- Vagabond - Male Reader x Pokémon

Chapter 26: Hunting Season

[Y/N] groaned and shook his head. "Now, really? You're really gonna make me get up from dinner? Now that's actually evil!" He wasn't really in the mood for another battle today, not after training. He had been working on himself too! And he was just as exhausted as his team. He was very tempted to just sick his entire team on this stranger, but a small part of him told him no, and it made sense in terms of battle experience too. If his entire team was constantly jumping every opponent they came across then they wouldn't know how to fight in a solo battle, or at least, they wouldn't be as competent as they could be. Why had he been cursed with morals and a conscience dammit! "Fine, Turtwig, you're up, show time." He called out, and his grass-type raced over without hesitation, skidding to a halt before his trainer. "Turtwig turt!"

"Show this crazy woman and her stupid rat how hard you been training!" He encouraged Turtwig, who's eyes grew sharp and determined. This was what the last week of training had all culminated with, and now he had an opportunity to unveil his new strength. Sycamore sighed and shook his head, giving up on convincing his travelling partner. Once he was stuck on something there was no way of convincing him otherwise, it was a pointless endeavour.

The best thing for him to do was simply watch along from the side, and enjoy the show...

The small Plusle raced forward, eyes honed in on the small turtle, who glared back, standing stalwart. "Turtwig, Razor Leaf!" [Y/N] ordered and the grass-type hunkered down. A sudden barrage of razor sharp leaves fired out from the small stem that sat atop his head. The vicious green storm struck the small rat, but somehow it had managed to avoid the blow, jumping away at the last moment. It continued racing towards them, generating more and more electricity.

The Ranger standing on the opposite end of the clearing looked back, confused with why the Turtwig was ready and willing to aid the poacher, had he not been stolen? And the same went for the Piplup, Chimchar and Starly, none of them seemed to show any desire to run away while the hunter's back was turned. It didn't matter either way, there were tens of reasons to explain the strange behaviour, threats and cajoling, manipulation, some cruel technology, and so forth...

Thinking through the list of things that could've been done to those Pokémon lit a fire within her, and she wouldn't stop until they were returned to their rightful owners!

Plusle thundered across the distance, crashing its small body into Turtwig, who didn't seem to be all that badly hurt by the attack, standing still like a sturdy tank. [Y/N] smirked and let out a few haughty chuckles. "You're little rat can't put a dent in my wall!" And he folded his arms, confidence overflowing out, as if he had fought and won countless battles. Yet, in reality, this was the first real battle he had fought since he and Cynthia duelled upon the outset of their journey. He wasn't going to bring up that point though...

"D-Don't call my partner a rat, scum!" The Ranger's face was quickly growing a bright red, and steam was practically erupting out her ears. However, she would prove her Pokémon's superiority on the battlefield. Plusle jumped back, making some distance with Turtwig, the grass-type seemed to slow down, and small static sparks fired off his small body.

It was now her turn to grow cocky, and she clicked her tongue. "Your Pokémon's paralysed! I suggest you surrender now!" However, if anything, being told to surrender only made [Y/N] even more determined to win. He shook his head, his expression concealed beneath his hat. "That's it, you've done it now! I'm pissed! Turtwig, use Absorb!" The grass-type, even while being paralyzed, managed to break through the temporary stasis for a moment, his body coated with an emerald glow...

Plusle tried to evade the move but there was little it could do to protect from the intangible green energy that was sucked from its body, absorbed into the grass-type. "Plusle? You still good?" The Ranger cried, her partner nodded with a small squeak, it wasn't finished just yet even though it did look noticeably weaker.