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Well, nothing left to do except train, and Nolan could do without the impromptu mini-adventures. The three pokemon seemed to be getting along well, maybe too well. It had turned into a strange poke-version of the African savannah. Crouching in the tall grass, the cub was playing stalk-and-pounce. Meanwhile the Hippo pokemon was grazing on some stalks, and the Tiny Swallow pokemon was perched on the broad back of the Hippo, keeping watch.

It was, well, kind of hilarious really. Nolan didn't think it was very fair for Valor though, because Twill had sharp eyesight. The cub was seen way before he had the chance to creep close enough to leap. Nolan chuckled a little under his breath, and consulted his pokedex to check again what moves Hippopotas had at her level.
"Twill, will you spar with Hippopotas?"
She gave a shrill cry back, and Nolan already knew what her 'no-way' squawk was. Thankfully, it didn't sound like a NO WAY.
"Thanks. Since you're a flying type too, it's really the best if they can practice with you. Well, I won't let Valor ..."

The Taillow gave Nolan a stare, and his words drifted off until he just shrugged and called Valor over to him. With the cub sitting on his lap, Nolan again felt that the pressure was on again. Hopefully this Hippo wasn't totally worthless.
"Hippopotas ... I'm going to need a short name for you. Will you show us your Tackle attack, against, that tree over there?"

Nolan poked Twill first, but she was sound asleep. A few more pokes, and still nothing changed. Crouched by the Tiny Swallow pokemon, Nolan glanced over at Hippopotas, kind of cross, yet at the same time he was proud. But still.
"Don't do that again, Hippopotas. Save it for the real battles, okay?"

Valor scampered over now that it looked like the show was over, and he pounced on the Hippo's backside, digging claws in to hold on. Nolan sighed. It was like trying to keep a bunch of kids from tearing out each others' hair and to play nice. Now he certainly had more gratitude that Snivy would keep them in line. Nolan didn't want to be the bad guy here, but this was getting silly.
"Valor! Get down off of her, and Hippopotas, I asked you a question."

Twill was just starting to wake up, thankfully, so that meant no emergency run back to the Pokecenter. Nolan looked down at the tiny bird while she groggily got back up to her feet, shaking her wings of the dirt. Hippopotas trundled over and helped Twill keep her balance with a nudge of her nose. It was as much as an apology Nolan thought he would get, and next he stood up. That is, after he dislodged the Shinx's claws from the Hippo's hide.
"We're going to do this in a much nicer and orderly fashion. Um ... let's find a wild pokemon that doesn't mind battling us ..."

(( I'll edit in the wild pokemon later. Whoops, totally forgot. ))



Squinting his eyes and shading them from the sun, Nolan scanned the skies for any wild bird pokemon nearby. There certainly were plenty, although, all the action had scared them away from the area. They would have to go on the search to find anything useful. About to give up, that's when he spotted something way up high coming towards him. It was small at first, and brown and green, but then it started to get bigger and bigger! Nolan jumped way out of the way, gaining cover underneath a large tree. He shielded his face from the down-draft of wind as the Tropius landed nearby, and none were as surprised as Nolan to see Kiera perched on the pokemon's back.

"Err ... hi, Kiera."
That was all he managed to stammer out, and he looked the Tropius over, wondering where in the world Kiera had managed to get a flying plant/dinosaur thing. No sooner than it had arrived, it was flying off again.
"Is ... was that yours? What in the world have you been doing?"

(( Nothing really special. I only rolled a common, although, I kind of wish I rolled a shiny Taillow.
Yet I like the navy blue just as much as the teal. Besides, shiny pokemon really aren't my thing. ... But I might go insane trying to catch a shiny Axew, just because a black Haxorus is badace, lulz ... ))



After answering a bunch of questions for a survey, handing the couple Kiera tossed at him were no sweat. Rather, he was feeling quite verbose after meeting Hayley, the surveyor in Blyse.
"Uh, you'll have to tell me about the Oddish. I've been spending most of my day in Blyse so far. I just got back out here on Route 1, and haven't seen any wild pokemon yet."
He did pause though when he came to the next question. He still felt horrible for how he let his Taillow knock out Kiera's Abra. Nolan shifted, uncomfortable, and scratched the back of his head. No was a good answer, but he couldn't just do that. Wild pokemon weren't as easily healed, which made a trainer's pokemon the better choice. Besides, the pokemon that lived around here weren't all that tough. So he only had one decision anyway.

