Conifer Crest: Astrid

[Lamont]

A wild Aipom (LV 10) fell outta the tree!
Encountered here

[Tarlar]

As the aipom dropped out of the tree and hang dangling from the branch, Eevee jumped back in surprise. It was not what she had expected, or anyone else as they until now had only met ekans.
"What is that? It looks cool!" Hector exclaimed and Astrid was ready to share her knowledge after her encounter with another one of the species.
"It is an aipom, a normal type," she wasn't surprised to see the boy's disappointment to that information but if he had decided to only stick with 6 pokemon and wanted different types, he would have to accept that he would meet a lot which was of the types he already had.
"I think it is pretty rare actually," Astrid said encouragingly and Hector pouted.
"That's not going to make it any better, I already have Raticate. I need something else if I want to avoid being too weak against one type," he said regretfully and Astrid nodded. He had thought well about this.

Eevee was wiggling her butt and looked like she was aiming at the sleepy monkey.
"You better help her before she starts on her own," Astrid adviced and Hector nodded.
"Hey Eevee, try headbutt it and be ready for what it does," Hector called out and got an eager grin from her back.
"Now I'm going after you! You better wake up or I will make you!" Eevee called to the aipom playfully, and narrowed her eyes as she took aim before she jumped as high as she could to try reach the purple monkey dangling above her.
"We'll need to let Astrid's pokemon get a turn against it as well Eevee, so do you best while you can!" Hector covered his warning in an encouragement as she hadn't been pleased about being taken out of the other battles she had been in against the ekans. Eevee didn't react, she still didn't like it but right now she needed to focus to succeed with her attack.

"Hey Astrid, what pokemon do you think you want to participate with?" Hector asked and Astrid frowned thoughtfully.

Wordcount: 350
(ooc: Eevee uses Headbutt)

[Lamont]

Aipom shook itself awake, tiny hands slapping its cheeks lightly to hasten the process. Bright glossy eyes scanned over all the activity in the clearing. Its hazy visage remained only for a second as it finally picked up on what was going on here. The monkey's mouth spread into a mischievous grin by the time the eager eevee had began prancing about in prep for a well placed headbutt attack.

"Catch me if you can!" it snickered. The aipom began swinging lightly, a playfulness springing into its limbs as it watched the little fur ball get into position. It was a little taunting. That tail rooted swing. This only emboldened the young one, making her drop defenses for the sake of trying to deliver and even better attack to impress this cheeky wild pokémon.
"You're so slow. That long fur getting in your way? You need a shave." The aipom continued to tease and chuckle, all the while swaying gently from the branch.

The hanging pokémon took its eyes off of Eevee for just a moment to indulge itself in its own words. As it closed its eyes and raised a hand at how funny it was the other normal type flung herself into the air. She whammed into the monkey. Forehead met forehead with a cushioned knock dully sounding in the glade. The aipom's swing changed to oscillate away from the impact. The monkey's chuckles ceased only for a moment before returning in higher volume.


Wild Encounter

---

Weather: Clear

[attr="class","qkt-bkgd"]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]

[attr="class","qkt-clip"]Aipom

LV 10
HP 79% [27/34]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]

[attr="class","qkt-clip"]Eevee

LV 6
HP 100% [24/24]

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

Aipom: Normal
Eevee [Run Away]: -1 DEF

SP25 Aipom used Tail Whip!
SP13 Eevee used Headbutt!

[Tarlar]

Astrid spent some time looking at her pokemon.
"I think Helen is the one who needs the most training," Astrid said after a bit of thought and the spinarak looked solemnly at her. Helen hadn't had much action before she had been assigned to Astrid's team, she had learned the basic but there was still a lot she needed to know and she was aware she still had a long way to go.
"This Aipom might be a bit too much for her to take on her own as well, so I think Yakul needs to go in and soften it up a bit first," the old woman decided with a smile while Hector looked curiously at her. He clearly didn't lay a plan like she did and she hoped he could learn a thing or two.
"I think the biggest challenge will be to convince Eevee to step back and let others step in," Astrid pointed out as she stepped over to get Shane off Yakul and free her of her saddlebags so she could be ready for battle.
"Yeah.." Hector said hesitant as he watched his eevee.

