Turning to see Atticus in trouble, Seymour was quick to react. "Locke, use Em- Use Splash!" Seymour nearly had his pokemon use ember, but realized at the last second that creating a bright fire in the darkness would not help their escape. Hopefully the splash would be enough of a distraction for Atticus to get to safety. Then they could decide what to do with the Dunsparce after that.

Rather than fumbling for his pokeballs in the dark, Jake did the first thing that came to mind . Jake had a long history of not being a trainer, so the first thing that came to mind was uncharacteristic for most to see. The first action he undertook was not unusual, pushing the person in most danger out of the way was pretty standard when dealing with an ornery pokemon. However, Jake, in one smooth motion with pushing Atticus out of the way, also went in to give the Dunsparce a solid kick.

Perhaps he did it to give Seymour more time to get Locke ready to attack, or perhaps Jake's brain just wasn't working correctly due to the stress and adrenaline.

The Dunsparce lashes out against Atticus, but is soon distracted by Locke bouncing around him. Jake takes advantage of that to push Atticus to safety, before trying to kick the snake away. But with only a small flashlight to provide light, it's not easy to keep track of the Pokémon, even with it trashing about like crazy.

Locke, on the other hand, has it pretty easy. He just has to bounce from one tree trunk to another, occasionally rebounding in front of the Dunsparce's head. After one such bounce, the Dunsparce jabs it's tail right where Locke was... and into the tree behind him. Deep enough to stop it from pulling out easily.

OOC: You have an opening right now, as the Dunsparce tries to free itself. Do you want to change your plans?

Jake grit his teeth, not because his wild kicks missed, but because he had better things to do that battling a pokemon right now. While it had been a while since they had seen or heard overt signs from team Gaia, who know how close they still might be, and who knows if they heard the yelp from Atticus. The Dunsparce lodging itself in the tree was a turn of fortune, and he eagerly implored his compass-wielding companion to keep leading the way out of there,
"We don't have time for this, we gotta get to safety!"

Seymour tosses a Pokéball, reasoning that even if the Dunsparce doesn't stay in it, it will be out of the way long enough for the group to escape.

Surprisingly, the ball locks shut, and Seymour runs off with a brand new Pokémon.

A rapid win, even though no attacks connected. Everyone gets to increase one of their Pokémon's stat by one rank. Yes, even those who didn't participate in the fight.

But just as you feared, it seems the fight drew the attention of Team Gaia, as blue lights once again follow you. They seem to behave differently, though. More scattered, and slower moving. It seems one of them is missing too.

Despite that, you find one of the light coming ever closer. It's a good distance from the others though. If it comes down to a fight, you would have some time before others can come to help them.

Seymour had been cursing his reflexive instinct to throw a pokeball when he say his opening, but thanked his lucky stars when the dunsparce stayed inside its new pokeball. Things could have certainly gone much worse. Especially considering their pursuers were still hot on their trail.

"Think you can manage some more mist?" he asked Locke quietly as he reoriented himself with the compass. "It is probably our best defense right now. Looks like we need to go this way," He said to everyone. Seymour picked up his little rabbit so that it could create its mist without having to worry about where it was going at the same time.

Jake glanced around to the lights coming towards and listened closely to the surroundings. He was eager to get going, but he wanted Seymour to get the mist up before bolting out into the forest once more.

The mist seems to slow them down... but not long. A blast of blue flame rises between the trees. The light isn't too bright, but it's easy to notice, and draws the other search team closer. You press on the pace, and though Seymour's leg feel like they're about to fall off, you manage to outpace the hunters.

You feel like you've been walking forever, following the soft glow of the compass. You finally hear the sound of cracking branches nearby to the south of you, with no signs of the blue glow of Team Gaia.

Seymour stopped abruptly when he heard the cracking branches. "I really hope they didn't get ahead of us somehow. Falkner, do you still have those glowing sticks?" If their big catcher friend was correct, then hopefully the sound was coming from one of the Bluweil forces.

Of course there was always the chance it was coming from a wild pokemon too...

It did not take much prompting for Jake to grab one of the sticks, snap it, shake it, and toss it in towards the source of the sound. Even if it were just a Pokemon, there were a couple sticks left over for when the encounter a real patrol.

The stick spins in the air, hits a tree, then vanishes in the leaves. You hold your breath, wondering if you made a mistake in throwing it like that... until you notice two person moving closer, incredibly silently. When you turn in their direction, a man speaks up. "Did I miss a briefing? I didn't hear about a challenge tonight."

"There isn't one" answers a woman. She steps closer, using a small vest-mounted lamp to be seen. "They don't have goggles. Did you three try to catch Pokémons in the middle of the night? Are you lost?"

The two of them are clearly soldiers, wearing camouflaged suits and night-goggles, and with a rifle slung over their shoulder. For all the sneaking they were doing, they don't seem worried about the situation.

"We were camping way out in the woods," Seymour said hurriedly. "We stumbled upon a Team Gaia camp and they chased us all the way here. I should have a recording of some of it on my pokedex. We hoped you could help keep us safe." Seymour began fishing his pokedex out of his pocket to let them see what he had recorded. "A bug catcher we met, Cary, said they were using jammers."

Jake nodded along to Seymour's explaination, but felt obligated to add on his own editorializing,
"Team Gaia is really nasty, they tried to steal our friend's abra. We got separated from her. She wanted to help the pokemon they stole and then she disappeared. I really hope she is alright."

As an afterthought, Jake added,
"Seymour also did catch a pokemon tonight, we weren't trying to, it just attacked us out of nowhere so he aced it with a pokeball!"

