Dual Pokemon Quest

[Blacksheep]

Archer quickly followed Lee's order. The murkrow was confused by the attack being spread out further than usual, and more so when it transitioned to Razor Leaf and started slicing him. Kate grinned and called her murkrow back. "Your win!" She considered her pokeballs for a moment before tossing the next one out, releasing her spinarak. The spinarak wasted no time in spitting String Shot at Archer.

[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

Jaden observed the intruder as he walked forward through the island. He was clearly heavily relying on the poochyena to lead him through the area. He only had two pokeballs on him thankfully, instead of a full team. He marched forward with an eagerness that showed he knew where he was and planned on seeking out what was here. This wasn't a mistake or any kind of accident.

"How long has he been here?" Jaden asked Latios.

Early/dawn arrival/all day.

Alright then, it was plan time. This was it. This was what Jaden's team were for. He grinned and quickly released his pokemon. Sam was immediately on alert and ready to hunt, while Uri appeared more peacefully. Oliver was just thrilled to be out, and almost made noise as he jumped about before Jaden managed to shush him and get across that they were being quiet.

"Sam, do you see that guy with his poochyena?" Sam peered ahead and half climbed up on Jaden to see better. "Do you think you can fight the poochyena?" Sam let out an affirmative growl, tail lashing in excitement. "Yeah?" Sam took a moment to really study the poochyena instead of just letting the excitement of getting to fight cover things up. Then he nodded again. If it was serious, Sam wouldn't let Jaden down.

"Uri, do you sense a void pokemon? Can you tell me anything about it?"

Uri sent back a sense of amusement. The poochyena? Or the pokemon in the ball still? Both are "void", so to speak." Could Jaden not tell he couldn't sense them? That they were a "void" to his senses? Well, Jaden was less experienced with his abilities. He may use them instinctively, but he was still human. He may not realize when a void wasn't supposed to be there in his psychic sense.

Jaden let out a short chuckle. "Oh." He definitely felt foolish. He should have figured that out! He turned to Oliver quickly to cover up the embarrassment. "Oliver, can you steal from this guy?"

Oliver was ready and more than happy to fetch whatever Jaden wanted from the sailor as soon as he stopped moving! Unless Jaden wanted Oliver to tackle the guy to steal from him? Oliver could do that too!

[ ]Have Oliver tackle the sailor
[ ]Wait for the sailor to take a break and sneak attack
[ ]Jump out to challenge the sailor directly
[ ]Write-in

 

[Space Jawa]

"Archer, take five!" Lee called, recalling the bird to tap in a replacement.

While Archer was still capable of fighting and Lee reasoned he had a measure of advantage over the bug, Lee thought it wise to give him an opportunity to rest in favor of a fresh competitor. They may have won the first round, but he didn't want to get overconfident, especially not when Kate still had a deep bench from which to pick the third member of her battle lineup.

"Nova, you're up." Lee said, calling forth his Vulpix as his second fighter.

"Watch the webbing, use Ember to keep the bug off you till you can use Confuse Ray!"

[X] Swap Archer for Nova
-[X] Use Ember defensively to keep the webbing and Spinarak away till Nova can successfully hit the bug with Confuse Ray.

 

[Tascion]

[x] Reasonable student on a class trip
-[x] Jaden walks up with Sam, introducing himself to the sailor. "Hi, my name is Jaden. I've gotten separated from my classmates on our hiking trip. We're a big enough group that I thought I could find them myself. However, that appears to not be the case. I'm afraid that I must request your help as an adult in helping me locate my classmates before the teachers get worried enough to send their pokemon out looking for me. Before the trip started, they said that if they had to send their pokemon out looking for somebody, that person would not be allowed on any more trips. What is your name?"
-[x] Oliver should sneak around back out of sight, and wait for a mental signal from Jaden for an attempt to steal a pokeball from the sailor.
-[x] Uri should go into his pokeball to stay close but hidden with Jaden.
-[x]If the sailor agrees to help Jaden, lead him perpendicular to the way he was going and start asking him questions about himself and introducing his poochyena to Sam

(Are Dark pokemon sometimes called 'void'?)

