Easter Capture Contest: Sky Lark

The Gardens are sunny and warm today, with a gentle cool breeze to make sure the sun doesn’t make things too hot. It’s a perfect day for taking part in the Park’s new event, and you plan on making the most of it. Your Ranger, one Trainer Sara, has already explained she will only be following from a distance this time, rather than actively leading you through the Park. Her Serperior is next to her, head held high in a rather snotty manner. It’s nothing less than expected for the snake’s kind though.

Once Trainer has explained everything, she motions for you to start whenever you’re ready. You don’t waste any time getting to it, moving through knee-high grass in an attempt to startle something out. However, you soon spot a Deerling not too far away. It’s currently eating Berries off a bush, but when you approach it looks up with a flick of its ears. It doesn’t seem very concerned about your presence; in fact, it goes right back to eating, not even giving you the time of day.

===

STATS:

Name: Eric Lundt
Location: Botanical Gardens
Area Effects: 4 Encounters Remaining | Deerling Encountered | No Pokemon Captured
Items: 3 Park Balls; 2 Super Balls; 1 Hyper Ball; 2 Lava Cookies, 2 Energy Powders, 1 PokeDoll
Pokemon:Gentle Female Togekiss @ Serene Grace w/ EMs SM Tri Attack; MT Softboiled; TM Captivate; TM Roost; TM Substitute; TM Psych Up; BM Psycho Shift; MT Heal Bell; and TM Thunder Wave​

@Sky Lark

 

@Dog of Hellsing

Eric was excited for yet another run at the Botanic Gardens. Seeing as it was Easter, he hoped to spot an array of novel pokemon. After a brief orientation from his Ranger, he stepped into the gardens, wondering which pokemon he’d spot first. The weather was perfect. Beaming, he said “There’s no sense in keeping Togekiss cooped up in her pokeball in such fine weather.” He then proceeded to unclipping a pokeball from his belt and pressed the large center button, releasing his pokemon.

The Togekiss materialized after a blinding flash of light. Affectionately, Eric patted the Togekiss’ head. After greeting his pokemon and stroking her feathers, he waved one of his arms to the sky. “Wonderful weather, don’t you think? Why don’t you stretch your wings for a bit? Just don’t fly too far, so I can call you when I want to battle.”

With that, the Togekiss cooed and started flapping her massive wings. For a few moments, Eric watched his pokemon take flight and circle overhead. A few seconds later, the Togekiss was simply reduced to a dark figure in the sky.

Complacent in the thought that Togekiss could handle herself if the need arose, Eric started psyching himself up for the run. “Alright. Time to get this party started.” Feeling optimistic, he rushed forward into the knee-high grass, hoping to find a rare pokemon.

Moments later, he spotted a pink quadruped nearby. Unsure of what it was, he slowed down and started creeping towards the pokemon. Trying to avoid making a sound, he got as close as he could. “A Deerling. Cool!” he muttered under his breath. It was one thing to read about a pokemon in a book and another to see it in person. "I see. This is what its coat looks like during Spring." The Deerling’s ears whipped up in response to his voice, but after looking at the human for a few seconds, the pokemon went back to feeding.

Eric considered catching the Deerling for a moment; he did want a Sawsbuck. However, he decided that today was not the day he would catch a Deerling. He knew that rarer pokemon meant higher points in today's contest. “Some other time,” he said to himself. With this, he slowly backtracked, hoping the pokemon would not pay him any further attention.

 

The Deerling watches you as you try to creep away. It doesn’t seem very aggressive, but rather curious now. Perhaps your movement has interested it, or maybe it’s caught a scent of something it likes on you. Either way, the deer’s earlier disinterest has faded and it trots in your direction, not getting too close, but clearly not about to simply let you be. It flicks its tail as it tilts its head at you, continuing to watch your every move.

===

STATS:

Name: Eric Lundt
Location: Botanical Gardens
Area Effects: 4 Encounters Remaining | Deerling Encountered | No Pokemon Captured
Items: 3 Park Balls; 2 Super Balls; 1 Hyper Ball; 2 Lava Cookies, 2 Energy Powders, 1 PokeDoll
Pokemon:Gentle Female Togekiss @ Serene Grace w/ EMs SM Tri Attack; MT Softboiled; TM Captivate; TM Roost; TM Substitute; TM Psych Up; BM Psycho Shift; MT Heal Bell; and TM Thunder Wave​

@Sky Lark

 

Eric slowly turned away from the Deerling and started making his way towards the field of flowers which he had spotted while gleefully running through the grass. The first pokemon he encountered might not have been that rare, but he still kept his hopes up. After all, there were still four encounters left. Before he managed to take seven steps, however, he heard the grass rustle behind him. Expecting to see the little fawn behind him, he sighed and started muttering to himself.

“Darn. I was really hoping to avoid attracting its attention. I can’t have the little creature following me around while I’m participating in this contest, so I might as well get this over with.”

With this statement, he put on his sternest face and turned towards the origin of the sound, hoping that his expression would scare the pokemon away. To his surprise, when he turned around, he failed to see what had caused the sound. There were no wild pokemon in his immediate vicinity, so he started looking farther away. He noted that the only ones near him at the moment were his ranger, Sara, and her pokemon. Considering the fact that he barely heard the sound, he figured that it couldn't have been either of them. Whatever made the sound would have been smaller. He glanced at Sara, noticing her blond hair, which was gently flowing in the breeze. The light reflected by the shiny gold pin on her shirt started hurting his eyes, so he averted his gaze elsewhere. Not too far away, Eric observed Sara's Seperior snootily slithering about. He knew that today, his ranger was only there to supervise him, unlike what she normally did, which was guiding trainers trough the park and giving them advice, so he didn't bother asking her. He considered calling his Togekiss down to ask if it had noticed what had made the grass rustle, but he changed his mind.

“Nah. It was probably just the Deerling running off in the opposite direction,” he mused to himself, thinking it would be too much of a bother getting his pokemon's attention. That was the only explanation he could think off. Shrugging, he continued walking in the direction of the flowers with his Togekiss following not too far overhead. He was enticed by the sweet smell that wafted from the flowers every time a small breeze passed by. Bursting with excitement, he giddily thought about the pokemon he would encounter next. He hoped he would find a Tropius or a Happiny while wandering through the flowers. Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted once again by the sound of rustling grass. Stopping in his tracks, he wondered if something other than his ranger was following him. He spun around in a swift motion, hoping to get a glimpse of whatever it was. Zip. Nada. Nothing. He was about to shrug and look to his ranger with a quizzical look on his face, hoping she’d enlighten him, but he remembered that she wasn't supposed to help him. He figured that if she wasn’t rushing over, whatever was making the noise wasn’t something he needed be worried about, so he wasn’t too concerned.

He was about to continue on his way when he spotted, not too far off, a yellow flower poking through the mostly emerald grass. Looking more closely, he spotted the pink pelt of a pokemon which was lightly covered with yellow spots. “Aha!” he exclaimed. “It’s you again.” He couldn’t help but chuckle. The deer pokemon had probably been secretly following him by hiding under the tall grass. “I see you’ve been following me for quite some time. Quite persistent aren’t you?” The Deerling tilted its head while flicking its tail, carefully observing the human. Eric slowly extended his arm and pet the pokemon on its head as he spoke to it in a gentle voice. He had a soft side for pokemon with spunk. “Sorry, but I can’t have you following me around today. Maybe we’ll meet again sometime soon. I'd love to have you on my team in the future.” In response, one of the Deerling’s ears twitched. Eric had no idea what that meant, but he hoped the Deerling had understood what he said.

He then looked to the sky, waved his arms and started shouting at the top of his voice, easily catching the attention of his pokemon. “Togekiss, I want you to distract this Deerling. Start off with a Heal Bell to get its attention, and follow up with a Follow Me. Once you’ve done that, use Extremespeed to get away. If the Deerling attacks, use the Extremespeed to counterattack instead.” Pointing to the field of flowers, Eric continued. “See that field of blue flowers? If my escape plan works, I’ll be heading in that direction. I’ll see you there.” Eric waited for his pokemon to respond. As soon as he heard his Togekiss chirp, he gave the Deerling one last look before he started running away as fast as he could.


The Togekiss slowly descended, gliding until it was at an altitude at which it could clearly see the Deerling. A light blue aura slowly but steadily enveloped the Togekiss as it started cooing while flapping its wings rhythmically. This produced waves which resonated with one another, causing the overall volume of the sound to be amplified. The sound, which started emanating throughout a relatively large section of the park, was a pure one, ringing with a clear tone and sounding similar to a glass bell. The attention of the Deerling was suddenly drawn towards the Togekiss, which was now circling overhead and clearly enjoying the melodious overtones that still hung in the air. The glow that had surrounded it had slowly faded and was being replaced with a bright yellow one. Making sure it had diverted the wild pokemon’s attention from its trainer, the Togekiss proceeded by gracefully soaring through the air with only one of its wings extended. This caused it to fly in an arcing pattern, making for an elegant display. It then flew upwards, continuing its aerial display by producing multiple loops and turns. After a few more flips and aerial stunts, satisfied with its performance, the Togekiss neatly tucked in its wings, catching an air current while building speed and momentum as it fell. The Togekiss became a white blur as it dropped from the sky. Just as it neared the Deerling, it beat its powerful wings, changing its direction and narrowly avoiding a hit. Then, in a stunning display of speed, the Togekiss started zipping around, possibly confusing the Deerling. Hopefully, the Deerling would be too stunned to react. If this were the case, it would have no chance to follow the Togekiss, which was now flying at a breakneck speed. If the Deerling, however, managed to attack, the Togekiss would make a U-turn and counterattack, hitting the Deerling with an incredibly large force due to the high speed it was now flying at.


