The Arcane Realm: Land of Freedom and Magicks

[TheKnightsFury]

Meetan- Although you'd grossly underestimated the Mudbray, you still feel like it is unfair to gang up on the Ground type. Eridian had gotten himself into this mess, literally, he deserved the chance to make up for his mistake. Jasper is for from pleased about your decision as he slinks back to your side, you can almost here him cursing the Bagon, hoping he'd fail. If the Mudbray's first exchange with the Bagon was anything to go off, there was a fair chance Jasper would get his wish.

Eridian struggles to get out of the mud. While the Mudbray could move through the viscous fluid like a Swinub in snow, the little dragon with his stubby arms and heavy head was having a real bad time. He attempts to follow orders and spread out in a Double Team, but the mud restricts his movements, greatly reducing the effectiveness of the move. The Mudbray shows no concern over the increased number of Bagons that are flailing and struggling to get out of the mud. It forms a swirling storm of rocks around itself before sending them sliding towards Eridian, making quick work of the clones and dealing a nice bit of damage to the dragon. Eridian knows that as long as he's in the mud, he's a sitting Ducklett. He begins to gather his strength, tapping into the power of his Dragon typing his surges forward, rushing out of the mud. The black Bagon roars with relief as he pulls himself free of the mud and hurdles towards the Mudbray. A dragon shaped construct of energy surrounds him as he slams into the Ground type, but the Mudbray doesn't budge. It seems the Mudbray's Stamina is already proving beneficial, its physical defence almost impossible to penetrate. The Mudbray lobs a Mud Bomb at Eridian, forcing the dragon to leap back as he uses his Dragon Breath to counter the attack, saving himself from being coated in even more mud. This Mudbray certainly was a quality specimen, that old craftswoman was surely getting the better end of this bargain!

 

[Meetan]

Meetan- Although you'd grossly underestimated the Mudbray, you still feel like it is unfair to gang up on the Ground type. Eridian had gotten himself into this mess, literally, he deserved the chance to make up for his mistake. Jasper is for from pleased about your decision as he slinks back to your side, you can almost here him cursing the Bagon, hoping he'd fail. If the Mudbray's first exchange with the Bagon was anything to go off, there was a fair chance Jasper would get his wish.

Eridian struggles to get out of the mud. While the Mudbray could move through the viscous fluid like a Swinub in snow, the little dragon with his stubby arms and heavy head was having a real bad time. He attempts to follow orders and spread out in a Double Team, but the mud restricts his movements, greatly reducing the effectiveness of the move. The Mudbray shows no concern over the increased number of Bagons that are flailing and struggling to get out of the mud. It forms a swirling storm of rocks around itself before sending them sliding towards Eridian, making quick work of the clones and dealing a nice bit of damage to the dragon. Eridian knows that as long as he's in the mud, he's a sitting Ducklett. He begins to gather his strength, tapping into the power of his Dragon typing his surges forward, rushing out of the mud. The black Bagon roars with relief as he pulls himself free of the mud and hurdles towards the Mudbray. A dragon shaped construct of energy surrounds him as he slams into the Ground type, but the Mudbray doesn't budge. It seems the Mudbray's Stamina is already proving beneficial, its physical defence almost impossible to penetrate. The Mudbray lobs a Mud Bomb at Eridian, forcing the dragon to leap back as he uses his Dragon Breath to counter the attack, saving himself from being coated in even more mud. This Mudbray certainly was a quality specimen, that old craftswoman was surely getting the better end of this bargain!

Alice was tense, teeth together and then biting her lip, nervous about the decision she'd made. Eridian really wasn't faring well in this terrain, whereas Jasper was a lot more agile and literally able to phase through most things. As smug as Jasper was and wanting his spotlight, he could tell that the trainer was worried, and it wasn't all too fun when it got sad. Thankfully, Eridian managed to save himself through sheer power, propelling himself fiercely out of the mud. It was scary, though, how the Mudbray just seemed to stand there and take it. Between its stamina and natural hardiness, this battle might be an actual nightmare. No wonder the craftswoman had sent someone else to do this job, she was in for a treat once they snagged this thing!

"Eridian, it's gonna be okay, we've got this." Alice said, while absolutely not being sure if they had this. The key, though, was clearly to make use of special attacks and keep their distance. Maybe they'd be alright. "Use Dragon Pulse and Dragon Breath, then use Hydro Pump again!" She was wary of him getting tired, but if that happened, maybe it'd be okay to switch Jasper in. Alice was just hoping that the Bagon would be able to overwhelm the Mudbray with power before it began to matter, and then once she'd captured the Mudbray and handed it over, she could swing by the Pokemon Centre or whatever alternative the hamlet had to patch him up. Plus, there was no need for him to run back, although she always liked to have at least one Pokemon out with her so that she didn't have to go alone.

 

[TheKnightsFury]

TKF: You were beginning to falter in your resolve, hopelessness sneaking into your heart. It was like the battle with Adrienne all over again, everything turning on you, coming to bite you. But one didn't become a champion without enduring hardships, and the same went for your Pokemon. Thankfully they managed to break free of their bonds and get clear of the Torterra, who had no care for listening to you. If he wasn't so focused on draining the life out of his comrades, he might've tried to take yours instead.

Thankfully, without the speed or reaction time to evade it, Torterra went back into his ball without further trouble. You release a breath you didn't realise you were holding, and it was in that moment you could see the devastation that was going on. A lot of the other trainers had managed to recall their own Pokemon, and were instead fighting off the Mandibuzz and trying to capture or otherwise disarm the frenzied wildlings instead. There's no more time for you, you know that you have to go and catch up to Billy, Braixen and Megara so that's what you do. Chimchar and Froakie run ahead of you, following their senses to make sure you don't get lost along the way. Froakie and Chimchar have gained two levels each.

Oddly, you find Braixen alone, which at first makes you feel a little sick. Her expression is serious, and you wonder if she's waiting to turn on you as well. She isn't, she is instead a short distance from a clearing, and after a short conversation you go to where she directs that Billy and Megara are. You realise that the reason she hadn't gone in was to likely save herself, because the pastel boy is kneeling on the grass near his fainted Meganium and he's punching the grass so hard that his fists are bleeding. He looks to be in a trance, too, and the ones causing it are there before you: the mysterious guy from before, sans Donphan. Instead, the black-clad man had an intimidating Malamar towering at his side, the pair of them exuding menace. One of his eyes is covered by a black patch, but the other golden one is set on you with severity.

“So, you're the one who thinks he can save the Meadow? I'm not worried.” He said frankly. How did he know that? Or maybe it was just a safe assumption... “You can still run, if you want to. I won't chase after you, and it won't matter if you tell anyone. But if you stay and try to stop this, I'll make sure there's nothing left, just like with the rest of this place.”

This is your final chance. Save yourself, or risk everything to save it all. What do you do?