 

[Blacksheep]

Psychic pokemon will sometimes refer to dark type pokemon as void pokemon. This is specific to them as a type, and not something other people or pokemon would call them. Latios isn't very experienced in dealing with people, so used the more instinctive title of "void" rather than what their type is designated as

 

[Blacksheep]

Alright, Jaden had his plan. He'd get the sailor out of here. He walked forward, pretending to stumble out of a bush. The sailor whirled on him. "Oh, hi!" Jaden grinned. "I'm Jaden. Have you seen a group of students? We're on a hiking trip," he explained.

The sailor's eyes narrowed. "Poochyena, Dark Pulse."

Jaden's eyes widened as the attack was released at him from the poochyena cheerfully following its trainer's orders. Oliver scrambled forward towards the sailor from behind like Jaden had suggested unwilling to wait for a signal when his trainer was under attack. Sam was even faster, there and taking the hit before it was finished. Sam growled in anger and let loose Dragon Breath. The poochyena tensed up.

"Huh, so you are a kid," the sailor remarked. "Bad news for you, being out here. Guess I'll have to get rid of you anyway. Can't have you telling anyone about what I'm doing."

[ ]Battle
[ ]Distract and try to run
[ ]Ask Uri for emergency teleport
[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

"Sunshine, dodge! Try to get it with poison powder!" Kate cried.

Kate is a decent trainer, and her pokemon have more than enough experience and training to make them tricky opponents. That does not however, diminish the challenges of a pokemon that favors traps and field control trying to fight back against everything being set on fire. Nova was clearly living it up, even if her Confuse Ray wasn't as effective against the spinarak as was hoped. It was clearly pushed back on the defensive and looking for a way to deal with the fire.

[ ]Write-in

 

[Space Jawa]

Somehow, the situation actually made Lee feel kind of sorry for Kate and Sunshine.

Not that it really did anything to make Lee let up at all.

"Nova, look openings to get in close and soften him up with Tail Whip!"

[X] While still using Ember to keep Sunshine at bay, look for opening to get in, soften up Sunshine with Tail Whip, get out again, and repeat.
-[X] Once it looks like Nova has hit Sunshine with enough Tail Whips, use Quick Attack in a repeat hit-and-run approach to render Sunshine no longer able to battle.

 

[Tascion]

[x]Battle
-[x]Sam stay at range and use smokescreen, be ready to dodge at Jaden's signal
-[x]Oliver get to the side to flank attack with either Covet or Headbutt
-[x]Jaden will back off to make room and telepathically signal to run if things go bad fast.

 

[Blacksheep]

Nova let out a yip in reply to Lee's commands, thrilling about the hunt. She started using tail whip immediately, pushing the spinarak to try and pull even further back. Nova didn't take long before leaping forward in a quick attack. There were too many openings for her to ignore.

"Now!" Kate called. Sunshine reared up and spat Toxic directly into Nova's face, causing the vulpix to falter and fall back with a cry. She shook her head unhappily as the poison set.

 

[Space Jawa]

"Oh no." Lee thought, immediately recognizing that he'd made a major blunder for the second time in a row.

Much like before, he'd tried being too clever for his own good. And this time, he hadn't even had a good reason for it. He'd simply ditched a tactic that had been working for no good reason.

"Nova, Ember directly!" Lee commanded, trying to salvage the matchup by giving the order he should have given in the first place.

[X] Nova use Ember against Sunshine directly.

 

[Blacksheep]

The spinarak fell back with a shriek, again falling back on the defensive. Nova grinned, even as her body gave slight shudders from the poison in her.

[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

"Sam, smokescreen! Oliver, hit 'em where you can!" Jaden shouted.

Sam let out a deep breath of smokescreen, quickly smogging the entire area in front of them. The sailor coughed as he shouted for his poochyena to fight back. The poochyena twisted to tackle Oliver, only for Sam to respond by spitting fire at it. The sailor's hand flexed over his other pokeball with a grimace. Whatever was in there, he didn't release it, instead just continuing to shout orders at the poochyena. Faced with two pokemon and poor vision however, the poochyena was driven back. Oliver wasn't just going to let anyone hurt his trainer, and Sam burned with anger and pride at the attempted attack. The sailor scowled as he stumbled back. "This is just a temporary setback," the man swore.

