2024-05-24: A Gym Challenge of a Different Kind
- Log: A Gym Challenge of a Different Kind
- Cast: Kalisa Dragmire, Vivace Mori, Dirk Swordsman, Chase, Sable Aomori, Link, Josephine Lovelace, Nina Chiyome, Chisato Madison, Ida Everstead-Rey
- Where: Viridian City - Viridian Gym
- Date: May 24, 2024
- Summary: For months, the Viridian Gym has been closed. Despite its proximity to Victory Road and League headquarters, any who have come seeking a challenge have been turned away. But it seems someone has an aim to fix that. One day an arrow was found embedded in the gym's door, and with it a letter. Surely whoever this is doesn't have the authority to hand out an Earth Badge. So what do they want, then?
<Pose Tracker> Kalisa Dragmire has posed.
Those on their Journey are free to use them for whatever purpose they deem worthy. A common one, of course, is to take on the League Challenge, which involves challenging and earning a badge from all 8 League-sanctioned gyms, then defeating the Elite 4, and finally the reigning Champion.
Except... one of the gyms has been closed for quite some time now, turning away any who would challenge it: Viridian Gym.
Why does such a vital component of the League Challenge--and one so close to Victory Road, no less--remain closed? What are prospective trainers to do if they wish to complete their challenge? Why doesn't the League replace this gym with another willing to serve its function?
Today is not the day those questions will be answered.
But the gym has not escaped notice. Certainly not from the locals or the trainers arriving to challenge it, but the influx of Visitors has brought those who have taken to learning Nede's ways and customs. And one in particular, it seems, sees an opportunity in the vacuum left by the absent Gym leader.
One day, an arrow, fletched with black feathers, was found embedded in the gym's door with a message:
To the Inheritors of This Fractured Star,
Your leaders are meant to test your strength, but this one
lays fallow in their duties. Therefore, I will test you in
their stead.
I hereby extend a challenge to all those who inhabit this
star. Show me your might, be it a mastery of a martial form,
Symbological artes, or the training and discipline of your
pokemon. I will accept any with the resolve to face me.
But be warned. I will not hold back.
Kalisa Dragmire
~ The Phantom Blade ~
Similar messages directing would-be challengers to Viridian Gym were found at the other Gyms and Pokemon Centers.There's no keeping a lid on this challenge.
The appointed day arrives, and for the first time in perhaps a long while there is a crowd gathered outside the Viridian Gym. Not too close, though--the spectators are curious but wary of being caught up in a challenge they are not prepared to meet. There is much muttering and murmuring among the crowd. Despite the multiple messages delivered hardly anybody has any idea who this 'Kalisa Dragmire' might be.
Nobody on Nede, at least.
Suddenly a hot wind sweeps through the crowd, zig zagging this way and that. It is a bristling, chafing wind completely contrary to the pleasant weather being generated by Nede's artificial weather system. It surges towards the front of the gym and then upwards, swirling about on the roof. A flurry of sand appears and then disperses to reveal the form of a girl. Those gathered back up further away from the gym at her arrival, leaving a nice big semicircular area in front of the gym clear for the comic fight.
BGM: Ganondorf's Theme (Ocarina of Time) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeF5y9OjFUI
She stands tall, looking down at those assembled. She is decked out in crimson red armor trimmed with gold and a matching flowing asymmetrical skirt that still leaves her upper arms, stomach, and some of one thigh exposed--revealing darkly tanned skin that is well-muscled. Her vibrant red hair is secured into a loose ponytail with a gold band, left to hang all the way down her back. On her back is, of all things, a spear, forged from black metal with gold inlays, with the long blade flanked by two prongs of differing length. She has long pointed ears, but there is little doubt that she is not a Nedian, given the non-Symbological magic she used to make her entrance and her manner of dress--but is she an Elf, the sight of which has become far more common on Nede in recent days?
Any attempts to ascertain more about the girl's identity are hindered, with her face underneath a mask: plain white, with purple markings under the eyes and a blue mark on the forehead. When she speaks, it is with a clear, regal voice that nevertheless places her as somewhere in her teens.
"I am Kalisa Dragmire," she announces, as if there could be any doubt. "The rules for this challenge are quite simple. I shall take on any of you who wish to test themselves in battle. All combatants may use whatever means to participate that they wish, be it weapon, spell, or pokemon. I shall be using the mighty spear Dragonfang and my magic for this fight. Though I know it to be your custom, I have no prize to offer you, save whatever meaning you find in combat."
"Now then: who among you has the resolve to fight? Step forward, and be recognized."
Kalisa remains standing on the roof of the gym, motionless except for the swaying of her long ponytail in the breeze. She is watching the crowd now, silently and impassively, to see who will accept her challenge. The crowd has backed away from the gym, leaving plenty of space for challengers to step forward--and for the battle to commence.
<Pose Tracker> Vivace Mori has posed.
Vivace has been planning to be a Gym Leader since before she was old enough to take a Journey.
It's not a secret. Armlock used to have one, run by Xine Mori in years past, but it's been closed for the best part of fifteen years. Vivace has never been shy about claiming that she, personally, will reopen it as the Steel Gym reforged.
But for now, she can't, as there are already eight gyms, and no rules about a ninth. And even if there was room for it, she hasn't proven herself a good enough trainer. She thinks she's one, but does the League? No. And that's why she started travelling in the first place; if someone who qualifies to be a Champion wants a Gym, well... It's not like all the current Gym Leaders will be in place forever. Eventually, one will close. Maybe even Viridian's.
Needless to say she has an extremely low opinion of someone just up and declaring themselves their replacement.
Vivace doesn't bother to sneak up, or bring friends. She's sure people will show up for the spectacle, or maybe someone knows who Kalisa Dragmire is; Vivace doesn't. She just stays a few yards back from the door, arms crossed.
"My name is Vivace Mori," she snaps back at Kalisa. "My parent was a Gym Leader before retiring to raise me. I will be a Gym Leader, and a Champion. You have no right to say you're better than us, replacing a Gym Leader, but if you want a challenge..."
Vivace flips out two Pokeballs: a blue and grey Heavy Ball and a plain old Pokeball. Erikodus and Prinplup: a mismatched team, with Prinplup perched on Erikodus' ... head? front third? and looking stern as only a razor-winged penguin can.
"...fight me, Visitor! I'll show you what you want to be. Because you're not as good as I am!"
DC: Vivace Mori switches forms to Rival Gym Leader!
<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.
EARLIER, WHEN DIRK SAW A PHOTO OF THE CHALLENGE ON POKELIVE:
"Yeah," he says. "Yeah, alright, that's rad. Saddle up, y'all."
Dirk's entire team, who had been somewhat comfortably ensconsed in his mom's living room, look up. Most of them whine a little, especially Cufant, who was enjoying eating fifty heads of celery.
HERE 'N NOW:
Dirk and his team, all of them outside of their Pokeballs, are standing around waiting. There is some looking back and forth. Dirk checks his phone to see the time.
And then comes the wind. The hot breath of Filgaia, here, now. Things like this are only felt in the pitched conflict of Fire-types here -- perhaps their merest ghost might come on a dry summer evening -- and what arises, for a moment, seems to be a spirit of Fire itself.
"... Dang," Dirk says. He quails for several seconds, having taken a step back, putting him amongst his team. Just those several seconds. "Alright," he says, clapping his hands. "Quilladin, you gonna lead off with--"
There is a metallic bang. And a slight trumpet afterwards.
Dirk looks. The bang was Farfetch'd, smacking Cufant on the head with the root-end of his leek-stick. (The trumpet was Cufant, who didn't appreciate it.)
Dirk gazes at Farfetch'd. Farfetch'd stares back.
"Okay, man," he says, raising both his hands. "Jeez. Alright."
"Farfet, tt," grumbles Farfetch'd as he brings up his wing to scratch the top of his ceres.
"I ain't saying no, dogg, jeez. Alright, change of plans, Farfetch'd, you're up."
The wild duck does a hop-glide off of Cufant's head to land in the open space, head raising up to glare at Kalisa, now. He quacks something to himself, shifting from foot to foot as if restless or full of excessive energy.
"You know anything about this?" Dirk asks Honedge, who has been hovering, sheathed and with his ribbon wrapped partway around the scabbard in deference to the crowd. Honedge makes a metallic humming-thrumming noise.
"I mean, I get it," Dirk mutters, "but this ain't the same person. Like this is clearly different clothing and style and they don't even look like Drugs Man."
honnnnnn
Dirk adjusts his sunglasses as he looks over to Vivace's squad. His expression is grave but she gets a nod. (Farfetch'd also shoots a look towards Erikodus and Prinplup, but it's brief before he goes back to glowering up at Kalisa.)
<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.
DAYS AGO
It's not the League that draws Chase into his journey, but it is something to do -- and something to keep an eye on, lest he end up completely out of the loop.
Chase blinks at the challenge letter, Pikachu on his shoulder, Staryu hovering by the other, Ponyta's neck craned over his head, and Nidoran in his arms. They all look to each other, then back to the letter, then focus, in unison, on the arrow that puts it in place. What is it with outsiders demanding to test their strength?
TODAY
There is a crowd here, and Chase keeps his head down, weaving through it in discomfort with his Pikachu held in his arms instead of at his shoulder. She has her ears perked high, eyes shining as she waves and greets Kalisa during such a grand speech. (It is very unlikely one can see one little waving Pikachu from the group. This does not stop Pikachu from her excitable manner. Nothing can.)
Who has the resolve to fight? Certainly Pikachu does. Ponyta, too. Staryu also has the will to fight.
