4.0 Dedicated to its Members and Fans of Pokemon A Pokemon Sandbox RP
Pokémon Dubstep (ft. Lindsey Stirling)
W
elcome Adventurer to EPOCH! A Pokemon Sandbox Rp set in the original region of Nue. Everything you need to know will be in the Guidebook and PokeDex 101!
EPOCH uses the Manga and is built on the Original ideas suggested by our members.
We are more than just a Pokemon RP, we're a friendly community with a goal on being a memorable experience for those that look in.
Golden Rule: Treat others as you wish to be treated. If you find yourself content with being an asshole EPOCH and its members will not tolerate you.
RULES
Understand We're All Human. Respect the staffers as well as your fellow members and guests. We all have flaws, tempers and quirks. Be patient with one another, but if issues involving other members come up please don’t just grin and bear it. Contact a staff member, informing them of what's going on so they can address and resolve the situation. The staff won't know what's bothering you unless you tell them.
EPOCH is PG-13. Proboards’ Terms of Service:
Sex; When you get under the clothes, fade to black.
Violence; Do not go into extreme nauseating detail.
Cursing; This is so fucking allowed, but don't go overboard.
Suggestive Content; In avatars, signatures and templates can attract the wrong kind of attention. So be careful.
Post by Pepper Bellerose on May 6, 2015 21:45:50 GMT -5
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"Oh my God!"
The girl was drenched from head to toe. Her clothes and hair hung limply off her body, and she shivered in the cold wind. It had been storming on and off for days now, and she couldn't seem to catch a break. She'd simply gone out for a walk to admire the city, and BAM! Storm. Thunder rumbled every few seconds and lightning flashed ominously above her as the clouds opened up overhead, rain pouring down over top of her. Her Horsea, Reed, immediately began to make noises of distress. It was difficult to hear him over the sound of the pounding raindrops.
She managed to get the message, though, and she returned him to his Pokeball just as a flash of lightning went off nearby. She jumped and let out a little shriek. I hate this stupid region, it's official! She'd been staying with a friend of the family for months now and only recently had this started up, but still! She was worried about catching pneumonia at this rate.
Pepper picked herself up off the ground and began to run, water slogging around in her shoes. It would take her at least ten minutes to make it back to the house she was staying at, and so all she could do was look for cover. She knew there was a pavilion nearby, and so she bolted towards it as fast as her short legs could carry her.
She was the only one there. "I must've been the only one stupid enough to go out when the weather's been so ridiculous lately," she muttered sourly to herself. She wrapped her arms around herself, shuddering as a gust of wind blew in from the side. The water crashed noisily up against the shore. I feel sorry for any Pokemon stuck out there in that. She felt just as sorry for herself, though. I'm just gonna have to wait this storm out. It was too bad she didn't have any Fire-type Pokemon to warm herself up with. Pepper sighed, leaning back against the table she was sitting at.
Post by Pepper Bellerose on May 6, 2015 23:03:21 GMT -5
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Pepper remained huddled on that bench for a few minutes, staring out at the sea with a small scowl on her face. Every now and then the wind would pick up and blow the rain sideways in at her. It was during one of these moments that she noticed something crying out in the water as waves smashed into the land. A small purple and brown form skittered onto the shore, writhing as it was displaced. The girl blinked, then pulled her glasses off and took out a handkerchief that was mostly dry, wiping them clean. When she put them back on, she could make out the figure that had been marooned.
"A Skrelp?" She'd seen a few before in pictures, as they evolved into Dragalge, a Dragon-type Pokemon, but she'd never seen one in person. This is so cool! I want it! Suddenly, she wasn't feeling so miserable anymore. But while she'd been busy assessing the situation, the Skrelp had been wriggling away, trying to get away before the waves smashed upon its small body once again. "Ah! Wait!" She couldn't let it get away! "I challenge you to a battle! Skrelp!"
