I would assume, and definitely less experienced, no matter how much training and pain he's endured out here in the wild.>

I bit my lip again, but this time it was due to the seriousness of the matter, of the situation, as I contemplated my partner's request. To be perfectly honest, I couldn't understand why I was even considering going down this path instead of the other, much safer and obviously better option... Two fighters with practically the same personality, the same drive, and extremely similar close combat techniques going neck and neck? That was just a disaster waiting to happen! A storm on the horizon closing in and ready to unleash torrential downpours; the sea when the tides rise, with its waves suddenly shifting from being gentle and calm to raging and crashing; a pandora's box just beckoning to be opened to release the howling winds into the already chaotic picture... All these horrible images of what could go wrong in this bout flooded my mind, the pieces crumbling, shattering, and yet...

Okay.

<Heck yeah!>

But you had better not make me regret this.

<Oh, don't worry, you won't.>

Right. Sure. Whatever you say, Adrian, whatever you say. It wasn't that I doubted my Gallade's capabilities of coming out on top in this fight; it's just that I'd prefer he sustain the least amount of damage possible and that was difficult in this type of match-up: both were Fighting-types, well-versed - or better-versed, rather - in hand-to-hand combat and short-ranged techniques, requiring a neck and neck type of battle, which was sure to bring quite a bit of bruises on both sides and made it more of a challenge to evade most attacks, unlike if we were to just keep our distance. This was the reason why I would've chosen my Gengar in the first place, as he was brilliant with long-ranged or special-based assaults. Though my fighter was indeed capable of attacking from a distance, I knew he would much rather dive right into the heat of the battle, charge head on, and I wouldn't be able to force him out of that kind of mindset or strategy - he was just much too stubborn.

Which left me with only one other viable option: get in and get out, and fast.

"Alright, Adrian, you're up. Use Shadow Sneak to zip around the area as quickly and as stealthily as possible - like a shady ghost whizzing through the air. Circle around the Tyrogue a few times; use your speed and the snowy breezes to your advantage. Don't let him spot you, the key here is to stay as evasive as possible; don't let him pinpoint your exact location so that you can evade the attacks he'll try to throw at you - just keep moving.

"Now while you're doing this, I want you to wield your weapon, your blade, make sure its ready for you when you close in for the attack. Zoom in and slash him with a good Psycho Cut, but remember, do not go overboard. Back out immediately afterwards, still using Shadow Sneak to move about - use this technique to avoid getting hit. I don't want you to take more damage than necessary - you're still going to need your strength for later - so stay out of his range as much as possible while still harassing him, in a way, by continuously dashing about."

Now we'd see just how gutsy this wild Pokemon really was - if he'd lunge out for foes blindly just because he was aware they were in the vicinity or if he'd find another way - and how much he liked playing with enemies he couldn't even see. I just hoped my Gallade performed the Shadow Sneaks swiftly enough and that the whiteness of the snow carried by the cold gusts of wind would be enough to conceal him from view, at least for the most part.

 

BP1
@MuddyMudkip

Elisa had set her sights on capturing the Tyrogue. That much was clear. With a confident nod, she turned to her Gallade. The two of them seemed to have started communicating nonverbally once again. While Trevor knew that it was easier having a mental conversation due to their more spontaneous nature, but he wished he could somehow hear what Elisa was saying. He just felt a little weird, watching Elisa and her pokemon communicate. One moment, she’d have a serious face on. The next, she’d be smirking. It was like watching those black and white films that didn’t have sound, only without subtitles.

It was clear, however, from the Gallade’s body language that he was itching for a battle. Eyes fixated on the Tyrogue, the Gallade held his arms up, brandishing the blades that he wielded – just high enough for the pure Fighting type pokemon to get a good look. The Tyrogue wasn’t backing down though. It held its ground, waiting for the Gallade to make the first move.

Elisa had just called out her orders. Basically, Adrian would be using Shadow Sneak to circle around the wild pokemon, utilizing his speed to blend in with the surroundings before launching a Psycho Cut attack. The plan sounded simple enough. Get in then get out without getting spotted. Perhaps land an attack or two along the way.

As soon as Elisa finished, Adrian zipped away. The top half of the Psychic type pokemon’s body took on a darker green hue while his lower limbs reflected the darker patches of snow. Swiftly the Gallade sprinted towards his opponent, barely making tracks as he silently made his way on the snow. His movements were incredibly fast and erratic; Trevor could barely follow. One moment, Elisa’s pokemon was approaching the Tyrogue from the side, the next, the Gallade would be gone, having changed direction in a flash and seemingly melting into the shadows.

The Tyrogue, being a fighter, kept its guard up. Try as it might though, it was failing miserably at tracking its opponent. However, it kept its ground, only moving slightly to assume a more defensive stance.

Suddenly, the Gallade lunged. Emerging from the shadows, he leaped over a snow drift, both blades aglow. Psychic energy swirling around the Gallades arms, he swung fiercely, retreating as the Baby pokemon fell to the ground.

