Gen VI Run - Siless

NBP1

Ranger Makina Auran

*~~~~~~~~~*

“Ugh, these Runs never seem to end,” Makina grouched, earning an odd look from a secretary on duty.


The Park had seen a spike in activity lately, thanks to the addition of more Pokemon and more areas that were open for exploration. Just the former would have attracted people; since both had happened the bulletin boards were absolutely covered with application forms from Trainers wanting to be the first to catch these new Pokemon or check out that cool new area. To make things worse, they were understaffed as well- most Rangers save a handful had either disappeared or were too busy with other branches to help take off some of the slack.


<There do seem to be quite a few,> a Gardevoir near the Ranger remarked, the Psychic-type skimming over the different forms. <Have you tried getting in contact with any of the off-duty Rangers?>


“Already done, and the other branches are slammed as well,” Makina replied, shaking her head in annoyance. All of her calls had ended with near hysterics on the other end, which made her wonder if their areas were just as understaffed.


<What about the other Elites, or even the Heads?>


“Ivy is trying to juggle her job along with work back at home, Chainy is absolutely slammed with non-Park work, and Leo is already in the Park,” Makina recited. “Trust me, Aria, outside of throwing inexperienced people out to lead Runs we're not going to get this list cleared anytime soon.”


The Gardevoir said nothing back; save for a hint of exasperation over the link it was almost as if Aria had not heard her partner at all. Suddenly, her eyes widened in recognition as she looked over one form in particular. Snagging the paper from the bulletin board, Aria approached Makina and held the form out. <You need to take this Run next. Read it first before you ask why.>


Frowning at the Gardevoir's odd request, Makina skimmed the paper- and she had to prevent hitting her head on the closest wall. The person who was asking to enter the Park was Siless, a Ranger she had seem around on duty a few times and had even led him through an area once. She hadn't seen him around in a while though, which had surprised her. To see him entering the Park as a Trainer... “Good, maybe we can see where he's been, it's been a while. If we can get his help in clearing some of these Runs once the day is done, it will be even better.”


<It will be good to see Sela again,> Aria mused. She held more than a small amount of respect for Gardevoir, Sela especially so since she knew a wide variety of moves.


It only took several minutes for the two to prepare for another Run. Travel wasn't even a factor, since they were already at the Valley Outpost due to turning in yet more paperwork. All that was left to so was for Siless to arrive.


*~~~~~~~~~*

Trainer Stats:

Name: Siless
Location: Meteor Valley
Area Effects: 15 Encounters remaining
Pokemon Encountered:
Pokemon Captured:
CC since last Encounter:

Pokemon Statistics:

Pokemon: Gardevoir
Nickname: Sela
Gender: Female
Ability: Trace
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: Hidden Power Fire, Thunderbolt, Destiny Bond, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Swagger, Attract, Skill Swap, Protect, Rain Dance, Grass Knot, Charge Beam, Light Screen, Taunt, Safeguard, Snatch, Torment, Toxic, Flash, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Psych Up, Heal Bell, Will-o-Wisp, Icy Wind, Substitute, Signal Beam, Encore, Mean Look, Telekinesis, Shadow Sneak, Hyper Voice, Helping Hand, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Wonder Room, Mimic, Fling, Secret Power, Energy Ball, Nightmare, Sing, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Trick, Snore, Grudge, Memento



Pokemon: Delphox
Nickname: Forge
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Brave
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:


Items: 3x Park Balls, 2x Full Heal, 8x Hyper Ball, 3x Super Ball, 1x Digital Camera, 1x Pokeplayer, Shroomish Voice Disk, 2x Heal Potion (usable in battle), 2x Pokédolls, 2x Energy Powder


*~~~~~~~~~*

 

It wasn't long before we got to the Valley Outpost, but given what's available for Rangers I had expected ours to be there already. It had been a long time since I had actually went on a run, most of my work now was paperwork and by now I would say I was incredibly out of practice. Part of the reason I'm going on a run rather than taking one, though hopefully I can use this to jump back into active work at the Park.


When I saw Makina was my ranger, I felt I had to explain myself. With as much paper and gym work I've had, I never had much of a chance, and when I did I felt horribly rusty. Now was the best chance to shake it off, and then maybe I could get back to doing my job.


Aria, it's so good to see you! Once she saw Makina's Gardevoir, Sela had to chime in. Even in Psychic gyms, Sela didn't run into too many of her own species, and she always welcomed the company, assuming they weren't trying to shove psychic blasts down our brains. It was nice to see her amongst friends, but we did have to start at some point.


“So I've heard there's Espurr around here. And apparently their gender gives them different movesets when they evolve, so I'm mostly here for a pair of them. Good Pokémon for a gym, from what I can tell, and Sela would probably love a pair of kittens to play with.”

 

NBP2

Ranger Makina Auran


*~~~~~~~~~*

It didn't take long for Siless to show up. The young man had arrived, looking about the area with a moderate amount of familiarity, though he seemed nervous about something. Beside him stood a Gardevoir, and a familiar one at that. Upon seeing Aria, the fellow Psychic-type's face seemed to light up.


Aria gave a single nod to Makina, then approached the Gardevoir. It was clear she was happy to see Sela, and the two immediately seemed off in their own world. Out of respect to her partner, Makina tried her best to close her link with Aria for the time being so the Gardevoir could speak privately with one another.


“So I've heard there's Espurr around here,” Siless remarked, sounding curious. “Apparently their gender gives them different movesets when they evolve, so I'm mostly here for a pair of them. Good Pokémon for a gym, from what I can tell, and Sela would probably love a pair of kittens to play with.”


“Yep, we just had some shipped in about a month ago,” Makina replied. She walked over to the front gate, motioning for Siless and the Gardevoir to follow her. As she began to unlatch the gate, an almost awkward silence filled the air as no one spoke. In an attempt to break the silence, she added, “I forgot you ran a Gym, it seems like everyone has one in this day and age. How are things going for it these days?”


Once the gate was open, the group swiftly made their way in. A light mist was present across the Valley, giving it an almost eerie feel. Granted, this was normal for this area; the surroundings were most likely the reason why most Ghost and Dark Pokemon stayed in the region until they mysteriously moved on to the Manor. While a moderate amount of the species could be found in the Valley, it did seem emptier nowadays.