Jaden's heart was pounding in his chest as he watched the sailor head back towards shore. Latios keened with pleasure watching the man leave. A strong push came from the dragon pokemon. It was hard to read, targeted at the sailor and not Jaden. There was clear triumph in the pokemon's gaze as he turned back to Jaden.

Thank you. Prize/reward/treat?

[ ]Ask for another ride
[ ]Ask for dragon advice for Sam
[ ]Ask to meet Latios' sister
[ ]Ask to play on the island for a bit
[ ]Write-in

 

[Space Jawa]

Lee was walking a very fine line.

If it hadn't been for Nova's personality and attitude, he would have already pulled the Vulpix. As it stood, however, his gut told him he needed to trust in what Nova was capable of, giving her just a little bit longer to prove she still had what it took to remove Sunshine from the fight.

[X] Continue with Ember to try to knockout Sunshine.
-[X] Prepare to switch in Crunchbite; either when Sunshine is no longer able to battle, or else when it's clear that doing so will require Nova stay in longer than is good for her with the effects of the Toxic poison in play.

 

[Tascion]

[x]Short and long
-[x]Let Uri out of his pokeball, and tell him he remains the team's secret weapon against pirates.
-[x]Give Oliver berries for his efforts
-[x]Ask for dragon advice for Sam
-[x]Tell the latios that the pirate said he'd be back, and suggest some preparations
--[x]Offer to introduce him to the biggest Xatu in the world for advice
--[x]Offer to introduce him to a fairy ring of Mawiles, Ralts, and Kirlias, such that he could ask if some of them would like to live on the island and maybe get the chance is seriously prank some seriously bad people. All the stories Jaden has read say the fairies are really good at messing with people

 

[Blacksheep]

Jaden turned and started by releasing Uri. The kadabra stretched and glared in the direction the sailor had headed in. Jaden grinned. Good, Uri already knew what his job was. They weren't gonna let any pirates take over the island! He dug out several berries and gave them to Oliver and Sam for their efforts. Oliver was pressed tight up against Jaden, his furry body giving occasional little shivers. Oliver had grown used to the good life with Jaden. Facing danger like that again had been upsetting. The worst part, in the cheery zigzagoon's opinion, was it had been aimed at the team's human. Jaden was quick and clever, but he was also a lot softer than them.

"Sam's going to be a dragon like you one day," Jaden told Latios. The latios responded with cheerful agreement and appraisal of the charmander. The shiny charmander stretched up at that, trying to look his fiercest. Wasn't he awesome? "He could use some advice on how to be a dragon from another dragon."

Latios considered this carefully before turning to speak directly to Sam. A dragon's pride was its strength, and that was to be well earned. Do not forget to look up, enemies could strike from there. As satisfying as a physical strike was, it could be just as satisfying to turn everything to ash with a breath attack. And companions to share with makes earned glory even better. Sam nodded as he took it all in.

"The pirate said he'd be back," Jaden warned.

Memories sealed/hidden.

"But he found it before." Jaden frowned trying to think of the right words. "I know pokemon that could help. I know the biggest xatu in the world, and fairies love mischief. They'd love it here."

Shock came from Latios at Jaden's words, followed by dismay. Fairies enemies? Instinct say fairies threat.

[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

Nova kept up her steady stream of flames under Lee's direction, and Sunshine crumbled under it. Kate quickly returned him and took a moment to look over her pokeballs. She grinned before picking one out and sending it forth. "Go Enat!" Her own vulpix entered the battle. Lee took a moment to switch Nova over for Crunchbite. The trapinch snapped his pincers eagerly digging into the ground. He was ready.

[ ]Write-in

 

[Space Jawa]

Lee gave a small sigh of relief at Sunshine's defeat, though he didn't drop his guard. Especially not when he saw that Kate's final Pokemon was her own Vulpix, as it meant that for all intents and purposes, it was effectively down to a 1 v 1 showdown.

