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As I approached the tree, I had a feeling in the back of my mind. Was I being watched? Was someone back in HQ talking about me? I didn't sense any powerful emotions nearby, like, say, murderous intent, so who could say? Given the mood I was in considering where I was, I didn't put too much thought into it, focusing instead on gathering apples. I'd leave some carrying room open in case I came across something else of interest, as I'd found more than my share of edibles. Honestly, I was starting to think this was a little too easy, and Luna agreed, chirping in Pokespeak as I got ready to move to another area. I'd head back for now, but keep my eyes open for any more lucky finds. Or for potential enemies. Then again, I hadn't found any of those mushrooms... yet.

Terashi would walk away with his sack already filled with apples, unaware that he had just picked up a hitch hiker. Roughly three minutes after leaving the tree the bag would begin to move ever so slightly followed by faint sounds. Before Terashi had an opportunity to open the bag and check things out the zipper would burst open and the stretched out face of a worm-like creature popped out and met Terashi's face, just inches between them. Letting out a high pitched screech it let loose from its eyes a flash of Ghost energy as it used Astonish on the Psychic Channeler.

Hoping Terashi would either drop the bag or be distracted long enough the Applin would abandon the apple it was in and leap from the backpack, fleeing into the nearby shrubs. Once it was all over and Terashi had his wits back he'd notice all the apples and Pungent Roots either partially dissolved with acid or partially eaten. It was all ruined.

Meanwhile, something watched Terashi from the same thicket the Applin fled to, the Psychic's sixth sense alerting him to the presence that was watching him. Our watcher wouldn't be satisfied with just watching, as it did back at the river, and instead would make its move, though Terashi had time to prepare himself. Hiding in the shrubbery was a Lurantis, preparing to strike him down and make a meal of him. In just seconds it would leap out from its cover and swing a Leaf Blade at Terashi himself.

—--



Reno was correct to scan the area for threats possibly lured by the sweet aroma of the Slowpoke tails, his senses picking up on a presence in the top of a nearby tree. Upon closer inspection he would note it was an Emolga, quickly scurrying down the tree tops in his direction. Another Emolga? Could it be the same one as before? Do they even eat flesh? Those were a couple of questions he would have to ask later as his abilities failed to register the true threat that had snuck up on him from behind, now swinging a Crabhammer at him.

“Crawdaunt!” Cried the Rogue Pokemon as it went on the attack. This must be its pond, the Crawdaunt species fiercely territorial over bodies of water they claim as their own. If that were the case then it would be safe to assume these Slowpoke tails weren’t willingly shedded, either clipped off by the crustacean or shedded in an attempt to distract while the Slowpoke fled, in that case this pond newly acquired territory for this bully of a Pokemon. Either way Reno now had a fight on his hands with a species of Pokemon that only understood one method of communication and problem solving; violence.

Reno would pivot as he was halfway through grabbing the scattered tails, locking eyes onto the Emolga that seemed to be occupying one of the nearby trees. What were the chances another one of those would be flying around the forest? Well, probably high given they were relatively common but still. Fun coincidence. And with that thought, Reno would find himself flying across the field as the Crabhammer from the Crawdaunt landed squarely on his back. Scrambling to keep himself upright as he was sent tumbling along the ground, Reno called out, "Phemes! Hammer Arm!" Doing his best to keep the Slowpoke Tails he had managed to grab on hand, Reno watched as his Metagross could come at the Crawdaunt from the side with a scything arm that aimed to club the crab like it had just done to Reno.

The Crawdaunt took a devastating strike to the side of its head, the force of Phemes' Super Effective attack knocking it off its legs and sending it rolling. Once it stopped rolling the Crawdaunt would scurry back onto its legs, only to sway and stumble, its head still spinning from that attack. It wouldn't take the Rogue Pokemon that long to recollect itself as anger took over, pumping it full of adrenaline and vengeance.

"Craaaw!" Shouted the Pokemon as its anger was brought to a boil, the crustacean rushing at Phemes, its body cloaked in a white energy. The Crawdaunt would throw itself at the Metagross, claws out in front of it as it aimed to ram into it. This wasn't just some move like Take Down as it may have resembled, instead a burst of Normal energy would be released upon impact, threatening to knock the Metagross back as Crawdaunt's Endeavor struck it.

I looked at the mushroom pile with visible distain in my features. I wasn't going to ignore them, though. This whole thing was a competition, and they were a big part of it. But I wasn't about to just scoop them up blindly. I'd learned my lesson.

I let Luna out of her ball as I approached the mushrooms. "Keep an eye out for any Pokemon that look like they're about to get close," I told her. As she floated around, I started scooping up the shrooms, but kept looking around as I did so. I wanted to see any oncoming threats the second they popped up. That included the shrooms themselves, incase any Pokemon were hiding beneath them, or if some Foongus or Amoonguss were somehow growing in there.

I scoffed at Avery's puffed-up words. I had no idea who he was outside of the challenge, but he was certainly full of himself. Luna wasn't pleased, either, and sent a tiny bolt of Psychic-type energy at Avery himself, just enough to get his attention.

"Put your mushrooms where your mouth is," I told him, flinging Luna's ball upward and catching it after gravity took hold of it. The universal sign of someone looking for a battle. "Winner take all." If he decided to take the coward's way out and bold, I'd chase after him, but I had a feeling he was too prideful for that.

The Crawdaunt didn't have remotely a chance to avoid the Bullet Punch, let alone see it coming. The next thing it knew it was airborne, a ways away from but directly in the line of sight of the Emolga. The Sky Squirrel Pokemon knew exactly what Reno wanted it to do and had no problem in returning the favor the man did it earlier. Summoning forth electricity from its cheeks it fired off a Thundershock straight at the soaring Water type.

The Electric attack zapped the defenseless crustacean and while it wasn't a particularly power move, nor was Emolga, it was Super Effective and coupled with the soon impact with the ground just enough to knock this bully out. Hitting the forest floor with a thud, the faint scent of cooked crab filling the air, the Crawdaunt would promptly faint.

"Emol!" The squirrel cheered happily, its cheeks giving off sparks of joy, the Pokemon waving both arms up and down in Reno's direction as if cheering for him. Looks like it was particularly pleased with seeing the Rogue Pokemon go down.