They had hardly stepped ten feet down the path when a soft mewl was heard off to the side. Beside a large rock, half hidden in the grass, a feline Pokemon looked at them with large eyes. It had a dark violet coat, and despite its innocent appearance the creature had a smile that could almost be described as sinister.


“Well, speaking of cats, did you want a Purrloin?” Makina asked, unable to hide a smile.


*~~~~~~~~~*

Trainer Stats:

Name: Siless
Location: Meteor Valley
Area Effects: 14 Encounters remaining
Pokemon Encountered: Purrloin
Pokemon Captured:
CC since last Encounter: 1,302

Pokemon Statistics:

Pokemon: Gardevoir
Nickname: Sela
Gender: Female
Ability: Trace
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: Hidden Power Fire, Thunderbolt, Destiny Bond, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Swagger, Attract, Skill Swap, Protect, Rain Dance, Grass Knot, Charge Beam, Light Screen, Taunt, Safeguard, Snatch, Torment, Toxic, Flash, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Psych Up, Heal Bell, Will-o-Wisp, Icy Wind, Substitute, Signal Beam, Encore, Mean Look, Telekinesis, Shadow Sneak, Hyper Voice, Helping Hand, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Wonder Room, Mimic, Fling, Secret Power, Energy Ball, Nightmare, Sing, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Trick, Snore, Grudge, Memento



Pokemon: Delphox
Nickname: Forge
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Brave
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:


Items: 3x Park Balls, 2x Full Heal, 8x Hyper Ball, 3x Super Ball, 1x Digital Camera, 1x Pokeplayer, Shroomish Voice Disk, 2x Heal Potion (usable in battle), 2x Pokédolls, 2x Energy Powder


*~~~~~~~~~*

 

“I forgot you ran a Gym, it seems like everyone has one in this day and age. How are things going for it these days?”


With Mossdeep Gym being forcibly retired, a lot of my energy had to be diverted to moving Gyms. It was amazing how much energy that took with all the paperwork and traveling involved, not to mention any remodeling of the gym plot that had to occur.


“At the moment, it's less Gym and more work. Some Gyms get insanely difficult to maintain, and while the Gym was awesome when I got there with all these light paths, it means tons more work keeping it up and running.”

I was interrupted by a soft meow. It seemed there was a cat in the area, and looking around I noticed a dark feline with a devilish smile. Purrloin were cute, but were also incredible tricksters. Even if Sela decided she wanted one, I wasn't so ready to try to train one, especially when I had a Sableye ready to fill that role.


“A Purrloin may be interesting to get at some point, but I don't think I'm quite ready to try and train one yet. We should keep going and hope it doesn't treat us as a mark.” My bag was locked onto my person, though I doubt with a Purrloin it would've been much use. I didn't really want to lose anything to it, and hopefully it would just let us move on, though I had my doubts.

 

NBP2

Ranger Makina Auran

*~~~~~~~~~*

“A Purrloin may be interesting to get at some point, but I don't think I'm quite ready to try and train one yet,” Siless replied, keeping his bag close to his person. “We should keep going and hope it doesn't treat us as a mark.”


Upon hearing Siless's words, the Purrloin widened its eyes and pointed a paw at itself as if saying “Who, me?” The smile never left the feline's face though, which made the gesture seem less innocent than it was supposed to be. Finally, with a swish of its tail, the wild Pokemon turned around and walked further into the grass.


“Well, that solves that,” Makina said, giving a shrug. Cat or not, she wasn't surprised to see Siless pass this Pokemon by; Purrloin were insanely common, to the point that most owners would simply give away kittens to rid themselves of another mouth to feed. Once Purrloin was out of sight, they continued down the trail.


As the group headed further down into the Valley, the mist seemed to thicken around them. While their surroundings were still visible, it made the area feel like something formidable was about to jump out at any time. For the time being though, everything was still save for a slight wind blowing upon the grass and sparse trees.


As they passed one of these trees, Makina felt a slight brush on her thoughts, as if someone was attempting to read her mind. She instinctively turned around to look at Aria and Sela, the most likely culprits; after all, they were Psychic Pokemon. Surprisingly, both Gardevoir had broken off from their conversation and looking about curiously. Whatever had tried to intrude on her thoughts, they had likely felt as well.


“There's something hiding around here,” Makina remarked to Siless, realizing as soon as she said the words that they were likely pointless. Due to being a Psychic Trainer, it was likely he had felt the presence before her. Still, she looked about the area, attempting to find the hidden culprit.


After a bit of searching about, there was the sound of light chuckling coming from the nearby tree. A small Pokemon, possessing the same white and green coloration as the Gardevoir, was currently looking down upon the two humans while sitting down on one of the lower branches. While its eyes were hidden from the helmet design obscuring its face, the Psychic-type's mouth had a tiny grin plastered on it.


“First Purrloin, now Ralts,” Makina said to Siless. “Wonder if it was attracted to us, or the Gardevoir?”


*~~~~~~~~~*

Trainer Stats:

Name: Siless
Location: Meteor Valley
Area Effects: 13 Encounters remaining
Pokemon Encountered: Purrloin, Ralts,
Pokemon Captured:
CC since last Encounter: 0

Pokemon Statistics:

Pokemon: Gardevoir
Nickname: Sela
Gender: Female
Ability: Trace
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: Hidden Power Fire, Thunderbolt, Destiny Bond, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Swagger, Attract, Skill Swap, Protect, Rain Dance, Grass Knot, Charge Beam, Light Screen, Taunt, Safeguard, Snatch, Torment, Toxic, Flash, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Psych Up, Heal Bell, Will-o-Wisp, Icy Wind, Substitute, Signal Beam, Encore, Mean Look, Telekinesis, Shadow Sneak, Hyper Voice, Helping Hand, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Wonder Room, Mimic, Fling, Secret Power, Energy Ball, Nightmare, Sing, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Trick, Snore, Grudge, Memento



Pokemon: Delphox
Nickname: Forge
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Brave
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:


Items: 3x Park Balls, 2x Full Heal, 8x Hyper Ball, 3x Super Ball, 1x Digital Camera, 1x Pokeplayer, Shroomish Voice Disk, 2x Heal Potion (usable in battle), 2x Pokédolls, 2x Energy Powder


*~~~~~~~~~*

 

OOC: Female Ralts

---

Purrloin left without incident, though I was sure to check my items before moving on. I wouldn't have been surprised to find whatever it determined to be a snack or a valuable missing, but nothing seemed out of place, and everything of even remote value was where I had left it. It was a relief not having to go item hunting after Purrloin, and I didn't have to interrupt Sela's conversation with Aria to have her battle. With how much fun she was having, and though she wanted to battle, I didn't want to make her stop for something I didn't particularly want to catch in the park.