A few meters away, with adrenaline rushing through his body, Eric panted as he stopped and heard the sound of a pure chime emanating through the air. He had no doubt that it was his Togekiss using Heal Bell. The sound caused him to slightly calm down as he stopped to take a breath and see what his pokemon was up to. He watched as a black speck in the sky performed a couple of aerobatic stunts and waited to see if he’d need to run back towards the Deerling in order to give his pokemon further commands. He was particularly impressed with how his pokemon had managed to remember his string of commands and made a mental note to give his Togekiss an extra pokeblock once the contest was over.

 

Despite your best efforts at escaping it, Deerling is determined to follow you. When you try to get Togekiss to distract it, the plan unfortunately doesn’t work as thought. Togekiss’s attempt at leaving Deerling behind backfires as the Jubilee Pokemon carries out her commands. For some reason, her moves seem to irritate Deerling, who suddenly Growls loudly as Togekiss flies around. Startled by the aggressive response, Togekiss stops her Extremespeed and slows to a more normal pace of flight, casting wary glances over at Deerling.

Deerling, after making Togekiss slow down, tilts her head back and takes a few deep breaths through her wide nose, clearly imprinting Togekiss’ scent into her memory. Her Odor Sleuth finished, she leaps at the Flying Pokemon in a sudden Tackle, which Togekiss isn’t expecting. She gets knocked back but manages to stay in the air, chirping in surprise as Deerling lands on all fours and paws the ground with a sharp hoof. It lowers its head in a threatening manner and snorts loudly.

===

BATTLE STATS:​

??? ??? Deerling: Used Growl, Odor Sleuth, & Tackle | Sleuth | 100%

Gentle Female Togekiss: Used Heal Bell, Follow Me, & Extremespeed | 90.27%

Battlefield Effects: n/a

===

STATS:

Name: Eric Lundt
Location: Botanical Gardens
MCR: 7,351
Area Effects: 4 Encounters Remaining | Deerling Encountered | No Pokemon Captured
Items: 3 Park Balls; 2 Super Balls; 1 Hyper Ball; 2 Lava Cookies, 2 Energy Powders, 1 PokeDoll
Pokemon:Gentle Female Togekiss @ Serene Grace w/ EMs SM Tri Attack; MT Softboiled; TM Captivate; TM Roost; TM Substitute; TM Psych Up; BM Psycho Shift; MT Heal Bell; and TM Thunder Wave​

@Sky Lark

 

@Dog of Hellsing

OOC: Tell me if I'm wrong, but I think my first post should be included in the mcc. Also, the reffing calc is not being used this time around for damage purposes, right? Make the Deerling female, please.
Eric wondered why his pokemon seemed to slow down. “That can’t be right,” he said, starting to walk back to his pokemon. Seeing the Deerling jump into the air and tackling his Togekiss, he knew that his plan had failed. He had earnestly hoped that the Deerling would leave the Togekiss alone. Since that was not the case, he started running towards his Togekiss, formulating a battle strategy along the way. Starting to get annoyed, he started thinking aloud. “I wonder what happened to that impassive air which the Deerling was giving off. It looks like I’ll have to battle it.”

Eric was heavily sweating by the time he reached his Togekiss. He was relieved that the Deerling had not made another attack before he arrived. He noticed that Togekiss was a bit apprehensive, making him regret having left it alone. Barely having enough breath to speak after sprinting, he coughed multiple times while addressing his pokemon.

“I guess my plan failed. I’m sorry about that. I won’t try that again,” he said, in between coughs. Though his apology was interrupted by coughing, he hoped that he was able to convey his feelings. He wasn’t good with apologies, and he hated himself for that.

Trying to psych up his pokemon, he started speaking in a cheerful and excited manner. “All right, let’s do this. If the Deerling wants to fight, we’ll give it a good one! Start by using a yawn attack.” Knowing that the attack would produce slow moving bubbles, he ordered his pokemon to help speed the bubble along by flapping its wings as if it were using Tailwind.

“Afterwards, use Tri Attack. Hopefully, you’ll be able to inflict a status condition.” Eric knew that with the Serene Grace ability, his pokemon had a fair chance of inflicting either the freeze, paralyze, or burn condition. He was hoping luck would be on his side, and the Deerling would get burned. The Deerling would not only lose some health every few minutes, but also have its attack stat weakened. He also knew that he’d get bonus points in the competition for inflicting a burn. So much was riding on this competition. It was crucial for him to get the best results.

“Follow that up by flying high up into the sky. Once you’ve gained a considerable altitude, I want you to try to accelerate as fast as possible by pulling your wings close to your body. As you’re falling, wait until the last moment possible before using an Air Slash. The added velocity should make the attack stronger.” He was also counting on the chance that the attack might cause the wild pokemon to flinch. He was only at his first encounter, and he knew he’d have to be careful about his pokemon’s health. He didn’t want his Togekiss to faint before the run was over. That would not only reflect poorly on his contest results. It would also suggest that he was a reckless trainer, and he wanted to avoid that at all costs. “Also, remember that you have the advantage of flight. If you’re high enough, the Deerling will only be able to attack you with long distance moves. These attacks will cause less damage than physical attacks because of your higher special defense stat and the Deerling’s lower special attack stat.”

He was about to give his pokemon the signal to start performing its attacks, but he remembered he wanted to warn it about the Deerling’s attacks, hoping that the information would help his pokemon avoid them. “Togekiss, there are a few moves I want you to be wary of. Your opponent might use a Charm attack to throw you off your game and make your attacks weaker. Another possibility is the use of Camouflage to blend in with the surroundings. Normally, Camouflage is used to change a pokemon’s type, but I expect that it’s possible to use it to increase one’s evasion. Energy Ball, Jump Kick, Bounce and Leech Seed are moves it might use if it can’t hit you with contact moves. Be wary of those. Energy ball usually looks like a shiny sphere of green energy, but it can take other forms. If it’s ambitious, it might try a Double Kick in conjunction with Jump Kick, but I doubt that’s feasible. Normally, Bounce is used to hit pokemon on the ground. However, it might be possible to use it to attack a flying pokemon. Leech Seed, on the other hand, is a horribly sneaky attack. It looks like a normal seed, but on contact, it quickly releases multiple tiny vines which wrap around your body and drain your energy. Finally, be wary of status inducing moves. Thunder Wave and Grasswhistle, which cause paralysis and sleep, respectively, are moves that might be included in its repertoire.” Satisfied with his warning, Eric gave an enthusiastic nod, implying he was done. Just before the Togekiss started performing its attacks, Eric hollered, informing his pokemon that he didn’t want the Deerling knocked out.

Opening its mouth as wide as possible, the Togekiss lazily yawned, causing a stream of multicolored, tiny bubbles to come forth. Patches of color decorated the grass as the sunlight passed through the bubbles which started floating towards the Deerling. The pastel bubbles were a sight to behold as the Togekiss started flapping its wings, causing periodic gusts of wind to push the bubbles along. No two were alike in size and in color. While most were around the size of a coin, two of them were larger than the rest. One was the size of a golf ball, while the other one, which was a shade of lilac, was the size of a closed fist. The bubbles lazily floated through the air, aided by the natural wind and the gusts that the Togekiss was producing. Eventually, most of the bubbles found their mark, popping once they touched the Deerling. The lilac bubble popped as it touched the tip of the Deerling’s nose. Eric waited, hoping that in a few seconds, the Deerling would show signs of drowsiness.

Continuing with its attack, the Togekiss flew in a loop before opening its mouth once more. This time, three spheres of energy, forming the points of a triangle, appeared. Unlike the bubbles, they were around the size of oranges, and instead of pastel, they had shocking colors. One was a striking yellow. Another was a fiery red, and the last one was an icy blue. From each orb stemmed forth beams of energy which suspiciously looked like Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, and Flamethrower. As the three beams neared the target, they wrapped around each other, converging into a single, white beam.

Too busy on its next attack, the Togekiss didn’t bother to check if the Tri Attack hit. The Jubilee pokemon had been using powerful strokes to climb the sky with its wings. Once the Deerling’s outline was barely identifiable, the Togekiss tucked in its wings with its head pointed toward its opponent and went into a freefall. Eric’s rationale behind ordering his pokemon to tuck in its wings was his aim of reducing the effect of air resistance on his pokemon’s increasing velocity. The Togekiss was steadily gaining speed due to the acceleration caused by gravity. In a few moments, the Togekiss would surpass the speed it usually achieved when it used Extremespeed. Building on its massive speed, the Togekiss suddenly outstretched its wings and flapped them together, unleashing a single wave of energy which flew towards the Deerling. Hopefully, this pulse wouldn’t be enough to knock out the Deerling. The Togekiss had limited the amount of force it put into the attack, taking into consideration Eric’s last minute reminder. As soon as the Togekiss attacked, it did a quick U-turn, ascending higher into the sky once more.

 

OOC: Forgot to count MCR from your first post, sorry. Also, remember you can’t say if a move hits or not. And no, the reffing calc isn’t required for figuring damage this time around unless you want to use it.

