Better late than never [F]

[Tarlar]

(New pokemon team: Yakul, Shiny Scyther, Buz, Araceli, Pia and Sonja)

The weather was not with Astrid but what else could you expect during winter?
A snowstorm had entered the area and usually Astrid would stay indoors and wait for it to be over, before she risked going outside. Today she had taken the risk as she had her skiddo to ride on and the sturdy goat should be able to handle a bit of walking through the snow, especially since they should be able to reach halfway, and Astrid's house before the day was over. That was Astrid's plan anyway.
It was still new to them, the whole carrying and riding thing, and Yakul was having trouble relaxing and just focusing on getting through the snow. Astrid had a hard time to stay on her back both because the skiddo was moving erratically and because she didn't have that many muscles and often began to slide to either side. Having to hold the trolley and pull it after them didn't make it any easier but Astrid didn't know what else to do, she couldn't carry anything on her back.
"I am alright Yakul, do not worry," Astrid said gently for the hundreds time today and settled better on Yakul's back.
"It is good we started to early huh? My home is not that far away and even with this speed we should be there in the early noon!" Astrid said cheerfully and hoped it was true. It was hard to decide the time and length they had traveled with all the snow whirling around, and it wasn't a route she had traveled often.

Yakul stopped abruptly and Astrid fell forward and slammed into her head.
"Ow, why did you do that?" Astrid asked as she rubbed her chin but Yakul was just staring alert into the side of the road. Astrid narrowed her eyes but couldn't see anything through the snow.
As a silhouette arrived and moved towards them Yakul took a step backwards and waved threatening with her horns. Astrid dug her hands into the skiddo's leaf-mane and prepared herself for Yakul to jolt and run in either direction.
As the thing came closer Astrid realized it walked on two legs and she was confused for a moment to why it was dressed in complete green and white.
"A scyther!" She exclaimed as she recognized it and it fearlessly walked closer and acted like it already knew her. Yakul continued to warn the stranger but was ignored by the scyther, and as it shook off some of the snow and revealed it's true color Astrid recognized him.

"You! I have not seen you in ages! What are you doing here?" Astrid said cheerfully and grabbed Yakul's horns as she was about to charge forward to chase the potential threat away.
"Easy Yakul, he is a friend of mine," she said and smiled to the scyther who glanced at the skiddo before both pokemon looked alert into the bushes from where the scyther had come from.
"Do not tell me there is still people hunting you dear?" Astrid said with a sad a smile and the scyther looked hopefully at her.
"I will see what I can do, I am a trainer now so perhaps I can convince them to leave you alone if I give them a battle but I cannot promise anything," Astrid said and the scyther looked surprised at her.
"People are weird all this hassle just because of a color. I do wish I had a way to help you get rid of it so you could live in peace," Astrid continued and got of Yakul only to face a very excited looking scyther.
"What? What is it?" Astrid laughed as the scyther poked her gently with the blunt end of his scythe and looked like he was searching for something.
He then pointed at Yakul and then at Astrid who nodded.
"Yes, Yakul is my partner," she confirmed and widened her eyes as scyther pointed at himself and then at her.
"You.. you want to join me?" Astrid said shocked and the scyther nodded eagerly.
"But I am old and slow, I am only doing this for fun so you wont get far with me," she protested chuckling and the scyther made a gesture that clearly stated that it didn't matter to him before looking hopefully at her.
The two looked at each other a few minutes until Astrid accepted that he really did want to go with her and found an empty pokeball to offer him. He tapped it happily and disappeared in a flash that made Yakul spin around startled. The pokeball wiggled several times in Astrid's hand before it confirmed the capture.
"What an honor, I did not know I was such good friend of yours," Astrid said quietly before letting the scyther out again.

Both the scyther and the skiddo heard something moving closer and looked towards it. Astrid could neither see or hear anything out of the ordinary so she just waited to see what was approaching.

