Set in the original region of Arciel, Legends Rising is a route-inspired, but not strictly route-based, Pokemon roleplay. Pick a faction, pick a class, and strike out into the wild to take on the League, master Contest coordination, research the mysteries of Pokemon and Arciel, and much, much more. Will you be a classic trainer? A criminal? A farmer? Choose your destiny on Legends Rising.
After getting a nice night's rest in a nearby cabin on Route 7, Koa's team was all energized and ready to continue. Azura was practically bouncing off the walls with energy despite how tired she was the night before. Kupuna and Makoto were their usual calm selves as Koa got ready for the day ahead. "Alright everyone, hop on, and we'll make it to the forest soon." He said, helping the others climb onto Kupuna's back. He was eternally grateful for Kupuna. Her calm, almost motherly demeanor and how much she cared for the team always made his day start off bright.
The group set off as Koa took in the sights of the forest they were approaching. It looked rather intimidating, but he heard if he just stuck to the main roads, he should be fine. After the forest, Ash City would be a stone's throw away. The sounds of nature calmed him. Koa knew he tended to worry a bit too much and comes across as a bit overbearing as a result, but moments like this reminded him that it's okay to let himself relax and enjoy the moment for a while. The future can wait. He'll make something of himself, make some friends, have a loving team. He just had to let it all happen naturally instead of trying to force it. He still had to train his current team to improve his chances at being a better Ranger, after all.
So far, the trip through the forest was peaceful and uneventful, though that was a nice change of pace. He rested his eyes a bit as Kupuna carried them across the road. He poked at Azura's nose and smiled as she shook her head in surprise, but she looked happy. He looked over at Makoto and gently pat the top of her head. She closed her eyes and swayed happily a bit. "Thank you all...for being my Pokemon." He said to himself.
Last Edit: Apr 11, 2020 12:10:32 GMT by Koa Leilani
Josh and his team had made his way back to Birch after a disappointing qualifier at Bass City's Intersection track as well as an exhausting Gym battle. He had missed race day by one spot! This weekend's race was in Ash City, not giving him a lot of time to get all the way over there. A flying Pokemon sure would be nice, but he had not found one that fit his team yet.
He passed through the city, restocking on supplies before heading out the east gate. He released Saber, Twilight, and Nitro, the Skiddo smiling from the sun peeking out through a mainly cloudy sky. "A bit of a disappointing result, but that's okay - we'll qualify for the next one," Josh mused aloud, trying to rally his Pokemon. Twilight and Nitro didn't seem to react much, but Saber was jumping up and down, a wide grin on his face.
Just as Josh was reaching for Twilight's riding gear, a thunderclap echoed around Saber, a sphere of electricity similar to a Spark attack surrounding him. Josh flinched from the boom out of nowhere. Saber's body glowed with a brilliant, yellow light that was bright as lightning. The electric-type grew in size dramatically, taller than even his Absol.
The light faded shortly afterward, Saber's electric sphere expanding and petering out, but there was still enough current to deliver a mild shock to Josh and his Absol. When he turned to face its source, a beautiful Manectric stood in front of him, howling loudly. Josh ran up to the large Pokemon and hugged him, his hair standing on end.
The biggest grin since arriving in Arciel crossed his face, the boy scrambling to get his Absol's riding gear on the larger Saber. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, happy she could be a fighter now that Saber had at last evolved. After some finagling, it appeared Josh could use the same riding gear as with his Absol, just more loosely harnessed to account for him being larger. The moment Josh scurried into the saddle, his skin started tingling, his hair starting to stand on end as well. This would take some getting used to, but it would be worth it. "Saber, let's ride!"
The Manectric had lost none of his explosive acceleration, discharging electricity from his paws with every step. Josh let out a panicked shout, feeling like his legs were stretched almost painfully far during his mount's lurch forward. Nitro and Twilight raced after the Manectric, but could not quite catch up to him.
