lake acuity

[the_very_best]

The other two lakes supposedly harboring legendaries didn't pan out. If this one doesn't either, Bella's going to have to befriend someone who's got a Pokémon that knows Dive so she can check out the lake bottom, or pick a new lead. Zag can happily swim her around all day long, but he can't get them under the water.

...Huh. She didn't know there was somebody living here. But that's definitely a building. She can only see it because she's high above the ground, riding Rachis, but yes, in the dense forest around Lake Acuity is a lone structure, definitely artificial.

She steers Rachis, and the Pidgeot obeys.

They land neatly outside the tower, and she turns the handle on the front door curiously.

Comments

[bitofafiction]

"Oh, yes. It plays tag with Ampere—that's his Emolga."

[the_very_best]

"Ha, that's probably what I'd have named an Emolga if I had one. I seriously considered it, they're a killer type combo, but ultimately I prefer stuff that evolves, and I had my balanced team of six by the time I was anywhere they could be caught anyway."

[bitofafiction]

"Tony did his rounds with an imported Charmander."

[the_very_best]

"If it can fly now, without having its own jetpack, then I would expect he did all right in his time."

[bitofafiction]

"Yes indeed he did," says Sherlock. "We're not much for half-measures in this family."

[the_very_best]

"Is it just the two of you?"

[bitofafiction]

"Yes."

[the_very_best]

"I'm sorry."

[bitofafiction]

"Thank you."

[the_very_best]

"You're welcome. Can I ask what happened or would you rather not talk about it?"

[bitofafiction]

"They left a few years ago, intending to be gone for a few days, and did not return. That is all we have ever been able to find out."

[the_very_best]

"That really, really sucks," sighs Bella.

[bitofafiction]

"Yes it does."

[the_very_best]

"I'm gonna go set up a campsite. I'd offer you a rematch against the other half of the gang but I don't want to wake up in the middle of the night with a Bibarel nibbling on my toes and all the gang tuckered out."

[bitofafiction]

"You could stay in the tower," he offers. "Where the major hazard is curious Porygon, which can be excluded by closing the door."

[the_very_best]

"Oh, cool. Of course, yours are tired too, but maybe you could borrow a couple of Tony's."

[bitofafiction]

"Indeed I could."

[the_very_best]

Bella plucks Juu's Pokéball from her belt and tosses it and catches it. "I'm stuck with what I've got, but if you tell me what you're going to swap in I'll know what to lead with and how screwed I am by my limited selection," she grins.

[bitofafiction]

"Charizard and Skarmory."

[the_very_best]

"A little bit screwed," concludes Bella. "All right. I'll toss Rachis to start, you saw her, and the others are my Sawsbuck, Branch, and my Mienshao, Juu."

[bitofafiction]

"Candle and Spike," he says cheerfully. "Just a moment."

And in he goes to borrow some pokemon from Tony.

[the_very_best]

Bella, and a preening Rachis too, are waiting for him when he returns.

[bitofafiction]

Presumably he has two more pokeballs on him somewhere, but like the ones he habitually carries, he's concealed them from view.

"Shall we?"

[the_very_best]

"Oh yes."

The Skarmory isn't as hard-hitting as some 'mon Bella's fought and beaten, but none of Rachis's attacks do more than lightly dent it; damn those Steel defenses and the fact that Fireflower and Zag are out of the game. Fortunately, Rachis - like everyone else on this half of Bella's team, as it happens - knows a healing move. And Spike the Skarmory does not. Bella settles in for the long haul. As an added bonus, using Roost leaves Rachis not-technically-Flying long enough to drastically cut the value of each Rockslide.

Ultimately, patience and roosting wins over solid defense - and Rachis knows one gotcha, of sorts. Bella sends her Pidgeot high into the sky, preparing to divebomb the Skarmory with Fly - the Skarmory predictably follows suit so as not to be there - and the Fly does not hit - but the ensuing Twister does. Dragon-type isn't any more effective against a Skarmory than Flying-type, but it can hit a nigh-invulnerable 'mon - and do double damage when it does.

Spike spirals dizzily to the ground, and faints.

"Nice, Rachis," Bella tells her Pidgeot approvingly.

[bitofafiction]

Sherlock grins.

Out comes Candle.