Nika Valentine
Nika was just about to abandon her search for wild pokemon to battle against, kicking one last rock into the grass, when a horribly loud screech came from the area she had been kicking the rocks towards. It seemed she'd finally managed to upset a pokemon enough to warrant its attention. Reaching into her bag she withdrew Paras' pokeball and released her, the light from the pokeball collating into her small form.
"Paras?" The pokemon looked around questioningly, wide eyes innoecent. Nika couldn't help but feel a moment of doubt over what she was about to do. In one day she had disturbed this pokemon from its home, attacked it, captured it, put it through gruelling training... and now? Now she was going to force it to fight again, force it to evolve into a form it may find unbearable... or may not even truly exist in.
But it would get stronger. And with strength came safety, security. With strength came the ability to enforce your beliefs, to determine the course of not only your own life but also those around you. With strength no one could make you feel uncomfortable or outlandish. With strength no one would dare attack you - and any attempts would prove a mistake. Yes. This was what was right. For Paras? Perhaps. For Nika? Yes.
"It's okay Paras, just another battle. Launch a Psybeam into the grass just there." Nika instructed calmly, pointing to where she had heard the screech.
"Para ra!" The crustaceon pokemon concentrated until its eyes began to glow, launching a multicoloured beam into the grass. There was the cry of several pokemon as it hit.
Nika waited for a moment to see what would emerge from the grass, and just as she was about to order another Psybeam, a pair of disgruntled looking Aipom leapt out towards her and Paras. Not what she had been expected, but it would do...
The first Aipom bounded towards Paras and leapt into the air, twisting its body and lashing its tail back and forth. Paras cringed and scuttled backwards, intimidated by the display of strength.
Tail whip... and the second one?
Nika glanced over to the second Aipom, which seemed to be hanging back around the patch of grass they had just burst out of... why? Was it waiting to see if its companion was successful and back it up only if necessary? Odd behaviour for a wild pokemon.
"Paras," she said, bringing her attention back to the matter at hand. "Counter attack with Metal Claw."
Paras gave itself a shake to ignore the intimidation of the enemy Aipom and drew back its right claw. The claw began to glow white just before Paras lashed out with it, catching Aipom across the back and knocking it to the ground.
"Again."
Paras struck out again, this time backhanding(clawing?) Aipom across the head, knocking the pokemon out completely. It hadn't been very strong, though Nika had to concede she may have hit it with a stone or two earlier... there wasn't time to think of much else though, as the second Aipom let out another ear-splitting cry. Although the sound cut right through Nika it had a much more noticeable effect on Paras, setting the dual grass and bug type to shaking on the spot.
Screech. Between that and Tail Whip, we may have a problem...
"Leech Seed. Now."
Although Paras hadn't taken any damage yet, the cumulative effects of Tail Whip and Screech meant that her defense was at an extremely low level. Any direct attack would be devestating, but hopefully the restorative effects of Leech Seed would help to mitigate that. Paras opened one of her claws and directed it towards the second Aipom as it began to charge forwards. It slapped its tail towards Paras in another Tail Whip attack, apparently their strategy was to bottom out Paras' defense and then finish her with one strike.
Suprisingly complex for wild pokemon.
Perhaps if Nika weren't so determined to be a bug specialist one of these Aipom would prove a worthy addition to her team, but for now all that awaited these pokemon was defeat. Paras launched an innocous brown seed from the inside of its claw at Aipom, which attempted to knock it away with the 'hand' at the end of its tail. As soon as it made contact the seed unleashed a network of thin roots that snaked their way along Aipom's tail, lashing on tightly. The puzzled pokemon stared at its tail for a second, shaking it a few times to try and dislodge the seed and its roots.
The roots briefly glowed a sinister red and Aipom cried out in pain, while Paras' eyes flashed a matching red for a second. Paras, at full health, didn't recover but Aipom still received damage. Enraged, Aipom leapt forward and brought its paw down across Paras' face in retalion, a simple Scratch. Normally not an attack that would signal the end of a battle - not past those held by beginning trainers at least - but with Paras' defense so low Nika was slightly concerned...