Josh saw what appeared to be a Drampa in the center of the trail, flying at a leisurely pace. "Watch out, Saber! You're going to crash into them if you don't slow down!" Not wanting Josh to fly over his head, the excited Manectric gradually reduced his speed, though not in time to avoid whipping past the Drampa and trainer atop it. "Sorry!" Josh shouted, unsure if he could be heard. The Manectric was able to stop a couple hundred feet past the strangers before turning around, Twilight passing the traveler as well. Nitro simply ran underneath the dragon-type that flew several feet above the ground, the three assembling to say hello.
There was that loud booming sound off in the distance that got Koa's team on edge. Then, the sheer speed that the Manectric was going at actually generated enough force to push Koa's entire party to the side slightly, but it was still harmless "Whoa!" Koa shouted as he clung to Kupuna's neck for a moment. Once that was settled, he blinked and sat back up, patting the Drampa's neck "Sorry about that, girl..." She gave her equivalent to a shrug, not seeming too bothered by it.
He looked over to see a group of Pokemon and who he assumed to be their trainer approach. He waved his hand a bit "Ah, it's fine! Wow, that speed though! That was incredible!" He said with a bright grin. Azura hopped off Kupuna and started barking happily while clapping her flippers at the group. Makoto's fur was messy from both the pressure and the static electricity, but she quickly brushed it back down with no fuss.
"Oh, sorry, let me introduce myself. My name is Koa Leilani. Nice to meet you and your Pokemon." He waved at them all. "I'm a Ranger...well...still sort of...starting out. I might as well still be in training, but I'm trying to see as much as Arciel as possible while I get stronger." All of Koa's Pokemon seemed young, save for the Drampa. The Pancham, the Popplio...the two of them looked like they were just starting out. The Drampa still had to get used to battle herself, but it was clear she was the elder of the group.
"Your team looks awesome." Koa said as he looked at each of them individually. The majestic power of Manectric, the cool aloof appearance of Absol, and the adorable nature of the Skiddo all appealed to him. "So where in the world are you guys off to in such a hurry? I don't think I've ever seen anything move that fast up close before. Was it for the thrill?" He asked with a tilt of his head, genuinely curious and bright eyed about the whole thing, though his eyes were hidden behind deep blue, round shades.
"Thanks," Josh answered. "Your Drampa is really cool, too." Nitro reared to try to reach the two smaller Pokémon, but could not quite do it. It took him a bit to wave back, still trying to get used to the static coursing through him. "Then we have a similar goal - you see, I'm not actually from Arciel. I'm from Johto - Goldenrod, specifically."
Josh couldn't help but smile at hearing what career path the young boy had planned. "That's a noble career - last month, I was going Skarmory hunting and an unruly herd of Tauros swarmed me. I had to call for help from Arciel's Rangers." He was about to elaborate on the story when he realized he still hadn't given his name, nor shown his face under the visor of his racing helmet. "Oh, I'm Josh Devlin," he introduced, flipping his helmet visor up. "I am a Pokémon racer by trade, and I'm taking on Arciel's Gym Challenge on the side."
Saber brushed his front paw against the ground as if ready to charge down the road again. "This weekend, there's actually a race in Ash City, and I want to enter Saber here in it," he explained, gently petting his mount's yellow fur. "He just evolved, so I'm trying to get used to how he handles. I've trained my entire team for the races - can't wait for the season to get into full swing!" Twilight rolled her eyes. Did he have to advertise the racing league to absolutely every passing trainer?
The Drampa huffed, satisfied with the compliment as Koa pat her side gently. "Ah, well I'm not from Arciel either. I'm from Heahea City, over at Alola. I moved here a couple of years back to be a ranger. I wanted to really push myself to do something big after the Ultra Beast incident. It...sort of showed me that I wanted to actually start being a trainer, but also someone that protects people who don't have the means of protecting themselves." He explained. "I've never been outside Alola before then, so it's definitely different living here. It took me a while to break out of the habit of saying Alola to everyone I meet." He said with a nervous laugh. Meanwhile, Azura and Makoto jumped off of Kupuna and approached Nitro since he was being so friendly and wanted to see them. Azura barked happily while Makoto stood there, looking as calm and cool as ever.