(ooc: Scyther is introduced! Please make him male, name him Ove and Add following to his nature/personality section:
Jolly. Ove always has a plan! It might be complicated and require a lot of luck to work, but he never thinks a thing is impossible because he will always come up with a great plan!
Ove first met Astrid a day where he was running away from trainers who were hunting him due to his shinyness and the old woman helped him hide in her garden and get away. He visited her several times after that and enjoyed spending time with her, so when he learned she had become a trainer he wanted to join her. )

Wordcount: 600

[Andrew]

Many people would never dare to head outside in a snowstorm. Liz, however, couldn't bare the idea of her mother and stepfather eavesdropping in on her private phone calls again. The extreme weather was hardly noticeable when she had so much to talk about. "Oh my god, like don't even get me started, Miranda. That Bellsprout of yours is tragic! What were you thinking? Like have you seen what it evolves into?" She let out a patronising laugh as she listened to her friend's response. "Yeah, everyone in Violet City is talking about! Get rid of it!" The picnicker's voice carried well which was probably why her parents always heard her conversations.

A few minutes passed and suddenly Liz felt as if she was being watched. "Shut up a second, Miranda! I'll call you back!" She ended the call and reached her Nidoran♀'s Poké Ball, holding it tightly with two hands.
"If this is mom and Richard following me, I'm gonna lose it!" she warned. However, to her surprise, she saw an old woman, a Skiddo and a Scyther. The girl was confused and a little annoyed. "Excuse me, you interrupted a very important conversation!" she accused, not realising that nobody had said or done anything to disrupt her.

As she was about to turn away, she realised she'd seen that Scyther before. "That's the Scyther that Richard is always after," she muttered to the Poké Ball, still firmly in her grasp. "If I can capture this, that'll show him how much of a loser he is, and he'll have to move out!" A mischievous grin spread across her face. "That Scyther is ours. Move away old lady! Nidoran♀, go!"

---

Picnicker Liz wants to battle!

Liz sent out Nidoran♀ (LV.12)!


Hail is falling!

---

[Tarlar]

This was perfect! This couldn't fit the scyther's plan any better, joining Astrid was the best thing that could have happened.
Scyther had long been chased due to his coloration and he had feared what the future would bring the day he got a trainer, who only cared for that. He had heard the stories of pokemon being caught for then never to be let out of their pokeballs, or only when their owner wanted to show them off.
He had long time ago decided to find a trainer that he could call his own, so he could travel the region and be left alone. The problem had been to find such trainer and he had tried countless of things which all had went wrong.
He had tried experienced trainers who had had plenty of special and shiny pokemon, and he had tried newbies whom he hoped didn't know how he was special. He had tried to disguise himself and he had stalked trainers who seemed to be nice to their pokemon, in the hope of finding a good one.
Everyone had turned bananas when they saw him and he barely got away.
He was getting tired of running away and never being able to relax as someone could be sneaking in on him just now, and if he wasn't careful who know where he would end?

The only one the scyther had met that hadn't immediately tried to battle him was Astrid. She had even helped him get away from a pair of annoyingly determined pursuers, who had been hunting him for days.
He would have joined her on the spot if it hadn't been for the problem that she wasn't a trainer. If she had no other pokemon she wouldn't be able to aid him if someone decided they wanted him, and then he wouldn't be able to run away like he was when he was free and on his own. It had been nice visiting once in a while and get small breaks from his hectic life.
He had barely believed his luck when he met the old woman once again and she even turned out to be a trainer. That was a chance he wouldn't let slip out of his grasp.


Astrid sighed when the girl accused her for interrupting. What a rude and egoistic girl, the kids didn't get a proper education in manners anymore. She was not going to accept getting scolded, especially for something she hadn't done.
"How can I interrupt you, when I have done nothing else than standing still, and only first speak to answer your impolite accusations?" Astrid asked calmly with raised eyebrows.
When the girl declared she wanted Scyther, Astrid looked regretfully at her and shook her head.
"I fear that is a bit too late unfortunately," Astrid told her and was torn between feeling smug the girl was too late, and feeling regretful that the girls supposed long chase had been fruitless just because Astrid had stumbled by.
Since The girl had come from the same direction as Scyther and she had declared it hers, Astrid believed her to had been tracking the bug down.


