Tourist Trapped (Alola Experience) [F]

[Avalon]

Matthew had heard some talk of people from other Regions coming to Johto, looking to share their culture and tell others of the wonders of their homelands. People from all over had come to compete in the League here, sure, but these were largely just people trying to expand their own horizons. Matthew could respect that, and the idea of learning a bit more about people halfway across the world had its appeal. Besides the people who had come for the Paldean Festival to celebrate the Great Treasure Hunt going on across the seas, there had been talk of an elderly couple who had settled down near New Bark Town and issued out a challenge to any curious Trainers.

Matthew had stopped on the way to turn in his latest batch of research to Professor Elm to get directions. He had clearly been far from the first Trainer to come through seeking out the elderly couple, as the locals gave him the directions without complaint and a rather amused look across their faces. He had purposefully wanted to go into the experience somewhat blind (after all, who would want to go through a test where you already knew all of the answers), but it clearly must have been a confusing experience for those who dared to challenge it. It would be a fun new experience, he wagered.

After walking through the Route surrounding New Bark Town, he eventually found himself staring down a nearby wooded path and a quaint little house. Littered throughout the area were strange totems, clearly a recent addition to the landscape. Coming out this far had required him to go a bit off the beaten path, but he could still faintly hear the sounds of those traveling down the main road some yards away. The sound of Pokemon cries and battle commands being shouted echoed through the trees, even this far off the beaten path.

As he approached the quaint domicile, he found himself greeted by an elderly couple in tourist attire. You didn't have to be a genius or a psychic to figure out that they were, in fact, the ones he had come for. "Sorry to intrude. My name is Matthew, I came here because I heard of a challenge being offered to new Trainers. I want you to show me to this 'Alolan Trial', if you can," he said rather calmly as he closed some of the distance between himself and the elderly couple.

Words: 400 to eggs
((OOC: Team changes: Winchester, Midoriya, Nilou, Senju, and Ein go into the box. Withdrawing Demeter, Adonis, Wiggles, Watson, and Rhaegar. Selecting Demeter, Mirelurk, and Adonis for participation in the Trial.))[/b]

[Pixel]

"I think that one is coming over to try the trial," Maui said to her husband when she saw the young trainer respond to their hand waving and approach. "Kaui...KAUI!"

"WHAT?!" Kaui yelled back, adjusting his hearing aid after it squeaked loudly in his ear. "Mother of Arceus, quiet down, woman. I can hear you fine."

"Well quit your daydreamin' then. We have a challenger."

"Sure they're not just bein' friendly?" the old man yawned, smiling sleepily. This morning sun was quite relaxing. He could imagine himself back in Alola, snoozing his days away on a beach chair, enjoying the sea breezes. 

"Don't be lazy."

"Running this trial was your idea." Maui stared hard at her husband who rolled his eyes, "Ah, how can I forget. Yes dear. You're brilliant dear. The picture of beauty and grace and wisdom beyond your many, MANY years."

Kaui got thwapped with an informative brochure for his sass and he snickered as she said, "You're lucky I love you, you old coot."

"Yes dear."

Another smack, this one more playful.

As Matthew reached them, the pair were laughing at each other's banter, and smiling earnestly at him.

"Hello traveler," greeted the older woman. "We are indeed running the Alolan Experience! Here you can see what it's like to face the challenges of young alolan trainers, who instead of facing gyms, they must overcome trials. These can be varied and require some skill and puzzle solving. But if you are ready for the task, then we ask you to select three pokemon. These will be the only pokemon you can bring to face the trial and the totem pokemon at the very end. If you succeed to impress the totem pokemon and retrieve the totem amulet, then you will be rewarded for you efforts."

And when told which pokemon he would be using, the couple would guide him to the entrance of the trial.

"From here until the trial is complete, you are on your own. Good luck trainer."

---

With your three pokemon selected, feel free to start the trial!

