Sprouting Cat Burglar (F)

[Andrew]

At the top of the stairs, an old man waited, remaining perfectly still. His eyes were shut but his furrowed brow showed that he wasn't pleased with the situation. His age and attire suggested that he was the superior of the other monks. Beside him, a golden Bellsprout swayed from left to right, so perfectly in time with the giant pillar that it was almost hypnotic.

The man began to tremble as Cyndaquil arrived to the landing of the second floor.
"You..." he spoke, accusingly lifting one hand to point at the mouselike creature, both eyes still closed. Despite the number of Pokémon that had accompanied the fire-type, the Elder declined to acknowledge them. "Fire Pokémon, we sensed your arrival. I see some improvement but you're wasting your time, nonetheless. Now be gone from this sacred place."

Cyndaquil stubbornly refused and approached its old rival. The uniquely-coloured Bellsprout continued to mimic the column behind it, unfazed by its challenger. But the Elder had a change of heart as he realised the mouse wasn't going to back down and the other sages had been defeated. "Very well, you may have one battle. But then you must leave here and never return." He retrieved a Poké Ball and slowly extended his arm out. The device opened and a Hoothoot emerged. "I see you're not alone this time. I'll allow for a double battle. Hoothoot, Growl. Bellsprout, please lend us your power."

Agreeing to the battle and deferring its strange ritual, Bellsprout began with a Cut attack. The plant targeted its longtime opponent and slashed at its body using its leaflike arms. Backing it up, Hoothoot released a loud cry lowering the attack of both Cyndaquil and Azrael who was close behind.

The Litten did the same, lowering the attack of the opposing team. Cyndaquil, despite its vigorous training was still the slowest. The flame on its back shot up as it spit out a large ball of fire at Bellsprout. "Hmm, I see. Battling alongside others has strengthened your abilities. No doubt, a trainer was involved."

Battle

VS Elder Li

---

Weather: Clear

	Bellsprout ♂ | Lv12 | Chlorophyll 17/37 HP (46%) Status: ATK -1 Used Cut on Cyndaquil!	Hoothoot ♂ | Lv10 | Insomnia 35/35 HP (100%) Status: ATK -1 Used Growl!
Azrael ♂ | Lv10 | Blaze 22/32 HP (69%) Status: ATK -1 Used Growl!	Wild Cyndaquil | Lv10 | Blaze 20/30 HP (67%) Status: ATK -1 Used Ember on Bellsprout!

[Thirdie]

Martin Growth

Gardener

This monk was different than the others, not only in clothing style and age, but seemingly in demeanour too. Martin could understand why he was being revered as 'the Elder' just for that. People were weird that way. Considering the old man had his eyes closed Martin deemed it safe enough to leave the stairs and join the cats in the shadows to the left. It only took a couple of soft steps, and in the meantime the elder spoke up, acknowledging the Cyndaquil in less than pleased tones. Martin sensed a recurring theme and his cynical mind sighed with boredom. The present Bellsprout was novel in its odd colouring, and Martin frowned at it but soon looked away feeling uncomfortable by its' motions. Maybe it wasn't all grass types he would need to gather for his gardening job. The Pokemons here hadn't made much of an impression on him. The monk accepted the Cyndaquil's challenge despite his earlier statement, and Martin sighed inwardly once more. The monks had so far made a show of appearing unyielding, but the way they had talked the Cyndaquil's presence wasn't a one time offence. It didn't took many seconds for Martin to figure out why the Cyndaquil had yet to learn to stay away, if this was the welcome it got every time.