Yakul had lowered her horns in a warning the moment the girl had arrived, although it probably had been difficult to see in the snowstorm. When the nidoran was released she prepared to charge it but paused when her horn scraped against something, and as she looked up to see what it was she was staring right into a scythe.

Scyther had stopped her as he saw this as his battle and he wanted to face his pursuers now he knew he had Astrid watching his back. It may not be Liz who had been after her all these years but it was the symbolic that was important, he was ending his former life now!
He whirled snow up as he stormed forwards ready to slash the poor poison type with his scythers.

(ooc: Ove uses False Swipe)
Wordcount: 600

[Marchbaby]

Liz could not come up with any counter to Astrid's valid point that she had not interrupted her in any way but that did not stop the bratty young child from still being a pain in the elderly trainer's side. " Like I totally do not know, like even if you somehow did not interrupt me I am like totes going to capture that Scyther."[/color] Her lack of intelligence not being questioned at this point did not stop the young picnicker from trying to capture the bug type Pokemon. Her Nidoran did not fully grasp the situation either but she was going to obey her trainer as she got ready to battle the giant mantis Pokemon. Little did the pair realize that Scyther was going to use a rather merciful move to start things off.

Ove rushed towards Nidoran before Liz could open her annoying mouth again to give the young rabbit an order and the delay proved quite costly as Ove nicked the rabbit with his scythe like arms. He had been merciful with the strike but it did far more damage than even he had anticipated as Liz stood shocked by his power. She began to think Richard was not so weak after all though she refused to admit anything out loud. " Nidoran are you OK? That Scyther is like wickedly powerful, like I can hardly believe how tough it is. We need to like totally hit back and show it who is boss. Start out with a Scratch attack."[/color] She said as Nidoran managed to get off a weak Scratch attack of her own against Ove but this battle was still very lopsided in his favor.

The snow was not favorable for either Pokemon but for Nidoran who was already in rough shape after the first round it was an added danger she did not need to face. As the cold started to sap the energy of both Pokemon Nidoran was showing signs of a quick battle and though Liz would never show it she was beginning to panic in her mind over the thought of losing her chance to capture such a rare Pokemon. " Nidoran you need to hit harder for reals, we are not going to win if you do so little damage like that. Be ready to like totally give it your all in this round."[/color]




Trainer Battle

---

Weather: Hail

Liz's Nidoran♀ | LV 12 | Rivalry
HP: 42% (16/38)
Status: Normal
Used Scratch!!

VS

Astrid's Ove | LV 15 | Technician
HP: 82% (41/50)
Status: Normal
Used False Swipe

---

Mod Note: Nidoran♀ took 5 damage from hail and Ove took 6 damage from hail.

[Tarlar]

Astrid shivered from the cold. She had been alright while riding where she was using her body but standing still in the blizzard quickly cooling her down. She stomped her feet a bit in the attempt to get the blood running.
She stepped closer to Yakul to get some warmth from the skiddo, but kept her hands deep in her pockets so Yakul didn't became aware that her trainer was getting cold, she kept her focus on the threat in front of them.

Astrid was aware that the young picnicker didn't really answer her question and she was uncertain if the girl just wasn't aware or purely chose to pretend she was right in her accusations.
Her way of speaking just annoyed Astrid and she wished the battle to be over soon, so she could get going and get some warmth. Her house was somewhere ahead of them and right now she wished nothing else than to sit inside under a warm blanket with a hot cup og tea.
"As I already said, it is too late for you to capture the scyther," Astrid told her sternly and decided to hold back on telling why for now. Couldn't the picnicker not guess the reason herself?

Scyther had no problem getting through the snow though it was not his preferred type of weather. He had lived outside in this area for years so it wasn't a new experience for him.
He looked confident when the nidoran had scratched him, his hard exterior had taken most of the attack and he was certain that he would get out of this battle on top.
He looked back at Astrid and Yakul and smiled, he was not alone anymore and they shared the battles, he had to remember that. It would take some time before he learned that.