===

IC: You return to see that things have not gone as planned and decide to make the best of a bad situation. After giving Togekiss her commands, your Pokemon leaps into action. She goes to use Yawn, but as she tries to hurry the pink bubbles along, Deerling abruptly charges and leaps high into the air, completely evading the bubbles. Her forward momentum is used to carry her into a Take Down attack, which knocks Togekiss back and recoils a bit of damage back onto Deerling. She lands on her hooves and tilts her head back before swinging it around, dislodging some seeds from the flower on her forehead. Mindful of your warning about Leech Seed, Togekiss tries to evade the seeds, but she plans the trajectory of them wrong and a few still hit her chest. Fortunately, this move isn’t Leech Seed; it turns out to be Worry Seed. The seeds stick to Togekiss’ feathers thanks to sticky barbs on them, and they release a special powder that makes Togekiss antsy and anxious. This overrides her current Ability; her intense restlessness causes Serene Grace to change to Insomnia.

Togekiss, now too worked up to wait any longer, prepares and fires off her Tri Attack. She then immediately flies up into the air to prepare Air Slash, unable to sit still. Deerling gets hit by Tri Attack, too startled by the sudden attack to dodge it. She gets knocked back a few feet and shakes her head to recover her wits. A few seconds later Togekiss drops from the sky and uses her Air Slash; the attack strikes Deerling, but she recovers quickly this time. She bleats in anger and stomps the ground several times before suddenly jumping at Togekiss. She’s using Frustration, her head smacking Togekiss in the chest. Both Pokemon are knocked away from each other again, though Deerling is starting to look a lot more worn down than before.

===

BATTLE STATS:​

??? Female Deerling: Used Take Down, Worry Seed, and Frustration | Sleuth | 41.31% | MCR: 17,050

Gentle Female Togekiss: Used Yawn, Tri Attack, Air Slash | 68.79%

Battlefield Effects: n/a

===

STATS:

Name: Eric Lundt
Location: Botanical Gardens
MCR: n/a
Area Effects: 4 Encounters Remaining | Deerling Encountered | No Pokemon Captured
Items: 3 Park Balls; 2 Super Balls; 1 Hyper Ball; 2 Lava Cookies, 2 Energy Powders, 1 PokeDoll
Pokemon:Gentle Female Togekiss @ Serene Grace w/ EMs SM Tri Attack; MT Softboiled; TM Captivate; TM Roost; TM Substitute; TM Psych Up; BM Psycho Shift; MT Heal Bell; and TM Thunder Wave​

@Sky Lark

 

@Dog of Hellsing

OOC: I meant for the "Eric hoping for the Deerling to show signs of drowsiness" part to imply that although the bubbles had made contact, it wasn't entirely set in stone that the attack had worked. Sorry if it seemed like I was stating that it hit. The reffing calc’s not necessary

After the series of moves were exchanged, Eric noticed that there were still a few bubbles floating in the air. For a brief moment, he was confused. He distinctly remembered the Deerling, launching itself into the air, make contact with and pop all of the bubbles. Scratching his head, he concluded that he must have zoned out and only imagined the attack working.

Eric was relieved that the Deerling had not used Leech Seed as that would’ve been a very bothersome nuisance. That didn’t mean that he appreciated the Worry Seed though. Slapping his forehead in irritation, he mumbled, “How could I have forgotten about Worry Seed? Ugh.” He’d wanted to use Tri Attack once more, hoping Serene Grace would kick in. Now that his Togekiss was filled with anxiety, that was out of the question. He could try using a Heal Bell to relieve his pokemon’s anxiety, but he didn’t want the Deerling to have any more free shots. He could see that both pokemon we’re already getting pretty banged up. He considered asking his Togekiss to use Extremespeed in an effort to make the barbs cling to the Deerling’s fur. He also thought about using Psycho Shift. After all, by the power of suggestion, Psycho Shift was normally used to transfer the user’s mental state to the target. That, however, would’ve been counterproductive since he wanted the Deerling asleep.

He decided on inflicting statuses the good old fashioned way. Maybe he could work his Togekiss’ anxiety to his advantage. After all, increased anxiety leads to increased vigilance. “All right, Togekiss. I see you’re pretty worked up. It’s time for us to pick up the pace. Start off with a Thunder Wave. Follow that up with a Yawn and an Air Slash. You know what to do.”

The Togekiss, in its anxious state, started flitting about, flying in an erratic manner. Eric noticed this and wondered if this would help his pokemon’s chances of evading attacks. Suddenly, the colored tips of the Togekiss’ head started emitting sparks of electricity. The visible, yellow manifestation of moving electrons quickly spread to the pokemon’s wings. With a slight flutter of its wings, the Togekiss sent the wave of energy streaming towards the Deerling.

A few moments later, the Togekiss, flying at varying altitudes, started circling in the air. Afterwards, while yawning, the Togekiss started fleeing from an unseen foe, causing rainbow bubbles to rain down from the sky.

Distracted by the beautiful light which bathed the area due to the sunlight reflecting across the shimmering, iridescent spheres, Eric realized that he was taking too long with his first encounter. At this rate, he wouldn’t have enough time to finish. “Hurry it up, Togekiss, but remember not to knock it out.”

The Togekiss started spinning its body in place, causing a blue aura to surround it. Four discs of energy then started peeling away from the aura and spiraling around it. Flapping its wings with extreme vigor while keeping tabs on its surroundings, the Togekiss sent the discs spiraling into the deer pokemon. Whizzing, the discs soared through the air in a line towards the Deerling.

Eric hoped the attack would bring the Deerling's health near zero. He was running out of time.

 

Togekiss fires off her Thunder Wave, which hits its target. Deerling brays when the static hits her and starts to stomp around and toss her head, working herself into a fine frenzy via a Work Up. She then rushes at Togekiss, moving as a blur before seeming to vanish. The light is momentarily sucked out of the area, returning only when Deerling reappears behind Togekiss and slams into her. The Faint Attack strikes just as Togekiss starts to fly into the air, but the Jubilee Pokemon doesn’t let it faze her. Unable to sit still, she Yawns as she flies up into the sky, trailing colorful bubbles that rain down. Deerling is momentarily distracted as she watches them, not noticing Togekiss when she drops from the air and uses another Air Slash. The attack hits and Deerling lets out a cry, taking a step back before shuddering violently. It seems her Paralysis has gripped her for the moment, leaving her drowsy and unable to attack for the time being.

===

BATTLE STATS:​

??? Female Deerling: Used Work Up, Faint Attack, and Fully PAR | Sleuth, Drowsy, PAR | 28.70% | MCR: 20,255

Gentle Female Togekiss: Used Thunder Wave, Yawn, and Air Slash | 54.54%

Battlefield Effects: n/a

===

STATS:

Name: Eric Lundt
Location: Botanical Gardens
MCR: n/a
Area Effects: 4 Encounters Remaining | Deerling Encountered | No Pokemon Captured
Items: 3 Park Balls; 2 Super Balls; 1 Hyper Ball; 2 Lava Cookies, 2 Energy Powders, 1 PokeDoll
Pokemon:Gentle Female Togekiss @ Serene Grace w/ EMs SM Tri Attack; MT Softboiled; TM Captivate; TM Roost; TM Substitute; TM Psych Up; BM Psycho Shift; MT Heal Bell; and TM Thunder Wave​

@Sky Lark

 

@Dog of Hellsing

Eric breathed a sigh of relief as the Deerling shuddered violently. He let a small smile creep over his face, causing creases to form near his eyes. Maybe lady luck was finally starting to smile on him.

Without warning, a stern, masculine voice started speaking in his head. “You have been taking far too long on this Deerling. The consequences will be dire if you aren’t able to reach the quota.”

Flinching with surprise, Eric tried not to show any signs of panic, lest his ranger start asking questions. Fear started to take over him. He knew they’d be monitoring him, and he knew that they’d somehow contact him. It was only a matter of time. The warning had only confirmed his notion that he was running out of time. The color slowly drained from his face. His smile had disappeared, but trying to act as if nothing had happened, he immediately replaced it with an artificial one. Trying to steady himself, he closed his eyes and spoke to himself. “Everything will be ok. Nothing bad has to happen. You just have to catch a rare pokemon. That’s no big deal. If you run from every pokemon that doesn’t meet their standards, you’ll be able to make up lost time.” Determined to capture the Deerling as soon as possible, he resolutely opened his eyes.

“Togekiss, use Extremespeed.” The gentle tone was now gone from his voice. His voice wasn’t harsh, but it was devoid of any emotions.

Flying haphazardly, the Togekiss hadn’t noticed its trainer’s shift in personality. The Togekiss, still overflowing with anxiety, started accelerating in midair. The Togekiss flapped its wings furiously, gaining speed until ripples in the air surrounding it could be seen. Although Togekiss was not flying as fast as it had been during its first Extreemespeed attack, it still gained considerable momentum as it swooped through the air, heading straight for the drowsy pokemon.

 

Togekiss flaps her wings crazily and rears back midair, her body curing into a vertical arc as she builds momentum and speed. She then darts forward so fast she becomes a white blur with red and blue streaks coloring it. She collides with the drowsy Deerling, whose only response is a feeble Tackle as she rears onto her back legs and heaves herself forward. Once the is complete, she collapses to the ground in a heap and promptly falls asleep.

