2024-02-12: Battle! Timu vs. Damian
- Log: Battle! Timu vs. Damian!
- Cast: Timu Guado, Damian Tamaoka
- Where: Pewter City - Rock Road
- Date: February 12, 2024
- Summary: Given the recent events, Timu expresses some doubts about her Pokemon Journey. Damian suggests a practice duel to help build her confidence and get some practice in.
=========================<* Pewter City - Rock Road *>========================== The Rock Road cuts through the heart of Pewter City, a city on the northmost sector of the Emerald Cape province. The shopping district caters heavily to travellers between Viridian Forest and Mt. Moon; many of the shops and stalls feature hiking and tramping supplies, and there are no small number of guided tours offering rides to Pewter's unique environs. Away from the commerce, the residents of Pewter City live in beautiful townhouses along the side of the mountains, each at least three stories high; cable cars provide views of the mountains, and walks for all levels of fitness are dotted around the city's wards. Pewter City is also a geologist's dream, housing the famed Princebridge University and Pewter Museum of Science. BGM: Pokemon: Let's Go, Eevee & Pikachu! - Pewter City - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGrGjO5F6ZM ----------------------------------< Players >-----------------------------------
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
Pewter's been going through a few rough times of things, one after another. First it was Michael of the Ten Wise Men, definitively proving that the ancient phantoms of history have risen to return terror and destruction to Energy Nede and beyond. Before it really had time to fully recover from the destruction and emotionally frightening event...
Team Rocket decided to lead an assault on the Psynard Cloning Facility, which remains its own brand of shock and awe, which was awfully shocking and... well. Energy Nede was already set for changing times for the first time in tens of thousands of years when the strange rifts appeared, but that period of time at last felt like one that necessitated bracing for some level of impact. To hear the stories about the Ten Wise Men is one thing. To get to be ground zero for reliving it, well...
...
Energy Nede's societal momentum tries to keep going in the direction it has been across tens of thousands of years, and so it goes. Many Rock-type Pokemon have gathered under the direction of their Trainers to help start re-paving roads and re-building walls. (A Graveller explodes somewhere, in all this. It's in their nature, it's fine, some rubble needed clearing and that's the quickest way to pulverize the lot.)
It's early in the afternoon now, and Timu Guado is sitting with her Fuecoco out in front of a cafe that's still running. They're both enjoying some form of hot fruity beverage together, where Timu's admiring the speed in which so much has been just... put back together. It's a far cry from how things looked after any given village of Spira was visited by cataclysmic tragedy. It should be reassuring to the resilience of the people of Energy Nede, but some of it also feels... maybe a little unsettling.
"Fueco?" Fuecoco looks up from sipping their drink, as if keenly aware of the narration's direction and what's running through Timu's head as she watches.
"Oh, Fuecoco, is the drink still warm? Too warm? Um..." She trails off, a hand to her face as she realizes she can't hide it. "...I'm just... a lot's happened, lately, but... if I didn't see it myself, I'd... wonder if it really happened..."
"Co."
She continues enjoying her drink.
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
It is heartening, in a way, to see Pewter City's rebuilding efforts proceed so quickly. But Damian also can't escape the nagging thought... is this just another form of stasis for Energy Nede? Something happens and everybody rushes to just put things right back how they were a moment earlier?
Obviously you fix the buildings and streets and everything, and don't just leave rubble everywhere; that'd just be stupid. But... that's what they've been doing for 40,000 years, hasn't it? Just... keeping everything the same?
Damian didn't mean to stick around in Pewter for so long, but... he does like Timu, and wanted to support her in her efforts (though he was still working up the nerve to ask her about her reaction to Hestrol.) So he'd let himself be talked into enjoying a drink with her.
He had opted for this strange drink called a 'milkshake', which in this instance was strawberry ice cream, whipped cream, a cherry, and a few other things. He was slowly sipping at it as he studied something on his phone. (He has PokeLive up, and he's sending a few messages, including to 'zappypursuit', his newest acquaintance.) Purri, meanwhile, is enjoying a saucer of milk.
"So... how's your Journey going?" he asks, when he finally looks up from his phone. "You... getting used to everything okay?"
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
Being able to meet with her new friends for a simple outing free of (most) existential strife has been a blessing for Timu's mental health. There's a lot of places she'd recommend to Rille too! It's easy to take Energy Nede's post-scarcity existence for granted, especially after some time struggling on the path of the Drifter by coming to Filgaia.
"I'm trying to," Timu says as she parts a hand to give Fuecoco a ginger rub along the side of their body, which he enjoys as he closes his eyes and leans in the appropriate direction. She's known the tales about what Zanarkand was like in its time, but even they don't quite capture the level of prosperity Energy Nede seems to have (for what little of it remains).
"I was going to challenge the Gym, but..." But Michael, and now the recent attack. "I'm happy that I've met my Pokemon friends, though..." Fuecoco's looking up again, inquisitively.
"Should I really? After Michael, and... everything that's been going on." She was intensely lucky to have survived so much from Michael's great strength and mastery over the concept of fire itself. (or at least the concept of fire that gets very big, hot, and hurled into the ground several times)
"I'm frightened," she admits.
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
Damian's mental health, meanwhile, is... being challenged, let's say. Though he's working on it. But there's still a lot to figure out, there, and seeing the destruction wrought by the Ten Wise Men... well, if Team Rocket--if Giovanni really does have a plan for dealing with them...