The scyther leered at the nidoran, staring her down as he tried to scare her to hesitate and wait with attacking.
Then he spun around and flew back to Yakul whom he gave a nudge.
"Go on, show them how it is done," he told her and was about to apologize that he had forgotten for a moment, that he was not alone anymore, and didn't have to deal with all the challengers on his own. Yakul charged forward before he got another word in and he looked surprised after her.

(ooc: Ove uses Leer and then Yakul switches in)
Wordcounts: 395

[Lamont]

The whole situation was just frustrating the picnicker evermore. A few hailstones in particular lobbed themselves against her hat just between padded sections and got her good on the noggin. With a hand to her head as if that would help the momentary pin of pain the girl stomped her foot against the ground. Though, unlike Astrid she wasn't doing it to get the blood flowing for warmth.
"Look old lady, why don't you just like, move along with whatever grandma stuff you were doing. I don't need like a peanut gallery here. Nidoran♀ still has lots of fight left, right girl? Liz continued on in her ignorance, no doubt helped along by the cloud of growing frustration at being so bad at this. Nidoran♀ cocked her head to the side for a second before effectively shrugging and calling in agreement with her trainer. She wriggled her ears and locked eyes with the scyther, ready to do better this round. "That's the spirit! Growl at that big meany. Show 'em your stuff."

Ove's stare intensified. His figure seeming to grow a large shadow as he stared the little Nidoran♀ down with a piercing gaze. She could feel her blood freeze for a second, going still as a statue and withholding a scared squeak. But then he suddenly turned away and made to leave. A wash of urgency swept over the smaller pokémon and she sent a growl trailing after the large bug. It seemed to do its work. Ove stopped 'fleeing' but instead of turning back around to face Liz's nidoran♀ he nudged one of Astrid's [other] pokémon. Liz's jaw dropped.

"Hey! That's not fair you cheating insect. You can't just like, tag in a trainer pokémon." While Liz stood in disbelief Yakul charged in to take up a position against Liz's pokémon. "Okay that's it. I'm going to get you even if I have to go through this old lady!" she called, pointing a finger determinedly at Ove. Astrid hadn't been very compliant with Liz's wishes up to this point so she didn't even bother asking again if the older woman would step aside and let her capture the scyther.
"Go on Nidoran♀, double kick that kid!"

Nidoran♀ huffed and ran toward the sturdy goat. Darting off to the side she made two quick kicks with her hind legs that barely made it through Yakul's fur coat.


Trainer Battle

---

Weather: Hail

Liz's Nidoran♀ | LV 12 | Rivalry
HP: 32% (12/38)
Status: -1 DEF
Used Growl!
Used Double Kick!

VS

Astrid's Yakul♀ | LV 11 | Sap Sipper
HP: 78% (30/38)
Status: Normal
Ove used Leer!
Switched in Yakul

((Hail does 1/16 max hp))

[Tarlar]

Astrid looked tiredly at the other trainer as she was berated for being in the way, and she seriously thought about telling the girl her mistake now she clearly didn't realized it on her own.
She didn't get what the girl meant by talking about peanuts, although she guessed it had something to do with her and her pokemon. Peanuts were often used to describe something as small and underwhelming so perhaps that was what the picnicker tried to say.
"I am doing grandma stuff, traveling home and meeting an old friend, right up until you decided that you did not want to listen and claim you know what is going on," Astrid protested calmly and watched as the pokemon exchanged attacks, or rather glared and growled at each other.

Astrid smiled to Ove as he returned to her and Yakul chose to take over and charge at the nidoran. The old woman shook her head as the girl accused the scyther for not playing fair.
"He is not cheating you know, feel free to throw a pokeball at him and see if it works. Perhaps that will explain to you why I keep saying you are too late," Astrid said although she wasn't sure the girl could hear her.
She patted Ove kindly on the shoulder and the scyther glanced at her before he looked curiously at the skiddo, to see how she was going to deal with this.