As we moved forward on the path, fog started to enclose around us. Fog was pretty normal in the valley, and it wasn't thick enough to cause any problems, though it did give a lot of the atmosphere of the area; things were slightly unnerving even with the frequency I've been to this place (or perhaps because of it, I did have to deal with reality distorting around me thanks to an extra-dimensional dragon native to this area...).


I felt a probing in my mind. It wasn't Sela's, comparatively it was much weaker, but it was very familiar. A grab at whatever emotions flowed through my mind and an attempt to understand them... this mind-reading was iconic of a certain family of Pokémon. Sela seemed to notice as well; she stopped her conversation and perked up, trying to trace wherever the reading came from.


“There's something hiding around here.” Makina had to feel what we had as well, as nothing was quite visible until we noticed a tree branch shifting. Low on the tree, though still about eye level, stood a Ralts on the branch, the bright green 'helmet' standing out against the collage of leaves and branches behind it while topping off the small smile on its face. I couldn't tell if it was interested in all of us or if it was drawn by the fact that two Gardevoir were in the area; those in the Ralts evolution family tended towards familial units in the wild, even if they weren't necessarily blood related, and this Ralts may have been looking for a new home. Or it could have just been wandering about and just happened to find us in its path.


“Sela, could you talk to the Ralts? I'd like it to join us, but I think it'd be much more comfortable with you than with me.” Sela... well I think she giggled at me. We both knew how protective Gardevoir could be with their young, and that led to Ralts in general feeling more comfortable around their evolved forms, and it was only logical to assume that the best move would be to send Sela in first. It seemed to amuse her that I relied on her like this, but she seemed incredibly pleased, and even proud, about it as well.


Hello there, little Ralts... As Sela began, I heard her words, and I wondered if Makina could hear them as well. I'm Sela, and this is my trainer Siless...

 

NBP3

Ranger Makina Auran

*~~~~~~~~~*

Despite having a Gardevoir, Siless seemed to perk up upon seeing the Ralts. Instead of starting thingd out aggressively though, he called Sela over. “Sela, could you talk to the Ralts? I'd like it to join us, but I think it'd be much more comfortable with you than with me.”


Sela gave a knowing smile at her Trainer, as if the two were privy to some joke. As the Gardevoir walked towards the tree, Makina opened up her link to Aria just enough to ask just what was going on. She assumed that, since Ralts was the lesser evolution of Gardevoir that the two would have a kinship, but had no idea beyond that point.


<We tend to make our own communities in the wild,> Aria explained, watching the two Pokemon. At the moment, Ralts's attention was fully on Sela. <Our young also tend to be drawn to the elders as a form of protection, at least until they evolve. This one is likely either lost or close to evolving.>


The Ralts and Gardevoir conversed for a couple minutes, Sela likely keeping her end of the conversation for Siless to hear. Finally, the small Psychic-type nodded happily and blinked out of sight, reappearing in front of the Trainer moments later- likely a clever use of Teleport. It looked at Siless expectantly, as if expecting him to do something.


“She wants to battle you to test her strength,” Makina stated to Siless, receiving a quick translation from Aria. “Something about sensing your connection with multiple Psychic Pokemon? Either way, it's up to you if you want to accept the challenge.”


*~~~~~~~~~*

Trainer Stats:

Name: Siless
Location: Meteor Valley
Area Effects: 13 Encounters remaining
Pokemon Encountered: Purrloin, Female Ralts,
Pokemon Captured:
CC since last Encounter: 2,829

Pokemon Statistics:

Pokemon: Gardevoir
Nickname: Sela
Gender: Female
Ability: Trace
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: Hidden Power Fire, Thunderbolt, Destiny Bond, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Swagger, Attract, Skill Swap, Protect, Rain Dance, Grass Knot, Charge Beam, Light Screen, Taunt, Safeguard, Snatch, Torment, Toxic, Flash, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Psych Up, Heal Bell, Will-o-Wisp, Icy Wind, Substitute, Signal Beam, Encore, Mean Look, Telekinesis, Shadow Sneak, Hyper Voice, Helping Hand, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Wonder Room, Mimic, Fling, Secret Power, Energy Ball, Nightmare, Sing, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Trick, Snore, Grudge, Memento



Pokemon: Delphox
Nickname: Forge
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Brave
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:


Items: 3x Park Balls, 2x Full Heal, 8x Hyper Ball, 3x Super Ball, 1x Digital Camera, 1x Pokeplayer, Shroomish Voice Disk, 2x Heal Potion (usable in battle), 2x Pokédolls, 2x Energy Powder


*~~~~~~~~~*

 

Sela did what she could to hype me up to the Ralts; I could almost swear that she wanted the Ralts to come along with us more than I did. She put particular emphasis on the fact I was a Gym Leader of the Psychic-type (something I'm not sure the Ralts really cared about, besides the specialization) and the fact I've found good homes for many Park-native Pokémon (Ralts perked up at this, though it didn't seem entirely too sure at the prospect). Sela above all seemed to want to give the young Feeling Pokémon a place to call home, a place to be, and while I had a few ideas of where Ralts might fit in, it was entirely up to her if and where she would go.


After a while, Sela turned back to me while the Ralts approached the both of us with a flash. She wants to see how well she resonates with you. It seems our specialty in Psychic partners piqued her interest, and she wants to test herself against us. Sela turned around to the Ralts and bowed to her. If you are ready, little one, then show me your power, and we will help you realize your strength.


