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.
A click sounded from the speaker of Rui's smartphone when she hit the button on the right of her tilted screen to capture a snapshot of the scattered trees growing in the dry soil of Route 12. There was something artistic, she thought, about how determined these plants were to grow in such adverse conditions. (As a researcher, she knew it had more to do with evolution and natural selection, but she couldn't help but think in more metaphorical terms when she had her camera out.) She hummed thoughtfully as she looked down at the photo and then walked around to where the trees cast a shadow on the ground so she could take a picture of that side, too. She still didn't have a great grasp on what gave a photo good lighting, but that was what experimenting was for.
As usual, Clarence floated at her side, keeping an eye out for anyone or anything that might come along while Rui was distracted. He occasionally held his ghostly hands together for a few seconds as a way to make up for the fact that he couldn't hold Rui's hand right now, not when she needed both hands on her smartphone.
"We might have more luck finding other Ghost-types here," Rui said. "It's closer to the city, and given how much life struggles to survive here, it wouldn't surprise me if there was more spiritual activity." Ah, that was the other side of the coin: For every tree, shrub, and creature that managed to survive in this wasteland, there were bound to be others that couldn't make it. Such were the laws of nature.
Clarence nodded, all too aware of the concept. He perked up a bit as he caught a sound coming from the main path and poked beyond the trees to get a look.
"What is it?" Rui asked, following his gaze.
Party Status: Clarence - Lv 7 Phantump - 5 Energy Raijin - Lv 6 Pichu - 5 Energy Kama - Lv 7 Scyther - 5 Energy
Post by Shalin Nariya on Apr 14, 2020 20:40:54 GMT
After the scuffle Serena had gotten Shalin into twice, Shalin was tempted to bench the needy Persian, but decided to keep her around for her trip through the last leg of barren wasteland. She was too useful as an ambush fighter not to keep along, and maybe she'd be able to carry Shalin part of the way if she asked nicely and promised not to act up. The terrain was also a little too rough for Caprice, her Ninetales - while it was dry as a desert, it wasn't exactly the seething hot she liked. While she loved hot and dry, cold and dry was a different story.
Still a bit leery of Flit, the green-dressed girl ultimately decided her Skuntank would be the best way to cross the wastes. She released the big poison-type, his bushy tail swaying in the moderate wind. "Alright, Kiku, there's one more dusty trail I'll need your help with," Shalin smiled, her Pokémon letting out a cry of approval and tickling her with the side of his tail. "Hey! Not now!"
Once Shalin had finished attaching her partner's riding gear, she gently held the reins in one hand and swung aboard. "Alright, let's go!" Once both her hands were beneath the thick, purple fur, Kiku grinned, outstretching his tail directly behind him. Pressure built inside the tail, discharging a jet of flames that rocketed the two forward as well as burned off any latent musk dripping from his tail, eliminating almost all of the horrid smell.
x80KJUy8p_ Strength: 42 + 2 = 44
Shalin lurched backward in the saddle, grunting loudly as she tried to muster the strength to lean into the howling winds from the Skuntank's Flamethrower-powered dash. When she finally managed to shift her weight forward and down, she was overcome with joy. "Yeeeeee-haaaaaa!!" she cried, Kiku able to turn quickly as long as the gout of flame lasted. By the time all of the fuel already collected in his tail had burned off, the blonde found herself a brisk walk from from a purple-haired lady, her long hair billowing beautifully in the stiff breeze. She waved at the girl, her breath still a bit heavy from the rush. Kiku continued to smile, happy for his trainer but not getting any closer to the traveler without Shalin's consent.
"Yeeeeee-haaaaaa!!" was the rapidly approaching cry that Rui heard when she peered out. Her eyes widened when she saw... a Skuntank? Rocketing itself forward with a Flamethrower from its tail? Rui was used to strange phenomena thanks to her work with spirits, but this? This might have been the strangest thing she'd ever seen.
It took a moment for her to realize that the Skuntank was carrying someone: a woman whose blonde hair was thrown around by the force of her Skuntank's propulsion. As the two came closer, she felt Clarence move behind her and clutch her leg with both hands. Rui took one hand off her phone and reached for her other Poké Balls (belatedly realizing that this trainer and her Skuntank probably easily outmatched her), but the Skuntank came to a stop several paces away, close enough for the two trainers to hear each other if they spoke up but not close enough to be threatening. The woman on the Skuntank's back waved as she caught her breath; Rui removed her hands from her Poké Ball belt and waved back, still somewhat stunned by what she had just witnessed.