Martin let the first round take its course and at the Elder's comment on the fire mouse' strength, he decided enough was enough. Without so much as stepping foot in the light, Martin spoke half an octave higher in tone than his usual voice, making it difficult to discern if it was male or female. "I can make it stronger yet, if it decides to join me" He almost sounded bored by the whole ordeal, and having gotten a sense for what drove the Cyndaquil from the monks' talk he added an incentive for it to do just that, though he still talked to the Elder. "It will need more challenging opponents than the ones you provide here." It wasn't actually because he was interested in the mouse. He already had plenty of fire types, and certainly didn't need more of them. However, the monks' situation and treatment of it had given him an idea. Maybe they would pay him well for a solution to their problem. He obviously wouldn't get much other valuables out of the place with how things had been going tonight. To make sure the Cyndaquil would know he was the trainer to the Pokemon who had helped it so far, his next words were an order to them. "Good work, Azrael. Now, give the Hoothoot some heat, and if possible do try to take some of the attacks for your battle partner." Martin kept talking lightly, and played it perfectly as being concerned for the fire mouse' well being. The Litten was really too cocky for his own good. Martin was just hoping to have some sense beat into it, without having to do it himself.

That Martin revealed his presence surprised everyone on his team, but most of them had the sense to pretend otherwise. Only Skarn startled visible at his voice, while Kiwi twittered curious from his spot in the rafters. Azrael was too busy with his duty in the battle, and paid no heed to his trainer's different tone, but subconsciously he had started to categorise the odd human as a sort of Kecleon, changing his type at will. Azrael seemed to grow with the praise, and shot the Cyndaquil a proud look. "Hear that? He want you with us." he purred, before readying his embers for the Hoothoot.

Wordcount: 607
(Ooc: Azrael uses Ember. Azrael is 10 hp down from the previous battle.)

[Marchbaby]

As annoyed as the elder was knowing that Cyndaquil had help this time around he still honestly believed he could still overcome its help and defeat the fire type once and for all. As Martin spoke however the elder secretly started to worry as the trainer had to be skilled to stay hidden this long letting his Pokemon do all of the work. The strange sounding voice Martin spoke in did not help the elder in identifying the gender of the trainer helping Cyndaquil but his hunch that a trainer was behind Cyndaquil's new found help was at least correct. After Martin spoke a second time the elder finally responded honestly hoping what the trainer said was true.

" If what you say is true you might just be doing us a favor, that CYndaquil has been a pest for far too long but with a trainer so well trained in stealth I have no doubt it would grow stronger, still I will do everything in my power from allowing such a partnership from ever getting off the ground. Bellsprout use Vine Whip on Cyndaquil and Hoothoot use Hypnosis on that Litten." He said as his two Pokemon got ready to battle. Before they could strike however both Azrael and Cyndaquil already started to make their own moves with Azrael striking first.

His Ember attack scored a direct hit on Hoothoot who nearly got burned by the ember and lost all focus trying to deal with the pain of the attack while Cyndaquil used the distraction provided by Hoothoot's discomfort to score a direct hit on the grass type. As well trained as it was the Ember proved too much to handle as it fell in defeat leaving Hoothoot as the elder's last Pokemon. " Argh this trainer is tougher than they seemed, Hoothoot you are the last line of defense now, regain your focus and strike before all hope is lost. As the bird tried to gain enough focus to use its attack however it was still in too much pain from the Ember to stay focused for any period of time and failed to look into Azrael's eyes long enough for Hypnosis to take effect.

Li really felt like this battle was not going very well as he realized his back was against the wall. " We really need a stroke of luck now as skill alone will not overcome this disaster. I can see why the other sages failed to stop you."





vs. Elder Li

---

Weather: Clear

Li's Bellsprout | LV 12 | Chlorophyll
HP: 0% (0/37)
Status: KO'ed
KO'ed!

Li's Hoothoot | LV 10 | Insomnia
HP: 77% (27/35)
Status: Normal
Used Hypnosis on Azrael (Missed)!

VS

Martin's Azrael | LV 10 | Blaze
HP: 69% (22/32)
Status: Normal, Attack -1
Used Pursuit on Jin's Bellsprout!

Wild Cyndaquil | LV 10 | Blaze
HP: 67% (20/30)
Status: Normal, Attack -1
Used Ember on Li's Bellsprout!

