[center][h2][color=ed1c24]Redorchard[/color][/h2][/center]

[@Rune_Alchemist]

Youngster Joey broke into a fit of laughter, doubling over with his arms crossed inwardly over his torso. The laugh was contagious in a nauseating kind of way. You wished he’d stop. You really, really, really wished he’d stop. You thought he would keep over at any moment as his body erupted into spasms and his voice quaked. Trainers still standing in line stood on the tips of their toes and took sideways glances to see what the fuss was about.

[color=fff200]“I told you,”[/color] the Youngster looked up, a shit-eating grin plaguing his face. [color=fff200]“My Rattata is in the top percentage of Rattata.”[/color] You could swear a flash of light beamed from the corner of the kid’s eye. He unwrapped his arms from his torso and adjusted the back of his cap once again, now complete sideways. The boy stood tall and in a wide-legged stance. The grass brushed against his bright red shoes. He pointed a finger straight up to the sky, as if he were to announce a challenge against the heavens themselves. [color=fff200]“Rattata, use Quick Attack!”[/color]

The grass around the Rattata began to wane outwardly. You saw its red eyes pulse as its form became nothing but a blur. A purple streak directed as a missile towards Quill. The Sneasel’s initial attack struck air, as the sharp claw Pokémon hopped onto one foot to pause its charge. Its head swiveled about, looking confused.

[color=fff200]“You’re mine now!”[/color]

The wind held its breath.

[color=fff200]“This is it!”[/color]

Rattata was upon and behind Quill, faster than the Pokémon could react. Its head, travelling at sonic speeds, went to collide with the young Sneasel. The very hairs atop the Rattata’s head skimmed Sneasel’s leg. His body went careening past, momentum too swift to pause. Rattata had missed.

Quill took this opportunity to follow with a second swipe, claws colliding directly with the side of the Rattata’s neck. Gravity failed to weigh the mouse Pokémon down as it soared halfway across the dirt path and onto the bordering soil.

[color=92278f]“Rat…tata…”[/color]

[center][color=6ecff6]~RATTATA IS UNABLE TO BATTLE!~[/color][/center]

You saw the exact moment Youngster Joey lost hope as the glimmer faded from his eyes. He fell to his knees and rubbed wet eyes with twisting fists. [color=fff200]“It’s not fair! I had you! It’s not fair!”[/color] Youngster Joey continued to whine, recalling Rattata to its Ficus Ball in the middle of his tantrum.

Quill was still very much a part of the fight. Meowth was battling Nidoran♀ and Deerling was battling Nidoran♂. Which fight did it join, if at all?

[@tex]

Kaz’s growls were followed by a furious dash, claws slicing the grass below it as its paw connected with the side of the Nidoran’s♀ face.  Her claws dug into dirt and created a deep, dragging trail. Specks of brown and light tan polluted the nearby air. Save for a bruise and heavy breathing, the Nidoran♀ appeared to maintain its grounding. Only a defensive nature could explain resisting such a strong attack from the flank.

Kaz looked to his paw, where a quill had penetrated his skin. A flash of purple overtook his form and it was gone. The Meowth was visibly woozy, repeatedly hacking but maintaining its footing as Nidoran’s♀ poison had been introduced to its veins.

[center][color=6ecff6]~KAZ HAS BEEN POISONED!~[/color][/center]

Camper Annie failed to say anything, amazed at the turn of events that had happened. Her big, bright eyes observed both of the Pokémon over and over, unable to make up her mind or focus. [color=00a99d]“Oh I know!”[/color] The camper framed her chin by cupping her fingers. [color=00a99d]“Alright Nidoran♀! Pin him down!”[/color] She said, bringing her elbow down for emphasis.

The Nidoran♀ obeyed its trainer’s command, swinging its head as a sledgehammer and using that momentum to leap onto Kaz. Pinning each of the Meowth’s limbs to the ground, the Nidoran♀ continued to growl into the feline face of Kaz. Kaz struggled to usurp the weight of Nidoran♀, as the Pokémon was nearly twice the weight of the scratch cat Pokémon. You weren’t quite sure how large Nidoran♀ normally were, but this one had to be above average. Despite its ferocity, the Meowth appeared unable to topple her over. His struggles were interrupted by the tightening of his muscles, poison beginning to wear on his body.

[color=00a99d]“That’s it! Don’t let up!”[/color] Camper Annie said.