With the battle beginning, Sela began to probe her opponent for an ability instinctively, though it wouldn't prove much use in this battle. If she was able to copy Synchronize, then I would know not to use status that could be copied back onto Sela, but there was no real use for any of the other abilities available. It was most likely out of habit for Sela to start Tracing than strategic importance here, and it was better than most habits since it would trigger anyways; here it just let us recognize threats faster.


“Sela, we need to be in top form for this battle. Anything less would be inappropriate, if not insulting. Now let's focus up with a Calm Mind!” A soft blue aura began to glow around Sela. I didn't know if it would have any effect before Ralts acted (or if, in some spectacular fashion, she managed to negate Sela's preparation entirely), but it was worth the attempt to understand our opponent and get ready for the remainder of the battle.

 

BP1 (vs Ralts)

Ranger Makina Auran

*~~~~~~~~~*

Sela and Siless conversed for a moment, likely trying to decide what to do about the Ralts. Wild Pokemon or not, they may have had misgivings about battling an unevolved opponent. In the end though, both Trainer and Pokemon came to a decision. The matter settled, Sela directed her attention to the young Ralts, even giving the fellow Psychic a polite bow.


“Sela, we need to be in top form for this battle. Anything less would be inappropriate, if not insulting,” Siless said to his partner. “Now let's focus up with a Calm Mind!”


Before any blows could be thrown (likely metaphorically, as the Ralts line wasn't exactly known for physical attacks,) both Psychics started with defensive tactics. While Sela began to mimic whatever innate ability Ralts possessed, the wild Pokemon began to chant in an upbeat mantra, giving herself extra endurance against attacks.


<She knows Telepathy? Interesting...> Aria, who must have sensed Ralts's ability as well, was watching the battle with acute interest. Normally she didn't pay more than a passing interest to encounters unless something was unusual, but the fact that her own species was fighting must have caught her interest already. <Not many Ralts know that ability these days. She must come from a very old family line.>


Having successfully Traced her target's ability, Sela closed her eyes as she cleared her head of any distracting thoughts. This technique was often used in long-range attackers, due to the fact that it helped focus their mind to both strengthen attacks and endure any blows that the opponent managed to land. All in all, not a bad way to start off a sparring match.


Ralts, on the other hand, decided to switch tactics a bit once she saw that Sela was already improving her defenses. The chanting grew higher in volume, and the tone immediately shifted to a higher tempo as it was changed to an offensive technique instead. Loud sound-waves emanated forth, causing Sela to flinch as she covered her ears.

*~~~~~~~~~*

Battle Statistics:

Mild Female Gardevoir: 96%, SATK+1, SDEF+1 (used Calm Mind, Traced Telepathy)
??? Female Ralts: 100%, CHANT (used Lucky Chant, Echoed Voice)


*~~~~~~~~~*

Trainer Stats:

Name: Siless
Location: Meteor Valley
Area Effects: 13 Encounters remaining
Pokemon Encountered: Purrloin, Female Ralts,
Pokemon Captured:
CC since last Encounter: 4,864/9,000

Pokemon Statistics:

Pokemon: Gardevoir
Nickname: Sela
Gender: Female
Ability: Trace
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: Hidden Power Fire, Thunderbolt, Destiny Bond, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Swagger, Attract, Skill Swap, Protect, Rain Dance, Grass Knot, Charge Beam, Light Screen, Taunt, Safeguard, Snatch, Torment, Toxic, Flash, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Psych Up, Heal Bell, Will-o-Wisp, Icy Wind, Substitute, Signal Beam, Encore, Mean Look, Telekinesis, Shadow Sneak, Hyper Voice, Helping Hand, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Wonder Room, Mimic, Fling, Secret Power, Energy Ball, Nightmare, Sing, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Trick, Snore, Grudge, Memento



Pokemon: Delphox
Nickname: Forge
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Brave
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:


Items: 3x Park Balls, 2x Full Heal, 8x Hyper Ball, 3x Super Ball, 1x Digital Camera, 1x Pokeplayer, Shroomish Voice Disk, 2x Heal Potion (usable in battle), 2x Pokédolls, 2x Energy Powder


*~~~~~~~~~*

 

The Ralts led off with a Lucky Chant. I wasn't too worried about that, as the shielding effect of the mantra mostly affected the strongest of moves, and I wasn't aiming to wipe Ralts out. What I was more worried about was what else the Ralts had in store for us; she struck Sela with an Echoed Voice, which was fairly uncommon amongst wild Ralts, but she also held the ability Telepathy. Telepathy didn't exactly have its full potential in this battle, since its primary use is to avoid an ally's attack with next to no effort required, but it was an incredibly rare ability amongst wild Pokémon in the Ralts evolutionary family, even on the fully evolved Gardevoir (though I would be the first to admit that wild Park Pokémon weren't exactly normal wild Pokémon...).


Sela had the advantage of raw power, and while I had no doubt she had more up her sleeve than our Ralts opponent, we didn't know what to expect. There were already two things that surprised me, and depending on what Ralts had available, it was entirely possible she could cripple us completely with a Thunder Wave or something similar. With the amount of uncertainty, I figured it was about time to break out a combo we had been saving for a spectacular moment.


“Sela, let out a Hyper Voice, and try to channel your Sing into it!”


The idea was simple; rather than a soothing tone that made the target drift into dreamland, Hyper Sing would basically stun the target into a drowsy state with an incredible blast of sound. It wouldn't be anywhere near as effective as trying to lull Ralts to sleep normally, I figured, and it may affect the power of the Hyper Voice, but it was an experiment worth attempting.


Sela reached inward mentally, as if she was preparing for a powerful Psychic attack, but instead of releasing the energy into a blue aura that wrapped around her foe, she let it burst from her lungs, creating a powerful shock wave of sound that stirred up the dust of the valley as it traveled to Ralts. The powerful blow should at least interrupt Echoed Voice, either because of stunning Ralts or her having to get out of the way of the blow with a Teleport or something, but I was interested in seeing how Ralts reacted, even if it was a bit worrisome with whatever Ralts could possibly know that we had no clue of.

 

BP2 (vs Ralts)

Ranger Makina Auran

*~~~~~~~~~*

As the Ralts finished its sound-based attack, Siless seemed surprised by the Pokemon's choice. Considering that the Ralts line was Psychic-based, he had probably been expecting something completely different. Either way, it seemed to bring a rather unique idea to the Trainer's mind. “Sela, let out a Hyper Voice, and try to channel your Sing into it!”