Xander was relieved when Froakie and Chimchar managed to free themselves and he finally managed to pull Torterra back into its ball. He placed it back onto his belt before charging off after Froakie and Chimchar who were tracking down Braixen and Billy. They soon found Braixen, who was alone and full of concern. The reason for her concern was soon clear as they caught up with Billy. The mage was on his knees alongside of an unconscious Megara, the Meganium had already been overwhelmed. It seemed the source of all this distraction was the man who they'd seen earlier with his Donphan, except now he was accompanied by a Malamar. Xander felt instantly unsettled by the Malamar's presence, he'd read all the dex entries on them, they were known for being evil.

"I'll never run", Xander shouted in reply, at this point he didn't really see running as an option. A champion couldn't run from danger. That didn't mean he had a plan. Torterra and Bayleef were out of the question, he had no way of knowing how they'd behave if he let them out of their balls. Froakie and Chimchar were exhausted, while Braixen wouldn't be able to compete with the Malamar. That left him with two options, one of which he really wasn't keen on using after last time. He looked at the mega stone on his bracer, he'd failed the last time he activated it. He hadn't called on Charizard since the unfortunate end against Adrienne and her Vikavolt, he wasn't sure whether the Charizard would trust him. Full of self doubt, Xander wasn't sure what to do. Seeing this Chimchar leaps to his trainer's side. Reaching up he grabs Charizard's ball and releases the dragon from within, making Xander's decision for him.

The mighty fire type lets out a terrifying bellow, before looking back over his shoulder at his trainer. He could see the doubt in his trainer's eyes. He'd had a lot of time to think after what had happened in their last battle. If they were going to have any chance of becoming champions, they had to start trusting each other. Charizard turned to face Xander, leaning in he rubbed his head against his trainer's chest. Xander was shocked by the display of affection, it was something he hadn't seen from the Charizard before. As their eyes met once more, there was no more doubt, only passionate fire. "Let's do this Charizard!" The mighty fire lizard threw his wings open, taking to the air as he let out a tremendous roar. "Froakie, Chimchar, Braixen, you need to stop Billy before he hurts himself. Braixen see if you can get through to him with your own Hypnosis while Froakie and Chimchar try and restrain him. Charizard stay mobile, blast Malamar with a Heat Wave, as you use the hot air to rise faster. Then keep it at a distance with Air Slash, keep on the move and do your best to avoid anything that comes your way.

 

[TheKnightsFury]

Meetan- With Eridian gaining little ground on the stalwart Mudbray, you decide you need to exploit the ground type's weaker Special Defence. Mudbray was stronger at close range and when taking physical attacks, if Eridian could keep at a distance and keep chipping away at it, he might just weaken it enough for a capture attempt. As the Mudbray attempts to close the gap, Eridian tries to remain fleet footed, pushing the Ground type back with a powerful Dragon Pulse. The attack at least manages to generate a pained whinny from the stubborn little mule. It then tries to shake the Bagon of his feet, slamming its mud clad hooves into the ground. Luckily the shock waves it creates are only of a low Magnitude and although they do some damage to the dragon, he manages to maintain his footing. Flanking around to keep the Mudbray guessing, Eridian snaps his jaws open as he bathes the ground type with his Dragon Breath. The strange flames cause the opposing Pokemon's muscles to cramp with paralysis, further inhibiting its ability to get close to the dragon.

Eridian seems to be on the front foot now, with the Mudbray struggling to move he pushes his advantage and fires off another Hydro Pump. Showing how truly stubborn and pigheaded it is, the Mudbray charges straight into the incoming attack, knowing full well he has no chance of avoiding it. As he hits the water he continues to surge forward, pushing through the water as if fuelled by Superpower. Eridian keeps up the attack, doing his best to push the Mudbray back but it seems nothing will stop him. Eventually Eridian runs out of puff and drops the attack, letting the Mudbray through. The Ground type crashes into the black Bagon, sending him tumbling backwards. Eridian slowly rises to his feet, he's exhausted but still standing. The Mudbray is looking exhausted as well and with the paralysis holding it back, this might be the perfect opportunity to capture it. You've only got one Heavy ball though, so if you were going to take your chance, you would have to make it count!

 

[Meetan]

TKF: You have no idea what to do here. You're stumped. You know that you absolutely can't give up, that you're beyond the point of surrender, but how to fight? Most of your Pokemon were either too tired or simply couldn't match up to such a horrific opponent as a Malamar. They were evil and they were fucked up and quite frankly you'd rather deal with another five adventures straight of Adrienne tearing your psych apart than whatever games this Malamar was probably going to play. Billy was literally beating his hands to bloody pieces next to the body of his familiar. What kind of sketchy sadism was this?

You had a candidate in mind, one Pokemon who could definitely measure up here... But would he trust you? In hindsight, you should have had a heart to heart ages ago, to try and clear your thoughts and feelings about what happened with your new rival. Maybe Empy'd be a good shout. Nope, nevermind, Chimchar's chosen for you. Get good, champion boy. Luckily for you, Charizard can sense your emotions and knows that you need perfect duality here. God, so cheesy. Even the Kalosians are reeling right now you loser--

Back in the game, super epic. Your two more tired starters run to hold Billy's arms back, and he begins to struggle. It catches them off guard, but in reality it's nothing they can't handle, and Braixen tries to use her own Hypnosis to get through to Billy. You have no idea if it's working, but she's holding his attention and Billy's falling still, so she's clearly doing something right. That Malamar had likely really scrambled his meatball, and there was a lot that Braixen was trying to work through. At least he's getting free therapy. You might need that once this is over with.

It's important for Charizard to stay mobile, and it's soon obvious why. That Malamar is wiggling its limbs and bouncing around like a freak, and even though it took the Heat Wave it evaded the Air Slash like nobody's business. It puts up a Reflect and Light Screen, lowering the beast's effectiveness before the monster Plays Foul. Its fins strike at the Charizard hard, and he yowls in displeasure – but he's far from out. You two have got this if you remain in sync, or so you hope. What do you do?

 

[Meetan]

Meetan- With Eridian gaining little ground on the stalwart Mudbray, you decide you need to exploit the ground type's weaker Special Defence. Mudbray was stronger at close range and when taking physical attacks, if Eridian could keep at a distance and keep chipping away at it, he might just weaken it enough for a capture attempt. As the Mudbray attempts to close the gap, Eridian tries to remain fleet footed, pushing the Ground type back with a powerful Dragon Pulse. The attack at least manages to generate a pained whinny from the stubborn little mule. It then tries to shake the Bagon of his feet, slamming its mud clad hooves into the ground. Luckily the shock waves it creates are only of a low Magnitude and although they do some damage to the dragon, he manages to maintain his footing. Flanking around to keep the Mudbray guessing, Eridian snaps his jaws open as he bathes the ground type with his Dragon Breath. The strange flames cause the opposing Pokemon's muscles to cramp with paralysis, further inhibiting its ability to get close to the dragon.