Yakul was charging forward like a tauros with little focus on where she was going. The snow didn't make it easier for her and she ran far past the nidoran and gave it plenty of room to get in and kick her.
The attack didn't hurt much but she snorted surprised and slipped as she attempted to avoid another one. Instead of leaping away from the nidoran she was falling towards it while fighting to stay on her feet.


Wordcount: 319
(ooc: Yakul uses a falling "tackle" )

[Lamont]

The young girl had already tuned out the older woman. Her mind too abuzz with exactly how she was going to retell this story to her girlfriends the moment this was all over. Liz's eyes tunneled in to the little exchange between the skiddo and her nidoran♀. Focused down there was nothing else outside of the two pokémon that her mind even registered. Not even the hail lightly pelting her shoulders as she leaned forward and clenched her fists in front of her while she quietly willed victory to her poison pokémon.

Things seemed to go in a bit of slow motion as the adrenaline rose. Nidoran♀ had barely turned around from her kicks before she noticed the shadow looming over her. Thick skull careening down there was no room to maneuver between the two. Yakul came crashing down, knocking nidoran♀ right on the head and bringing the two down flat on the ground.

Nidoran♀ screeched furiously. Blood boiling to new heights her hatred of the female skiddo made her lash out with her claws. Yakul was making to stand when a fury of little needles scrapped across her chin and chest near randomly. They were deep cuts, but small. Without the mind and care the attack wasn't all too effective, but mixed with the hail still pounding down upon them all it was enough to take a deal of stamina from the grass type. Nidoran♀, too, was very slow to rise. Huffing, she barely managed to get her shaky legs to push her back up into a standing position.

Liz could see her companion was on her last legs and it infuriated her. Not that her pokémon was going to lose, but that Astrid was going to win. Scyther was going to escape thanks to this lady and there was nothing she could do about it. The picnicker growled under her breath, whipping out a cell phone and quick dialing. Most likely to the friend she'd been talking to before. As she let it ring she called out to her pokémon after taking a breath, "It's okay girl. You're doing great alright?" She almost sounded like she was barely holding together as she sent emotional support to nidoran♀.


Trainer Battle

---

Weather: Hail

Liz's Nidoran♀ | LV 12 | Rivalry
HP: 7% (3/38)
Status: -1 DEF
Used Scratch!

VS

Astrid's Yakul♀ | LV 11 | Sap Sipper
HP: 57% (22/38)
Status: Normal
'Used' Tackle!

[Tarlar]

Yakul bleated loudly as the scratches cut deep into her skin, they might be small but she could clearly feel it! It was unknown whether her protesting was due to the surprise or actual pain.
She was semi panicked about loosing her footing and then getting hit by something sharp as she fell, so she flailed around in an attempt to get back up on her feet fast. It wasn't easy with how slippery the snow was and with a squirming bunny below her, and she first got succesful when the nidoran managed to push herself out and away.
Yakul stared back at the nidoran but didn't seem to acknowledge her opponents heated glares, nor how unsteady the nidoran looked to be on her feet.

The skiddo waved warningly with her horns as she slowly backed away. Then she leaped forward to charge-tackle poison type with the horns first.
Now with a proper aim and a straight line Yakul was much more secure on her feet, although she would probably get in trouble again if she had to make a turn.

Astrid had also given up on talking some sense into the girl, even if she had had the breath to it, she didn't think it was fruitful to the her that the scyther was already caught. At the moment it was impossible for Astrid, as her teeth clattered and she continued to stomp around to get the blood running in her legs. It didn't work well.
The scyther looked at her worried and then stepped around so he sheltered her from the worst of the snow, and Astrid smiled gratefully.

Yakul's bleating caught Astrid's attention and she watched worried as Yakul and the nidoran were trashing around on the ground until they finally got back up. Even Astrid could see the nidoran looked battered but she was relieved to see that Yakul looked to be doing fine. Her young goat was growing up fast.
Astrid's eyes followed the charging skiddo but since she couldn't do much there and scyther's green skin moved in the corner of her eye, her mind began to wander as she tried to come up with a name for him.

