Layla's Breloom

**Layla's Breloom** (Japanese: **レイラのキノガッサ** *Reira's Kinogassa*) was the third Pokémon that Dwayne caught during his travels in the Hoenn region, and his twenty-fourth overall. However, he was then traded to Layla.

## **New Era**

### **Hoenn**

#### **As a Wild Pokémon**

While searching for wild Pokémon at Rinshin Town, Dwayne and Layla came across Shroomish in an alleyway, who doesn't look too happy. Layla wants to feed it and make friends with him, so Dwayne hands her some Pokémon food. Shroomish is suspicious and uses Stun Spore causing Dwayne and Layla to retreat. Afterwards, Dwayne takes out some more Pokémon food and takes a piece to Shroomish that it's safe to eat, trying his best to hide the fact that the Pokémon food tasted awful for a human. Shroomish tries the food and loves it. Dwayne and Layla are surprised because Shroomish is in the city instead of the forest, where it normally would be. They think it might have been separated from its Trainer and maybe they should take it to a Pokémon Center. Dwayne takes out a handkerchief and ties it around the top of Shroomish's head, as a gift. Shroomish is very happy with this, and Dwayne picks up Shroomish and they head off.

While passing by an old mansion, Dwayne and Layla stop in front of the manor house after noticing Shroomish staring intently at it. Shroomish, still in Dwayne's arms, gets very distressed and runs off. Dwayne and Layla follow it as Shroomish goes into the mansion through a broken window. Dwayne and Layla follow after Shroomish, but they lose track of and instead find a man standing outside the lodge. The man, Alex, approaches the duo ordering them to move on because of the demolition works. Dwayne explains that they were just following a Shroomish, but Alex refutes the claim entirely. He informs them that the Green Lodge belonged to his grandfather, and he used to stay over and play with the resident Shroomish as a child. Alex claims the Shroomish have since disappeared because of Rinshin Town’s growing city blocks and his grandfather's passing. Alex explains that he is simply on site to check on the demolition’s progress, but strange occurrences have been hampering efforts. Dwayne is keen to hear more details, but Alex replies that it’s just rumors. Dwayne and Layla again affirm their story, so Alex decides he'll have to go inside and see for himself and the duo follow him.

Inside, they find Shroomish shivering by one of the old fireplaces. Dwayne approaches to attend to his friend when two other Shroomish emerge, also looking frightened. Dwayne realizes that they must be upset because they'll have no home when the mansion is torn down. Not wanting to scare them further, the humans decide to back off to prevent irritating the Shroomish further. Outside, Alex and the others affirm that the strange footprints and odd occurrence are because of the large number of Shroomish that call the Green Lodge home. Dwayne adds that the Shroomish are in pain, and he informs Alex that the Shroomish want just want to play with him like the old days. Alex admits that he shares their sentiments. Alex formally apologizes to Shroomish, but he admits that the demolition must progress. Dwayne asks if there was really no other way to keep the Green Lodge standing, but Alex remarks that the structure was too old, and could prove dangerous if it was kept standing. The Shroomish that Dwayne found earlier approaches them and offers Dwayne and Layla an Oran Berry, a proof of its trust towards them.

Afterwards, Layla asks about the fate of the Green Lodge and Alex affirms that the mansion will still have to be demolished, but adds that he'll replant the whole area full of trees so there will be a forest like there was before, and the Shroomish agree enthusiastically. As Dwayne and Layla prepare to leave, the Shroomish that they helped earlier comes in running and blocks their path. Dwayne realizes that the Shroomish wants to join him, and Shroomish nods, while Layla pouts that Shroomish was choosing Dwayne over her. Dwayne throws a Poké Ball and Shroomish gets captured.

#### **With Dwayne**

Back at the Pokémon Center, Dwayne and Layla comment on that day's situation, and Layla again complains that she couldn't catch a single Pokémon since arriving in town. To cheer her up, Dwayne offers to battle her, and Layla accepts. At the Pokémon Center's battlefield, Dwayne and Layla agree to a one-on-one match, and Dwayne chooses his newly-caught Shroomish while Layla chooses her Torchic. The battle starts when Dwayne orders Shroomish to use Seed Bomb, but Torchic dodges and uses Ember, but Shroomish easily dodges. Shroomish then uses Sunny Day, creating a harsh sunlight, and Layla urges Torchic to perform better, and Dwayne notices that Torchic was having trouble keeping up with Layla's demands. Layla then orders Torchic to use Peck, but Shroomish dodges again.

Layla pushes Torchic to do better, and orders him to use Quick Attack, but Shroomish continuously dodges, and finishes off Torchic with a devastating Solar Beam. Layla complains about the loss, and says that she needed to train up Torchic better because his performance was underwhelming, and Torchic lowers his head, saddened by Layla's comments. Dwayne cuts her off, scolding her for not realizing that Torchic was pushing himself beyond his limits to keep up with her demands. Dwayne then walks over to Torchic and pats his head, assuring him that Torchic did great, and Torchic instantly cheers up and gently pecks him as a sign of affection. However, Shroomish seems unimpressed with Dwayne's methods, and seemingly agrees with Layla's tough love treatment, something that Dwayne disapproves. Realizing that both Pokémon preferred the others's training style, Dwayne offers a trade, but Layla adamantly refuses, saying that she needed Torchic to become just like her mother, but Dwayne cuts her off again, angrily exclaiming that because of her desire to take after her mother, she was ignoring Torchic's nature, because Torchic preferred being treated with care instead of being pushed with pressure.

