[@Pirouette] Ewan looked back and forth between Elana running off and then to Erika who was giving him a request of action. He got a determined expression and nodded. [color=decdad]‘I will. Good luck,’[/color] Ewan said, the spitting image of dependability, before he spun around and ran after Elana. What they’d be doing went unseen by Erika, who had other things planned. [color=668570]‘An army? We’re going to-’[/color] Joshua looked stunned for a moment, when he took a deep breath, eyes widening, his hands going to his cheeks. [color=668570]‘[i]Oh my goodness.[/i]’[/color] To call him ecstatic would be an understatement. [color=668570]‘Absolutely! Are we splitting up to get as many as possible, or do we go together to back one another up? Ooooh, this is such an [i]adventure![/i]’[/color] They headed up through the mountain, up through the tunnels. Somewhere in the distance, they heard the drill start again, as the boy was off on his own quest. Erika arrived back to the first floor without issue, and following the map she also easily found the pathway up to the second floor as well. Up here, inside these large, rocky corridors there were the intermittent sounds of fighting. There were more than enough Machops and other wild Pokémon just milling about, but Erika wanted to go where she could find the most amount of Pokémon, correct? If so, here were three of her options. She could go to one of them, or to all three in turn. The choice was hers. [hider=The Dojo]A leg slammed down into a rock, cracking the top of it… and then the Hitmonlee retracted the foot, looking a bit hurt by the effort. A Medicham was quickly at his side, speaking to him, showing a method of kicking downwards for maximum damage, and then corrected the placement of the rock. Hitmonlee prepared again, lifting his leg, and kicked down! Crash! The rock broke open! Hitmonlee looked pleased with himself and Medicham supportively clapped next to him… This was a room not for fighting, but to learn the art of fighting. Pokémon were teaching one another the best methods to strike against each other, practicing throws and guiding one another on the path of strength. It was a decently large room, with plenty of rocks, weights and primitive training equipment which the Pokémon could use to grow their flexibility and power. There was no fighting in this room, perhaps the only such room in the entity of Mt. Strength. In addition, there were some trainers here that were allowing their Pokémon to be trained by the masters of the mountain… What would you want to do here? [center][url=http://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/3/32/106Hitmonlee.png][img]http://i.imgur.com/eK65Zbq.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #106 – Hitmonlee, the Kicking Pokémon. It’s legs can stretch and contract for considerable range and its balance means it can kick from any position. After a battle, it rubs its legs to relax the muscles and release the tension. It runs smoothly with long, loping strides.[/i][/color][/center] [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/a/a3/107Hitmonchan.png][img]http://i.imgur.com/UjAMInZ.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #107 – Hitmonchan, the Punching Pokémon. Said to possess the spirit of a boxer working for world champion. While seemingly resting it can throw punches so quick the eye cannot catch them, and their arms spin when punching to increase power. Trainers need to beware that they need to take pauses to rest every three minutes while fighting.[/i][/color][/center] [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/0/05/308Medicham.png][img]http://i.imgur.com/xVPtYYn.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #308 – Medicham, the Meditate Pokémon. A Medicham has, through starvation, meditation and yoga, sharpened its mind to see the auras of others. It has a sixth sense which predicts the movements of its enemies, and fights with graceful dance-like steps to avoid attacks. It can hide its presence by merging itself with fields or mountains.[/i][/color][/center][/hider] [hider=The Throne Room]There were muscles as far as the eye could see. Proud warriors chuckling and conversing, perhaps agreeing to fight or just praising one another’s strength. There was an aura of power among these Pokémon. Somehow, one could feel it. This was a room for the Pokémon that had proven themselves the strongest, a room for the worthy fighters of Mt. Strength. What determined your worthiness in entering this room was your strength… meaning if a human entered here they’d be getting interested, challenging looks by basically everyone. They were calling themselves “strong” by merely entering. It looked like it was the site of government for whoever originally inhabited this mountain, with a long hall towards a raised platform, pillars holding the ceiling up while looking regal, and at the end was a throne. A throne with a glowing jewel inscribed into the top. On this throne sat a scarred, old Machamp, his muscles bulging despite his age, a scar over his closed left eye as the old champion looked out over the crowd, leaning on one of his right arms. While he looked worse for wear, the fact was he was still sitting on the throne, and that if anything should signify just how powerful this old veteran Machamp was. Now, all eyes would turn to the human who entered. What are you doing here? [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/8/8f/068Machamp.png][img]http://i.imgur.com/pdgP7gS.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #68 – Machamp, the Superpower Pokémon. It is known as the Pokémon that can supposedly throw 1000 punches in two seconds. Machamps are masters of many martial arts, and with four arms it can strike in many unexpected angles. They’re very quick to action, don’t think before they leap, and are absolutely terrible at any form of delicate task.[/i][/color][/center] [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/0/08/675Pangoro.png][img]http://i.imgur.com/qCRzX7a.