Novak watched as he was approached by a Nuzleaf. The grass-type seemed to have assessed Novak and Cedar as a threat, as it eyed them warily before charging with a leaf-shaped blade forming in its hands.

Novak grabbed a ball from his bag, but Cedar was faster. The Natu vanished from atop his head and landed right in front of the charging Nuzleaf, causing it to flinch and drop its weapon, which dissolved in the sunlight. This gave Novak enough time to release Rafflesia. The Paras, quick to assess the situation, charged forwards with an X-Scissor attack, which must have stung the Nuzleaf despite its haste. The grass type, deterred, retreated.

Novak walked past a small pond during his wanderings, not paying much attention to what occupied it. This was a mistake.

He must have walked a little bit too close, because one second, the ground was fine, and then there was purple sludge all over his feet, stinging his exposed ankles.

He swore and jumped back, looking back at the pond. The head of a Tentacool poked out from the water. Even as he watched, it prepared another Sludge Wave.

Rafflesia was already out, using Giga Drain on the jellyfish. Novak began to tell it to stop, but then watched as the damage from the Sludge Wave on Rafflesia seemed to heal slightly with the green orbs that the Paras absorbed. Turned out that this Tentacool didn't have Liquid Ooze, which was good.

Cedar hopped towards the Tentacool, striking it with a potent Psychic attack. The Tentacool clearly didn't like this, and it unleashed another Sludge Wave. Rafflesia was prepared, skittering behind a large rock for temporary cover, but Cedar took the brunt of the blow, the toxins from the attack oozing into the bird's small body. Sensing this, the Tentacool followed up the attack with a Hex.

The attack sent Cedar flying backwards. He must've been poisoned, or the attack wouldn't have crippled him so harshly. The Tentacool prepared another Hex, the ghostly shadows building between its tentacles. But Rafflesia had come back out, knocking out the aggressive water-type with a final Giga Drain.

"Good, Rafflesia," Novak said. He rarely gave out verbal praise, but the little Paras had shown great tenacity in that fight. He nodded and turned to Cedar, who was poisoned and nearly knocked out.

Novak bent down to survey Cedar. The Natu seemed injured severely. That Hex did quite a number on him. Additionally, the poison from the Sludge Wave was still sapping at his strength.

"Rafflesia, cure him, please," Novak asked the bug. The Paras skittered up to Cedar and used an Aromatherapy, and soon enough, Cedar was breathing more steadily and his eyes looked more alive, though he still seemed hurt.

Nodding his thanks to Rafflesia, Novak recalled Cedar, sending out Yarrow instead. It was at times like this that he was glad for both of them, because you never knew when you'd need to make a quick escape by Teleporting away.

Sure enough, the need to use this escape route was quickly called upon when a vengeful Skrelp poked its head out of the water of the pond, perhaps angry at the fighting that had just happened. Novak wasn't dealing with that, though, recalling Rafflesia and vanishing suddenly, leaving the little Skrelp confused at what had just happened.