He blushed a little and rubbed the back of his head when his career choice was called noble "Thanks..." Then he listened to his story about being out hunting for a Skarmory only to be attacked by a herd of Tauros "Whoa...that sounds intense. I'm glad they were able to get to you in time. Glad you didn't get hurt." He said, genuinely concerned. He smiled as he introduced himself "Nice to meet you, Josh! I'm planning on doing the Gym Challenge myself down the line, once I get myself a full team, anyway. I've heard of Pokemon racing! I've seen some races on TV. It looks pretty dangerous, but I can only imagine how much fun it can be if you and your Pokemon are properly trained for it. I hope this season's kind to you!"
At the very least, Koa seemed intrigued by Pokemon racing, so he wasn't bothered by Josh talking about it "I'm actually on my way to Ash City, too. How about we head there together and see what we can find along the way?" He offered.
"Alola, huh?" Josh asked half-rhetorically. "Never had the chance to go out there. It's so far from the mainland that you can't ride there on a Pokémon, and a flight there is so expensive." He had heard in passing about the Ultra Beast story. They weren't exactly legendary Pokémon like the Johto ones were, but their powers seemed on par with them. Nitro sat down and smiled, letting the two touch the soft, green foliage around his neck.
Josh couldn't help but smile at the common interests the two seemed to have. "I've only been to one Gym here so far," Josh recounted, "and that was the Water one in Bass City. As I favor fast Pokémon, I have a lot of Electric Pokémon on my team. It wasn't easy, though - they really try to stack the deck again you. You almost have to bring an entire team of Pokémon advantageous against the Gym's type to even have a chance at winning."
When Koa brought up the televised races, Josh's smile faded. "Koa, you wouldn't have seen me on TV - they only broadcast Gold League and Platinum League races." He paused, thinking of how far behind the eight ball he already was with his first race of the season being a 'did not qualify'. "I'm still in Silver League, and only two races a year from Silver get televised a year. One of those is the League Championship at the end of the year, which you have to be invited to." When he mentioned how fun the races seemed to be, Josh started smiling again. "Once you get a Pokémon for it, you should think about joining the Bronze League this year - it's for beginners and younger racers who haven't developed their skills yet. Every large city in Arciel is going to have at least one race this season."
Saber and Nitro perked up when Koa mentioned he was on the way to Ash City. "Works for me!" he exclaimed the moment the Drampa's trainer was finished. "They don't charge for Silver League tickets, so if we make it in time, you could even watch one live!"
---
NAME SPECIES LV EP Saber Manectric 28 5 Aslan Litleo 21 5 Nitro Skiddo 13 5 Illumina Chinchou 14 5 Blitz Luxio 18 5 Twilight Absol 20 5
Koa nodded "Yeah, I always heard from some of the tourists that trips to Alola tend to be pretty expensive, but they seem to enjoy their time." He said. He always had a positive impression of other people and didn't really judge tourists by the stereotype that they'll over capture Pokemon. Sure, that's a problem, but the individual's problem. Judging everyone based on the mistakes of a few of them was wrong. Azura and Makoto gently brushed the foliage around Nitro, looking very pleased at the soft texture. Kupuna just took this time to rest for a moment before they got moving again, but watched over the playful Pokemon.
He felt bad when Josh said he wouldn't have been seen on TV. "Oh, uh...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say anything to offend you." He sighed. He tried his best to make up for it by encouraging him "Well I wish you the best in your future League Races! I...know how hard it can be to stumble. Just got to keep standing up and pushing forward, yeah?" He gave a warm smile, hoping he didn't come off as patronizing or condescending. He thought about what he said about Bronze League races. "Maybe...I'm not sure if it's something I'd be able to focus on with everything else on my plate, but I'll definitely consider it, thank you."
