Tranquil as the Forest [GYM][F]

[Pixel]

It was a beautiful day to battle a gym.

Upon reaching the other side of Union Cave, Freya tried to call Adrian but found that she couldn't seem to connect to him. He did say he was going into the Ilex Forest soon, so perhaps there was an issue with reception? Regardless, she left him a message teasing that she was already catching up and that he best hurry if he wanted to stay ahead. (Not that she was all that eager to go into the forest herself. Though she might just do so after Bugsy to see the look on his face.) She heard from Adrian that they sold bikes in Goldenrod and she rather missed traveling via cylcizar already. She didn't mind hiking, but a bike could prove useful as she hunted pokemon and prepare the little ones for future trials.

Since she couldn't reach her friend, Freya found the pokemon center and scheduled herself an appointment at the gym. On such a beautiful day, she knew that Bugsy was likely booked up with young trainers wanting to get their second badge.

Freya was the confident sort. She didn't need to plan too hard. Not when she was familiar with scyther and their reliance on speed to attack first and hard. Overwhelming an opponent into a corner. Well, she just wouldn't let him have the speed advantage then! Thus she headed to the shops. Not the 'mart but the little private shops that trainers posted about online, usually selling stuff they found on their journeys they had no use for. Sometimes one could find battle items.

And this time, she struck gold. Stat enhancing wings. Perfect. After making the deal with the seller, she gave a swift wing to Arcanine, and prepared to give crocalor something to boost his defense when she saw the little croc wearing something sparkly.

"...Where did you get that?" Freya asked with amusement. "I hope you didn't nick it from some poor trainer, buddy..." But with nobody in sight, she resigned herself to letting Crocalor keep his shiny prize. 

It was then that their appointment time arrived.

Freya stepped into the gym and with a little awe, admired the scenery. A faux forest inside a building? That took effort. Gyms back home were exclusively arenas outside. After puzzling her way through the trees, she found her destination and her foe. She grinned at him, "Gym Leader Bugsy, I am Freya Baxton, your next challenge. I hail from Paldea, so I hope to represent my home well."

The first sign that she wasn't from Johto likely was the little dragon that trailed at her heels, looking bored. Baxy wouldn't be battling today. While ice and bug were a good match, Baxy had shown no interest in fighting. Freya worried a little that the frigibax might simply never feel a spark for battle again, but...she'd worry over that later, after they found stronger opponents more often.

"Arcanine, show what you're made of with flare blitz!" 

Freya cheerfully threw a ball into the air to reveal the hisui variant. The unusual arcanine woofed and gobbled down the feather he was given to hold before lunging forth, engulfed in flames.

—

Word Count; 558 (+400) | OOC:
Swapping Arcanine and Crocalor over Quaxly and Orthworm.
Giving Arcanine the swift wing and croc the amulet coin.

Flare Blitz

[Avalon]

Despite all appearances, it had been a relatively uneventful day for Bugsy. Few challengers came through to the Gym today, or on the last couple of days. It seemed as if there was some mess going on in the Union Cave and in the Slowpoke Well, and talk of unsavory sorts prowling around outside of Azalea and Violet City. Trainers were taking a long way to get to Azalea, or skipping it entirely so as to avoid rougher crowds. While Bugsy got paid regardless of what happened concerning his gym, it was disappointing to see fewer Trainers coming in looking for guidance or a fight to train against.

For now, Bugsy was content to sit in the shade of the trees within his greenhouse-like gym, reading the latest research journal on Bug Pokemon. A Bug-type from the Paldea Region apparently showed signs of evolving after spending time walking with its Trainer, apparently. It was a fascinating idea, and he wanted to find one of these 'Rellor' Pokemon to test it out for himself. Imagine what fun he and Rellor could have running around Ilex Forest together, seeing what it would turn into.

He was brought of his daydreaming when his Gym Aide came by, a bespectacled young man who informed him that his 9:00 appointment had come. Bugsy stepped through the trees, to the arena that sat in the middle of his makeshift forest. Lugging a bug catcher's net over his shoulder, the boy adjusted his camping attire hastily as he saw his challenger approach. "I've been hearing a lot about your Paldea Region lately, all sorts of curious Bugs where you come from. Also heard that your League isn't a joke, so I'm excited to see what kind of Trainer they churned out from over there."

