A Link to the Past [hold]

[latani]

Saphira, for all her bravado, was looking around nervously at the dark trees surrounding them, as if the darkness itself would leap out and attack. She spun on the spot, directing the light radiating from her tail flame to keep it at bay, though this did little to settle her heart for long. Astrid watched her with a dismissive snort before turning her gaze elsewhere, appearing for all intents to be keeping an eye on things, though she was more or less lost in her thoughts than anything. Nyx had taken to the air again, circling low enough that her wings kept brushing branches and causing her to jolt each time, believing that she'd brushed something more substantial, like another Pokemon. But it was Falchion who would be the first to spot the next Pokemon bold enough to approach the group, Tanya's Honedge glancing up at the slight whisper of legs against rough bark.

Alarmed by the sight of the quickly descending arachnid, Falchion hastily threw himself forwards to attempt an attack, only to halt at the sudden, vehement hiss the Ariados emitted. He was no shrinking violet, but the hiss was a good reminder that he couldn't just charge in blindly and assume things would turn out okay. Thankfully for him the hiss had also caught Tanya's attention, the girl's green eyes widening at the sight of the dangling Bug-type and Falchion's proximity to it. "Easy there, buddy. You'll get your chance for a battle, but it's not this one," she said reassuringly to the Honedge, beckoning him back whilst pondering who to let loose. Falchion seemed disappointed as he floated over, Tanya thought as she looked down at him. As much as a sword could express disappointment.

Still undecided, Tanya's head shot up at a deep cry that heralded Nyx swooping in from above, her wings stretched imposingly wide. "Nyx, wait--!" the redhead began to shout, raising one hand uselessly in the air as if this would stop her Honchkrow. Nyx wasn't usually one to throw herself into battle without asking, but after her earlier performance with flushing Murkrow out, Tanya was beginning to wonder if something in the chilly air had made Nyx a bit edgier than normal. Or it was always possible Nyx had seen the Ariados at the same time as Falchion and decided to take matters into her own talons. Unable, or perhaps unwilling, to stop Nyx, Tanya could only watch as her Pokemon swept down on the dangling Ariados with an incoming Wing Attack.

((Falchion sent out, switched for Nyx. Word count: 400. Adding to incubator.))

we're dancing in the flames tonight

MADE BY PISCES

[Lamont]

The arachnid rattled with pleasure as the sword pokémon stopped cold before it. A bit of an ego booster to say the least. The living weapon faltered at the sound of a simple hiss. It chuckled, nearly missing the predator circling above. The honchrow, despite her size, was a dark wing in the night sky; camouflaged by nature herself. But, the ariados was well attuned to its survival instincts and wasn't going to be caught off guard so easily. Well, that's what it liked to think. Truthfully it was likely Tanya's cry that brought he bug's attention to the hungry avian dive bombing in.

Ariados hissed once again, swinging to get a solid foothold on the side of a tree. Nyx expertly adjusted her flight path for the change in position, but the spider was counting on it. As the bird came in the wild pokémon struck out with its hooked feet, jabbing several times but only managing to nick the large crow's feathers. Of which Nyx made absolutely sure to pay back ten fold. The honchrow cawed ferociously and spun, whapping the cocking insect straight off the tree and crumbling to the ground. There was a sick crack as the bug type hit the ground, a soft hiss following as the thing attempted to right itself and skitter off. No matter how many legs it had though there weren't enough to keep it's head from spinning. It collapsed in defeat.

---

VICTORY!

---

Nyx gained 900 EXP and +1 Happiness (+10)!
She grew to LV 30!



Falchion gleaned some experience and grew to LV 21!
He also gained +1 Happiness



Yoshi grew to LV 22 thanks to EXP Share!