He nodded and climbed back onto Kupuna, calling Azura and Makoto back onto the Drampa "Alright! Let's get going then. We're still a ways off, so maybe we'll find some Pokemon on the way." He said as Kupuna rose up and started to float down the road again, nice and rested after the short conversation.
"I would probably enjoy it myself," Josh answered, Saber moving at a brisk trot to keep pace with Kupuna, "but I can't afford it. I only get to travel a couple times a year normally; in the fall, I go to a retro gaming convention in Jubilife City. The talent out there is incredible." He could have gone on about that for a while but stopped himself short - Saber was approaching a Gurdurr swinging his I-beam around wildly while directing a pack of ten Timburr that were working on a large construction project. Saber stopped to allow Josh to read the sign. "Juniper Labs, Arciel Branch - Coming Spring 2021," the sign read.
The two moving at the same speed now, Josh heard Koa apologize for not being on the broadcast. "To be honest, I'd be nervous the first time I was on a televised race. I was nowhere close to that - I bounced back and forth between Bronze and Silver last season. It's like I'm too good for Bronze but not good enough for Silver." Even if he could make it to Gold League, those races were rarely covered live; most of the time, they were rebroadcast at trough TV hours such as weekday afternoons or the middle of the night. Every Platinum League race was broadcast live, though.
Birch City became smaller and smaller by the minute, though it remained visible behind them for quite the distance due to their slowly rising elevation. "I've actually been up this road before. We're not going to make it all the way to Ash City in one day unless you have an entire squad of fast Pokémon. The first time I came through here, all I had was Twilight." The Absol didn't even respond to her name; she quietly tailed the two trainers, keeping rear guard. "Even if you have a Pokémon that can see well at night, crossing that forest after sunset is asking for trouble."
"Alola's pretty nice no matter what time of year you go." He said, fondly remembering his home. "Retro gaming convention, huh? I play games myself, though mostly casually. I'm not a collector, but I love trying all the unique and cool ideas people come up with." Koa did indeed enjoy a good game of most genres, but he wouldn't call himself an amazing gamer or anything. He tilted his head curiously at the Gurdurr and Timburr working on some kind of huge construction project. "Huh...I wonder what they'll research here." He mused.
Josh's own doubts about his racing skills were very relatable. Koa had constant doubts about his own skills and talents "I feel the same way about my potential as trainer. So many start training pretty young and I feel like I got a late start to it all, and now I've thrown myself in with the Rangers. I worry every day that I may not be able to handle it, but I just want to keep doing my best. You should too, you know? We don't start out the best at what we do. It's a big mountain to climb, one struggling step at a time."
He seemed a bit worried about passing through the forest, but there had to be resting spots along such a place if going through it at night was a problem. "I heard as long as we stick to the main road, we should be safe." Then, suddenly, an large group of Spoink started to bounce along the route. One, a very docile, shy looking one kept bouncing on ahead, while its unusually supportive entourage bounced in front of it and started to happily gesture towards Koa. Confused, Koa stopped for a moment and looked at the horde "Um...I think they want something from me...a battle?" A lot of them didn't really seem ready for battle, but they the one they followed looked to be their leader and was likely able to fight, but it didn't look like it wanted to. A larger Spoink gently pushed the 'leader' towards Koa. "Wait...are they doing what I think they're doing? Do they want me to capture this one for some reason?" He hopped off Kupuna and pulled out a Pokeball, much to the delight of the others.