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #675 – Pangoro, the Daunting Pokémon. It is known to be violent in battle, raging forth at enemies like in a berserker rage. To earn the respect of a Pangoro, a trainer will need to learn to fist-fight with it occasionally. It is, however, quite kind-hearted and will defend companions or the weak in the face of oppressors. Twitches in its bamboo leaf somehow allows it to predict an opponent’s moves.[/i][/color][/center] [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/1/11/534Conkeldurr.png][img]http://i.imgur.com/VwFluMi.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #534 – Conkeldurr, the Muscular Pokémon. It uses concrete pillars as walking canes, and can swing these pillars freely in battle using the centrifugal force of spinning concrete. It is said that, thousands of years ago, Conkeldurr taught humans how to make concrete.[/i][/color][/center][/hider] [hider=The Mountainside Arena]A hole in the mountain led out under the open sky. On the side of the mountain was a cliff, and on top of this cliff was a raised platform. On top of it, a Hariyama and a Mienshao squared off, frowning with determination at one another, surrounded by a crowd of cheering fighting-type Pokémon and a couple trainers that were also looking eagerly at the combat. Here, under the open sky, two Pokémon fought their hearts out against one another, and the rest watched as this battle of might took place. Eventually, Hariyama managed to knock Mienshao off the platform, and was the winner. After a brief celebration, he turned to his next opponent, Lucario, who stepped up on the opposite side of the platform. Then, the battle began anew, as an eternal battle of king-of-the-hill took place, the winner continuing to battle until they fell. The longer they remained, the more glory they earned among the residents of Mt. Strength. Occasionally, a trainer would put forth their own Pokémon to the challenge, entering with the very same rules as anyone else. Was there anything to gain from surviving long enough on the Mountainside Arena? What have you come to this gathering of fighters for? [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/6/6f/297Hariyama.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/dqifm7R.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #297 – Hariyama, the Arm Thrust Pokémon. What appears to be fat is actually a hunk of solid muscle. They’re kind and well-meaning Pokémon, but are known to cause trouble with unrequested tests of strength, like when they try to stop trains mid-transit. It’s strong enough to send multiple ton trucks flying.[/i][/color][/center] [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/2/20/620Mienshao.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/B2zAw89.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #620 – Mienshao, the Martial Arts Pokémon. It wields the fur on its arms like a whip. Its arm attacks come with such rapidity that they cannot even be seen. It overwhelms its opponents with continuous attacks and then slowly stores up power before delivering the finishing blow.[/i][/color][/center] [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/d/d7/448Lucario.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/BWJPsYH.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #448 – Lucario, the Aura Pokémon. It can sense the Aura of others, and can by that read their thoughts and movements, and can by that detect even far-off or hidden foes. They use this to detect prey, and also employ aura as offensive power. Often hunt in packs.[/i][/color][/center][/hider] What will Erika do? __________________________ [@Gardevoiran] Skylar went off in the direction of the four-legged mammal’s tracks. His birds scouted from up high, but didn’t actually see anything new except for where the other tracks were going. Skylar himself wandered on out into the desert, following the tracks for as long as he could. Eventually, the tracks ended, in the midst of the desert. He’d walked all the way to the end of the tracks, when- A blast of sand shot out from in front of him! In front of him, bursting out from underneath the surface of the desert came one of said four-legged mammals, and with it came a human! [hider=It was…!][center][url=https://i.imgur.com/cffx8aU.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/cffx8aU.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=E89828]‘Er, nope! Didn’t head this way!’[/color] [center]Worker Arvin would like to battle![/center] [hider=Arvin’s Pokémon][center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/a/ab/449Hippopotas.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/cntvrTA.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #449 – Hippopotas, the Hippo Pokémon. It lives in arid places. Instead of perspiration, it expels grainy sand from its body. It shrouds itself in this sand to ward of germs and enemies. It can walk through sand as easily as on ground, though has to shut its nostrils when doing so. They form colonies of around ten.[/i][/color][/center] Sand Stream will immediately start a Sandstorm! Otherwise, the hippo has a combination of Yawn, Bite and Dig with which it intends to first put the opponent to sleep and then do damage to, using sleep and Dig-turns to do damage over time with the sandstorm! [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/9/9e/027Sandshrew.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/9fwphin.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #27 – Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon. It lives in arid regions burrowing deep underground. It emerges only to hunt for food, which it catches by lounging out of their burrows. If threatened, it curls into a protective ball and bounces off from enemy attacks. If it gets cold at night, its body will coat itself with a fine dew.[/i][/color][/center] Sand Veil ups evasion in a sandstorm! Also, this thing knows Magnitude! If it’s facing a Pokémon Magnitude is ineffective against, it may just Defense Curl and then Rollout instead![/hider] What will Skylar do?[/hider]