Eridian seems to be on the front foot now, with the Mudbray struggling to move he pushes his advantage and fires off another Hydro Pump. Showing how truly stubborn and pigheaded it is, the Mudbray charges straight into the incoming attack, knowing full well he has no chance of avoiding it. As he hits the water he continues to surge forward, pushing through the water as if fuelled by Superpower. Eridian keeps up the attack, doing his best to push the Mudbray back but it seems nothing will stop him. Eventually Eridian runs out of puff and drops the attack, letting the Mudbray through. The Ground type crashes into the black Bagon, sending him tumbling backwards. Eridian slowly rises to his feet, he's exhausted but still standing. The Mudbray is looking exhausted as well and with the paralysis holding it back, this might be the perfect opportunity to capture it. You've only got one Heavy ball though, so if you were going to take your chance, you would have to make it count!

Alice enthusiastically cheered as Eridian began to turn the tide for himself, feeling proud of her little baby (although the description hardly suited him - he was at least seven years old by now! Jasper's attention was locked into the battle, seeing the pair zip around, stunned that the dragon had managed to steal an advantage from the wily Mudbray. Sure, Eridian was one of the older and more elite members of Alice's line-up, but that little mule had given him total hell from the moment the encounter had started. It was even paralysed, what luck! "It's okay, you've got this, Eri. Keep it up! I want you to use the same three attacks, one more time!" She instructed him, and Eridian inhaled deeply, dark eyes tired but unrelenting; reflecting the rest of him. "And then you can take a good rest once we catch it!"

The dragon did as asked, taking another deep breath. Alice had reached into her bag, picking out the Heavy Ball and enlarging it in her hand. If everything went to plan, the Mudbray would hopefully be weak enough to be an easy capture, and she could just throw the ball (and have Jasper retrieve it because... Holy hell, that's a lot of mud, and she was a weakling like that) and be done with this whole battle. Alice had a feeling that it might not be so straightforward given the trouble the Mudbray had given them thus far, but they didn't have a whole lot of time to spare today, so she was praying to Arceus it'd be damn quick and easy.

 

[Raves]

Raves: Things were about to get a lot more hectic, but at least Menefer hadn't tried to thrust himself into your chest... Or anywhere else, for that matter. The Metal Sound, while likely deteriorating your aural health by several degrees had at least brought your mind the clarity to maybe survive this showdown – and think up some wise, aggravating words for the Honedge. Although, just because one of your Pokemon could back up its Taunt with some battle power... Should you really be doing that? There's plenty of time for this to go even more sideways, you know.

You've made your analysis and given your orders, and your Pokemon execute them expertly. The Signal Beam strikes the Solrock, and to boot it takes a hard yank from the Grass Knot that pulls it into the ground. Ramses isn't too pleased by this, and the floating sun's head takes on a metallic shine before it launches itself straight into Nuhuko, beginning to spin rapidly and ram the Lunatone a fair distance in a Stomping Tantrum. Ammie takes quite the assault, too, but she doesn't seem nearly as bothered. As sadomasochistic as she looks, the Banette just giggles, interrupting Nothung's attempt to poison her with an Astonishing shriek. The Flame Wheel licks at her fabric, and making use of the close proximity, the Banette spits some rotting Gunk at the Infernape. To add to his punishment, the Banette's eyes flicker and flash, and it expels a Confuse Ray. Nothung tries to shake it off, but he's seeing stars and goodness knows what else...

Meanwhile, a silent decision between you and Glasspine is making for quite a show. The Sandshrew lights up the night with his transformation into a Sandslash, and a handsome one he makes, too! If a little smaller than expected, but you can worry about that another time. You just need to get this over with, and Honedge's lack of Guard was going to make that a lot easier. All three of Glasspine's strikes are true: trapping Menefer in a Rocky Tomb, which you partially decimate with the Sandslash's enhanced Shadow Claw. Unfortunately, that renders whatever time you might've given yourself nil, as Menefer angrily fights back with three increasingly painful, Furious Cuts.

As of now, Nuhuko is definitely in the best state, but your other Pokemon have plenty of fight left in them... As do their opponents, with Ramses' upset suggesting it's probably more weary than it looks. What do you do?

To say things escalated quickly would be a bit of an understatement. With Glasspine having evolved, Alex's trio went on the offensive with Nuhuko having the better luck of the group. With the prior special boost the Lunatone's offensive assault definitely left Ramses reeling, though the Solrock quickly countered by utilising a super effective Gyro Ball of its own before swinging in with an improvised ground move, which due to proximity to Nuhuko bypassed much of the levitating rock pokemon's traits. Nothung meanwhile seemed to be having a little trouble with the Banette, who seemed not at all fazed by the Taunt, and interrupted the Toxic by giving the Infernape a close range shriek that made him lose his focus, before applying the classic trait of a Confuse Ray leaving the starter dazed and confused.

With an offensive boost behind him, Glasspine's offensive force led to the Honedge busting out of the tomb they were sealed within temporarily, and the sword began to swipe at the Sandslash with Fury Cutter, a wise technique given the move's increased intensity when used in succession, as well as the fact that Menefer packed No Guard, ensuring perfect accuracy. That onslaught had to be stopped before Glass took more damage, but from the looks of things Nuhuko was faring the best, the Lunatone demonstrating tactical superiority over the Solrock, and Alex felt that they were starting to enjoy the fight despite the stakes. That being said, said Solrock was looking worse off, and the sooner Ramses was taken out of the fight, the better.

"Nuhuko, keep up the pressure and smack it down with your own body! Once they're grounded, give them a taste of their own medicine with an earth power, then blow them away with power gem!" With some knowledge on the effects of Smack Down, notably its trait of nullifying flight and levitation temporarily, the logic of putting the Solrock to the dirt before blowing them skywards would mean adding further pressure to the sun, which meant that getting the Infernape out of his predicament was next. "Nothung, back off and try and set up a defensive shield to buy you some time to clear your head, then go for a flamethrower to stone edge combo on the Banette, that bond oughta have worn off now!"

With the Sandslash under the barrage of blade strikes from Menefer, stopping that streak of fury cutter was the main objective in this conflict. "Glass, protect! Stop that assault, then bulldoze him into the dirt and bury him with a magnitude of strength! Play to your own skills!" Yes, this may have the potential to hurt Nothung, but the Infernape was at the peak of his level, and Alex was certain that even with a bit of a shake it wouldn't leave the fire type too badly hurt in the long run, especially given the trouble the Banette was giving him.

 

[TheKnightsFury]

TKF: You have no idea what to do here. You're stumped. You know that you absolutely can't give up, that you're beyond the point of surrender, but how to fight? Most of your Pokemon were either too tired or simply couldn't match up to such a horrific opponent as a Malamar. They were evil and they were fucked up and quite frankly you'd rather deal with another five adventures straight of Adrienne tearing your psych apart than whatever games this Malamar was probably going to play. Billy was literally beating his hands to bloody pieces next to the body of his familiar. What kind of sketchy sadism was this?

