Shall we be going? [mod|open]

[Gelato.]

The summer air was much more enjoyable after a brief rain had cleared it out. The sun was bright, the breeze was salty, and everything tasted much less like Corsair grime after they'd left the city limits. Azo looked from her map to her hopping companion. The Natu had not taken his eyes from her the whole way and she had taken to staring back down at him. She imagined he was fascinated by her hair, so different from usual browns and blondes, but she knew there was no way to know. The pair were quite a sight, and though she worried for his safety, she'd only just mastered letting him out. Getting him back in would be an entirely different matter. Azo chastised herself for not asking the professor how to put her bird back inside. It wouldn't be as simple as just throwing it again, would it? She sighed. She doubted any of it would be that simple.

Her companion chirped once as he hopped, eyes still fixed on the human, and she smiled in response. "Yes?" she asked, folding up her map, "Is there something you'd like?" The bird, of course, didn't respond. She was suddenly grateful that starter Pokémon were trained enough that he was at least sticking by her side. Training her own would be difficult to say the least and she was hardly looking forward to it. Azo looked ahead and mulled over what awaited her. She was heading to a city, working her way backwards across the island to the first gym. How lucky she'd been to have docked in the farthest city from it.

"I suppose I need to call you something," she said, mostly to herself. She didn't really expect a response, not yet anyway. Was she supposed to talk to the Natu? Form a bond with it? Wasn't it just a bird? She felt the watch on her wrist. No, it was not just a bird. Zachariah had told her as much and she was forgetting. She ran her index finger across the watch's crystal face, felt the ticking of tiny gears beneath, and resolved herself to do better. "My name is Azonyll Tenne," she announced, looking back at the hopping bird. "Many prefer to call me Azo." The creature at least seemed to understand, and she could've sword she saw him bob his head in mutual greeting.

"What should I call you, then?" she tried, as if there would be an answer she could understand. "A gentleman would introduce himself, after all," she added, more jokingly than not. He tilted his head a little and gazed up at her, unwavering. It was on her to figure that out, she presumed, a little exasperated. She hoped she could figure something out before reaching the city.

[Cai]

[atrb=border,0px solid,true][atrb=cellpadding,5px,true][atrb=width,250,true][atrb=style, border-radius: 1em; -moz-border-radius: 1em; border: 1px solid #FFD456;][bg=FFDC7C] r a n d o m   e v e n t ! It is a blazingly hot day. The sun burns overhead and the air is thick with overpowering heat. Dehydration and sunstroke are all too likely in weather like this, but Fire and Grass moves are boosted by the sunlight. Water and Ice types, take care not to burn up...

It was especially hot. The summer's day had produced zero cloud coverage and heat was making the Pokémon that lived nearby irritable, looking for shade to wait out the heat. Just then a rustling sound emitted from a small patch of shrubbery alongside the path, obviously some creature hiding away in the relative coolness. A moment later, a small snuffling, growling, joined the rustling, until with a rough arrrfff a grey and black blur jetted out of the undergrowth and across the path, some kind of meat clutched within its jaws. The Pokémon's eyes fixed on the obstruction in his way, and suddenly realised he was not alone. The dog-like creature immediately backed up into a defensive position, narrowing his eyes. He dropped the meat and snarled aggressively, his back dipped in readiness to spring. He was ready to fight.

[atrb=border,0px solid,true][atrb=cellpadding,5px,true][atrb=width,250,true][atrb=style, border-radius: 1em; -moz-border-radius: 1em; border: 1px solid #FFD456;][bg=FFDC7C] w i l d   p o k é m o n ! "] L4 ♂ Poochyena A wild Poochyena appears! You have encountered a wild Pokémon! Time to decide whether to battle it or to run away.

[Gelato.]

Really, she was just starting to enjoy the heat drying out her clothes and hair, stiffening her hat, when the Poochyena jumped out. Azo jumped as well, letting out a less-than-ladylike noise in the process. she quickly recomposed herself and took another step back. Her Natu's eyes were still on her, as if awaiting a command, but she had none for him. He seemed almost to glare at her before finally looking away and facing the canine before him. His eyes narrowed and he let out a shrill whistle before he hurried at the offending creature, beak pointedly protruding like a lance.

Azo tried to speak up to stop would would likely be a fight, but her voice caught in her throat. Zachariah had fought with Pok?mon. He'd told her not to fear the battle, but to perch upon it like a wave, to ride it out until it's due finish. She closed her mouth firmly and pulled the brim of her had firmly lowed onto her brow. This would be her first lesson, and she vowed to learned well as her compatriot dashed at his enemy with a Peck.