"Is there anything I can help you with? I know I'm still kind of new, but... I can at least share what I know..." He did grow up exposed to pokemon constantly. That's still a tremendous advantage.
Challenging the Gym... Damian glances over in that direction. At least that one he doesn't have to feel tangentially bad about. "Y-yeah, that might need to wait..." he agrees. "Do... you have a plan, for dealing with the rock-type pokemon?" Fuecoco and Moteray might be bad match-ups, but Hestrol could work, if they've got water-type moves.
But she's scared, and Damian can't really blame her. He feels scared a lot. "I know," he says quietly. "But... there's lots of people working on it, so... Hopefully it won't get worse? You shouldn't stop, j-just because of this..."
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
Timu quietly mulls about Damian's offer for help. There's a lot of things swimming around her mind - maybe she should get her hands on one of those strange flat rectangular spheres everyone has (which is tricky given they're not made for her shape of hand), among so many other 'maybes' that go through her head.
'Do... you have a plan, for dealing with the rock-type pokemon?'
Michael's attack might have spared her of that particular rite of passage almost all new Trainers go through. Brock is no stranger to teaching hard lessons to youngsters coming in with their beloved Metapods and Kakunas...
...
"I didn't really, I just know a lot of people go to this one first," she says. Hestrol should work, as she's a Water/Normal type, but there was that strange muted reaction when she showed her - something bereft of the joyful, childlike excitement of making a new colorful, fun friend.
Damian does try to reassure her to not stop, especially with lots of people working and the hope that it won't get worse. Timu considers Fuecoco there who is enjoying his drink, and the two other Pokeballs yet to release their contained friends within.
"...I really don't want to let Joy down," she admits that much, lowering her hand to the table as she closes her eyes. "The portals aren't going to be open forever, I don't think... so..."
The teenaged Guado sucks in a breath. "What do you do in a situation like this, Damian...?"
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
Damian doesn't have a plan to tackle the Gyms yet, but... well, his journey is for different reasons. (Which is valid, though 'running away from home' is probably not something they expected the Journey to be used for.) But he's been hanging out with Joy and Peace for long enough that he's at least picked up a few things. A bit of theory, if not the practice.
"I-it's kind of traditional, yeah, but... all of the Gym leaders specialize in a particular type of pokemon, so you should take that into account when deciding your strategy..." He pauses. "I'm... w-well, I'm not as experienced as Alice or Nami, but I could offer some tips, maybe...? I think relying on Hestrol might be a good idea, though... if... you're comfortable with her."
That's as close as he's going to get at the moment of trying to broach that subject, but he's working up to it.
"O-oh, Alice w-won't get mad, as long as you try your best, you know...?" But the portals won't stay open forever... "T-true, but there's no way to know how long..."
What does he do in a situation like this? "W-well, for..." He glances out at the city, with everything still being cleaned up and repaired. "... I d-don't know..." he admits, dejectedly. His only solution so far for a big problem is to run away from home.
"But!" he brightens up. "M-maybe... we could do a practice battle? I... I need to practice more, and... and you should probably practice, before trying to take on a Gym leader, plus the Pokemon Center is nearby, so it's really safe."
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
That is a likeness between them - both of them have run away from home, discovering wider worlds well beyond anything they could have imagined. Better, worse... there's more, out there, away from the nest they came from.
Fuecoco shifts his weight uncomfortably as he seems to be caught up in the consideration of something a bit heavy for him to acknowledge. He is being fed (happy), he is with his Trainer (happy), he is with friends of his Trainer that are both Pokemon and Trainer alike (happy), happy + happy + happy = ...not happy? (Should he consult a shrubby tree-shaped terraforming device AI about this?*) (*NO)
There's a lot of not knowing to be shared.
Until...
...the suggestion...
...that is inevitable, inescapable...
...and pretty cool.
"...We could!" Timu's voice trails into something slightly more lively. Fuecoco finally sees that their internal math mostly checks out, lets out a happy 'fueco!' and throws their arms up! (Timu makes sure the cup isn't thrown, because she's good like that.)
"Then..." She looks out to the road ahead, which looks scarcely like Michael had his way with this part of it anymore, as she stands up and strides out into it. Fuecoco hops down and follows. A smile starts returning to her eyes. "Let's, Damian!"
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
Purri is content to keep to herself as she enjoys her saucer. Damian is doing relatively fine, for the moment, and is only paying attention to the conversation by her ears tracking it as she relaxes. She does look up at Damian with interest as he suggests a practice battle, and then looks to Timu in turn as she accepts.
Well this should be interesting.
Damian, himself, looks a bit surprised and, paradoxically, suddenly nervous as Timu seems to warm up to the idea so suddenly and quickly, but he hurries to get to his feet as Timu strides off into the street. "Oh-- okay, um..."
He leans into the restaurant really quickly to say, "H-hi, we're gonna have a quick practice battle, s-so we're not done with our table yet..."
Purri is determined to lap up every last bit of milk during this brief delay, but as Damian passes the table to head out after Timu, the Purrloin makes a very nimble leap onto his shoulder to ride along.
Once in the street, he turns to face Timu. "O-okay, so... since you have three pokemon, I'll limit myself to three, too." He considers the type match-ups. Purri would be the best overall, with no particular weaknesses or advantages. Pixi has a hard counter in Hestrol, and Wurmple has a hard counter in Fuecoco. And Mypsy...
Maybe he'll wait on that one.
He pulls a pokeball from his belt and tosses it out. "Go, Wurmple!" She should get more experience regardless.
