Little Lost, Looking to Learn [Penumbra Hills][F]

[Pixel]

Adrian knew when to throw in the towel. So with a nod he ambled forward until Mishu called out a warning. The purple streak had him leaping back as Sarge lunged forward to try to grab the snake by the neck and throw it away from the party. He snarled at his foe, prepared to defend his new pack to the death if he had to, as he was fully committed. There was no turning back. Not for him. Ever. 

With a shake of his head, Adrian took out a pokeball, braced to throw it if Sarge's assault didn't spook it off into the bushes. He had eggs to protect in his pack, and after finding out about that egg eating tendency, he wasn't too eager to have one of these things at his back. That...and he may have seen a notice on his pokegear about someone looking to trade for one of these snakes in Cherrygrove. Wouldn't hurt any to offer one up?

Buddy watched from behind his leg, curious, but confident that her teammate had this covered. 

"I've seen a lot of ratatta and ekans here...are they the most, uh, populous species or whatever? What's the rarest thing you've documented seeing around here?"

—

Word Count: +200 | OOC: Bite + Pokeball

[Caramell 🍬]

Sergeant met the snake midway in the air. The two tangled in a nasty heap, where growls and loud howls bred with sharp hisses. Sharp fangs sunk into the back of the serpent’s scaly neck and held fast, tossing it like a ragdoll while he bit on with all of his might. They landed, snake ensnared inside of Poochyena’s sharp canines, wriggling, and coiling repeatedly as it tried in vain to grasp at anything and manage to break away. These were not easy prey to take down and far from its favored dish of delicious eggs that it could easily swallow whole. It had made a grave miscalculation.

Sarge tossed Ekans into a large briar bush. The thorns scraped against its thick scales, digging through the toughened flesh to leave small welts along its flesh. It panted, lifting its head up slowly, and paused temporarily as it tried to regain itself. Then, out from underneath the wild plant, Ekans slithered forth, forked tongue slipped from between its lips to taste the air. There was no turning back now! It lunged again, beaten and broken but not out of the running, only to meet a Poke Ball to the face that zapped it inside, where it remained.

Mishu watched the capture with mild interest and hummed softly to herself. “Yes, Rattata and Ekans are the most common creatures around here.” She confirmed Adrian’s suspicions. It was easy to run across them since Rattata bred so frequently and Ekans lacked many natural predators who favored dining on it throughout the hills. Perhaps the Poochyena would when push came to shove? They were omnivorous and so would easily make a meal out of anything that they needed to. “There are some crows that have been heard of, but I haven’t confirmed the tails. And humors of Houndours, though no one has been known to spot one yet.” She admitted with a soft hum.

Would Adrian put two-and-two together about the crows or would he press further?

SPOILER: Click to show

Ekans Move: Wrap, Leer, Poison Sting
Sarge's Attack: (crit) nYrOQKPS1-16 (strength) 1-16 (30% flinch) 1-100
Ekans' Attack: 1-3

Ekans was left with exactly 1 HP thanks to the low strength roll, otherwise *makes weird sound while running hand across neck*

---

Sergeant gained 1 level.
Sergeant increased to Level 17!

Please fill out the form on your new Pokemon:

[img src="https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/bw/ekans.png"]
[b]Ekans[/b]
Name: [choose]
Gender: [choose]
Level: 8
OT: Adrian Hartt
Moves: Wrap, Leer, Poison Sting
Ability: Intimidate OR Shed Skin
Nature/Personality: [choose]

-1 Poke Ball deducted from inventory.
Coins already updated in shop! <3 Congrats on page 5!

1-16·1-16·1-100·1-3

[Pixel]

"Crows..." Adrian wasn't super familiar with a lot of more obscure pokemon, but he was pretty sure he heard talk of a dark-type called Murkrow before in Kanto. "Never seen one before but...are you talking about murkrow? Uh. funny hat bird?" He went over to pick up the pokeball and pet Sarge. "Good boy. You're really gettin' strong, huh?" He pocked the ball and turned as he heard Mishu mention houndour. He blinked. 