===

BATTLE STATS:​

??? Female Deerling: Used Tackle | Sleuth, SLP1, PAR | 5.07% | MCR: 20,255

Gentle Female Togekiss: Used Extremespeed | 49.19%

Battlefield Effects: n/a

===

STATS:

Name: Eric Lundt
Location: Botanical Gardens
MCR: n/a
Area Effects: 4 Encounters Remaining | Deerling Encountered | No Pokemon Captured
Items: 3 Park Balls; 2 Super Balls; 1 Hyper Ball; 2 Lava Cookies, 2 Energy Powders, 1 PokeDoll
Pokemon:Gentle Female Togekiss @ Serene Grace w/ EMs SM Tri Attack; MT Softboiled; TM Captivate; TM Roost; TM Substitute; TM Psych Up; BM Psycho Shift; MT Heal Bell; and TM Thunder Wave​

@Sky Lark

 

Eric’s face remained stoic as he watched the Deerling weakly launch itself into his Togekiss. Normally, he would’ve grinned, but his thoughts were preoccupied at the moment. The telepathic conversation had struck a nerve, and he was having a hard time recovering his positive attitude.

Noticing the lack of power in the Deerling’s attack, Eric concluded that now was the right time to attempt a capture. He started rummaging among the items which he had received after registering for the event. The pokedoll, taking most of the space available in his bag, made looking for the right ball quite difficult, but Eric knew he had a few moments to spare while the Deerling dozed off. He finally managed to pull a park ball from his bag but not without accidentally crushing a lava cookie in the process. “Finally,” he muttered. He unceremoniously tossed it at the Deerling, which was now partially obscured by the grass.

 

Deerling is captured without a problem. Trainer comes from where she’s been watching about four yards away to retrieve the Ball and hold on to it until the end of the run. You then continue on, trekking through the deep grass for several minutes before a small blue Pokemon suddenly jumps out of the grass onto a nearby path. It would appear as though you’ve encountered a Munchlax.

===

END OF BATTLE STATS:​

Rash Female Deerling: Used Tackle | Sleuth, SLP1, PAR | 5.07% | MCR: 21,173

Gentle Female Togekiss: Used Extremespeed | 49.19%

Battlefield Effects: n/a

===

STATS:

Name: Eric Lundt
Location: Botanical Gardens
MCR: n/a
Area Effects: 3 Encounters Remaining | Deerling, Munchlax Encountered | Deerling Captured (SLP/PAR/5.07%/21,173 MCR)
Items: 2 Park Balls; 2 Super Balls; 1 Hyper Ball; 2 Lava Cookies, 2 Energy Powders, 1 PokeDoll
Pokemon:Gentle Female Togekiss @ Serene Grace w/ EMs SM Tri Attack; MT Softboiled; TM Captivate; TM Roost; TM Substitute; TM Psych Up; BM Psycho Shift; MT Heal Bell; and TM Thunder Wave​

@Sky Lark

 

@Dog of Hellsing

OOC: I hope it’s ok if I feed my Togekiss an energy powder before the encounter. I can edit if it’s not. I also wanted to make sure that I have Serene Grace back. Apparently, for multiple paragraph quotes, you use the opening quotation mark with each paragraph but use the closing mark only on the last paragraph. I had no idea Quick summary since it’s a bit lengthy: Eric participates in a mental conversation with a Gallade which is a member of a poaching organization, Flashback of Eric’s first contact with one of the leaders of the poaching organization -> Eric gives Togekiss an energy powder -> Eric recounts a gym battle to his pokemon -> Eric encounters Munchlax and tells Togekiss to use Thunder Wave and Yawn

The metallic sphere with a camouflage motif zipped through the air, hitting the sleeping pokemon and absorbing it in a miniscule flash of white light. Eric stared at the grass intently, for the ball was now hidden by the tall grass. Waiting with bated breath, he observed the quick, unnatural movements of the grass that were caused by the shaking of the Park Ball. A couple of silent moments passed before the grass had stopped rustling, signaling the success of the capture. A loud ping sounded through the air before Trainer came and picked up the Park Ball. “That’s another one for the dex,” Eric commented with a conflicted air. He had wanted to celebrate the capture, but he was under a tremendous amount of pressure to do well in this competition.

Before Eric could say another word, a sharp, burning sensation started spreading across his forehead. It was as if someone or something was trying to break in and claw its way into his mind. Dark spots suddenly filled his field of vision, and the tips of his fingers started becoming numb. In horror, he gasped as the loss of sensation slowly spread through his hands, only to find that his voice had left him. Eric knelt to the ground as he buckled under the intensifying pain of his throbbing forehead. He had one thought before blacking out from the pain. There is too much at stake.

-----------------------

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

A sharp laugh echoed through the air before Eric managed to open his eyes. Standing a few paces in front of him was a tall figure with a red horn sticking out of its chest. Later on, Eric would learn that a similar horn stuck out of its back. His head pounding, Eric tried scanning the immediate area. He noted that he and the mysterious figure were in the middle of a circle of light, which had a radius of around three meters. Beyond the circle was what seemed like an all-encompassing void that would engulf him and swallow him whole if given the chance. Failing to see anything in the darkness, he assumed that it merely stretched on. Clearly, he was no longer in the National Park. Feebly, he asked “Where am I?”

The figure waved its arms as it responded, causing its blade-like arms to glint dangerously under the dim light. “It is incredibly simple. What you humans perceive as telepathy, we Psychic pokemon know as The Middle Ground. It is here where your so-called telepathic conversations take place. I have simply made it visible to you in order for us to have a face to face conversation. In actuality, there are many more dimensions involved in The Middle Ground, but had I shown all of them to you, you would not have been able to comprehend any of them. It is because of these dimensions that when you wake up, it will be as if you merely passed out for a second.” It stopped speaking for a moment, letting its words settle in. “I presume you know who I work for. We have been watching you, and you have not been performing up to our standards. I hope you did not forget what is at stake.” After it was done speaking, it started threateningly brandishing one of its arms like a sword.

Eric’s gut feeling about the figure standing in front of him was confirmed when he spotted the image of a chipped sword on the figure’s right ankle. It was the unmistakable insignia of L.O.V.E.P.O.F.F.I.N., The League of Villainous Evildoing Poachers Ostentatiously United for Frightening Investments in Naughtiness. Although their name was ridiculous, they were not a group one would want to cross. They were known for abducting people who crossed their path, and the people they abducted were rarely, if ever, seen again. However, once in a while, the leaders of L.O.V.E.P.O.F.F.I.N. got creative and let trainers do their dirty work for them.

Eric, suddenly finding strength in his voice, screamed. “You!” Rage contorted the features of his face as he struggled to get to his feet. “How dare you. You have some nerve, abducting my young, innocent sister, and forcing me to…”

The figure coldly interrupted him. “Silence. Now, you are merely rambling. Humans are truly foolish for falling to the demands of their emotions. Now, let us get on with business. You cannot even begin to comprehend my true name, but you may refer to me as Gallade. As you ought to know, the insignia of L.O.V.E.P.O.F.F.I.N. is the chipped sword, symbolizing ferocity in battle, and clearly, I am one of those that bear the mark. You should be honored to be having this conversation with me, for I am the right-hand pokemon of Mistress Charybdis, one of the leaders of this glorious organization, which is dedicated towards the preservation of rare pokemon.”

Indignant, Eric fell to the ground as nausea overtook him. He had a few choice words he wanted to say, but he was simply in no condition to express his seething rage. Having been brought into The Middle Ground had made him extremely weak.

The Gallade, without concern for the human that was crumpled on the ground, continued. “Just as we informed you, we set up multiple ways of keeping you under our watch, so there’s no use in running. Keep in mind that we have both eyes and ears. Countless numbers of our operatives have infiltrated the National Park and have installed cameras along with mikes. Clever, isn’t it? The cameras we installed are exactly the same as the cameras that the Ranger Alliance is using. I would like to stress that telling anyone, especially rangers, about our arrangement will forfeit any guarantees we made about your sister’s safety.”

Eric raised his head in resignation upon the mention of his sister’s safety. Thinking he had no other options available, he had been working to obtain the organization’s demands.

“Unfortunately, it seems as if you have not been taking your mission seriously. You have spent more than half your allotted time capturing a pathetic Deerling. As such, we shall be imposing penalties. Since you have four encounters left and around two hours left in the competition, we will be penalizing you every thirty minutes.” The eyes of the Gallade took on a bright, purple glow as it stopped speaking. With a wave of its arm, images of Eric’s sister, bloodied and screaming in pain shimmered to life across the expanse of darkness. However, another wave of nausea came over Eric before he could react, causing him to black out once again.

-----------------------

The room was completely dark except for the corner that was farthest from the door. It was barely illuminated by a lamp, but Eric had no way of knowing that. His body was tightly bound with rope, and a potato sack covered his head. An old, tattered rag had been forcefully stuffed into his mouth, preventing him from speaking. As he lay unconscious on a rug in the middle of a room, a tall, dark-haired woman, wearing a maroon fur coat, silently walked in. She flicked a switch on the wall, turning on the glass chandelier that hung from the ceiling and illuminating the room. Her hair, hanging down to her waist, barely moved as she elegantly glided over the carpeted floor. Slowly, she seated herself onto a maroon velvet chair behind a mahogany desk and commented, “Hmph. It seems as if he still hasn’t woken up.” The metallic scent of blood hung in the air as the women intently observed the unconscious body.

Moments later, Eric started stirring. Noticing this, the woman tapped the pokeball on her desk, releasing a Gardevoir. “Gardevoir, won’t you be a dear? Use Psychic to lift the sack off the boy’s head.” The Gallade, standing beside the chair, nodded obediently. Its eyes suddenly glowed dark red as it crossed its arms. The sack on Eric’s head was surrounded by an aura of a similar color as it was effortlessly lifted into the air and tossed aside.
Eric’s eyes fluttered open in shock as he was addressed by the woman. “Hello. Welcome. I hope you’ve had a comfortable experience in our care so far. I am Charybdis, one of the leaders of L.O.V.E.P.O.F.F.I.N., and this is my Gardevoir.” She proudly pointed to the tattoo of a chipped sword on her forearm. “You may be wondering what you are doing in my office. It is quite simple. I have brought you here in order to ask you to do something for me. It’s just a little favor.” Charybdis abruptly stopped speaking, irritated by Eric, who was trying to break free from the ropes that bound him.