"I-I'll let you go first, Timu..."
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
Just like that, it feels like the world abstracts to a patch of space where two Trainers stand on either side, a friend and partner standing before them on the field of battle.
"Oh! Thanks for..." Timu doesn't quite get to finish saying 'thanks for telling them,' as Fuecoco - already out of their ball - gets the gist of what's going on and jumps out in front of Timu as Wurmple is summoned.
Fuecoco may have an advantage, but Damian has also been a Trainer longer than Timu - and more aware of the culture and ins and outs surrounding it.
"All right... Fuecoco! I choose you," she says even though he's kind of already pre-empted that. Chase's Pikachu and Elaine's Eevee might be proud of such initiative!
OST: Final Fantasy X HD Remaster OST - Battle Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOnToFNZdFA
The Guado teenager sizes up Wurmple with focus, clutching her healer's staff in a manner not unlike what a Summoner might have when watching one of their (now long departed) Aeons, subconsciously as a cultural bridge to the concept.
She nods her head. "Fuecoco... start with Yawn!"
The little Fire Croc Pokemon, on command, lets out a big, heavy, hearty yawn in a gentle voice like he's at the end of a very good day.
GS: Timu Guado has attacked Damian Tamaoka with Yawn! GS: Timu Guado has gained 2 Combo! GS: Timu Guado has completed her action. GS: Damian Tamaoka takes a glancing hit from Timu Guado's Yawn for 31 hit points! GS: Drowsy and Interrupt applied to Damian Tamaoka! GS: Hyper applied to Timu Guado! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! Freeattack Tackle set with type TEC, PL 2, and flag Mighty.
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
Okay, Fuecoco chose themselves. But that's not necessarily an automatic loss for Wurmple here. Damian doens't know, quite offhand, how long it takes them to learn fire moves, but this is just for practice, after all.
Wurmple looks back to Damian with a questioning, "Wurm...?"
Damian tries to give her a reassuring smile. "It's just for practice. Do y-your best, th-that's all you need to do, okay?"
"Ple." She turns back to face her opponent, trying to get ready.
Fuecoc comes out swinging with Yawn, and Wurmple tries to get out of the way of the attack, but is still a bit slow, staggering to a stop as she is forced to yawn in turn. "Wuuuurrrrmmm..."
"Stay focused, Wurmple! Go for String Shot!" Make Fuecoco an easier target for follow-up attacks.
"Wurmple!" Wurmple rears back a little, like she's inhaling deep, and then she lets out a spray of sticky, sticky string in Fuecoco's direction.
GS: Damian Tamaoka has attacked Timu Guado with String Shot! GS: Damian Tamaoka has gained 2 Combo! GS: Damian Tamaoka gains 5 FP from Sufferer! GS: Damian Tamaoka has completed his action. GS: Timu Guado fully evades Damian Tamaoka's String Shot for 0 hit points! GS: Entangle and Slow blocked!
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
The String Shot flies out - a Bug-type mainstay, all that sticky silk-like threading threatening to entangle anything that gets covered in it--
"Fuecoco, look out!"
"Fuuueee!" Fuecoco leans to one side with waving arms as the string shoots past him and comes to a pile just a ways past.
"Great job!" Timu calls, to which Fuecoco does a little hop to cheer. She takes in a breath. "All right... next, sing a Round, Fuecoco!"
Fuecoco coughs once with a tiny little plume of flame to clear their throat, and then belts out a loud, joyous little song. "Fueeee, co, co... fueeeee~"
It's very loud!
GS: Timu Guado spends 2 Combo on Gatling, loading 2 into Gatling! GS: Timu Guado has attacked Damian Tamaoka with Round! GS: Timu Guado has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Damian Tamaoka solidly guards Timu Guado's Round for 111 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Damian Tamaoka gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Hyper applied to Timu Guado! GS: Deleting freeattack Tackle. Freeattack Tackle set with type TEC, PL 2, and flag Slow.
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
A complete miss. Wurmple wilts at that, but Damian is quick to shout encouragement. "Don't worry, Wurmple! You're still in this!"
But Fuecoco comes out with a Round, next, and Damian frowns as he sees Wurmple trying to get out of the way again, but she's still a little slow and staggered from that Yawn. "Wurmple! Tough it out!"
Wurmple switches to curling up a bit to try and ride out the sound-based move. "Wurrrmple!" she cries as she is hit fairly hard, despite her good defensive posture.
"Good form, Wurmple!" Playing defensively won't carry them out for much longer, so Damian considers. "Alright... tackle!"
Wurmple uncurls and starts to charge for Fuecoco as fast as she can--and she's charging at an angle to put Fuecoco between her and the pile of leftover String Shot on the ground for a second attempt to entangle him.
GS: Damian Tamaoka has attacked Timu Guado with Tackle! GS: Damian Tamaoka has gained 1 Combo! GS: Interrupt expired! GS: Damian Tamaoka gains 5 FP from Sufferer! GS: Damian Tamaoka has completed his action. GS: Interrupt! Attack weakened! GS: CRITICAL! Timu Guado suffers a terrible blow from Damian Tamaoka's Tackle for 75 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Timu Guado gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Slow applied to Timu Guado!
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
Fuecoco's beady eyes watch the angle in which Wurmple is moving to prepare to intercept them, just awaiting his Trainer's command...!
"They're moving from that direct-- brace, Fuecoco!"
"Fueee!"
Fuecoco leans into the tackle, seemingly slowing the impact into what might be an entangling shoving match, but then Timu realizes what's actually going on with Damian's tactics here.