[Cai]

"]

The Poochyena, readying itself in its defensive stance, plunged to one side to avoid a sharp peck to his flank, growling and nipping at the bird as it dodged in and out of reach. It snarled and yipped, a great show of aggression as it suddenly started to run full pelt towards Natu, gathering speed as its small paws sent sprays of dry earth flying up. It charged towards the girl's Pokémon, hell bent on creating a violent collision that would wind the tiny creature, or worse, if it did not evade in time. Pushing off with sturdy hind legs, the Poochyena soared out in a Tackle attack.

Turn 1: Natu hit Poochyena for minor damage
Poochyena hit Natu for normal damage
The score is 1-2 to Poochyena

[Gelato.]

"Watch out!" she cried, but it was too late. The Natu tumbled backwards, only rolling onto his feet by some stroke of luck. The wild creature had made a good hit, though his was not so much. Azo fretted terribly behind him, wondering if doing this so soon was right. She'd only just met him and now he was fighting some wild animal? She swallowed. Zachariah's tutelage would not be for naught, she would make sure of it. If Pok?mon fought, then it was their trainer's responsibility to coach and guide them to victory. She set her feet in the ground.

"Again, but this time use Leer!" she mustered, trying to fill her voice with an exuberance that was not there. The Natu responded without fail, speeding once more at his enemy. His eyes shone angrily with Leer and his beak was pointed outwards once more as he closed in on his target.

[Cai]

The Poochyena growled, preparing to attack, but it was distracted by the powerful glare the Natu was directing at it, and it faltered. Against its better judgement, it began to cower, unsure of itself, and it backed away a few paces. There was no mistaking the effect Leer was having on it, and consequently its defensive abilities seemed to have drooped.

However, rallying itself, the sturdy creature shook its head vehemently to clear it of the forceful stare directed at it, and the Poochyena gathered isefl to strike once more. It bunched its small, strong hind legs and sprang forwards in its only safe move, Tackle. Barrelling towards the Natu it gave a grrrrruff of effort as it plunged in to land its attack.

Turn 2: Natu's Leer ensures its attacking moves will damage Poochyena for 4 turns
Poochyena hits Natu for minor damage
The score is 1-3 to Poochyena

[Gelato.]

Observing the effect his glare had on his enemy, the Natu tried to veer away and avoid attack. The Poochyena just barely clipped his side, and he was able to gain a few feet of ground before skidding to a halt. His trainer fretted a ways a way, trying to talk herself out of just grabbing the Natu and skipping town. Things were not going especially well. Suddenly, a train of terrible thoughts ran through her mind. What if her only Pok?mon was knocked out and she was forced to deal with a belligerent, wild Pok?mon on her own? Azo swallowed her words and forced herself to press on.

Without being ordered, the Natu ran back into the fray, beak sticking out for another Peck. Azo set her jaw. Just jousting back and forth wasn't going to get them any farther. She needed to- the thought itself made her cringe and smile all at once- get the upper hand. "Jump up high!" she ordered and, after a moment's hesitation, the Natu did just so. His legs were powerful and made for jumping, so he easily gained some air and, on the descent, his Peck was pointing sharply down at the Poochyena below.

[Cai]

The Poochyena yipped and growled as the Natu veered out of reach, full of aggressive energy and set on taking out the small bird. In fact, what with the snapping of its jaws, it almost seemed ready to have the creature for lunch. Snarling, it watched as the Natu soared up over its head, bracing itself on four solid paws. Its grey fur was wildly tousled and streaked liberally with dust from the fracas, but it seemed unaffected by its exertions thus far.

With an angry bark it reared up on hind legs just as the Natu plunged down, beak extended, and it bared its teeth through the hit. It batted out with its paws and snapped viciously, then skirted away and prepared to deliver its next hit. Growling ferociously, it zoomed in while the Natu was recovering from its last attack and launched yet another Tackle.

Turn 3: Natu hits Poochyena for normal damage.
Poochyena hits Natu for normal damage.
The score is 3-5 to Poochyena.

[Gelato.]

Azo grinned when her idea worked, they'd scored a clean hit, but it quickly fell back off her face when the Poochyena retorted with a hit of its own. They weren't gaining any ground and they really needed to. She found herself biting her lip, a terribly unladylike habit she couldn't seem to toss away. Her Natu rolled away from his target, obviously panting. He could tell they weren't doing so well and his enemy seemed more than happy to keep up this back and forth they had going.

"Keep on him. Again!" Azo commanded. They had no choice, really. Her Natu was too young and inexperienced to have knowledge of any more powerful moves, so they were relegated to this mock jousting. The Natu, to his credit, didn't back away from this order. No doubt he understood the predicament just as well and leaped back into action, beak poised for yet another harsh Peck.