[latani]

If Nyx were a less humble sort, perhaps she'd be the type to boast about how she often had to be the one to clean up after the other Pokemon. But instead she took pride in knowing Tanya relied on her if one of the new additions made a misstep, even if her assistance wasn't entirely demanded. Bah. As if anyone other than herself and Saphira could take a hit and hit back just as hard. Well, perhaps the scrap of metal with anger issues too. Nyx dove in on her foe like the night sky come alive, wings extended to their fullest to better strike with, and a form of intimidation. What bug, no matter how large, could see this herald of night coming at them and not quiver? Clearly this one needed a lesson in that department, as it impishly managed to strike her first with a rapid fire attack that did little more than bend some of her feathers.

She dispatched the bug swiftly, and to add insult to injury claimed its branch for her own as she sought to straighten her feathers out. Tanya approached the fainted Ariados with a bemused look cast up at Nyx, turning round to beckon Astrid over. "Could you take this back into the woods? Wouldn't want someone trampling on it and have a really bad day," she said, Astrid responding with a grumble as she stomped her way to the unconscious arachnid and grabbed one of its twitching legs. "Nicely," Tanya said sharply, making the Krokorok pause in the middle of her attempted toss with an unhappy snort. The redhead let her lips twitch into half a smile as Astrid dragged the bug away, amused by her Pokemon's creative interpretation of her request.

"I guess we can stay for a little longer before I go back to the Center for some sleep," Tanya said after a sour-faced Astrid returned. "If anyone wants back in their ball, now's the time to pipe up." Answered with silence and some very interesting looks, she couldn't resist laughing, affectionately patting Saphira as her beloved Charmeleon sidled over again with her very welcome tail flame. It was getting rather cold as the night progressed on, and she wasn't too eager to stay out in it for much longer. Tanya's eyes landed on Yoshi as her Frogadier took up residence on a small boulder that had been covered in leaves, hoping something would come along that Yoshi could get some proper experience with. Leveling up with the Exp Share would only take her so far, and teach her little.

((Waiting for encounter. Word count: 400. Adding to incubator.))

we're dancing in the flames tonight

MADE BY PISCES

[Dan]

Ah yes, Ecruteak. A town ruled by tradition and lore, a common theme throughout our fair Johto where we set out scene. No doubt that the kimono girls and bell tower attracted many tourists. The rustic aesthetic gave a very nice ambiance to the town that looks as if it was stopped in time. This town was certainly one of the most famous in Johto, for sure. The night sky gleamed with stars as many of the residents had turned off their lights, ready for bed. Luckily the Pokemon Center could illuminate the way a tad just in case any adventurer lost their way in the night.

A creature, very familiar to Tanya, made its way out from a tree to forage for food. In the process it spotted a young trainer who talked to their Pokemon team. “What is this trainer doing?” The Murkrow thought to itself as it flew the coop. The bird landed in front of Tanya and her team and blinked curiously at her, wondering what she could be talking about. This poor thing had no idea the power that this experienced trainer had, but one would think that a Murkrow would be more wary of people, as it seemed to be a common trait with the cunning bird breed.

Another Murkrow (level 25) flew to battle!

[latani]

Tanya was glad Nyx still appeared preoccupied by her feather predicament, even if that meant one less pair of eyes to watch the night for anything potentially unfriendly coming their way. But on the other hand, she could make a call for one of her other Pokemon to intercept instead of them taking the decision upon themselves. And so the redhead was more vigilant in her watch, striding back and forth across the clearing to keep warm every few minutes. So when a curious bird emerged from the depths of the trees to land before her, Tanya held up a hand to halt any attempts to spring for the naive Murkrow. The lack of hostility was a nice thing to see, from her experience with the species, but it made her a little sad, too. The bird was only curious, and here she was about to give it a rude welcome by way of battle. Glancing round quietly, Tanya caught Yoshi's eye and nodded once, her Frogadier easing off her perch to walk over.