"Wait. Wait. You mean like this pokemon?" He showed Mishu his pokedex...and the caught location right there on the screen. "The first time I got lost around here, er, accidentally mind you, I saw one. I walked into a spinarak web and, well, nevermind. I was trying to catch it but I grabbed an adrenaline orb instead of a pokeball. It was too dark to tell the difference. And, well, the spinarak sorta...climbed on it and made a bunch of weird noises and yeah..." He paused. "She was, uh, a very tough battle when Buddy was the only one really strong enough on my team not to get knocked out by it...and with the type disadvantage and everything...Sarge came in clutch at the end. Teamwork."

He trailed off and cleared his throat.

"A-anyway. They're...um...native. I saw one. Yeah." He pocketed his 'dex, self-concious all of the sudden. Adrian wasn't usually this talkative, but it was rather...easy to ramble at the scholar about pokemon stuff. She didn't push emotional stuff or pry him for personal information. Just yammered about pokemon. A safe topic. One he himself had a passion for. "...We should get going again."

—

Word Count: 280 | OOC: Encounter! Maybe I will find a tree. Maybe I will evolve Sarge. Next episode on—

[Caramell 🍬]

Mishu nodded her head with a smile. She was all too familiar with the crows that were nearly impossible to find on her estates herself, having one that recently evolved into a powerful Honchcrow. Mishu found hers as an egg discarded on the ground inside of a nest that must have fallen out of the tree its parents had built to protect it. “Yes, Murkrow are found around the estates but they’re very rare to find. Some have never even seen them after spending years studying at our Education Center.” She explained with a soft smile.

Something stirred overhead. Glimpses of black streaked between the soft greens and muted browns of the branches and their broad leaves above. A loud caw echoed through the canopy, though for the moment it seemed its guest would remain just out of reach. Mishu turned to Adrian surprised at the discovery he was claiming to have made, but as he showed her where he found it on his Pokedex, she only smiled. Houndour were on the estates, though they remained elusive to nearly everyone. And here, a guest who had simply gotten lost deep inside of the hills managed to find one for himself. “Oh, this is great news to know! Thanks for sharing it with me. Maybe it can help shed light on their habits within the hills.”

She would paused as their hidden guest would fly up out of the tree and land just behind Adrian on the ground, stretching its wings with mild interest. “Houndour can be difficult to raise for some. Let me know if you ever need advice or help. I’ve a Houndoom of my own that I raised since she was a pup.” The bird stretched out its wings and let out a sharp trill as it stared at the two humans warily, then pecked around in the tall grass in its pursuit of finding a meal.

A Wild Murkrow Appeared!

Level 10. What will Adrian do?

Tree? 5WVngMmu1-10
Shiny? 1-42

SPOILER: Click to show

Pokemon: (rare) 1-10 (level) 8-18

1-10·1-42·1-10·8-18

[Pixel]

"It acted a lot like the poocheyna but it was hunting alone," Adrian said as the noise made him look up. "Though I'm not sure if that was because they hunt alone here or if that one was just separated from her pack for some reason." He blinked. Pointed at the murkrow. "Is...that a murkrow?" Speak of giratina and he shall come. That had to be one. 

He pointed his pokedex at it rather dumbly to confirm the very rare bird they were discussing had just appeared out of nowhere to land near them. As if summoned by their discussion of the hills' rarities.

[Murkrow the Darkness Pokemon. It is believed that seeing this Pokémon at night will bring about ominous occurrences.]

"Huh. I mean. I didn't see one before..." he trailed off, remembering Mishu's presence here. He probably didn't want to mutter about his idiocy in getting lost and nearly killed here in her hills. Adrian cleared his throat and pocketed the 'dex. "Well, I'm going to see if I can catch this one then. For...science?" He shrugged a little helplessly at Mishu. He wasn't sure if the researcher would disapprove of him doing so, given they were rare. But she didn't seem upset about him catching the practically nonexistent houndour that roamed the hills as little more than a myth.