Her lips formed a thin line as she glared at Eric. “Gardevoir, use Telekinesis. That boy is starting to get on my nerves.” The Gardevoir’s eyes glowed light green as it gracefully raised both of its arms in the air. Eric, unable to resist, became surrounded in a light green aura and was lifted into the air. Unable to speak and immobilized, he felt helpless. A scowl spread across his face as he was forced to listen to the woman who had abducted him.

“I’ve done a bit of research on you. You’re Eric Lundt, trainer and soon-to-be ranger. You’ve got one gym badge under your belt. You did pretty well in the National Park’s first capture contest, and you’re participating in the upcoming one. That’s why we have selected you for our next project.” She paused, picked up her handbag, and placed it on her desk. This handbag over here is made from pure Krookodile leather while the coat I’m wearing is made of genuine Mamoswine fur. These products are very valuable due to Krookodile and Mamoswine being particularly hard to find. This is where you come in. As you know, the National Park is teeming with life. Housing every known pokemon, it is the perfect place to capture the rare, elusive pokemon I have just mentioned. All I want you to do is to capture a rare pokemon and give it to me once the National Park contest is over.” She then pressed a button on her desk, using her intercom to call over one of her subordinates. “Bring the girl to my office.”

A thug, carrying the limp form of a girl, entered the room. He had no trouble with her light frame. She was around the age of eight and had black hair. Her skin seemed pale under the light of the chandelier, and drops of blood were splattered all over the simple, white dress she was wearing. “In case you didn’t want to cooperate…” Charybdis trailed off, gesturing to the girl.

Eric’s eyes widened in surprise and fury as he recognized his sister. He was enraged at the fact that his sister was being used as leverage against him. Bastards! What have you done to my sister?

Charybdis, fully satisfied with Eric’s facial expression, stood and walked over to him. She whispered in his ear with a sickeningly sweet voice. “If I were you, I’d start looking for a rare pokemon. If you don’t hurry, she might just have an accident.” She smiled before ordering her Gardevoir to use Psychic on Eric, and darkness, like a consoling friend, immediately came upon him.

-----------------------

Eric woke up and quickly came to his senses. He looked around, making sure that Trainer, her Serperior, and his Togekiss hadn’t noticed that he fainted. To his relief, they had all been focused on the captured Deerling. He started talking to himself in his head. It’s a good thing that Trainer didn’t bring along a Psychic type pokemon. Otherwise, they would have already seen through my façade.

“Togekiss,” he called, “Come over here.”He wanted to remove the seeds that were irritating his pokemon. Gently, he ran his hand through its feathers, looking for the seeds that had latched on. A few minutes had passed before he managed to find the seeds. Luckily, they were clumped together. After removing the seeds, to Eric’s relief, the Togekiss immediately calmed down and returned to its usual demeanor. Placing the seeds in his bag, he beckoned for his Togekiss to walk alongside him as he looked for another pokemon.

Trying to keep his nerves under control, Eric decided he’d talk to his pokemon. He laced his speech with false cheeriness in order to keep up his façade. Speaking loudly so his ranger could hear the brightness in his voice, he enthusiastically recalled his first gym battle. “Togekiss, I don’t think I’ve ever told you about my battle against the Vermillion Gym.” With its head angled to its side the pokemon chirped once in response, clearly curious about the battle.

“I guess I didn’t,” he surmised. He took out an energy powder from his bag and gave it to his pokemon as he started recounting the battle. “I’m not really sure what her name was, but I referred to the leader of the Vermillion Gym by her moniker. Protobabe had an interesting lineup consisting of a Raichu, a Luxray, an Electivire, an Ampharos, a Jolteon, a Rotom, a Galvantula, and a Magnezone. Clearly, Ground types were the biggest threat against her pokemon. Electric type attacks didn’t work against Ground types pokemon while Ground type attacks were very effective against Electric type pokemon. Her Rotom, being partly Water type, due to it possessing a washing machine, was a great counter against Ground types. Water type attacks were strong against Ground type pokemon, and her Rotom had the ability Levitate. Because it could levitate, Ground type moves became ineffective against it. Moves like Worry Seed and Gastro Acid could remove its ability, but using those moves would waste a turn.”

He paused, trying to recall the details of the battle. “The trees grew close to each other and intertwined their branches, and an earthy smell emanated from the earth. The forest seemed to be full of life as everything was extremely vibrant and radiant. Hues of green covered majority of the scene. The sky could barely be seen through the canopy, and the ground was covered with the undergrowth. In the forest, Protobabe and I found the perfect place for battle. For some reason, the leaves there had been brushed aside, and there were four boulders marking a rectangular area.

“I think I started the battle by sending out Venusaur. Protobabe, in turn, sent out her Jolteon, a dog-like pokemon that sported a spiky fur coat. A torrential rain drenched the area as the battle started, and it seemed like the downpour would have lasted for a long time. The weather ensured that all of Protobabe’s pokemon could use Thunder with perfect accuracy, and that would've been a large problem. Quickly running through the pokemon I had at the time, I realized that Venusaur was the only one that could change the weather. I was sorely tempted to scream, "Sunny Day!" at the top of my lungs. Under the sun, Venusaur would be faster than Jolteon, and I could order Venusaur to repeatedly use Solarbeam without having to wait. However, I knew that Protobabe’s Jolteon could use Growth and become very powerful under the bright sunlight. Deciding I didn't want to risk the chance of Jolteon sweeping, I ordered Venusaur to use Sleep Powder. Being faster than Venusaur, the Jolteon was naturally able to move first. As I had expected, it used Growth. The Lightning pokemon suddenly underwent a growth spurt and became noticeably larger. Based on experience, I knew that an increase in offensive strength accompanied the enlargement of the pokemon's frame. Meanwhile, Venusaur fiercely shook the flower on its back, causing a cloud of blue, sparkling powder to burst into the air. Luckily, before the rain could cause the powder to disperse, the Jolteon took a large whiff of the soporific powder and immediately fell asleep.

“Now that it was asleep, I knew I had to act fast. I called out for Venusaur to use Sunny Day as Protobabe ordered her Jolteon to use Thunder Wave.Thunder wave was an attack in which the user sent out a disruptive pulse of electricity that scrambled the target’s nervous system, making it extremely difficult for it to control muscle contractions and effectively rendering it paralyzed. It was an extremely bothersome condition. As soon as I ordered the use of Sunny Day, the petals of the flower on Venusaur’s back glowed with an intense golden energy. Roaring loudly, the Venusaur sent a white beam of energy from the center of its flower spiraling past the canopy and straight towards the sky, causing the rainclouds to dissipate. The sun, which had been previously hidden from view, shone brightly and bathed the entire area in its radiance. Luckily, the Jolteon was not awakened by Venusaur’s roar and wasn't able to perform its orders.

“As brief patches of sunlight started streaming through the canopy of the forest, I could see that Venusaur was becoming increasingly agile. This was due to its ability, Chlorophyll, which allowed pokemon to become faster under sunlight. Hearing Protobabe order Thunder Wave once more and not wanting to risk the chance of paralysis, I ordered the use of Substitute. Venusaur quickly sent a sphere of its life force hurtling towards a pile of leaves which came to life and assumed the form of a miniature Venusaur as soon as the ball of energy made contact. To my surprise, the Jolteon suddenly woke up, its fur bristling with irritation at having been put to sleep. Sparks of electricity started coming out of the spikes on Jolteon’s back as it took aim. The sparks then collected into a wave of electricity that crackled as it passed through the air, flying straight towards Venusaur. The substitute moved quickly, jumping in front of Venusauur and blocking the attack, preventing it from having any effect on its intended target.

“I called out, ‘Sleep Powder. Quickly,’ wanting to stop the Jolteon from attacking. Using Sleep Powder repeatedly was a tactic that was generally frowned upon, but I felt that it was the best strategy at the moment. Protobabe ordered her pokemon to use Double-Edge, hoping to break the substitute. I crossed my fingers as Venusaur released yet another cloud of powder into the air. Luck played a large factor as to whether or not the attack would work. A random gust of wind could cause the powder to disperse, leaving Venusaur wide open for counterattacks. Luckily, this was not the case as the Jolteon took a whiff of the powder and fell asleep once again.

“Protobabe was the first to send commands this time around. She told her Jolteon to use Double-Edge. Although her Jolteon was asleep, both of us knew that Jolteon could somehow still understand any orders it was given. I considered ordering Venusaur to use Growth, which, coupled with sunlight, would drastically increase its power. However, it was starting to limp due to the large amount of energy that had been used to create a substitute. Instead, I opted for a Leech Seed attack, which would allow Venusaur to regain some of its health while injuring Jolteon. A single, tiny seed was launched towards Jolteon from the center of Venusaur’s flower. It immediately sprouted, entangling the Jolteon in its burgeoning tendrils and sinking thin roots into the Jolteon’s skin, waking it in the process. Barely feeling the effects of the invasive plant, the Jolteon launched itself towards the Venusaur with full force. As expected, the substitute jumped in front of it, but this time around, the damage had been too great for the substitute to handle. As a result, the miniature Venusaur exploded and reverted to an immobile pile of foliage. The Jolteon was about to growl in anger as it awaited further commands, but the seed that clung to its body started absorbing energy, causing the Jolteon to yelp in pain instead.