Layla says that she wanted to become just like her mother, and Dwayne says that Gwendolyn was indeed one of the toughest Trainers in Hoenn, but also says that Gwendolyn nevertheless treated her Pokémon with care, and asks Layla if she'd ever seen her mother pressure her Pokémon during battle, and Layla realizes that Dwayne was right; not once did she ever see Gwendolyn push her Pokémon beyond their limits. Dwayne then says that she can still become as strong as her mother, but there was no need to rely on the same Pokémon that Gwendolyn owns, and urges Layla to forge her own path instead of following her mother's shadow. Layla finally agrees with Dwayne's sentiment, and apologizes to Torchic, who forgives her, aware that Layla wasn't pushing him out of malice. Shroomish, while understanding, still disagrees with Dwayne's more calm and patient training methods, and both Trainers agree to the trade.

Back at the Pokémon Center, Dwayne and Layla prepare for the trade, and each bid their goodbyes to their original Pokémon, before subsequently starting the trade on the trading machine. After a few seconds, both Pokémon are traded, with Dwayne receiving Torchic and Layla receiving Shroomish. Dwayne sends out Torchic while Layla sends out Shroomish, and both Pokémon immediately prove more compatible with their new Trainers. Outside the Pokémon Center, Dwayne and Layla promise to battle each other the next time they meet, and both bid farewell to each other, and their original Pokémon before heading their separate ways.

#### **With Layla**

When Layla and Dwayne met up again shortly before the start of the Ever Grande Conference, Shroomish was shown to have evolved into Breloom, where he was matched up against Dwayne's Combusken in a one-on-one battle. The battle starts, with Layla ordering Breloom to use Seed Bomb, but Combusken effortlessly blocks with Flamethrower. Layla then orders Breloom to use Mach Punch, but Combusken retaliates with Quick Attack, and both attacks clash and both Pokémon are sent flying. Layla then orders Breloom to use Dynamic Punch, but Combusken takes the attack head-on, which confuses Layla as to why he didn't dodge. As Combusken withstands the heavy damage, Dwayne orders him to use Reversal, a move that causes more damage the more the user is damaged, and Combusken scores a direct hit, which knocks out Breloom.

As Combusken roars in victory, he suddenly begins evolving into Blaziken, much to both Dwayne and Layla's joy. After evolving, Blaziken shakes hands with Breloom, who despite showing respect towards him, is nonetheless angry about his loss, and doesn't hide his explosive temper, shooting out his Seed Bomb at a nearby tree to calm himself down. Layla laughs at Breloom's temper, but says that she liked that about him, using his anger as motivation to become stronger.

During Layla's Full Battle against Dwayne at the Ever Grande Conference, Breloom was chosen as her sixth and final remaining Pokémon to battle against Dwayne's Blaziken, who himself was Dwayne's final remaining Pokémon. Blaziken performs Blaze Kick, which Breloom matches with Mach Punch. The Pokémon collide, but Breloom takes the brunt of the damage. Then, Breloom responds with Seed Bomb, but Blaziken's Flamethrower burns the seeds into ash. Blaziken follows up with Stone Edge, but Breloom uses Dynamic Punch to shatter the rock pillars into pieces. Layla then orders Breloom to use Growth, increasing its attack power, and Blaziken retaliates by using Flamethrower, but Breloom quickly uses Mach Punch, allowing him to dodge the attack and score a direct hit against Blaziken. As Blaziken staggers, Layla commands a barrage of Mach Punches, and Blaziken gets battered by the onslaught of attacks. As Dwayne tries to come up with a stategy, he notices a tip of the grass burned from Blaziken's earlier attack, and suddenly has a new idea in mind. After Blaziken manages to dodge the attacks, Dwayne orders him to blast the field with multiple Flamethrowers, and soon enough, the entire grass field starts to catch on fire, which also causes the fire to spread and engulf Breloom, leaving it severely burned.

As the announcer comments on Dwayne's unorthodox, yet brilliant, strategy, Dwayne orders Blaziken to use Stone Edge, and Breloom gets smashed by the rock pillars and sent flying. While free-falling, Breloom tries to use Seed Bomb, but its burn status kicks in again, cancelling the attack, and allowing Blaziken to score a direct Blaze Kick right on its face, and Breloom plummets to the ground, knocked out, and the referee declares Dwayne and Blaziken as the winners.

## **Personality and Characteristics**

Breloom is a Pokémon with an explosive temper, always shown with an angry expression with his face, and rarely shows any signs of light-heartedness on his facial expressions. Layla herself commented that Breloom's temper was great, but this also proved advantageous, as Breloom used his anger to motivate himself to become stronger and battle more effeciently.

Despite his short fuse and prone to anger, Breloom is completely loyal towards his Trainer, never showing any signs of disobedience and recklessness, following Layla's commands without any signs of hesitation or doubt. Sharing Layla's more bruttish training methods, Breloom quickly bonded with her over this, something that Breloom wasn't able to with Dwayne, as Dwayne didn't share Breloom's more brutal methods.

Breloom also shares quite a strong rivalry with Dwayne's Blaziken, which started when Pokémon were owned by the opposite Trainer, and their different views was the key for their trade in the first place. While enjoying battles regardless of his opponent, Breloom becomes more motivated whenever facing off against Blaziken, seen during his visible excitement during their battle at the Ever Grande Conference, where Breloom kept grinning at all times, even when being attacked by his opponent, gladly enjoying the good fight he was participating in.