It wasn't in any position to battle. It turned its head and looked at her with pitiful eyes (though that may have just been its normal expression). "Um... but first, I'll get you away from there!" she called out to it. She took in a deep breath and then dashed out from under the cover of the pavilion, scooping the Pokemon up in her arms before it could protest. It didn't even try-- after all, it just wanted to be away from the stormy seas that could send it crashing into the hard ground at any moment.
Once back under the safety of the pavilion, Pepper set the wild Pokemon down. It was clearly uncomfortable on land, but she didn't want to hold onto it, since it wasn't exactly her Pokemon... yet. "W-we can wait out the storm here, right?" she asked it, teeth chattering. "And then I'll battle you, and it'll be fair, because the water will be calm again!"
They waited for quite a while before the storm finally calmed down again. Even so, the sun didn't quite come out, and Pepper was still quite cold in her soaking wet clothes. Even so, she was ecstatic at the possibility of catching a Skrelp. The Skrelp wasn't as eager as she was, but she had dragged it away from a situation where it could have been hurt, so it at least seemed grateful for that.
"Okay, it seems safe now," she commented, standing up and stretching. "Gonna pick you up again!" The Skrelp made a disgruntled noise as she hoisted it up into her arms again. She trudged out to the water, which had now calmed down, and plopped it down. She half expected it to swim away, but instead its head popped out again. It looked at her, and she stared back at it.
"O-kay! Let's go, Reed!" She held the Pokeball out, and the Horsea once again emerged from within. It let out a trill, just happy to be back in the water. The Skrelp eyed it warily. "We're battling that Skrelp, so, uh... Let's use Focus Energy and then Dragon Pulse!"
The Horsea took in a deep breath and closed its eyes. The Skrelp seemed to be preparing itself as well. Then a light burst forth from the Horsea's mouth, heading straight for the Skrelp. The noise it made wasn't completely unlike the roar of a dragon, and yet the Skrelp managed to let loose a counter attack, using Water Pulse to meet the Dragon Pulse head-on. The two attacks pushed at each other, evenly matched, before the Dragon Pulse finally fought its way through and connected with the Skrelp, though it was weakened a little from having to fight for it.
The Skrelp went flying backwards, but not before liquid escaped from its mouth and hit Reed head-on. The Horsea let out a cry of pain, the Acid attack burning his skin. "Let the water soothe the pain!" Pepper yelled. The Horsea disappeared underwater, and so did the Skrelp.
Pepper watched, unable to tell exactly what was going on under the surface of the water. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a purple cloud spreading from one spot in the water. "Ah! It's poison! Look out!" She wasn't sure if Reed heard her, but sure enough, the Horsea quickly propelled itself backwards with a spray of Bubblebeam, dispelling the Toxic cloud that had been advancing on it. The Skrelp once again appeared at the surface, looking irritated. Both Pokemon had taken damage already.
"Let's use Dragon Dance, Reed!" the girl called out. Reed responded, doing an odd dance within the water that was somehow vaguely reminiscent of a dragon. That move never made much sense to me, but it still works, Pepper thought to herself. It successfully raised both Attack power and Speed, and while the Attack wouldn't help any, the Speed certainly would. "Use the boost to get closer and use Dragon Pulse again!"
The Horsea zipped forward in the water, moving much faster than it had before. The Skrelp had little time to respond before yet another Dragon Pulse was let loose from its small body, and this time there was nothing stopping it from plowing directly into its opponent. The Focus Energy seemed to have paid off, this time, as the attack was much stronger than Reed's last attempt at using it. The Skrelp was enveloped in the light, and when the attack was over, it was all it could do to stay on the surface of the water. Its fins moved weakly. As far as Pepper could tell, Reed's Sniper ability had given his attack the extra oomph it needed to finish the job.
It was already weakened from hitting the ground so roughly during the storm, I think, Pepper thought sadly to herself. I hope we can be friends anyway. She was worried that she hadn't given the Skrelp enough of a chance to prove itself. Still, though, she tossed the Pokeball out, and the weakened Pokemon was enveloped in a flash of light.