This whole situation was surreal...why would they want this one to be captured? They liked their 'leader' well enough. Maybe it was some kind of strange Pokemon rite of passage and they wanted this nervous, yet powerful looking, Spoink to go on an adventure and get even stronger? "Well...this is going to have to be this little guy's decision, you know that? Can't really bring him along if he doesn't feel confident enough to come along. But..." He saw something in the Spoink's docile behavior. Strong, but not aggressive if they don't have to be. "Still, it really does seem like they want what seems best for the little guy. If he wants to come along with me, then there's just one way to find out. If you come with, then you can fight as much or as little as you want. It's all your choice there." He said as he threw a Pokeball at the Spoink.
(Koa attempts to capture the Level 10 Spoink via befriending and with a Pokeball.)
"There were a couple I used to play competitively, particularly ones that change every time you play," Josh elaborated, going silent while Koa tried to encourage him. "...Whether it be a hobby or a career, the only way anyone gets better is to practice. That's why I look forward to every new season as it comes. Everyone gets better every year. I just have to get better faster than they do."
Josh looked concerned when he saw the large number of Spoink completely surround Koa and his Pokémon, particularly as he mentioned them wanting to have a big battle. "Nitro, be ready to help," the rider pointed first at his grass-type, then the wilds. They didn't look too powerful, but there were a lot of them. He had been in this situation before, with Blitz being the most powerful Pokémon on his team at the time...but even he was overwhelmed by sheer numbers back then.
Koa seemed to be able to handle it himself, the horde dispersing after their alpha allowed himself to be captured. "...And that's one reason why you're a natural Ranger, Koa," Josh slowly said, a little surprised to see what transpired. "Rangers are amazing at calming Pokémon down - resolving conflict through means other than combat. It's like they can speak with Pokémon. Sometimes I wish I could speak to my Pokémon like they do."
He nodded "You got this, Josh. I believe in you, alright?" He said with a smile. He was very supportive and friendly, even if he only just met Josh. "It may take longer than we want, but we have to keep trying. Prove to everyone we can better ourselves."
Once Koa had successfully caught the Spoink, he let out a sigh of relief. He blushed slightly at Josh's words "I, uh...I'm not really sure if I'm all that special? I mean..." He rubbed the back of his head bashfully "Thanks...I've just...always really liked Pokemon. They're different from people, but they still think and feel, so I want to give them that same amount of respect. You just...have to keep an eye out for what makes your Pokemon stand out as a unique individual. They appreciate that more than a lot of people know." He said as he gently held the Pokeball with the Spoink inside of it.
Their conversation would soon be cut short, however, as the trees started to rustle violently around them. Koa narrowed his eyes and looked around "...This sounds...bad." He said. Then, a trio of Hawlucha dove from the trees and landed in front of the travelers, the enormous leader letting out a loud battle cry while pointing to the heavens while the other two pose in tandem with it. All three of them point at Koa and gesture for him to come at them. "...Uh oh..." He said. This was...going to be hard. He had never fought a group like this, especially not with one as strong as the leader.
Koa hopped off Kupuna. "Alright...what should we do?" He said. His legs were clearly shaking, but Kupuna moved forward, as did Azura. Makoto, meanwhile, hesitated. They were flying types too. She struggled against those..."Sit this one out, Makoto..." He threw the Pokeball he caught the Spoink in "Ali'i!" The Spoink landed and started bouncing, surprised that he was being called on so early. Oh well, this looked pretty interesting.
The team was set...they all wanted to fight and prove themselves. Ali'i and Kupuna squared off against the two smaller Hawlucha while Azura stood defiantly against the boss. "You guys ready...? Well...let's show them!" He shouted as his Pokemon all cried out in affirmation. Koa took a deep breath and took a step back. He relaxed his vision so he could do his best to keep an eye on the individual fights.
