Black Mist of Joy

The wild Pokémon were getting stronger. William had to improve as well, as his home in the Pecha Forest wasn't one of the safest places to be.
True power comes from the heart and William knew that, but noone said, that that process couldn't be sped up.
During one of his late-night lectures, William had discovered a mysterious item of clothing, that apparently made its wearer look gentlemanly handsome enough to nearly double the rate of improvement. William knew, that he needed that item and the book had told him, where to find it.
The Blackmist Mountain extended into the clouds, piercing them and making them bleed flickering shadows onto its rugged surface.
William gulped as he approached the mountain.
"Oh joy..."

Acro too was at the mountain. He was beginning to grow sick of this place. He had visited it so much in search of the joy ribbons that it was annoying. At least Astrid wasn't there, he had sent the dratini to small pond to take a day off. He wanted that ribbon ever since he had heard of it in the rumors in town, he was beginning to think it didn't exist. He had set up a mission for it and even gone out with Shawn and William to this very mountain for it. Acro huffed and looked about, searching for anything that could look even remotely like a joy ribbon.

As he was traversing the rocky side of the mountain, William spotted a creature some distance away.
Since getting into a fight would be a bad idea, considering the majority of Pokémon residing here, he decided to hide in a larger rock first. But while he waited for the unknown being to move away, William realized, that it did seem to be searching for something instead of hunting. And upon closer inspection, that being was Acro! Happy to have something similar to a friend in an area like this, he left his hiding spot and approached the avian.
"Greetings! Am I correct in my assumption, that you're still looking for the same thing?"

Acro was startled by the sudden voice and jumped at the sound of it. He relaxed when he realized it was his friend William. "Jeez you just keep sneaking up on me...nice to see you though!" Acro smiled. He turned to his friend and answered his question, "Yeah, those things are elusive. I had Aster stay at small pond today so he's not around. It's still too dangerous for him to be coming with me to places like this."

"Phew...so we might be able to get some actual searching done. And by the way...apologies for the "sneaking up"-part, but it's kind of difficult to be noticed if you don't make any noise while moving and don't breathe that much either. Now then...I believe we haven't been searching that part of the mountain yet, have we? Maybe we'll find some of the darn things there."
William had begun to grow a bit annoyed at the constant searching for this item as well. Why couldn't they find a simple ribbon?

"Yeah..." The archen looked up at the mountain and commented, "At least we don't have to scale the entire darned mountain! It looks like it would take hours or even days on foot. I wish I could fly," Acro grew a bit depressed as he reminded himself that he couldn't fly. He day dreamed about scouring the area from the sky and finding anything he needed with his bird eyes from the sky. He heard a pebble clatter as something moved it. He whipped around to see nothing. He was confused at first, until something rammed into his side and sent him flying into a rock.

This dice is not existing.

This dice is not existing.

"Believe me, flying isn't all that grea-"
William was quickly interrupted as something blue-ish rammed into Acro. As the unknown attacker and the  Archen came to rest next to a nearby rock, William could see a Riolu, carrying a Blinker Seed. Then he couldn't see anything anymore, as the Fighting type had made use of it's held item.
Blinking many times, the Gastly tried to recover his ability of seeing, but everything was engulfed by a thick, black darkness. To avoid being such an easy target, William floated a small distance into the air, hoping for the effect to wear off soon...

Acro meanwhile, was left alone with the Riolu. Both of them had type advantage against each other and both had STAB effects on their effective moves. Acro picked himself up only to be tackled again and again until he finally had the sense to use double team and smack the riolu with iron tail. "You okay William?" Acro called as he stared the Riolu down, cautious of the fighting type pokemon that could probably dish out a fighting move any moment.

"Uh...I guess...I can't see my own hand in front of my face, though...well...I don't think I would be able to if I had any...
Hmm...you're resistant to poison, aren't you? Forgive me, should I hit you, but this is better than doing nothing..."
Purple clouds of noxious fumes wafted out from the Gastly, shrouding an area in a thin blanket of breathing problems. But since William couldn't see, where his Smog attack was aimed at, it might hit anything. Or anyone.

"Resistant to what?" Acro turned to get a face full of noxious gas. He coughed and breathed in the air, becoming poisoned. Luckily the Riolu breathed in some of the gas as well when it came to attack Acro again. It was stopped short of it's assault and began coughing as well. Acro, though it was difficult with poison in his lungs, used a pluck attack on the riolu.

This dice is not existing.

Hearing his friend cough, William realized, that that plan of his might not have been that good an idea. But what could he do instead? Just as he finished thinking that thought, his vision slowly returned, blurry at first but gradually getting clearer.
As a Ghost type, he had a clear advantage over the Fighting type and William was planning on utilizing it. The Riolu probably still believed for the Gastly to be incapacitated, thus William decided to sneak up on it, utilizing a Lick attack.

Acro was unable to move for a bit due to the poison sapping his strength. He felt his limbs grow weaker as he began to give up. It was hopeless. The fighting type was too strong, he wasn't strong enough. He thought he should just give up, he hadn't realized that it was just his ability Defeatist getting to him though. He thought that he was weak again, he thought he had grown stronger but to no use. Acro was kicked into a rock once more. This time he got up slower, due to his ability. While he was being kicked though, the riolu was licked in the back. Disgusted, the Riolu froze, paralyzed.

As the Riolu understandably still seemed to be busy with the Archen, William simply used Lick again.
The Gastly certainly didn't like having such weak attacks, especially since he had the TM for the move Shadow Ball. But since he had never learned how to use a TM and it was too embarassing to ask in his opinion, he was unable to put it to use.
Acro didn't seem to be holding up all that well. This battle had to end as soon as possible.

The riolu was able to dodge the ghastly's tongue and cringed in disgust of being licked. The Riolu wasn't surprised when a iron tail slammed into it's gut, it had expected it and hadn't been able to move. Acro spun around a few more times before coming to a stop from the force of his iron tail, his movements were becoming clumsier and less nimble as well. It looked like the riolu was almost finished though luckily. Acro had expected the Ghastly to and finish it when the Riolu picked something off the ground and held it out to them, like a peace offering.

This dice is not existing.

William prepared to finish off the attacker as the Riolu suddenly...offered a Special Band in exchange for peace?
Surprised as he was, the Gastly looked over to the injured Archen questioningly, hoping to hear about his opinion on this matter. William didn't care. They could let it go, they could throw the Riolu off of a cliff. Since he didn't need the item, both options would result in the same outcome for him. 
What should they do?