Post by Pepper Bellerose on May 7, 2015 14:55:29 GMT -5
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The ball wobbled in the water for a few moments, and Pepper watched with baited breath. Then the red and white capsule settled down, content to simply float on the surface. A grin spread over the girl's face. "Yeah! Bring it over here, Reed!" The Horsea nudged the ball with its head, paddling over until both were at the edge of the water. The girl reached down and picked the ball up. "This is... so cool!" she exclaimed, unable to contain herself. Reed looked at her expectantly. "And you were cool too, of course," she told her Pokemon. He looked satisfied with that as she returned him to his Pokeball.
Pepper stretched, feeling pretty good despite the fact that she was still dripping wet. I'd better get going, though, she told herself. It looks like this was just a break in the storm. There were more storm clouds brewing over the horizon, and they lit up every few seconds with lightning. That one looks worse than the one that just ended. Ew. She began to trudge away, back to where she'd come from, heading towards what had been home for the past few months.
It when then that she realized she ought to introduce herself to her new companion. She withdrew the Skrelp from its ball, picking it up and holding it in her arms like she had earlier. It was still tired from the fight, but it glanced up at her and at least wasn't repulsed by the sight of her.
"Hi," she told it. "You're the first Pokemon I've ever caught on my own. I think I'm gonna call you Basil." She liked plant-based names. They matched her own. "My name's Pepper, by the way. I'm from the Hoenn region. I really like Dragon types... even though I don't have any right now." She frowned. "Did you know you evolve into a Dragon type?" The Skrelp gave her an odd look that she couldn't decipher. "Um... well, you do, and that's why I caught you," she said. "But you can go back to resting in your Pokeball now. I know that's what I would want to do."
The Skrelp let out a sigh of relief as it was pulled back into the ball. Pepper resumed walking. I think I'll go a different way back. I can always duck into a building if it starts storming again. She was a lot closer to actual buildings now, after all.
Post by Pepper Bellerose on May 9, 2015 20:38:37 GMT -5
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She hadn't been walking for long when she noticed a shadow fall into step beside her. The little cat walked with a saunter, tail waving back and forth behind it. It seemingly ignored her, despite the fact that it was walking twice as fast as it normally would just to keep up with her. They walked like that for a while, side by side, neither one making a single sound. Every now and then the Purrloin would peer up at her when it thought she wasn't looking, but Pepper pretended not to notice. It's awfully skinny, she thought to herself. It must be a stray.
Yet it continued to simply walk beside her, until finally her curiosity got the best of her and she stopped. "Are you hungry?" she asked it. It looked pointedly up at the sky. "You are, aren't you? But you're too proud to beg." It let out a meow of indifference, curling its tail around its small, dainty paws. She'd have to take that as a yes.
"I'm afraid I don't have any food on me," she told it. For a second, it looked disappointed. Then it began to walk away. For some reason, she felt guilty. "I can, um, get you something though? When we pass by a shop." Its eyes lit up, and it hurried back to her, rubbing against her legs and purring. It's awfully cute, for something that isn't a Dragon-type. It wasn't like she couldn't admit to herself that she was biased.
They continued to walk. Pepper found herself looking at the name of every store they passed until she found a convenience store. She'd never been there before, but she had promised. The doors slid open when she walked up to them, and the Purrloin followed her without a second thought. It immediately turned towards where a few hot dogs were rotating on the counter, reaching up with its front paws as far as it could go and looking at Pepper with sad, hungry eyes.
"Miss, you can't bring that stray in here," someone said. She looked over and saw a man in his thirties glowering down at the cat. It let out a plaintive meow, but he wasn't charmed by it at all. "You'll have to leave."
"I just wanted to get it something to eat," Pepper said pleadingly. The man shook his head and pointed at the doors. An angry scowl crossed her face. "Well, fine, be... discriminative!" she snapped, picking the stray cat up in her arms and marching out.