[Avalon]

Matthew hadn't spent too much time around married couples, so he could not say whether the little back-and-forth he had witnessed the tail end of was anything normal or not. Roger's own partner had passed at some point during Matthew's childhood, and he had never seen too much of either of his parents growing up either. Between his au pair and family, he had no frame of reference for what he was seeing, he could only assume it was some kind of gesture of love and affection between two people who had clearly spent their entire lives together.

Matthew could appreciate the idea behind these Trials; the Gym Battles had their own challenge and merit to them, and required a certain degree of strategy to them clearly. But he was first and foremost a scholar and wanted to try something that would test out his knowledge of the World of Pokemon. These puzzles and riddles that would be offered to him if he continued with the Island Challenge would be a fun diversion, he thought. He toyed with the Poke Balls on his belt, pondering which of his partners he would take on this endeavor.

After a moment of pondering, Matthew retrieved three of the spheres from his waist and politely passed them to the elderly gentleman for safekeeping. "I've decided on my partners for this challenge, so I'll leave the others here with you. I want to make sure I do this right, after all." Watson, Wiggles, and Rhaegar would have their chance to shine later, he thought; for now he would let them to sit and rest with the elderly couple while he continued with the Trial. This would be a good chance to see his new partner Demeter in action, and he would take Mirelurk and Adonis as back-ups in case she was unable to pull off a win.

With that, he followed the couple into the woods, a brief trek that brought him to more of those strange wooden totems that seemed to decorate the Trial site. Matthew nodded as they informed him that he would be on his own from here on, sticking his hands into his pockets. "So I guess it's up to just me and my team to find this Totem from here, then? Very well, I'll be back to report on what I find in no time."

With that, Matthew released one of his Pokemon, Adonis the Spearow, letting the bird fly beside him as he entered the woods. "Adonis, be my eyes and ears, I don't want anything to catch us too off-guard. I don't even know what this Totem Pokemon is, so we have to be ready for anything."

Beaming with pride that he was entrusted with such a lofty task, Adonis took to the skies above Matthew's head, flying above and acting as a lookout for any wild Pokemon or strange happenings that might be related to the Trial. He had been on the bench for some time, and this would be a golden opportunity (pun intended) for the shining bird to show off why he was the second-in-command of this team (self-appointed title that it was).

400 words to eggs.
((OOC: Beginning the trial. Present to me my puzzle, please))

[Pixel]

As Matthew headed out, the old couple waving, the old woman seemed to come to a realization. "Oh my...we forgot to tell him about the clue," she said, cupping her cheek. But she'd wave it off after a moment. "He looks like a smart lad, he'll figure it out. If he keeps walking that way, he will find the first part of the trial with little issue~"

"And YOU thought the signboard was a stupid idea," preened her husband. 

She squinted at him, "You got lucky this time, you old coot."

Matthew would be aware of faint bickering as he trekked further. It would not be long before his companion would spot a clearing ahead, one that looked perfect for some sort of 'trial' or 'puzzle' or whatever it was this totem thing was about. Fortunately it was a straight shot up a well-worn path, hardly any struggle at all to get there. Upon reaching the clearing he would see a signboard with a carved, wooden tablet hanging from it. Someone had burned words onto the surface that read:

"I swiftly challenge foes with speed. And if I need to flee, into small spaces I can squeeze."

Interesting.

Looking around the clearing, there were signs of pokemon living here and calling this area home. There were bites taken out of a nearby tree trunk, clear signs of a bidoof nearby. It wouldn't take much to find one if he pushed apart the grasses by that tree. There was a rustle behind him, that if he turned, he would see the dual-toned body of a zigzagoon darting through the weeds, moving in an erratic manner trademark of its species. If he were to go over to a dense patch of wildflowers to look around, he would see the red-and-spotted back of a ledyba hidden amongst the blooms. And every so often he might catch an occasional glimpse of a sentret popping up over the top of the grass to look around before hunkering back down, only the dark tips of its ears viewable.