Wait, what. Makina's mind blanked as she heard the interesting combination of moves being called out. Hyper Voice, like Echoed Voice, used a large sound-wave to damage its opponent. Sing, on the other hand, was usually a soothing melody that was meant to make its target calm enough to fall asleep in the spot. The idea brought the image of a Gardevoir shouting “GO TO SLEEP” at the top of its lungs at a tired child to the Ranger's mind, earning a cold look from Aria as the picture was shared over their link. Some Pokemon simply had no humor.


Sela took a deep breath, preparing the energy needed for her technique. As she released it, the air rippled in front of the two Pokemon as a massive force of sound was thrown at the young Ralts, tinged with a haunting tune. The force alone made the young wild Pokemon stagger down to a knee, covering her head as if to block out the sound.


After a few seconds vainly attempting to plug her ears, the Ralts tried something else entirely. Managing to get back to her feet, the Psychic-type held both of her arms towards Sela, engulfing the two in a light blue aura. Immediately, the Gardevoir ceased her attack and went shock-still, as if some unknown power had frozen her in place. Ralts, in turn, had her head tilted as if trying to remember something. She let out a few notes to the song Sela had been singing earlier, trying to fine-tune it to her memory.


<I wonder where that young one learned such a technique?> Aria noted.


Curious about her partner's statement, Makina attempted to pry further. Mind sharing what is going on here?


<She used Imprison, and in a very interesting way as well. She only used it to cancel Sela's attack, and is using borrowed time to learn Sing,> Aria replied, looking thoughtful. <This might explain why this one is so far away from home. She's learning new moves before finally evolving and heading back.>


Satisfied that she finally had the song memorized, the Ralts lowered her arms and the aura in turn. Sela nearly staggered as she was released from the imprisonment, looking slightly dazed from the technique. Still, the wild Pokemon let out a yawn and slumped in place; whatever power the empowered Sing had possessed, it seemed to have worked. After clearing her throat, Ralts began to Sing a haunting melody of her own.

*~~~~~~~~~*

Battle Statistics:

Mild Female Gardevoir: 96%, SATK+1, SDEF+1 (used Hyper Voice, Sing)
??? Female Ralts: 84%, CHANT-3, drowsy (used Imprison, Mimic, using Sing)


*~~~~~~~~~*

Trainer Stats:

Name: Siless
Location: Meteor Valley
Area Effects: 13 Encounters remaining
Pokemon Encountered: Purrloin, Female Ralts,
Pokemon Captured:
CC since last Encounter: 7,162/9,000

Pokemon Statistics:

Pokemon: Gardevoir
Nickname: Sela
Gender: Female
Ability: Trace
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: Hidden Power Fire, Thunderbolt, Destiny Bond, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Swagger, Attract, Skill Swap, Protect, Rain Dance, Grass Knot, Charge Beam, Light Screen, Taunt, Safeguard, Snatch, Torment, Toxic, Flash, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Psych Up, Heal Bell, Will-o-Wisp, Icy Wind, Substitute, Signal Beam, Encore, Mean Look, Telekinesis, Shadow Sneak, Hyper Voice, Helping Hand, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Wonder Room, Mimic, Fling, Secret Power, Energy Ball, Nightmare, Sing, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Trick, Snore, Grudge, Memento



Pokemon: Delphox
Nickname: Forge
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Brave
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:


Items: 3x Park Balls, 2x Full Heal, 8x Hyper Ball, 3x Super Ball, 1x Digital Camera, 1x Pokeplayer, Shroomish Voice Disk, 2x Heal Potion (usable in battle), 2x Pokédolls, 2x Energy Powder


*~~~~~~~~~*

 

Sela's song hit home, but failed to do any major damage before it was interrupted by her ability to Sing being mentally locked from her by the Ralts. While Sela took some time to recover from the shock, Ralts started to mimic Sela's song and start one of her own. Sing was a surprisingly focused attack, so I didn't have to worry much about falling asleep myself (I still covered up my ears, however, probably being overcautious), but I was worried about Sela falling asleep from the attack.


I had a couple options to avoid Sela's possible drowsiness. Safeguard would likely block the dangerous parts of Sing (everything but the sound itself), but it would be a constant drain on Sela's focus, while Misty Terrain would keep Sela invigorated while letting her follow up with just about anything, but that would likely keep Ralts from dozing off as well, at least as long as Ralts was in the mist...


Upon thinking that, an idea clicked into my mind, and I'm certain Sela felt it too, as she conjuring a mist seemingly out of nowhere to cover the field and protect herself. I could only hope Misty Terrain worked before Sela started to drift off, but if it didn't Ralts was already drowsy, at least... It wasn't the full plan, however, just to layer the field with a sleep-warding pink haze.


“Keep Ralts out of the mist with Telepathy!” The mist from Misty Terrain was heavier than the air around it, making it sink to the ground. Thankfully the mist was as breathable as clean air, so all that meant was that battlers that were off the ground weren't affected, whether they were naturally flying or, in this case, if they were lifted up. The combo didn't leave much room for attacking (perhaps Sela could get a quick Confusion attack off, but I wasn't ready to risk fumbling before knowing Sela was safe from Ralts's song), but we still had time for more attacks later, which ideally would take advantage of a floating, drowsy-or-possibly-even-sleeping Ralts. All this assuming Misty Terrain worked in the first place...

 

BP3 (vs Ralts)

Ranger Makina Auran

*~~~~~~~~~*

Upon hearing that Ralts was trying to use her own attack against her, Sela began to summon forth a rose-colored mist to cover the surrounding area. This was Misty Terrain, a fairly recently learned technique that would null all status effects. Unfortunately, that would also mean that Ralts's drowsiness would also disappear.


Thankfully, Siless had thought of this factor as well. “Keep Ralts out of the mist with Telepathy!” he called out to the Gardevoir.


Sela's eyes glowed a light blue, and the Gardevoir focused on the still singing Ralts. While she was trying hard to fight off the drowsiness that the enchanted song usually induced, the half-formed mist around her managed to keep her awake for the time being. With a bit of forced concentration, Sela managed to lift the wild Pokemon away from the mist and its protective benefits.