Wordcount: 365
(ooc: Yakul uses Tackle)

[Hunter]

It was abundantly apparent that the younger generation had missed the life lessons in respect and dignity, young Liz was a prime example of this as she showed no regard for Astrid. Liz couldn't help but feel pent up frustration beginning to seep to the top of her consciousness as she observed that the ongoing battle was taking a turn for the worse, after all her Nidoran♀ was taking quite the beating from Astrid's duo of Scyther and Skiddo. Liz was sure that switching out pokemon during a battle was a form of cheating, she was clearly unaware it was a well executed strategy by Astrid to share the brunt of the battle between her two pokemon thus providing them valuable battle experience.

Liz could only watch on in shock horror towards the battle, she had been expecting the shiny Scyther retrieval to be an easy task, she was clearly not properly prepared for the rigours of battle. Liz's Nidoran♀ took the full brunt of Yakul's Tackle attack and the poison pin pokemon collapsed as a result of taking too much damage throughout the battle. Liz rushed to retrieve Nidoran♀'s pokeball and proceeded to return her fainted partner into the pokeball to rest and recover. Liz glared angrily towards her elderly opponent, despite the fact she had been defeated fair and square, the young girl wasn't going to provide Astrid with the respect she deserved.

"That's like totally not fair, like what are you even doing being a trainer at your age?"

Liz quickly begun to retreat, she wasn't sticking around for any potential verbal scalding she might receive, she was already well too accustomed to that back home with Richard. Liz's friends were definitely going to hear a very altered version of what had happened on this day, a high degree of lies were no doubt going to be told. As Liz was running away from the scene she had accidentally dropped some money on the ground, her conscious was fully fixated upon what witty remark she could come up with as parting words for the old lady.

"Mark my words old lady, that pretty looking Scyther will like totally be mine one day!"

---

◓ VICTORY ◓

---

Yakul grew to LV14 and gained +1 Happiness! Yakul can learn Leech Seed and Razor Leaf!
Will Astrid allow Yakul to forget a move or two?


Ove grew to LV16 and gained +1 Happiness!


Buz grew to LV10

Astrid also gained £128 for her victory!

[Tarlar]

Astrid agreed with the narrator that the youth were lacking in education, it had been much better in the old days where people would be respectful towards each other and treat other nicely.
She was certain the picknicker didn't learn a thing from the battle sadly, so to Astrid it was almost a waste of time especially since she was getting cold. She was willing to stand it out due to the honor the scyther had shoved her by deciding he wanted to join her, but she was glad to see the battle soon would be over.

A moment after Yakul took the nidoran down and the girl wasn't pleased at all, but Astrid sighed relieved."Yakul, stop!" Astrid barked as the skiddo had begun to back off waving her head threateningly again, and Astrid feared she would go in for another tackle at the unconscious nidoran. Yakul paused to glance at her.
"You did great, come over here," Astrid praised and added sternly when Yakul hesitated, "come!"
Yakul turned her backs on the nidoran and her trainer to trot back to Astrid.

Liz called out to her angrily and Astrid looked tiredly.
"I am doing like anybody else when they are trainers, traveling around and battling challengers when they appear," Astrid explained calmly, "and trying to better myself and my pokemon, by learning from the experiences we get."
The picknicker didn't seem like she liked what she heard as she retreated fast and shouted one last threat before disappearing.
Astrid shook her head defeated and patted Yakul.
"She never got it, or else she didn't want to accept it," Astrid said to no-one in particular and turned to look at the scyther.
"They still cannot leave you alone?" She asked him and he shook his head.
"I am impressed you have managed alone so far! With how many strong trainers I have encountered you must have been really smart," she praised and laughed when he looked flustered.
"I would like to call you Ove if that is alright with you? It is the name of an actor whose most famouse roll was a really clever guy, does that sound good to you?" Astrid asked and Ove nodded in agreement. He didn't care much of what she called her but it would probably grow on him.