It took a while before the Tyrogue got up. The attack had done a great deal of damage, but the Tyrogue was determined to prove its mettle. Fiery determination evident in its eyes, it cried out a clear battle cry. Then, it started pummeling the earth. Swift punches rained down, causing waves of energy to emanate across the ground. Unfortunately, as Adrian was skirting around the various shrubs and mounds of snow, one of the tremors caused him to lose his balance. The Gallade stumbled, causing him to fall face first into the snow. Unlike the Tyrogue, Adrian immediately got up, but Trevor saw that something was wrong. When Adrian tried using Shadow Sneak again, pain flashed briefly across his face. In stark contrast to his previous agile movements, he seemed to be limping. The injury wasn’t too bad, but it would severely hinder the Gallade’s ability to move quickly.

----
Battle Stats:
??? M Tyrogue: 62% [Used Bulldoze]
Adamant M Gallade: 86% [Used Shadow Sneak, Psycho Cut]
----

Name: Elisa Fleming
Location: Mt. Oktori
Items: 3 Park Passes, 3 Parkballs, 3 Superballs, 3 "Got Time to Escape?" Packages, 1 Pokedoll, 2 Super Potions, 2 Max Potions, 1 Soothing Fragrance, 1 Hyperball, 1 Blank Voice Disk, 1 Intermediate Bellow Disk [Durant], 1 Supreme Park Ball, 1 Uncommon Voice Disk [Shroomish], 1 PokePlayer, 1 Digital Camera, 1 Apricorn Box
Remaining Encounters: 18
Area Effects: Quite chilly, Snowing
Pokemon Encountered: Cubchoo, Tyrogue
Current Encounter: Tyrogue
Pokemon Captured: none
MCR: 6,749/4,000

Pokemon: Gallade
Nickname: Adrian
Gender: Male
Ability: Steadfast
Nature: Adamant
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Hidden Power [Water]|TM Rock Slide|TM Substitute|TM Drain Punch|TM Bulk Up|TM Stone Edge|TM Earthquake|TM Will-o-Wisp|TM X-Scissor|HM Rock Smash|BM Shadow Sneak|BM Confuse Ray|MT Ice Punch|MT Zen Headbutt

Pokemon: Gengar
Nickname: Gohs
Gender: Male
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Sludge Bomb|TM Psychic|TM Focus Blast|TM Energy Ball|TM Thunderbolt|TM Psych Up|TM Substitute|TM Protect|TM Sunny Day|TM Explosion|TM Counter|TM Giga Drain|TM Will-O-Wisp|TM Trick Room|TM Taunt|TM Snatch|TM Torment|TM Hidden Power [Fire]|HM Rock Smash|BM Disable|BM Clear Smog|MT Icy Wind|MT Role Play|MT Pain Split

 

OOC: this took way way way longer than it should have >.>" But at least the holidays are coming up soon lol xD

@Sky Lark;

I found myself grinning somewhat confidently as Adrian bolted around his target, weaving in and out of the snow drifts, applying some form of pressure on his foe as he darted in and out of the Tyrogue's line of vision. The wild entity was still standing in a defensive stance, tense and alert for any sign of movement. It didn't help that my partner sometimes showed himself for the briefest of moments only to slip away again the next second, clearly trolling the younger fighter just to make his sweat break out.

If I had been in his shoes, I probably would've been in the same rather frightened state, knowing that something was bound to happen yet at the same time not being able to do anything about it at the current point in time; there was only that dread creeping up to get you, the unsureness of what the best course of action was in this particular situation, feeling so helpless and at the mercy of the opponent, the impatience... Yes, the impatience - it was so much easier to just get attacked already and attempt to strike back than having to wait, heart hammering against your chest knowing that it was bound to happen eventually anyway. Why suffer much longer than get it over with, right?

The Scuffle Pokemon didn't have to wait that long, though; eventually the Gallade relented, bored with the mind games and teasing, rushing in with his shimmering blade held high over his head. Just at the right moment, he swung his arm downwards, managing to whack the wild creature spot on from behind. I flinched slightly; a strike like that was bound to leave a mark, no matter how tough and resilient the Tyrogue made himself to be. He may not have cried out in pain when he tumbled to the ground, but I was pretty darn sure the Psycho Cut technique had still done a number on him.

With that, my Pokemon scampered away before the foe could react properly. I nodded at him in encouragement as he continued to circle the opposing fighter, silently telling him to keep it up. The Fighting-type had managed to recover from the assault quickly, though, and his next move proceeded to wipe the smile right off my face.

He began to pound hard at the ground with his fists, increasing in intensity and building some sort of momentum and rhythm as he went with it. His punches sent shock waves of energy throughout the earth, the soil and sand and everything shaking - including my Blade Pokemon. As I planted my feet firmly on the ground and flung my arms out to the side, struggling to keep my balance, I watched with horror as my partner slipped and landed face-first onto the still-trembling earth. When the quaking finally ceased and my Gallade had managed to push himself up again, I could see some bruises on his body and he was moving at a noticeably slower pace now, limping his way back to me, his expression unreadable.

<This kid,> he said, eyeing the wild being with a different regard now, <isn't actually that bad. Did not expect that - not at all; definitely didn't think he'd know a technique like that.>

I could only agree with a nod, the initial shock and worry leaving me rather speechless.