Fuecoco steps in the once missed String Shot, slips, and falls on his back. "Fueee?"
"...It's all right, Fuecoco," Timu kneels. "You can stand back up... I know it!"
It's going to take some doing, back and forth and trying to break himself free from the stringy mass, but once he has feet on the ground again, he narrows his little eyes.
"Now... try and use Incinerate, Fuecoco!"
Fuecoco opens up their mouth to unleash a stream of flame, but the sticky string still gluing him somewhat to the ground is hindering the range of motion he has to try and keep up with Damian's Wurmple!
GS: Timu Guado has attacked Damian Tamaoka with Incinerate! GS: Timu Guado has gained 1 Combo! GS: Timu Guado has completed her action. GS: Damian Tamaoka takes a glancing hit from Timu Guado's Incinerate for 47 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Damian Tamaoka gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Weaken applied to Damian Tamaoka! GS: Deleting freeattack Tackle. Freeattack Tackle set with type TEC, PL 4, and flag Strike.
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
"Way to go, Wurmple!" cheers on Damian. "Now use the time to get ready!"
Wurmple, her job done in getting Fuecoco knocked into the mess, backs up a few steps to give Fuecoco some space to try and get back up--and to prepare for a next attack. "Wurm wurmple!" she shouts cheerfully.
Fuecoco does, eventually, get up and Wurmple is watching carefully. That stream of flame comes--and Wurmple is already skittering along the ground, a bit more awake than a moment ago. There's a soft "Wuuuu~!" as parts of the flames lick her back half, but she escapes the majority of them.
"You're okay, Wurmple! Good job! Now--tackle! Put all your momentum into it!"
"Wurmple!" She rounds on Fuecoco again, and this time picks up speed as she charges forward.
GS: Damian Tamaoka enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Drowsy expired! GS: Damian Tamaoka has attacked Timu Guado with Tackle! GS: Damian Tamaoka enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Damian Tamaoka gains 5 FP from Sufferer! GS: Damian Tamaoka has completed his action. GS: Timu Guado solidly guards Damian Tamaoka's Tackle for 67 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
"Fue...!" Fuecoco sees how Wurmple dances away from the flames, almost mesmerized. He claps his hands at the sight of it.
"You've got this, Fuecoco. Don't give in now...!" Timu leans forward as Wurmple throws their entire weight behind this next tackle. "This time you'll be ready for it!"
Fuecoco nods, puts out his little hands, and there's a 'thump' of collision as Wurmple makes her play.
This time, Fuecoco stays up, even with the disadvantage of being partially stuck to the ground with limited ability to turn, with a little huff of a 'co!'
"...Now, before Wurmple draws back!" She picks up her staff in both hands, holding it horizontal like she might be trying to focus a spell. "Use Bite!"
Fuecoco has to try and lean a bit close, but with the enthusiasm behind him, he leans forward with an open mouth, and...!
GS: Timu Guado has activated Force Action: Boost! GS: Shield added to Timu Guado! GS: Timu Guado has attacked Damian Tamaoka with Bite! GS: Timu Guado has gained 1 Combo! GS: Timu Guado has completed her action. GS: Damian Tamaoka has activated Force Action: Accelerate! GS: You have activated the Force Action Accelerate! GS: Damian Tamaoka takes a glancing hit from Timu Guado's Bite for 54 hit points! GS: Delay blocked! GS: FP up! Power Burst! GS: Damian Tamaoka enters CONDITION GREEN!!
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
Fuecoco manages to stand their ground this time as Wurmple comes in for a tackle, and Timu is quick to order a counter-offensive. Fuecoco lunges for the bite, and Wurmple doesn't need any encouragement to get out of the way--
She all but lunges to the side to avoid the attack, but still takes a nasty bite juuuust on the edge of her tail, letting out a "Wurrrrr!"
"Wurmple!" cries Damian as he considers her condition. She put up a really good battle, but... she's looking really ragged, now, and Fuecoco seems to have come out the better for their skirmish.
"Alright, Wurmple. You did really great work, but come on back, now."
"Wurrr~" Wurmple books it for her Trainer, and Damian kneels down to give her a reassuring pet. "You were amazing, Wurmple. I'm r-really proud of you, you hung in there really well. Take it easy, okay?"
Wurmple lets out a happy chitter,"Wurrr~" and accepts a treat of a poffin as she settles in at Damian's feet.
"Fuecoco's doing really well!" says Damian with a smile. "Th-thanks for helping give Wurmple a workout." He reaches for his belt, and tosses out his next pokeball. "Pixi! Go!"
Out comes a Vulpix, who stands with perfect poise. Her voice is rather soft as she calls out, "Vul!" but she's looking at Fuecoco head on.
Fire against fire isn't the best matchup, so... Damian points! "Quick attack!"
Vulpix springs forward a lot faster than Wurmple can, zigging and zagging as she charges in to knock Fuecoco back.
GS: Damian Tamaoka has attacked Timu Guado with Quick Attack! GS: Damian Tamaoka has gained 2 Combo! GS: Damian Tamaoka gains 5 FP from Sufferer! GS: Weaken expired! GS: Damian Tamaoka has completed his action. GS: CRITICAL! Timu Guado takes a glancing hit from Damian Tamaoka's Quick Attack for 103 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Timu Guado gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Cripple applied to Timu Guado! GS: Mute blocked! GS: Riposte applied to Damian Tamaoka! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus!
