[color=chocolate][h1][center]Amber Pine[/center][/h1][/color]
[color=chocolate][h3][center]Route to Mesalon[/center][/h3][/color]
[@Noxx] [@fer1323]

Nyxx Hollow? Where did Amber know the name Hollow from? Before she had time to think about it, though, the girl crumpled to the ground and lay back. [color=chocolate]"Ah! Nyxx? Are you alright?"[/color] Amber leaned over her, making sure she was ok. Nyxx simply started snoring. Relaxing slightly, Amber straightened her back. The Buneary and the Swablu were acting like this was perfectly normal for Nyxx. She'd probably just crashed from overexcitement.

[color=chocolate]"Don't worry. Looks like she's just resumed the nap she was taking earlier,"[/color] Amber said, turning round to face Oscar. [color=chocolate]"A philosopher? That should make for some interesting discussions along the way. I'm more of a researcher, but I'd be glad to listen to your ideas. And yes, defense and speed are my exact strategies, at least with these two Pokemon."[/color] She looked at Kabuto, then at the Pokeball containing Yanma. [color=chocolate]"One reason for my journey is to research the way different Pokemon battle. What better way to do that than to train them?"[/color]

A cold and clinical sounding explanation, but the way she leaned down and patted the Torchic, a soft smile on her face, showed that her journey wasn't for purely scientific purposes.

"Kabu-to!" The jealous fossil Pokemon crawled forward. Crouching down, Amber petted his shell.

At the sound of squawking and yelling, she straightened right up. A man with a heavily-filled backpack stumbled out from behind the trees, a Cubone and a Woobat at his side, trying to fend off three shrieking Rufflet. [color=goldenrod]"Get back!"[/color] he shouted, to no effect, shielding his face with his scratched arms. [color=goldenrod]"Woobat, use Confusion!"[/color]

As the Woobat's attack threw one of the Rufflet aside, the others closed in, quickly followed by the one who'd taken the hit. Amber gasped. From what she'd heard, Rufflet were naturally aggressive, but these ones barely even seemed to notice other Pokemon's attacks. They kept fighting in a blind fury. The panicking Cubone swung out with its bone club, but one of the Rufflet just dodged and flew at the Ground-type, lashing out with its wings and claws, driving it back. It disappeared into the shrubbery as the bird chased after it.

Kabuto scurried forward. Amber tensed up, but couldn't just stand there and do nothing. [color=chocolate]"Alright, give it all you've got! Scratch!"[/color] she called. The birds' beaks and talons had very little effect on the Rock-type, who swiped at a Rufflet, earning a screech. The bird turned, glaring at Amber, and zoomed at her. She staggered back, letting out a cry at the searing of claws against her arm.

Yanma, who didn't seem to know the meaning of the word "rest", burst from her Pokeball and slammed into the Rufflet. [color=chocolate]"Yanma, no!"[/color] Amber yelled. Yanma had done well against the Murkrow, but that had been a Dark type as well as Flying, and a flock of enraged Rufflet was a different matter entirely... Yanma sped away, followed by the bird, who couldn't quite catch up. She swooped close to the ground, in front of Kabuto, who moved in and scratched at the bird.

The flock kept attacking, swept up in a frenzy. What was with these Pokemon?