“The battle was starting to heat up. Protobabe and I, at that point, were completely immersed in the battle. After I ordered Venusaur to use Solarbeam, Protobabe decided to go with Hidden Power. Hidden Power was a strange attack. Its type changed depending on the pokemon using it. I waited in anticipation as the pokemon started performing their attacks. For a few moments, it seemed as if Venusaur wasn’t going to do anything. It stood in its position, basking in the sunlight that managed to pass through the treetops. Suddenly, the flower on its back glowed brightly as it released a brilliant beam of solar energy from its mouth, searing the Jolteon’s hide. Meanwhile, the Jolteon’s eyes started vengefully glowing. A light blue aura surrounded it as dozens of minute, blue spheres of energy appeared around it. The spheres started spiraling around the Jolteon’s body, creating an awe-inspiring effect, but moments passed before the rapidly rotating spheres slowly converged into a single large ball of energy in front of the Jolteon. Out of the ball of energy burst forth a single light blue beam which struck Venusaur’s right leg. I saw Venusaur lurch in pain as ice crystals solidified around its leg. I also noticed that the plant on Jolteon’s torso was getting progressively larger. Using the energy it absorbed, it would soon grow large enough to immobilize the Jolteon. To my dismay, a group of clouds obscured the sun, eliminating what little advantage I had at the moment.

“I bit my lip out of anxiety. I was unsure how many Ice type attacks Venusaur would be able to withstand. Hearing Protobabe order another Hidden Power, I decided to switch to Metagross. I pressed a button on Venusaur’s pokeball, causing a red beam to absorb the Seed pokemon. I quickly pressed a button on another pokeball, releasing Metagross in Venusaur’s previous position. The Jolteon, not wanting to waste an opportunity to attack, fired off another Hidden Power. A chilling beam struck the metal cross that adorned Metagross’ face, but to my relief, Metagross wasn’t greatly hurt by the ice shards that blossomed as a result.

“Although Metagross had incredible offensive power, it was extremely slow. To remedy this, I ordered it to use Agility. In response, Protobabe told her pokemon to also use Agility. However, she changed her mind and ordered her pokemon to use Baton Pass. Leech Seed had drained a lot of health from her Jolteon, and if she had stuck with Agility, I knew that a Bullet Punch would be enough to knock it out. Her Jolteon became surrounded in a red aura as she sent out her Raichu, which glowed with a fiery aura similar to the one that had embraced the Jolteon. Increasing in size, the aura around the Raichu seemed to absorb the Jolteon’s aura, causing it to dissipate. To my surprise, the parasitic plant untangled itself from the Jolteon’s torso and flung itself towards the Raichu. Knowing that the Baton Pass was over, Protobabe recalled her Jolteon into its pokeball. While this occurred, Metagross leaped into action, running at top speed in order to loosen up its joints and pump itself up for later rounds of battle, effectively increasing its speed. The Raichu yelled in pain as it felt the burden of the Leech Seed, which its teammate had passed on to it. The cruel vines wrapped themselves all over the Raichu’s limbs, ensnaring the Electric type pokemon in its grasp.

“Protobabe called out for her pokemon to use Fake Out, and I responded with Bullet Punch, not knowing any way to counter Protobabe’s attack. Her Raichu rushed at Metagross and faked an attack, startling it into forgetting its commands. ‘That was sneaky,’ I commented. I simply watched with a smug face as the Raichu, screaming in defiance, was further engulfed by the growing plant.

“The Raichu was significantly weakened, and I knew an Earthquake attack would cause it to faint. I ordered Metagross to repeatedly slam its limbs on the ground in order to make it shake violently. However, I didn’t expect the Raichu to take off with a sudden, extreme burst of speed before Metagross was able to attack. Performing Extremespeed, the Raichu defiantly charged into Metagross at a high speed before it was knocked out by the tremors which Metagross had produced. It was clear that the Extremespeed didn’t hurt Metagross much. It seemed as if it was simply annoyed. I had to commend Protobabe, though. Her use of Extremespeed allowed Raichu to deal a bit more damage before it fainted.

“I excitedly waited as Protobabe raised a pokeball and pressed a button, releasing her next pokemon. It was her Rotom. I racked my brains as I tried thinking of a way to deal with Rotom without switching Metagross out. Earthquake was no good as Levitate completely nullified the attack. Also, I didn’t want to use Meteor Mash since it was not very effective against Rotom. To my dismay, I couldn’t think of any alternatives, so I switched Metagross out. I had completely forgotten that her Rotom was not Ghost type because of the appliance it possessed. Had I remembered that, I would have ordered Metagross to use Zen Headbutt. Metagross didn’t have perfect accuracy while using Zen Headbutt, but I would’ve risked it anyway. Before I recalled Metagross, I heard Protobabe tell her pokemon to use Will-O-Wisp, a move that used ghostly energy to inflict a burn. I frowned. Had I previously taught Metagross how to create a substitute, I would have been easily able to counter Protobabe’s attack. Unfortunately, I hadn’t, so I went back to my original plan and recalled Metagross. Thinking long and hard, I tried figuring out which of my pokemon would suffer the least from a burn. None of my pokemon would appreciate the residual pain caused by the burn, and it took me a few minutes before I realized that I could send Espeon out. Because of its ability, Espeon could send the Will-O-Wisp back towards Rotom. I chuckled as I pressed the button on Espeon’s pokeball. Rotom started eerily floating towards Espeon and spun its body around. Cackling, it then released multiple light blue fireballs from its body. The purple balls of ghostly fire surrounded Espeon, and I confidently waited as they neared Espeon’s body. The flames rebounded as soon as they touched Espeon, but the Rotom managed to dodge the attack. I sighed, disappointed.

“Wanting to keep the battle going, I immediately ordered Espeon to use Nasty Plot. However, the referee called my attention and reminded me that Espeon couldn’t use Nasty Plot. Embarrassed, I decided to go on the offense. It was at that moment that I remembered that Rotom wasn’t a Ghost type. Kicking myself for not realizing it earlier, I distractedly told Espeon to use Psychic. Espeon’s eyes obediently glowed as it attempted to break into the Rotom’s mind and induce pain by stimulating the appropriate receptors in its brain. Mental intrusion was Espeon’s most favored method of attack because of the minimal physical effort required. The Rotom, in pain and realizing what Espeon had done, angrily sparked with electricity. Spitefully, it released an unstable ball of ethereal energy that flew straight towards the feline pokemon. The Rotom cackled with malice as Espeon was knocked back by the attack.

“I once again ordered Espeon to use Psychic. Protobabe, however, decided to go with a different attack. ‘Thunderbolt!’ she cried. The Rotom’s entire form crackled with electricity as it vindictively released a bolt of electricity from its horn. The attack struck Espeon on its side, causing a dark patch to form. Enraged and trying to cause as much pain as possible, Espeon launched another mental assault. The Rotom floated unsteadily as it tried to withstand the attack, but it was clearly starting to get worn out.

“I hurriedly gave my next orders. ‘Finish it with one last Psychic.’ Unexpectedly, Protobabe recalled her Rotom and sent out her Electivire instead. The Thunderbolt pokemon valiantly received the brunt of the attack, receiving what was intended for the Rotom. It was a clever move. It was important to save Rotom for later since it was likely that I would try to use a Ground type attack. She would be able to freely switch her Rotom in if I ordered my pokemon to use a Ground type attack.

“At that point, Espeon was standing on unsteady feet. I knew that it had barely enough energy to perform one attack before fainting. As a result, I didn’t give out my orders immediately. I contemplated for a few moments and heard Protobabe command her pokemon to use Thunderpunch. Knowing that Electric type attacks like Thunderpunch had no effect on Ground type pokemon, I decided to recall Espeon and sent out Garchomp. The shark-like pokemon grinned and taunted the Electivire as it attacked. Sparks of electricity jumped from the Electivire’s fist as it repeatedly punched the Garchomp. To the Electivire’s fury, Garchomp seemed unfazed by its attack.

“That was when I got arrogant and made a mistake. I ordered Garchomp to use Dig. Quickly clawing its way underground, Garchomp made its way towards the Electivire. To my surprise, Protobabe simply smiled. She then responded by telling her pokemon to use Magnet Rise and Ice Punch. I slapped my forehead in anger. That was really stupid of me. Following its trainer’s commands, the Electivire manipulated the earth’s magnetic field until it managed to rise into the air, floating about a meter above the ground. Not long after, Garchomp emerged from the ground, attempting to claw at the Electivire but failing to do so. To its surprise, the Electivire was levitating above it. This time around, it was the Electivire that started taunting the Garchomp. It quickly pulled back its fist as frost began to form on its knuckles and let loose with a solid punch. Garchomp lurched over in pain as the Electivire’s icy fist hit its stomach. I knew that Garchomp was extremely vulnerable to Ice type attacks. My only consolation was the fact that the Ice Punch didn’t freeze Garchomp. That would’ve been a disaster. Protobabe carelessly gestured as she commented, ‘Dumb dragon.’