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
The moment of intensity and focus in which Timu commands the counter-offensive starts to relax, as Wurmple flags... and Damian asks for them to return.
"Fue..." Fuecoco exhales, winded as he sucks in some breath, nodding along to Damian's praise.
"...Your Wurmple really trusts you," Timu says. Pound for pound, even with type disadvantages, Damian's very skill has made sure the fight between them's been an even match-up in contrast.
Timu gives Fuecoco a look as if in consideration as to whether he should also tag out, but he gives a look as if to say, 'nope, I'm feeling bold, that's my nature with a capital 'B',' nodding to her. She smiles and nods in turn.
"...Here they come," the Guado relaxes her hold of the staff to hold it upright. Quick Attack is called.
"Look out!" Timu isn't sure how to deal with that movement, and from the looks of it neither does Fuecoco, as he attempts to pull himself free from the remainder of the stringy bits of... string shot, managing one last tumble to the left before the Quick Attack bonks him head on and sends him rolling along a short ways.
Timu kneels down to check on him as his mouth hangs open, and to this Timu bows her head, and nods.
There's a moment she has to consider, if Fuecoco's trust got misplaced... but he blinks his eyes open and works up a little open-mouth smile. he's okay.
"All right... Fuecoco, return," she calls, pulling him back into the ball. "That Pokemon is fast..."
She could call Hestrol here. That would track with the type matchup logic, but, another bit of hesitancy as she instead grabs for the other Pokeball - Moteray's - as she throws the ball to release the little flying stingray-like creature.
"Moooote~" Moteray starts flying in an odd direction. He just does that. He's not quite as swift as Pixi, which will be a major factor if they trade blows in melee.
"All right," Timu catches her breath. "Moteray! Show them your own Quick Attack!"
"...raaaaay~" Moteray spirals and comes diving down at a speed worthy of the name Quick Attack, with only a bit of feint-y wobbling in their downward course to Pixi!
GS: Timu Guado has attacked Damian Tamaoka with Quick Attack! GS: Timu Guado has gained 1 Combo! GS: Hyper and Slow expired! GS: Timu Guado has completed her action. GS: Damian Tamaoka takes a glancing hit from Timu Guado's Quick Attack for 61 hit points! GS: Delay applied to Damian Tamaoka! GS: FP up! Power Burst and Reaction bonus!
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
Timu comments on Wurmple's trust. Damian blushes a little shyly but smiles, looking down to her chowing down at her feet. "Y-yeah, I guess she does. I've also been doing my best to really take good care of her--I can show you some grooming techniques for Fuecoco later, too!"
Pixi strikes a decisive hit, and Fuecoco is knocked down enough for Timu to check on him. "Hang on, Pixi." She lightly takes a few steps back, readying herself for the next matchup.
"Good job, Fuecoco!" calls Damian as Timu calls for him to return. Wurmple has her own cheer for her opponent. "Wurm! Wurm!"
Hestrol would be a fitting choice--but Damian can appreciate the call to Moteray, too. It's not a particularly disadvantaged matchup, and, well, this is just a training fight. But he sees that hesitancy anf frowns. "Is... is everything okay, Timu?"
But she orders Quick Attack, and Damian calls, "Stay light on your feet!"
Moteray comes spiraling in, and then dives--Pixi is watching that carefully to try and track the move, and gets out of the way just in time, taking a glancing hit to the side. "Nice movement! Now, Ember!"
They commented on how Moteray looks like a creature that swims, but crucially, Moteray is not a water type.
"Vul!" Vulpix takes a stance, tails spreading out slightly as small blue embers appear above them, and with a flick, she sends them flying at Moteray.
GS: Damian Tamaoka spends 1 Combo on Poison! GS: Damian Tamaoka has attacked Timu Guado with Ember! GS: Damian Tamaoka has gained 2 Combo! GS: Delay expired! GS: Damian Tamaoka has completed his action. GS: Timu Guado has activated Force Action: Accelerate! GS: Delay! Attack greatly weakened! GS: CRITICAL! Timu Guado suffers a terrible blow from Damian Tamaoka's Ember for 109 hit points! GS: Cripple, Mute, and Poison applied to Timu Guado!
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
"Huh? I'm... I'm all right," Timu dismisses some of the intrusive thoughts out of her head, and things progress as they do.
Pixi's superior footwork proves to be their boon as Moteray sweeps up into the air in a little loop-de... loop-de-whatever-direction-they-please, to be specific, as erratic as a pyrefly can be.
"Moteray! Swerve out of the way!" Timu grips her staff horizontally again, as embers flick out into the sky...!
They crash into Moteray in sequence, one after the other.
"Mooote...!" Moteray squeals as they whirl in the air.
"It's... it's okay, Moteray!" Timu calls, actually a little worried about how much Moteray veers along the space set aside for their battle, parting a hand over her lower half of her face as she gauges their well-being. Did they suffer a burn? It's hard to tell at this speed and angle, but they have a placid little smile in their eyes as they look to her.
She nods.
"All right, Moteray... try your Thunder Shock!"
"...te, te, te~" Moteray murmurs before opening up their mouth, a cute little jagged tongue as they fire out a whirling ring of electrical power in Pixi's direction!
GS: Timu Guado has attacked Damian Tamaoka with Thunder Shock! GS: Timu Guado has gained 1 Combo! GS: Timu Guado takes 28 damage from Poison! GS: Shield expired! GS: Timu Guado has completed her action. GS: Damian Tamaoka takes a glancing hit from Timu Guado's Thunder Shock for 48 hit points! GS: Infect! Debuff durations extended!! GS: Disrupt blocked!