You had a candidate in mind, one Pokemon who could definitely measure up here... But would he trust you? In hindsight, you should have had a heart to heart ages ago, to try and clear your thoughts and feelings about what happened with your new rival. Maybe Empy'd be a good shout. Nope, nevermind, Chimchar's chosen for you. Get good, champion boy. Luckily for you, Charizard can sense your emotions and knows that you need perfect duality here. God, so cheesy. Even the Kalosians are reeling right now you loser--

Back in the game, super epic. Your two more tired starters run to hold Billy's arms back, and he begins to struggle. It catches them off guard, but in reality it's nothing they can't handle, and Braixen tries to use her own Hypnosis to get through to Billy. You have no idea if it's working, but she's holding his attention and Billy's falling still, so she's clearly doing something right. That Malamar had likely really scrambled his meatball, and there was a lot that Braixen was trying to work through. At least he's getting free therapy. You might need that once this is over with.

It's important for Charizard to stay mobile, and it's soon obvious why. That Malamar is wiggling its limbs and bouncing around like a freak, and even though it took the Heat Wave it evaded the Air Slash like nobody's business. It puts up a Reflect and Light Screen, lowering the beast's effectiveness before the monster Plays Foul. Its fins strike at the Charizard hard, and he yowls in displeasure – but he's far from out. You two have got this if you remain in sync, or so you hope. What do you do?

It soon became apparent that the Malamar was indeed the threat they'd anticipated. It spent no time at all setting up a pair of screens, ensuring its defences were rock solid. It even managed to dodge the Air Slash with ease, something that Xander wasn't happy about as it allowed it to quickly close in on Charizard and land a Foul Play. Sure Malamar could levitate but Charizard was a true flyer, he needed to show that...

"Charizard push it back with a Brick Break," the attack would not only create a bit of distance but it would smash the screens the Malamar was relying on. "Keep circling it, don't stop moving. Spit a Toxic, at it then trap it in a Fire Spin!" Xander hoped that if they could slowly wear the evil squid down, they might just stand a chance. He looked down at his Mega Bracer, he had to make sure he activated it at the right time. He'd jumped the gun against Adrienne, a foolhardy action that quite possibly cost them the match. The stakes were higher than his pride this time, he was sure that when the opportunity presented itself he would see it and take it. He looked over to Froakie, Chimchar and Braixen who were slowly getting through to Billy. The mage at least wasn't hurting himself anymore. Xander hoped if they could snap him out of it, the mage might have some piece of knowledge from his battle that would aid them here. He glared across at the evil bastard who was doing all this, he had to have some sort of motive....

"Why did you do this?" Xander questioned rather aggressively. "Surely someone with your power would be better off using it for good? Why cause so much pain and destruction?"

FREEZING THIS ADVENTURE ​

 

[ShinyRockruff204]

Kale checked his
map..
The Tower
- An ancient tower that has been in existence before the city was even built, it was an attempt to reach the heavens. Even if it’s now destroyed, it still towers over the city, and can be seen anywhere on the horizon in the Arcane Realm. Places like the Cloud Garden and New Fizz City can be seen from the top of this tower, and the halls within hold the history of the city and not only the shady dealings within this city, but also of the magic in world around it. It’s said, however, that the wisdom here is guarded by creatures of eld, and an elevator system is in place for tourists that want to see the view from the top.

As Kale left Unova to New Fizz City, he decided to check his cross-transciever, so he called home.
Then an announcement came. "Plane from Aspertia City, UNOVA (ASCUN) to New Fizz City, ARCANE (NFCAR) arriving at Fizz United Airport, right now." Kale departed. He headed out to the tower and he was reminded of Aspertia Outlook. He smiled. "I

 

[TheKnightsFury]

Meetan- Not wanting to taking your foot off the throat, you order Eridian to give the Mudbray another serving. The Bagon groans, between the extra weight of the mud, trying to keep on the move as well as firing off repeat attacks, he was beginning to get tired. It seemed the Mudbray was feeling the same, it seemed content to Bide its time....

Eridian let fly with a Dragon Pulse, the powerful attack managing to force the Mudbray back a few steps. Continuing his assault he bathes the Ground type with another Dragon Breath, the Mudbray groans as it endures the same attack that had previously left it paralysed. Eridian huffs and puffs, this was getting exhausting. He looks back at Jasper, the Sableye was still grinning. Looking to finish the job, the black Bagon fires a final Hydro Pump at the Mudbray, who until this point hadn't moved a muscle. However, as the attack hits the Alolan native, a massive amount of energy condenses around it. A tremendous beam quickly overpowers Eridian's Hydro Pump before hitting the Bagon and sending him soaring through the air. He comes crashing down near your feet, for a moment you don't think he'll get up. Eventually the dragon rises, he's unsteady and barely able to hold himself up, but he's conscious! The Mudbray is buckling at the knees, it put everything it had into that final Bide. Seeing your opportunity you take aim and toss the Heavy Ball towards the Mudbray. It makes no effort to move and the ball strikes true, pulling it inside. The ball lands in a nice puddle of mud, where it shakes a couple of times before coming to a stop with a click!

You caught the Mudbray!

Jasper rushes out to collect the ball, the Sableye quickly scoops it up and rushes back to you with it. You graciously accept the mud covered ball from the ghost, giving it a couple of shakes to try and get the excess mud off of it. The sun was starting to set over the horizon, the day was slipping away from you. You'd better get a move on!

Eridian gained 4 levels! (as Eridian is lvl 100, you receive 4 Rare Candies from an unknown source....)

 

[Meetan]

Meetan- Not wanting to taking your foot off the throat, you order Eridian to give the Mudbray another serving. The Bagon groans, between the extra weight of the mud, trying to keep on the move as well as firing off repeat attacks, he was beginning to get tired. It seemed the Mudbray was feeling the same, it seemed content to Bide its time....

Eridian let fly with a Dragon Pulse, the powerful attack managing to force the Mudbray back a few steps. Continuing his assault he bathes the Ground type with another Dragon Breath, the Mudbray groans as it endures the same attack that had previously left it paralysed. Eridian huffs and puffs, this was getting exhausting. He looks back at Jasper, the Sableye was still grinning. Looking to finish the job, the black Bagon fires a final Hydro Pump at the Mudbray, who until this point hadn't moved a muscle. However, as the attack hits the Alolan native, a massive amount of energy condenses around it. A tremendous beam quickly overpowers Eridian's Hydro Pump before hitting the Bagon and sending him soaring through the air. He comes crashing down near your feet, for a moment you don't think he'll get up. Eventually the dragon rises, he's unsteady and barely able to hold himself up, but he's conscious! The Mudbray is buckling at the knees, it put everything it had into that final Bide. Seeing your opportunity you take aim and toss the Heavy Ball towards the Mudbray. It makes no effort to move and the ball strikes true, pulling it inside. The ball lands in a nice puddle of mud, where it shakes a couple of times before coming to a stop with a click!

You caught the Mudbray!

Jasper rushes out to collect the ball, the Sableye quickly scoops it up and rushes back to you with it. You graciously accept the mud covered ball from the ghost, giving it a couple of shakes to try and get the excess mud off of it. The sun was starting to set over the horizon, the day was slipping away from you. You'd better get a move on!