Ralts flailed about in the air, the very image of an unruly child that was not getting its way. As she attempted and failed to break the Gardevoir's concentration, the young Psychic-type curled up on a ball as if trying to hide away from the world. As her form slightly shimmered though, it was revealed that it wasn't a childish display after all.


“For being young, this Ralts knows more moves than I've seen on most Gardevoir,” Makina mentioned aloud, earning a glare from Aria.

*~~~~~~~~~*

Battle Statistics:

Mild Female Gardevoir: 96%, SATK+1, SDEF+1 (used Misty Terrain, Telekinesis)
??? Female Ralts: 84%, DEF+1 KINESIS-1, drowsy (used Sing (failed,) Defense Curl)
MIST-1


*~~~~~~~~~*

Trainer Stats:

Name: Siless
Location: Meteor Valley
Area Effects: 13 Encounters remaining
Pokemon Encountered: Purrloin, Female Ralts,
Pokemon Captured:
CC since last Encounter: 9,185/9,000

Pokemon Statistics:

Pokemon: Gardevoir
Nickname: Sela
Gender: Female
Ability: Trace
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: Hidden Power Fire, Thunderbolt, Destiny Bond, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Swagger, Attract, Skill Swap, Protect, Rain Dance, Grass Knot, Charge Beam, Light Screen, Taunt, Safeguard, Snatch, Torment, Toxic, Flash, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Psych Up, Heal Bell, Will-o-Wisp, Icy Wind, Substitute, Signal Beam, Encore, Mean Look, Telekinesis, Shadow Sneak, Hyper Voice, Helping Hand, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Wonder Room, Mimic, Fling, Secret Power, Energy Ball, Nightmare, Sing, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Trick, Snore, Grudge, Memento



Pokemon: Delphox
Nickname: Forge
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Brave
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:


Items: 3x Park Balls, 2x Full Heal, 8x Hyper Ball, 3x Super Ball, 1x Digital Camera, 1x Pokeplayer, Shroomish Voice Disk, 2x Heal Potion (usable in battle), 2x Pokédolls, 2x Energy Powder


*~~~~~~~~~*

 

Sela seemed a bit drowsy, but it seemed that her mists managed to keep her awake. Ralts was still awake as well, but she was almost asleep, and now was suspended outside of the Misty Terrain. Ralts seemed to form a shield as she curled up in the air, boosting her defense. I couldn't really see it as useful... Sela lacked physical power, and her close-range moves were for last resort (or perhaps weakening the target only slightly, for capture for instance, but neither situation was this one).


Ralts was sleepy, but she still had a lot of energy and, even if she fell asleep, she could easily break out of a Park Ball. Being stuck in the air with Telekinesis made Ralts a much easier target to hit. The most I could do now is hit and try to capture, as too many strong hits would knock the small Feeling Pokémon, even if its curled up form kept its vitals relatively safe. Ideally, one attack would make Ralts easier to catch, making sure that she couldn't react, but if the catch failed, perhaps it'd disorientate Ralts enough to keep her from doing anything...


“Sela, attack with your Hidden Power!” Upon giving the order, I felt a sudden burst of heat as Sela began to glow once more. A shimmering red aura overtook her while she conjured orbs with the same properties; each Pokémon had their own personal qualities to their Hidden Power attacks, and Sela's gave her a reasonably-powered burst of heat to form into projectiles and attack with. It wasn't as strong as a Flamethrower or Fire Blast attack would be, but it did give her access to a type that would otherwise be difficult for a Gardevoir to use effectively. Here, it was more about its comparatively-average power than its typing, hopefully not making Ralts too weak while still hitting her with an attack that would do more than, say, pushing her around with a Confusion while not messing up Telekinesis.


I gripped a Park Ball from my pack, figuring I had plenty more if I needed them; I'd rather put faith into Sela's skills at wearing her opponent down (and my own as a Trainer) than in a higher quality ball if I could help it, and even if it proved ineffective Ralts was on the defensive already, which we could hopefully exploit for far more chances at weakening or capturing Ralts. Hopefully the capture would just be now, though...

 

BP4 (vs Ralts)

Ranger Makina Auran

*~~~~~~~~~*

Siless did not respond to the Ranger's remark, opting to focus on the battle instead. “Sela, attack with your Hidden Power!” he called out to the Gardevoir.


You know, I never really noticed until now that Siless calls out nearly all of his commands, Makina silently remarked to Aria, the two watching as Sela charged up her attack. The Gardevoir was currently outlined in a flaming red aura as she called forth the energy needed for Hidden Power. Sela used Misty Terrain on her own earlier though, so they're likely linked in some way.


<Not all Psychic Trainers prefer communicating over their link,> Aria replied, keeping her eye on the battle. <Some think it's unfair to their opponent and play fair, while others just prefer verbal communication.>


That leaves them wide open for a counterattack. Why do such a thing? As a prior Dark Trainer, Makina was used to utilizing every trick in the book to get the upper hand on her opponent. To leave such a glaring weakness seemed baffling to the Ranger.


<Believe it or not, some Pokemon fight with honor.>


Sela's attack had been activated, and was now attempting to wreathe its target in flames. The Ralts, still curled in a ball, shuddered as the fire seared her body but did not back out of her defensive position. Once the Hidden Power faded, a multicolored swirl of leaves circled the wild Pokemon before they launched towards Sela in unerring accuracy. The Gardevoir cleanly took the hit, but otherwise looked unfazed.


By this point, Siless looked ready to attempt a capture. The Trainer fished out a normal Parkball, taking aim at the aloft Ralts before tossing the sphere forward. The wild Pokemon was sucked in- and almost immediately broke free, clearly able to still hold a fight.


“Ralts has plenty of energy left,” Makina remarked. The Parkball fell to the ground, out of sight thanks to the mist blanketing the area. It had likely not fallen far, so Siless could easily retrieve later once the terrain had faded. “Try a couple more attacks, she likely can't weather that many.”


Despite still being curled up, a light snoring could be heard coming from the young Psychic-type. She had finally fell into slumber, which likely meant an opening for both Sela and Siless.