Rui looked behind her when Clarence tugged on her pants. He stared up at her, face seeming impassive, but Rui could see that his frown was just a bit deeper than usual. She offered him a soft smile and knelt down to pat the top of his head. "It's okay, they're not going to hurt you," she said softly. Clarence peered out from behind his trainer to look at the other duo warily.
Party Status: Clarence - Lv 7 Phantump - 5 Energy Raijin - Lv 6 Pichu - 5 Energy Kama - Lv 7 Scyther - 5 Energy
When Shalin figured out the woman across from her appeared to be at least not scared of her or at the very least not hostile toward her, she relaxed and gently pat her mount's head. "You can get closer if you want, Kiku," she gently suggested, the poison-type eager to approach, his tail now flapping above his back in the light breeze. As she closed to within a few paces, she noticed the traveler's Phantump and added, "but no sniffing her Pokémon, okay?"
Shalin waved at the purple-haired traveler a second time. "Nice seeing someone else out here at this early hour! What brings you out here?" Kiku shuffled his feet as he turned to directly face the other girl and her Phantump, the fidgity Pokémon outstretching his tail in several different directions away from her. "Just making the rounds before I head up to the forest. That, and letting Kiku here practice with some of his new moves."
---
NAME SPECIES LV EP Caprice Ninetales 33 5 Prance Stantler 19 5 Flit Yanmega 37 7 Kiku Skuntank 37 5 Serena Persian 34 5 Sol Larvesta 26 5
Rui stood as the Skuntank and its rider approached. Clarence remained where he was behind his trainer, watching, but he at least didn't seem to be trying to get any farther away from the other Pokémon. His face looked as neutral as ever, but he kept a wary eye on that tail tip... which was a little hard with how much it was moving. Honestly, Clarence probably looked a little silly following it with his red eyes, but Rui didn't notice.
Now that the two were closer, Rui felt it was more appropriate to fold her hands in front of her and bow Kanto-style in greeting. "I decided to take some pictures before Clarence and I made our way toward Ash."
"Was that Flamethrower?" she asked; she was aware of Clarence's briefly tightening grip on her pants. "I've never seen it used that way before."
Party Status: Clarence - Lv 7 Phantump - 5 Energy Raijin - Lv 6 Pichu - 5 Energy Kama - Lv 7 Scyther - 5 Energy
Post by Shalin Nariya on Apr 19, 2020 17:20:22 GMT
Shalin couldn't help but laugh as Kiku's rapidly moving tail tickled her. "Relax!" She leaned forward a little to allow the poison-type's tail to flap directly above her, the girl making out the faint noise of it slowly starting to fill with musk again. Kiku shuffled his feet to turn at a slight angle from Rui and her Phantump while the she bowed toward them. "No need to be so formal with me. You said you're headed toward Ash? I'm ultimately headed toward the forest to the north of here, but I need to make a pit stop in Ash's direction. Mind if we tag along?"
Kiku couldn't help but smile when Rui asked about the fiery display. "That was indeed Flamethrower," Shalin answered. "It's how he burns off his musk. I don't know if you've been around one before, but their Toxic attacks reek. It's not unbearable unless you're within a few hundred feet, but you can tell if you're within a couple miles of one. Bet you didn't think they could run that fast!"
---
NAME SPECIES LV EP Caprice Ninetales 33 5 Prance Stantler 19 5 Flit Yanmega 37 7 Kiku Skuntank 37 5 Serena Persian 34 5 Sol Larvesta 26 5
Rui smiled and held her hand over her mouth to hide the infectious giggle that threatened to escape her as the Skuntank's tail tickled the other woman.
This wasn't the first time Rui had been told she didn't have to be so formal, but she couldn't help it; it was how she had been raised. Still, she tried to relax as the two continued their conversation (she'd at least broken the habit of apologizing for her formality, which just tended to make things awkward). At Shalin's request to tag along, Rui looked back at Clarence, who finally took his eyes off Kiku to return Rui's gaze. His frowned deepened just a bit as he glanced at the Skuntank's tail tip again.
"What do you think, Clarence?" Rui asked. Then, to Shalin, she added, "I think Kiku's Flamethrower frightened him a bit. I'm sure you meant no harm, of course—he just doesn't like fire, as I'm sure you can imagine." She didn't mention her suspicions about Clarence's particular fear of fire and what it meant about his past life; of course a Grass-type like him would want to avoid fire, but for someone as calm as Clarence to show visible fear must have meant something deeper.