Eridian gained 4 levels! (as Eridian is lvl 100, you receive 4 Rare Candies from an unknown source....)

Alice had never seen Eridian looking so rough, and this was all because of some Mudbray? It was insane. Thankfully, the attacks worked out even if Eridian took a final, built-up release of power from their target. Heck, seeing her heavy little dragon thrown around like that was honestly horrifying, and Alice couldn't help but wonder if letting Eri redeem himself to the very end was really the right thing to do. Relief washed over her when the Heavy Ball clicked, and before she could even ask Jasper had taken the imitative to go and collect it for her. Yucky, but less yucky for not having to step into the mud. "Thank you, Jasper." Alice said to her ghost, minimising the sphere to put away again.

"And you, Eridian. Thank you. But next time, stick with our pack, okay? I love you." Alice added, crouched down to look at him, setting a kiss to his hardy forehead. "Take a rest, we couldn't have done this without you." She put him away and urged Jasper to come along. It was clearly getting late and this was not the kind of timing Alice had hoped for. Of course the dual-type was glad to be the sole attention for now, and Alice went between urgent walking and dashing to return to the hamlet's marketplace, seeking out the woman to give the Heavy Ball to. "Hopefully there's a Pokemon Centre nearby, but I'm worried we won't have time if we wanna get back to that warehouse." She added, hoping to find the right stall. The woman had likely waited for them, but still. God forbid if she hadn't and this had not only been for nothing, but basically a loss! Except for the magical candies, of course, but one doesn't simply acknowledge magical candies in Fizzytopia.

 

[ShadowDRGN]

ShadowDRGN- After assisting Buizel in the use of the bucket, you decide it is best to avoid whatever is going on out in the water. Master Mal had advised you to avoid conflict until you'd completed your training, it was probably best to heed his warning. With that in mind, you grabbed your buckets and begin the journey back to Mal's. Boss and Buizel push themselves to keep pace with you, but after a while your shoulders begin to groan. As you get closer and closer to Mal's the buckets seem to get heavier and heavier. They're not actually getting heavier of course, its just your muscles wearing out. Buizel and Boss are looking worn as well, their faces showing pained expressions. By the time you step back into the clearing surrounding Mal's house, your muscles are crying out for relief. Mal is sitting on the porch, sipping at a cup of hot coffee when you and your Pokemon place the buckets of water at the base of the steps.

"How are your arms feeling?" Mal questions, although your sure he knows the answer. "Well now that your warm up is done, how about we get you started on your training?" As he says that, the front door swings open and Machamp emerges from inside, holding some large wooden bowls in its hands. He makes his way down the steps and places the three bowls side by side on the grass. Next he retrieves a couple of the buckets and fills the bowls, you get a feeling like you won't be drinking from them however. "Next step in your training, slap the water", Boss and Buizel give each other a look, was this guy serious? If Mal wasn't, Machamp certainly was. The four armed Fighting type drops to his knees in front of the bowls and groans as he waits for you to get into position. Mal on the other hand, remains seated. For a master trainer, he really wasn't doing a lot at the moment.

A strained groan escapes Jason as he thunks down the buckets upon returning to Mal's cabin. He quickly drops down onto the grass in a cross-legged sit to rest his body. He cups his hands and takes a small sip of water from one of the buckets to refresh himself as he watches Machamp set up the bowls. Boss does the same, the dark fur on his paws matting as he dips them in.

It was an arduous trip, but at least the Master is going to start training them now, by the looks of it. As he's waiting and nodding along, Jason wonders what kind of training it will be. Maybe he'll bring out some dummies and they'll all practice some chops and kicks like in those martial arts movies, or learn how to do throws and grapples... Machamp looks pretty specc'd out for that kinda thing, after all. Or maybe Mar will even let him in on a bit of how those Z-Crystals work. A secret technique or two to use against his enemies would be pretty awesome.

All his daydreaming is crushed underfoot as the bowls are set down and Mar reveals their first lesson. Jason's eyebrow twitches incredulously, "wait, slap the water? What, like a bongo or something?" he asks as he slides up to one of the bowls and tries to emulate Machamp's position. He looks to Pancham, but his Pokemon just shrugs with the same puzzlement as him. Jason sighs back in response and looks back to Mar. He really can't get a read on this guy. Is he just toying with the three of them, or is this some kind of genuine attempt at teaching them? Well, maybe it's like in the movies, where the mentor disguises their training under regular chores... or in this case really weird ones.

Jason eyes Machamp and slowly moves his hand up cautiously, with fingers laid-out flat and close. With a big breath, he waits a second before flinging his hand down at the bowl of water in front of him. Seems he's electing go first and see what happens, before the two Pokemon accompanying him to get to try.

 

[King Ghidorah!]

King Ghidorah​

Yamask's transformation was breathtaking... but also horrific. The once small creature had been replaced with a hulking sarcophagus, a horrible toothy grin plastered across it's once expressionless face and piercing red eyes basically looking through the amalgamation of souls that stood in it's wake. Yet, the Spiritomb seemed undisturbed.

Cofagrigus sprang into action quickly, summoning blue flames in it's four hands which it blasted at the Spiritomb, inflicting it with a lasting burn that caused it to wince slightly. However, Spiritomb was ready to strike back, it went for another Nasty Plot but was quick to be slapped down by the unseen force of Disable that Cofagrigus had sent it's way. Spiritomb cried out in anger at this dastardly ploy, sinking into the ground and slamming into Cofagrigus with a Shadow Sneak. It jumped backwards after striking, twisting and swirling angrily as it kept it's eyes on Cofagrigus.

Hit by the super-effective attack seemed to do little beyond add to the sarcophagus's anger. It flung forward, lowering itself onto it's four arms as it did a mad crawl... dash... thing... towards Spiritomb, slapping it where it hurt with an Ominous Wind. Spiritomb groaned loudly as it felt the force of the hit... but it too was not yet done with Cofagrigus.

The Spiritomb had observed the power of Cofagrigus and devised a Foul Play to use it against the creature, sending it reeling back from the force of the hit. The two Pokemon stared at each other as they stood, waiting for the other to make another move.

Meanwhile, you simply stood, watching in horror as the two horrific ghost types battled it out. Although you had a mouth, you could not scream, and you simply moved it wordlessly --- hoping your thoughts would somehow reach Cofagrigus. What do you do?

The irony of the situation was not lost on Hugo. He had gotten into this situation of trying to save the Silent Nun, protecting those who did not have a voice of their own…and left unable to make a sound at the mummified hands of his own chilling Pokemon. But watching Cofagrigus battle against the Spiritomb, Hugo realized that ultimately this may have been for the best. Cofagrigus understood something about the Spiritomb that Hugo never could. Despite their attempts to extinguish each other permanently, they were in fact very similar. Cofagrigus would know where and when to strike probably better than Hugo ever could. Hugo sighed a noiseless sigh and resigned himself to spectator.