Eevee's little face screwed up in annoyance as the aipom taunted her for her slowness. If it would just stay still! Every time she thought she had gotten a good aim and was ready to jump, it moved!
"I'm not slow!" She retorted as she glared at it waving back and forth up on its branch. Oh, if she just had the skills of her aunt who had been able to breathe fire, or even her brother who would have soaked this aipom and wiped off its grin in a blink of an eye, it wouldn't have dared to say such things. She didn't, not yet at least and she would have to do without.
"You'll regret not having any fur when winter comes!" She shouted to the aipom just before she leaped and managed to knock her head into it. It didn't have the effect she had hoped for, as it just swung a bit more wildly and began to cackle at her, which was how it sounded.
It hadn't hit her yet, but she had a feeling she might not be strong enough to take it down, and she pouted.

"Hey Eevee, that was a great attack! That is just what was needed for Astrid's pokemon to take over and handle it!" Hector praised her loudly and Eevee glanced back at him with a dry look.
"Will you come back now, so hers can get a chance too?" he asked her kindly and she sighed. It was nice of him to try hide it as if she was helping others but she knew it was because they didn't think she could handle it, but it wouldn't change that she was fleeing from the battle.
She got to her feet and turned her back on the aipom, determined to not show any reaction to the mocking she was sure would come from it. She sat down beside Hector and reluctantly accepted his petting, as she watched the grassy goat step forward to take her place.

Yakul's ears twitched as if removing an annoying fly before spitting a few seeds at the dangling aipom. Eevee frowned as her trainer, as neither could see how those small things should could do any harm on impact on the aipom.

Wordcount: 566
(ooc: Yakul switches in and uses Leech Seed)

[Lamont]

The wild aipom's mocking snickers would follow the young eevee every step as she left battle range. She couldn't see it but the monkey waved her off, all the while gently swinging on its branch. It eyed the others around. A hunger in its gaze as it waited to see who it was would be next to be the target of its sharp tongue. There were so many subjects it wasn't an easy thing to pick out early. But...

The dexterous ape suddenly swung itself up and to another branch. And again, but this time to a closer tree with a bit more foliage to mask its bright purple fur. The ruffle of leaf and jingle of thin branch would become a jumble of faint movements making it difficult to figure out just where the normal type had positioned itself, but it was easy to guess the wild pokémon was getting closer while its next challenger stepped forward and revealed themselves. Only when this was clear would the monkey rapidly descend and try for a spook tactic. Its wide grin flashing with mischievous intent would drop down right in Yakul's face a moment before he made the decision to try for a leech seed.

It was shocking, but not particularly well timed given the switch out. The goat's ears twitched and the seeds were released near point blank. An easy target for Yakul. Caught off guard Aipom's pelted face and flailing arms made it lose grip on whatever its tail had been holding above. It fell to the ground at which point it continued acting completely instinctively. Arms still flying around, the grounded monkey reached to the ground and retaliated with a flurry of dirt.


Wild Encounter

---

Weather: Clear

[attr="class","qkt-bkgd"]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]

[attr="class","qkt-clip"]Aipom

LV 10
HP 68% [23/34]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]

[attr="class","qkt-clip"]Yakul

LV 19
HP 100% [59/59]

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

Aipom: Seeded (-4HP)
Yakul [Sap Sipper]: -1 ACC

SP++ Yakul switched in for Eevee!
SP25 Aipom used Astonish!

SP30 Yakul used Leech Seed!
SP25 Aipom used Sand Attack!

[Tarlar]

Eevee walked with her head held high as she did her best to ignore the monkey's mocking laughter, but it was hard. She wanted to e strong and outgoing and explore and it was hard when you couldn't handle what you were facing. It made sense that her trainer had called her back even though she wanted to wipe that grin of the aipom's face.