"I'm only passingly familiar with Skuntank," Rui continued. "I knew they were infamous for their odors, but for the smell to be noticeable within a couple of miles... it must be powerful. I wouldn't have imagined them to be that fast, either. I'm glad I got to see it for myself."
Party Status: Clarence - Lv 7 Phantump - 5 Energy Raijin - Lv 6 Pichu - 5 Energy Kama - Lv 7 Scyther - 5 Energy
"Very much so," Shalin answered. "It's so powerful that I either have to hold his tail to help him aim, or he has to come to a complete stop. I imagine I'll get used to it in time, but it hurts my hands when he fires at long range. As long as you avoid standing downwind, it's...tolerable. Wouldn't call it pleasant, but it's tolerable." Kiku seemed proud that his trainer was talking up his range. "By the way, my name is--"
Her introduction was interrupted by crashing footfalls and a roar she immediately recognized as an angry Kangaskhan. She turned around to see the territorial and protective mother bounding and charging right for her, patches of black and orange skin on the wild's upper left arm that were no doubt caused by the Skuntank jetting about. "Caprice!" Shalin cried, sending out the giant Ninetales who was still in her riding gear - the girl had forgotten to remove it last time!
Before the Ninetales could even defend herself, the angry parent rammed and trampled Caprice, pinning her to the ground. "But don't hurt--" Too late - instinct had already taken over. "Get back!" she shouted toward Rui as Caprice unleashed her strongest Fire attack. The child ducked into its mother's pouch to avoid most of the Heat Wave, but the mother had nowhere to hide. Kiku turned tail and fled the immediate area, his tail getting caught at the edge of the Heat Wave's worst. Even Shalin felt like she was burning for the few seconds the attack lasted.
When she turned around to check on the battle, now a safe distance away, she saw the Kangaskhan limping away, with the golden quadruped staggering toward her trainer. "Are you alright?" Shalin scurried out of Kiku's saddle and ran toward Caprice, the Skuntank closely following her.
Two bruised cheeks and two bruised front upper legs appeared to be the worst of it - a setback, but nothing too terrible. It could have been far, far worse - Kangaskhan, especially females, were some of the most aggressive Pokémon native to dry environments like these. There were a few higher up the list, but they were certainly up there.
The green girl dug through her backpack's medical supplies pocket. "Am I out of Super Potion?" she gasped, unable to see any of the yellow vials after a quick dig. She had a healthy stack of standard Potion, but her Pokémon were grown up - it would take a lot of medicine to cover wounds this bad. She procured three vials of standard Potion from her bag, but as she started spraying the bruises, found she would only need two. It wouldn't completely heal the wounds, but it would come close enough.
"She'll be okay," Shalin turned to Rui after putting the third vial away. "Now, as I was saying, the name is Shalin," she finally got the chance to introduce herself. "Shalin Nariya - the wildest rider this side of Arciel." The title was a bit tacky, but she thought it had a nice ring to it. "And who are you?"
---
Mod note: Two regular Potions used to heal Ninetales after the battle. Caprice's level is now 34!
"I'll keep that in mind the next time I encounter one," Rui said after Shalin had discussed Skuntank stench more.
She gasped and turned toward the crashing sound that announced the approach of a very angry Kangaskhan. Shalin sent out a Ninetales apparently nicknamed Caprice, and Rui felt Clarence hide behind her again.
"Get back!" Shalin shouted as Caprice readied for a counterattack. Rui didn't need to be told twice—she spun around, scooped up Clarence into her arms, and ran as fast as she could for cover, feeling the heat of whatever attack Caprice had unleashed at her back. She ducked behind one of the route's rare trees, panting.
Clarence was trembling in her arms. Rui looked down at him to see him trying to keep up his usual calm demeanor, but his eyes were wide, and the fact that he was shaking betrayed just how affected he was. "It's okay," Rui whispered, stroking his wispy head. "Do you want to rest for a while?" Clarence nodded, and Rui took out his Poké Ball. "Okay. Come on back, then." She pressed the button on the Ball, and Clarence was sucked into it through a red beam of light. Rui knew that being away from the flames for a while would help him relax, but she still couldn't help but worry about him.