"Sarge, get us started with a tackle!" he called out to his poochyena. He then reached for a ball at his hip. Once Sarge had the bird's attention, he'd throw Braum out to chip away the Murkrow with its weaker hits. He didn't want to risk knocking it out or spooking it away with too strong of an arrack. "And then loop around to the other side so it doesn't fly away. Braum will handle the rest, okay?"

The poochyena surged forward to try to do just that. To tackle into the bird before running past and bracing itself opposite of Adrian to sort of 'corner' it between them. Then Adrian would send out Braum.

—

Word Count: 337 OOC: Time to play the odds game and chisel down birdie's health. I have a pocket full of pokeballs and a dream. If i did my math right, even a crit tackle won't knock out murkrow.

Tackle + Switch to Braum.

[Caramell 🍬]

Mishu pulled out a pad and took down the anecdotal notes that Adrian gave her. Houndour were well known pack mammals who communicated through barks to help each other surround their prey. They were known to coordinate with members of their pack through a multitude of unique vocalizations to help guide each other and help them take down their prey together. What Adrian suggested could mean that they either behaved differently around this area or that there were more that they haven’t stumbled upon yet. “That is very peculiar. It’s unheard of to see Houndour outside of their packs.”

Mishu stopped her notes as Adrian caught her attention with his next question. She smiled as she noticed the large, black winged bird landing softly on the ground near them. “That is indeed a Murkrow. And what a beautiful specimen of its species it is!” Mishu agreed. She watched Adrian’s Sergeant leap forward towards the wild bird, who immediately zipped up above him in the open air. Murkrow circled low, craning its head to keep a watchful eye on the new opponent, then landed swiftly behind Sergeant and pecked him mercilessly along his back.

As Murkrow tried to lift itself back into the skies, however, Sarge spun around and slammed into the wild bird from the side. “Trainer got shinies?!” The bird crowed loudly, tilting its head from one side to the other as it hopped closer to Sarge, who jumped on the opposite side to corner the wild bird between himself and his trainer. “Lots of shinies for my nestie! Trainer give, yes? Give, give, or I take! I take!” It whipped around, expecting to find Adrian unguarded, only to find Braum facing it instead. Immediately, Murkrow created a violent flurry of sharp winds that cut into Braum’s rough, steely skin. “You’re free to capture the Pokemon along the hills, we’ve opened it to trainer and researcher alike. Besides, you’ve given me plenty of possible vital information on the Pokemon that inhabit the hills by sharing your tales with me.” Mishu reassured Adrian.

Wild Encounter

---

Weather: Clear

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

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]
Murkrow LV 10
HP 66% [23/35]

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

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

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]
Braum LV 13
HP 91% [40/44]

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

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

Wild Murkrow [??]: Normal
Adrian's Braum [Levitate]: Normal

SP26 Murkrow used Peck!
SP22 Sarge used Tackle!

SP15+ Braum switched in!
SP26 Murkrow used Peck!

SPOILER: Click to show

Murkrow Move: Peck, Astonish, Gust
Murkrow Attack: 2SlUiWnJ1-3 (crit) 1-16 (strength) 1-16
Sergeant's Attack: (crit) 1-16 (strength) 1-16
Murkrow Attack: 1-3 (crit) 1-16 (strength) 1-16

Notes: Sarge HP [37/44] participated. 1-3·1-16·1-16·1-16·1-16·1-3·1-16·1-16

[Pixel]

"Then I'll catch this one." 

He didn't want to spooky it or for Buddy to get a nasty gust to the face trying to put it to sleep with an inaccurate powder move. So he'd try using Braum to tire it out while Sarge herded the murkrow into staying on the battlefield.

"Use tackle, Braum. See if you can wear it down." Adrian called out. The nervous bronzor eyed the scary bird that attacked it with sharp wind and made a nervous sound. At least it wasn't a rattata. It felt rather guilty fighting those around here. But the bird was super intimidating. It screamed about shinies and Braum was a whole shiny itself! Would it try to fly away with it?

