Layla's Exploud

**Layla's Exploud** (Japanese: **レイラのバクオング** *Reira's Bakuong*) is the third Pokémon that Layla was known to have.

## **New Era**

### **Hoenn Again**

While passing through the Petalburg Woods, Layla was training her Loudred, who began disobeying her, began running off, with Layla in hot pursuit, and she ends up running into Dwayne. Layla attempts to calm Loudred down but can't seem to, until she jumps on his back. Layla apologizes to Dwayne for the trouble, but Dwayne assures her that it was nothing, and asks how many Badges did Layla obtain, and she shows off her five Badges, and Dwayne comments that he was heading towards her mother's Gym for his fifth Badge. After exchanging further pleasantries, Layla says that not very long ago, Loudred has grown to be a troublemaker that sometimes has trouble listening to her commands. Dwayne considers his Treecko's current odd behavior, and suggests a battle would help ease Loudred's angst. Layla agrees to the idea. As Dwayne goes to select his own Pokémon, Treecko leaps down and is determined to battle Loudred.

Treecko commences the battle with a Quick Attack which appears to do no damage. Loudred counterattacks with a Stomp that traps Treecko, but it manages to break free by using Bullet Seed. After this, Loudred responds with a Screech that knocks Treecko back, and follows up with Earthquake. Treecko dodges the seismic waves and sends Loudred flying into a tree with a powerful Pound attack. After this, both Pokémon glare at each other, and start to evolve at the same time. As both Trainers seem to be awed and surprised that Treecko and Loudred simultaneously evolved, Dwayne's newly evolved Grovyle reveals that it has learned a new move, Leaf Blade. The battle continues and Grovyle charges in with another Leaf Blade, when Layla commands her newly evolved Exploud to dodge. But instead of dodging, Exploud sends Grovyle flying back with its newly learned Hyper Voice attack. After this, Exploud begins rampaging once again and Grovyle tries to stop it with Bullet Seed, but it does nothing. Grovyle then uses Quick Attack, but Exploud hits it away and continues charging, and Layla and Dwayne then chase after Exploud.

Dwayne and Layla start calling Exploud's name but get no response. As Layla begins to feel disheartened, Dwayne offers her hope that they'll find Exploud soon. Dwayne notices that Grovyle is becoming agitated, but he refuses to return and instead leaps into the trees. Layla looks up at Grovyle and is reminded of how tame Loudred used to be when it was a Whismur. Meanwhile, Exploud sees an apple up a tree and uses Stomp to knock it down, although this also disturbs the many Beedrill sleeping the in the tree, and they all attack Exploud, releasing a loud cry in the process. Grovyle hears this cry and proceeds towards it. Grovyle makes it to the location and saves Exploud from the Beedrill. Grovyle then stares Exploud down for a while, until they resume their previous battle as the sun comes out. Grovyle charges in, and Exploud uses Stomp. Grovyle dodges and uses Pound, only to provoke Exploud to strike back with Hyper Voice. After taking the hit, Grovyle lands a direct hit with Bullet Seed that knocks Exploud down. Dwayne and Layla then arrive at the scene and the real battle begins. Dwayne commands Grovyle to use Leaf Blade while Layla orders Exploud to dodge. But instead of dodging, Exploud takes the hit head on. Grovyle goes in for another Leaf Blade and Layla again commands Exploud to dodge. Exploud once again ignores Layla's command and blocks Grovyle's attack, while Grovyle breaks free using Pound. After Layla scolds Exploud to listen to her commands, it walks away just as the Beedrill return for another ambush.

Just as Layla notices Beedrill in the bushes, the Beedrill fire off multiple Pin Missile at Exploud, but Layla pushes it out of the way just in time. As the Beedrill attack Exploud again, Grovyle uses Bullet Seed to knock them down, and the Beedrill are scared off once and for all. Feeling touched that Layla saved it despite its previous treatment towards her, Exploud helps Layla up and it explains that it wants to continue training with her, making the two hug each other. After this, Grovyle and Exploud resume their battle once again. Dwayne orders Grovyle to use Pound, but Layla orders Exploud to dodge, which it does, and follows up with Hyper Voice, but Grovyle dodges and knocks out Exploud with a Leaf Blade, giving Dwayne the victory. Afterwards, Dwayne and Layla shake hands, as does Grovyle and Exploud.

During Layla's battle against Dwayne at the Ever Grande Conference, Exploud was chosen as her second Pokémon to battle against Dwayne's Absol. Because Layla was still shaken up over having to face her friend, with the potential of eliminating him from the competition, Layla wasn't able to fight effectively, only telling Exploud to evade Absol's Dark Pulse continuously, still unable to take any offensive action towards her friend. Absol delivers a devastating Hyper Beam to Exploud, knocking him out. Layla tells Exploud that he did an excellent job. Dwayne, however, demands to know why Layla will not put up a serious fight and harshly attacks her honor, telling her that she might as well quit now if she does not battle like she means it. Layla says she does not need to be told that and apologizes to Exploud for her weak actions, but Exploud doesn't seem upset, reassuring Layla that he doesn't hold their defeat against her.

## **Personality and Characteristics**

As a Whismur, Layla described him as tame, but after evolving into Loudred, he began disobeying her, unwilling to battle together side-by-side, with his temper growing even worse after evolving into Exploud, to the point of rampaging around without any plausible reason.

However, after Layla risked her own well-being to defend Exploud from an angry pack of Beedrill, Exploud was reminded of their bond and began listening to her commands once again. Their bond was further deepened during the Ever Grande Conference, as when Exploud was defeated by Dwayne's Absol due to Layla's unwillingness to battle her friend, not wanting to eliminate him from the tournament, Exploud didn't blame Layla at all, reassuring that he still trusted her completely.

## **Moves used**

 A **†** shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.