“Because I couldn’t afford to buy another technical machine at the time, I wasn’t able to teach Garchomp how to use Earthquake. Hence, I ordered it to use Dragon Rush. Surrounding its body in a swath of raging draconic flame, Garchomp aggressively charged straight towards Electivire in a vicious rush. Unfortunately, just before the attack hit, the Electivire managed to sidestep and completely avoid getting hit by the attack. Immediately after, Protobabe excitedly yelled, ‘Ice Punnnch!’ The Electivire delivered yet another frosty blow. This time, as if it was showing its supremacy, the Electivire punched Garchomp in its face. Garchomp, unfortunately, was not able to withstand the second blow and fainted immediately.

“I decided on sending Venusaur back in. Venusaur was mostly uninjured, and I knew a couple of Petal Dances would do the trick. As I expected, Protobabe, with gusto, exclaimed, ‘MOAR ICE PUNCH!’ She had a maniacal grin on her face that made me explode with laughter, easing the tension of the battle. Venusaur started shaking its flower, causing tiny petals to fly off. Venusaur continued by swathing itself in a cloud of swirling flowers and grass energy as it started a wild dance that sent it careening at random around the arena. Although it spiraled around the area as if it was drunk, it managed to slam itself into the Electivire. ‘Oh Venusaur, you cray cray,’ Protobabe commented. Ice formed around the Electivire’s fist before it aggressively punched Venusaur.

“Although it roared in pain, Venusaur continued with its Petal Dance. After getting punched once more by the Electivire, Venusaur crashed into the Thunderbolt pokemon, knocking it out. The violence of the spinning made Venusaur dizzy and confused after the attack was over.

“After returning the Electivire to its pokeball, Protobabe sent out her Jolteon. Venusaur seemed as if it was about to faint, so I switched it out for Metagross. Luckily, Protobabe had commanded her pokemon to use Hidden Power. Crystals of ice sprouted around Metagross’ feet. The temperature suddenly dropped, but Metagross was barely affected by the attack.

“Protobabe ordered her pokemon to use Thunder while I nodded once. Being a Psychic type pokemon, Metagross could read my thoughts, so I didn’t need to give my orders verbally. Immediately, the Jolteon called down a huge bolt of lightning from the sky. To Protobabe’s irritation, the attack didn’t even come close to hitting. Taking the opportunity to attack, Metagross’ eyes glowed as it surrounded Jolteon with psychic energy. Effortlessly, Metagross tossed Jolteon around in the air using its psychic abilities, and it wasn’t long until Jolteon fainted.

“I nervously bit my lip. Protobabe was down to her last pokemon. She defiantly sent out her Rotom and ordered it to use Pain Split. Because Metagross was slower, it had no choice but to receive the attack. I knew that I had to slow Rotom down in order to prevent it from using Pain Split repeatedly, so I ordered Metagross to use Scary Face. Rotom’s whole body shimmered as it formed a sympathetic bond with Metagross. The two pokemon’s mental and physical states became balanced against one another, equalizing their health. In response, Metagross made a hideously scary face to frighten Rotom, stopping it in its tracks and causing it to be extremely cautious, greatly reducing its speed.

“Both pokemon looked as if they were about to faint at any moment, but I knew that the battle was nearing to a close. ‘Use Psychic until it faints.’ Metagross wearily raised one of its arms into the air. Slowly, its opponent was immobilized and lifted into the air. The Rotom buzzed angrily as it was tossed about and slammed into various trees. It only took a few seconds for the Rotom to lose consciousness.

“As the battle ended, the referee waved his flags and declared that I had won the battle. Protobabe walked over and gave me a technical machine before we shook hands and departed.”

Eric fell silent after finishing his story. Keeping his eyes peeled for pokemon, he quietly walked through the grass with his Togekiss by his side. To his surprise, a diminutive, rotund pokemon jumped out of the grass onto a nearby path. Noticing its cream-colored feet and teal-colored body, Eric realized that he had found a Munchlax. His heart almost skipped a beat. “A Munchlax!” he exclaimed. “Come on, Togekiss. We have to go after it!” The Togekiss happily chirped as it kept up with its trainer. “I want you to start off with a Thunder Wave, and follow that with a Yawn. Make sure to hit it with the Thunder Wave before it sees you.”

The Togekiss, gracefully propelled itself into the air, elegantly flapping its wings. As it ascended, sparks of electricity spread across its body. Multiple tiny pulses of electricity started arcing through the tips of its feathers. Flying low, the Togekiss neared the rotund pokemon before letting loose the electrical energy that it stored in its wings.

Afterwards, the Togekiss opened its mouth wide. It pretended to be drowsy as it lazily yawned, releasing a wave of multicolored bubbles as it soared over the Munchlax. As before, the bubbles caused the area to become bathed in hues of various colors, causing Eric to consider using Tri Attack next just for the visual appeal.

Eric knew that this was his chance to save his sister. He couldn’t mess this up as this might be his only opportunity. Although what he was about to do was against his moral principles, his love and concern for his sister overpowered his conscience. “I’m sorry, Munchlax, for what I’m about to do. Believe me,” he whispered, not wanting to be overheard by Trainer or his Togekiss.

 

OOC: I won’t have you edit your post, but just a heads-up, there’s really no way any poaching group is going to have infiltrated the Park and stuff. One of the Park’s biggest threats in the early days was poachers and other unsavory characters crawling around, so there are VERY strict measures in place against poachers. For one, only authorized personnel can install cams/mics, and all of them are logged and checked regularly. Any that aren’t part of the log would be promptly removed. As far as spies, that would only work with the occasional Trainer; it’s never mentioned anywhere, but all Park Staff all undergo some pretty intensive stuff to ensure they aren’t working for poachers or other such groups that might cause harm to the Park or its inhabitants. Trainers who, say, have a Dark Pokemon with them in case their Ranger brings a Psychic Pokemon would really be the only ones capable of bypassing the protocols and stuff put forth for Park Staff.

WOW THAT’S A LOT OF TEXT. At any rate, just letting you know. This is an individual RP so we can let it work here in this instances and not have it apply to the Park as a whole.

Also, Munch’s Gender?

===

IC: After having quite the shocking experience and reminiscing a bit, your encounter with the Munchlax kicks off. It doesn’t seem to listen when you apologize to it, instead focused on Togekiss. Her Thunder Wave had hit, causing it to wince. When she dropped lower to use Yawn, Munchlax retaliated for the painful tingling it endured when hit by Thunder Wave by heaving itself at the Jubilee Pokemon in a Body Slam. Togekiss flinched away from the smaller Pokemon, thankfully not paralyzed herself by the blow.

While attacking, Munchlax ended up hitting a few of the bubbles Togekiss had produced while using her Yawn. The Big Eater Pokemon blinks as its normally hyperactive system starts to slow down thanks to the effects of Yawn. It shakes its head before sitting down, its mouth opening wide as it lets out a heavy yawn of its own. It then inhales a deep breath and seems to shift into the grass, using a Stockpile as it gets comfortable in preparation for sleep.

===

END OF BATTLE STATS:​

??? ??? Munchlax: Used Body Slam and Stockpile | Drowsy, PAR, Stockpile +1 | 100% | MCR: 33,631

Gentle Female Togekiss: Used Thunder Wave and Yawn | 77.40%

Battlefield Effects: n/a

===

STATS:

Name: Eric Lundt
Location: Botanical Gardens
MCR: n/a
Area Effects: 3 Encounters Remaining | Deerling, Munchlax Encountered [Rare – 35k characters required] | Deerling Captured (SLP/PAR/5.07%/21,173 MCR)
Items: 2 Park Balls; 2 Super Balls; 1 Hyper Ball; 2 Lava Cookies, 1 Energy Powders, 1 PokeDoll
Pokemon:Gentle Female Togekiss @ Serene Grace w/ EMs SM Tri Attack; MT Softboiled; TM Captivate; TM Roost; TM Substitute; TM Psych Up; BM Psycho Shift; MT Heal Bell; and TM Thunder Wave​

@Sky Lark

 

@Dog of Hellsing

OOC: Sounds really cool. Not really planning on doing anything of the sort, but would bringing a Psychic pokemon along possibly bypass some of the measures in place? Something to the effect of a battle between the minds of the Ranger's and the trainer's pokemon

Female

The Thunder Wave attack had worked. To Eric’s relief, the air had been dry enough for the attack to work. Had the air been more humid, the water molecules in the air would have prevented the attack from working as their polar nature would have allowed them to absorb electrons from the attack, making it completely ineffective.

Tingling, the Munchlax felt the disruptive electricity quickly spread throughout its entire body. Crying out in annoyance, the Munchlax tried moving its various limbs to test the extent of its paralysis.

Eric noticed that the Munchlax’s movement was significantly slower, and he concluded that it had lost some of its fine motor control due to the Thunder Wave. Eric, however, grimaced in disappointment as the Munchlax jumped into the air and violently threw itself towards his Togekiss. He had been hoping that paralysis would take control of the wild pokemon’s nervous system and prevent it from moving. He knew that paralysis was something that could turn the tides of battle and was hoping to abuse that advantage to avoid further damage to his pokemon.

“Oh no!” Eric cried after the attack had connected. At first, he thought that the Munchlax had used Tackle. However, considering the fact that Togekiss seemed to have taken heavy damage from the attack, it suddenly dawned on him that the Munchlax might have actually used Body Slam. After all, the only difference between the two attacks was the amount of force the user had while slamming into its target. Body Slam, though, had the chance of causing paralysis. There were cases in which the enormous force involved in the collision caused neurons to misfire, leading to a condition similar to the paralysis caused by Thunder Wave. Fearing that Togekiss had been paralyzed and he had lost his advantage, he closely observed Togekiss, watching out for random jerking movements. Eric, seeing his Togekiss fly without struggling moments after, heaved a sigh of relief.