This Murkrow was a perfect first step for a Pokemon who hadn't battled much, if at all, and Yoshi seemed confident enough as she drew close and peered over her soon to be foe. Tanya silently cursed herself as she suddenly remembered the TM in her bag that would have been perfect to teach Yoshi, scowling internally at herself. She'd even taught another of her Pokemon a TM move earlier! She let out a small sigh, yanking her thoughts back to the present with some effort. "Don't mind me," Tanya said with a smile to Yoshi, who had glanced back upon hearing her trainer's sigh. "It's nothing important. Yoshi, when you're ready, I'd like you to try out Water Pledge." She stepped back to give the two Pokemon room, hoping Yoshi wouldn't freeze up when she realized the rest of the team was watching now too.

Sadly, Yoshi was aware of the extra attention, and her own doubts weren't helping as she gazed intently at the Dark-type. It didn't look as strong as Nyx did, though she knew from watching the earlier battle that it could easily make up for that in trickery. Decided, Yoshi hopped back half a step and raised her arm up high, as if to attack - or possibly intimidate her foe. The frog wasn't completely sure what calling upon Water Pledge entailed, but she wasn't going to lose face in front of her trainer and the rest of her team.

((Word count: 400. Adding to incubator.))

we're dancing in the flames tonight

MADE BY PISCES

[Dan]

The Murkrow picked at its feathers nonchalantly, perhaps not being cautious enough around this trainer and her strong Pokemon. She certainly had an affinity for Murkrow’s it seemed! As Murkrow examined its wings, it noticed that the ground was covered in a thick layer of ice. Good thing it could fly or else this could be quite the inconvenience!

Yoshi was in for a treat in this battle, due to the slick ice on the ground, it got to slide around the battlefield with a speed boost! It quickly issues a water pledge attack on the Murkrow. Suddenly a water pledge attack came hurling towards it, it couldn’t get away in time! Soaked in water, the Murkrow was upset about being drenched. With a strong assurance attack, it knocked Yoshi around. It tried to shake its feathers dry while it had some downtime in between moves. The dark type wished that it was a land dweller, because its talons scraped along the ice floor, making it impossible to also receive a speed boost from the ground as well.

Battle

---

Weather: Chinook

Murkrow | Level 25 |
HP: 51% (37/72)
Status: Normal
Used Assurance!

VS

Yoshi | Level 22 | Torrent | Exp. Share
HP: 48% (30/62)
Status: +1 SPD (from the chinook weather)
Used Water Pledge!

[latani]

Tanya hadn't noticed the slick ground beneath her booted feet, thanks to the grip said boots provided. Or it was more likely she didn't think twice about what kind of effect it might have on a battle involving a frog with webbed feet and no way of attaining good traction. The Murkrow appeared unconcerned, confident in the fact it could simply fly to avoid any slipping and falling, and it could easily gain purchase with its talons. Yoshi was unprepared for the experience and tried her best to corral her flailing limbs into some semblance of order as she skidded neatly towards her opponent. Sensing the opportunity it afforded her, however, she was quick to turn this in her favor and quickly launch her attack upon the dark bird, sparking some amusement as it flustered about with bedraggled feathers.

Nyx clicked her beak sympathetically, Tanya half-turning with a raised brow and stopping as she saw Saphira and Astrid doing the same thing, only with dagger glares directed at her Honchkrow instead. The synchronized disapproval had the redhead unsuccessfully stifling giggles into her hands, quickly looking away before either Pokemon could turn those looks on her. Yoshi was regaining her footing upon taking the Assurance from her upset opponent, wincing as she rubbed the now tender spot where the bird had struck her. Eager as she was to glean some proper battle experience, the attack had hurt quite a bit and given her confidence a good shaking. It was at this moment Yoshi was doubly glad for having a trainer to turn to, to help shake off woes from her past when it came to battling. Tanya's face was speculative, green eyes reflecting the light bouncing off the ice before closing briefly.

"Let's try another Water Pledge, shall we?" she said after a small pause, eyes reopening and focusing on Yoshi with a smile meant to bolster her Pokemon's spirit. Yoshi met that steady gaze and returned it, deciding to accept her trainer's belief in her and not worry about it too much. She would scarcely learn anything by not experiencing it herself and growing from it. Now aware of what the icy conditions could do for her, Yoshi went all out with extra flashy posing as the Frogadier advanced towards her opponent, hoping the Murkrow wasn't still too upset about being soaked, seeing as it was about to get another soaking very soon.