[Avalon]

Matthew tuned out the playful bickering of the elderly couple as he walked into the woods, uninterested in the banter of his elders. It may seem callous or rude to others, but he now knew what his goal was: to finish this Trial and see what secrets of Alola might be passed onto him from participating in it. He could spend time playing catch-up and listening to the two-person comedy routine when he was done. They did not have to wander too deeply into the forest before Adonis let out a squawk, drawing his attention to a specific clearing within the trees.

He looked at the signboard, analyzing the clue and trying to decipher what it could mean. Clearly it was referring to one of the Wild Pokemon that called this clearing their home, but that would require him to take some time to go hunting for the wild Pokemon. He racked his brain to see if any of the local wildlife came to mind for the clue, Adonis perching himself on Matthew's shoulder as the two thought to themselves. Another squawking dragged him out of his mind, with Adonis glaring at the grass around them. The bird had used its keen eyes to notice some of the approaching wildlife before Matthew had even heard them, too lost in thought. Matthew reached up and scratched at the neck of the golden bird in silent appreciation for his role in the Trial thus far.

"Ledyba, Sentret, Zigzagoon, Bidoof...No shortage of possible answers, I suppose. But which of them comes from a line known for their ability to hide in tight spaces?" Matthew pondered to himself, staring into the grass at the scurrying creatures. Bidoof were known for their ability to hide, but not for their speed; the creature had clearly taken off to hide after doing its damage to the nearby trees and foliage. Besides, he could not imagine the plump beaver hiding in any cramped spaces very well. He had his doubts about Ledyba, or any Bug for that matter, being brave or swift enough to be the subject of the clue. That left either Zigzagoon or Sentret.

"Well, Zigzagoon and Linoone are fast enough, but with their running style I can't imagine they have an easy time fitting much of anywhere," he muttered, looking at the only option left for him. The Sentret that kept ducking in and out of the grass, as if observing his presence with mixed concern. Sentret and Furret alike were well known for being absolute cowards, willing to hide and scream at the first sign of danger. Perhaps that was where the answer to this test laid. "Adonis, we're going to pursue that Sentret."

With that, Matthew began to approach the tall grass where he had spotted the Sentret hiding just moments prior. He was curious as to whether it was going to leap out and strike, or run away in terror. And what exactly that meant in terms of his guessing the asnwer correctly; was he supposed to battle it, or follow it?

+400 to eggs
((OOC: Choosing Sentret as my answer))

[Pixel]

As Matthew waded through the grass, having made his decision, the other pokemon in the clearing seemed to take that as a cue to flee. With the others scattered, he was left alone with the 'cowardly' sentret, who scurried to a clearing in the tall grass and pushed up onto its tail to make itself look larger. More imposing. As if it was issuing a challenge itself. How odd. But what about a 'totem challenge' was normal anyway? 

<You will have to defeat me before you can face your true trial.> The sentret chittered. Though unless Matthew spoke pokemon, it would likely just come across as aggressive chattering. It flexed its arms and bounced a bit, flaunting the strength of its muscular tail. While a timid species, this one was clearly ready for a battle and wasn't going to scamper away at the slightest provocation. Those bunny ears flicked and twitched. It kept making those angry noises.

Perhaps battling it would reveal the next clue to this odd puzzle that was laid before him in the form of a 'trial' by those old coots.

---

A [LV 9] Sentret (Keen Eye) is standing in your way!
Begin your trial now. Select your first pokemon.

[Avalon]

One could never entirely know what to expect from interacting with wild Pokemon. No two people were the same as one another, and the same was true of Pokemon and animals as well. Just because the majority of Sentrets were cowards and scouts rather than outright combatants, didn't mean that they would all would. So he shouldn't have been too surprised to see the Sentret decide to puff out is chest and meet him and his team head-on. It was a respectable decision on the rodent's part, even if Matthew felt more than confident enough to put down the rodent's resistance with the team members he had brought along with him.