Kupuna vs. Hawlucha Minion 1
The Hawlucha opened the battle by striking at Kupuna with a diving chop to her neck with Wing Attack. She growled and whipped her head to knock it away while sending a Twister its way. While it was tumbling away, the Hawlucha did not flinch and clenched its fists, getting ready for stronger attacks by using Hone Claws. Kupuna roared up at it, the Echoed Voice shaking the trees around them. The Hawlucha braced for the hit, but is launched against a nearby tree by the force. In defiance, it springs off the tree and lets out a mighty cry as it dive bombs against Kupuna's body with Aerial Ace, striking its fist deep into her side as she's sent back several feet. She growls and roars again, the Echoed Voice increasing in intensity as Hawlucha deftly flips out of the way with Detect, smugly looking at the Drampa as it swoops in for another Aerial Ace. However, Kupuna twists around and dodges the attack, opening its mouth for one last mighty shout of Echoed Voice at point blank range. The force drove Hawlucha into the ground, incapacitating it. Kupuna roared in victory over this hard fought battle.
Ali'i vs. Hawlucha Minion 2.
Meanwhile, Ali'i bounced back and forth, avoiding the other Hawlucha's attacks for a while before an odd wave of Psychic energy blasts towards the Hawlucha. It wasn't a very powerful attack, but it was enough to give the Hawlucha pause. It swung one of its wings at Ali'i with Wing Attack, which sends the new addition to the team flying back, but it swiftly starts bouncing upright again and fires its Psywave again. Hawlucha swooped around it and dove into Ali'i with Aerial Ace. This wasn't looking too good. Its only attacking move was relatively weak by comparison, but he was surprisingly stubborn. Once he got back up, he bounced towards the Hawlucha. He flipped over Hawlucha's next Wing Attack and fired another Psywave into its back. Both of them looked exhausted from the traded blows, but the fight was still on. In one final attack, the Hawlucha jumped up and posed on a tree branch before jumping down for another Aerial Ace on Ali'i. Instead of backing down, it shout out another Psywave from the orb on his head. It made contact, and it was barely enough to send the Hawlucha tumbling away, defeated. It wobbled a bit, exhausted, but still up.
Azura vs. Hawlucha Boss
This was it, the main battle. Azura hopped side to side, getting ready for the fight while the Hawlucha waited patiently. As Azura was about to use Disarming Voice, Hawlucha somehow did it first with the move 'Me First.' Taken aback by this, Azura yelped as she's pushed away by a copy of her own attack. Hawlucha took a stance and rushed for Azura before she had a chance to attack. Hawlucha grabbed her and threw her into the air before leaping into the air in an attempt to slam into her with a more refined Aerial Ace than its comrades. Azura took a deep breath and let out another Disarming Voice, the difficult to predict waves of energy enveloping Hawlucha and sending it spiraling out of control. However, it flapped its wings and went right back on course. Azura shot out a Water Gun which propelled her slightly, but it wasn't enough. It missed Hawlucha, too, as it slammed her right back towards the ground. Koa watched in, worried for Azura. "Azura! Fight on! Let's show them our resolve and win this!" He called out. Azura struggled to stand again, but saw Hawlucha leap off a tree branch towards her. She jumped up and slapped down on its head mid-flight with Pound. The shocked Hawlucha barely reoriented itself before it crashed into the ground. It looked up at Azura with a fierce expression, one that Azura returned to it. It jumped up after her and used Detect to avoid the incoming Disarming Voice. Then, it grabbed onto Azura and prepared to send her hurtling back towards the ground. With a determined gaze, Azura took in a deep breath and shouted with Disarming Voice once more. The Hawlucha's eyes went blank as the two of them fell against the ground.
"Everyone!" Koa rushed over to gather up his Pokemon "You all...you all did amazing! Come here!" He hugged them all, almost crying from their performance. He pulled out a bottle of water for Azura "Here, Azura, drink up..." he said, letting her nurse from the water bottle. "Ali'i..." The Spoink seemed to take the most damage of the three. He reached for his bag for a Potion and started to tend to Ali'i's wounds. "Sorry for the sudden fight...you did great...all of you."
