Everyone stopped. The potential of a new Pokemon was exciting, but they had no idea of any potential danger. They could be poking the bear with a strong foe. Instead of charging in, they approached slowly, not wanting to upset the specimen inside just yet. The group had to make sure it was something they could fight before poking the nest.

As Sableye was the best scout in the group, he was the one to forge the path ahead. He embraced his ghostly side and disappeared from view. His spectral form was unable to be seen by others.

His movements were swift, practically running up to the broken fountain. He jumped into the air and did a flip before landing before the fort. He slowed down and tried peeking inside to assess the situation.

After a few moments, he appeared content. Their shared connection could only support feelings, so Lilith could feel what he felt. Sableye was relatively calm and not panicking in the slightest. Absol would be able to defeat the foe if Sableye wasn't afraid. That was their confidence.

Before any plan could be decided on, Absol let out a bark prematurely. The loud sound echoed off the walls and signaled her presence. While it would be unwise to challenge a Pokemon inside the closed off space where they couldn’t even see, it was worse that they didn’t know the enemies numbers.

‘Come on!’ She wanted to shout.

Groans and rustles commenced, having been woken from their slumber. The pack was ready for them. While they were still unidentified, most were only of the first star due to their energy released. It wasn’t something a Pokemon could hide, being an unconscious reaction to battle.

‘They’re in the grass, but we haven't felt the boss yet… We still have the retreat to the door. We can hold the choke there if the worst happens.’ She analyzed quickly.

No Pokemon gave off the aura of a second star, with few even being a challenge in a singular fight. Each Pokmemon took a side, standing before the maze of grass. It was the only direction they could come from.

Seconds went by without any approach. After a few moments, everyone jumped in surprise. The grass growing to the side of the fountain sparked to life. A unique presence appeared with the sudden heat. The branches and grass that lay on the fountain's lip caught on fire. One side was engulfed in heat while the opposite side remained untouched.

Heat cracked the stoney pavement and everyone took a step back.

‘I guess we know what type it is…’ Lilith thought.

‘Or it could be a ploy… We have to be ready for everything.’ She amended.

Lilith watched from a distance while shaking her head. It was all a bit too theatrical for her taste. She glanced around, looking for any Pokemon who might want to ambush them with their concentration shifted.

Instead, everyone remained hidden. Something didn’t sit right with her, but the identification slipped through her fingers. The only things she could do was wait for the fire to die down or retreat. The pressure was mounting, but nothing threatening enough for them to flee.

The group watched and waited a few more seconds.

‘This could also be a bluff. A way to scare off other Pokemon from their territory, considering they haven’t shown themselves yet.’

With her thought complete, only ashes remained where the small thatch shelter once stood. The pile stirred when something underneath shook off the soot. Lilith held her breath as a small head covered in fur popped out. With nothing blocking his way, he finally stepped out into the open. A loud roar accompanied his emergence, catching the group off guard. Everyone stood their ground, but some weaker Pokemon could be heard scurrying away.

‘Roar, causes weaker Pokemon to flee. It wasn’t a bluff.’ She thought.

Four fiery paws stamped the ground around him while black stripes covered the legs and back of his orange fur. Tufts of bright yellow fluff stood on his chest and head, looking like a poofy mohawk. He emanated an intimidating aura, making him appear much larger than he actually was.

The ripple washed over her Pokemon, lowering their attacking energy.

‘Intimidate Growlithe, finally something worthwhile!’ She cheered internally.

The Pokemon got ready for battle, revealing how strong he was. The aura was of one just on the cusp of its second star, only a touch behind Absol. She knew intuitively that the difference between the two would have to be made up somehow. Absol got pumped up and used leer to lower the defense of her target. A Pokemon with one attack drop using a move into a different Pokemon with one defense drop canceled the two out, bringing damage back to neutral.

With the brief exchange, everyone was ready to clash.

Both Pokemon stood meters apart from one another. No other Pokemon had shown themselves and Growlithe decided to keep his distance. Multiple members were fired towards them as he flanked to one side casually. Absol tried using her newest strategy to avoid the incoming fire, her body split up before reforming again.

One Absol replaced two, until one of them split once more. Double Team created clones for her to charge forwards with as cover. Only one of them was her real body, so he would have to attack them one by one and hope to do damage. If Growlithe chose wrong, then the clone would disappear. They couldn’t do damage, but only distract their opponent while closing the distance between them.

The fire behind Growlithe cast an eerie glow onto the battlefield as the grass swayed as if controlled by the heated flame. They danced around the shadows the light gave off, scared of the heat.

Embers added to the overall ambiance.

Each spit of fire met its mark. One by one the doubles were targeted down and destroyed until only Absol was left. Growlithe had his opponent, but Absol covered herself with Detect and powered through the end of the barrage.

Once she was close enough, her fangs sprung forward to great effect. The blow was only glancing, and her momentum carried her past the foe. The little nip didn’t look like much, but had hurt Growlithe substantially.

The fire-dog recoiled back in pain and annoyance thinking the attack had been something minor. His feet danced back and forth while trying not to put any weight down. Pins and needles erupted whenever making contact with the ground. It took a second, but the puppy Pokemon recovered.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

His mobility was hampered but was still able to continue. He wasn’t the boss for no reason.

The exchange was quick, both turning around and reorienting themselves. Despite the setback, Growlithe came out first, with flames seeping out of his fur. Flames danced off his head as he tucked in and used his rolling momentum to propel him forward

Fire flew everywhere as Absol tried her best to tank the oncoming Flame Wheel. The ground rumbled with his tumble, the force much harder than expected. Absol was caught off guard by the sudden show of force and was knocked back. She skid across the ground multiple times before coming to a halt.

Lilith watched on with concern.

Growlith was on par with Absol, being much stronger than initially forecast.