But none of them asked Chase to come here today to response to this strange challenge.
"R-ran!"
A small Nidoran scurries forward into the arena on trembling legs, roaring out a squeak of challenge at Kalisa.
Chase steps only to the edge, no declaration of anything, nonverbal or otherwise. He is here to support his Nidoran while Pikachu hops to the ground to cheer. "Piii! Pika!"
<Pose Tracker> Sable Aomori has posed.
Sable Aomori is getting used to the idea of 'tests'.
She may have paused her Gym Challenge, but she's working on going through the Four Fields... And when she heard about the challenge at this Gym, she made her way to Viridian.
Maybe she'll visit her mother, too. Maybe she won't.
But she's in the crowd, when Kalisa appears. She looks at the sand's flurry, looks at the appearance of a girl in red... Sable happens to be a girl in blue. Her black, fur-collared jacket is over a blue top and dark jeans, and she has her rune-inscribed sneakers. She doeesn't have to think about it. This is why she came.
"I don't need a prize," Sable says as she walks forward, and stops to look at the others who do the same. She nods to Vivace.
"...I'm Sable Aomori," she introduces herself. "I'm a Trainer." She pauses. Then, it would appear that they're doing introductions a little more fully so she adds, "My parents are researchers. But my approach to training is more than theoretical."
She extends her hand, and lets Ulpi out of his ball, the Prinplup crowing once as Sable continues, "My approach is a rock-hard defense from which I'll take advantage of your weaknesses."
"...And I'll fight for Energy Nede."
DC: Sable Aomori switches forms to Punk Girl Sable!
<Pose Tracker> Link has posed.
What a strange new world.
Link is being as much a busy body as he always is! The boy in green tunic had been running to and fro in Filgaia till rumors reach his(The Red Lion's) ears(do boats have ears?) about a strange series of fields bearing words such as Courage and Wisdom. In order to investigate more leads on Ganon's actions, Link has set back out to return to Energy Nede for a longer visit this time! The Red Lion wants him to learn more about the fields, and explore them if possible. But to do that, Link must first do all his side quests!
Link's sidequest was really just attending a local pokemon school as a temporary transfer student. How nice of them.
News of a challenge to all comers made the rounds through Viridian where the school was, and while it might've been something Link would consider but potentially ignore, the name attached to it couldn't be! So the day of the challenge finds Link in milling around the front of the gym waiting. He looks around curiously at all the others showing up, wondering what prompted them to show up and if the challenge was really that important. Maybe he shouldn't interfere? But its too late for second thoughts.
One Self-Proclaimed Daughter of Ganondorf has appeared!
"Where did Ganondorf take my sister and the other girls he kidnapped!" Link yells, pulling his shield and sword off his back in a smooth, experienced motion even as he braces himself behind the shield glaring at Kalise.
GS: Link has attacked Link with Shield Guard! GS: Link enters a Counter stance! GS: Link has gained 2 Combo! GS: Link's stances have changed from Counter to Counter and Hero! GS: Link has completed his action. GS: Link accepts Link's Shield Guard for 0 hit points! GS: Shield applied to Link!
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
BEFORE
Josie, traveling Energy Nede and beating up passersby for their pocket change (it's a cultural tradition here! she's exempt this time!), had heard about a challenger staging a competition at the apparently long-closed and boarded up Gym of the Earth Badge. That was all well and good.
And then she'd heard the name.
NOW
One would expect someone like Josie to attend a competition against a challenger like Kalisa Dragmire to come in armed to the teeth. After all she's made her name in her ability to snap off a trickshot and has a number of aces up her sleeve in that regard.
Instead, as Josie steps on up, it's Pokeball in hand.
"'Dragmire', eh?" she says, tossing the ball in her left hand into the air and catching it again. "Don't suppose you're the of the Elru Dragmires or the like?"
Her hand snaps out suddenly. "Antigone! Go!"
With a flash, Antigone the Remoraid steps onto the stage and immediately begins to power up in anticipation of the battle to come.
And perhaps with all the commotion on about someone might well miss the small 'pigeon' (a Filgaian bird) that alights on the roof of the Gym. Intent, Penelope gazes down at the crowd. For now, she watches.
GS: Josephine Lovelace has attacked Josephine Lovelace with Focus Energy! GS: Josephine Lovelace has gained 1 Combo! GS: Josephine Lovelace has completed her action. GS: Josephine Lovelace heals Josephine Lovelace! She gains 192 temporary hit points! GS: Quick applied to Josephine Lovelace! GS: Chase has attacked Chase with Nidoran wants to battle! GS: Chase has gained 2 Combo! GS: Chase's stances have changed to Sage! GS: Chase has completed his action. GS: CRITICAL! Chase accepts Chase's Nidoran wants to battle for 0 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Nina Chiyome has posed.
Nina had seen the challenge and.. well she is the sort to scope it out. In a few manners of speaking really.
She's camped out at the area wearing mottled greys and working with a freshyl purchased kusarigama she's darkened with soot and some chemical treatments. Her hands are back to their proper colors.. mostly.
She only had to scrub a few layers off.
She'd watched the others come. She hadn't greeted them for once.
She had texted random images to Sable and maybe a few others, but.. she's acting a bit cagey lately.
When the person of the hour shows up and challenges them? She leans forward. Watching. Debating on a few things. Rolling ideas around in her head. Her pokeballs are... empty at the moment. Was she planning on just completely bushwhacking someone? Maybe some planning went into this!
Or she's pretending she planned this out herself and it's all improv by ear with a napkin rough.
Still, with the arrival and the start of the party, she stands up, abandoning the poncho she'd been using as camoflalge and hops down from her hiding spot, the chain starting to twist in her hands and nearby, pokemon stir.
GS: Nina Chiyome has attacked Nina Chiyome with Summer Twilight! GS: Nina Chiyome has gained 3 Combo! GS: Nina Chiyome's stances have changed to Avenger! GS: Nina Chiyome gains 5 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Nina Chiyome has completed her action. GS: Nina Chiyome accepts Nina Chiyome's Summer Twilight for 0 hit points! GS: Mighty applied to Nina Chiyome!
<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.
Obviously, of course, when you put up an ANNOUNCEMENT, the press shows up.
But on Nede, the press is not a lanky guy in a trenchcoat, but a woman in smart business dress and sensible butt-kicking sneakers. Chisato Madison is toward the back of the challengers, but she is in the challenger area, kneeling down to set up a drone camera. "Let's see..." she says, looking up, tongue out and licking her lip in intense focus. "Yeah, I'm thinking isometric," she says, and sends the drone high.
Now filming in the traditional documentarian style of Nede, Chisato reaches into her vest and produces A GUN, or in the Filgaian style more of an ARM because it looks like it shoots lightning probably.
"Hi!" she calls. "Ma'am, I'm Chisato Madison with the Nede Times! Have you any information on missing Veridian Gym Leader Giovanni? Was this requested by the Veridian government to clear Badge backlogs?? This style of Gym Battle is pretty unorthodox!"
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
DAYS AGO
'hey ida
this is all over pokelive
You know who this is?'
Umber Kanazawa, an undergrad assistant at the Aomori Lab, texts Ida, and includes a photo. Ida stares at it, and a chill runs down her spine despite the warmth of the early-summer day.
"Ree?" Sal asks, as Ida starts typing a response.
NOW
Most of the crowd backs off as Kalisa makes her grand entrance. It's the sensible thing to do. But one among them does not--a middling-tall, well-built woman with rounded ears and dark hair tucked up in a messy bun. Ida is dressed for a nice day at the park: normal hiking boots, shorts, tank top, sunscreen. In this outfit, she stands out for a bit more than usual--she has quite the collection of visible scars, ranging from a slash across her collarbone to things that look like bite marks running down her right arm from the shoulder. (They don't look like they were made by an animal, Pokemon or otherwise.)
Perhaps this is its own subtle form of challenge.
And her Pokemon? Catastrophe Sal rests on her shoulder, looking up at Kalisa with an impressed trill. Aurora and Marigold sit on either side of her. Aurora's hackles rise. Marigold lets out a soft 'Evoi?', more puzzled by this than anything else.
"Kalisa Dragmire," Ida says. "You know who I am. Ida Everstead-Rey, of ARMS, practicioner of Method Mercury." She clasps her clenched right fist into her left palm, waits for Sal to flit off her shoulder, and bows. "Watch my back, girls," Ida adds, looking down at her Pokemon.
"Evoi?!"
"...Evoi?"
"Ree?"
"Sal," Ida says. "Do you remember when I first fought Joy? I'm going to need you to show Aurora and Marigold what you did. Cheer us on."
Recognition glitters in Sal's compound eyes. "Butterfree," she says, to the two Eevees. Aurora's expression sours, slightly. Marigold's head cocks. But both of them follow Sal off to the side.
Ida's hands cup around something small and stony. It's not a Pokeball. The power of the Guardians is distant spatially, but the link between Nede and Filgaia remains strong. Dinoginos does not show up with grand fanfare--yet--but a small measure of the strength of the Mountain flows into Ida, silently.
She's focusing. She understands Link's righteous anger, and Nidoran's determination. Right now, she needs to prepare herself.
GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has attacked Ida Everstead-Rey with Material - The Mountain Still Stands! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has gained 1 Combo! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has completed her action. GS: Ida Everstead-Rey accepts Ida Everstead-Rey's Material - The Mountain Still Stands for 0 hit points! GS: Shield applied to Ida Everstead-Rey!
<Pose Tracker> Kalisa Dragmire has posed.
Kalisa waits patiently to see who is willing to step forward and be recognized. "A Future Gym Leader and Champion... ambitious goals, as I understand them... But I respect those with a desire to prove themselves."