[Thirdie]

Martin Growth

Gardener

"Oh, I'm being serious," Martin replied lightly to the Elder questioning his intentions. The Elder didn't make it easy to set up any real offer however, as he went on to contradict himself and proclaim he didn't wish for Martin to 'partner' with the fire mouse. Martin chuckled at the oddity of humans, and then added for good measure: "I'm making you an offer here. Do you want it gone or not?" He refused to move from the shadows, and just watched as the Elder's Pokemon struggled with the Cyndaquil and Azrael. Despite his hope Azrael also managed to stay unscathed this round, and he wondered how much luck the cat possessed. Right now it was probably for the better, as a sleeping cat in a fight wouldn't have been optimal. "That's one down, one to go. Keep the embers coming, Azrael. The owl don't stand a chance against two of you." Martin didn't even consider the unfairness of ganging up on the opponent like that. He was pretty sure Azrael was still too inexperienced to handle it on his own, and you exploited all you had available to you always. If the Cyndaquil decided to keep fighting even with the Bellsprout down, Martin certainly wasn't going to dissuade it.

Azrael was in good spirit. The fight was going well, and he cheered for Cyndaquil when the mouse felled the Bellsprout. "Hey, we're a great team! Don't you think?" So far the Cyndaquil hadn't responded to much of Azrael's talk, but he figured it was just preoccupied with their goal of beating the others for good. It was a very determined mouse for sure. Azrael licked his lips and prepared another burst of embers for the Hoothoot. There had been something strange about its staring eyes before, and he couldn't figure out what it had been about, but since the Hoothoot's trainer was so disheartened, Azrael was pretty sure he didn't want to know anyway. Azrael spit embers and imagined them to be great big flames engulfing their target.

Martin's other Pokemon had settled down as they found nothing else happened than the battle. Thief sat viewing the fight and the Elder like a judge, licking his paw from time to time and waiting patiently. Baal and Tom stayed hidden with Martin in the shadows, seeing no reason to reveal their presence as long as Martin hadn't said anything, and Kiwi dared to settle on a rafter closer to the fight, now Martin had indicated they weren't playing sneaky anymore. He twittered now and again in curiosity at the ongoing battle. The only one that didn't seem comfortable with waiting was Skarn. The Litleo prowled at the edge of the battle behind Azrael and Cyndaquil, eyeing the battlers with burning impatience. Her tail swished and her front paws beat against the planks of the floor in an uneven rythm.

Wordcount: 479
(Ooc: Azrael uses Ember)

[Professor Oak]

This battle now had an air of finality to it. Martin could sense victory while the Elder knew that Hoothoot did not have much strength left to defend against two fiery combatants. The central beam in Sprout Tower continued to sway rhythmically as though counting down the seconds towards the inevitable outcome. Elder Li sat down on his haunches and closed his eyes in a meditative trance.

"Sometimes there is a great inevitability to life," he spoke softly as though almost muttering the words under his breath. "Some would call it destiny or fate. Fire Pokémon, it seems now that things have come full circle. Finish what you started and the great hate may finally be quelled within your heart."

With its arch rival defeated, the Cyndaquil still had one final score to settle; to prove its worth to the Elder who had so masterfully raised the Bellsprout to defeat it time and time again. The Cyndaquil looked across at the Litten standing alongside and appeared to acknowledge Azrael for the first time. It was not used to seeing another fire Pokémon but the determination it had witnessed in Azrael had earned the Cyndaquil's respect. Almost in unison the two fire Pokémon fired a volley of embers at the last remaining member of the Elder monk's team.

Hoothoot was enveloped in flames as the to Ember attacks combined into a raging fire ball. "In life even if the inevitable fate is before us we must see things through to the bitter end." The owl Pokémon appeared to almost nod in agreement and although badly scorched by the combined power of its fiery opponents, it flew up to the rafters and launched an aerial attack on Azrael, pecking him with its short but sharp beak.

Battle

VS Elder Li

---

Weather: Clear

		Hoothoot ♂ | Lv10 | Insomnia 11/35 HP (31%) Status: ATK -1 Used Peck on Azrael!
Azrael ♂ | Lv10 | Blaze 16/32 HP (50%) Status: ATK -1 Used Emberl!	Wild Cyndaquil | Lv10 | Blaze 20/30 HP (67%) Status: ATK -1 Used Ember!