"Alright, let us get out of this weather. There should not be long to my house from here," Astrid said and mounted Yakul once more Ove solved her problem with the trolley by pulling it for her. Yakul were still skittish and nervous about carrying Astrid although it was easier when Astrid didn't have to struggle with the trolley as well.
Soon the snow stopped as well and the sun even parted the skies and made the winter landscape glitter and shimmer and forced them to narrow their eyes to even see.
"Oh! I had not expected to need to bring sunglasses for a day like this!" Astrid exclaimed and wondered if they had talked about the weather in the news, she couldn't remember.

As the snowstorm had stopped Yakul calmed down a bit as she was able to see her surroundings and especially since Astrid calmed down now the weather wasn't so frightening and she feared to get lost.
The ground got slippery though as the snow started to melt but Yakul proved to live up to her species reputation of having sure feet and she wasn't affected at all. Ove on the other hand slipped several times and barely avoided ending face first into slush that lay around. Astrid looked worriedly at him a couple of times but he just laughed it off, he had tried worse.

Wordcounts: 600
(ooc: Yakul learns Leech Seed and Razor Leaf over Growth and Vine Whip. Buz the spewpa shouldn't get a happiness point now he had only got the level by the exp. share )

[Marchbaby]

The change of weather was a welcomed change for every Pokemon living on route 32 but for one species of Pokemon who called the route home they could not have asked for a better break in the weather. They were known for being a rare sight on the route as well as being able to send out pollen as they soaked up the suns rays. One particular member of this species had been enjoying the sun as it walked down a slippery road not paying any attention to its surroundings just trying to enjoy itself when it suddenly walked out in front of Astrid not taking any notice of her or her Pokemon as it looked for a nice place to sit down to soak up as much of the suns rays as possible. It saw a nice little spot under a nearby tree and walked over towards it still not realizing that it was right in Astrid's field of view.

It was only when it had soaked up rays for a few moments that it saw the elderly trainer and started to wonder how in the world it had not noticed her sooner especially as the visibility on the route was far better than it had been earlier. No matter how the plant Pokemon had missed Astrid it was starting to panic that it had been so foolish to walk out in front of her like that. The Budew watched her while a large frown ran across its face realizing that it had made a very big mistake that could come back to haunt it if things got any worse. Still as it was a rather friendly species it did not want to pick a fight if one could be avoided as it just wanted to relax and enjoy the sun more than anything.

What happened next was entirely Astrid's choice but the slippery weather prevented either party from trying to escape from the battle. One way or another the Budew was going to have a price to pay for being so careless and it would not likely be a fan of either outcome.

A wild Budew (Level 8) has appeared. Please select a Pokemon.

[Tarlar]

As they continued their trip towards Bloomingvale and Astrid's home, nothing really happened and Astrid enjoyed the view of the snowcovered landscape with the dripping sounds and the forming icicles.
She realized that this weather would be perfect for Sonja and stopped Yakul to dismount. Ove looked curiously and handed her the trolley when she reached for it.
While Astrid rummaged to find Sonja's pokeball, she really needed to find a system for this, Yakul stepped to the side and began digging in the snow to see if there were any grass worth eating below.

Sonja blinked as she was called out and she scoffed when she saw they were in the middle of nowhere. How should she find the trainer she was destined for if they were out where the murkrows turned and no human in miles around?
Ove stepped closer as Astrid retrieved Yakul and mounted her ones more.
"Hello," He greeted the white sandslash and she looked dismissively at him.
"No need to try get to know me, I'm not here long," she said to Ove's surprise and from then on chose to ignore him.
Ove hoped that not all of Astrid's pokemon were so hard to interact with, as Yakul hadn't really said anything to him as well, but he might be unlucky and this was all Astrid got with her.