"Guess this is the first part of the trial after all," Matthew mused to himself, looking to Adonis. The golden bird continued to circle around them, watching keenly and carefully. The bird's eyes showed none of their usual fire or intensity, a clear lack of interest in the rodent. Some random sentry of rodent Pokemon was beneath one such as him. Such an ugly little thing, Adonis thought to himself. He'd fight if his Trainer pushed it, but turned his nose up at the notion for now. Matthew knew better than to argue; besides, this would be a good chance to test out one of their newer members.

"Fine, I'll find you a new opponent soon enough, then. Demeter, it's your turn!" Matthew called out, sending out the red-nosed deer that he had acquired some time ago. He had found the creature wandering in the cold, lost and alone, last winter. It had taken some time to nurse it back to health and had required some time back home under the care of Roger, but now it was seemingly back to normal health. Now it was time to see if it had regained any of its strength.

The deer shook itself for a bit, staring down the Scout Pokemon with her own cold, disinterested eyes. Matthew could not seem to catch a break when it came to finding strong-willed Pokemon, it seemed. "Oh, a rodent. Do get out of our way and let us get this over with, won't you?" Demeter sniffed condescendingly at the Scout Pokemon, launching herself forward with her long legs and turning on a dime, kicking at the rodent with her hind legs at maximum strength. Matthew sighed, having not even given the Pokemon an order just yet.

400 words to eggs.
((OOC: Sending out Demeter, who uses Double Kick. Using Running Shoes for another Double Kick if not an OHKO.))

[Pixel]

<I am no mere rodent! I am a test! To see if you and yours are worthy of continuing on to face the real trial ahead> the sentret declared. It beat its chest with proud thumps. <If you cannot defeat myself, then you are not ready for what you will face next.> However, before it could finish its no doubt impressive speech, the deerling began to lash out, kicking hard at the sentret and sending it tumbling back. <How rude!> Aching but not done yet, it hopped up and lunged forth with the ferocity of a true wild pokemon and sliced a deep gash onto the deerling's flank. 

<Do not underestimate m—>

The deerling bucked again and sent the sentret tumbling. 

Hnnng!

<I concede that you have won this fight!> it yipped before hopping up again and darting down what appeared the be a worn dirt path. Not quite a road but a well-walked trail in the wilderness. Should Matthew follow, he would find himself in a far rockier and windier area and the sentret gone from sight.


[Deerling HP: 29/35 BEFORE LV up]

---

Demeter gained +2 levels and grew to LV 12.
+1 happiness

---

Sentret has fled! 
Follow the Sentret down the path?

Move? eEuO2ier1-31-3

[Avalon]

"The only thing you're testing is my patience," Demeter sniped as the fight continued on, prancing and going about her strategy of kicking and braying at the rodent. Even as she took a scratching blow to her flank, the flowery deer didn't let it hold her back, striking at the Scout Pokemon with full force and knocking it aside. But, unusually enough, the Sentret remained conscious through the pain, powering through as if compelled to carry out its task here in the trial. Demeter huffed, preparing for another attack when the Sentet turned tail and fled - pun only slightly intended.

"Running away rather than accepting defeat? How cowardly," the deer said to herself, hardly acknowledging what was going on. She turned her nose up, no longer satisfied with her easy victory and full of contempt for the fleeing Sentret. Matthew retrieved a Poke Ball from his waist, recalling the haughty deer into her home. He doubted she would be willing to walk or chase after the Sentret, truthfully, not when she seemed so indignant towards the creature's situation. "You did well, let us handle the rest."

Adonis had remained nearby, watching the fight and now allowing his avian eyes to trace the path of the Sentret. Adonis let out a bored caw, gesturing with a wing towards the direction the Sentret had fled. Adonis launched himself forward, flapping vigorously to chase the Sentret, correctly assuming his Trainer's intentions. Matthew gave chase to his own bird and the rodent, noticing as he exited the woodland area and began to traipse down a dirt path that lead into a mountainous quarry. It seemed as if the trial grounds bled a little into the territory surrounding the Dark Cave and mountains that lead north of New Bark Town, though that was only a guess on his own part. Truth be told, without Adonis he would have almost no idea where he actually was or how he was going to get back.