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
Damian isn't entirely convinced, frowning a bit in thought but... there's definitely something he's lacking, here. Some bit of cultural context he doesn't have.
"If you're sure... Let me know if you need to talk, okay?"
But all the embers hit their mark, which is especially impressive against an erratically-flying opponent. "Great aim, Pixi!"
There might be a burn--Damian can't quite tell either, but it's relatively minor, if it's there.
Moteray is ordered to do a Thunder Shock next, and Damian calls out, "Dodge it, Pixi!"
Pixi crouches all four legs in anticipation of the attack, waiting just long enough for Moteray to take im and fire, and then springs sideways out of the way once the attack is sent flying. The gambit results in most of the attack missing, though there is a line of statically-floofed fur on one hindleg where she took most of the hit. But she still seems to be moving well enough.
"Alright, stay loose annnnd Quick Attack!"
Pixi acknowledges with a "Vul!" and springs forward again, dashing underneath Motewray before doubling back to spring at him for another hard shove.
GS: Damian Tamaoka has attacked Timu Guado with Quick Attack! GS: Damian Tamaoka has gained 2 Combo! GS: Riposte expired! GS: Damian Tamaoka has completed his action. GS: Timu Guado takes a glancing hit from Damian Tamaoka's Quick Attack for 47 hit points! GS: Riposte applied to Damian Tamaoka! GS: Timu Guado enters CONDITION GREEN!!
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
They probably will need to talk, as there is a whale in the room (metaphorically).
"Again, from... below!" Timu has to pause in describing the direction because Moteray's drifting can make considering their heading that much more difficult to relay. This may need to be something better trained out.
To both Trainer and Pokemon's credit, the call and timing is mostly correct - Moteray leans with the direction of Pixi's charge and dampens a lot of the impact with their present heading and movement, though it does push Moteray a little higher up into the air and thus give Pixi more time to react to whatever might be planned next.
Moteray's spinning slows long enough for Timu to notice that there is, indeed, a Burn status effect in play with the little singe going on around their upper back from when the Embers all struck them mid-flight. Timu's fingers squeeze in thought, like how it felt when Michael bore down upon her.
"Moteray...!" Moteray calls, but not in pain, as if trying to meet his Trainer's eyes. She opens them up, nods, and...
"Pixi's really fast..." Timu says. "Moteray... however way you want to do it... come at them with a Wing Attack!"
"Ray!!" Moteray calls as they descend at rapid speed, juke, and tilt one of their pectoral fins to graze at Pixi!
GS: Timu Guado has activated Force Action: Full Clip! GS: Timu Guado has attacked Damian Tamaoka with Wing Attack! GS: Timu Guado has gained 2 Combo! GS: Timu Guado takes 29 damage from Poison! GS: Mute and Poison expired! GS: Timu Guado has completed her action. GS: Damian Tamaoka takes a glancing hit from Timu Guado's Wing Attack for 66 hit points! GS: FP up! Power Burst!
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
At least the literal whale is in its pokeball, for the moment.
Fighting Moteray is, indeed, challenging--Damian's not sure if a Moteray that's been trained more would be less likely to wander, or maybe just instructed to wander in more productive ways. But whatever the case, it's sufficient enough to dampan Pixi's attack, though pushing it further up does put it further out of reach. Damian frowns in thought at this.
Pixi is watching Moteray, tensed to move. She starts one way, realizes the juke, and then just barely changes direction a different way, taking only a glancing blow to the side as she runs past Moteray.
"Nice dodge, Pixi. But that was a really good fakeout, Moteray!"
Then Damian points. "Pixi! Incinerate! Sweep the flames around to catch them!"
"Vul!" acknowledges Pixi. She inhales deeply. "Vullll..." And then charges forward, spitting out flames and trying to catch Moteray. "Piiiiiix!"
GS: A targeted player wasn't found. [#-1] GS: Damian Tamaoka has attacked Timu Guado with Incinerate! GS: Damian Tamaoka has gained 1 Combo! GS: Damian Tamaoka has completed his action. GS: Timu Guado takes a glancing hit from Damian Tamaoka's Incinerate for 58 hit points! GS: Cripple and Mute blocked! GS: Timu Guado enters CONDITION GREEN!!
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
"Good job, Moteray... now, pull away!" Timu calls, as Moteray takes wing - but Pixi follows too well with the way they sweep their flames, which speaks to the breadth and depth of Damian's familiarity and trust with his own Pokemon. It catches Moteray by the tail, whom proceeds to spiral in a way Timu runs off a good four steps to catch them.
He smothers her with a quiet "Mo..."
"It's all right. You did fine," Timu says, working to move the back of her free hand against his hide. Keeping her nails trimmed only helps so much in avoiding accidentally scratching him, so she uses the back of her fingers to give him the affectionate gesture. "Return..."
He disappears into his ball, once retrieved, leaving only... one.
Timu pauses and takes a breath. "...I have one more," she says. "Pixi's... really strong, too." It takes her some time to have the courage to say the name.
"Hestrol," she intones, throwing the ball underhanded and delicately as the large shark-whale like Pokemon appears.
"Strooooo..."
Timu's eyes stay closed, half-lidding as she raises a hand... and, with some reticence, tries to place her hand at her side. Hestrol doesn't flinch nor hide, though she is Timid. The Pokemon relaxes as the Trainer makes touching contact.