After steeling itself—heh—it floated as quickly as a slow plate of floating metal could at the murkrow. It would try its best to chase the bird down and smack into it a couple times, just as Adrian asked it to do.

"So, uh, do you know if these are hard to catch or?" Would it just, stay in a ball if he threw one? 

—

Word Count: 195 |  OOC: Throwing pokeballs next time. Gotta get that HP low.

Tackle x2

[Caramell 🍬]

Murkrow studied Braum with interest. They floated and shined. It was as though Murkrow’s prayers for the shiniest object ever had been answered. It stretched its wings wide and soared up into the air, giving chase after Braum with a loud caw to shake the leaves above. “You look shiny! You shiny? I collect?” Murkrow screeched, talons extended underneath its body as it swooped after Braum to try and grasp them with its sharp claws. Braum floated away from Murkrow’s sharp claws, causing the crow to lash out and peck their body with its sharp beak.

Braum spun around and slammed their body against Murkrow with all of their weight, knocking the bird backwards in the air. Murkrow dropped out of the skies briefly but managed to catch itself before hitting the ground below. “No come with me? That fine. I make come!” Murkrow trilled confidently, shooting back up into the air. It slipped in close and made a horrifying face that looked as though it had seen death itself, startling Braum terribly. “Haha, mine, mine!” Murkrow tried to clasp Braum once more in its talons, only to have Braum tackle Murkrow from underneath, knocking it up into a thick tangle of branches above.

“I’ve heard people having considerable difficultly catching these strange birds, before.” Mishu humored underneath her breath with some deliberate thought. They weren’t the easiest to catch but weren’t the most difficult either. Plus, Adrian took the time to battle Murkrow and slowly whittle down some of its stamina and strength. That should prove useful for him in capturing his opponent if nothing else. “You might have lucky while its distracted with Braum.” She pointed out casually.

Wild Encounter

---

Weather: Clear

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

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]
Murkrow LV 10
HP 49% [17/35]

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

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

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]
Braum LV 13
HP 71% [29/41]

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

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

Wild Murkrow [??]: Normal
Adrian's Braum [Levitate]: Normal

SP26 Murkrow used Peck!
SP15 Braum used Tackle!

SP26 Murkrow used Astonish!
SP15 Braum used Tackle!

SPOILER: Click to show

Murkrow Move: Peck, Astonish, Gust
Murkrow Attack: 7Y26u7L_1-3 (crit) 1-16 (strength) 1-16
Braum's Attack: (crit) 1-16 (strength) 1-16
Murkrow Attack: 1-3 (crit) 1-16 (strength) 1-16 (30% flinch) 1-100
Braum's Attack: (crit) 1-16 (strength) 1-16

Running shoes exhausted! Fixed Braum's HP idk what I was on putting it at 44.
1-3·1-16·1-16·1-16·1-16·1-3·1-16·1-16·1-100·1-16·1-16

[Pixel]

"This may take a while then. Hopefully it won't knock out Braum...Hang in there bud! One more tackle!" Given how little the murkrow seemed effected by the bronzor's tackles, it seemed like a safe bet. However, he might burn through a good number of pokeballs before he succeeded in capturing it regardless of its fatigue. Some pokemon were tricky like that.

Braced for this to drag out, he withdrew a ball and watched for a good opportunity to throw a ball. Fortunately the murkrow seemed to be fixated on Braum's shiny form, though Braum clearly didn't appreciate the violent attention. It was getting clawed and pecked mercilessly. 

"Guess now is good as any time to try catching it," he threw a ball as Braum tried to retaliate for being bullied up into the branches of a tree against its will. It did NOT want to be a hoarded shiny. Please stop. This was not a fun game.

It managed to wrestle away from the murkrow in time for the ball to fly past, seemingly on target to bop the bird on the head. If they were lucky, this was where it ended. If not, the murkrow might just bat the ball away with a wing and go back to trying to add Braum to its hoard of shinies.