"So, we followed the trial guide here, now what are we supposed to do?" Matthew mumbled to himself, Adonis perching himself on the redhead's shoulder as they took a moment to plan together for a second. The Sentret was gone, hidden away somewhere and awaiting them. It was likely that the act of tracking it down was also a part of the trial; why the Totem Pokemon cared about his ability to track down a wild Pokemon eluded Matthew, but he would play along for now. He closed his eyes and listened, trying to pick up on any stray sounds that might give him a clue as to where the trial guide had fled to.

Words: 400 to all eggs
((OOC: Following the Sentret furthrer into the trial grounds.))

[Caramell 🍬]

The rockier pathway led to a large hillside with steep ledges leading their way up. While the path may be traversable, it was clear that you would need to be absolutely careful about how you traversed your way up the hill, lest you come tumbling down like an old nursery rhyme about Jack and Jill doing just that. The sounds that carried around him were full of chittering, squawking, yowling, and even howling, amongst a variety of others. As long as Matthew was patient, he could slowly turn his head to catch the different sounds at a better angle, and thus know which way each were coming from.

Northern Trail

The northmost trail would be the trail that led straight ahead and up the hill. There were small holes and crevices along the way, big enough for a small and furry meerkat such as the one he recently faced that would be able to squeeze itself inside of the path. Sharp, shrill chirping called higher up the steep ledges of the cliff as though it were issuing a loud alarm. It was quickly followed by loud chatter that echoed from different directions, all northward though along the trek, as though it was discussing the possible trespasser within their midst should Matthew choose this route.

Northwestern Trail

A small trail that ran northwestern carved itself along the very side of the hillside, nearly running along the western trail that led around the side of the hillside. However, this one would climb up slowly along the ledges like the northernmost trail and require careful and skillful climbing. It led to a large, carved out hole near the side of the hill where soft peeping sounds could be heard at a distance, almost like a song. Only if Matthew chose to travel along this path would the sounds inside of the cave grow louder, like a shrill siren wailing in alarm.

Western Trail

The westward most trail led around the side of the mountain on a rather evenly walking field. Though the air was mostly quiet along this trail, the telltale sounds of soft munching and crunching leaves could be heard. The trail carried itself over rocky, sandy terrain with scant amount of grass insight until it near the edge of a small lake with a lonesome tree near its base. The quiet munching, which would be accompanied by loud shrieking if Matthew took this path, would be noticeably coming somewhere around the tree itself. Perhaps within its branches, or in a hole near its base?

Northeastern Trail

The Northeastern trail carried itself along the other side of the hill, halfway up the trek. Here, the rocky terrain would become grassier with small bushes popping out in random places. Loud chirping would call from the bushes, followed by high pitched whines and strange gurgles. While Matthew was further way, the sounds were softer tones and remained simple chirps that bounced from bush to bush. Though, should he wander along this pathway closer, they would grow increasingly loud until they were nearly ear-shattering shrieking whines.

Eastern Trail

The final trail ran along the side of the hillside and slightly away from it. Thick, tall grasses sprung up along the way, tall enough to tickle Matthew’s stomach. It would be impossible to see what might be lurking in the thick grasses from a distance, though, and would require hands on investigation as well as careful listening as any trail would be lost underneath the thick tangle of wheatgrasses and cattails that sprung up in abundance. Soft purring called from inside of the tall grasses, followed by low growls and strange chitters. If Matthew chose to travel down this path, the chittering sounds would transform into loud screeching that wailed like warning sirens, along with aggressive growls that warned any would-be intruder.

[Avalon]

There was a cacophony of noise in the hilly quarry as Matthew continued to follow the trail of the Sentret that would take him to the final stages of this Trial. He was beginning to pick up on just what this Trial intended to test: combat ability, tracking skills, how well you could communicate with and understand the Pokemon around you. All important skills for a Trainer, he supposed, so he could see why that would be the kind of thing they might want to test for up-and-coming Trainers. He wondered if the Trials in Alola were this physically demanding however, stopping to catch his own breath.