<Huh.> He continued with what appeared to be a mildly amused and impressed expression now plastered on his face, which shocked me, to be perfectly honest. <He could potentially be a nice addition to the team with some proper training, I'd think.>

I did not quite know how exactly to respond to that. It was one thing to be able to keep Adrian's ego in check; it was another to gain a bit of respect from him. Naturally, this connection between the two made me even more determined to capture this particular Scuffle Pokemon.

I have a plan, I told him, drawing his attention back to me. Winning this battle was important for him, too - he still wanted to feel superior, to make sure he was still the excellent fighter he knew himself to be. It's slightly risky--

<But you have full confidence in my abilities.> He smirked at me then, his playful arrogance returning.

I laughed. Right. The immediate traces of worry had now left me, though of course, there were still some vestiges of doubt and anxiety somewhere in the back of my mind, lurking, waiting for fear to strike.

For the sake of my ranger, Trevor, I explained my scheme out loud; it was only proper. "Okay, that Bulldoze, no matter how much you might deny it, did a significant amount of damage to you, Adrian. We can't use the the Shadow Sneak tactic again because, a) it's never wise to use the same strategy twice in a row - the Tyrogue's not an idiot by any means - and b) you're limping; the injury's going to make it difficult for you to move around swiftly and that might just give him the advantage in this match.

"What we want to happen now is that you gain back some of your lost health and energy; we've got a long way to go yet on this trip, and I don't want you using up all your power here, during the first battle of the day. So, calm your mind and reach out to your target with Psychic using all the mental power you've got in you. You have to be able to control him, make sure he isn't going to be able to attack you when you dive in there with a Drain Punch. He's going to fight against it, of course, but this is the perfect opportunity to show off what you've got --" I was playing now, banking on his ego, "--that is, if you've got anything, anyway. Look, Adrian, I believe in you and your capabilities; you've got to make him believe in them, too, make him respect you; that mutual respect is important, in any case. You can probably lift him up into the air ever-so-slightly, a few inches at most, just so that he doesn't try any Bulldoze or ground-related shenanigans and then keep him there, just keep him from hitting you, while you attack and get some energy and health back. After that, back off, but don't let him go just yet. If all works well, I'll be able to throw a Parkball while he's - let's just say - momentarily disabled or being controlled, in a sense."

The Shadow Sneak-Psycho Cut combo had tested Gallade's agility and evasiveness; this time, the success - or failure - of the scheme would be dependent on how honed his mental prowess was. I could only hope that his skills as a part-Psychic-type had been developed enough to perform such a task as "controlling" the opponent, at least for a little while. I didn't need him to, in a sense, immobilize (or, better put, hopefully render incapable of attacking) the Tyrogue for too long - he just needed some time to inflict a bit of damage and regain a bit of energy in the process. Just a little bit of time so I could toss the Parkball as well.

My Blade Pokemon sucked in a deep breath as he closed his eyes in concentration. It was going to take a lot to be able to pull off this plan without a hitch and he certainly needed to focus right now. I rummaged through my bag to retrieve an empty Parkball, gripping it tightly in my fist as I waited with bated breath for the plan to unfold.

 

BP2
@MuddyMudkip


Concern was evident from Elisa’s expression. Eyebrows lifted with concern, Elisa could only nod as she registered the many bruises that now lined Adrian’s arms as he made his way back to her. Moving with a slight limp, the Gallade had lost his previously cocky expression.

Trevor watched intently. Certainly, the fire in the blade wielding pokemon’s eyes was as vibrant as ever, but something was different. Trevor couldn’t put his finger on what it was exactly, but the change in expression had piqued his interest. Studying the Gallade’s features for a few moments, Trevor noticed the slightest of smirks form on his face. “Huh. It looks like he’s enjoying the battle. Figures…” trailed off Eric. Fighting-types were known for their affinity towards combat, and judging from his expression it looked like Adrian wasn’t one to break the mold.

The young Tyrogue has apparently garnered the Gallade’s respect with its last attack, piped in Pulse. My fellow Psychic-type seems to have warmed up to the prospect of having his opponent as his soon to be ally.

Well, that’s good to hear.

Just then, Elisa let loose a loud chuckle. This time around, Elisa called out her orders, something Trevor appreciated. After dismissing the idea of using Shadow Sneak once more, Elisa explained how she wanted Adrian to use Psychic to lift the Tyrogue into the air while restricting its movements. This was to be followed with a Drain Punch.

Elisa’s use of Psychic sounded awfully similar to a move called Telekinesis, which would allow its user to lift a target into the air, suspended helplessly and unable to dodge attacks. Trevor knew that quite a number of Psychic-type pokemon could learn this move and wondered why Elisa didn’t use this move instead. Maybe her pokemon just didn’t know the technique.

Carefully watching his opponent, Adrian took in a deep breath. He then closed his eyes, concentrating on the task at hand. A blue glow spread from the Gallade’s blades, progressing to envelop his entire body; suddenly, the energy streamed forth, flying through the chilly air and quickly engulfing the wary Tyrogue. Every muscle on Adrian’s face tensed as he maintained his concentration, trying to subdue the wild pokemon, which was now thrashing about.

Slowly, inch by inch, the wild pokemon was raised into the air. However, just as Elisa had said, the Tyrogue was by no means an idiot. It was now making quite a fuss, screaming with its limbs flailing about. Yelling at the top of its voice, the Tyrogue did its best to create an awful and painful cacophony, something that would make it impossible for anyone to concentrate.