But replacing a Gym Leader. Kalisa laughs at that. "I have no wish to replace your Gym Leader. No, I merely saw an opportunity to issue a challenge where there should have been one already."
But Vivace declares that Kalisa is not as good as she is, and Kalisa tilts her head at that. "Bold words. We will see if you can back them up."
She watches silently as Dirk and his team arrive, as there are plans made--and then changed, all by a single pokemon's will. Kalisa regards Farfetch'd curiously. "Your trainer bends in deference to your will and desire... Interesting, that you would seek to confront me. So be it."
Kalisa is scanning the crowds as she issues her challenge, and for the briefest moment her gaze rests on Chase's Pikachu in the middle of the crowd. Is it a coincidence?
Who can say.
But Chase's Nidoran it the one to approach, and Kalisa watches him, trembling legs, squeaking roar, and all. "You tremble at the thought of battle... but still you insist on challenging me. Very well, I will accept your challenge."
Sable Aomori. That is a name that Kalisa already knows--though Sable herself doesn't know that yet. She doesn't need a prize... "Very well. Then answer me this: what is it you hope to gain today?"
Thta's a question she could direct at all of them, honestly. And one that could, fairly, be asked of her.
But Sable explains her strategy, and Kalisa tilts her head as she regards the summoned Prinplup. To exploit her weakness... "We shall see."
The mask hides all expression on her face, but there is an unsettling smile in her voice as she turns her head to regard Link. "Ahh, the Boy in Green. Curious that I should find you here. But then, I suppose many Drifters have made their way to these far-off shores, have they not?" Kalisa certainly has.
Kalisa shrugs casually at the question posed. "As I have said... there are no prizes on offer this day. You will not get your answer this day--but I am still willing to test your blade against my spear."
Josie comes with a question of her own--and Kalisa regards her silently as she tosses a pokeball and catches it. "If there had been 'Dragmires' in Elru, be certain they would have been put to task long before now." She regards the Remoraid... but her head turns just slightly to look at Penelope out of the corner of her eye...
And then a moment later she turns her head more fully to regard her, head tilting slightly downward in a way that might suggest she is frowning at something. "... Curious."
She regards Nina as she steps forward silently, and wields a proper weapon, instead of a pokemon. "Curious... so there are martial traditions that still thrive even after your many years in isolation. What is it you call that weapon?"
A drone is set up to record the proceedings, and Kalisa turns her head to watch it rise into the air. "A curious device..." she mutters. She laughs as Chisato pulls out a gun--or at least a gun-looking device. "Another weapon I did not expect a Nedian to wield. I would expect this from the Drifters, certainly... interesting."
She shrugs to the asked questions. "I have no ties to your government or to your League. I merely saw a vacuum, and wished to seize upon an opportunity."
Ida makes herself known, and Kalisa turns to regard her. "Ahh, the Seer." She nods. "Yes, I remember you. Your Method Mercury was quite interesting, the last time we fought."
Kalisa regards the crowd a moment longer, but nobody else seems willing to step forward. "Very well then." With a slight bend of her knees she springs into the air, tucking into a somersault before landing in a neat crouch in the midsts of all of the challengers. With a smooth, practiced gesture she removes her spear from her back and slams the butt end into the ground.
A whirling sphere of dark energy expands rapidly outwards, encompassing the make shift battle arena and prompting the challengers to stand even further back. It's not threatening, however--in fact, all of the participants who have gathered find themselves energized with an extra boost of energy.
Is this Kalisa's way of evening the odds, to provide a fair fight?
Or, more likely, is it her attempt to make this interesting for herself?
She settles into a ready stance, both hands on her spear, which is now held in a defensive posture. "Very well. Come at me, and we shall see your resolve!"
BGM: Battle! (Gym Leader Battle) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dGYLh5HCxM
GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Dark Scirocco! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has gained 1 Combo! GS: Kalisa Dragmire accepts Kalisa Dragmire's Dark Scirocco for 0 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has activated a Boss Action! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Ida Everstead-Rey with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Chisato Madison with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Nina Chiyome with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Josephine Lovelace with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Link with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Sable Aomori with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Chase with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Dirk Swordsman with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Vivace Mori with Imperious Challenge! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has gained 1 Combo! GS: Kalisa Dragmire gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has completed her action. GS: COUNTER! Sable Aomori counterattacks Kalisa Dragmire with Stealth Rock! GS: Sable Aomori marginally charges Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Dynamax applied to Sable Aomori! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Sable Aomori! GS: Dirk Swordsman mostly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Dynamax applied to Dirk Swordsman! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Dirk Swordsman! GS: Vivace Mori critically fails to charge Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Dynamax applied to Vivace Mori! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Vivace Mori! GS: Link fails to evade Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Dynamax applied to Link! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Link! ===== +stats: Josephine Lovelace =============================================== ___________________________________| Form 2 |___________________________________ _ Wanderer Josie Would Like to Fight! CP: 325 AP: 162 DP: 65 _ _ REF: 43 _ _ POW: 39 16 Agility _ _ VIT: 36 13 Brute _ _ SOR: 38 14 Combat _ _ ARM: 37 10 Wits _ _ TEC: 39 _ _ +++Personal Skills: Acrobat, Break Ward, Countermeasures, Creative, Cripple _ _ Ward, Deadeye, Energize, First Strike, Focus, Force Critical, Forceful, _ _ Gambler, Keen, Marksmanship, Parry, Quick Draw, Saboteur, Sniper, Sound _ _ Mind, and Squad. _ _ +++Tools: (4) Awful Cider (Major Combat Embolden and Liability), Rock Smash _ _ (Minor Brute Stalwart), Salac Berry (Major Agility Inefficient and Quicken), _ _ and Focus Energy (Minor Agility Resilient). _ |' Supersonic Db 1/1 TEC DRWS MUTE 0 / 0 '| |' Quick Attack Db 5/5 TEC RUSH 15 / 0 '| |' Gust Db 5/5 SOR RSV 15 / 0 '| |' Thief Db 3/3 TEC INTR FOL 15 / 0 '| |' Water Gun Db 5/6 ARM ACC2 15 / 0 '| |' Air Cutter Db 5/7 SOR MAR PRC 15 / 15 '| |' Peck Db 6/6 TEC STR 30 / 5 '| |' Growl Db 2/2 TEC CHAI WKN 30 / 10 '| |' Spark Db 6/10 SOR GMBL 30 / 10 '| |' Focus Energy Db 0/9 TEC SELF HI-H QCK 30 / 15 '| |' Water Pulse Db 6/6 ARM HDST 30 / 20 '| |' Hone Claws Db 0/0 TEC SELF HYPE REST LINK 45 / 5 '| |' Taunt Sig 1/1 TEC MTY MSRY MSRY MSRY 30 / 5 '| |' Thunder Shock Sig 1/1 SOR AREA DSPL DRPT ENT 30 / 20 '| |' Ember Sig 7/10 SOR GAT 60 / 15 '| |' Rock Throw Sig 7/9 TEC PRC 60 / 20 '| |' Rock Smash Sig 8/12 TEC ACC2 SMIT 75 / 30 '| |' Psybeam Sig 8/8 ARM LKY4 BLND 75 / 45 '| ----| FORCE ACTIONS: Accelerate , Extend , Fury Shot , and Lock On |-----
GS: CRITICAL! Chase fails to charge Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Dynamax applied to Chase! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Healthy! For entering Condition Green, Chase receives 100 temporary hit points. GS: Chase enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Chase! GS: Josephine Lovelace mostly evades Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Ruin! Quick removed! GS: Dynamax applied to Josephine Lovelace! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Josephine Lovelace! GS: CRITICAL! Ida Everstead-Rey accepts Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Ruin! Shield removed! GS: Dynamax applied to Ida Everstead-Rey! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Ida Everstead-Rey! GS: Chisato Madison mostly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Dynamax applied to Chisato Madison! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Chisato Madison!
<Pose Tracker> Vivace Mori has posed.
Despite her bravado, Vivace is a little nervous. But only a little. She's sure she can handle this, especially if this Visitor plays fair, and by the sounds of it she's more interested in a match than murder. Vivace can deal with that -
'Hi! I'm Chisato Madison with the Nede Times!'
ffff, Vivace thinks to herself. Am I going to have to protect the reporters? Why are there reporters here - no, scratch that, of *course* there are reporters here! There's more people here than she expected, really, but she doesn't let that dissuade her. It's good that so many of them are Nedians, she thinks, glancing toward Dirk and returning his nod.
But then she looks back at Kalisa, defiant. "You're already taking his place. Taking challenges. It's insulting. Back it up or go home, don't just posture." She rests her hand on the side of Erikodus' leg, clearly expecting some sort of response.
And she gets it, a wave of energy. Vivace doesn't wait to see what the effect is, if anything. "Prinplup! Douse her!" is Vivace's command, and Prinplup lets out a "Pri!" in response. Inhaling, Prinplup makes a gurgling sound for a moment before expelling a sudden gout of seawater, sharp and stinging with little crystals of salt, not quite entirely dissolved in the briny mess!
Erikodus, with Vivace hanging onto it, is stomping sideways. She really is heading toward Chisato. She assumes the reporter isn't going to be able to handle herself in this: "Get outta here!" she calls at her. "It's not safe!" says the 15-year-old.
GS: Vivace Mori has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Prinplup - Brine! GS: Vivace Mori has gained 1 Combo! GS: Vivace Mori has completed her action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire fails to evade Sable Aomori's Stealth Rock for 146 hit points! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus!
<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.
