For a while, Raziel only heard the singing of Kricketots in the trees and in the grass enveloping his senses. There was no talking, no giggling -- no dates out in the National Park today. A shame really, given how beautiful it was out. The symphony of Kricketots was interrupted, though, a splash ringing out in the slightly humid air and alerting the researcher enough to raise his head. What had interrupted his stargazing? Raziel looked around curiously, searching a source as his head swiveled slowly. Behind him, in one of the ponds, a Lotad had appeared. Its lily pad hat floated on the water for a moment, moving slowly and seemingly without motivation. Raziel tracked it from over its shoulder, and he felt Fanny wake from his periphery.

The Lotad reached the close bank of the pond and leaped out, appearing before Raziel with a stupid grin on its face. All Lotad, to him, looked like they just got away with a prank or just got an extra french fry or something. A small caw -- a threatening one -- came from Fanny beside him. Raziel's mouth fell open. Was this a challenge from the Lotad?

Suddenly, the Lotad was getting knocked back into the water. Fanny had initiated, a Wing Attack wiping that dumb grin off Lotad's face. The Lotad floated in the water and leaped up, catching enough air to unleash a Bubble right in Fanny's face, soaking her wings and leaving her grounded. Raziel shrugged as she tried to dry them out as best as she could. "Night Shade." No flying required on that one; Fanny simply raised her wings and a black mist appeared, blending into the darkness of the night as it drifted toward Lotad and singed him. Lotad got out of the water and closed in on Fanny. It needed Absorb to hit in order to survive anymore attacks -- at least, that was Raziel's suspicion. Fanny had grown strong, and the type advantage was always going to make this battle pie for them.

He watched as his prediction came true, Lotad drawing energy out of the Murkrow like its life depended on it. Fanny seemed unimpressed, and instead lunged toward Lotad with a Feint Attack. Lotad was on its last legs now, truly, perhaps only still in the fight because of the previous Absorb. It tried again, but Fanny remained unimpressed. "Finish up with Feint Attack." she lunged again, darkness enveloping her and the specks of water that flung from her feathers as knocked the tired Lotad back into the pond, knocked out. She looked at her trainer and he smiled at her. Raziel could see that Fanny really was getting quite strong.

With Lotad back in the drink, Raziel took a look at his huffing and puffing Murkrow and chuckled. That battle was tiring, surprisingly, if only because of the water up in her wings. They needed to work on that: it wasn't the first time she'd gotten too soaked to fly, and she was clearly most uncomfortable when fighting on the ground. Raziel took a mental note and plopped down on the bench, heaving a sigh as he did so. Fanny remained on the ground behind him, still cleaning out her coat of feather rather diligently. "Good work, Fanny." it was a late response but not an unwarranted one. It got him to thinking about whether or not he wanted her to ever evolve -- luckily, it would come as a choice with a Dusk Stone, or so he suspected. Something about her being able to sit on his shoulder was nice and familiar.

A small but close sound interrupted his thoughts -- it was a smooching sound, maybe. Raziel turned and looked to Fanny who was now walking in circles, stumbling hopelessly in confusion. Was that a Sweet Kiss he'd heard? Eyes darted around for the source, a grin still on his face. This Pokemon, whomever it was, was smart enough to remain hidden. Raziel rose to his feet, noting Fanny still stumbling around. Suddenly, a bright, yellow bolt of lightning came down from above, interrupting the black sky with its fluorescence. Within an instant it found the confused Murkrow and shocked her mercilessly. And then a Pichu appeared.

"Ah, so you're the culprit." how something so cute could be such an assassin, he didn't know. Didn't mean Fanny wouldn't whoop its ass the moment she could see straight. She cawed angrily, staring right at her enemy: that time had come. "Wing Attack!" her wings were dry enough to fly now, and she gained altitude for a moment before diving into the Pichu, whacking it with her wing rather triumphantly. The Pichu, like most Pokemon, stumbled backward, landing on his back with a thud. He got up though, like most Pokemon, though Raziel suspected he didn't quite have the stamina of Lotad.

He unleashed another ThunderShock, this one as undodgeable as the last. Fanny screeched in pain as her body froze, trapped in the air for an instant by the jolt of electricity. It disappeared quickly after that, and she fell to the ground again, feather singed by the attack. "Let's go with another Wing Attack!" as she wound up for another hit, Pichu interrupted with a Charm-ing smile -- he was more innocent than he'd been letting on. Raziel smiled sweetly, and even Fanny lightened up on her next attack because of the cuteness overload. It hit but packed less of a punch, much to Pichu's relief.

And another ThunderShock. Fanny was getting visibly exhausted; Raziel realized just how close this battle was. Both Pokemon panted, staring one another down with intent to somehow soften the next blow from their adversary. Pichu's coat was ruffled and dirty from sliding around in the muck by the pond, but there was a fire in his big black eyes that was undeniable to Raziel. I need to catch you, he could only think to himself.

"Pichu, I have to say, I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd hold up against Fanny, and here you are, about to win with another ThunderShock." the Pichu, panting though he was, allowed himself to look pleased by the compliment. Raziel smiled again and continued. "You should come with us, battle together! You'll see much more challenging foes under my guidance." he wondered if the Pichu understood him, watching intently.

That moment of uncertainty ended with Pichu relaxing his attack stance and unleashing a smile. Was that his sign of submission? Raziel could only toss a Pokeball and find out for himself. He just hoped this wasn't another prank by the little trickster.

Attempting to catch Pichu!