Trevor reflexively covered his ears with both hands, but he could still hear the racket that the Fighting pokemon was making. Determined little fighter it was and clever to boot.

The Gallade lost focus, dropping his foe with a plunk into the snow. No matter though. Adrian would just make do. Leaping into action, the Gallade advanced as hastily as he could. The Tyrogue had dropped into a particularly large pile of snow, making it somewhat difficult to get back on its feet, and Adrian intended to capitalize. Not as quickly as he would’ve liked, he closed the distance between himself and his target.

With a swift blow, Adrian struck the side of the Tyrogue, which had managed its way out of the snow. Minute spheres of golden energy spun out of the Tyrogue’s bandages, racing through the air and entering the Gallade’s fist. All that had happened in a matter of seconds. As a result, Adrian seemed somewhat healthier. At the very least, his limp was gone. As he was retreating, however, his opponent managed one last attack. With a quick sweep of its arm, the Tyrogue flung snow into Gallade’s eyes, temporarily blinding him.

Elisa was quick to respond, though. The Tyrogue didn’t have time to react as the Park Ball engulfed it with a flash of light. The ball settled on the snow, wriggling twice before pinging shut.

“Ha! That settles it then. Good job on that capture.” Trevor clapped his hands together and smiled as he picked up the ball. Normally, he’d tell the trainer that he was going to pocket the Park Ball for the moment in order to keep it safe, but he didn’t explain himself to Elisa. She’d already know that she’d get her new pokemon the moment her run was over. “Well, shall we continue?” he asked.

Quite far off, something massive was making its way toward them. Trevor wasn’t sure what it was just yet, but it was in a pretty foul mood.

----
Battle Stats:
??? M Tyrogue: 40% [Used Uproar, Mud Slap]
Adamant M Gallade: 82% [Used Psychic, Drain Punch]
----

Name: Elisa Fleming
Location: Mt. Oktori
Items: 3 Park Passes, 3 Parkballs, 3 Superballs, 3 "Got Time to Escape?" Packages, 1 Pokedoll, 2 Super Potions, 2 Max Potions, 1 Soothing Fragrance, 1 Hyperball, 1 Blank Voice Disk, 1 Intermediate Bellow Disk [Durant], 1 Supreme Park Ball, 1 Uncommon Voice Disk [Shroomish], 1 PokePlayer, 1 Digital Camera, 1 Apricorn Box
Remaining Encounters: 18
Area Effects: Quite chilly, Snowing
Pokemon Encountered: Cubchoo, Tyrogue
Current Encounter: ?
Pokemon Captured: Bold Male Tyrogue

Pokemon: Gallade
Nickname: Adrian
Gender: Male
Ability: Steadfast
Nature: Adamant
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Hidden Power [Water]|TM Rock Slide|TM Substitute|TM Drain Punch|TM Bulk Up|TM Stone Edge|TM Earthquake|TM Will-o-Wisp|TM X-Scissor|HM Rock Smash|BM Shadow Sneak|BM Confuse Ray|MT Ice Punch|MT Zen Headbutt

Pokemon: Gengar
Nickname: Gohs
Gender: Male
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Sludge Bomb|TM Psychic|TM Focus Blast|TM Energy Ball|TM Thunderbolt|TM Psych Up|TM Substitute|TM Protect|TM Sunny Day|TM Explosion|TM Counter|TM Giga Drain|TM Will-O-Wisp|TM Trick Room|TM Taunt|TM Snatch|TM Torment|TM Hidden Power [Fire]|HM Rock Smash|BM Disable|BM Clear Smog|MT Icy Wind|MT Role Play|MT Pain Split

 

@Sky Lark;

Of course, when did things ever go exactly according to plan?

Just about never.

But then, I hadn't really been expecting my little scheme to work anyway; it had been a risky set of commands, and as much as I would have liked things to have gone entirely in our favor, how the battle had actually played out was good enough. Sure, the Scuffle Pokemon's shrill shrieks and piercing screams had pretty much destroyed my eardrums, his screeching howls still echoing in the back of my head, but everything had turned out alright in the end. Adrian had pulled through in spite of his limp, the Parkball had done its job, successfully capturing the wild entity, and more importantly, we had both learned a thing or two from this match.

“Ha! That settles it then. Good job on that capture," my ranger said.

"Thanks." I breathed a sigh of relief as Trevor went to pick the sphere up, as if some kind of weight had just been lifted from my shoulders. Still grinning, I looked over at my Gallade and gave him a thumbs-up, something to boost his spirits and loosen up his tensed facial muscles, his features showing the embarrassment and frustration he was feeling. No doubt he was angry at himself for letting things get out of hand like that.

"Hey," I spoke gently, nudging him with my elbow, "You did great out there, okay? You did what you could, you put in your best effort and your whole heart into executing the really risky plan, and for that I'm proud of you. You might think that the Tyrogue had gotten a bit out of control, and we didn't want that to happen, but it did, and that's not your fault. He's a fighter, just like you, and he wasn't going to go down easily; you recognized that earlier - the same vigor in his eyes, the same fiery spirit in his soul - he was bound to thrash and flail about. He doesn't like being conquered or under someone else's command; he doesn't like feeling imprisoned or helpless. Okay, maybe things could've gone a bit better if we did have more control over him, but we can't keep dwelling on that, on things we can't change anymore - we have to move on; what's past is past. We can only learn from our mistakes and shortcomings, and act on those reflections, those realizations, and do better next time."