Farfetch'd's eyes turn towards Link as he speaks. "Far?" he says. Muttering, even, to himself. (Your sister?)
"Farfetch'd," the bird concludes with a dip of his beak. (I'm here for my brother's honor.)
"You don't GET IT," Dirk calls from the sidelines to Kalisa, even as he cracks his neck. "Get her, Farfetch'd!"
Farfetch'd eyes turn momentarily towards the Nidoran. He nods once.
Then he looks towards Kalisa. "Farfetch'd," he answers Kalisa, which may not be illuminating. But his neighbors probably understand it better: (My brother's spirit was broken by your cousin.) Farfetch'd's brow furrows: "Faaar!!" (And I'll avenge it!!)
Then Kalisa descends - and throws up a sphere of dark energy around the battlefield!
"Uh," Dirk says as he stares at the surging wave of darkling energy even as he backs up a pace or two -- the others with him do much the same, with Cufant trumpeting in alarm and Oshawott scrambling for the coveted elephant-riding real estate. Quilladin hops back in reasonable order; Honedge, at least, is unperturged. (And, of course, Charcadet... well... that's what Farfetch'd has on his mind, it seems.)
Farfetch'd's neck feathers rise up at the surge of darkling force. He trembles for a moment before crouching down and narrowing his eyes as the Gerudo woman lands. He hunches up, making little querulous noises under his breath as Kalisa raises her weapon -- and then he seems to see his opening.
Kicking off the ground he beats his wings twice and hurls himself forwards at about midheight. The leek is held near to his body as he aims to twist and to strike a blow at the back of Kalisa's hand while soaring past her!
GS: Dirk Swordsman has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Farfetch'd - Peck! GS: Dirk Swordsman has gained 1 Combo! GS: Dirk Swordsman has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.
Link mentioned kidnapped girls and Chase's attention snaps to him and back to Kalisa, his brows raised high. What is with kidnapping to get people to fight! It's weird that it's happening twice! (It's not quite the same situation, Chase, calm down.)
Chase's gaze intensifies, in that way it always does when he's focused on something. Kalisa is not a Pokemon, nor does she intend to fight with Pokemon. But Nidoran's challenge here may have been the right call, for all Chase would rather have avoided an audience or performance... they need to learn how to battle against opponents like this in order to protect Nede -- and each other.
For a boy who does not speak, he must show his own resolve through action, not word. And he does so with a sharp whistle and a clenching of his jaw, refusing to shy away as the shadow swirls outward. Nidoran, too, trembles through it, but also pushes through it.
Pikachu has a pair of pom-poms. Where did she get those? Did Chase make them? Did she steal them? Mysteries go unanswered as she shakes them back and forth, kicking her legs up and down like an electric Oricorio. "Pi pika! Pi pika! Pi pika!"
Nidoran's giant ears perk and twitch. His eyes go glossy, overwhelmed with feeling. Pikachu is cheering for him! Pikachu believes in him! He gives Farfetch'd a nod while looking like he's about to cry, rather ruining the machismo of the moment.
On a whistle, Nidoran rushes into battle, so small and so precarious, but somehow dauntless as he tries to dart around the threat of her spear to strike into her with a venomous sting of his horn!
GS: Quick added to Chase! GS: Chase has activated Force Action: Boost! GS: Chase has activated Force Action: Fury Shot! GS: Chase has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Pikachu's Support! GS: Chase has gained 2 Combo! GS: Chase gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Chase has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Sable Aomori has posed.
Sable won't call out Nina for being WEIRD. It's fine. But she looks at Josiee, who recognizes the name, and Ida who seems to have history. And then Link who, "Your family is missing...?"
That reaches her heart, for some reason.
Kalisa's question is given a simple answer: "Strength. By testing myself against the dangers of Filgaia, I get closer to my goal."
No prizes... Well. they shall see indeed.
A leas the press is here.
When dark energy crashes outwards, Sable adops a ready stance. Prinplup, meanwhile, goes on the offensive immediaely, hurling a suddenly-conjured brace of rocks into the sphere. He is energized by the wave.
"You want us to fight harder," Sable says. "...We can do that."
"Ulpi! Use Dig!"
Ulpi suddenly pitches forward, diving under the ground as easily as he could swim in the water. For a long few moments, that is all.
Then, suddenly, Ulpi the Prinplup shoots up out of the ground, breaching the dirt and rushing up wings-first, as if with scything blades.
"I'll show you 'resolve'."
...But her serious expression breaks a litle as Pikachu cheers...
GS: Sable Aomori spends 2 Combo on Headshot! GS: Sable Aomori has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Dig! GS: Sable Aomori has gained 1 Combo! GS: Sable Aomori gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Sable Aomori has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Link has posed.
As Kalisa shifts into position to fight, Link wastes little time in following up her taunt. The young boy rolls forward using his shield as a platform to push himself off the ground helping him cover a surprising amount of ground in moments. There is a loud clank, klack, noise as the shield hits the ground, he pushes grinding it slightly and then as he comes back to his feet pushes up and forward as hard as he can as he swings the Hero's Sword downward right to left letting his momentuem carry the blade while keeping his guard up as he slips in under Dirk's Farfetch strike following it while staying out of Vicace's Prinplup's Brine and Chase's Nidoran's strikes.
Shifting further to his left, he says "Why are you even here? What is Ganon trying to do now?"
GS: Formation! Link has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Follow Up Strike! GS: Link has gained 2 Combo! GS: Link has completed his action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Vivace Mori's Prinplup - Brine for 84 hit points! GS: Poison blocked! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire fails to guard Dirk Swordsman's Farfetch'd - Peck for 160 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Cripple applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Nina Chiyome critically fails to evade Kalisa Dragmire's Imperious Challenge for 0 hit points! GS: Restore! Ruin! Mighty removed! GS: Dynamax applied to Nina Chiyome! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Nina Chiyome!
<Pose Tracker> Nina Chiyome has posed.
Nina's response to the challenge is something of a shrug. She doesn't comment on it though. She does consider the question. Head tilted slightly, she's not sure if she should answer or not! She's trying the whole not talking too much situation. Eventually she shrugs, "Kusarigama." And... well, she tries to get away from the shadow. That's not exactly something you'd consider good for your health, all things considered. She doesn't and is.. really confused at to what it actually did. Taking a moment to pat herself down before giving Kalisa a bewildered look.
She gets that look from Sable. And she pulls a face through her mask, complete with a hand gesture. She can't help it. It's in good fun there.
And it surprisingly helps her focus for what it's worth.
With a sudden jerk of the chain though, the spin changes direction and she flings it low, keeping just enough slack to keep the remaining length of chain between her hands taut. A control method as much as anything else.
At the same time, nearby her sneasel sets up, watching. Mavs is.. actually being serious too. Maybe she's been planning things.
GS: Nina Chiyome has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Waterfall! GS: Nina Chiyome enters a Counter stance! GS: Nina Chiyome has gained 2 Combo! GS: Nina Chiyome gains 5 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Nina Chiyome has completed her action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire critically fails to evade Chase's Pikachu's Support for 218 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Misery adds Blind! GS: Blind applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Cover, Mighty, and Riposte applied to Chase! GS: FP up! Arcane Font!
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida settles back, her feet sliding into a wide, stable stance. She tucks the Medium into her pocket for safety, and spreads her hands, keeping her fists open. It's not that dissimilar from the fighting posture of some Fighting-types, even leaving out Nedian recreational martial arts. She hangs back. Behind her, Sal and Marigold and Aurora cluster together at the edge of the crowd.
"Evoi!" Marigold cries. A heartbeat later, her eyes fix on Kalisa, and her voice rises in an urgent cry to her Trainer. "Evoi! Evoi!"
Danger, Ida realizes. She sets her feet, and braces as the wave washes over her. She fully expects dark, enervating sorcery, but instead...
"You really do want us to come at you," Ida remarks. "All right, then." Farfetch'd, Ulpi, and Vivace's Prinplup close with Kalisa. Ida is right on Nidoran's heels, though, giving the brave Pokemon a little more encouragement--a gentle smile as she comes at Kalisa from the flank. Ida leads with a single palm-strike, then flows from that into a punch, then a finger-jab, then another punch, then another, until she's hammering at Kalisa's defenses with a constant, relentless assault.
But her guard is much more solid than it looks.
It's difficult for Sal and the Eevee Sisters to see through the sphere, but Sal points anyway. "Ree?" she says. See? Ida's fighting on her own, and they can cheer her on.
GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Water Dragon Form! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has gained 1 Combo! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey's stances have changed to Stoic! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has completed her action. GS: ROU|LET|TE: Ruinous! Kalisa Dragmire marginally evades Sable Aomori's Dig for 169 hit points! GS: Drowsy and Mute applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Arcane Font and Reaction bonus!
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
Kalisa, when she glances towards Penelope, will find a stare that does not flinch away. The bird does not advance. Neither does she retreat.
Josie's lips quirk in a lopsided grin. "Sure enough, right," she answers Kalisa. "If you weren't 'his' kin or none, you'd have a pretty short go of it, runnin' 'round with a name like that. So, tell me, kiddo..."
That smile of hers is joined by narrowing eyes. "This all your own business... or 'his'?"
Once upon a time, she'd done 'his' dirty business, too. But that was then.
And this is now.
Dark eyes turn for a moment towards Chisato's weaponry of choice. Both of Josie's eyebrows lift after a moment's assessment. Energy Nede's been holding out! ...But it's not like she can complain. Much.
But Link mentions the missing girls and immediately Josie's expression sours. "Your kid sister, huh... Well, seems like some things just don't change! What's he want with all of everyone's kid sisters, anyhow?" she asks of Kalisa.