[Cai]

The Poochyena endured a repeat of the previous move, but it had learnt quickly. Not allowing itself to be struck as violently as the last time, it dodged and rolled when the Natu loomed in for a second Peck, but not fast enough to avoid taking more superficial damage. It growled. A hurt and tiring wild Pokémon was perhaps even more dangerous than a healthy and comfortable one, and it seemed to return the attack with renewed vigour. Angrily it plunged in, seeming to grow more reckless with its movement but imbuing it with even greater power, set on driving the smaller Pokémon into the ground with its aggressive Tackle.

Natu hits Poochyena for minor damage
Poochyena hits Natu for minor damage
The score is 4-6 to Poochyena

[Gelato.]

Azo was a wreck. She couldn't even get her Pok?mon through a scuffle with a pup on an afternoon stroll? What kind of a trainer was she? She became uncharacteristically agitated when the Poochyena seemed fall from perturbed by her Natu's attack, even more so when he began to retaliate. Her avian friend skidded to a half as the canine drew up above him and...

"Peck! From below! Now!" she found herself shouting from the sidelines. They needed a hail mary, anything, before her Natu fainted and this aggressive dog turned its attentions to her instead. The little green bird seemed to have the same idea and as his enemy struck him from above, he jut his sharp little beak right back out with another fierce Peck.

[Cai]

The Poochyena, still tailoring its energies into protecting against aerial attacks, was underprepared for an attack on its exposed underbelly. It gave a sharp yelp of pain as it rolled away, having sustained a deep wound from the Peck which had struck it squarely in the midsection. It gave a long howl of rage and pain, but it did not wish to give up this battle now it had struggled so far. It gathered its energies, a small blur of grey fur, battered and ruffled, and charged once again towards the Natu in a Tackle. It leapt with the last of its willpower and delivered a devastating last attack, breathing heavily as it did so.

Turn 5: Natu hits Poochyena for major damage
Poochyena hits Natu for normal damage
The score is 7-8 to Poochyena
Natu fainted!

[[DDDD8]]

[sorbet]

"]

Ciro wasn’t certain he wasn’t just seeing things when he saw another figure along the road. He had been pretty sure no one else would be crazy enough to travel on such a hot day. Though, maybe he wasn’t quite so crazy; he’d come prepared, with extra water and other supplies to share between himself and his Pokémon. But that was only a slither in the back of his mind as he quickened his pace, Vivienne at his side. The girl seemed to be in a battle, but from what he could tell things didn’t seem to be going very well. He wasn’t aware of any wild Natu about, after all. ”Hey, are you okay?”

As the Natu fainted away, Vivi gave a hissed, “Esssp!” She did not wait for a response from girl, nor the order that would obviously come from her partner. Pushing forth with a strut, the Espeon’s eyes glowed as she unleashed a Swift at the Poochyena, or as Ciro liked to call it, a series of star-shaped homing missiles. She wasn’t having any of this. A child who couldn’t even take care of a proper Psychic-type was not going to be wasting any of her time.

[Gelato.]

Despite all her training to be calm and motionless in times of stress and crisis, Azo couldn't help but cry out when her Natu was struck. The small bird was thrown back by the force of the canine's attack, sailing through the air like a stone. He was out before he hit the ground. He bounced once, rolled some feet, and finally came to a stop near Azo. She felt wretched, allowing such harm to come within mere hours of knowing the fragile little bird. She wanted to go to him, pick him up maybe and make sure he was not irreparably hurt, but she was frozen where she stood. Though well injured, there was still a wild Pok?mon before her. Even in its state, she doubted she, an emaciated teenage girl, could hope to hold her own if the pooch was not satisfied by beating up only her Pok?mon.

She slid one foot back, wondering if maybe she could recall her Pok?mon and make a run for it. Could she outlast a wounded Poochyena? It didn't seem likely, especially not in such sunny heat. Sweat beaded under the brim of her cap as she stared down the canine.

"Hey, are you okay?" Azo nearly jumped out of her skin. Somehow, now she was able to keep her composure. Another person? Blessed be Mew, it was her lucky day. She saw a Pok?mon, pale lavender in color, and a flash, but she turned away to tend to more important things. Her feet, once so firmly rooted to the spot, were up in a moment and she hurried to where her own Pok?mon had fallen. She knelt and set the little bird in her lap, tears pricking at her eyes. This was her fault. She'd tried to fight before even knowing how, with a creature she'd hardly even been introduced to. What a first day...

[Cai]

The victorious Poochyena had no time to celebrate its win, for the instant it turned its narrowed gaze upon the trainer who was now defenceless without her Pok?mon, it was distured. As it snapped its jaws, slowly moving in and stalking the girl, almost seeming to lick its lips... a pink blur appeared from somewhere and directed a jet of stinging, flashing stars at the Poochyena. It gave a startled yelp, took one look at the new attacker and turned tail, fleeing as fast as its tired legs could carry it and disappearing back from where it came from to lick its wounds.