Bugsy swung the net back, revealing that a Poke Ball had been attached to the end of it. A bit unusual and theatrical, but when he swung the net the ball came flying from the net shaft, swirling through the air as it released Scyther onto the field. When Arcanine entered the field, Bugsy couldn't hide his disappointment. "Was hoping you'd pull out one of the bugs from back home, but can't fault you for going for a type advantage too much. Let's not make it easy for them, eh Scyther?"

As he prepared to issue his own command, Arcanine would consume the feather attached to his fur, and darted forward with a flaming full body tackle. Scyther could hardly respond before the full force of the vehicle-sized hound slammed into it, launching the mantis into a nearby tree. Scyther's scorched and bruised body fell to the ground, already unconscious. Bugsy stood, mouth agape. This Arcanine was unusual enough just appearance-wise, but it had displayed an insane amount of strength and speed just now. "I'm sorry Scyther, you were doing your best. Metapod, avenge him!"

Out from the net-ball thrower came another ball, this one releasing a small cocoon-like Pokemon. Metapod trembled within its shell, staring up at the large hound that stood before it. If Scyther had fallen to it already, what hope did it stand?

Gym Battle

---

Weather: Clear

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

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]
Scyther LV 21
HP 0% [0/66]

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

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

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]
Pkmn Name LV 21
HP 71% [55/77]

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

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

Scyther [Technician]: ATK -1, Fainted
H. Arcanine [Intimidate]: SPD+1

Arcanine consumed the Swift Wing! +1 SPD
SP73 Arcanine used Flare Blitz! Scyther fainted!
Arcanine took recoil damage!

Arcanine murdered that bug and gained +3 levels for it!
Arcanine is now Level 24!


Bugsy isn't done yet! He sends out his Metapod (Level 18)!

[Pixel]

"One of the bugs from back home? Or something native and not yet seen here in johto? Because Scyther can be found back home and I have every respect for it and its evolution. Though I have heard talk that recently they discovered that long ago...scyther evolved into something other than scizor. A part rock type they call kleavor. They think they may have even refined what caused the evolution. Much like with metal coat, its an exposure to a certain mineral that causes it. Perhaps one day, a long since extinct form from this line will come into your gym? Because for as interestor rellor or rabasca can be... not exactly sure they'd do all that well in your gym." She paused for a bit to think. "And the lokix and tarountula lines are so slow that no doubt one good wing attack from your scyther would knock them out in one hit. You might just have to go hunting in paldea yourself one day to see them~! Traveling is quite fun."

She focused on the battle and saw what she hoped would happen. Arcanine knocked out scyther in one hit after boosting his speed. "Sorry about that. As someone who has experience with those pesky mantises, and heard the rumors about how tough yours is...I couldn't let it up to chance. Not sure how my team would handle being pummeled into a corner by lightning fast strikes." She whistled and arcanine bounced back to her like an excited puppy. She hugged him and kissed his forehead. "You did good. So good. Treats later, okay?"

Topaz eyes fell to the little dragon at her heels but she pointedly looked away, "Still no? That's fine. I know someone who is eager to battle. Go, Crocalor."

From the ball emerged the little fire croc, who happily bounced and danced.

"This is the evolution of one of the three paldea starters. You may start seeing them around as they were a popular sight at the recent festival. This one, however, has a little trick. Crocalor, use fire pledge!"

While he wasn't fast, he did have a strong and steady flame.

Crocalor cheerful danced and the arena started to bubble and steam. The floor seemed to 'turn to lava' for a moment, becoming unbearably hot as pillars of fire burst all around them.

—

Word Count; 000| OOC:
Sending out Crocalor to use Fire Pledge x2.
(if it knocks out both remaining pokemon, that's cool w/ me)

Croacalor is holding amulet coin.

[Caramell 🍬]

Bugsy listened with great interest as she spoke not only about the preying mantis Pokemon he was accustomed to, but about many newer and interesting species. He’d studied Scyther’s history for a long time, always involving himself in some inner circles on their historic pasts. When Freya informed Bugsy about the long lost evolutionary line, he nodded intently. “I’ve read many articles on this very thing. Some of my archeologist friends have worked hard at trying to unravel the mystery. It’s been thought that before Metal Coat was a prevalent as it is now, there may have been a more common prehistoric form that has been nearly lost to time.” He added with a smile. “I truly do hope to meet a Kleavor one day!”