The Munchlax, starting to get drowsy from having popped some of Togekiss’ bubbles, then slowly sat down and started curling into a fetal position. A long yawn escaped from its mouth as it positioned itself gently on the grass, looking for the perfect spot to sleep in. A deep breath followed, somehow enabling the Munchlax to store energy for later use and allowing it to bolster its defenses.

Eric knew it was a matter of seconds before the Munchlax fell asleep. Wanting to order his pokemon to use Aura Sphere, he figured that using a direct attack would jolt the wild pokemon out of its slumber, so he ordered the use of a different attack instead. “Ok. Togekiss, the Munchlax is about to fall asleep. Why don’t you go over and give it a Sweet Kiss before it nods off?”

To perform Sweet Kiss, the Togekiss would quietly fly near the Munchlax and give it a shy kiss on the cheek in an attempt to both charm and confuse it.

Eric knew that if the attack worked, the Munchlax would still be confused after it woke up, and that was what he wanted. He crossed his fingers, thinking that the Sweet Kiss would be worth it as long as the Munchlax would hurt itself at least once. It hurting itself more would just be a bonus.

As soon as it fell asleep, Eric, wanting to make this a quick capture, would go all out. Most pokemon, Munchlax included, were heavy sleepers. Once the wild pokemon fell asleep, it wouldn't wake until a certain amount of time had passed. As soon as this happened, Eric, would say, “Togekiss, use Aura Sphere at maximum power. Don’t hold back. It’s at full health, so you don't need to worry about knocking it out.” He knew that Aura Sphere, being a Fighting type attack, would be extremely effective against the Normal type Munchlax. This, coupled with Togekiss' high special attack capabilities, would ensure that a great amount of damage would be dealt.

 

OOC: Well, you could bring a Psychic Pokemon to try and hide your thoughts from any potential Psychic Pokemon a Ranger used to escort a Trainer, but that would probably be too suspicious. It’d be better to bring a Dark Pokemon, which would naturally dampen a Psychic Pokemon’s powers and hide a Trainer’s thought passively rather than actively. It certainly could make an interesting little idea, maybe for an event or something.

Also I was amazed by the amount of damage Aura Sphere did lol. Oh, and don’t forget that a Mon hit by Yawn doesn’t fall asleep till the end of the next turn .


===

IC: Togekiss flies over to land a light peck on Munchlax’s cheek as the Big Eater’s eyes started to slide close. Unfortunately, this causes Munchlax to momentarily startle awake; she blinks groggily and makes a confused noise, clearly affected by the Sweet Kiss. This doesn’t stop her from landing an attack of her own, though; in her surprise, she goes to swat Togekiss away. When her paw touches the Jubilee Pokemon, a powerful burst of static electricity caught in Munchlax’s fur jumps to Togekiss in an accidental Shockwave. Togekiss chirps, now the one surprised, and flinches away from the painful zap.

Munchlax then lays back down, her temporary wakefulness overpowered by the effects of Yawn. Togekiss, feeling safer with a bit of distance between herself and her opponent, starts to charge an Aura Sphere. Munchlax is too busy curling up, making herself a smaller target as she gets comfortable again. Now more obscured by the grass, her defense is boosted a bit as Togekiss releases her Aura Sphere. Luckily, the power of the aura lets the attack track the energy given off by its target, so the attack manages to find Munchlax and hits her dead-on. The blue Pokemon is too tired to react and instead promptly falls asleep after another second of repositioning herself.

===

BATTLE STATS:​

??? Female Munchlax: Used Shockwave and Defense Curl | SLP, PAR, CON1 Stockpile +1/DEF +1 | 77.63% | MCR: 37,542

Gentle Female Togekiss: Used Sweet Kiss and Aura Sphere | 63.36%

Battlefield Effects: n/a

===

STATS:

Name: Eric Lundt
Location: Botanical Gardens
MCR: n/a
Area Effects: 3 Encounters Remaining | Deerling, Munchlax Encountered [Rare – 35k characters required] | Deerling Captured (SLP/PAR/5.07%/21,173 MCR)
Items: 2 Park Balls; 2 Super Balls; 1 Hyper Ball; 2 Lava Cookies, 1 Energy Powders, 1 PokeDoll
Pokemon: Gentle Female Togekiss @ Serene Grace w/ EMs SM Tri Attack; MT Softboiled; TM Captivate; TM Roost; TM Substitute; TM Psych Up; BM Psycho Shift; MT Heal Bell; and TM Thunder Wave​

@Sky Lark

 

@Dog of Hellsing

The fist of the Munchlax started crackling a second before it brushed its opponent away. As its paw made contact, a large jolt of electricity spread from the tip of the Munchlax’s paw to its attacker. Due to the close proximity of the two pokemon, there was no chance for the attack to miss. The Togekiss, surprised by the sudden outburst of energy, quickly flitted away in pain as the electricity spread from its face to its wings.

In retaliation, the Togekiss put its wings together, creating a sphere of energy and infusing it with its aura. It then started to gently coo as it drew upon its aura.

The Munchlax, on the other hand, seemed as if it was ready to fall asleep. It assumed its previous position and curled up into a ball. The depressants that the Togekiss had infused the bubbles with were starting to kick in, causing the Munchlax’s already frazzled nervous system to go into a suppressed state.

The distance between the two pokemon and the tall grass obscuring the Munchlax made it somewhat difficult for Togekiss to ensure a clear hit, but it sent the sphere of energy hurtling towards its target anyway. The sphere, reflecting the personality of the Togekiss with its mint green color, struck true and found its mark. Exploding upon contact, the attack caused tiny wisps of tendril-like energy to surround the Munchlax before dispersing through the air.

With the wild pokemon promptly falling asleep as the Aura Sphere made contact, Eric hurriedly devised a strategy. “Good job Togekiss! I want you to use Aura Sphere at full power once more.” Using the same move repeatedly was not Eric’s style, but he knew that it was his best bet at the moment. Aura Sphere was one of the few attacks that would allow the Togekiss to cause substantial damage despite the increased defenses of the wild pokemon. He hypothesized that there was a possibility that the gentle personality infused in the aura would cause the Munchlax to fall into a deeper sleep. “Next, I want you to use Encore, and make sure to convey how impressed you were when your opponent perfectly executed its Defense Curl.”

After firing off another Aura Sphere, the Togekiss would start enthusiastically applauding the Munchlax and giving off compliments as if its life depended on it. Cheering and praising the Munchlax for the last move it performed, the Togekiss would demand an encore. Hopefully, this would cause the Munchlax to repeat the applauded move three times out of pride, flattered that the Togekiss found its performance so appealing and well-done.

 

Togekiss prepares another Aura Sphere, but before she can employ it, the slumbering Munchlax shifts and scratches at her belly before releasing a massively loud Snore. Togekiss makes a face at the noise, but luckily the volume of it doesn’t cause her to flinch. Instead, she releases her Aura Sphere and then uses an Encore. Munchlax shifts in the grass again and snorts a little, uttering a quieter snore that makes Togekiss ruffle her feathers. The attack doesn’t do as much damage, but it’s clear that it’s going to be an issue if not dealt with soon.

===

BATTLE STATS:​

??? Female Munchlax: Used Snore and Defense Curl | SLP1, PAR, CON1 Stockpile +1/DEF +2, ENCORE1 | 54% | MCR: 40,087

Gentle Female Togekiss: Used Aura Sphere and Encore | 44.54%

Battlefield Effects: n/a

===

STATS:

Name: Eric Lundt
Location: Botanical Gardens
MCR: n/a
Area Effects: 3 Encounters Remaining | Deerling, Munchlax Encountered [Rare – 35k characters required] | Deerling Captured (SLP/PAR/5.07%/21,173 MCR)
Items: 2 Park Balls; 2 Super Balls; 1 Hyper Ball; 2 Lava Cookies, 1 Energy Powders, 1 PokeDoll
Pokemon:Gentle Female Togekiss @ Serene Grace w/ EMs SM Tri Attack; MT Softboiled; TM Captivate; TM Roost; TM Substitute; TM Psych Up; BM Psycho Shift; MT Heal Bell; and TM Thunder Wave​

@Sky Lark

 

@Dog of Hellsing

OOC: Just wanted to confirm. Did both paralysis and confusion not kick in? Also, did you get my previous pm?

Eric stomped his foot in irritation. He had checked the app on his phone to find out whether or not Munchlax could learn either Snore or Sleep Talk before deciding on using Encore, and according to the application, although Snorlax were able to learn those moves, Munchlax did not. Having just seen a Munchlax performing Snore, Eric concluded that the application was clearly wrong. He clicked his tongue in annoyance as he whipped out his Pokedex. Scanning the list of moves under the entry for Munchlax, he immediately spotted both Snore and Sleep Talk. He muttered to himself in annoyance. “If you’re going to create an alternative to the Pokedex, you should really get your facts straight.” He’d have to remember to send a message to the developer of the application.

Tucking his pokedex in one of the pockets of his jeans, he decided that there was nothing wrong with copying the Munchlax’s strategy. “Togekiss, show the Munchlax how flinch attacks are really done! Use Air Slash, and make it quick. You have to get it in before it starts snoring again.” Eric had previously been relying on paralysis and confusion to hinder the Munchlax’s attacks, but it seemed as if the notoriously named parafusion strategy would not be enough. He knew that with Serene Grace, his Togekiss’ attack had a high chance of causing the Munchlax to flinch out of surprise. As an afterthought, he added, “If the Munchlax flinches, use Aura Sphere once again.”