*~~~~~~~~~*

Battle Statistics:

Mild Female Gardevoir: 87%, SATK+1, SDEF+1 (used Hidden Power)
??? Female Ralts: 48%, DEF+1 KINESIS-2, SLP (used Magical Leaf)
MIST-2


*~~~~~~~~~*

Trainer Stats:

Name: Siless
Location: Meteor Valley
Area Effects: 13 Encounters remaining, Parkball hidden in the mist
Pokemon Encountered: Purrloin, Female Ralts
Pokemon Captured:
CC since last Encounter: 11,496/9,000

Pokemon Statistics:

Pokemon: Gardevoir
Nickname: Sela
Gender: Female
Ability: Trace
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: Hidden Power Fire, Thunderbolt, Destiny Bond, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Swagger, Attract, Skill Swap, Protect, Rain Dance, Grass Knot, Charge Beam, Light Screen, Taunt, Safeguard, Snatch, Torment, Toxic, Flash, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Psych Up, Heal Bell, Will-o-Wisp, Icy Wind, Substitute, Signal Beam, Encore, Mean Look, Telekinesis, Shadow Sneak, Hyper Voice, Helping Hand, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Wonder Room, Mimic, Fling, Secret Power, Energy Ball, Nightmare, Sing, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Trick, Snore, Grudge, Memento



Pokemon: Delphox
Nickname: Forge
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Brave
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:


Items: 3x Park Balls, 2x Full Heal, 8x Hyper Ball, 3x Super Ball, 1x Digital Camera, 1x Pokeplayer, Shroomish Voice Disk, 2x Heal Potion (usable in battle), 2x Pokédolls, 2x Energy Powder


*~~~~~~~~~*

 

Sela's fiery spirit singed Ralts, and while the young Psychic-type was able to counterattack, Sela looked like she completely ignored any pain the leaves caused. I couldn't imagine being out there and taking blows; though I felt some semblance of pain from either empathy or a mental link more powerful than I had realized, I knew it wasn't anywhere near was Sela felt on a consistent basis. Sela did seem proud to stand out there and fight, either not caring about the pain or perhaps deriving some private joy from it. It could have been that Pokémon in general were comfortable with the pains of regular battle, something I couldn't quite imagine as a human. Maybe part of becoming a trainer was to understand this more...

A mental ping from Sela shook me out of my thoughts; Ralts was dozing off, and while she wasn't captured, she was fully exposed for a follow-up attack and another capture attempt. “Sela, how about an Icy Wind?” The name itself sent a chill through me, but it wasn't anything compared to what was next. Sela began to breath out a blue mist, guiding it towards the Ralts with her hands. Anything that touched the frozen winds were bound to be slowed, and, though Ralts was already sleeping, chilling her muscles would make her resistance to capture less effective.


I pulled a second Park Ball out of my pack and prepared to try and net Ralts once more. At this point, barring a particularly critical strike or a severe miscalculation (or a powerful chain of Sleep Talks, which at this point wouldn't surprise me... Ralts seemed to know just about everything), it was a matter of time before Ralts was caught. Losing just wasn't an option now, and I wasn't intending on letting Ralts get back into the match if I could help it; sleeping and weakened, it would take a miracle for her to recover, and by then the battle should be long over.

 

BP5 (vs Ralts)

Ranger Makina Auran

*~~~~~~~~~*

Even though Ralts had managed to break free from Siless's capture attempt, the Trainer didn't seem too worried about this unfortunate set of events. Instead, he seemed to be lost in thought about some unknown factor. He soon seemed to snap out of it, perhaps coaxed on by his Gardevoir. “Sela, how about an Icy Wind?” Siless asked his partner.


Sela began to radiate energy once more, though this time it was of a completely different element. Instead of reaching into her innermost powers and calling forth fire, this time the Gardevoir summoned a chilling blast of wind towards her target. While nowhere near as powerful as a full-on Blizzard, an icy rime coated the slumbering Ralts.


Siless reached into his pack, pulling out another Parkball- with the first Ball currently hidden, this was a wise move if he wanted to take advantage of Ralts's sleeping status. He tossed the sphere at the wild Pokemon, and the device sunk into the fog once it sucked in the Psychic-type. Even though it wasn't possible to see if the Parkball was rocking or not, a soft ping that resonated through the air signaled a successful capture.


With any luck, they will find that Ralts a good home, Makina remarked. She doubted Siless would add yet another Gardevoir to his team, so he likely had a friend in mind when he had captured the Pokemon.


<They will,> Aria replied, her tone resolute.


With the battle over, the mist coating the ground began to steadily fade away. With the obstruction out of the way, two Parkballs could be seen on the ground; one was lying directly below where Ralts had been hovering moments before, while the second was resting next to the tree's roots.


“Nicely done,” Makina said to Siless, retrieving the first Parkball to stow away in her pack for now. “Be sure to collect your Ball over there, then we can continue on if you want.”


*~~~~~~~~~*

Trainer Stats:

Name: Siless
Location: Meteor Valley
Area Effects: 13 Encounters remaining
Pokemon Encountered: Purrloin, Female Ralts
Pokemon Captured: Jolly Female Ralts
CC since last Encounter: 0

Pokemon Statistics:

Pokemon: Gardevoir (87%)
Nickname: Sela
Gender: Female
Ability: Trace
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: Hidden Power Fire, Thunderbolt, Destiny Bond, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Swagger, Attract, Skill Swap, Protect, Rain Dance, Grass Knot, Charge Beam, Light Screen, Taunt, Safeguard, Snatch, Torment, Toxic, Flash, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Psych Up, Heal Bell, Will-o-Wisp, Icy Wind, Substitute, Signal Beam, Encore, Mean Look, Telekinesis, Shadow Sneak, Hyper Voice, Helping Hand, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Wonder Room, Mimic, Fling, Secret Power, Energy Ball, Nightmare, Sing, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Trick, Snore, Grudge, Memento

Pokemon: Delphox
Nickname: Forge
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Brave
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:



Items: 3x Park Balls, 2x Full Heal, 8x Hyper Ball, 3x Super Ball, 1x Digital Camera, 1x Pokeplayer, Shroomish Voice Disk, 2x Heal Potion (usable in battle), 2x Pokédolls, 2x Energy Powder


*~~~~~~~~~*

 

I picked up the Park Ball that failed to capture the Ralts; it was still perfectly usable, and not worth wasting by forgetting it. With Ralts captured and the battlefield 'cleaned', everything here was pretty much finished.