She realized a moment later that even though Clarence was in his Poké Ball, she could feel a ghostly presence in the area. She quickly looked around; to her right, she saw a Bunnelby a few yards away, watching Rui with narrowed eyes. That probably wasn't what she was sensing. When she turned to the left, she saw the white figure of a flameless Litwick creeping toward her, but he came to a nervous stop and held his little arms up protectively when she looked at him.
What was a Litwick doing out here? Rui knew from her research that they fed off the life force of other beings, but that seemed difficult to find in such a desolate place as this. Had he gotten lost? Rui pocketed her phone and slowly stood, keeping a close eye on the Pokémon on either side of her. The Bunnelby's ear twitched, but he made no other movement. Rui slid to her left, closer to the Litwick, who seemed to shrink into himself as the human drew closer. The Bunnelby, meanwhile, took a step back, still watching Rui.
Rui wished she still had Clarence out so she could have a pair of eyes on the Bunnelby while she was doing this, but it would be cruel to send him back out now, especially with a Fire-type right there. She'd just have to keep her ears open and be careful, then. Another couple of steps toward the Litwick showed that the Bunnelby appeared more interested in observing from a distance, if anything, so Rui felt confident enough to turn her back to it.
The Litwick seemed frozen in place, staring up at Rui with frightened yellow eyes. "It's okay," Rui said softly. "I won't hurt you." She knelt down, still leaving plenty of room between her and the Litwick so he'd realize she wasn't a threat. He inched closer, arms still up protectively.
And then Rui felt it: a slight chill deep within her, the tiniest hole drawn from her very being to feed the Litwick, whose blue fire flickered to life atop his head. She let it happen. As long as she didn't stick around for too long, she shouldn't take any lasting damage, and this would help the Litwick trust her—she was offering food to him, after all.
He came a little closer, arms lowering just a bit. Rui smiled despite the discomfort she felt in her very soul. Willingly subjecting herself to a Litwick's potentially dangerous form of feeding might have seemed mad to an onlooker, but to Rui, this was valuable research. And she wanted to know more, wanted to study this behavior in depth. That's why, while the Litwick was distracted by his meal, Rui tossed a Poké Ball at him.
Party Status: Clarence - Lv 7 Phantump - 5 Energy Raijin - Lv 6 Pichu - 5 Energy Kama - Lv 7 Scyther - 5 Energy
Rui let out a soft sigh of relief as the Poké Ball clicked shut, confirming her capture. She felt kind of bad for catching the Litwick off-guard like that, but she'd find a way to make it up to him. And it might be a bit... awkward having him around Clarence, to say the least. She'd have to sort that all out later. Right now, there were other things to worry about, even if she had gotten a bit sidetracked.
"She'll be okay," Shalin said, and Rui had to remind herself just who "she" referred to.
"That's good to hear," Rui said, standing and placing the Poké Ball on her belt (she'd name the Litwick "Onibi," she decided). She bowed her head in greeting. "My name is Rui Sasaki. I'm a researcher who specializes in Ghost-types and their related phenomena." It wasn't as grandiose of a title as the one Shalin had, but Rui was more than fine with that. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Shalin."
Party Status: Clarence - Lv 7 Phantump - 5 Energy Raijin - Lv 6 Pichu - 5 Energy Kama - Lv 7 Scyther - 5 Energy Onibi - Lv 12 Litwick - 5 Energy
Post by Shalin Nariya on Apr 21, 2020 20:23:42 GMT
Shalin was busy inspecting Caprice's gear to make sure none of it had been damaged during the scuffle with the Kangaskhan. There were a few scratches on the seat and a dent in one of the buckles, but the damage appeared to be only cosmetic. As long as it was functional and didn't appear it would break under stress, such as Caprice suddenly entering one of her moods and thrashing the girl out of the saddle, she would be fine.
The temperamental Ninetales stood alongside Kiku, close enough for Shalin to reach over and gently pat her golden fur. "I can see that," the slender female remarked, having caught a glimpse of Rui's latest catch. "And likewise to meet you, also. Nothing wrong with favoring a certain type of Pokémon." She paused for a couple of seconds. "Though I don't know if you would call the type of Pokémon I like to hunt down a traditional type," she snickered, "like this one here," she gestured toward Caprice. The fire-type gently shook her head. Sometimes, that silly girl got in way over her head, and dragged others with her.
