[indent] [/indent][h3][hr][color=palevioletred]Eryn Montero[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i]Route 2: Wilted Woods || Night[/i][/sup][indent] [/indent] As the foliage thinned out in favor of darkness deepened by fog instead of forest, Eryn felt a growing feeling of unease creep up on her. Goosebumps sprouted when the first hollow tunes flowed out of the distance, and her hair stood on end at every rustle of leaves. Even mental repetitions of “it’s ghost-types, it’s fine” failed to calm her at this point, soon she was practically squeezing Tula, whose hard carapace was the only thing between Eryn and a uncomfortably squished fish. [color=palevioletred]“Arceus,”[/color] Eryn breathed when Chandelure fireballed the first ghost-type, a cold shade of fear shaking her when she realized she hadn’t even seen it coming. But, now that she saw the first, it was as if her eyes had opened: all around her were ghost-types—trees and bushes opening their eyes in the dark to look down upon her as the fog helped manifest leering faces. Her heart pounded as she fumbled with her Pokedex, finally managing to open it and give names to the shadows: Gourgeist and Trevenant, ghost-grass hybrids. Voices from behind Eryn caused her to spin around, eyes wide as she clutched Tula towards her with one hand. Children? In the woods? Her Pokedex, though, was not so easily fooled, changing to a picture of Phantump, the stump Pokemon, whose description included a note about ‘cries that imitate a human child’s.’ Similarly, her Pokedex was also a good mental defense against the ominous rustling in the darkness, identifying Pumpkaboo through the murky mist. [color=palevioletred]“Dei, Kylie,”[/color] Eryn said, motioning her Pokemon towards her. That strength in numbers would deter ghosts made sense in her head right now even though she’d never heard of it as an actual defense. Her heart rate was somewhat stable now that she’d identified the darkness, and she realized that she was likely in the presence of the ghosts she’d so sought to meet. Still, the unshakable unease still remained with her—an unease that these ghosts weren’t all that lay beyond the forest dominated by Dustox. A shaky murmur from Chandelure set Eryn’s heart pounding again. Ghost-types were weak to ghost-types—that’d slipped her mind. Though Dei would be able to help a little in deterring any attackers, Eryn hesitated to set him on the task lest one of the wild ghost-types figured out that he was more of a bluff than an actual threat. [color=palevioletred]“We should get out of here. Let’s get out of here,”[/color] Eryn said, glancing at Chandelure. She’d seen the ghosts she’d wanted to see, but this part of the woods… She hated it. At least the part with Dustox and Beedrill was easy to wrap her mind around, being threatening in the way poison and paralysis were. This misty, ghost-infested part of the woods, though, held implicit threats she couldn’t put a finger on. All she knew was that her goosebumps weren’t caused by the cold. [color=palevioletred]“Let’s go,”[/color] Eryn repeated. [color=palevioletred]“Dei and Kylie, help Chandelure clear a way with Ember and Astonish if needed.”[/color] Better to cut her losses and come back another day, if at all. [indent] [/indent][hr][hider=Actions][u][b][color=palevioletred] Actions: [/color][/b][/u] Eryn hightails it out of the woods, thanks Chandelure profusely, then heads back to Pureplain to heal her Pokemon and call it a night. [hider=If Eryn makes it out as planned] // Apologies in advance, but these woods are tiered in a way that makes it a perfect grinding ground, if ‘ya know what I mean. And, uh, abuse of the training system isn't a thing, right? The next day, she’ll head back to the Infested Woods to train her Pokemon against some weaker bug-types like Caterpie, Wurmple (with Kylie), and Ledyba. Lots of Ember and Fairy Wind, then Bite (when Kylie learns it). Tula will also be put in for kicks, mainly against Caterpie in over-glorified Tackle/Struggle-fests. Eryn will keep at this training (travelling between Pureplain and Infested Forest to heal her Pokemon and continue training) until Kylie can beat down the wild Ledyba easily, which is when— [hider=if all goes according to plan] —she’ll graduate them to training deeper in the True Infested Woods on Spinarak (with Kylie), Scatterbugs, Metapod, Karrablast, and Caterpie (that are stronger here?), throwing in Tula for a match here and there as well (both Caterpie [i]and[/i] Metapod Tackle-fests. Wow, we’re going places). The strategy will remain basically the same (including Pokemon Center trips) except that Kylie will switch to Fairy Wind for Metapod (to subvert Harden effects). Eryn will keep at all of this, occasionally challenging first Butterfree, then Ariados and Whirlipede with Dei and Kylie tag-teaming them until Dei evolves or Tula learns Tackle. Either or. [/hider] Eryn will stick with fighting lone wilds since attacking groups is risky, and she'll run if the Pokemon are too strong or numerous. Pokemon sightings can be ignored unless they’re shinies or non-bug-types.[/hider] [h3] [/h3][/hider] [hider=Pokemon][u][b][color=palevioletred] Pokemon Party: [/color][/b][/u] [hider=Dei — Charmander][h3]Dei[/h3][hr][img]https://www.smogon.com/dex/media/sprites/xy/charmander.gif[/img] [hr][sup][color=silver]Charmander [color=palevioletred]◼[/color] Level 8 [color=palevioletred]◼[/color] ♂ [color=palevioletred]◼[/color] Blaze[/color][/sup] [indent]100% [list][*]Physical — Scratch [*]Status — Growl [*]Special — Ember [/list][/indent][h3] [/h3][/hider] [hider=Kyllene — Mawile][h3]Kyllene / “Kylie”[/h3][hr][img]https://www.smogon.com/dex/media/sprites/xy/mawile.gif[/img] [hr][sup][color=silver]Mawile [color=palevioletred]◼[/color] Level 8 [color=palevioletred]◼[/color] ♀ [color=palevioletred]◼[/color] Hyper Cutter[/color][/sup] [indent]100% [list][*]Physical — Astonish [*]Status — Taunt, Growl, Fake Tears [*]Special — Fairy Wind [/list]Holding: [b]Occa Berry[/b][/indent][h3] [/h3][/hider] [hider=Tula — Magikarp][h3]Tula / “Tutu”[/h3][hr][img]https://www.smogon.com/dex/media/sprites/xy/magikarp.gif[/img] [hr][sup][color=silver]Magikarp [color=palevioletred]◼[/color] Level 5 [color=palevioletred]◼[/color] ♀ [color=palevioletred]◼[/color] Rattled[/color][/sup] [indent]100% [list][*]Physical — (Struggle) [*]Status — Splash [*]Special — N/A [/list][/indent][h3] [/h3][/hider] [h3] [/h3][/hider] [hider=Inventory][u][b][color=palevioletred] Inventory: [/color][/b][/u] Pokédollars — 4000 [list][*]Potion — 1 [*]Pokeballs — 4 [*]Old Rod [/list][h3] [/h3][/hider] [@PlatinumSkink]