[right][sub][sub][url=https://youtu.be/Ui6wp7VV9VU?t=165]Gym battle in progress[/url][/sub][/sub][/right] [@hatakekuro] Crocus managed to Growl before Beedrill hit him again, decreasing the power of U-Turn. Once again, with no choice in the matter, Beedrill bounced back towards its trainer… only for the vine to slam it down into the floor again as it couldn't return. The annoyed bee immediately surged in at Crocus again, while Leech Seed drained some health to him…! Two round-trips later, and standing only due to Growl and Leech Seed, Crocus outlasted the angry giant bee, which now lay fainted at the end of the vine, having slammed its face into the floor repeatedly with the excess power of U-Turn. The Bulbasaur was heavily damaged, however. [center][color=6ecff6][i]Crocus grew to level 13! Crocus learned Poison Powder! Crocus learned Sleep Powder![/i][/color][/center] [color=7192de]‘Nicely done,’[/color] Lorette smiled as she returned Beedrill. [color=7192de]‘Now, let me reintroduce you. Escavalier!’[/color] she called, throwing out a Pokéball, and the knightly, slow but powerful bug with twin lances formed once again. At this point, Basil should determine what he wants to do beforehand, really. [hider=Have you decided?]Lorette smirked a bit before pointing forward. [color=7192de]‘Escavalier! Es Fell Stinger!’[/color] she commanded. Now, Escavalier didn't have much speed, but it had a phenomenal amount of strength. Strength that came in handy as it vaulted forward, stabbed its stingers into the floor and thrusted with all its might, sending the bug flying at its target with significant speed, twisting in mid-air to point its stingers forward…! Speed at the cost of accuracy, control and eventual predictability, most likely. With what he originally intended in mind, how will Basil respond to this threat?[/hider] How will Basil react? __________________________ [@Pirouette] Elana peered at her intently from really close when she insisted the two boys were just friends that wanted to join them. After all, Erika was looking really nervous and like someone that may just be hiding something. [color=f0b4a3]‘… Well, okay, then,’[/color] she eventually concluded that it didn’t necessarily matter that much, leaning away from her and focusing on the journey at hand. They then embarked on their trip and arrived at Mt. Strength. At the mention of needing to send out Pokémon that didn’t look too tough, Joshua and Ewan looked at one another. [color=668570]‘It’s gotta be Mudkipz!’[/color] Joshua said, sending out his Pokémon and grabbing around her. [color=668570]‘You’re such a sweet-looking little thing, who’d be scared of you?’[/color] he said, hugging around his Mudkip happily, and the Mudkip looked similarly happy. [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/6/60/258Mudkip.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/UkQl74h.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #258 – Mudkip, the Mud Fish Pokémon. The fin on top of its head is highly sensitive to movements in water and air, allowing it to act like a radar and giving it impressive awareness. It’s known to rest by covering itself with mud at the bottom of a river. It’s known to be very strong for its size.[/i][/color][/center] [color=decdad]‘… I suppose Duessel,’[/color] Ewan said, sending out the Psyduck, who immediately looked back at Ewan with a kinda sad-looking expression, while holding onto his head. [color=decdad]‘Don’t worry, you’ll look far tougher after you evolve,’[/color] Ewan assured his Pokémon. Duessel looked sort-of relieved with that. [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/5/53/054Psyduck.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/lCG9Yau.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #53 – Psyduck, the Duck Pokémon. It is plagued by headaches from the moment it is born until it evolves. Its vacant look is there to lull its enemies, and by intensifying its headaches it can unleash psychic powers. However, any time it uses these powers will create a lapse in its memory and it won’t remember having done so.[/i][/color][/center] The deal of the stones was agreed upon. Elana nodded, and then held the Shiny Stone in front of Slurpuff. [color=f0b4a3]‘Smell this. Keep in mind that we’re not looking for [i]exactly[/i] this stone, just another kind of evolution stone,’[/color] she told. Slurpuff excitedly nodded, smelled it, and… [color=E9C9D8]‘Slurpuff!’