[Thirdie]

Martin Growth

Gardener

Martin quelled a huff, when the Elder went on to disregard his offer. He wouldn't give the monk the satisfaction of discovering just how affected Martin was by it. He was sure the old man did it on purpose. That, or that talk about the inevitable was an agreement of sorts, though then he should talk clearly instead of nonsense. Martin was no fire user ordinarily; this time was purely happenstance; but with how the monk talked about the element he couldn't help but interject. "Fire doesn't hate. It just burns." He stated it matter of fact, and added as an afterthought: "There's nothing quite like a fire to revitalize an area." He didn't dare elaborate further though. It wouldn't do to reveal his official occupation. He looked at Azrael from his hiding spot. The kitten didn't seem particular affected by the Hoothoot's attack, and he was disappointed the opponent hadn't been able to teach Azrael a lesson in humility. Nothing to do about it now. "Do as the good monk says and cleans this place with your fire, friends. They seem like they need it." He said it with a touch of teasing in the voice, deliberately teetering between serious and joking.

Azrael didn't have the mind to understand the finer differences in tone Martin used, but he was very clear on the idea of using more ember attacks. He was further invigorated by the Cyndaquil finally paying attention to him, and he almost danced with eagerness, as he lit up the air in unison with the mouse. He barely registered the pain from where the bird's beak had struck him, though that surely would come back to bite him in the tail. For now he just put everything he had in to 'cleans things with fire', whatever that meant.

Thief halted his washing movements, when the fight seemed to come to and end, and he studied very closely how the opponent handled the latest volley of fire directed towards it. He had one ear on the old man and one ear turned towards Martin to make sure he didn't miss any instructions. He had also half an eye on the restless Litleo, should she decide to interfere somehow, but luckily she stayed put. He was ready to jump into any action Martin deemed necessary at the end of it.

Even before the smoke had settled from the combined attacks, Martin moved just a fraction. He assumed the bird had lost but didn't wait to find out. He wanted and answer and possible an agreement to a deal before the night was out. "So... What will you give me to take the Cyndaquil away from here?"

Wordcount: 447
(Ooc: Azrael uses another Ember)

[fylisfe]

The smoke cleared the room revealing the hoothoot fainted on the ground. The Elder remained sitting in his meditative pose, if he was upset about the outcome of the battle he was not showing it, his face was calm and unfazed. 

"Thank you for battling until the very end my friend," he said to the hoothoot as he summoned the pokemon back into its ball. With a heavy sigh, Elder Li stood up and looked Martin in the eye. The young man was certainly a formidable trainer and despite Elder Li's personal disapproval of the partnership between the cyndaquil and the young man, he had to admit he had been outplayed this night. The Elder thought for a moment about Martin's offer and wondered how he could best spin it so that the temple would finally be rid of the cyndaquil while not losing anything major. 

"Young man... I find your tone of voice and eagerness to extort the members of this holy temple to be deeply disrespectful," the Elder addressed Martin. "But the core teachings of this tower is that all creatures coexist through cooperation. It is a lesson us monks learn through working with our bellsprout and perhaps it is a lesson you too have learned today while cooperating with this fiesty cyndaquil. I admire anyone that can work so harmoniously with pokemon." 

Elder Li moved across the room over to Martin. From within his robes he retrieved a small disc and a small pouch of money which he placed in the young man's hands. "It does not matter to me what you do with that cyndaquil. If it returns here, we will simply turn it away once more... though I have a feeling that now that it has finally had the battle it craved that it will not be bothering us any longer. This gift is not a payment for taking this pokemon away from here. It is a reward for a battle well fought and a reminder of the lesson I hope you have learned. Teach this TM to a pokemon you wish to coexist and cooperate with."

With that, Elder Li turned away and moved to leave the room. He gestured to the nearby window at the foot of which was an escape rope. "I trust you can see yourself out."