I sucked in a deep breath after semi-rambling in a comforting whisper to my Blade Pokemon. He seemed a lot less irritated after my little speech, and I was starting to feel hopeful that I was actually getting through to him despite his stubbornness and thick skull; things could only get better for us from here - or so I hoped.

<Guess we know what technique we have to practice the next time we have a training session with Samantha.>

A smile played on my lips for a moment as I thought of one of my friends since childhood. We were still on good terms to this day, and we met up at least once or twice a month to train our Pokemon together. She was a Fighting-type specialist, looking to soon become a gym leader or a dojo master, and Adrian had been one of my choices in most of our fights, training her and her partners to defeat - or at least, put up a good fight against - battlers who had the type advantage over them. Yeah... I responded, but my thoughts had shifted elsewhere - specifically, on the tiny tremors I could feel under the soles of my feet.

The ground had begun to shake ever-so-slightly, and there was a sort of rhythmic pattern to them, like slow, lumbering footsteps. It gave me the impression that something large and heavy was trudging its way towards us, and though I couldn't quite place what it was, something told me that it wasn't in a particularly good mood. Suddenly there was this heavy tension in the air, like an invisible blanket had been draped over us, and instead of making me feel safe and warm under the covers, it instead gave me unsettling chills, like there was something lurking somewhere in the corners, just hiding and waiting for the right moment to pounce on us... Perhaps I was over-exaggerating things, but the moment my imagination has been let loose, it simply goes wild.

I managed to nod at Trevor, steeling my nerves, signaling that we were ready to keep moving. My mind whirred with worry, troubled thoughts running rampant in my head - not really out of fear for the unknown, for the enemy we had yet to meet; rather it was out of distress, concern for the creature itself. Why was it in such a foul mood? What had caused it to feel so sulky or hostile or whatever unpleasant thing it was that it was feeling?

 

NBP4
@MuddyMudkip

Trevor watched Elisa as she encouraged her pokemon, giving him a thumbs up and even coming up with a short speech. Trevor smiled. One of the reasons why he had wanted to become a ranger was the fact that he liked watching how trainers interacted with their pokemon. Elisa was definitely among the kinder ones he'd seen.

Off in the distance, something large or seemingly large, at least, was making quite a ruckus. Heavy, rhythmic footfalls could be heard as it made its way, its enraged form bumping into trees and causing snow to topple from the highest pines. Delibird flew from the treetops, frenzy and panic evident in their shrill cries as they fled from the raging pokemon.

Well, that certainly wasn’t a good sign. With Elisa’s nod, both rangers and their pokemon headed toward the disturbance, neither of them having to think twice. Something was up, and it was their job to find out just what it was. Trevor, growing more worried by the moment, decided to pick up the pace and started running towards the source of the commotion.

The snow hampered their efforts, slowing them down quite a bit. Trevor, coming from a region where snow wasn't far too common, struggled the most, slipping every now and then due to the slush that covered the ground.

Once the rangers reached the edge of the grove, after an embarrassingly large number of falls that Trevor wouldn't care to admit, a guttural roar filled the air. Pushing a number of trees out of its way with its large hands, the Hariyama presented itself. Its hulking form akin to that of a sumo wrestler, the pokemon looked at the rangers with enraged, reddened eyes, waiting for either of them to act. Its entire body was tense, ready to strike at any moment.

Thinking it would be best not to make any sudden movements and not break eye contact, Trevor communicated with Pulse. Let's see. We've got a fairly enraged Hariyama that looks as if it's ready to rip anything in its path to shreds. It would probably be best if we deal with this as soon as possible. Mind asking Elisa if she wants to battle? Trevor doubted it, but maybe, just maybe, all the Hariyama needed was a battle.

Pulse's eyes temporarily glowed a dull purple as he reached into Elisa's mind. Miss Elisa, pardon me for this intrusion, but Trevor wants to know if you fancy a battle with the Hariyama.

---

Name: Elisa Fleming
Location: Mt. Oktori
Items: 3 Park Passes, 3 Parkballs, 3 Superballs, 3 "Got Time to Escape?" Packages, 1 Pokedoll, 2 Super Potions, 2 Max Potions, 1 Soothing Fragrance, 1 Hyperball, 1 Blank Voice Disk, 1 Intermediate Bellow Disk [Durant], 1 Supreme Park Ball, 1 Uncommon Voice Disk [Shroomish], 1 PokePlayer, 1 Digital Camera, 1 Apricorn Box
Remaining Encounters: 18
Area Effects: Quite chilly, Snowing
Pokemon Encountered: Cubchoo, Tyrogue
Current Encounter: Hariyama
MCR: 4518/25000
Pokemon Captured: Bold Male Tyrogue

Pokemon: Gallade 82%
Nickname: Adrian
Gender: Male
Ability: Steadfast
Nature: Adamant
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Hidden Power [Water]|TM Rock Slide|TM Substitute|TM Drain Punch|TM Bulk Up|TM Stone Edge|TM Earthquake|TM Will-o-Wisp|TM X-Scissor|HM Rock Smash|BM Shadow Sneak|BM Confuse Ray|MT Ice Punch|MT Zen Headbutt