[@Lasrever]

Deerling charged valiantly forth, unleashing an intimidating growl and lowering its shoulder in order to connect with the slightly shorter Nidoran♂. Both Nidoran♂ and Camper Danny were caught off guard by the outburst, and Waffles’ attack was able to connect easily with the ill-prepared Nidoran♂. Waffles had driven Nidoran♂ onto his hind legs, rocks being scattered by the Pokémon’s efforts to stay on its feet. Though, he was able to push back hard enough before he fell into a defenseless position, belly upright. Waffles and Nidoran♂ locked eyes, arms, teeth, and claws in this embrace, one not gaining an edge over the other. Their snarling and growling was buried in the mess of noise that was occurring around you, trainers leaving the lab now forming a ring around your unusual 3v3 battle.

Camper Danny readjusted his orange scarf, tightening the knot that held it all together. The scarf took to wind as a breeze rolled by. He lifted his cap’s bill to wipe some sweat from his brow. The boy’s brown bangs caught the wind along with his scarf, and his untucked shirt followed suit. For the first time he grinned, and Nidoran♂ began to push forward against Waffles. Heavy steps, slow steps, but forward nonetheless.

[color=00a99d]“I chose your Pokémon for a reason. I know everything about my Nidoran♂,”[/color] Danny said, a raised eyebrow suggesting he had just taken the advantage. The two Pokémon continued to struggle cacophonously, but the camper spoke over the two. [color=00a99d]“Your Deerling is a Grass type, and a male.”[/color] Danny puts his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest. [color=00a99d]“With my Nidoran’s♂ Rivalry and flying-type move, there’s no way we can lose!”[/color] Nidoran♂ took a final step forward, struggling to rear its neck backward.

[color=00a99d]“Nidoran♂, use Peck!”[/color]

The Pokémon’s horn glowed a faint blue, first at its center and then as a whole. Locked into struggle, Waffles was unable to escape the sideswipe. Nidoran’s♂ horn lodged itself into Deerling’s shoulder, a blast of sound emanating from the impact. A cloud of dust kicked up from the impact and formed around the two Pokémon. Silence remained where growls once thrived.

[center][color=6ecff6]~IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE!~

~DEERLING IS UNABLE TO... WAIT!~[/color][/center]

The dust cleared, revealing a battered, bruised, but standing Deerling. The super effective move struck home, but Deerling remained locked into struggle with Nidoran♂. One could only guess that Waffles’ growl was the only thing that prevented such an attack from fainting him. It was now Waffles that pushed forward against Nidoran♂, the sound of tiny pebbles being crushed underfoot as a background. His quivering body and shaking hooves failed to surrender.

[color=00a99d]“What? I-Impossible!”[/color] Camper Danny’s voice stuttered, and he paced in place, alternating side to side. His hands ruffled his cap against his brown, curly hair in frustration. He attempted to think of a counter-plan to the seemingly indomitable Waffles. [color=00a99d]“Quick Nidoran♂ one more time!”[/color] Danny said. It was the only thing that came to mind in panic. Nidoran’s♂ horn began to glow a faint blue once again, preparing to down Waffles in one, final strike.

[center][h2][color=gold]Gleampier[/color][/h2][/center] 

Holly lowered her upper body, keeping her legs stiff. She held some sort of clipboard with both hands, gripping the bottom of it and holding it at her waistline. A nearby blue screen reflected faint light on her face, giving her pink, swirling hair a periwinkle hue. Her bright, blue eyes betrayed her calculating demeanor. Her presence wasn’t necessarily cold; her words were actually quite helpful and supporting. There was simply an inhuman tone to it that was… off.

[color=ec008c]“Very well. Please escort yourselves at your leisure. Facilities are available in the upper level, and the deck is open for Pokémon capture,”[/color] Holly said. Well, that was surprising. You didn’t think you would be able to catch Pokémon so soon. Though, with some thinking, you supposed you were technically on a route. [color=ec008c]“Please arrive for Professor Palm’s complementary dinner at sunset, in the dining hall on the main floor.”[/color]

Just as she finished explaining the location of dining quarters, a rather unique individual in top hat and mismatched garb waddled onto the scene. Holly raised her clipboard to chest level, flipping through the graph paper with mechanical precision.

[color=ec008c]“Ah, yes, Mr. Reginald Gilbertian, III. Have you or are you currently registering your Pokémon with Palm, Inc.?”[/color]

Holly either didn’t notice the gentleman’s offer, or had chosen to ignore it. Her sky-blue eyes rested uncomfortably still on the gentleman’s, awaiting response.