"A jammer?" The man turns away for a moment, talking into his helmet mike. "Central, this is patrol Hotel. Do you copy? Central, do you copy?"

"I'm Lieutenant Wright. My companion is Private Compton. We've heard of Team Gaia. They've been causing a ruckus in Bluweil, but we didn't know they were hiding in the forest. You said they stole some Pokémon? They weren't yours, right?"

"They're right, radio's fucked." Compton turns to you. "Do you know what they're doing here? Have you seen any of their Pokémons?"

"We say them carrying Laconney as flashlights," Seymour replied. He rubbed Locke's chin as he continued. "Most likely family members of my own Laconney, which joined my after they attacked its home in Rivierestel. I also saw one of them with a Kirlia that could teleport, but that's all I remember." He looked around nervously. "Shouldn't we get somewhere safer?"

Jake tried his best to look innocent as he replied to the man,
"Sheesh, language. We are just kids, ya'know. I think they are planning a bit more in Bluweil. I donno what they said exactly. Something about a plan on a night challenge. Wait, didn't you just say challenge? You think they are hunting down soldiers? That is awfully brave of them."

From the tone of his voice, he didn't mean brave in a good way, but instead in a crazy way.

"Hunting us?" Wright thinks it over, looking at Locke, then shakes her head. "I don't think they were targeting us. The Bluweil gym challenge is centered on night combat and navigation. The trainers have to seek out Major Jacob, the gym's leader, as he camps in the woods. The challenge comes from both the wild Pokémon and soldier patrols, who gives the trainer clues if they are defeated."

"But there's also a psychological challenge. In the dark, it's easy to imagine there are threats everywhere." She points at Locke's glowing tail. "And if you find yourself chassed by weird blue lights... some trainer may panic and abandon the challenge. Not a carreer ending decision, but it could make them reconsider their decision to compete."

"So they're trying to screw with the rookies? We should warn..." Compton stops, before pointing behind you. "Contact, lights out." Both soldier crouch, turning off their lamps. As you imitate them, you notice a faint blue light in the distance. "Orders?"

"Kids, you feel ready to prove yourselves as trainers?"

"Do we have a choice?" Seymour replied nervously. He gulped, then added, "Ready as I will ever be, I guess."

The trainer looked down at his Laconney and whispered, "Locke, I think you should sit this one out. I don't want to pit you against your own family if it comes down to that." Seymour's fingers then drifted along the pokeballs on his vest as he contemplated which pokemon to use. His grass types would be at a disadvantage against a Laconney, if that's what their adversaries decided to use. His dunsparce was a complete unknown, since he had only just caught it. So that left Farrah Farfetch'd. She was probably his best choice at the moment.

Jake wasn't sure what to make of team Gaia's plans. It sounded deeply unambitious. They weren't even stealing anything! He also did not feel completely ready for a fight of the magnitude the soldiers alluded to,

"Ummm, I just have 2 Pokemon, I am pretty new at this, but I am happy to try!"

With that, he released skipper from its pokeball and steeled himself for combat.

With a nod, Wright hands you a flashlight. "I want you to pretend you're injured. That should lure them into this clearing, and then we ambush them. Use that tactical flashlight, it will both blind them, and let your companions see their targets. We'll do the same from the side. Got it?"

As she speaks, her companion hands his small LED lamp near the top of a bush. He then brings out his own pokémon, a Shiftry, who cut a few branches. "Just lie down in front of this bush, and hold those branch. They'll see the light, and think you're behind the bush."

Jake grinned when he heard the word ambush. Now they were speaking his language. Before he followed their instructions, he swiftly grabbed his mudkip and found a branch for it to hang out on until the trap was to be sprung. No one would expect a mudkip to fall from the sky, well, probably not at least.
"Thanks mister!"

Jake spoke quietly but with enthusiasm as he took the flashlight. He wanted to say something else, but he instead quickly got into place behind the bush and promptly collapsed to the ground with a small yelping noise.

Seymour nodded and took the branch and flashlight offered to him. "We'll try our best." He didn't much care for being used as bait, but he didn't have any better plans at the moment.

In preparation, Seymour also let out his Farfetch'd and told her to fly up above and be ready to dive bomb with a peck attack as soon as the flashlights came on.

In the distance, you can see a few other lights blinks between the trees. But your focus is on the one closest, heading in your direction. Atticus does his best to sound like he's hurt as Team Gaia draws closer.

The light pauses... and after a few moments, two humans enter the clearing while the blue light stays back. The soldiers light up the pair on their side, and you quickly do the same. The two woman, both wearing dark blue and green tie-dye shirts, scream in surprise and toss out pokéballs while trying to shield their eyes.

A Clefairy and a Deerling appear in the clearing, surprised by the bright light.

OOC: Pick your targets, and give your commands!

Seymour stood and flashed his light right at their foes, blinding them. He was happy that their plan had worked, at least partially. "Farrah! Use peck on the Deerling!" Seymour yelled to his pokemon. The Farfetch'd dive bombed from the branches above and aimed its beak at the little deer pokemon.

Jake did his best time time everything just right. This was not the first time him and a crew had jumped someone. It was the first time in a forest; it was the first time with pokemon; it was the first time with soldiers... but it didn't feel different.  Rising dramatically, swiftly, he pointed his light at the target pokemon,
"Skipper, tackle that Clefairy to the ground!"

Jake wasn't certain, but he reckoned that they were not expecting a water pokemon to strike from the sky. Hopefully the fall would amplify the attack as well.