Pokemon: Gengar
Nickname: Gohs
Gender: Male
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Sludge Bomb|TM Psychic|TM Focus Blast|TM Energy Ball|TM Thunderbolt|TM Psych Up|TM Substitute|TM Protect|TM Sunny Day|TM Explosion|TM Counter|TM Giga Drain|TM Will-O-Wisp|TM Trick Room|TM Taunt|TM Snatch|TM Torment|TM Hidden Power [Fire]|HM Rock Smash|BM Disable|BM Clear Smog|MT Icy Wind|MT Role Play|MT Pain Split

 

@Sky Lark; Male please. And yay Fighting-types. XD

When the slight rumbles had suddenly turned into ground-breaking quakes, we started running. Or attempted to, at least.

The creature's footfalls had become heavier, the thudding sound of every stomp echoing throughout the area, signaling that it was coming closer, and closer, and closer... Up ahead, I could see its large, hulking form crashing through the trees in the distance, causing mini-avalanches as it disturbed the tranquil lull of the snow sprinkled amongst the treetops. I felt small, insignificant, and helpless compared to this thrashing giant, and we hadn't even met face-to-face yet - I wasn't ready to see just how enormous its figure was up close. Tripping more often than I should have - my feet skidding and giving way under me, my vision swimming as my head suddenly dropped along with the rest of my body - did not help my case in the slightest. Suffice to say Ranger Trevor wasn't doing much better, but that didn't exactly make me feel any less incompetent or unheroic, I guess you could say.

A high-pitched and frenzied shriek came from overhead and I glanced up just in time to see a panic-striken Delibird hurtling across the heavens, wings flapping frantically as it escaped the exact terror that we were running straight into. Blood roared in my ears as I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline - no more slipping like clumsy little kids; we had to get to whatever this Pokemon was and figure out just why it had decided to disrupt the peace and quiet of Mount Oktori, and fast.

More trees toppled as the beast swept them aside with one swat of his hands. My blood ran cold, shivers skipping up and down my spine, when the enormous figure finally decided to reveal itself to us as we slid to a halt at the bare outskirts of the grove. He thundered furiously, letting loose a gruff, hoarse bellow that made my knees buckle, his voice raspy and low as it pierced the still air. My heart thumped hard against my chest, threatening to jump right out and break free of its containment; its distraught beats unsteady and wild as it resounded in my ears, loud and clear.

This was maddening; this was chaos - hysteria.

Brilliant.

Bloody brilliant.

<This isn't looking too good, is it?> Adrian's voice wavered a little as it bounced around my head. Clearly he, too, did not find an aggravated - the ready-to-shred-everything-to-pieces-with-one-strike kind, at that - intimidating giant as pleasant company.

No, it is definitely not, I responded drily. Obviously.

And then, another voice spoke up in the realms of my mind. {Miss Elisa, pardon me for this intrusion--} it was Pulse, Trevor's Bronzong, {--but Trevor wants to know if you fancy a battle with the Hariyama.}

I bit my lip as I contemplated my answer, not entirely sure if I was making the right choice - neither option looked particularly promising at this point. Caution was calling, but nobody's home - to hell with it, I thought. I suppose so, I replied, nodding ever-so-slightly. Not that I have much of a choice anyway - he'll most likely attack if we try to escape, so I've decided it's probably better to just face him head on. Besides, he might make a good battler yet, a nice addition to the team, as long as he isn't that riled up all of the time.

<What?> my Gallade protested immediately, his features draped in shock and disbelief.

What. I shot back, my eyebrow raised as if nothing was wrong.

<He's all tensed up and everything; he looks infuriated enough to finish us in one blow, and we wouldn't even be able to scratch him.>

I know. I pursed my lips into a thin but grim line.

<Then why are we pushing through with this?[/i] the Blade Pokemon was practically screaming at me through our mindlink, exasperated and obviously confused.

Battling him's the safer option. There's only one way down this road; we're destined to get attacked either way. I attempted to explain myself and my logic as best I could while resisting the doubt starting to creep into my head. I'd rather stand and face him bravely than get stabbed in the back for cowardice while trying - and failing - to run away. I gave my Pokemon a pointed look; there was a reason for my choice of words - a hidden meaning, a backstory - and he knew it better than anyone. I continued, Furthermore, we have to get to the bottom of this whole thing anyway; we have to figure out what's made him so angry and hostile, what's caused him to disturb the calm serenity of this place. I'm not stopping until we solve this mystery and return Oktori to its previously-peaceful state. And we can't do that unless we calm him down first, ease him up and understand just what his problem is.

I could feel a heavy, nerve-wracking tension present in the air as I eyed the fighter with curiosity, fear, and caution all mingled into one emotion I couldn't quite name. With a sudden sense of urgency, I realized that if I didn't act now, the Arm Thrust Pokemon would probably go on ahead and attack anyway, the same way he probably would have launched himself at us had we decided to make a run for it - I had to be the one to initiate the battle before all hell broke loose and caught us unprepared to fight back.

I sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, but the cold air I inhaled did nothing to soothe me. Slowly, and as discreetly as possible - any sudden movements were sure to trigger an assault immediately - I reached into my bag, the motion measured and imperceptible, and retrieved my Gengar's Pokeball. I clicked the orb open just as deliberately, even though I knew the flash of light was sure to draw the Hariyama's attention to Gohs.

The Gas Pokemon emerged with a laid-back expression plastered on his face; he didn't seem fazed at all by his much larger opponent, and that seemed to reassure me for a moment - he was a very mild-mannered creature and, I guess you could say, passive too; this was in stark contrast with the wild entity's foul, enraged mood, but perhaps those extreme opposites were exactly what we needed in this battle. I warily witnessed the Fighting-type watch my partner as if he was prey - the exact same way a predator would gaze hungrily at his dinner, ready to devour it all in one go just to quench his mad thirst. I swallowed hard, my mouth dry.

What in the world did we just get ourselves into?

Well, no time to dwell on that now - and no reason to, either; the decision's been made, and we just have to live with that choice, for better or for worse. My jaw set determinedly, I steeled my resolve, straightened my back and stood up taller to look the foe right in his stormy red eyes. I tried to read his expression while I began fabricating a plan in the back of my mind. Why are you so angry? What's gotten you so upset? I asked, staring right back at him, as if expecting he could read my mind and provide me with an answer.

I realized then - as if it wasn't common, trivial, duh-worthy knowledge - that I couldn't read his mind, and neither could he read my own thoughts. I didn't know him; he didn't know me. I didn't know what pain he was going through, what sadness, what problems he was facing, and I had to understand him on that level before I could make any progress with this mission of sorts. I needed a different perspective; I needed to interpret or look at things from his point of view; I needed to grasp what he was thinking and feeling. And, at this point in time, my brain had only managed to come up with one way to achieve the kind of awareness or insight into what was going on in his life.

But, before that, we needed a safety cushion - a hedge, a barrier - just to be sure. The Arm Thrust Pokemon were massive, much like sumo wrestlers, and I knew they could hit hard - what more if that certain Hariyama was all agitated and battle-hungry? I couldn't imagine what kind of pain it could inflict, even if my partner was a ghost. It wasn't going to be as good or as strong as a real shield, like maybe if he were to use the move Protect, but it would have to do for now - it was better than nothing, at least.

"Gohs, set up a Substitute in case he attacks. Actually, scratch that, we know he's going to attack - it's unavoidable - so set up that Substitute for when he does and let's just hope it's enough for now," I begin explaining the plan to my Pokemon. "It'll at least take the brunt of the damage, if anything, and you can concentrate on using this other technique: Psych Up. Basically what we want to happen is for you to get a feel for what the Fighting-type is feeling. We have to find out how he thinks, the reasons he has for doing what he does, what he wants, what we need to do to calm him down, what may have caused him to be in such a sour mood, things of that sort. You'll be gaining his mindset, Gohs, so you have to be careful - you're going to have to control how much of his life, his thoughts, his heart and soul, gets poured into yours, because I don't want you to become as aggravated as he is; I only want a glimpse into his life and mind so we can figure this whole thing out."

How were we going to wear him down, though? Obviously we had to drain him of his energy, not just for capture's sakes, but also so that he would be easier to deal with - he would definitely be more agreeable and open-minded if he were exhausted instead of vigorous and absolutely ready to fight back full force with whatever he's got. I figured any physical attacks, like Shadow Punch, were out of the question, and so were techniques that could leave a direct impact on or collide with him, so stuff like Shadow Ball, Sludge Bomb, and Focus Blast were eliminated as well. I didn't want to provoke him any further. If we confused him... Would that work? Perhaps it could.

"One more thing, Gohs," I hastily added, calling after the Gengar. "Use Confuse Ray to, well, of course, confuse him. He's tensed and angry - probably in a blinded rage - so if we make him a bit dizzy, mess up his head a bit, that might just be what we need for him to stop thrashing about so much. In the state he's currently in, it's almost as if he's on some kind of uncontrolled rampage; the concept's a lot like the effects of Outrage, really." And let's just hope he won't end up hating us more for spinning his head around, I prayed silently.

Adrian, I reached out to my Gallade telephatically, Be ready to jump in in case Gohs needs some help. There's no telling what this Hariyama is capable of in its infuriated state, and I really do want to return home with both my Pokemon alive and well.

<Gotcha,> he responded, and though try as he might to mask it, I detected a hint of fear and hesitation in his voice. I didn't bother commenting on it, though - I, too, was uncertain just how well our side would fare in this match-up, no matter how brave or confident of a front I seemed to put up.

I'm also going to need your help with communicating with Gohs as he transmits over information regarding the Arm Thrust Pokemon. Let's just hope he does get through and perform the technique accurately without going overboard. Once we finally understand what's going on, our lives will become easier tenfold and we can actually get around to helping this guy out - assuming he doesn't smash us into bits first, of course.

<Right. Of course.> His face was grim; he wasn't looking forward to any of this at all, and I couldn't blame him. I just hoped the Hariyama would get around to his senses soon - as in, really really really soon, please - and become a more reasonable creature - the sooner we dealt with this, the better.