Their battle had to continue, though. Like the marching hands of time, pausing wasn’t something to consider for the sake of their conversation. “Metapod use your Electroweb. Quick, before her Crocalor’s attack managed to singe you!” Bugsy instructed. The small cocoon grunted, shaking vibrantly as a bright light enveloped its entire body. No doubt, Metapod was busy working hard to create a force powerful and strong enough to knock Crocalor backwards and hopefully thwart off his attack. “Lokix…is our very first dark and bug type, correct? It’s been a stir here in Azalea! Some of my residence were recently plagued by a strange dark type that would steal things from people’s yards or break their yard ornaments, so they can be hard for us to trust.” He hummed, scratching his chin thoughtfully with a twinkle. “Normally, bug is strong against dark. So…is the second evolutionary typing… Gives its an immunity to psychic and resistance to ghost and dark, unlike normal bug types, right? Although…it does lose its resistance to fighting types and is weaker to both bugs and fairy…huh.”

The hot terrain was too much to bear, causing Bugsy to swap his team around as Metapod fainted. The judge on the sidelines announced loud and clear how Crocalor was the winner. In the blink of an eye, a bright yellow cocoon appeared instead. “Go, Kakuna! Use your Poison Sting, quick!” He turned back to the conversation with a wide and interested grin. “I hope to travel Paldea one day. Though, this GYM takes up most of my time. Someone is required to be here when a challenger needs a good battle. Can’t just leave a notice like Cinnabar’s Gym has done in the past.” He laughed as Kukana fainted from pure heat exhaustion before it could fire off a single attack. “You are a formidable opponent.” Bugsy commented, recalling his Pokemon as the judge announced Freya’s victory.

Bugsy walked over to Freya on the other side of the field as many of the maintenance crew rushed out to put out the flames and ensure most of the gym’s inner flora withstood the worst of Crocalor’s attack. They were prepared with a special fire-resistant coating, as it was expected that most travelers would bring fire types into their battles. “Here is my badge, it is proof of your victory this day. Also, take this. It’s the Technical Move U-Turn, the very move I was hoping my Scyther could show off for you. And the funds I owe you for besting me in battle. You'll also be able to use Cut outside of battle, now.” Bugsy commented, handing over all of Freya’s earned prizes.

Freya defeated Bugsy!

Freya was given the Hive Badge, TM89: U-Turn, and £1800$3600 for her victory!

---

Crocalor gained 4 levels!
Crocalor increased to Level 23!

Pixel fixed!

[Pixel]

"I hope to meet a kleavor one day too. I'm fascinated by ancient pokemon and lore, and if their research is correct, they would have been prevalent around the same time that a few other pokemon we know today had different forms. Such as my own arcanine. As you probably noticed, he looks a bit different. There's not many of them left, but back in Kitikami, there is a very small population, and when I was a child, I found a funny looking little growlithe. He's been my buddy ever since." She smiled fondly. "And Ursaring could apparently evolve into a part ground type under a full moon! I'm hoping I can recreate the circumstances one day myself because bringing these old lines back into moderns times is just... thrilling. It will help us learn so much about evolution!"

She realized she was getting over excited discussing research and laughed a little, "Oh my, it's been a long time since someone else was as interested in ancient history as me...even if you're probably way more interested in kleavor than the others who lived in its era." She watched as his metapod put a good effort up as the shrubbery started to catch fire. "And yes! Lokix is part dark. They're very strong and sneaky. A psychic type's worst nightmare! They were pretty common back home. You often found them in wooded areas, but you'd also sometimes see them in mountains in the lower elevations."

He sent out kakuna next but it was pretty obvious this battle was decided.

The referee called it and she cross the battlefield, dodging the still smoldering spots, to join Bugsy at the center, accepting her prizes and shaking his hand.

"I do recommend traveling to Paldea one day. I think you would like all the bugs that live there. Even if many of them aren't going to stand much of a chance against a scyther." She pocketed the items and money. "Thank you for today! Maybe one day we'll be able to meet again and talk about bug pokemon. Bye!"

And with her head held high, she headed out. 

—

Word Count; 000| OOC:
FIN

Caramell 🍬 Crocalor was holding amulet coin. Prize monies should have been doubled.