"Well, alright. I guess it's been a little while since we last had a real battle. What about ... um, two verses two? I only have three with me right now, and oh, you can pick whatever. First one's random?"
Nolan took out one of his pokeballs, although, empty right now since the Shinx, Taillow, and Hippopotas were all playing with Kiera's pokemon. But now that he had one selected, he wouldn't change it, just so neither of them really would start with the automatic advantage.

Three vs three? Nolan also paused to think, and with his fingers he idly turned the pokeball against his palm. It would be a disadvantage, since he wouldn't have all six of his pokemon to choose from. But ... who said pokemon battles were always going to be fair? Nolan could lose, but then he could also win despite everything. He found himself nodding.
"Alright, three-on-three, Kiera. This first pokeball belongs to Valor. Come on, Valor, ready to battle?"

"Shiiiin!"
The Shinx bounded over to stand front and center in the small clearing the two trainers would use. It was tighter quarters than before, since they weren't out by the 'Big Tree', but more places to hide behind, like trees and large bushes. And some tall grass as well. And Nolan still had a trump card. Kiera didn't know how his Hippopotas fought yet.
"Valor, get close to Yanma to show it your Intimidate, but stay on your toes. Charge up and get that electricity flowing!"

The Flash cub was maybe taking it too literally, because the Shinx tried to stand on his very tippy-toes a few times. He couldn't get very far like that.
"Agh, no ... no, just, um, try not to get hit, Valor!"
That made more sense to Valor, and he sprung forward to rush across the small field at Yanma. Teeth bared and fur standing on edge, suddenly a raging ball of fuzz, Valor was using his Intimidate.

(( Actually, if it's okay with you, can we just mess around with miss-and-hit system? Like it's a normal RP battle between characters?
The one-turn-one-hit-always rule is a little boring to me. Especially since I've been re-playing Ruby recently, and it's getting pretty repetitive to do it in RP too, but only if you're alright with it. And maybe I've been watching YouTube clips of the cartoon too, lulz. ))



The ripple of sound was much more difficult to dodge for Valor, and it sent him skidding backwards on all four paws. The Sonic Boom flattened out the grass and seemed to distort even the air around Yanma. Nolan covered his ears just in case. Shaken a little, the Shinx was used to only physical attacks, but this was a neat change! Valor bounced back filled to the brim with excitement. Nolan wondered if anything really could get the Shinx cub down. Well, other than huge Dragonite.
"Not too bad, Valor. Get up there again in Yanma's face and hit it with your Spark!"

Valor flexed his front legs, brandishing his little claws, and gaining a little more traction to better speed him towards the Yanma. And all that aerial training Nolan put his pokemon through really was paying off. Valor launched himself right off the ground at the last second, rocketing up at Yanma to swat his underbelly.

The Flash cub landed neatly on all four paws, and when the shiny Yanma was withdrawn by his trainer, Valor began to strut happily, considering himself the victorious victor! He didn't notice that Vesuvius was already called up next, and Kiera had given him his move. Nolan had to shout,
"Valor, focus on the battle!"
The Shinx turned and saw the Embers coming at him just in time. Hopping to the side, and then backing up, he kept away from the hot fire attack, not sure if he should chase after the Fire Mouse right then and there. Nolan was trying to think fast. The last battle, his Shinx couldn't use electric attacks, and still, all Valor could do right now was physical moves. Would that make much of a difference? Twill could probably do this, she had the speed to attempt to out-maneuver the Cyndaquil.

Valor noticed Nolan reaching for the cub's pokeball, and he yowled at his trainer, before focusing again on the Cyndaquil. It caused Nolan to hesitate, and he wondered if it was wise to let Valor battle Vesuvius a second time. But time was running out, and Vesuvius was keeping up the pressure with the fire. If Nolan didn't decide, then Valor would just get worn out trying to dodge the Embers until one hit.
"Valor ... um, keep your distance too, and charge up as much electricity as you can!"

The Shinx flicked his star-tipped tail back and forth and dashed forward, running in a circle opposite of the Cyndaquil, keeping watch as the fire Embers flew towards him. The faster he ran, the more electricity began to crackle over his fur. Valor wanted to prove to his human that he was a good pokemon! He started to zig-and-zag just to exert more energy into a build up of electricity, taking his voltage to higher levels than he'd tried before. 110% power, go go!

The pokemon's fur began to glow brighter and brighter, and before Nolan was even sure what happened, his Shinx had been enveloped by a white shining light. When the light broke, his Shinx was no longer a Shinx, having tripled in size and weight, and a black mane covered the crown of his head. Valor changed directions and cut towards Vesuvius, ready to use his Spark attack.