"I don't think that's even a word!" the man called after her. The doors shut behind her with a 'snick'.
She put the Purrloin down, still angry with the store employee for kicking her out. "It's not like I wasn't going to pay for it," she huffed. "And I was gonna get some chips for myself too."
The Dark-type meowed apologetically. She glanced down at it, frowning. A light bulb went off in her head. Who says I only have to catch Dragon-type Pokemon, anyway? I can make friends with whoever I want. "Say, why don't you come along with me? I'll feed you whatever you want. Screw that guy!"
The Purrloin tilted its head at her, a little puzzled. "Buuuttt, I want a battle out of you first. Just a formality," she told it, winking. For the first time, she saw what looked like a smile on its face. "Is that a yes, then? Well, let's go!" They moved off to the side so they wouldn't be in anyone's way, and Pepper released her Swablu. Azalea let out a triumphant crow, finally being freed from the confines of her ball.
"Okay, Azalea, let's use--" A growl from the Purrloin cut her off. It was going first, squaring all four paws on the ground, lowering the Swablu's attack. Then it leaped forward, straight towards Azalea, who began to take off in an attempt to avoid the attack. At the last second, the Purrloin stopped itself, drawing backwards and attacking from a completely different angle. The Swablu was knocked to the ground, flinching from the Fake Out.
The Purrloin wasted no time in launching another attack. Its claws seemed to gather darkness from within it, and it slashed at the other Pokemon. Azalea was completely unprepared for the Night Slash, and she let out a yelp as it hit. She got back to her feet and managed to take off this time, not out of the fight yet.
"Azalea, use Roost!" Pepper commanded, worried about the barrage of attacks her Pokemon had just taken. The Swablu wobbled as it flew over to perch on a nearby street light, regaining its energy. "Now, use Moonblast!"
She'd been waiting for this chance. A beam of light flew at the Purrloin and enveloped it. It let out a yowl as the Super Effective attack did its damage, and when it was over it stood there, panting from the effort it took to remain standing. Still, though, it refused to give up. A few people by now were giving them odd looks. Haven't you ever seen a Pokemon battle before? she wanted to snap at them.
The Purrloin surprised her once again. It tensed its back legs and sprung-- onto Pepper's head. The girl let out a yelp as it landed, then again when it used her as a springboard to cling to the streetlight Azalea was roosting on. It dug its claws in hard and began to scale it quickly. The Swablu took off, but not before the cat had reached the top of the streetlight and leaped off. "U-use Cotton Guard!" Pepper called, worried.
Piles of cotton built up on Azalea's body, and the Purrloin's Slash attack dug into them, glancing off of the other Pokemon's small blue body. The Dark-type began to freefall, twisting its body around so it neatly landed on its feet, stumbling due to the pain it was in. It was breathing heavily from the effort it was exerting.
It clearly wanted to attack again, but the Swablu was too high in the air, not risking anything. "Use Sing!" She didn't want to cause the stray cat any more pain. It had proven its mettle, surely enough. Her Pokemon let loose a beautiful song, directed at the Purrloin, and the cat collapsed to the ground, fast asleep. Azalea fluttered down to sit next to it.
"Alright, I think that was enough," Pepper said to herself. She tossed a Pokeball at it.
Post by Pepper Bellerose on May 12, 2015 0:43:15 GMT -5
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The ball wobbled, and Pepper held her breath even though she was certain the catch would go through. By the time the battle was over, a few people had stopped to watch, and so when the ball settled, they clapped politely for her before continuing on with their daily routines. Many of them carried umbrellas. She was a little jealous that they'd remembered. It's not a big deal, she told herself, even though she was cold and wet. When I get home I'll take a nice, hot bath. That sounded nice.