((Word count: 400. Adding to incubator.))

we're dancing in the flames tonight

MADE BY PISCES

[Dan]

Much of Johto was now covered by the icy ground, so many of the Pokemon didn’t really seem bothered by it too much. Or perhaps they had just been exposed to it so much that they had stopped being surprised by it? Who knows. Murkrow was certainly a nonchalant Pokemon, the Pokemon was not too concerned with the icy ground, but found a lot of pleasure in peering into the activities that trainers were up to.

The dark type watched as the frog Pokemon slid valiantly across the ice to usher another water pledge attack. The nerve! This weather was too cold for water types to be making Pokemon soaking wet, they could freeze to death! Now the bird was irked, it swooped down with a strong wing attack and sliced the cute water starter with the attack. The bird laughed menacingly, hehehehe. It watched as Yoshi fell over in exhaustion from battling. A valiant effort but this Murkrow was a tricky little mon.

Battle

---

Weather: Chinook

Murkrow | Level 25 |
HP: 1% (1/72)
Status: Normal
Used Wing Attack!

VS

Yoshi | Level 22 | Torrent | Exp. Share
HP: 0% (0/62)
Status: +1 SPD (from the chinook weather)
Used Water Pledge!

Yoshi fainted (-1 happiness)! Send out another Pokemon!

[latani]

Murkrow were no slouches when it came to strength, even when not part of a flock. Tanya could remember Nyx holding her own before she had evolved, but she could do nothing but hope Yoshi held on, or netted a knockout with her next move. Yoshi was hyper-aware of all eyes on her as she moved in towards her quarry, ignoring them, as well as her nerves, to keep her balance on the slippery ground and on the Murkrow as well. The next sequence of events happened quickly - a spray of water from Yoshi knocking the Murkrow back, its angry cry, and subsequent swoop into the retreating Frogadier that sent her sprawling with a cut-off grunt of pain. Tanya waited only a brief second before dropping to her knees, heedless of the pain from hitting the hard ground, careful hands shifting Yoshi partially onto her lap to better check her over. Blowing out a short sigh as she understood the Frogadier had well and truly fainted, Tanya fumbled for her ball with shaky fingers and recalled her.

"Sorry Yoshi, guess I underestimated our feathered friend here," the redhead murmured as she rose back up to her full height. She didn't need to glance around at her team to figure out who stepped out in Yoshi's place, beckoning Falchion over with a quick gesture in his direction. The Honedge eagerly glided forwards to face the bedraggled bird, the sash protruding from his hilt all but rippling with excitement. Tanya hoped the Murkrow would think she was giving it an easy foe, and thus let down its guard a little. Had it not already been weakened by its battle with Yoshi, she wouldn't have even considered Falchion as a contender, but there was a move she was pinning success on. As long as Falchion didn't suffer from stage fright, there wasn't much else to fear here.

Rubbing her hands together to generate a little warmth, prompting Saphira to practically attach herself to Tanya's legs, the trainer nodded at Falchion as he swung round to wait for her orders. "Alright Falchion, try out that Shadow Sneak of yours!" Tanya called. The possessed sword acknowledged this with a sound like clinking metal, his single eye locked on the clever bird. It might have the advantage in raw strength, but he could be equally as devious with his ghostly powers. Tanya settled back to let the battle play out, promising to make it up to Yoshi sometime later when she could stop by the Center to warm up and heal her team.

we're dancing in the flames tonight

MADE BY PISCES

[Lamont]

The bird's cackling was interrupted by a brief moment of coughs. In it's moment of victory it had forgotten just how weakened it was, thus lost track of its breath. Once it had composed itself it resumed a mocking chortle, though far more subdued. Every part of it ached. The torrent of water thrown at it had nearly been its end, but even after it was gone and the bird stood dripping wet the chill of the night was settling in. With a fresh new opponent to face Murkrow was sure this was going to be a struggle to stay conscious.