The rage radiated palpably from Cofagrigus. While he had delivered a few key blows, Spiritomb had hit him hard as well. The Coffin Pokemon let out vengeful cry, the horrifying, earsplitting noise piercing through the corridor. Hugo covered his ears immediately and tried to block out the disturbing noise, which sounded to Hugo like the sound of many people screaming in agony. He hoped he never had to hear anything like that again.

Cofagrigus launched itself, solid gold sarcophagus and all, directly at Spiritomb, hoping to catch it off guard with Astonish. He took advantage of being in close range, reaching his spectral hands toward Spiritomb to try and send it surging with Shock Wave. Then, before he could see if it worked, he flung himself backward into the darkness. Cofagrigus raised its four hands toward the sky, his blood red eyes rolling back in his head. He slowly levitated higher toward the ceiling, and began to…speak. The voice sounded human, and it wasn’t speaking English or any other language Hugo had ever heard before. Hugo shuddered at the horrifying sight, realizing Cofagrigus was speaking in tongues, the demonic words flowing from Cofagrigus like a river. It took Hugo a moment, but eventually he understood what was happening. Cofagrigus was summoning a Hex on Spirtomb. Because Spiritomb was burned by the Will-O-Wisp, the Hex would have twice the power that it normally would.

Would it work?

 

[TheKnightsFury]

Meetan- Minimising the Heavy Ball, you place it in your bag before also recalling Eridian. The Bagon had been through a lot, although he had kind of gotten himself into the situation. You now found yourself under a fair bit of time pressure. Not only did you have to head all the way back to the markets, you had to exchange the captured Mudbray for the Love Balls, then hopefully locate someone capable of healing Eridian. Time permitting you'd make it to the warehouse in time to catch those crooks red handed, but that was beginning to look more and more unlikely. Jasper dashes effortlessly alongside you, moving quickly wasn't exactly your forte but you didn't really have much of a choice in this situation.

It takes you slightly less time to return to where you'd come from, although it probably would have been a quick trip if you hadn't needed to stop so much to catch your breath. The woman awaits your arrival with a big smile on her face. She places the 4 newly crafted Love Balls on the table, she certainly was a fast worker. "There you are deary, four brand new Love Balls. How did you get on with that Mudbray? I know they can be a little stubborn, I hope it didn't give you too much trouble." She waits patiently for you to present her with the Pokemon you'd captured for her. Being a local, this woman probably had a good idea about where to go to get Pokemon treated, or at least know someone who could hook you up with a quick potion. There was very little light left, that thug you'd overheard had said they were heading out at sun down, if that wasn't now, it was soon. If you couldn't find a quick way to heal Eridian, you'd either have to leave him untreated for now or risk losing track of the men you're certain are poachers.


ShadowDRGN- Unsure about Mal's intentions, you take the lead, dropping to your knees you prepare to strike the water. You're open palm slams down on the water, splashing some over your pants but other than that, nothing special. You look to Mal, wondering if you're meant to do something else now. "Good, keep going, all of you." Mal remains seated, he words cold and with no room for misinterpretation. You were to continue until you were told to stop. As you strike the water a second time, you hear a splash to either side of you as Boss and Buizel start to follow you lead. After the first ten strikes, the action begins to get repetitive, after the first hundred, you're palms are beginning to sting....

Sweat runs down your brow, soaking your shirt so that it matches your water soaked pants. You'd been there on your knees for most of the morning, striking the water without pause. Boss and Buizel were wearing out as well, their chest heaving. As far as you knew, you'd hit no special milestone but Mal rises from his chair and calls for you to stop. Boss and Buizel sigh with relief, both falling headfirst into their bowls as they slurp up some of the remaining water. "Excellent work, I can't remember the last time I had trainees that didn't whine and ask when they could stop. How are your bodies feeling? Fatigued?" Boss and Buizel reply with a nod and a groan. "Excellent, that means its time for a power up! When you're fatigued like this, it is the perfect opportunity to battle. Jason you told me that Buizel isn't officially your Pokemon yet, perhaps now is a good time for you to show it why you'd make a good trainer. The battle shall be Boss verse Buizel, but you'll both be trying to achieve something during this battle. Remember how I said it's time for a power up? Well you're going to try and use Power-Up Punch! When you're up against the ropes, a boost is just what you need. Machamp will demonstrate for you. Machamp, Power-Up Punch!" The mighty fighting type gathers energy in two of its fists, before slamming them into the ground. Somehow he manages to use some of the energy from the attack to increase his own attack stat. "Don't expect it to work perfectly the first time, you'll have to stick to it and preserver, just like you did with the water."

Buizel is already up on his feet, curling his paws into fists as he prepares for the fight. Boss had to fight well and you had to be on your game, if Buizel sensed you weren't up to the task of being his trainer, he'd likely depart.

 

[ShadowDRGN]

ShadowDRGN- Unsure about Mal's intentions, you take the lead, dropping to your knees you prepare to strike the water. You're open palm slams down on the water, splashing some over your pants but other than that, nothing special. You look to Mal, wondering if you're meant to do something else now. "Good, keep going, all of you." Mal remains seated, he words cold and with no room for misinterpretation. You were to continue until you were told to stop. As you strike the water a second time, you hear a splash to either side of you as Boss and Buizel start to follow you lead. After the first ten strikes, the action begins to get repetitive, after the first hundred, you're palms are beginning to sting....

Sweat runs down your brow, soaking your shirt so that it matches your water soaked pants. You'd been there on your knees for most of the morning, striking the water without pause. Boss and Buizel were wearing out as well, their chest heaving. As far as you knew, you'd hit no special milestone but Mal rises from his chair and calls for you to stop. Boss and Buizel sigh with relief, both falling headfirst into their bowls as they slurp up some of the remaining water. "Excellent work, I can't remember the last time I had trainees that didn't whine and ask when they could stop. How are your bodies feeling? Fatigued?" Boss and Buizel reply with a nod and a groan. "Excellent, that means its time for a power up! When you're fatigued like this, it is the perfect opportunity to battle. Jason you told me that Buizel isn't officially your Pokemon yet, perhaps now is a good time for you to show it why you'd make a good trainer. The battle shall be Boss verse Buizel, but you'll both be trying to achieve something during this battle. Remember how I said it's time for a power up? Well you're going to try and use Power-Up Punch! When you're up against the ropes, a boost is just what you need. Machamp will demonstrate for you. Machamp, Power-Up Punch!" The mighty fighting type gathers energy in two of its fists, before slamming them into the ground. Somehow he manages to use some of the energy from the attack to increase his own attack stat. "Don't expect it to work perfectly the first time, you'll have to stick to it and preserver, just like you did with the water."

Buizel is already up on his feet, curling his paws into fists as he prepares for the fight. Boss had to fight well and you had to be on your game, if Buizel sensed you weren't up to the task of being his trainer, he'd likely depart.

Jason's mouth and muscles groan in unison as he goes through the motions of slapping the water several hundreds of times throughout the rest of the morning. To keep himself from succumbing to the mindlessness, partway through he gets the idea to start slapping in a subtle rhythm, entertaining himself with the idea of keeping beat to the tune of his favorite songs. Even that can't stop his muscles from starting to give out, and by the time Mal tells him to stop, he can feel every inch of his arms burning sharply from fatigue.