"I'm ready, Damian... and... I hope Pixi is, too."
"Hestrooooo--"
"Hestrol... use your Bubble Beam," she says, as a wave of bubbly water comes beaming along for Pixi!
GS: Timu Guado has attacked Damian Tamaoka with Bubble Beam! GS: Timu Guado has completed her action. GS: Damian Tamaoka takes a glancing hit from Timu Guado's Bubble Beam for 66 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
"Good job, Pixi!" shouts Damian. He's not experienced as a battler yet, but he does spend a lot of time caring for his Pokemon and working with them, and some of that care has evidently paid off dividens, here.
"Good job to you too, Moteray!" He makes a mental note to share some Poffins with Timu for her pokemon once their fight is done.
Pixi returns to the same prim starting pose she started at at the beginning of her time in the ring. She lets out a proud (but still soft) "Vul!" to Timu's praise.
"Thanks, Timu." He watches that hesitation, frowning. "If you'd like, we can stop..." But out comes Hestrol anyway, and Damian nods. "Okay."
Pixi is fast on her feet as she tries to evade the Bubble Beam attack, but she's getting sloer from the few injuries she's taken--and Bubble Beam's type advantage scores a cutting blow and sends Pixi realing back.
"Alright, Pixi. Come on back." Damian scritches Pixi under the chin as she returns to him, and she lets out a pleased "Vuuuu~". Pixi curls up next to Wurmple to watch, munching on her own Poffin now.
"Purri! I choose you!"
"Puu~" Purri jumps from Damian's shoulder right into the arena, staring up at Hestrol with a slightly mischevious smile. "Purr!"
"Alright, Purri... open up with Torment!"
"Purrloin!" Purri charges forward towards Hestrol, leaping and scratching while dark energy surrounds her claws, hoping to inflict some status effects to make the rest of the fight easier on her.
GS: Damian Tamaoka has attacked Timu Guado with Torment! GS: Damian Tamaoka has gained 1 Combo! GS: Riposte expired! GS: Damian Tamaoka has completed his action. GS: Timu Guado has activated Force Action: Guard! GS: Timu Guado solidly guards Damian Tamaoka's Torment for 39 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Timu Guado gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Misery inflicts a random effect! Cripple, Disease, and Mute applied to Timu Guado! GS: Poison blocked! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus!
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
"Heeee....!" Hestrol's song feels more distressed, and Timu flinches to the sound of it as she clutches that staff tightly, and--
"I'm... here," Timu fights to say that, and maybe this much effect is why the claw strikes don't hurt that much worse than they might have, but Purri has been a truly loyal and powerful companion for Damian for some time, and it shows.
Looking from the outside in, there is a tension here. Is it that Hestrol bears signs of scars from means inflicted beyond what Energy Nede has? Some of the Visitors that have come through here have not been terribly neighborly for the local environment, to the chagrin of the Kanto Police Department.
(The Grimer population outlook's been getting rosier though!)
"Hestrol, if... if they scare you," Timu sounds as if she might be scared too, "then..."
She points to the ground with her staff. "...use Dive!"
Hestrol dives into the water (which is the ground, somehow - don't think too hard about it), but in the process attempts to plow into Purri. Just enough of them can be seen at the surface, so they're not beyond reach... but there's a sense of building anticipation.
GS: Timu Guado has activated Force Action: Full Clip! GS: Timu Guado enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Timu Guado has attacked Damian Tamaoka with Dive! GS: Timu Guado enters a Counter stance! GS: Timu Guado has gained 2 Combo! GS: Timu Guado enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Timu Guado has completed her action. GS: Damian Tamaoka has activated Force Action: Accelerate! GS: You have activated the Force Action Accelerate! GS: Damian Tamaoka takes a glancing hit from Timu Guado's Dive for 55 hit points! GS: FP up! Power Burst!
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
Damian is keeping an eye on his own Pokemon, naturally, and the opponent Pokemon, but for this round... he's also keeping a little bit of an eye on Timu, to make sure she's okay. There's something about her and Hestrol...
But Hestrol withstands the first attack, which is good.
But Timu orders Hestrol to dive, and so he does, and from there... springing out could make for a very bad surprise attack. But Purri's got her own tricks, in that regard... but first, before that happens, Purri lightly dances out of the way, using all that feline grace and agility to her advantage to avoid the worst of Hestrol's charge.
"Alright then... Purri, use Fake Out!"
Timu's not the only one who can set up a surprise attack. Purri nods, "Purr!" and leaps back into the fray to take a scratch at Hestrol under the surface, but she's staying delibarately loose to strike and move back and ready her own surprise attack.
GS: Damian Tamaoka has activated Force Action: Lock On! GS: You have activated the Force Action Lock On! GS: Damian Tamaoka has attacked Timu Guado with Fake Out! GS: Damian Tamaoka enters a Counter stance! GS: Damian Tamaoka has gained 3 Combo! GS: Damian Tamaoka has completed his action. GS: Timu Guado has activated Force Action: Full Clip! GS: COUNTER! Timu Guado counterattacks Damian Tamaoka with Counter Attack! GS: Timu Guado suffers a terrible blow from Damian Tamaoka's Fake Out for 146 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Timu Guado gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Cripple and Mute applied to Timu Guado! GS: Timu Guado enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Damian Tamaoka has activated Force Action: Accelerate! GS: You have activated the Force Action Accelerate! GS: Damian Tamaoka has activated Force Action: Guard! GS: You have activated the Force Action Guard! GS: COUNTER! Damian Tamaoka counterattacks Timu Guado with Payback! GS: CRITICAL! Damian Tamaoka partially guards Timu Guado's Counter Attack for 174 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Damian Tamaoka gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Hyper applied to Timu Guado! GS: Charge!! You gain 35 FP! (That's 20 more than usual!) GS: FP up! Power Burst! GS: Damian Tamaoka enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Timu Guado has activated Force Action: Accelerate! GS: Timu Guado takes a solid hit from Damian Tamaoka's Payback for 96 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Timu Guado gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Timu Guado has Fallen! She is no longer able to fight!