But it was wrong.

With a whirl of its sash the hovering sword seemed to be swept up by the shadows of the trees. The crow's chuckles ceased. It blinked a couple times before darting its head side to side in search of Falchion. Murkrow hadn't even seen it coming. The sword guillotined the unsuspecting avian with the flat of its blade, driving it into the ground without hesitation.

Backing off to observe any possible retaliation Falchion would be met with a pitiful mess of black feathers. The cackling was gone and the Murkrow was laid helpless to the ground, murmuring incomprehensible noises in a daze.

---

VICTORY!

---

Falchion grew to LV 24 and gained +1 Happiness! (+2)
He would like to learn Aerial Ace; delete an old move?

[latani]

Once again, all eyes were on the battle, the other members of her party exceedingly curious about how a Honedge fought. Astrid in particular was watching keenly, dark eyes unblinking so as to not miss a second of the fight. Falchion was swift in meting out justice for the fallen Yoshi, silencing the laughing Murkrow and hastily backing off. When the bird did not rise to strike in revenge, Falchion spun round to face Tanya, pride radiating off of him in noticeable waves. She didn't hide her grin, showering the Honedge with praise before sending Nyx a significant look. Her Honchkrow swept out of the tree and plucked her smaller kin from the ground, becoming one with the night as she sought to stash the Murkrow somewhere safe. Tanya waited for the bird to return before speaking to her team, bracing herself for the disappointed looks she was about to be on the receiving end of. "With Yoshi down and this night just getting too chilly, I'm going to call it here and get back to the Center. We'll come back in the morning," the redhead said hesitantly.

There were no protests or sighs, though Astrid make a small huffing noise that was hard to discern. "Thanks guys. I'm sure most of you are tired too," Tanya said with a laugh, reaching into her bag to recall her team. She carefully picked her way through the trees back to Ecruteak, bee-lining for the Pokemon Center with a certain degree of haste. Morning came all too soon, but with some good night's sleep and her team back to full health, Tanya was feeling a lot more refreshed and confident. The day that greeted her as she left the Center was a dreary one, wispy fog curling round the historical buildings. It was like something out of a movie, though she sincerely hoped it wasn't a horror flick, with nasty things lurking behind corners waiting to jump out and spook her. (Ick. I've had enough jump scares recently to last me a lifetime.) Tanya stayed alert all the way back out to Route 37, leaning up against a tree to get her bearings in the fog-drenched landscape.

"Just don't go flying off at every Pokemon that shows up, alright?" Tanya warned Nyx as she let the Honchkrow free from her ball. Settling her bulk on a sturdy looking branch, Nyx clicked her beak impetuously. "Hmph, I'll try. It's not my fault that silly sword tried to pick a fight with something twice its size," she responded, casting her gaze away from Tanya. "But if I want to train someone else, it's not fair if you take it upon yourself to act before I get a chance," her trainer shot back. "Keep an eye out for me - your eyes are better than mine and this fog isn't helping." Nyx was only slightly mollified by Tanya's assessment of her keener eyesight, and she settled into the task with gusto, despite her deceptively lazy looking posture.

(Teaching Aerial Ace over Fury Cutter. Could I also have Ice Beam taught to Yoshi over Water Pledge, and the Lucky Egg equipped to Yoshi? Thank you!)

we're dancing in the flames tonight

MADE BY PISCES

[Marchbaby]

The foggy weather certainly was a hastle for the wild Pokemon of Route 37 to deal with and it did not seem that an end was in sight. The visibility was so bad that even the flying type Pokemon who lived on the route had to fly low just to avoid slamming into one of the towers in Ecruteak. One such Pokemon was gliding along minding its own business as it tried to find somewhere nice to roost for a while when it started to hear mumbling off in the distance and went to investigate. The flying type could not see anything at all even as the mumbling slowly became recognizable as a voice. By the time the Pokemon figured out it was a trainer and her Pokemonit was too late as the bird slammed into a nearby tree near Nyx.