She picked up the Pokeball containing the Purrloin. "I'll call you Alder," she whispered to it. This new revelation that she could keep Pokemon that weren't somehow related to Dragon types made her want to stay out forever, but she knew her Pokemon would get tired soon enough. Azalea looked ready for another fight, but she withdrew her into her Pokeball anyway, smiling. "Rrright! Let's keep going, I wanna get home before I catch pneumonia," she said to herself.
The girl marched off, heading down the street, her hunger already forgotten. Then she stopped. "Oh my gosh, I forgot! You're still hungry, aren't you?" she asked Alder, still contained within his Pokeball. She smacked the palm of her hand against her forehead. "I'm so dumb!" She released him, holding him in her arms as she triumphantly returned to the convenience store.
"Hey! I said no--" the man started to protest.
"He's not a stray anymore," Pepper interrupted. "I caught him." The man sat back.
"Well, I guess I can't argue then."
When Pepper had her back turned, Alder glanced over her shoulder and stuck his tongue out at the shopkeeper. The man fumed silently, but knew there wasn't much he could do. After another five minutes of searching, the pair exited the store, happily walking down the street, both munching on their own snacks. Pepper had gotten Alder a hot dog, warning him not to eat it all unless he wanted to be too full to move. She alternated between holding the hot dog up to Alder so he could take a bite, and grabbing some chips out of the bag she'd bought. All in all, she felt it had been a major success.
Post by Pepper Bellerose on May 14, 2015 21:44:45 GMT -5
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Both the cat and the girl were satisfied with their snacks. After Alder had finished a quarter of the hot dog, Pepper put it away. He couldn't complain, seeing as how his small body had filled up on just that much anyway. Now my bag is gonna smell like hot dog, Pepper thought to herself. Not exactly the fragrant aroma she wanted, but it could be worse. People with Grimer or Trubbish had to deal with that awful smell all the time. She didn't envy them.
Alder climbed up to sit on her shoulder, proudly surveying the land. She just kept eating her chips, happily chewing away. Then a stream of water flew up and hit her in the face. Surprised, she squeaked as she dropped her bag of chips. A small, round, sleek body hopped out of the waterside and grabbed the bag with its mouth, wriggling back towards the water. Pepper stomped her foot angrily. "Oh no you don't!" She swooped down to grab at the bag, but the Tympole managed to jerk it away from her, tossing it a foot away where the remaining chips spilled out.
"You jerk! I'm gonna-- I'm gonna kick your butt!" she cried out. She wanted to just step on the thing, but that wouldn't be fair at all. Not that stealing my chips was fair, she thought to herself. While she was busy ruminating, the Tympole flopped over to where the chips lay on the ground and began to munch on them, not at all bothered by the possible germs that had climbed up onto them.
Pepper pulled a ball out of her bag. "Azalea, I know you just battled, but I need you!" Well, need was subjective. The Swablu came out again and immediately dove at the Tympole. Not using any specific attack, it just tried to harry it. Rain clouds began to gather overhead, separate from the ones that were still approaching from behind. It had used Rain Dance, and it used the speed boost to slip away, back into the water.
Pepper thought it might be over, but it emerged again, and this time the blast of water that came from it was much more powerful. "Azalea--" she tried to call out, but the Swablu was already on it, flapping her wings so she lifted up higher into the air. Unfortunately, the Hydro Pump still clipped her, sending her tumbling back to the ground. She stood back up, still raring to go. "Use Sing!" Pepper commanded. She didn't want to waste time with this Tympole. She was getting soaked again, and she wasn't happy about it at all.
Azalea began her sweet song again, but the Tympole managed to block out the noise by diving underwater. Pepper growled, getting frustrated with the slippery little creature. It surfaced again, as if to taunt them. "Use Dragon Pulse!" The beam came roaring out of the Swablu's mouth, and once again the Tympole managed to dodge. Pepper ground her teeth in frustration.