"Ugh, jeez... it's like the hazing I got from the guys all over again," he groans under his breath. Thinking about it, this was pretty similar. Back when he first joined Marcus' crew, all the rest of the gang members made him do all sorts of useless tasks for their amusement. Delivering packages to addresses that didn't exist, having to carry stupidly heavy or delicate loads that didn't even need to be delivered. Flinging him into cop-infested parts of the city whenever they were too afraid of getting caught. All of that lasted for a few months until Marcus started getting involved and gave him some actual, important deliveries to get them off his back. That's when he showed what he was made of, and when he finally earned all of their respect and acceptance it was like...

Jason sighs at the memories and shakes his head, why am I thinking about them like that? None of them, not even Marcus, cared about me. I was just another guy they could sucker into doing things for! He takes a breath and concentrates on the present, but... this old dude. Am I really gonna take the same shit from him? Even if he's teaching me stuff, it feels like he's just running me around in circles before he does it.

His thoughts are interrupted by Mar's next order, however, and Boss quickly leaps into position opposite to Buizel. Jason takes a moment to clear his head of his doubts for now as he shakes his throbbing palms off and places them in his pockets. He steps behind Boss on this pseudo-battlefield and watches Mal as he explains, and then Machamp as he demonstrates with a powerful smash of his fist against the ground. Jason feels the shake of impact rattle through his body, even from afar, and his eyes light up in interest, "woah... cool!" he awes, before nodding and turning to the two Pokemon, "alright, guys! Let's try and learn this Power-Up Punch for ourselves, yeah?"

Boss nods and grins, paws up and ready to brawl. Jason returns the gesture confidently, "let's go! Get in close and Power-Up Punch, Boss!" Within just a moment, he seems to have his answer to his previous thoughts, even if this old man is just running me around, I'm not gonna give in. I'm here with Boss and Buizel to get stronger. I'll take any stupid thing he throws at us and use it to get better and better, until we're strong enough to leave here and beat down those Corphish!

 

[TheKnightsFury]

ShadowDRGN- The battle was on and Boss was raring to go. This was about more than learning a new move, this was also about proving to Buizel that you have what it takes to be its trainer. Both Boss and Buizel seem to be going for the same tactic, with both aiming to nail Power-Up Punch out of the gate! The pair rush towards each other, gathering strength into their right paws. You watch the pair carefully, Buizel seems to be gathering a lot more energy, while Boss seemed to be more concentrated on landing the attack itself. As the two come together, Boss nails Buizel in the chest with his Power-Up Punch, unfortunately while the attack connects it seems as though he didn't receive the boost! Buizel is thrown off by the blow, he'd been more focused on gathering the energy for the attack. He swings his punch as he is knocked backwards, he misses but some of the energy he had gathered for the attack remains with him, increasing his attack! Two attempts of the same move, two very different results. Buizel looks a bit disgruntled, he doesn't like that Boss managed to land the first hit. The Water type leaps into the air, its tail spinning like a propeller as it lets out a powerful Sonic Boom. Boss is knocked backwards by the attack and Buizel presses the advantage. It follows up with a Water Gun, slamming the Pancham in the chest with a powerful stream of water. While one of the purposes of this battle was to master Power-Up Punch, it was important not to focus solely on that. This was the first time you'd actually seen Buizel battle, it wasn't in a position to fight when you'd originally encountered it. It seemed to be fighting with purpose, it wasn't just going to roll over and concede. Boss had a real fight on his paws...

 

[Asteiri]

Lit​

The magician looked offended at your words. Why did you care what he did with his Pokemon? He glanced at his Kadabra, who cowered as the trainer's brow furrowed while looking at the spoon wielding psychic type.

"How uncouth!" He shouted, crossing his arms and glancing at his Kadabra. "Kazam is more than happy to preform, aren't you?" He looked at the Kadabra, who gave a forced and pitiful nod. It was clear to you and most of the onlookers that the Kadabra was dreading coming performances, and it clearly hated being forced to balance an egg without using it's natural psychic talent. "However, I accept your challenge!" He sneered, it was clear that he didn't want to disappoint the crowd that was steadily growing around you. He turned to his Kadabra, a scowl forming.

"Work on your balancing act while I handle this punk." The Kadabra gave a flustered nod, placing another egg on the spoon and trying desperately to balance it. It gave you a stern glance, a glance that said 'you better win'. The magician tossed a Pokeball towards you, spitting out yellow fox that brandished a stick-like wand at you. "Braaaaaaaaaaa!" It called, a grin creeping onto it's face as it looked at the Pokeball in your hand. The street performer smirked, ready for whatever you wanted to throw at him. You had to hope that the Kadabra would not break too many eggs, assuming that you won this battle.

Braxien wants to battle! What do you do?

King Ghidorah​

The ghost types were locked in a battle that you could never hope to comprehend. The two would stare each other down, before emitting horrific noises that sounded neither human, nor quite that of Pokemon. Cofagrigus struck first, fueled entirely by his rage at the foul amalgamation of spirits. That strike that it had landed had done enough damage, far too much for Cofagrigus to take sitting down. The astonish landed, but it didn't quite astonish the Spiritomb in the way the Cofagrigus had hoped. The creature simply began whirring, it's purple haze swirling as it glared menacingly at the hulking golden coffin.

Cofagrigus, still fueled by it's anger --- let loose, it's hands throwing shock waves at the ghost type that it was facing. The Spiritomb gave a small hiss, seemingly growing smaller with every chip of it's health taken away at the hands of the large coffin. It's crazed gaze landed directly on Cofagrigus, it grew larger for a moment, before blasting a black Smokescreen over the hallway. You struggled to see through the haze, as did your Cofagrigus. With the smoke in place, the creature began chanting in some sort of unknown language, which your Cofagrigus followed suit. The Spiritomb released an Imprisionment onto your Cofagrigus, causing it's movepool to become bogged down. However, it still managed to unleash it's powerful Hex --- causing massive damage to the spirit Pokemon.

The creature howled, bringing with it an Ominous Wind. The winds whipped Cofagrigus, and it watched as the Spiritomb grew ever larger --- seemingly made stronger by the attack.

What do you do?

 

[Missingno. Master]

The Forest of Wands​

Once monikered the Forest of Adventure, the Forest of Wands has been changed and twisted by the surplus of magical energy flowing through the Arcane Realm. THe once simplistic woods are now a labyrinth where magic flows through the roots of the trees and a sense of dread and whimsy encompass all who enter. Though, it was possible that this was here the entire time, like everything else, and the deep magic that flows through these woods caused trainers to dream of the much more simplistic Arcane Realm. (Please reply in SeaGreen)

X. Fortune’s Woods - A place in the forest where the magical energy is at its most potent, forming a sort of myst that permeates the air. Everything from the trees to the wildlife here seem a bit out of this world, and it’s hard to predict what exactly will happen here. Some state that these woods even spin like a wheel, and depending on where the wheel is travelers will experience either good luck or bad luck. Whatever it is, this portion of the forest is filled with fun and whimsy.