Again, Josh had Nitro on standby just in case things got bad with the Hawlucha. He wanted to intervene in the battle on his own, but Josh held the Skiddo back. "This is his battle, buddy. Unless things look really bad, he has to win this one on his own." The three Hawlucha seemed to seek out invidual targets rather than coordinate attacks among them, turning it into three single battles rather than a true multi-battle. It was still a lot to follow, but it certainly made things easier on Koa.
Koa was victorious across all three battles, but his Pokémon all looked quite worse for wear - particularly Azura, who needed, and got, immediate medical attention. The rider couldn't help but give Koa a round of applause for the work, Saber barking a couple of times as well. "I don't see people fight multi-battles that way too often. Great job making it work," he complimented the victor. "Have you ever watched doubles matches or multi-matches at the Pokémon League before? A lot of the teams you see there try to work well with each other instead of singling out a single enemy at a time. I'm not saying your way is wrong--just something I noticed."
A few more miles down the road, Josh and Saber stopped at a grove of what appeared to be Apricorn trees. With it being this early in the season, not many of them were ready for picking...but there was a single white ready to be picked! "That reminds me, I need to hire someone to cook all of these," he said as he put his find with the rest of his stock. "That or learn...I was never a good cook."
---
NAME SPECIES LV EP Saber Manectric 28 5 Aslan Litleo 21 5 Nitro Skiddo 13 5 Illumina Chinchou 14 5 Blitz Luxio 18 5 Twilight Absol 20 5
{WC: 288} {PC: 6}
Last Edit: Apr 11, 2020 23:07:30 GMT by Josh Devlin
Koa continued to tend to his Pokemon, even going as far as to channel some of his Aura into Azura to keep the pain from getting too intense "There you go...feel better?" He smiled at her and she smiled back in return. He picked her up and returned Ali'i to his Pokeball. He carried her to Kupuna and let her rest on her back "Kupuna, you well enough to travel? You can slow down if you have to." He said. With a slow nod from her, Koa climbed back on.
He smiled a bit at the round of applause and listened to Josh's feedback on the situation "Y-yeah that was mostly just instinct...I uh...still have a lot to learn about Pokemon battles. I studied a lot during my Ranger training, but making it work in practice is going to take time...I know I could have had a better strategy for that, have them fight alongside each other better and focus on them. But my Pokemon are still growing. Once they learn a few more moves, I think they'll be able to help each other out a bit more." He said as he kept Azura close and comfortable. He worried about her "Sometimes I hesitate because I worry about their safety. Azura lost her mother to the Ultra Beast attack, so she's older than she seems, but she's still so bright and full of energy..."
He looked as Josh picked an Apricot "I have a few of those myself. Maybe I should give cooking a chance. Being a Ranger means I should probably have some idea how to provide for myself and make some tools." He said, wondering how he'd go about that. "Anyway, let's keep going. We'll have to make good time if we want to get to Ash City in good time." He said as Kupuna started to move forward. "Thanks...for letting me handle that, by the way. I needed that kind of battle experience. Thanks for the advice, too. I'll catch some league battles online, see what I can learn."
The vegetation this far into the woods was so thick that the trail disappeared beneath what seemed like an endless sea of green, brown trunks popping up from time to time. It was hard to tell which way was north without being able to see the sun, which was hidden beneath the dense canopy. "This looks so different in the changing seasons - last time I went through here was in the dead of winter," Josh remarked, Saber having to sway out of the way of some low-hanging branches.
Suddenly, the only ambiance the two heard was mass rustling of feathers, followed by crashing trees. Many crashing trees. Saber was on edge - one of those collapses sounded very close. A half-minute later, the sound of crashing paws filled the air around them, the two turning around to see an enormous Rhyhorn Josh couldn't even see the top of while mounted! And it was charging straight at them!