“Good job on the battle Sela. How are you doing, not too hurt?” Sela examined herself, seeing if there were any cuts she didn't notice earlier on in the battle. She didn't seem to find anything major, and confident she'd be fine either way, she motioned onwards and went back to Aria. Sela seemed determined to spend as much non-battle time with the other Gardevoir as she could, and I couldn't blame her; it wasn't like we spent too much time with Psychic-types that weren't on our team, and Gardevoir willing to hang out were exceptionally rare to find outside of Trainers' teams.


“So I suppose now we begin the search for cats once more. I don't even know what would be a good way to find an Espurr... No bait to draw one out.” I turned to Makina, more for input on the idea than anything else. “Think maybe a place with a lot of hiding places? They tend to be solitary, so anywhere they go wouldn't have to be necessarily big...”

 

NBP4

Ranger Makina Auran

*~~~~~~~~~*

Siless asked his Gardevoir if she was feeling all right. Despite not looking too hurt, it was a known fact that the wildlife here tended to not pull punched while battling. Sela gave herself a quick examination before waving off her Trainer and heading back once more to Aria. Whatever the two Gardevoir were talking about, it was likely interesting if she had quickly moved on to continue their discussion.

Makina shook her head at the Gardevoir's actions, though she grinned to see Aria's happy reaction. The Gardevoir was far too serious for her own good, so it was nice to see her relax every now and then.

“So I suppose now we begin the search for cats once more. I don't even know what would be a good way to find an Espurr... No bait to draw one out.” Siless stated, turning towards Makina. There was evidence of slight confusion on his face, as if he had no idea where to go first. “They tend to be solitary, so anywhere they go wouldn't have to be necessarily big...”

“Well, the guidebook said something about the creatures having a hard time controlling their power,” Makina began slowly, trying to think of how exactly to word her idea. “Since they're Psychic, I'm willing to bet they stand out like spotlights to those who can sense Pokemon of that typing.”

Aria gave a short nod upon hearing this, closing her eyes in concentration. <Sela and I can likely find anything that flares up in the immediate area. That's what we are looking for, correct?>

“Right in one,” Makina replied out loud, giving a nod of her own before relaying the plan to Siless. Sela was likely informing him as well, but it was best to be safe. “Basically Psychics can sense their own pretty easily. If anything suddenly gives a spurt of power, it'll likely show up like a dot on a radar. Granted this is all guessing and what Aria has told me before, so...”

With that, the two humans followed the Gardevoir as they slowly walked further into the Valley. For a while the journey seemed uneventful, as neither of the Psychic-types seemed drawn to any particular area. Once they had been walking for a good half hour or so though, Aria and Sela both stopped, confusion on their faces.

“What's wrong?” Makina asked, looking about. There appeared to be nothing hiding in the tall grass lining the path, and other than a small cave off to the side nothing looked interesting enough to check out. “Did you find one?”

<No, whatever it is is definitely has a fine control on its powers,> Aria remarked, giving a frown as she looked towards the cave. <When we passed though, there was a sense of anger from there. Whatever it is, it seems to know what an Espurr is and doesn't want them to be found.>

And since they're so new, the only Pokemon who would likely think that way are another Espurr or domething related to it,” Makina replied, turning to face the cave as well. “Siless, does Espurr evolve? If so, we may have found one in there. Want to check it out?”

*~~~~~~~~~*

Trainer Stats:

Name: Siless
Location: Meteor Valley
Area Effects: 13 Encounters remaining
Pokemon Encountered: Purrloin, Female Ralts, Meowstic
Pokemon Captured: Jolly Female Ralts
CC since last Encounter: 1160

Pokemon Statistics:

Pokemon: Gardevoir (87%)
Nickname: Sela
Gender: Female
Ability: Trace
Nature: Mild
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:Hidden Power Fire, Thunderbolt, Destiny Bond, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Swagger, Attract, Skill Swap, Protect, Rain Dance, Grass Knot, Charge Beam, Light Screen, Taunt, Safeguard, Snatch, Torment, Toxic, Flash, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Psych Up, Heal Bell, Will-o-Wisp, Icy Wind, Substitute, Signal Beam, Encore, Mean Look, Telekinesis, Shadow Sneak, Hyper Voice, Helping Hand, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Wonder Room, Mimic, Fling, Secret Power, Energy Ball, Nightmare, Sing, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Trick, Snore, Grudge, Memento

Pokemon: Delphox
Nickname: Forge
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Brave
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT:



Items: 3x Park Balls, 2x Full Heal, 8x Hyper Ball, 3x Super Ball, 1x Digital Camera, 1x Pokeplayer, Shroomish Voice Disk, 2x Heal Potion (usable in battle), 2x Pokédolls, 2x Energy Powder


*~~~~~~~~~*

 

“Siless, does Espurr evolve? If so, we may have found one in there. Want to check it out?”

The pair of Gardevoir identified a psychic presence in a small cave beyond the grass bordering the trail. Whatever they felt was stronger than an Espurr, with finer control, but it wasn't happy with us looking for the cat Pokémon. Makina wasn't the only one thinking it was a possible evolution of what I was looking for, as few Pokémon, even if they were naturally altruistic, were willing to go out of their way to protect a newly-introduced Pokémon species in their home. It made me almost certain we were going to be dealing with a Meowstic.


I had very little experience with Meowstic itself... Most gyms were able to use rental Pokémon to cover for Pokémon they were intending to obtain later, but Anistar instead used illusions to go with its largely mental battlefield. It kept costs for the Pokémon low, but it did mean we weren't able to learn about the borrowed Pokémon as well as, well, if they actually existed. I wanted to find some Meowstic both so that I could use them in my personal teams as well as my gym teams, but also just to learn more about the Pokémon. Perhaps, if the Meowstic was protecting only a single Espurr, I could persuade it by offering to bring both of them with me (though I had serious doubts, Meowstic didn't seem happy with me for just looking for it, and we hadn't even seen it yet...).

“Let's go find who it is. I have a good feeling about what this could be...” The tough part was going to be getting it to join us...