No physical sign of the Sentret was left to be seen, with even Adonis failing to spot anything from above. If the Sentret had wandered into the cave, then Adonis' flight would be too restricted to give much of an overwatch advantage. The other paths were too spread out and distant, there would likely be no making up the lost ground if Matthew or Adonis went down a wrong path. And he couldn't afford to just let his Pokemon go wandering down different paths on their own as some kind of test; he only had three with him for this Trial, he couldn't afford to handicap himself anymore if it came down to a fight against this "Totem".

"Adonis, return. We'll need to try a different approach," Matthew said, retrieving the golden bird's Poke Ball and forcing his bird back into its home. Adonis squawked in defiance, not wanting to give up the chance to spread his wings and fight any oncoming dangers. But Matthew needed quiet, and he didn't need Adonis wandering off on his own. The headstrong bird might cause too much trouble if asked to sit still and wait. With the bird put away, Matthew closed his eyes and continued to try and focus in on the noise coming from the different directions.

Sentret were loud creatures, fond of screaming to signal their kin in case of danger. Their voices were loud, and shrill. So he just had to try and figure out where the loudest, shrillest voices were calling out from. Not an easy matter when so much of the local wildlife consisted of annoyingly chipper birds and noisy rodents, but he was feeling fairly confident about his answer. Echoing from the cave mouth was a noise, almost like a siren screaming for attention and response. It was the best clue he had so far, he figured, so best to follow his first instinct. What was that old piece of wisdom about people taking tests failing because they second-guessed their first choices?

Matthew began to climb the slightly arduous mountain trail that would take him to the strange cave, green eyes scanning the darkness for any shifting shadows or signs of tan fur scurrying in the dark.
 
400 words to eggs
OOC: Going down the Northwestern Path

[Pixel]

No second guessing himself. Matthew trekked until he reached the entrance of the cave and those shrill alarm sounds. They seemed to echo in here. The sentret had to be in here. So pushing forward, the cave would go deeper and darken, the odd hollowed out den startling large for a species not known to be all that big. Maybe they were just hiding in here, and not living in it? After a little travel, he would spot a sentret at the center of the room, peering back at him, as if waiting. Behind it was an altar of sorts where an amulet rested. The totem?

All he had to do was go grab it.

Piece of cake.

Except, the moment he stepped closer, the sentret let out an alarmed cry then bolted...and a long form seemed to unfurl from the shadows. Furret were long pokemon. Noodly. They could be the length of standing a grown man. But this one looked even BIGGER than that. And it didn't retreat at the alarm cry. It instead came closer, staring at Matthew before thumping its tail.

Looks like there was one more fight in this challenge!

---

The [LV 12] Totem Furret has challenged you!

[Avalon]

It was a good thing that Matthew was not afraid of the dark, or cramped spaces. The cave walls seemed to close in around him, swallowing him up in a bubble of darkness as he proceeded through the tunnels in search of the Sentret and its master the Totem Pokemon. It was hard to judge just how much time he spent within the confines of the cave, until he ended up in a large den, a strange foreign altar constructed in the center of the naturally-carved room. Upon it sat a strange amuley, one that Matthew was vaguely sure he might have seen the elderly couple sponsoring this Trial wearing when he had first met them. Clearly this was the end goal of this challenge, which meant...

A screeching cry of alarm filled the cave walls, reverberating and echoing through the walls as everything in creation that might have called this cave home was now aware of his presence, of his intrusion. The Sentret responsible for the scream darted even deeper into the caves' tunnels, and Matthew found himself instinctively taking several steps back as a massive shadow placed itself between him and the altar. A gargantuan Furret, bigger than any he had seen before, now stood sentry in front of the altar. Even a foolish man could likely guess that this was the Totem Pokemon, the final boss of this encounter.