Not long after a budew appeared and ended up walking right in front of them before it noticed. Yakul stopped and stomped impatiently with a hoof. Sonja stepped forward.
"Shoo! Get out of here," Astrid said and waved a hand.
"That's mine!" She declared and curled into a ball before she rolled past Yakul and Astrid in a straight line towards the budew.
"Sonja, wait!" Astrid exclaimed, she didn't like to attack a pokemon without warning.

Wordcount: 301
(ooc: Running shoes used: Sonja uses Defense curl and then Ice ball)

[Hunter]

It had been an uncalled for mistake for Budew to reveal its presence on the route so carelessly, Budew had not anticipated being so careless, all it wanted to do was enjoy the recent change in weather. Yakul and Sonja appeared keen for a battle upon becoming aware of the Budew's presence, it was Astrid's Alolan Sandshrew however who decided to take the decision of who was going to battle into her own hands. Curling into a ball the alolan mouse pokemon's defences looked nigh on impenetrable. Budew looked on in fear, it had not been planning to participate in any battles today.

A light green orb of energy formed above the bud pokemon's head, that energy ball then begun to emanate through Budew's body as its body size grew larger, its physical presence looked alot stronger than it previously was, if it got the chance to go on the offensive before her adversary it could spell a world of hurt upon the mouse pokemon. Sadly for Budew, it would not be lucky enough to get an opportunity to launch an offensive attack as the alolan mouse pokemon moved along the ground like an ice ball and collided directly with the hybrid grass and poison type pokemon. The damage that Sonja inflicted upon Budew was incredible, the ice type attack was extremely advantageous as the bud pokemon collapsed unconscious to the ground, it's careless mistake had ended in a swift defeat at the power of Astrid's Sonja.

---

◓ VICTORY ◓

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Sonja grew to LV14 and gained +1 Happiness!


Buz grew to LV11 due to EXP. Share

[Tarlar]

Sonja slammed into the budew and sent it flying into a snow dune where it disappeared, while Sonja continued her roll around having little control of where she was going.
"Sonja, stop! What are you doing?" Astrid exclaimed and dismounted Yakul who again began to search for grass.
"What did you do that for? Oh, that poor thing!" Astrid said worried and carefully moved over the slippery surface to where the budew had disappeared into. It couldn't be good for it to lay unconscious in the snow, it was a grass type after all.
Ove followed her watchfully, worried she would slip and get hurt.
Astrid was used to be careful and she managed to get to the bank of snow to look for the poor little thing, but she couldn't really see it.
"Oh Sonja! Stop it already!" Astrid snapped annoyed as the white sandshrew rolled past them and into another snow bank, which stopped her.
"Where did it go? It did end in here somewhere, did it not?" Astrid asked and poked the snow with her cane without any getting any results.
"Ove, can you remove some of the snow please?" Astrid said and the scyther stepped forward flapping his winds blowing the snow away with the vakuum he made. There were no budew in the snow.

Sonja stepped up beside them and Astrid turned angrily at her and began to scold her, which clearly didn't bother the sandshrew at all.
"Why did you attack it? It was neither a threat nor a challenge to you," Ove asked curiously and Sonja sparred him a glance.
"I'm looking for a trainer that is worth it and I need to be ready for whenever the right one appears," Sonja said snooty and looked a tad annoyed, "I just hope we get out of this deserted place."
"We are traveling towards Astrid's home which is in a city," Ove said casually.
"Really? Finally, I hope my search will be over by then," Sonja said relieved.
"I doubt it, they are all crazy with sunfloras there," Ove said with and grinned and the frustrated expression Sonja got, just as she got recalled by Astrid. Served her right for having such little respect.

Astrid sighed, training was hard sometimes and it had been too long since she had had kids and knew the tricks to handle it.
"I hope it is alright, I do not think we can do more," Astrid said and looked sadly around. She didn't like to just leave the grass type but she had no idea where to find it now, and it may have run off somewhere, she hoped it had.
"Yakul! We better get going if we want to reach my house before nightfall," Astrid said and mounted the skiddo when she had come over.
Astrid paused a moment to scan the area of any sign of the budew before she got Yakul going and they continued their travel.

Wordcount: 492