A brief thought passed through his head of disappointment that Nova wasn't still up for battle, a Vulpix vs Vulpix fight would have been something to see for sure.

"Crunchbite, Sandstorm!" Lee ordered for an opening move.

[X] Begin with Sandstorm.
-[X] Use Dig to make it difficult for Enat to hit Crunchbite.
--[X] Try to further constrain Enat with Sand Tomb; use primary strategy of letting Sandstorm and Sand Tomb do most the work while using Dig and advanced Sand Attack to keep Enat from getting at Crunchbite.
---[X] Make conservative use of Astonish as needed to keep Enat from escaping the larger sand assault.

 

[Tascion]

[x]I don't know if I'd call the fairies I met more of a threat than pirates. The ones I met liked being impressive, so maybe they just come across as more scary than they intend? While you can always ask me for help, and I would like to help, I think you should consider making things better overall instead of just reacting. Still, you're an adult, so that's something you just have to decide for yourself, I guess.
-[x]Can we see your heart-sister and your the soul-egg? We promise to be careful.

 

[Blacksheep]

Latios hummed in acknowledgement of Jaden's reply and dipped his head. He would meet these fairies that Jaden knew, and judge it for himself. Perhaps they could help guard his home. He would definitely like to meet the xatu that Jaden knew. A powerful experienced psychic pokemon like that would be a great boon for them.

Latios was more hesitant at Jaden's next request. He finally lifted his head and let out a mournful sounding call that echoed through the island. A friendly feeling call echoed back, and a few moments later Latias was there. She peered with some curiosity at Jaden. There was much more boastfulness and playfulness to Latias. She had held the ground against the pirate until help had arrived. Her! And yes maybe they had needed help, but hadn't they done so well? And who was this who came before them? She sniffed at him curiously even as her psychic presence prodded at Jaden. All of it carried that playful sense of pride and curiosity. She liked what she saw.

[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

Enat is a powerful well trained vulpix, but she was facing a pokemon that had dug himself into the ground and started up a sandstorm. She danced lightly across the earth testing it and doing her best to try and reach Crunchbite. Her body was slowly being battered by Sand Tomb and the sandstorm. She flamed at Crunchbite, but the trapinch was able to tank those with fair ease from his position.

[ ]Hold position
[ ]Write-in

 

[Space Jawa]

The mistakes Lee had made with Archer and Nova in the first two rounds had taught him a very important lesson. He was not going to make those same mistakes again. If there was to be a major change in the flow of the battle, it would have to come from Kate's side.

If Kate gave him a reason to do something different, Lee would prepare himself to respond. Until then, he wasn't going to change what was working if there was no reason to.

[X] Continue 'Sandpocolypse' strategy - Sandstorm and Sand Tomb with Dig and Sand Attack as necessary to wear away and outlast Enat.
-[X] Keep alert and be prepared to react in case Kate and Enat try any tricks that might flip the battle in their favor.

 

[Tascion]

[x]Be friendly. Jaden introduces himself, Sam, Oliver, and Uri. Offer some berries. If the pair of pokemon don't feel safe showing their soul-egg, could they show an illusion of it? Just the egg and none of the surroundings?

 

[Blacksheep]

Latias was very happy to indulge in the berries. Oliver quickly engaged himself in playfully pouncing on the dragon pokemon and zipping around. Life was good once more, and he was going to celebrate it. Latios listened with some interest to Jaden's request. An illusion of the soul crystal/egg/rest should be entirely possible. He concentrated for a moment before creating what looked like a smooth sparkling orb with flashes of pink and blue gently swirling together inside. He beamed as he revealed the treasure. Good rest, he told Jaden.

Sam's eyes glittered with greed. It was so shiny. He needed something that shiny. He immediately turned to Jaden asking for treasure.

[ ]Write-in

 

[Blacksheep]

Enat vanished briefly from the battle, only for Kate to call her back. "That's good, but too above their level," she told her. The vulpix pouted and went back to focusing on running in at Crunchbite until she was finally forced to fall back entirely.

Kate grinned. "Feeling ready for your first gym battle? You're definitely more than ready for it!"

[ ]Write-in