‘Was it some sort of status move?’ Lilith wracked her brain. ‘Why was the balance tipped?’

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, yet something nagged at the back of her mind. She was missing something but couldn’t put her finger on it.

“Let’s retreat for now!” Lilith called out.

There was no use continuing the battle. Her instincts won out in the end even if the fight would have devolved into a race to see who could dish out more damage.

‘No finesse, and no planning… The worst kind of battle…’ She thought.

With the call to regroup Sableye took the initiative and jumped forwards. Fake Out smacked Growlithe right in the face before he could even register the move. The sudden shock dazed him enough for Absol to dart back to their side. Sableye wasn’t far behind, and seconds later everyone was rushing though the door they had come from previously.

Everyone jogged a short distance before they decided to look back. No Pokemon showed their presence or chased after them. They had gotten away.

A short pause was taken before everyone regrouped.

“What was that?” Lilith asked the duo as they reached a safe distance.

Absol might not have lost in the long run, but it would have been a pyrrhic victory at best. Long clashes weren't worth the danger or time of potential growth.

“Eye” Sableye made hand motions in the air.

“What?! There were others supporting him?” She asked.

“Sol?” Absol looked just as confused. She tilted her head sideways.

“Eye, Eye!” He jumped around once more.

“They were using a Helping Hand to boost his attack… That’s tricky.”

The sudden realization was a shock to the senses.

‘Using a supportive move without even seeing the target.’ She thought.

Not all Pokemon battle fairly, in fact few ever did. It never even crossed her mind that other Pokemon would band together, so she didn’t even bother watching them. Absol had been so mixed up in her first clash that she missed it as well.

“How do we fight multiple Pokemon supporting that Growlithe?” She pondered aloud.

“I think we would need Sableye to keep the others busy… at least distract them so no other Pokemon interfere in her fight. That way she can get a true personal clash” Lilith thumbed her chin in thought.

With the time middling, she sprayed a Potion onto Absol’s coat to speed up the recovery. They would be able to try again much more quickly. She enjoyed the problem, the process at which they had to go through to achieve victory. It took about 10 minutes, but Absol was back to fighting form and ready to go once more.

The trio retraced their steps. They arrived at the courtyard once more and were met with a much different greeting than last. This time, they could see eyes filled with curiosity hidden among the grass. They watched for her next move, unsure if they would have to fight once more.

A howl sounded out the moment they came into view.

Absol advanced as Sableye moved to flank her. The Growlithe were unknown in number, so he looked to cut off the support himself. He launched Fake Out onto the closest set of eyes and drew the others' attention. Before any could intercept him, a Confuse Ray was already on its way to another.

The Growlithe rustled though the tall grass and tried to remain hidden while attempting Bite. Sableye let out a laugh as he disappeared only to reappear behind a different part of the pack. They were all considerably weaker than Absol’s foe so he didn’t have as much trouble as his teammate. While Sableye was in the middle reaches of the second star, his foes had only just advanced to the first.

‘He’s probably around level 15 while the others are 9-10’ Lilith analyzed.

The habit to level everything was one she was trying to break. While large power gaps were apparent, once they were closed, the battles were much closer. The game mindset couldn’t be shaken off so easily.

“Bark!”

The head Growlithe voiced his displeasure and jumped out from his hiding spot to try and stop his win condition from falling apart. Absol and the team could guess his first moves, fully ready for his attack. She was in the perfect position once the flaming Pokemon jumped from the fountain. The two met in mid air with Absol the decisive victor. A glimmer surrounded Absol as she chomped down with Bite.

‘Nice!’ She cheered internally.

Sableye jumped around with Shadow Sneak as Growlithe fell to the ground. He couldn’t let them get any Helping Hands onto their boss. Their leader wasn’t down just yet.

Without the support of his pack, Growlithe went down almost comically. He pulled away from Absol, but it was already too late. The previous attack had tipped the scales too far for any sort of comeback. Absol wanted to take her time, but the pressure from Helping Hand meant she would have to be much more reckless than Lilith would like.

Flames covered his snout as Absol charged forward. She took the full brunt of the damage and powered through. She had witnessed other Pokemon attempt similar maneuvers, but all were on the defensive side. Absol was built for overwhelming attack and speed. She wasn’t a glass cannon, but average in her defenses.

The air scorched around her body as the flames ignited around her. The sudden numbness was a surprise, but she powered through. Absol used Bite for the second time in their brief clash, finishing off the dog-like Pokemon.

His body slumped to the ground unconscious. With their leader felled, the rest of the pack scattered. One jumped into a small hole in the side of a nearby wall, while others scampered to one of the three other cardinal directions that still had doors.

“Sol!”

The trio grouped up to celebrate their victory until Absol doubled over in pain. The fight had taken its toll as everyone rushed to her side. Her fur was matted all along the sides of her neck. While it wasn’t burned off completely, a glowing red lay hidden underneath.

“That’s what you ger for being reckless!” Lilith admonished with a slight smile.

She rummaged around in her bag for a Burn heal as Sableye moved the unconscious Pokemon into the fountain and away from prying eyes. Growlithe would never accept a connection from her, but she didn’t want the cute furrball to die. That left them with one option, hiding him until he could recover.

With that, their mission for the night was done. Absol was just one step closer to reaching two stars, while Sableye would be able to power up soon as well. He was still a ways away from Absol, but the increase in power would be needed for the gym.

The group walked back leisurely as they navigated their way to the tiny resting area with picnic tables. They unpacked her things as Sableye enjoyed the challenge of putting up her tent. It had become something of a game to the duo, as she would arrange the pieces in different orders as he tried fitting everything together. The group laughed as Absol rested and recovered from her Burn.

Everyone crawled into the sun proof tent, ready for their morning sleep.