"Grab it when it comes out again!" She was tired of messing around. As soon as the Water type reappeared, Azalea dove at it, grasping its body within her small feet and digging in for traction, flinging the Tympole out of the water and onto the sidewalk in one swift movement.
It flopped about, letting out little noises of pain, at least until it decided to use Aqua Ring. It once again flopped towards the water, but this time Azalea was intent on stopping it. She blocked it off. In return, it opened its mouth and began to screech. Pepper didn't know such a big noise could come from such a small body.
Both Pepper and Azalea were in pain now. "U-use Dragon Pulse!" Pepper screamed, and somehow her Swablu got the message. Once again Dragon Pulse came flying towards the Tympole, and this time it hit, enveloping the tadpole in a bright light. After the attack was over, it sat there, stunned that its attack hadn't worked out the way it had planned. Aqua Ring restored some of its health, but Pepper wasn't done yet. "Now try Sing again!"
The Swablu's singing filled the air, and this time the Tympole couldn't escape. It fell limp against the ground. Pepper grinned. Now she could exact her vengeance. "Now, Moonblast!" The Tympole could not escape. The attack hit it dead on. But before Pepper could do anything else, it woke up. "What!"
Oh, I HATE it when they wake up fast! Weakened greatly, it began to slither towards the water. Azalea blocked it off, but it fired a Hydro Pump at her that she just barely managed to dodge. It didn't want to give up. "You little..." It would be an unsatisfying end to the battle if she let it get away, and yet somehow she didn't want to be that one trainer who beat a Pokemon to a pulp because it stole her chips and rained on her.
Pepper let out an exasperated sigh and tossed a Pokeball at it, resigning herself to her fate. Maybe somebody else will want it, she thought to herself. Even though it's a total jerk. She certainly didn't need any more Water types.
Post by Pepper Bellerose on May 18, 2015 23:06:14 GMT -5
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The Pokeball stopped wiggling, and Pepper for once wasn't too happy about it. She didn't really want the Tympole on her team. It was a total jerk, for one thing. Now she was hungry and she didn't have time to stop and get something else to eat, because the storm clouds were fast approaching where she stood in the middle of the city. Alder had watched the entire battle from her shoulder with eager eyes. She wasn't too far from the house she was staying at, at least. "Alright, Azalea, you're gonna take a little break and I'm gonna hurry back home." It was odd to call it home. The family friend she was staying with, a warm but eccentric woman named Paula, did manage to make her feel welcome, though.
So she hurried back. She wanted to go on catching other Pokemon as long as hers were up for it, as she had a long list of Pokemon she wanted to hunt down, but she was cold and wet and hungry and was definitely not feeling up to it at the moment. It only took her a few more minutes to arrive at Paula's house, where she removed her shoes, changed clothes, put the leftover hot dog in the fridge, and got herself a snack. The older woman was out for the moment. Alder jumped off Pepper's shoulder and began to admire his surroundings. The two of them took a short nap while the storm began to rage around them. After about an hour, they both woke up again and peered out the window. The sky was once again clear, and this time she couldn't see any storm clouds in sight.
I bet the Pokemon around the city will be out of sorts because of all the storming. I might be able to find them easier if I go out now. Both she and Alder felt rejuvenated after the nap they took, and so she put on a different pair of shoes and took off again, this time putting the Purrloin back in his Pokeball now that they'd become thoroughly acquainted.
She decided to scout out the grasslands on the outskirts of the city. The few other times she'd explored there, she'd turned down a lot of possible Pokemon captures because they weren't the Pokemon on her personal wishlist. Now, though, she had at least some semblance of an idea of how to get the Pokemon she actually wanted. If I get a lot of Pokemon, I can trade with other Trainers, right? They might have something good to offer her.
The air outside was nice and cool, not dreadfully hot like she'd been putting up with lately. She found herself searching high and low for Pokemon she could battle and capture, eager to put her plan into action. Of course, that means I'll have to meet other Trainers... oh well!