Here today, gone tomorrow -- if that isn't always ever the way of the world! Antigone the Remoraid squeaks that that force settles over her, stripping away what power she'd bundled and replacing it with power of Kalisa's own chosing. Arching a pale eyebrow, Josie remarks, "Well. Ain't we confident, now? But I won't say 'don't'! Antigone, show 'er what we're about!" Josie calls from the sidelines.
"Rai!" cries out Antigone, spitting a jet of water that could cut glass at Kalisa.
GS: Josephine Lovelace enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Josephine Lovelace has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Water Gun! GS: Josephine Lovelace has gained 1 Combo! GS: Josephine Lovelace enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Josephine Lovelace has completed her action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire critically fails to guard Link's Follow Up Strike for 217 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo!
<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.
"Ah. Unsanctioned. Man, Drifters just gonna do anything they want, huh?" Chisato says to nobody.
Kalisa releases her magic, filling the space and Chisato with some semblance of power. She takes a long, deep, cleansing breath, rolling her neck to loosen up. She hops up and down, feeling the strength in her limbs, and--
Oh, that's really cool actually. "I appreciate that, young lady," she says, and whirls her gun in her hands, practiced motions. "But a reporter's gotta go where the story is! Test the limits! Spin kick some Rockets! Sometimes that means a few burns, ya know?"
She snaps up into a one-handed cool firing pose and adds, "Annnnnd ZAP!" just before the gun discharges a BEAM of electrical energy toward Kalisa!!
GS: Chisato Madison has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Lightning Gun! GS: Chisato Madison has gained 2 Combo! GS: Chisato Madison has completed her action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire marginally evades Nina Chiyome's Waterfall for 176 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Kalisa Dragmire marginally evades Ida Everstead-Rey's Water Dragon Form for 141 hit points! GS: Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Josephine Lovelace's Water Gun for 59 hit points! GS: Hyper applied to Josephine Lovelace! GS: Kalisa Dragmire fails to guard Chisato Madison's Lightning Gun for 171 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo!
<Pose Tracker> Kalisa Dragmire has posed.
"You 'Trainers' are not the only ones out to hone their combat skills," Kalisa tells Vivace. "But are you not curious why your Gym Leader is not here to accept the challenges that I am 'stealing' from them?"
"Then explain it to me, Trainer," Kalisa challenges Dirk.
She regards Farfetch'd curiously as he explains. She does not speak Pokemon, she does not understand the words... but there is something familiar about the spirit. "... I sense a curious drive within you. Interesting."
Kalisa, herself, technically hasn't kidnapped anyone for this challenge. That was a preexisting condition.
She regards Sable as she gives her answer. "Strength is it..." A slow nods. "I understand that well. Filgaia has many dangers indeed, and I am curious what you Nedians will make of them, after your long isolation."
"A kusarigama... I see," she says to Nina. "Very well. We shall test it against my spear." She doesn't offer any answers to that bewildered look.
A simple nod is her response to Ida. She had expected the more experienced Drifter--and they've also fought once more, besides--to understand. "Indeed."
Kalisa will leave Penelope to her devices, for now.
There is a faint scowl in the back of her throat as Josie address her as Kiddo--but it's faint, and distant. There is no response to being Ganondorf's kin. "I serve at his whim when he needs me. Today, however, I act for my own accord."
The question of everyone's sisters, however, receives a shake of the head. "You will win no prizes from me this day--including the prize of information."
Chisato thanks her for the energy-- "It is for my benefit as much as yours; I can hardly expect you Nedians to have the prowess of seasoned warriors. You still must make use of the boon I have given."
GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Ida Everstead-Rey with Mirage Dive! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has gained 1 Combo! GS: Kalisa Dragmire's stances have changed from Counter to Avenger and Counter! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has activated a Boss Action! GS: Kalisa Dragmire spends 1 Combo on Poison! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Dirk Swordsman with Wyrmfire Talon! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Chase with Wyrmfire Talon! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Sable Aomori with Wyrmfire Talon! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Link with Wyrmfire Talon! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has gained 1 Combo! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Nina Chiyome with Umbral Spear! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Chisato Madison with Umbral Spear! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has gained 2 Combo! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Vivace Mori with Flood of Darkness! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Josephine Lovelace with Flood of Darkness! GS: Recover! Blind, Cripple, and Drowsy removed from Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Kalisa Dragmire gains 5 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Kalisa Dragmire gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Ida Everstead-Rey mostly evades Kalisa Dragmire's Mirage Dive for 56 hit points! GS: Mute applied to Ida Everstead-Rey! GS: FP up! Power Burst! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Dirk Swordsman mostly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Wyrmfire Talon for 99 hit points! GS: Mute applied to Dirk Swordsman! GS: Poison blocked! GS: FP up! Power Burst and Reaction bonus! GS: Dirk Swordsman enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: CRITICAL! Vivace Mori perfectly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Flood of Darkness for 33 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Vivace Mori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Misery adds Disrupt! GS: Disrupt and Mute blocked! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Healthy! For entering Condition Green, Vivace Mori receives 100 temporary hit points. GS: Vivace Mori enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Sable Aomori fails to guard Kalisa Dragmire's Wyrmfire Talon for 188 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Sable Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Mute and Poison applied to Sable Aomori! GS: COUNTER! Link counterattacks Kalisa Dragmire with Parry and Strike! GS: CRITICAL! Link fails to charge Kalisa Dragmire's Wyrmfire Talon for 225 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Link gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Poison applied to Link! GS: Mute blocked! GS: Healthy! For entering Condition Green, Link receives 100 temporary hit points. GS: Link enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: CRITICAL! Josephine Lovelace mostly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Flood of Darkness for 45 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Josephine Lovelace gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Misery adds Jam! GS: Jam and Mute applied to Josephine Lovelace! GS: CRITICAL! Chase mostly evades Kalisa Dragmire's Wyrmfire Talon for 118 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Chase gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Mute and Poison blocked! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Chase enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: COUNTER! Kalisa Dragmire counterattacks Link with Chaotic Thrust! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire critically fails to charge Link's Parry and Strike for 260 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: Link mostly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Chaotic Thrust for 67 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Link gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: COUNTER! Nina Chiyome counterattacks Kalisa Dragmire with Counter Attack! GS: Nina Chiyome mostly charges Kalisa Dragmire's Umbral Spear for 129 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Nina Chiyome gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Delay applied to Nina Chiyome! GS: Nina Chiyome enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Nina Chiyome's Counter Attack for 86 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Chisato Madison perfectly evades Kalisa Dragmire's Umbral Spear for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Chisato Madison gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Delay blocked! GS: Chisato Madison enters CONDITION GREEN!! New Content
<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.
"Lotta y'all still don't get it," Dirk calls back to Kalisa. "I'm not training THEM. We're training TOGETHER. We're students - gonna be students forever, because there's no limit on the truth of the blade! But if you're just another object in the way," his head cants back,
"You're gonna get cut!"
(Beneath the words, Dirk feels cold sweat on the back of his neck. He can smell something like a disaster here. But it can't be that bad, Dirk thinks. Worst case Farfetch'd's gonna -- am I just accepting he might break too? His jaw tightens.)
But within the sphere of destiny:
After striking Kalisa's hand, Farfetch'd turns around and lets himself sail down, skidding in the open space and throwing up a little dust. His eyes take in the Prinplups getting into the action, as well as Link, with whom he is feeling a certain kinship.
He's planning - forming something - when Kalisa makes HER decision and charges Farfetch'd. The small Pokemon's eyes widen as he brings up his leek in a classical guarding stance, cocking his neck to the side - a half-shaved-off feather flies loose when Kalisa pulls away, and Farfetch'd finds himself panting for breath.
There's also a small and peculiar smell in the air, something gentle, something almost out of the ordinary in this increasingly supernatural clash of styles and techniques and elite-grade Moves. It's the smell of a grilled green onion. Farfetch'd looks at a shallow divot along the back of his peek, browned and still sizzling faintly.
The single eye of Honedge, which had been turning around the entire battlefield in turns, suddenly focuses directly and solely on Farfetch'd. 'honnnnnnn' hums the Sword Pokemon. Cufant seems to understand it the best -- and raises up her trunk, letting out a roaring note and waving her trunk rhythmically even as Quilladin takes it up, banging the bottom of his ironwood stick on the ground!
This seems to give Farfetch'd courage... or the determination to continue. As Kalisa unleashes shadowy waves, Farfetch'd quacks fiercely and kicks off the ground again, grasping his leek with both wings and aiming to carve slashes in the Gerudo's center mass!
This may be a duck, lacking some of the unique abilities of the other Pokemon, but at least he's got some moves.
'Some moves,' of course, may not be enough. At least that's what Dirk is thinking, even if he claps his hands above his head and shouts, "LET'S GOOOOOO" when Farfetch'd charges in with the Fury Swipes!
GS: Dirk Swordsman spends 1 Combo on Gatling, loading 1 into Gatling! GS: Dirk Swordsman has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Farfetch'd - Fury Swipes! GS: Dirk Swordsman has gained 1 Combo! GS: Dirk Swordsman has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Sable Aomori has posed.
Sable can't see under Nina's mask, obviously, but she can read her anyway. Especially the hand gesture. Sable makes a 'be serious!' face back at her but soon they're fighting. And they are both serious enough.
"Who is Ganon...?"
"Do you?" Sable wonders of Kalisa's understanding. "...We all have dangers, now. No matter where those dangers come from, we have to be ready."
"...It's more than an idle hope."