Paras seemed to be devestated by the attack, falling backwards and wailing in pain. Although not unsympathetic, Nika had no time for useless crying. Better to act quickly and end the source of pain than complain about it.
"Paras! Stop crying and use Metal Claw!"
Paras, remembering how the other pokemon earlier had responded to Nika so quickly was determined to do the same and quickly slashed at Aipom with a glowing white claw. The purple monkey was thrown backwards and once again the roots wrapped around its tail glowed red. Aipom held its lips tightly pressed together, not wanting to cry in pain again. This time Paras received the full benefits of Leech Seed, feeding on her opponents suffering and regaining strength.
The Aipom bounded towards Paras, and just as Nika was about to call an attack, it veered off and began charging towards the source of its troubles. Nika. This had never happened to her before, she had never had a wild pokemon ignore her own pokemon for favour of attacking her. The shock of the oncoming pokemon, relatively small as it might be, left her speechless and immobile.
It leapt into the air and readied to use a Scratch attack on Nika, the dexterous tail trailing out behind it, when it was flung violently to the side by a multicoloured beam of light. Nika's gaze followed as it struck the ground with a sick thud, out cold. Looking back to Paras she was able to just catch the fading colours of Psybeam in its eyes.
"Paras... thank you..." She said lamely.
"Paras." She replied simply with a happy expression on her face before her entire body began to glow white.
Evolution. This was the first time one of her pokemon would go through that fabled process, one she was so fascinated with. Especially in bug pokemon who traditionally evolved so early, and with such revolutionary changes. It was a process she felt she had undergone once herself, and would be eager to again... and Paras was undergoing it right now. This pokemon would go through a change evolving it of its free will, because it had made the choice to save her.
Tides of emotions threatened to overwhelm her. Heart hammering against her chest, throat closing, lungs about to burst, vision blurring... the world was splitting in half around her, the ground was tilting to meet the sky...
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
Following these strict mental commands, the world began to piece itself back together. Those emotions were pushed back where they belonged, a small point of reference used to interpret other peoples actions. Her vision cleared, her heart slowed. And the glowing white light was fading from the evolved Parasect... she had missed it.
Parasect was much larger than Paras, with longer (seemingly more jointed) legs. Its claws were larger and the two mushrooms on its back had grown to become a dominant feature. But the most striking change were the blank, glassy eyes. It was... beautiful.
"Paras? Parasect?" She asked, taking a tentative step forwards.
"Pa... ra... sect..."
"That's right... Parasect. Do you still know me?"
"Para..."
"Good... then come here please."
There was hesitation. Would this pokemon still respond to her commands as a trainer, if the researchers were right and it was now nothing more than home to a semi-intelligent fungus? And if it could understand her, would it feel the same loyalty Paras had just displayed? One way or another, her doubts were erased as the Parasect scuttled over. The longer legs made its movements much more bug-like.
"Excellent." Nika nodded, regaining her cool demeanour. With her panic attack behind her she could appreciate that she had been briefly hysterical. All in all this had been an exceptional day. Reluctantly she recalled Parasect back to her pokeball - she could finish admiring her later - and immediately regretted it as the grass began to rustle again. She prepared herself for another battle when a third, much smaller Aipom made its way out of the grass and over to the nearest of its fallen parents, nudging them with its tail morosely.
Nika tilted her head, her glasses flashing in the light, as she watched the baby Aipom begin to wail. So that was why one of them had stayed back, hanging close to the grass. It had been protecting their young. It perhaps also explained their reserved strategy, they had been hoping to scare off their foe without having to really engage it.
"It's okay." She said. Her voice brought the baby Aipoms attention to her. It seemed terrified. "They'll wake up soon. And I've already beaten them, so my Paras evolved into a Parasect. I don't need to battle you today."
With that she placed Parasect's pokeball back into her bag and turned away, setting off back towards the Academy. Another successful outing.