The forest was Sceptile's domain, where few Pokémon could challenge its dominance. Sceptile was practically the overlord of the woods.
Its body was a vibrant green, with a large tail and razor-sharp leaf blades sprouting from its wrists. The seeds on its back stored nutrients that could invigorate trees. Sceptile was a Pokémon that carefully nurtured the forest's trees, basking in sunlight to regulate its body temperature. In the jungle, it was unmatched, darting swiftly through branches with agile leaps. It would ambush foes from above or behind, using the sharp leaves on its arms to dispatch prey. Those leaves were so keen they could slice through a tree in one stroke.
Sceptile's signature move was Leaf Blade!
Emerald-green Grass-type energy coated the leaf blades on its wrists, transforming them into scythes capable of cutting stone.
Sceptile struck first, its Grass-type scythes slashing fiercely at Heracross!
"Heracross, Swords Dance!"
Facing Sceptile's assault, Xia Yu opted for a boosting strategy, commanding Heracross to use Swords Dance.
[*Swords Dance*: A status move that sharply raises attack by performing a fierce war dance.]
Swords Dance was a top-tier boosting move, increasing attack by two stages, making it a favorite among physical attackers. Another beloved move was Dragon Dance, which raised attack and speed by one stage each, offering balanced enhancement but less raw power than Swords Dance.
Swords Dance suited Heracross perfectly. Resembling a giant, upright stag beetle, Heracross had a sturdy exoskeleton and numerous legs, though its mid-abdominal legs were smaller. Its segmented body featured sharp claws, and its shell rivaled diamond in hardness.
In the games, Heracross boasted a 125 Attack stat but only 60 Special Attack. Its Defense was a solid 140, with Special Defense at 90. Its main drawback was a sluggish 40 Speed, which seemed at odds with its design.
In reality, Heracross mirrored its game counterpart closely. Xia Yu's father's Heracross, for example, excelled in physical attack and defense, the focus of its training. Special Defense was decent, but Special Attack was neglected entirely. Unlike the games, where Heracross's low speed balanced its stats, real-world Heracross was quite fast and agile, excelling in close-quarters combat.
Xia Yu couldn't help but gripe about game stats. Some were absurd—like Xerneas, the Life Pokémon, with a 126 HP stat, lower than Snorlax's 135. Snorlax, a tank, made some sense, but Entei's 75 Special Defense, lower than Ledyba's 85, was ludicrous. The Legendary Beasts outclassed by a humble bug? Outrageous.
Game stats were a reference, but reality differed.
Facing Sceptile's onslaught, Heracross followed Xia Yu's command, bracing for the hit and using Swords Dance.
Leaf Blade, a Grass-type move, dealt normal damage to Heracross's Bug/Water typing. But with Sceptile's same-type attack bonus, the damage was significant. More critically, Leaf Blade had a higher chance to land critical hits.
However, "critical hits" were relative. As Heracross used Swords Dance, it angled its diamond-hard shell to deflect the blow, making a critical hit unlikely.
Heracross's stellar defense shone through. Tanked head-on, Leaf Blade barely scratched it. Its shell shrugged off most attacks with ease.
To truly harm Heracross, one had two options: target its softer abdomen or lower back, where the shell was thinner, or use special attacks.
While Sceptile's signature move was Leaf Blade, it was actually better suited for special attacks. But as a wild Pokémon without a trainer's guidance, it relied on instinct.
After enduring Leaf Blade, Heracross completed its boost, its body surging with energy as its attack skyrocketed.
Now, it was Heracross's turn to strike!
"Heracross, Leech Life!"
Against the Grass-type Sceptile, Xia Yu chose Leech Life, a Bug-type move that benefited from same-type attack bonus and dealt super-effective damage.
Heracross lunged, its massive frame closing in on Sceptile as it fired a needle wrapped in Bug-type energy from its mouth.
"Scep."
Sceptile, the clan's king, showed no fear. Its lithe body sprang into action, weaving through the forest, dodging Heracross's attack with ease.
The forest was Sceptile's turf. Its blazing speed, amplified by the terrain, left Heracross unable to keep up. The attack missed completely.
Sceptile darted through the trees, seizing an opening. It dove from above, Grass-type energy flaring on its wrists as it unleashed Leaf Blade again, aiming for Heracross's vital points.
Sceptile was devoted to Leaf Blade, its signature move and a staple for its kind. It excelled in such close-range combat.
But against Heracross, Sceptile was outmatched in melee prowess!
"Heracross, Rock Tomb!"
This time, Xia Yu didn't opt for Leech Life but chose Rock Tomb.
[*Rock Tomb*: Hurls rocks to attack, hindering the foe's movement and lowering speed.]
Though Rock Tomb was weaker than Leech Life, lacked same-type bonus, and had no type advantage, its key strength was slowing the opponent.
Heracross's only weakness was speed. Sceptile was simply too fast in the forest, untouchable. Xia Yu needed to curb Sceptile's speed advantage.
Rock Tomb was the perfect choice!
...