Saber leaped out of the way of the wild's thrusting horn, Josh immediately reaching for his Chonchou's Poké Ball. "Illumina, we need help!" he shouted, his command for a Water Gun attack synchronized with the wild charging straight into it without a care in the world. Winding up with its horn, the Rhyhorn shoved his sharp horn straight into Illumina, Bulldozing her and overrunning her. Thank Arceus that Koa was in the air! The tremor made it difficult for Saber to keep his balance, Josh pushing himself off his mount before both of them found themselves prone. The water-type, on the other hand, didn't get back up.
The tremor also caused more trees to split and fall, making the sun shine through and telling Josh which way was north. That was the least of his worries, though - that Rhyhorn was charging Saber now, and Josh was in its way! He tossed an empty Great Ball at the wild, mostly as an attempt to buy time to recall Illumina and look at an escape route. That would be difficult, though - the Rhyhorn's disturbance had displaced an entire family of Leafeon, their alpha boasting a bright green sheen. And they were mad.
Koa instinctively hugged his Pokemon closer to his body as the Rhyhorn came stampeding through the forest in sheer rage. Kupuna roared and shifted to the side to avoid its devastating charge and attack. Thankfully Josh's quick thinking with the Great Ball slowed it down. A shame he couldn't capture it, but it seemed to spook it enough to send it on its way. Something seemed wrong to him. What exactly caused that sudden outburst? That wasn't normal.
However, the situation was beginning to escalate from bad to worse. The Rhyhorn's enraged stampede leveled a nearby grove, and from it, a group of extremely angry Leafeon rushed out. With the Rhyhorn gone, the only target for their anger would be him and Josh. There was no possible way Koa and his team could fight off this group. They looked much too strong for them right now.
However, he heard something nearby "Wait...is that?" He heard a light singing in the air. Thankfully far away enough for it to not affect them, but his eyelids did get a little heavy. A Cleffa was marching along behind where the Rhyhorn was running, singing away without a care in the world. It looked...weirdly smug for its kind. Did its constant singing, when it wasn't putting Pokemon to sleep, angering them to the point of trying to get away from it? Little troublemaker...
Makoto spotted the Cleffa and assumed the same thing as Koa. Annoyed, she jumped off and stepped in front of the Cleffa and growled out quietly yet sternly. The Cleffa simply turned its head away, not listening to Makoto. This made Makoto huff a bit as she swished the leaf in her mouth a bit. "Well we can't do much about those Leafeon, but it seems Cleffa here is causing a disturbance. Makoto, let's go." Koa said, preparing for battle. It was also a Ranger's job to handle unruly Pokemon from causing too much of a disturbance, after all. If she led that Rhyhorn further out of the route, it could have crashed into some buildings and hurt people.
The Cleffa bounced around arrogantly as Makoto readied herself. Unfortunately, Cleffa began with Sing, and Makoto felt herself becoming tired on the spot. She sat down and began to snore almost immediately, when the Cleffa walked up and started to hit Makoto across the head. This was really starting to anger Koa. This Pokemon was a real brat that was being a nuisance to the whole forest. Makoto obliviously kept getting hit while she slept "Makoto! Wake up! Wait..." Koa rushed forward and pulled Makoto away before pulling a Chesto Berry out of his bag. He fed it to Makoto as she sprung awake from the taste. She growled a bit at the pounding headache she now had. "Alright, let's teach them a lesson...Tackle it, Makoto!" Makoto rushed forward to prevent it from trying to sing again, slamming into its body at full force. Tackle was their best option given the typing, and the Cleffa was at a loss. It used Copycat, but using that to copy tackle wasn't very impressive as she slammed back. Makoto pushed back against the attack and grit her teeth. She wasn't going to give the Cleffa a chance to Sing. Makoto would Tackle again as the annoyed Cleffa tried to smack against her head again. Makoto ducked under the attempted attack and Tackled again, though this was more a shoulder check that sent Cleffa flying away. Makoto marched over and growled down at Cleffa as if to warn her not to pull a stunt like this again. They seemed to get the message as they ran away, defeated.
06
04
00