Ulpi is unexpeced. "Pokemon can do anything," Sable says seriously. "With the right Training and enough will..."
Sable darts off to the side suddenly, parkouring up a fence towards a rooftop for a better vantage point. "Ulpi!" she calls, as Kalisa striikes at him with flaming spear. Ulpi can't guard it this time; he wavers back, unusd to this kind of attack even though he's strong against fine. "...Come back," she says. "We'll use a different strategy."
"Kasu!" she calls, and a strange dog Pokemon appears--deep orange-red, with stone-flecked, curly mane and tail, with a small horn on its head and its rocky fur covering its eyes. The Hisuan Growlithe howls suddenly, "GRROOOOOOOOOO!"
She looks upon Kalisa with an expression that is nearly impossible to read. Then, she leans forward. Sable calls, "Kasu! Use Flame Wheel, and ready for another chance!"
Growlithe surges forward, a wheel of flames erupting around her as she charges for Kalisa! Right along wih Farfetch'd striking, she slams forward!
GS: Sable Aomori has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Flame Wheel! GS: Sable Aomori enters a Counter stance! GS: Sable Aomori has gained 3 Combo! GS: Sable Aomori gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Sable Aomori takes 45 damage from Poison! GS: Sable Aomori has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Vivace Mori has posed.
"I'm not him and I'm not going to defend him," Vivace shoots back at Kalisa. "But I'm real sick of Visitors showing up and telling us what we should and shouldn't do, or thinking we're wimps because we don't fight the same way - so come on!"
At least Chisato seems to be able to take care of herself after all, which makes Vivace feel a little better about it. She doesn't bother to respond to Kalisa telling her she knew what was going on when she came in here, but instead climbs the rest of the way up onto Erikodus, dropping down on the 'seat' near where the Niquia plug is. Something about 'Ganon'... Vivace makes a note to look him up later.
"Prinplup! Go low!" Vivace calls, when she sees Kalisa let out that wave of darkness. Her Prinplup, unlike Ulpi, doesn't know Dig - she drops and slides, like - well, like a penguin, clearing mostly out of the way and using her steel-edged wings to ward off the rest of it.
Prinplup continues to try to draw Kalisa's attention by sliding around her, occasionally hopping up to switch directions and generally get in her way, swatting legs with those metal-weighted wings. But that's not Vivace's real attack, as she guides Erikodus. "Magnet Bomb!" she directs, and it launches a cluster of little spheres from side-mounted launchers.
The spheres take indirect paths; one weaves around Farfetch'd, one comes in from almost straight vertical, and one follows Ulpi's path in. Others take their own routes - but they all get there in the end and detonate with shining silver energy!
GS: Vivace Mori has activated Force Action: Full Clip! GS: Vivace Mori has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Erikodus - Magnet Bomb! GS: Vivace Mori has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.
There's more talk of Kalisa's father, Ganon, which Chase has no context for, but quietly absorbs as his gaze glances from one person speaking to the next. Kalisa doesn't seem to understand much of Nede... but seems keen to understand it, and this is her way of doing that.
With a furrow of his brow, Chase realizes that while he's not sure this is the ideal way, he's also not sure that it isn't.
Dirk has a more verbal explanation, and Chase looks to him with a glimmer in his eye. He does not have quite the same training style, but there is enough of an understanding there to respect it.
As Nidoran attacks, there are others fighting with him. Farfetch'd and... Link and Ida?! Nidoran looks up in awe at them. He is... fighting among warriors! Heroes! Swords and shields and inner metal! Nidoran looks to Chase, eyes big. Chase nods encouragingly and whistles sharp, prompting Nidoran to whirl back around and keep his attention on Kalisa.
He's fighting! He's doing it...!
Kalisa regards him directly on the matter of courage and his ears abruptly drop as he cowers in place. ...But he does hold his place. At least we have that.
And he holds it even as Kalisa's spear ignites in flames and comes striking for him. Ears back up, twitching with a whistle from Chase, and Nidoran dives a roll away like he were escaping the flaming claws of a Charizard. ...And much like that, he's still clipped on the side by the attack, squeaking out as his deft roll turns into a clumsy tumble.
He tries to get back up, trips on his own ears, and hits the ground one more time before shoving up and shaking out his head, slapping himself in the face with his own ear. "--ran!"
Chase winces, gesturing to Nidoran soothingly as the Pokemon's eyes water. Pikachu calls to him, pom-pom'd paws at her mouth to make more of a megaphone. "Piiiiika! Pi pika!" As Nidoran recovers, he's given another whistle.
A clumsy little beast, this Nidoran. But one prepared to give his all, so that even this small Pokemon, with all his gathered courage and resolve, might provide a challenge for the kin of the King of Evil. Is such a thing possible?
He charges, full spread, roaring (squeaking) out as he goes faster, faster, faster...! ...Trips over his own ear (oh no), rolls and spring into the air (oh yes?), smashes into the ground with a small wail (wait no), burrows into it (y-es?), and erratically zigzags through the earth of the gym (on... purpose? maybe?), before trying to find Kalisa's footing through the tremors of her steps to erupt under her feet.
Pikachu continues to pom-pom dance for every awkward step of this process. "Pi pika! Pi pika!"
GS: Hyper added to Chase! GS: Chase has activated Force Action: Boost! GS: Chase enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Chase has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Nidoran is doing his best! GS: Chase has gained 1 Combo! GS: Chase enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Chase gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Chase has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Link has posed.
As Link weaves his strike around others, following up behind them he feels his blade connect as is slices along Kalisa. Even as he finishes his strike, he braces himself for the strike back and as the Gerudo teen makes her strike with a talon of fire, Link makes yet another move!
This time the young elf charges forward trying to use his shield knock the flames aside and failing badly as that wyrmfire cuts deep into him leaving him bloody but its not enough to stop his forward movement as his blade thrust forward behind his failed parry at Kalisa for a second attack. Only for him spot at the last second Kalisa's own counter with her spear coming from the blind spot in front of his shield. The chaotic thrust strikes true into his shield, the impact transfering into the boy knocking him backward several feet and leaving a dent in his Hylian Shield.
Link blinks several times, not quite seeing stars but looking a bit woozy for a few moments from the exchange. Then a shake of his head and adjusting his grip on his blade and he looks ready to continue. With a grunt, he lunges forward again, raising his blade high causing the sunlight to glitter off the blade for a moment before he swings it down like the green tunic hero of legend was said to do with his blade. Link's blade through is not one of legend and so doesn't launch out a blade of light, but it does still strike a heroic figure of a boy doing his best.
GS: Link has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Hero's Strike! GS: Link enters a Counter stance! GS: Link has gained 2 Combo! GS: Link's stances have changed from Counter and Hero to Counter and Hero! GS: Link takes 51 damage from Poison! GS: Link has completed his action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire has activated a Boss Action! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire perfectly evades Dirk Swordsman's Farfetch'd - Fury Swipes for 0 hit points! GS: Cripple blocked! GS: Hyper applied to Dirk Swordsman!
<Pose Tracker> Nina Chiyome has posed.
Nina jerks the chain back and swings it out wide, like she's trying to make a follow up attack! She herself isn't though. It's a cover for Mavs to dart past Kalisa, claws outreached in a quick attack. Slashing as she leaps past and bolts away.
Nina offers a wry smile behind the bandana she's working with right now. She.. doesn't want them getting hurt, but she did figure a comrpomise at least!
She does check on Sable. Trying to elt her do her thing. It was requested and she's.. going to acknowledge it. It's what friends do.
She makes a note of the others, a few new faces, a few not-so-new. Ida's given a quick wave. Like she wants to.. it's hard to tell. Maybe something later. Especially since she'll hold a finger up after. Like one moment sort of- Nina's being weird.
Change is one step at a time though!
Dirk's given a brief thumbs up, not that she expects a response or recognition or anything. This is a bit of a slugfest. She appreciates there's at least one other oddball though!
Still, there's a fight going on and rather than try to dart out of the way of danger, she leans into it. Almost literally. The spear stabbing from behind only catching her in a cut. There's a hiss of pain, but she doesn't shout anything out. Even if she wants to. She wants to try and blister the paint if truth's told.
She still hasn't used the sickle though!
Lashing out at head level, she's trying to keep Kalisa from watching her next few actions. The first of which is slinging her bag out with her free hand. Catching the sickle handle as it swings back her way.
She makes a gesture towards her left. A quick sign. Something of an alert. Then she yanks back on the chain, causing it to crack and yank away.
For whatever reason, she doesn't have qualms about flinging old traps and fireworks around. (And arguing with her that at that payload, they stop being fireworks won't work. They have fire in them.)
The bag suddenly detonates.. without paint. A sharp crack. Was there more to it after all that?
There is a voice in the back of her head telling her she's not being serious enough that didn't use to be there though. Maybe the spear got her thinking? Or other things.
GS: Nina Chiyome enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Nina Chiyome has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Groundfire Trap! GS: Nina Chiyome has gained 2 Combo! GS: Nina Chiyome gains 5 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Nina Chiyome enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Nina Chiyome has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.
"Oh? You're takin' us for slackers, huh?" Chisato jabs the Dragmire warrior. "I guess I see how you get that kind of thought."
The spear jabs down. Chisato jukes to the side, seemingly blurring with speed as the spear punches through where her stomach was not even a second ago. Chisato's feet hit the ground. "But you're underestimating the power of a journalist!" Chisato says, then suddenly SURGES forward. She's past Vivace and the line of trainers in a blink, an afterimage tracing her charge before she unleashes into Kalisa right up close with a spinning kick across the chest, then whirling in the same motion to a low kick to knock her off her balance. "Gale!"