"I'm actually not from here," Shalin abruptly changed the subject, her mild southern accent giving away she was from Azalea, Goldenrod, or a nearby town in Johto. "I've traveled my hometown of Johto and much of Hoenn, setting foot almost everywhere there, and am looking to expand my territory to Arciel as well. Been real impressed with what I've seen - especially the Pokémon." She started gently patting her mount's neck. "Like Kiku here - back home, it would cost more than a small fortune for a breeder to sell you a Skuntank or Ninetales this big!"
"Yes, I've heard the size variations in Arciel are greater than in most other regions," Rui said. "I imagine it would be easier to find less traditional ride Pokémon here. I've never been outside the region, myself, but half of my family is from Kan... to..."
She trailed off, staring through Caprice's tails at something approaching—something pink, a color she hadn't really expected to see here. She slowly moved to get a better look. It was a bit smaller than she might have expected from one, but there was still no doubting what that round body belonged to: a Chansey.
Rui looked at Shalin, as if to confirm that they were both seeing the same thing, and then back at the Chansey, who fearlessly approached Caprice. She tilted her head to one side as she examined the injured Pokémon and circled around her to examine other spots. Rui snapped out of her stupor long enough to fumble for her phone. Good—the camera app was still open. She didn't want to move and potentially scare away the Chansey, so she was stuck grabbing whatever shots she could from her current position. They were hurried and outside of her usual subject preference, but she couldn't miss documenting something like this. Seeing a Chansey in the wild was rare enough, but for one to approach a trainer-owned Pokémon to, presumably, check its injuries? It was a researcher's dream. If only she knew how to use the video function...
Her examination done, the Chansey looked straight into the lens of Rui's phone camera. Rui went still; as much as she wanted to snap another picture, she didn't want to startle the Pokémon. To her surprise, the Chansey moved toward her, eyes still on Rui's phone. Rui slowly lowered the device so she could look directly at the Chansey.
"Hello," she whispered.
The Chansey looked from Rui's phone to Rui herself, her eyes wide with curiosity. A high, almost questioning noise sounded from the Pokémon's throat.
"Did you want to make sure we weren't hurt?" Rui asked. The Chansey smiled and nodded in reply; Rui smiled back. "Well, thank you."
This was far, far too rare of an opportunity for Rui to pass up. She slowly reached into her bag with her right hand and pulled out the Luxury Ball she had found back on Route 13. She held it in the palm of her hand, hoping that would make the Chansey feel less threatened. "Do you want to come with us?" she asked in a low voice.
The Chansey examined the Ball with another curious tilt of her head. Rui held her breath. Finally, after the longest couple of seconds of Rui's life, the Chansey reached for the Luxury Ball...
Party Status: Clarence - Lv 7 Phantump - 5 Energy Raijin - Lv 6 Pichu - 5 Energy Kama - Lv 7 Scyther - 5 Energy Onibi - Lv 12 Litwick - 5 Energy
Post by Shalin Nariya on Apr 22, 2020 22:09:42 GMT
Shalin couldn't help but laugh at Rui's quick deduction, as obvious as it may have been. "You hit the nail on the head - that was my number one motivation to come out here! When we get through the more dangerous part of the trail, I should show you the rest of my team! Imagine what Professor Elm would say if I brought back home, say, a Beedrill trained for it! That sounds so fun!" She was in the wrong neck of the woods for that for now, but with her destination being the woods to the north, she was certain she would come across a nest somewhere. Such a hive's queen would be perfect. The challenge, of course, would be avoiding being stung half-to-death in the process.
Chansey were incredibly rare and valuable Pokémon back in her homeland - they were so valued as nursing companions that for a long time it was illegal in Johto to possess one without a nursing license. She was going to mention that but remembered she was not in Johto - Arcielian laws were different. From what she could tell, a lot more relaxed, too. To see one in the wild like this...it made sense why Rui was so excited.
Caprice stood still as the wild examined her - while the Potions were doing work, the Ninetales still had a minor scrape on each of her upper legs. The round normal-type spent more time there than looking at the rest of her wounds, ultimately coming to the conclusion she was going to be okay. Nothing a little R&R couldn't fix.