Once they were alone, the wild cyndaquil looked to Martin. The Elder was right in his belief that the cyndaquil was now done with its business here at the tower. It had finally faced its long-time rival bellsprout, it was filled with both a feeling of satisfaction and the emptyness that comes with finally finishing a long-time goal. If Martin invited it to join his team, the cyndaquil would do so eagerly. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congrats on winning the battle! 

Azrael gains 3 levels and is now level 13. Would you like for Azrael to learn Leer?
Azrael also gains +1 happiness.

Kiwi gains 1 level thanks to EXP share and is now level 6!
Martin receives $2000 (prize money doubled thanks to amulet coin) and  TM70 - Flash from Elder Li.

Will Martin invite the cyndaquil to join his team?

If yes, fill out the following:
[img]http://serebii.net/blackwhite/pokemon/155.png[/img]

[b]Cyndaquil[/b]

Name: [choose]

Gender: [choose]

Level: 10

Attacks: Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen, Ember

Ability: Blaze

Nature/Personality: [choose]
 

[Thirdie]

Martin Growth

Gardener

Martin felt like gagging at the Elder's preaching at the end of the battle. For a dizzying moment he felt thrown back in time, where his school teachers had tried to teach him things he already either knew or didn't care about. He didn't show any of this however. Though the monk was looking in his direction, he still felt securely hidden in the shadows of the room. So much greater was his discomfort when the Elder moved directly to him, and handed him his 'prize'. Greatly unsettled by the Elder's apparent knowledge of his exact location, he tucked down the shadow of his cap just a little more to hide his eyes the better, but that was all the nerves he allowed himself to show. He stayed silent through the ordeal, refusing to take the bait and go into a discussion with the faithful man. The Elder had already shown to not understand the true meaning behind Martin's words, and Martin therefor saw no point in trying to understand his point of view either. With that notion in mind, Martin could only translate his preaching words as pure nonsense. He probably only said it to feel better about loosing the fight, and the 'reward' was his payment, and not that excuse of a thing for battling well. He folded his hand around the 'gift' as an acceptance of it either way; the Elder didn't need to know that Martin saw right through him; and waited patiently for the monk's next move, which surprisingly turned out to be to leave the room.

Martin eyed the escape rope pointed out to him, and almost felt like laughing out loud, almost. He waved for his Pokemon to gather in the shadows with him. Even with the Elder gone, Martin wouldn't show himself in the light. There could be other 'eyes' in the place. As his Pokemon flocked at his feet, he squatted down to get a good look at them, and chose his words carefully. He was still putting on a show for the Cyndaquil. Azrael was obviously 'taken' with the fire mouse, and was the one to invite it into the flock and closer to Martin. Thief strolled behind, and looked almost bored now it was all over. Skarn still looked on edge, and ready to fight, though no opponent was around to do it. Kiwi dropped from its rafter and settled down on Martin's left forearm, while Baal and Tom stayed put by his side. "All right. You did reasonable well tonight, doing as told, staying quiet and playing distraction when needed. Cyndaquil, I'll advice you to come with us. There's no point in staying around people who don't appreciate your natural skill set. And I'll assume there's not much left for you here, with your battle won?" He waited a beat for the Cyndaquil's confirmation, and then held out a Pokeball for it to take residence in. Luckily, it agreed without much thought, and Martin pocketed the ball quickly, and hurried on to the escape rope with no more words. He send a 'thought' message to Tom, with the expectation of the psychic cat translating for the rest of the team, and soon they all scattered after him as soundlessly as possible, though he had to call Skarn back in her ball first.

The night hadn't played out like Martin had planned it, and now he just wanted to get some sleep. Later, he would have to look at, what could be done to train this 'unofficiel' team for his needs. And he had a Cyndaquil to sell off.

Wordcount: 600
(Ooc: Let Azrael learn Leer in place of Growl. Oh, and Kiwi learns Quick Attack on lv 6)

[img src="http://serebii.net/blackwhite/pokemon/155.png"]
[b]Cyndaquil[/b]
Name: [choose]
Gender: [choose]
Level: 10
OT: Martin Growth
Attacks: Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen, Ember
Ability: Blaze
Nature/Personality: [choose]