Then, a full split for an axe kick that smashes down across the front, and finally a smooth backflip for a spin kick straight into the chin!! "SOMERSAULT!"
GS: Chisato Madison has activated Force Action: Snipe! GS: Chisato Madison has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Gale Somersault! GS: Chisato Madison has gained 1 Combo! GS: Chisato Madison's stances have changed to Stoic! GS: Chisato Madison gains 23 THP from her Cautious! GS: Chisato Madison has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
"...But normally, you're doing his dirty work. Got it," Josie says, not kindly. Her smile turns cold; her eyes narrow further. "...Heh. You can't say anything without his say-so, can you? But it don't bother me none. Come on! Let's see what his lot're really made of, then!"
Antigone's jet slices through the air--
"Good relexes," Josie remarks, planting her left hand on her hip. "But you know, my Antigone ain't too shabby, neither. Show 'er what you've got, Antigone--"
Kalisa returns the favor and cuts through the air with a wave of darkness which just about envelopes Josie's Pokemon friend. Antigone, bursting free from the inky black at last, shudders and wavers in the air. Josie's quick to respond. "--Okay, that's enough. Antigone, trade out. Eirene! You're up!"
"Beeeaaaa!" trumpets Eirene the Trumbeak, appearing in a flash on the field as Josie swaps out combatants.
Who's Ganon, Sable asks.
"An overlord. Resurrected wizard king, or something of the sort. I never minded the details," she adds with a shrug. "But those days are gone. He's the sort who likes to steal away little sisters, and mothers, and aunties," she says, jabbing a finger in Kalisa's direction. "And that girl's one of his. But enough of that. We got a challenge to best. Eirene! Show her a solid Peck!"
Dutifully, Eirene does just so, soaring in close to jab at Kalisa with a rock-hard beak!
And as Chisato displays a bit of Nedian martial arts, Josie, briefly distracted from her Pokemon's endeavor, gives out a low whistle.
Above, on the rooftop, though... Penelope watches.
GS: Josephine Lovelace has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Peck! GS: Josephine Lovelace has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire fails to evade Sable Aomori's Flame Wheel for 173 hit points! GS: ROU|LET|TE: Moderate! Gamble: Very High! Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Chase's Nidoran is doing his best for 55 hit points! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Link's Hero's Strike for 176 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
'Boy in Green,' says Kalisa. Ida's lips twitch.
"He has a name," Ida says. The next strike in the chain has a bit more force behind it, accompanying her chiding words. No, she's not going to tell her. That's Link's prerogative, and also Kalisa's!
"Good job, Nidoran!" Ida says, but regrettably, there's no more time to encourage him. Kalisa takes to the air with breathtaking speed. It doesn't take much thought to figure out where she's headed. Ida leaps back, and Kalisa SLAMS into the earth before her, the shockwave striking the martial artist in mid-air. She grunts in pain, and raises her arms to guard if Kalisa tries to press. She doesn't.
Ida's gaze darts sideways, instead. Chisato. She's seen her around. "They teach journalists martial arts around here?" Ida asks, offhandedly. "Or is it more of a personal passion?"
Between Antigone and Prinplup, there's more atmospheric moisture than there was a few minutes ago. Ida breathes out, and a cloud of bright golden-white chi flows out with it, infusing a measure of her power into the vapor. In a blur, Kalisa is faced not with one Ida but with half a dozen, each one rushing her from a different angle to land a punch, or a kick, or an elbow-strike, or a knee. Only one of them is real. Can she guess which?
GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Coils of the Water Dragon! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has gained 2 Combo! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has completed her action. GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: Sneak! The true nature of Nina Chiyome's attack becomes clear! GS: Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Nina Chiyome's Groundfire Trap for 81 hit points! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Chisato Madison's Gale Somersault for 66 hit points! GS: Break blocked! GS: Quick applied to Chisato Madison! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire fails to evade Josephine Lovelace's Peck for 169 hit points! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire fails to evade Vivace Mori's Erikodus - Magnet Bomb for 274 hit points! GS: Jam applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Kalisa Dragmire enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Ida Everstead-Rey's Coils of the Water Dragon for 63 hit points! GS: Delay applied to Kalisa Dragmire!
<Pose Tracker> Kalisa Dragmire has posed.
Kalisa regards Dirk's words, with a slight tilt of her head. "And to what end is it that you study? There were no wars for you to fight, until the woes of Filgaia and Lunar came to your doorstep."
To Sable she declares, "I am no stranger to the harshness of the world--a less those of you on Energy Nede are rediscovering." But pokemon can do anything. "They do seem full of unexpected potential..."
"Your world is a mystery--that is why I am here, to test you and get to know you better. This is the sureest way to see the result of someone's mettle."
Chase isn't sure whether or not this is the best way to understand need. Kalisa understands battle, the way many young trainers do--though she is used to a different kind of battling, to be sure.
Does she take them for slackers? "Your empire was once much mightier--now you stagnate in isolation. What does that do to a people, after so long?" That's what Kalisa is trying to find out.
Josie disapproves of Kalisa doing Ganondorf's dirty work. "I am his blade," she says defiantly, as if that were the most normal position to take. Without his sayso... Why would she say so, anyway?
"Does he, Seer?" retorts Kalisa as Ida chides her. She hasn't... called anybody by their proper name, has she?
There are many opponents, and as Chisato noted, she did give them a boon--the situation she is in is entirely of her own making. Her opponents ahve come at her,m and quite strongly, and she is loathe to let things end so quickly.
She levels her spear for a moment as she concentrates. Shadows flow up from her feet, wind their way around her in sinewy trails, and embrace her as she starts to move faster, leaving shimmering afterimages in her wake.
Farfetch'd comes at her with a leek--a weapon Kalisa might have thought was ludicrous only months ago, but today she meets the challenge. She goes to meet leek with blade, parrying a strike--she strains with the effort, of the first clash, but they clash five times in total, and each time Kalisa strains harder to keep her spear in hand, but then they withdraw, no marks have landed.
She is panting with the effort, though. "Had my reactions been any slower..."
Sable switches her pokemon out, and Kalisa regards the newly arrived dog. A wheel of flame is summoned and the dog charges--Kalisa moves, but she is too exhausted from her clash to get out of the way in time, knocked back from the charge. "You seek to counter my fire with your own, is it? So be it."
Kalisa dances around the battlefield, darting out of the way of the strikes of Vivace's Prinplup's sliding attacks--but she makes the critical error of forgetting about Vivace's other pokemon on the field. Clusters of spheres come assaulting her from every direction, and she is struck by first one, and then many in succession as she whirls around to see where the strikes come from.
Chase's Nidoran is doing his best--and Kalisa is taking his efforts seriously, but neither will she baby him. He chose to accept this challenge, after all. Two can play at sensing the tremors in the earth, and Kalisa ducks aside--the Nidoran scores a glancing hit across his side still. "A worthwhile tactic--but I have seen it once this day already."
Link parries her flaming spear strike, batting it aside with a shield and following it up with a fierce sword strike--it gets inside her guard and draws a serious wound, casuing her to stagger back. But the benefit of a spear is reach, and even as she stubmles she retaliates in quick order, overextending to take a retaliatory strike.
He comes back with a blade that shines in the light. Not the blade of light, Kalisa knows, but a blade nontheless. When Link rallies to strike at her she sidesteps his renewed charge, though she still takes a glancing hit along the side.
Nina's distraction is not enough to prevent Kalisa from sidestepping her pokemon friend. "Interesting," she commends as she pivots away from Mavs' attack. "You do not confine yourself to one stype of combat."
A trap is laid and sprung, but Kalisa moves through it, blurring past to escape the worst of the fire. "An interesting combat style... you do not fight in a straightforward manner."
Chisato proves the power of a journalist by darting in to attack her head on. Kalis ducks under the first spinning kick, then leans back on her spear, lifting both legs to avoid the follow up low blow, and then catches that axe kick on her forearm. "Are all 'journalists' in Nede as skilled as yourself?" she asks as she tosses the kick off a moment later.
Another substitution by Josie, and Eirene comes soaring out of the air to come pecking at Kalisa. There is a grunt of effort as the strike slams home, and she stumbles back, leaning on her spear for a moment.
Then Ida comes at her with multiple copies of herself--Kalisa rallies and charges forward to meet them head on, deflecting blows and ducking to the side to weave through most of the attacks. She emerges, panting heavily as she takes a moment to recover herself. The shadows around her fade away as she regards the battlefield.
There is a short, choked off laugh. "There is more resolve here than I may have imagined... Good. You will need that resolve, in the days ahead. But I will not leave without showing some of my own."
She raises a hand in front of her, and a great swirling ball of black flame starts to gather in front of her, swirling and flickering like flame but as inky black as shadownight. It grows and grows, until she lifts her hand overhead,bringing the ball with it. It suddenly busts, flying outwards towards Nina, Vivace's Erikodus, Sable's Growlithe, and Link.
As for the rest... She jumps up high in the air again, suddenly appearing at the apex of her jump. This time, though, she falls the long way, the tip of her spear igniting in a brilliant cone of fire and force as she comes slamming down into the ground. A terrific wave of force washes outwards towards Ida, Josie's Eirene, Chisato, Chase's Nidoran, and Dirk's Farfetch'd.