While Rui was persuading the Chansey to join her ranks, the blonde's eyes were shifting from side to side, Kiku having caught another scent--this one of a wild Hippopotas, camouflaged in the badlands. Shalin didn't even notice it until her Skuntank was within a few feet. By the time Shalin realized its presence, it had risen from below the surface, the girl coughing a few times from the ensuing dust cloud. Once the dust had vanished, the ground-type was gone. "...And that's why you can't just wander off," Shalin chided her Pokémon, tugging on Kiku to turn around and head back toward what appeared to be an anxious-looking Rui, who was staring at a Luxury Ball on the ground.
Rui wasn't sure if she'd ever stop feeling that rush of relief when a Poké Ball clicked shut on a confirmed capture. Sure, the Chansey had been the one to initiate it, but she could have just as easily broken back out and fled (apparently, despite their appearances, Chansey were incredibly fast runners), so Rui was glad she'd chosen to stay. She stepped forward to pick up the Luxury Ball, only to stumble back with a startled gasp when it burst open with a white light. That light formed into the shape of Rui's newly caught Chansey, but instead of solidifying into the pink Pokémon, it began to grow at least a foot taller and become fluffier-looking than before. Finally, the light faded, revealing that the Chansey had evolved into Blissey.
"Oh," Rui muttered. She vaguely remembered that Luxury Balls helped with friendship-based evolutions, but she hadn't expected it to happen like that. Well, at least she knew now. The Blissey squeaked happily and spun on her toes.
Rui turned to Shalin to comment on this, only to find her dustier than she had been a moment ago. "What happened?" Rui asked, looking around for what could have caused that.
Party Status: Clarence - Lv 7 Phantump - 5 Energy Raijin - Lv 6 Pichu - 5 Energy Kama - Lv 7 Scyther - 5 Energy Onibi - Lv 12 Litwick - 5 Energy Unnamed - Lv 12 Blissey - 5 Energy
"Wait, a Blissey?" Shalin asked Rui, confused. "...Nevermind - I won't question it. Perhaps even how Pokémon evolve is different here." Perhaps it was the type of Poké Ball used - she had heard of a kind of lavish Poké Ball that made wilds warm up to trainers faster. But instantly? She wondered if that had anything to do with Arciel's wild Pokémon being inherently less dangerous than those of other regions, particularly Hoenn. On more than one occasion she had encounters with extremely territorial Pokémon, including that Kangaskhan, that mercilessly mauled her Pokémon but left her alone despite being a very easy meal.
"What happened is Kiku wandered off again without asking," Shalin answered. "He's reliable obedient for the most part, but gets himself into trouble unless I keep a Pidgeot-eye on him." Kiku replied with a snort. "That's not funny!" she snapped before facing Rui again and lowering her voice. "As I was saying, he got into a scuffle with a wild Pokémon and I had to--"
A slow-moving cone of embers rushed toward Shalin and Kiku, the rider shouting for her Ninetales, who was quick to bound to the poison-type's side. She swung her left leg back over Kiku, then leaped toward Caprice, trying to land on her fire-type's back. Slightly overshooting, she tumbled over the majestic golden fox. At least she missed long - the girl had a hulking Ninetales to protect her from the attack! Its source was a Delphox that towered over her, standing well over six feet.
The Skuntank wasn't anywhere near as lucky - the vortex of embers immobilized him, leaving him only able to retaliate at range. The continuous crackling of flames drowned out all ambiance and forced Shalin to raise her voice again. "Serena!" she cried, calling on the help of a Persian wearing some lavish riding gear that looked more gaudy than functional...but still functional enough. "This might get ugly," she said loudly enough for Rui to hear as well, "I might need you to scoop up Rui and high-tail it out of here," her trainer pointed to her traveling companion.
Pressure building in his fluffy tail, the Skuntank sprayed musk toward his fire-type foe with laser-like accuracy, infecting the wild with deadly poison that would almost assuredly cause it to pass out in short order. Both Pokémon appeared to be playing the waiting game, the Delphox finding it increasingly difficult to execute the somatic components of her pyrokinesis and keep its Fire Spin going. The putrid smell was starting to waft Shalin's way, the girl coughing a couple of times before managing, "Rui, take Serena and go! I'll catch up once this is over!"
Shalin and Caprice backed away from the battle as far as they could, the legs of both Pokémon buckling as the Delphox's Fire Spin at last dropped. The blonde's first attempt to recall Kiku was unsuccessful - too far away. Caprice jumped forward with a cough to get close enough for her to recall the victor before turning tail with speed, trying to outrun the Toxic stench.
---
Kiku's level is now 38! Applying EXP Share for the last two battles to Sol. Sol's level is now 28!
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