"Some state that these woods even spin like a wheel, and depending on where the wheel is travelers will experience either good luck or bad luck."

"Tox?"

Gavin gave a chuckle in response to his Shiny Dustox, lowering his Arcane Realm guidebook from which he'd been reading. "Well, I dunno if I believe it," he stated. "But sure as shit I ain't dismissing it outright, that'd just be stupid. Besides, rolling the dice like that... that's pretty much par for the course with Shiny hunting, wouldn't you say, Agate?" he added.

Agate gave a nod. "Tox Dustox," she agreed. Of course, it was that chance of bad luck the brown-winged Dustox was concerned about...

"Ahh, don't sweat it too much," Gavin said, as though in response to his Pokémon's unvoiced concerns. "Ain't much purpose in worrying about what ain't even happened yet." Even so, as he said this, the Orre-native Shiny hunter absentmindedly toyed with the Shiny Charm that hung around his neck, as he so often tended to in the pursuit of luck, be it with locating Shiny Pokémon or just in general. "I say we just keep moving and see what happens, and take things as they come, yeah?"

"Dustox!" agreed Agate. And with that agreed upon, Gavin Golurkson led the way forward into the Fortune's Woods. The allure of good fortune was something few could resist, least of all those whose ways of life hinged on seeking out the extreme rarities of the Pokémon world, and Gavin Golurkson was no exception.

 

[King Ghidorah!]

King Ghidorah​

The ghost types were locked in a battle that you could never hope to comprehend. The two would stare each other down, before emitting horrific noises that sounded neither human, nor quite that of Pokemon. Cofagrigus struck first, fueled entirely by his rage at the foul amalgamation of spirits. That strike that it had landed had done enough damage, far too much for Cofagrigus to take sitting down. The astonish landed, but it didn't quite astonish the Spiritomb in the way the Cofagrigus had hoped. The creature simply began whirring, it's purple haze swirling as it glared menacingly at the hulking golden coffin.

Cofagrigus, still fueled by it's anger --- let loose, it's hands throwing shock waves at the ghost type that it was facing. The Spiritomb gave a small hiss, seemingly growing smaller with every chip of it's health taken away at the hands of the large coffin. It's crazed gaze landed directly on Cofagrigus, it grew larger for a moment, before blasting a black Smokescreen over the hallway. You struggled to see through the haze, as did your Cofagrigus. With the smoke in place, the creature began chanting in some sort of unknown language, which your Cofagrigus followed suit. The Spiritomb released an Imprisionment onto your Cofagrigus, causing it's movepool to become bogged down. However, it still managed to unleash it's powerful Hex --- causing massive damage to the spirit Pokemon.

The creature howled, bringing with it an Ominous Wind. The winds whipped Cofagrigus, and it watched as the Spiritomb grew ever larger --- seemingly made stronger by the attack.

What do you do?

Watching his partner suffer, Hugo instinctively tried to call out, but still no voice came. Instead he got a mouth full of smokescreen causing him to convulse into a series of strange, silent coughs. How was this even possible?

The Smokescreen’s haze was thick, but the Spirtomb’s Omnious Wind inadvertently cleared some of it away, at least providing Hugo with some visibility and, hopefully for Cofagrigus, too.

The Spiritomb whirled furiously, growing larger with wrath. Cofagrigus showed no signs of intimidation, however, though Hugo could sense that it was starting to wear out. Having previously been a person, however, Cofagrigus still retained that human pride and was going to see this one to the end, dead or alive. Could it die again? This was too much for Hugo to consider.

The attack had worked, at least to an extent, and since Cofagrigus’ arsenal had been cut down by the Imprison, it decided to go for another Hex. Again, palms raised to the sky, eyes rolled back, the coffin hovered above the ground, the chilling, demonic chant pouring out and filling the corridor. But then there were…two Cofagrigus? Was Hugo seeing things? Perhaps it was the smoke. No there are definitely…three? Four? Ten?! The doppelgangers surrounded Spiritomb and begun spinning wildly in a circle, chanting in unison like some sort of ministry of darkness.

It was Double Team.

Hugo marveled at the mirror images, moving and speaking in perfect synchronicity. At this point there was no way to tell which was the real Cofagrigus and which were the fakes. Once they came to a stop, the center of their golden caskets began to emit green sparks. They continued to intensify into a dynamic Energy Ball. The Cofagrigus crew let out a horrible shriek before firing off the attack, as Hugo helplessly watched on from the sidelines.

 

[Meetan]

Meetan- Minimising the Heavy Ball, you place it in your bag before also recalling Eridian. The Bagon had been through a lot, although he had kind of gotten himself into the situation. You now found yourself under a fair bit of time pressure. Not only did you have to head all the way back to the markets, you had to exchange the captured Mudbray for the Love Balls, then hopefully locate someone capable of healing Eridian. Time permitting you'd make it to the warehouse in time to catch those crooks red handed, but that was beginning to look more and more unlikely. Jasper dashes effortlessly alongside you, moving quickly wasn't exactly your forte but you didn't really have much of a choice in this situation.

It takes you slightly less time to return to where you'd come from, although it probably would have been a quick trip if you hadn't needed to stop so much to catch your breath. The woman awaits your arrival with a big smile on her face. She places the 4 newly crafted Love Balls on the table, she certainly was a fast worker. "There you are deary, four brand new Love Balls. How did you get on with that Mudbray? I know they can be a little stubborn, I hope it didn't give you too much trouble." She waits patiently for you to present her with the Pokemon you'd captured for her. Being a local, this woman probably had a good idea about where to go to get Pokemon treated, or at least know someone who could hook you up with a quick potion. There was very little light left, that thug you'd overheard had said they were heading out at sun down, if that wasn't now, it was soon. If you couldn't find a quick way to heal Eridian, you'd either have to leave him untreated for now or risk losing track of the men you're certain are poachers.

Alice hadn't returned to the vendor as quickly as she might have wanted, but she got there in relatively good time and that was what counted. Handing over the Heavy Ball, she was made to feel better by the sight of the freshly crafted Love Balls that were exchanged for them. She was a reward-motivated person, after all, and having something tangible was relieving. She popped the pink and white orbs into her bag, figuring that she could sort all of that out at a better moment. Right now, the party needed to figure out where to go next and how much time that'd take.

"Thank you so much for these, they're awesome." Alice complimented firstly, "And honestly, it was a bit difficult, but my Bagon got it good in the end. He took a lot of damage, though, and I was wondering if there's a Pokemon Centre or somewhere else close by that I can take him? We've got somewhere really important to go to, fast, but I really don't want to leave him as is if I can help it." Eridian was a core part of her team, for this kind of mission at least, and Alice really didn't want to exchange him for another even if she had plenty of dependable Pokemon waiting in the wings. Sundown was fast approaching, and while Alice had caught her breath, all of this rushing around before predicted chaos really wasn't going to have them at their peak if they even arrived in time.