"Am I ready for battle?" Torino fretted. She was upgraded, equipped, and had Normal type attacks equipped. She launched a few punches, experimental and untrained, and they came out fast but unimpactful.

"I am not good at fighting like this. I do not like to hit Pokemon."

Ciambella tumbled forward again, gaining momentum until she rolled past Torino at high speed.

"Oh! You are so smart my dear! I can do the same!"

Noises of wild Pokemon came from the grass neaby, and Torino took on her fighting stance, ready to roll into her opponents with her full power.

Ciambella slammed into Nosepass with perfect technique, driving off the nosy compass.

Nosepass snorted in annoyance and trundled off into the grass. He had places to be, presumably. Metallic objects to point towards and new smells to sniff.

Ciambella prodded the prone Torino with a worried trunk.

"I am okay," Torino mumbled into the dirt. "But I may have turned my back into sticks."

The pain in her back radiated outwards, and minutes passed before she could think about sitting up. When she did, Ciambella thumped down behind her to gently prop her up.

"Thank you my little honey cake," Torino said. She opened her UI with a shaking hand and switched her pain settings off Realistic. As the pain faded from her back, she wiped a tear and pulled herself up. "I do not need so much hurt to tell me I was wrong."

Torino threw her legs around the body of the Doduo, pinning it in an amateur grapple. The Pokemon thrashed, its talons slashing her and sending up rock shards as they raked the stones beneath. "Ciambella! I have it! Attack now!" Torino yelled, and she kicked out to push Phanpy away from the fight.

Ciambella backed up, then huffed a little breath of dust and fury. It launched itself into the air and rolled into a tight ball, hitting the ground as a spinning blur: a wheel of rock and muscle.

"Go Ciambella!" Torino yelled, as she rolled the Doduo to be between herself and the approaching Phanpy.

Ciambella's Rollout carved a fresh path in the rock face, sanding away the stained, outer rock to reveal lighter, sparkling granite underneath. The friction from her whizzing body propelled her straight towards the pair.

Torino lay on the ground beside her quarry, exhausted and battered. Phanpy had ricocheted off into the distance, but she would be back soon. For now, the worry was that this Doduo would sprint off before Torino could capture it!

Stars swam in Torino's eyes, and the bagpipe squarkwing of the Doduo grated against her ears. She propped herself up on one elbow and dragged her failing body over to the Doduo. "One more, for good luck," she whispered.

She reached for the bird, and the swaying grass bent with her will, entangling Doduo and pinning it to the ground. It let out a honk of annoyance, but the thick grass of the steppes was meant for weaving, and in moments it was thoroughly trussed.

Her screen flashed back, and she reached for her Golden Pokeball. As her vision faded the ball dropped from her hand and hit the bound bird. The ball flashed a successful capture and hit the ground a moment before Torino. And then there was blissful blackness.