"Don't let it get to you" Helen said and Eevee startled as she hadn't heard the spinarak coming over to her.
"We might not be strong enough to handle this battle on our own, but with a team behind us we will grow much faster and before you know it, aipom here wouldn't even dare challenge you," Helen said calmly and Eevee moved her paws embarrassed.
"You already know a lot more than you did yesterday right? Your trainer has already taught you a new move," Helen added and Eevee relaxed with a smile.
"You are right, and it is fun to see what I can knock out of the trees, even if I can't win in a battle yet, he is using me a lot," Eevee said hopefully and looked up at Hector who had his attention at the battle and tried to learn as much from it as possible.
"You are both young but you will learn together," Helen added confidently and Eevee glanced and her, thinking it sounded a bit too cliché. But she was right in that Hector had did a lot to help her and that she had learned a lot.
Eevee glanced at Hector's other pokemon who all three very pointedly kept their eyes at the battle and pretended not to have heard anything. Eevee excused herself to Helen and stepped boldly over to her team mates and sat with them, soon she was asking them questions about what adventures they had been on, although it turned out not to have been many.

"Hey Astrid, what did that do?" Hector called over to the old woman who smiled.
"That is called Leech Seed, it drains a bit energy and gives it back to Yakul, it helps her in long battles and she likes to use it," Astrid explained as Yakul stomped the ground and rubbed her face against her leg in an attempt to get rid of the annoying sand.
"You don't order your pokemon around?" Hector added slowly to which Astrid shook her head.
"I am too slow to keep up during most battles, although I could probably do it this time," she said and smiled, "but I often make a tactic and tells my pokemon the overall goal and to tell me if they need to be recalled or healed, it works best for us that way."
Hector grinned, "I have never heard of a thing like that before!" He wasn't quite sure of what to think about it but didn't look like it was a thing he felt like trying out.

Yakul bowed her head threateningly and pawed the ground, she didn't like what the aipom had done to her and wanted to let it pay for it. Unlike Eevee she wasn't a talker, some of the other pokemon wasn't even sure if she could talk, .
With a snort Yakul leaped forward and charged at Aipom with her head down, hopefully she was fast enough to make it before the aipom made it back into the tree where it would be much harder for the four-legged skiddo to reach it.

"What is it monkey? Do you only know how to play tricks?" Raticate called out cheerfully as she had been wondering why the aipom had only done things to tease and not to hurt until now.

Wordcount: 620
(ooc: Yakul uses Tackle)

[Lamont]

All attempts to find and remove all the little sprouts that had opened and spread about its fur would prove impossible in the heat of battle. Aipom had managed to brush a few away but overall it could feel them beginning to work their magic. Suddenly the tables had turned on it. Where not even a full moment ago it was the one snickering on the side and laughing, now it was the subject of mockery with Raticate adding their voice.

"No more tricks?" it hissed in response. The monkey slapped its palms together to rid the remaining fresh soil from their surface. "Serious then!"

It had planned to follow up its screech with more impressive action, but Yakul was too quick. The goat was already on her way by the time Aipom had torn its focus away from the giant rat off-side. Successful teamwork perhaps. The distraction helped the skiddo ram the wild pokémon headfirst. The purple monkey was sent rolling back into a tree trunk. Head spinning, Aipom didn't recover very fast. A hand was on its head as it tried to stand, legs unsteady it stumbled a little ways.

Throughout it all the only thing the little aipom managed to do was a little scratch at the base of Yakul's horns. The damage was swiftly soothed by the leech seeds transferring energy from the normal type.


Wild Encounter

---

Weather: Clear

[attr="class","qkt-bkgd"]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]

[attr="class","qkt-clip"]Aipom

LV 10
HP 21% [7/34]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]

[attr="class","qkt-clip"]Yakul

LV 19
HP 97% [57/59]

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

Aipom: Seeded (-4HP)
Yakul [Sap Sipper]: -1 ACC

SP30 Yakul used Tackle!
SP25 Aipom used Scratch!

[Tarlar]

Yakul was unfaced by the challenge given by Raticate and the change of mood in the aipom, she lived by her instincts and that only told her she was in a battle and the purple monkey was her opponent.
The first tackle sent it ramming into a tree and Yakul didn't even notice the scratches it had given her in retaliation, to be fair, she wouldn't have noticed any bigger injury either, not as long as the adrenaline was rushing in her blood.
She took a few steps backwards while she moved her head up and down threateningly, with tense muscles she readied herself to charge the aipom once again now it was possible with it on the ground.