—

 

Word Count: 220 | OOC:

Tackle + Pokeball

[Caramell 🍬]

Murkrow chased after Braum with a strange look of admiration in its eyes. Braum was the ideal shiny – large and beautiful, with a mind of its own. The blackbird swooped through the tangle of thick branches and bushy leaves in high pursuit, as Braum floated just out of reach each and every time. Why was precious shiny avoiding it? “Stay shiny, stay!” The large crow cawed loudly, talons outstretched yet again only to miss their prime moment to snatch Braum up in their grasp. “I take very good care. Promise, promise!” It insisted.

As Braum disappeared into the canopies, hidden between several thick branches that encircled them to hide them from their opponent, Murkrow hovered close by. Why was its shiny so stubborn and insistent on escaping their grasp? It whipped up sharp winds that slashed the branches to pieces, causing the scrapped pieces of wood and debris to fall to the forest floor below. Mishu skillfully and carefully hopped out of the way with a tap on Adrian’s shoulders. “Watch out.” Braum slammed into their opponent with all their might as Mrurkrow exposed them, causing the bird to flail backwards in the air.

The small Poke Ball swallowed Murkrow up easily with a flash of bright red light. It dropped to the ground and rocked around in the tall grasses. Murkrow fought at first, struggling to break free. Though something unique seemed to happen inside of the Poke Ball. Perhaps it just wanted an owner of its own? Perhaps it realized that if Adrian captured it then Murkrow could stay with its precious ‘shiny’ forever? Whatever the case, the small ball would slow in its tumultuous rocking with relative ease, allowing a sharp ‘ding’ of success to resonate through the air, announcing to Adrian that this Murkrow was all his.

SPOILER: Click to show

Murkrow Move: Peck, Astonish, Gust
Murkrow Attack: 965TK7fh1-3 (crit) 1-16 (strength) 1-16
Braum's Attack: (crit) 1-16 (strength) 1-16

Catch Rate? (29%) 1-100

---

Braum gained 2 levels.
Braum increased to Level 15!


Sergeant gained 1 level.
Sergeant increased to Level 18!
Sergeant is trying to evolve!
→
Let Sergeant evolve into Mightyena?
If Sergeant evolves...
His ability will change to either Quick Feet or Intimidate! Choose.
He will try to learn Snarl!
Forget a move and learn Snarl?

Please fill out the form on your new Pokemon:

[img src="https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/gen5/murkrow.png"]
[b]Murkrow[/b]
Name: [choose]
Gender: [choose]
Level: 10
OT: Adrian Hartt
Moves: Peck, Astonish, Gust
Ability: Insomnia or Super Luck
Nature/Personality: [choose]

-1 Poke Ball deducted from inventory. 1-3·1-16·1-16·1-16·1-16·1-100

[Pixel]

Adrian moved out of the way of the tumbling debris at Mishu's warning, covering his head and swearing under his breath. Fortunately that didn't make his aim swerve off course and the ball bopped the bird. He fully expected for it to pop right out, but after a couple shakes, to his absolute surprise, it stayed in. He grinned. Heck yeah! 

He hurried over to scoop the ball and check over Braum.

"You okay bud? Not too scratch up are ya?" Adrian pat the bronzor and made sure it wasn't hurt before returning it to its ball. Then he turned to Mishu, prize in hand, a small smile on his face. "Y'know...when I first stumbled off the path in these hills, I thought this place was cursed...Nothing seemed like it went right and..." He paused. "...and it made me feel like a right awful trainer. But... I think... I'm gettin' the hang of things."

He turned the pokeball in his hand, "I'll be sure to come check out the Institute now that I know where it is...so, um...thanks. You're pretty cool." 

Off in the distance, the very faint glow of the pokemon center could be seen. His destination.

"I'll see ya around...yeah?" Adrian waved to his companion, figuring she'd want to keep up her research even as he retired for the evening. It would be morning before he'd even try heading back onto the property...

—

 

 OOC:

Sarge will evolve + Intimidate + no snarl

And I think I'm closing this thread! The arc feels complete. <3