As the Staravia fell to the ground upside down the sight of such a powerful bird gave it chills as it realized that its curiosity had gotten it into a pickle. The bird twisted and turned until it was able to turn its body right side up again as it stared at Tanya and Nyx with the fear of Arceus in its eyes. It had not meant any harm at all even if the noise from it greeting the tree suggested otherwise. The fog seemed to get worse as it kept as far away from Tanya and her Pokemon as it could while hoping the trainer might show it some mercy despite the silly mistake. With how things looked right now slamming into the Burned Tower or the Bell Tower seemed like quite a fortunate event as they were inanimate objects that could not prevent it from escaping if it slammed into them.

Staravia for the moment could only wait in anxious agony as it watched Tanya ready to strike if the trainer did not show it mercy while also looking for a way out if the trainer did let it go. Either way it cursed the fog that had placed it in such an awful predicament.

A wild Staravia (Level 20) has made the mistake of running into you in the fog. Do you wish to battle or run?

[latani]

Compared to the previous night the temperature was greatly improved, even if the visibility wasn't quite what it should be. At least she didn't have to rely on layers of clothing, plus Saphira, to stay relatively warm whilst waiting for something to come along, be it trainer or Pokemon. Nyx, meanwhile, slowly swept her gaze across the shapeless gray wall that blanketed the route. It was thick enough to deny even her keen eyes, but that didn't mean she couldn't alert Tanya should something come hurtling towards them. But as it was, her sentry duty was rendered moot by the sound of heavy wings flapping unseen, a noise even Tanya heard. Both trainer and Pokemon looked round, curiosity piqued, yet neither were able to spot the source of the sound until it slammed into the tree. Nyx uttered an undignified sound, feathers ruffling from the sudden surprise encounter, glaring balefully at the grounded Staravia.

"Why I never," the Honchkrow drawled, deeply offended. Was this some crude trick to try and sneak up on her? She hastily held herself back from saying or doing more, recalling Tanya's warning barely five minutes old, content to keep her doleful red eyes on the smaller bird. Intimidation would keep it in place long enough for her trainer to make a decision on what to do. Tanya had been watching the anxious Staravia as it edged away from where she stood, its eyes darting fearfully between her and Nyx, trying to dredge up any knowledge she held of the species. But she wasn't familiar enough with the Sinnoh native bird to figure out if it was worth trying to capture, and instead decided it would make a fine choice for Yoshi to try battling. "Don't worry, this won't take too long," Tanya said under her breath, feeling only a moment's guilt for what she was about to do.

Yoshi appeared between one blink and the next, body going still as she spotted the Staravia just across from her. "It's okay Yoshi. Last night wasn't your fault - it was mine. And I'm sorry I let it happen," Tanya began, voice steady as the Frogadier turned towards her, listening intently. "I should have known better that Murkrow was a bit more challenging for you. But we've both got to improve, one step at a time. Fighting this Pokemon is one of those steps, if you're up for it." Giving her would-be opponent an assessing look, Yoshi drew herself up with a deep breath and nodded. If she faltered here, the chances of seeing more battles were slim to none, which was very much not good if she wanted to atone for her past failings. Tanya grinned, ordering an Ice Beam for whenever her partner was ready to strike.

we're dancing in the flames tonight

MADE BY PISCES

[Marchbaby]

The unfortunate Staravia's heart sank as it realized it was not going to get off the hook so easily as it saw Yoshi getting ready to strike. It just could not catch a break between the weather and slamming into a tree and now getting into a battle with Tanya. The frog like Pokemon that stepped forward ready to attack did not look very tough but after the awful string of events so far Staravia was not going to take any chances. It was a pretty fast Pokemon and thought for sure if it used speed it could at least buy itself some time until it could find a way to hurt the Frogadier without putting itself at too much risk. Little did it know the frog was a master of speed and that by trying to take advantage of its speed it was actually making Yoshi's job a heck of a lot easier even in the fog.