"Woah! That was powerful!" Hector exclaimed impressed and his pokemon went silent in surprised awe of the skiddo's abilities. They had all just seen her as a subdued packmule and hadn't expected her really being able to battle, but she had showed she could pack a punch.
"It was, but I do wonder if now is the time for the change, if the aipom is mellowed enough for Helen to take over," Astrid mused out loud but none of her current pokemon would be able to tell her.
"Are you kidding?! Yes!" Hector exclaimed with a grin and threw his arms open.
"If Yakul uses another one of those then the aipom will be knocked the tree right over!" He continued excitedly and Astrid smiled at his exaggeration.
"Did you see that?!" Hector asked his own pokemon who had become rather quiet, "That's our goal! You can do that before we leave the forest!"

While Astrid, and Hector's own pokemon was doubtful about his expectations, he had convinced her that it was probably time to switch Helen in and see if she couldn't take over now.
"Yakul! Come here," Astrid called out and the skiddo turned her head to look over her shoulder. Astrid gestured her over and Yakul instantly relaxed and turned her back at the aipom, having forgotten all about the battle. When she reached her old trainer, she headbutted her affectionately and wanted pettings.
"Go ahead Helen, do you best," Astrid said warmly, "I will suggest you use a move which damage it and we will see how it goes," she added thoughtfully.

The spinarak quickly crawled towards the aipom fully concentrated on the task in front of her, she would call for the help from the small grubs in the ground, but she would have to show them where to go and unlike some of her other moves they wouldn't sustain her or protect her against her opponent, but hopefully it would still be enough.
Helen made sure to pick up and be in touch with some of the roots from Yakul's Leech Seed, which she knew she could benefit from as well.
When she was close enough, she clatteret her tiny pinsers and shook her legs against the ground, and soon the ground below the aipom became live with movements.

Hector's pokemon felt bad for the aipom, being all alone against all of them.
"Perhaps use some tricks now?" The pidgeotto called out as a suggestion even though it might be too late.
Eevee frowned as she didn't really understood why the other felt so bad about the situation, they were in a battle and it was their opponent, and it had mocked her only a few minutes ago! She was fine seeing it having some trouble even if it meant that it showed her as even weaker, she definitely didn't want to see things turn around again.

Wordcount: 602
(ooc: Helen switches in and uses Infestation
If the battle ends I'd like to use the multiplier on Helen.)

[Lamont]

It was much too late, but that wouldn't stop the aipom from giving it a try. Tricks were an ingrained nature of its species after all. However, with its head still spinning it wasn't sure it'd be able to aim very well at a distance and its legs ready to buckle at any given moment certainly wasn't going to make covering distance quickly for a good spook as exhilarating as usual. With the tough goat backing off in favor of an arachnid the monkey was a bit more familiar with, Aipom took the moment to try and gather its wits.

The ape turned itself around and climbed back up to the first branch of the tree where it made another attempt to lower its opponents defenses with a whip of its tail. Little did it know that this would give the spinarak ample time to work up such a sneak little attack of her own.

One of the grubs spurred by Helen made it to the wild pokémon's hand while it was busy swinging its tail. Without thinking anything of it the monkey shook off the little bug and continued its business of trying to recover its senses and plan an attack before Yakul's seeds did the rest of the work. But again it was interrupted by a slug finding its way to the aipom. The monkey grumbled and shook it off only for more tiny forest bugs to make their way toward it. Only when the third one arrived did it take note that it was being swarmed.

Aipom hopped to its feet, tail wrapped around the branch as it swatted at ants and centipedes. All of which began to make little nibbles and bites. Aipom howled as it danced up in its tree kicking and flailing in an attempt to rid its vicinity of all the bugs but it was for naught. There were far too many and even more still coming.

Without a coherent word to the spider or those still down on the forest floor Aipom made a hasty retreat. Swinging from tree to tree the purple monkey made sure to give itself much distance from the scene of battle. All the while scrapping at the infestation it had been subjected to so as to not bring it all with it wherever it was retreating to now.

---

VICTORY!

---

Helen grew to LV 14 thanks to the multiplier and gained +1 Happiness! (+1)
She's trying to learn Scary Face; forget an old move?



Yakul grew to LV 20 and gained +1 Happiness! (+5)
She's trying to learn Synthesis; forget an old move?



Eevee grew to LV 7 and gained +1 Happiness! (+2)