 

BP3
@MuddyMudkip

The fervor of battle had momentarily washed over Elisa as she registered the Hariyama that had just presented itself – wild, frenzied and aggressive. Trevor, on the other hand, was worried. Sticking both hands into his pockets, he contemplated how they might possibly escape the behemoth should Elisa not want to battle. Pokedolls usually did the trick, but he’d never actually encountered livid pokemon before. Quickly scanning the immediate surroundings while Elisa made her decision, Trevor observed that they had slim chances of escaping. The mountain proper was a good distance away, and apart from the trees that stood tall behind the Hariyama, there was not much to see in the immediate area. There was the occasional snow drift here and there but nothing else. They could theoretically run, but his aching bum told him that probably wasn’t a good idea. He’d had enough falls for the day thank you very much. Trevor didn’t have to worry about escaping for long though.

With a discreet click, Elisa released her other pokemon, a ghostly purple pokemon by the name of Gohs. The Gengar didn’t seem to be bothered much by the Hariyama whose eyes had flared up even further. Elisa started giving out commands. For the moment, the Hariyama warily shifted its gaze, sizing up the rangers and their pokemon as Elisa spoke. It was a good thing too. Elisa’s explanation had provided Hariyama ample time to strike. Had it not been distracted, it most definitely would have struck.

Trevor, with Pulse by his side, watched intently as Gohs pushed his hand forward, waving it up and down as trails of purple energy snaked away from its feet, eventually disappearing into the snow between the two combatants. In an instant, the energy laced snow rose and coalesced, forming a miniature snowpokemon with quite the semblance to its creator.

The Hariyama literally leaps into action as soon as it sees the energy laces. With the use of its powerful leg muscles, it performs a formidable jump, arm outstretched as it heads toward the Gengar. Suddenly, though, its path is blocked. The miniature Gengar, seemingly somewhat sentient, interrupts its path. Immediately, the Hariyama grunts as it fiercely grabs the substitute, throwing it to the side without a second thought. The Hariyama locks eyes with Gohs, who is now surrounded by a blue aura.

For a few seconds, Gohs is able to delve into the wild pokemon’s mind, but he is overwhelmed by the raging flood of emotions that abound. He is pushed this way and that as waves of fear, anger, and confusion toss him around, flashes of red dominating his line of sight. Suddenly, the Gengar sees an image. A winged form shoots across the sky too quickly to be identified. A screech. Then, the monster turns around and falls into an angry dive, heading straight for the Gengar with claws outstretched, ready to rip away flesh. Moments before whatever it is makes contact, Gohs is viciously wrenched away from Hariyama’s mind as a massive wave of emotion pushes him out.

Gengars snaps back into its previous state just in time to see the Hariyama start firing away with a rapid-fire burst of straight-armed punches. Hitting several times with open-handed strikes, the Hariyama lets loose, shoving the substitute a considerable distance away. Now, the substitute is no more; it lifelessly crumbles into back into the snow.

Somewhat dazed from his out of body experience, Gohs is barely able to recall Elisa’s commands. With a wiggle of his finger, a glittering beam of lights races through the air, dancing as it strikes the Hariyama right between its eyes. It is further enraged, but the lights seem to have temporarily muddled its thoughts even further. It starts hulking towards Gohs once more but this time with an unsteady, perhaps even reluctant gait.

----
Battle Stats:
??? M Hariyama: 100% Confused [Used Vital Throw, Arm Thrust]
Mild M Gengar: 80% [Used Substitute, Psych Up, Confuse Ray]
----

Name: Elisa Fleming
Location: Mt. Oktori
Items: 3 Park Passes, 3 Parkballs, 3 Superballs, 3 "Got Time to Escape?" Packages, 1 Pokedoll, 2 Super Potions, 2 Max Potions, 1 Soothing Fragrance, 1 Hyperball, 1 Blank Voice Disk, 1 Intermediate Bellow Disk [Durant], 1 Supreme Park Ball, 1 Uncommon Voice Disk [Shroomish], 1 PokePlayer, 1 Digital Camera, 1 Apricorn Box
Remaining Encounters: 17
Area Effects: Quite chilly, Snowing
Pokemon Encountered: Cubchoo, Tyrogue
Current Encounter: Hariyama
MCR: 16062/25000
Pokemon Captured: Bold Male Tyrogue

Pokemon: Gallade 82%
Nickname: Adrian
Gender: Male
Ability: Steadfast
Nature: Adamant
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Hidden Power [Water]|TM Rock Slide|TM Substitute|TM Drain Punch|TM Bulk Up|TM Stone Edge|TM Earthquake|TM Will-o-Wisp|TM X-Scissor|HM Rock Smash|BM Shadow Sneak|BM Confuse Ray|MT Ice Punch|MT Zen Headbutt

Pokemon: Gengar
Nickname: Gohs
Gender: Male
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: TM Sludge Bomb|TM Psychic|TM Focus Blast|TM Energy Ball|TM Thunderbolt|TM Psych Up|TM Substitute|TM Protect|TM Sunny Day|TM Explosion|TM Counter|TM Giga Drain|TM Will-O-Wisp|TM Trick Room|TM Taunt|TM Snatch|TM Torment|TM Hidden Power [Fire]|HM Rock Smash|BM Disable|BM Clear Smog|MT Icy Wind|MT Role Play|MT Pain Split