Yoshi watched as the bird started to climb into the fog waiting for the perfect moment to strike as she did not want to miss her shot. She jumped into the tree that Staravia slammed into hoping the bird would miscalculate it's altitude in the fog so she could score a direct hit. Sure enough the bird flew back down a few moments later being quite sure that Yoshi has lost track of it and nearly slammed into the same tree that Yoshi was standing on. As the bird made a hard right turn to try and avoid a collision she fired a fairly weak Ice Beam that was very well aimed. It was not her finest work but it did score a CRITICAL HIT sending the bird into a tailspin. Staravia crashed face first into the ground blacking out after letting out a slight " Caw" making it very clear it could not continue.

Yoshi jumped out of the tree a bit stunned that such a poorly charged Ice Beam could still cause so much damage. Nonetheless she was very pleased to have won the battle without too many struggles getting in her way. She still had a lot to learn but at least for now she could celebrate her quick victory without having to dwell too much on the negatives. Even so they had to be careful as the noise from this battle would likely attract more Pokemon their way looking for a battle. The good news was that the fog had begun to lift only for the appearance of storm clouds to take their place along with thunder off in the distance.  

Yoshi gained 3 levels thanks to her Lucky Egg and +1 happiness. She is trying to learn Round but she already knows 4 moves. Would you like her to forget a move so she can learn Round? She is now level 25 with 0/1951 experience needed to level up and 0 happiness overall.

[latani]

Tanya could see Staravia's crestfallen look even through the hazy fog, guilt returning to haunt her thoughts whilst she waited for Yoshi to initiate combat. Sure, she could call Yoshi off, but that would undo any potential good and only confuse her Pokemon. They needed her to be clear-minded, no matter how guilty she felt about worsening this unwitting bird's day. Nyx continued watching the Staravia, clucking her beak in a judgemental sort of way - a graceful flier, Staravia was not, although this was most likely a result from colliding with the tree. Nyx had to give the fellow avian credit for opting to use the fog as a means to shake Yoshi off its trail, instead of flying directly at the Water-type in a way that just screamed 'HIT ME PLEASE'. Even Yoshi was surprised, shaking it off after a hesitant pause to jump into the tree for better vantage. A deep breath steadied her still skittish nerves, despite a tingling sensation spreading through what seemed like her very cells. It was a unique feature of her ability, Protean, but Yoshi admitted to herself that she detested how cold changing into an Ice-type made her feel.

Then her foe swooped into view, hastily correcting its flight path to avoid a second collision, and the Frogadier scrambled to strike before it wised up and flew out of range. The Ice Beam wasn't as strong as a result of her hurried strike, Yoshi hoping this fumble wouldn't prove disastrous. To her amazement, however, it struck Staravia directly in the side and sent it careening to the ground, one feeble squawk audible before the bird collapsed completely. Tanya let out a cheer, open pride visible on her face as she glanced up at her Frogadier. "Great job Yoshi! That wasn't so bad huh?" she said, glad to see a small smile from Yoshi that vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, the frog carefully jumping down to stand next to her. Baby steps, Tanya reminded herself, were needed to keep Yoshi's confidence up and strong. Giving her partner a few more words of praise before recalling her, Tanya jumped as a rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, drawing her attention to the storm-dark sky.

"Ugh. So much for a nice day," the redhead sighed, scratching the back of her head. A bit of bad weather wasn't going to send her seeking shelter in the city; no, it just made her job of training her team less fun, especially if the wildlife chose to stay put instead of coming to her. Nyx regarded the sky glumly, feathers bristling. She hated flying in the rain, finding it more of a chore as a Honchkrow thanks to her bigger size. "I suppose you'd prefer company," the Dark-type said to Tanya, a fierce longing to be in her ball growing as the storm clouds crept ever closer. "Until it gets too rainy, if you don't mind," Tanya replied in a distracted tone, striding round the clearing and peering into the trees, as if this would somehow make a wild Pokemon appear.

we're dancing in the flames tonight

MADE BY PISCES