Post by Pepper Bellerose on May 26, 2015 23:22:54 GMT -5
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Nearby, the bushes rustled. Pepper jumped, startled by the sudden movement, but quickly calmed down once she saw the small body that stumbled out of the foliage. It was a Ralts, and it looked like it was lost. It kept glancing around worriedly, doing double takes as it tried to figure out where it was. Its gaze rested on Pepper for a moment, and it paused. She waited, curious to see what it would do. After a moment, its face lit up, and it waddled over to her so it could tug on her tights. It looked up at her, and she looked down at it, and both looked a little confused. "Um... do you want my help finding your home?" she asked it. It nodded its head vigorously.
"Alright! This I can do," she stated, pumping her fist. The Ralts smiled at her. It had sensed that she w0uld be willing to help. She had simply seemed like that sort of person. Having a horn that could sense emotion certainly didn't hurt.
They began to search high and low for its home. It was young yet, and it had been out foraging when the storm had hit. Its sense of direction was pretty pathetic, but after about ten minutes the Ralts's face lit up once again. It began to lead her off in one direction, having recognized its surroundings, but then it stopped in its tracks. In front of them was a tree that had clearly been hit by lightning. The clearing around it was scorched and burnt. There were no other Pokemon in sight.
"Oh," Pepper exclaimed. "That's... um..." The Ralts's lower lip trembled. She hastily tried to cheer it up. "Hey, um, that's alright! You can come with me! I'll feed you and you can stay with me. It'll be fun!" The Ralts paused to contemplate. It stared at its dead home for a long time. Once upon a time it had hidden inside the hollowed-out trunk when it rained and snowed, but now there was nothing left for it. The Pokemon glumly nodded. "Great! How about a battle to lift your spirits?"
It gave a shrug of its little shoulders. Pepper called out Alder once more, figuring he had the best chance against a dual Psychic/Fairy-type. He'd rested enough that he was raring to go again. The two of them backed away. This'll be my first battle using Alder, she thought to herself. This should be fun. Alder tensed up, ready to spring.
"Use Fake Out!" she called. He sprang, taking a swipe at the Ralts. The Ralts flinched, expecting the hit to land, but all Alder did was turn around and kick at it with his back paws instead. It went flying backwards, and it struggled to get up, still trying to figure out what just happened. "Now Slash!" They wouldn't get a chance like this again. While the Ralts was still disoriented, Alder leaped at it again and this time finished the job, pinning it to the ground and swiping at it. The Ralts let out a cry.
But while he was still nearby, it launched a Magical Leaf at him. The attack hit him dead in the chest and threw him off of it. He staggered to his feet as the Ralts began to calm itself, increasing its special attack and defense. "Er... use Night Slash!" she yelled, trying to figure out what to do next. Once again the cat pounced on the Ralts, but it suddenly wasn't there anymore. It had Teleported away. Another barrage of Magical Leaves came from behind him, and he attempted to crouch down to avoid it. The leaves instead changed course, slashing at him before falling harmlessly to the ground.
"Try again! Be ready for it to Teleport!" Pepper told him. Alder nodded, and this time he rushed at the Ralts as fast as he could. It misjudged the distance and Teleported away too early, and the Purrloin managed to pivot on his feet and begin charging it at its new location. This time his Night Slash hit, and the Ralts went tumbling backwards. Before it even rose to its feet, it began to use Magical Leaf again.
"Fight through it and use Slash to finish it!" Pepper called, ready for the battle to end. Alder raced through the swarm of leaves attacking him, ignoring the pain so he could land a hit on the Ralts. The tactic worked. The Psychic-type was not expecting it, and so it was unprepared when Alder launched himself at it and slashed it.
The Ralts seemed to have had enough. Alder was tired, too, but he sat down and began licking his paw as if it was no big deal. A smile grew on Pepper's face. He's such a cat. She tossed the Pokeball at the overwhelmed Ralts and waited to see if it would settle in.
. . . !