"No way I'll be sneaking past or running past you. So, we resort to this again," Matthew said grimly, retrieving a familiar Poke Ball and releasing it onto the cave floor. Out came Demeter, stretching her neck and fawn-like legs as she processed what was going on. Whereas the haughty deer had looked down upon the Sentret for its rodent existence, even her eyes went wide at the massive size and shape of the Totem Furret sitting before her. "What in Arceus' name is this monster? Rodents everywhere," she scoffed, taking a defensive stance.

"Demeter, one more battle. Give it a Double Kick, just like before! As many times as you can!" Matthew called out, the small deer springing into action to close the gap between herself and the furry danger noodle, kicking and braying with her legs wildly in a flurry of blows. This would no doubt exhaust her, and there was no telling just how much damage this Furret was really capable of, but the same tactic had been enough to take down its junior earlier, so Matthew would be a fool to not try it once again.

400 words to Eggs
Demeter uses Double Kick x2 thanks to Running Shoes

[Tiki]

"Rodents? We're much more graceful than the Rattatas and Raticates, but that's not the point. I am here today to present a challenge for you and your human. Come and show me what you got besides that attitude and trash talk," the normal type squealed, composing itself to try to talk to this childish Deerling.

After the human called out his command, the hooved Pokemon was on her feet and ready to kick the Furret. The long Pokemon hurriedly curled itself into a ball to toughened up its muscle, softening the blows coming from the opponent. Then, the Furret spoke again like a supporting coach. "Not bad, now it's my turn!" The friend-shaped noodle Pokemon revealed its tiny hand and sharp claws and scratched the duo type on her festive face.

Demeter went back again dashing and kicking on the incorrectly dyed furry candy cane. The Furret gasped in pain, but was satisfied with the Deerling's strength. "You're doing so far so good."

Wild Encounter

---

Weather: Clear

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

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]
TOTEM Furret LV 12
HP 24% [11/46]

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

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

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]
Demeter LV 12
HP 58% [23/40]

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

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

Totem Furret [Keen Eye]: Status, Defense +1
Demeter [Sap Sipper]: Status

SP30 Furret used Defense Curl!
SP26 Demeter used Double Kick!

SP30 Furret used Scratch!
SP26 Demeter used Double Kick!


HP included the previous battle's remainder

[Avalon]

"It's not trash talk or attitude if it's true. There's no shame in being a rodent, you know," Demeter chided at the Furret in between their traded blows. To Matthew it all sounded like a mixture of excited squeaking and chirping at one another, a cacophony of noise that he could only assume meant that the two were not happy with one another. Matthew figured he could place most of the blame on that on his deer companion, given her general haughtiness and the fact that she was among his most distant and unfriendly Pokemon. He could only sigh, adjusting his tie awkwardly as he listened to the back-and-forth between the two animals.

"Looks like we have him on the ropes. Give us a repeat performance, Demeter," he said cooly, satisfied with the deer's strength. Demeter had been able to beat down the Furret fairly well, a deceptive amount of strength seemingly resting in her diminutive legs. He was still a little worried about what the Furret might be able to pull off if it got some kind of second wind, but that just meant he and Demeter needed to pull this victory off as quickly as possible.

"If this is your test, then surely, we will end up passing. My Trainer is too smart to fall for your tricks, Totem Rodent. And even if you did beat me, the bird or the rock would just finish what I already started!" Demeter gave off a strange smile, something that should have looked cute on her diminutive body; however, it instead gave off an aura of menace as she closed the distance once again, prancing around on the rocks as she reared back for yet another kick of her hind legs. "And just because you gave me a compliment about my strength, don't think I'll go easy on you. You're in the way, so you have to go away now!

While she did that, Matthew decided to see if he could close some of the distance between himself and the altar, side-stepping around the battlefield slowly and cautiously. He would not make any sudden moves nor was he about to make any stupid last-minute grabs at the amulet, however. He did want to win it fair and square, after all. There was no point in even attempting the challenge if he was just going to grab the amulet and run instead of doing it normally.

+400 to eggs.
Demeter uses Double Kick again.