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
Timu's heartrate climbs while Hestrol's under the water. It's hard not to see, or think, of what should be in Spira's past for good and completely buried. High Summoner Yuna and her companions sacrificed so much, and took so many uncertain risks, to win this for everyone.
Hestrol is not Sin.
"Strooooo---"
Hestrol charges underneath the water, positioning themselves underneath Purri just as she tries to take the initiative with her own scratching claws.
"...Now, surface!" Timu calls, and she visibly braces herself, because the images of Sin's emergence from the waters is well-described, and what transpires is not unlike that - water parting for Hestrol's sudden rise as they try to shove through.
But... were they being... Faked Out...?
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
Damian, sadly, does not have the context for Timu's consternation, and can only treat this (mostly) as a normal Pokemon battle for the not knowing.
But Hestrol moves to be directly underneath Purri, trying to charge her from the depths. But Purri (and Damian) were expecting that to happen sooner or later, and it just so happens to be sooner in this case. Purri's movements are erratic and a bit tricky to follow, and perhaps the movement of the water, or the way light diffracts, makes it tricky to follow her, but in this case--
She's not there, when Hestrol breaches the surface again.
She is, in fact, in the air, diving downwards, claws extended. The clash of whale and cat should--should!--be a foregone conclusion, given the size difference, and yet... Purri suffers a a great blow, crashing into the emerging Hestrol, but her claws run just as deep in turn, and after the mist settles...
Purri hops back to watch the aftermath. She took far greater a hit than she's trying to let on, sitting and licking at a paw.
Damian holds his breath, watching Hestrol...
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
It's not clear in the time of exchange what may have happened, as Hestrol rises from the water and a ways into the sky. A shadow is cast below as they spin to a prolonged whale song of indeterminate emotional feel. Timu tilts her head up to look, and it's not the song that tips her off.
Her eyes widen.
"...Hestrol!" She calls, holding up her ball to call her back before she makes the full trip back down to the ground, and that makes for all three of Timu's Pokemon defeated. Tension runs through her chest as she holds the Pokeball close.
"...I-I'm okay, it's..." Timu forces the words out. "She looks a lot like... something Spira feared."
It could very well be the equivalent of Damian's fear of ghosts.
"...She's not them, though." She puts down her staff to keep both hands around the ball. "I'm sorry, I know this was... this was supposed to be fun, it, it was, it was, just--"
She takes in another breath. "Um... thank you."
* Damian got 839 FOL for winning!
The Pokemon Center is right there, and this was all in good fun, but to have taken on a Pokemon like that as a friend when there's that difficult likeness to contend with...
"She was hurt, and... I couldn't leave her like that, then."
<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.
Damian rushes forward to scoop up Purri. "Wow, that was amazing!"
Purri, now in Damian's arms and having a convenient cover, decides to let herself go completely limp instead of trying to hide her composure. (That last exchange was rough.)
Her trainer giggles a little and gives her a healthy scritch behind the ears, whispering. "It's okay." He's got a poffin for her, too, and he cradles her gently as she nibbles tiredly on it.
He listens, as Timu explains. He sees that fear, that reaction, and his own chest tightens in sympathy.
Another way in which they're alike, it seems.
Damian moves closer to Timu, carefully shuffling Purri around to hold her with one arm so he can place a hand reassuringly on Timu's arm. "I think I understand how ou feel," he says quietly. "A-at least a little... But you helped someone in need, even though it must've been tough... I think that says a lot about you as a Trainer. You did really well though. B-both in helping Hestrol and in this battle."
Behind him, though, Wurmple lets out a cry. "Wurmple!" Damian turns, and blinks as Wurmple starts to glow white. "Wurmple...!"
BGM: Evolution (Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD_tD9te3u8
Wurmple starts to spin silk around herself, her silhouette curling up and becoming more of a ball, then several spikes protrude, and finally there is a sense of one eye opening up, before the light bursts apart, revealing a cocooned form.
WURMPLE has evolved into SILCOON!
BGM: Congratulations! Your Pokemon has Evolved! (Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GXWhUahpf4
Damian runs over to scoop her up (carefully, those spikes are still a little sharp), and hug her. "You did it! I knew you could!"
<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.
Timu doesn't shy from having a hand wrapped around her arm while she contemplates Hestrol's Pokeball home.
"Thank you, it... means a lot to hear that," she says, as she considers--
Wurmple makes an odd cry and starts to glow, and Timu looks up. "Is something--"
She watches with a shocked expression. She's heard the word 'evolve' a few times but probably hasn't actually seen it in-depth in person, but with Damian's lack of fear or concern... he cements this as being an incredible, awesome development when he goes to scoop up what becomes of Wurmple and hug her - giving the newly evolved Pokemon praise.
"...That's incredible," Timu trails off on, and eventually - a check-up at the Center later - a return to having delicious beverages.