[/color] the Pokémon called, and was immediately on its way. Elana nodded to Erika and started to follow already. [color=f0b4a3]‘It does seem like we’re heading down…’[/color] Elana remarked on where Slurpuff was heading. They headed down through tunnels, leaving behind the underground town of fighting-types to follow relatively normal underground tunnels, snaking in varying direction and leading further down the mountain. Then and again Pokémon headed by, Machops fighting or transporting rocks somewhere or Meditites just sitting on the wayside meditating. Joshua and Ewan were momentarily happy to follow. Joshua got into a bit of trouble when he accidentally stepped on a Geodude. The Geodude immediately attacked, but Joshua could take it out with one shot via Mudkip’s Water Gun. However, a couple Machops saw the display, and decided Mudkip was worthy of being challenged! Ewan had to step in to help defeat the wild Pokémon for a bit, there… Meanwhile, Slurpuff was heading through the tunnel with utmost determination, seeking directly through the tunnels until it found what it was looking for. There! A stone! … A Shiny Stone, just as the one Elana had showed it! … Some time later, it found another stone! Another Shiny Stone, that is. … And then another. Then another. Then… [color=f0b4a3]‘I… did tell you that what we were looking for wasn’t EXACTLY like this?’[/color] Elana asked, frowning a little at her Pokémon as she was holding the fifth Shiny Stone they’d found. Slurpuff tilted its head a little, confused. Elana sighed. [color=f0b4a3]‘Well, guess we can keep looking…’[/color] They’d now been wandering the tunnels for quite an amount of time. Stones were, though, not the only thing they’d found around here. Quite a bit of basic Pokémon Trainer necessities were lying about… [center][color=6ecff6][i]Erika obtained 3 Potions! Erika obtained 6 Pokéballs! Erika obtained 3 Repels![/i][/color][/center] They kept wandering the lower parts of Mt. Strength. Slurpuff was attempting to widen the search-parameters, actually finding a Fire Stone down there, which Elana promptly collected. Joshua and Ewan were discussing what kind of Fighting-type they could imagine capturing, neither of the two had become particularly impressed with any of the Fighting-types they’d seen so far. Still, they continued wandering the dark caves until- The cave suddenly started shaking! Like there was an earthquake or something going on! [color=668570]‘Woah-!’[/color] Joshua called, grabbing onto the wall. [color=668570]‘What’s this-!?’[/color] he asked, clearly excited by the level of power displayed. [color=f0b4a3]‘Huh, that’s odd. The Pokémon down here should be pretty weak…’[/color] Elana commented, crouching to pick up Slurpuff, to prevent the light Pokémon from bouncing off. [color=decdad]‘… It’s coming from that direction,’[/color] Ewan pointed, because indeed, the shaking seemed to be coming from behind that wall. There were even sounds, and the sounds were coming closer…! [color=f0b4a3]‘… There should be no reason to worry, the Pokémon of Mt. Strength isn’t the kind that’d want to hurt you past challenging your Pokémon, and there’s none bigger than a Machamp; they wouldn’t hurt you accidentally,’[/color] Elana tried to comfort, but it was true that something was coming closer, and- And something burst through the wall. It wasn’t a Pokémon. It was huge. It was a gigantic drilling-machine, going through the wall and with no sign of stopping. [hider=machine][url=https://i.imgur.com/uyRnv23.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/uyRnv23l.jpg[/img][/url][/hider] There’s two immediate ways out of its way. One would be immediately to the left. Pros include, short distance to get there and guaranteed out of the way. Cons, you have a very limited amount of time before the machine blocks the way and a failed attempt to get there could have dire consequences. Second option, turn and run further down the cave. Pros; the machine is slow and you should be able to outrun it. Cons; the path is straight and you’ll have the machine pursuing you for a significant distance, don’t stumble. Then, there’s the third option, use whatever possible means to stop the giant drill before it engangers you. Fourth option, escape rope. Now, each of the others is going to have their own immediate reaction, but to start with, what’s Erika’s?