GS: Kalisa Dragmire has activated a Boss Action! GS: Kalisa Dragmire spends 5 Combo on Headshot and Gatling, loading 3 into Gatling! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Ida Everstead-Rey with Meteor Dive! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Josephine Lovelace with Meteor Dive! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Chisato Madison with Meteor Dive! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Chase with Meteor Dive! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Dirk Swordsman with Meteor Dive! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has gained 1 Combo! GS: Kalisa Dragmire gains 5 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Kalisa Dragmire gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Mute expired! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has completed her action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire has activated a Boss Action! GS: Kalisa Dragmire spends 3 Combo on Gatling, loading 3 into Gatling! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Nina Chiyome with Shadow Flare! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Vivace Mori with Shadow Flare! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Sable Aomori with Shadow Flare! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has attacked Link with Shadow Flare! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has gained 1 Combo! GS: Sable Aomori has activated Force Action: Guard! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: CRITICAL! Sable Aomori mostly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Shadow Flare for 162 hit points! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: CRITICAL! Ida Everstead-Rey critically fails to guard Kalisa Dragmire's Meteor Dive for 315 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Ida Everstead-Rey gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Mute blocked! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Power Burst! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: CRITICAL! Dirk Swordsman mostly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Meteor Dive for 202 hit points! GS: Mute applied to Dirk Swordsman! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Power Burst! GS: COUNTER! Link counterattacks Kalisa Dragmire with Parry and Strike! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: Link mostly charges Kalisa Dragmire's Shadow Flare for 223 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Link gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Link enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Chase has activated Force Action: Accelerate! GS: COUNTER! Nina Chiyome counterattacks Kalisa Dragmire with Counter Attack! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: Nina Chiyome critically fails to charge Kalisa Dragmire's Shadow Flare for 324 hit points! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: Chase critically fails to evade Kalisa Dragmire's Meteor Dive for 278 hit points! GS: Mute blocked! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Chase enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: Vivace Mori critically fails to guard Kalisa Dragmire's Shadow Flare for 370 hit points! GS: Josephine Lovelace has activated Force Action: Accelerate! GS: You have activated the Force Action Accelerate! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: Josephine Lovelace critically fails to evade Kalisa Dragmire's Meteor Dive for 243 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Josephine Lovelace gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Mute applied to Josephine Lovelace! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: Chisato Madison mostly guards Kalisa Dragmire's Meteor Dive for 139 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Chisato Madison gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Mute applied to Chisato Madison! GS: Hyper applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: FP up! Power Burst! GS: Chisato Madison enters CONDITION GREEN!!
<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.
Farfetch'd throws his strength into each of the blows, trying to power past the spear. Size and the choice of weapon makes a raw clash a losing proposition, and that mark in his leek gets only deeper, but the last one - a change to a thrust rather than a slash - doesn't score home. Farfetch'd's foot lands on the haft of the spear momentarily -- but then he's leaping away, looking at his leek with sudden concern, panting.
Dirk returns Nina's thumbs up with a grin that's a little too tight, only looking away from the action for a moment. Maybe he could kinda sense the intention.
"He's gonna get killed," Dirk says, quietly, reaching for the belt. "C'mon back, Fa--"
Honedge pops partway out of the scabbard. Dirk had gotten the Poke Ball off of his hip rack and was raising it up; instead it's dropped to the ground. (Oshawott, Quilladin and Cufant don't notice this; Oshawott has gotten into the cheer, clapping her scalchops together.)
"COME ON, MAN!" Dirk shouts with a sudden crack in his voice -- at Honedge. "What is this?! Are you --" He is overridden with a metallic quaver-hum, a theremin-sound. Dirk's brow knits again. "Huh? What do you mean, dawning? He's gonna get skewered!!"
Honedge's eye turns. Dirk's head turns a moment later.
That's when the flare happens. For a moment, Dirk knows sheer terror even as it engulfs Farfetch'd. Afterwards, the bird is sprawled on his side, his leek half-gripped in one wing. The lower two-fifths of it, anyway. The other part has fallen aside, and looks... grilled.
Farfetch'd rolls over, reaching for the other side of the leek with a thin little quack. His wing tip rests on the slightly dehydrated-looking piece of vegetation, but that seems to be the best he can do. He pants for a moment.
Dirk immediately throws himself down to scrabble for the Pokeball, animated by terror, stricken to silence. But perhaps it comes too late.
Farfetch'd's eyes close, and Farfetch'd's eyes don't open again.
<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.
With his eyes shut, memories flow through the Pokemon's mind, weary and pained as it is. The first memory is the horrid light and Charcadet.
Follow that thread back. When he first met a slightly-shorter Dirk and a more-or-less the-same Chespin. When they moved forwards, and met Charcadet. The travels afterwards; down to Armlock, back up along the coast.
Camping. Sandwiches. Duels; drills; demonstrations. Studying each other's techniques. Conversation, of a sort. Laughter. Falling in water; shivering in cold; building a fire up high, when the nights got cold, and you could remember the world that was, beneath your feet, far beneath, but not so far as it might be.
The world that was.
Farfetch'd feels a deep homesick nostalgia for -- for what?
He's never left Kanto, other than the hot and faintly-still air of Filgaia, a couple of times. Most of his life was in a couple of marshes separated by a small village. He can remember his flock; remember crossing and crossing over. That one time a storm blew them off course. The rain -
He remembers somewhere cool and green.
And...
Something catalyzes. A Symbological alchemy begins deep within Farfetch'd. A transformation that defies the standard laws of biology, but Pokemon are not simply creatures of evolution or pure genetics. They follow other laws, at times, and it is a higher law that speaks now.
That ancient memory. Of what-was. And what --
Might be again?
The concept - the *conceptual thought itself* - flashes through the Pokemon's mind with wonder, discovery, novelty. Light begins to stream back into awareness as eyes open...
Because the reason Farfetch'd's eyes don't open again is one of those loopholes, you see. It's not Farfetch'd who opens his eyes.
DC: Dirk Swordsman switches forms to The Last Knight of Galar -- SIRFETCH'D!
<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30ujHhi1P94
Surrounded by a blue Symbological glow and a radiant sensation of growth, the Pokemon pushes himself to his stout feet. Wings' faint tremble stiffens as they grow and change. There is a low hum as physical form changes and changes again to accomodate what comes: the power of Evolution flowing outwards. That scent of onions again, but fresh and growing. A faint and wooden creak.
Dirk grasps the Pokeball and looks up. Formless prayer that almost reached his mouth (which hasn't done anything but mutter 'hang on buddy') freezes as he looks at the radiant blue-white surge.
It fades, revealing a different figure entirely. The height hasn't changed - but that withered, flame-touched leek has grown. Grown tenfold; the upper portion has bifuricated repeatedly, a dense shield that *visibly shimmers* as it continues growing into a splendid shape. The lower portion keeps rising with that wooden foresting creak, reaching a height easily equal to Kalisa's body length.
"He... he did it," Dirk says, in astonishment. He doesn't get up; he just rocks back, legs folding in front of him. "I... he really was... ha... haha..."
He blinks back tears he hadn't really realized were in his eyes, and he feels his mouth twitch, and he grins, and he takes a huge breath and that's when Dirk calls out, "YOU DID IT! BAD-ASS!! Hahahaha!!"
"Quil!" "Wott!!" "Faaaaan!!!"
Honedge's single eye closes with something that might suggest a smile.
The Pokemon dips his head. "Sirfetch'd," he says. And then, upwards, towards Kalisa.
"Sir, sir? Sirfetch'd. Sirfetch'd'." (You thought to question our resolve? A strange matter. And yet, though I see my error now, honor does not sleep.)
The great green blade is lowered. "Sirfetch'd," he says, eyes narrowing.
AND THEN he moves with sudden speed -- almost invisible, if you weren't already watching! Farfetch'd, for whatever he'd learned from Dirk's training, was ultimately a bird - a brave bird, sure, but a bird. There was a lot of desperate flapping going on.
There is no desperation in Sirfetch'd's motion: he aims simply and directly to slam his shield directly into Kalisa's belly and follow up with a clouting swing of the sword, to force her from her own ring!
GS: Dirk Swordsman has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with FIRST IMPRESSION! GS: Dirk Swordsman has gained 1 Combo! GS: Dirk Swordsman has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Sable Aomori has posed.
Sable watches Nidoran do his best, from her perch on the rooftop. "...Go, Nidoran..." She sys it quietly, but fervently, hoping that her feelings can reach the small Pokemon anyway.
But Ganon! Josie answers her question. A wizad king... "Someone who steals family," she says. "I see..."
"That's not acceptable."
Sable is staying out of danger, for her part, don't worry too much Nina.
"I know," Sable says. "Filgaia is harsher than Energy Nede. You've seen worse things than we have. ...But tht won't stop me. I won't give up just because someone else has more experience."
"Anything. And with them... we can do anything, too!"
A battle, "Battle only teaches you how somemone fights! There are so many other ways to learn about people! And I'll show you--who I am, then!"
The Shadow Flare burns against Kasu, and she huddles down against the ground. She is able to endure mostly because of her twin resistances--and she is still newly-Trained, at that. "GROOOOOOOOW!" she howls, and then rises to her feet, staring at Kalisa.
"Grow...?" she wonders of Kalisa, sniffing once.
Sable doesn't know what has her attention, but she sees Farfetch'd--no, Sirfetch'd rise. Her eyes widen. "That's... somethingn I've never seen...."
"...Support him! Kasu!"
Kasu howls again, and leans on her front paws. "Lithe!!!"
"Use Rock Tomb to follow up!"
Kasu focuses, and Symbological power conjures great, spherical stones. Theey crash down, to move along the arc of th attack Sirfetch'd delivers!!
GS: Sable Aomori has activated Force Action: Full Clip! GS: Sable Aomori has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Rock Tomb! GS: Sable Aomori gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Sable Aomori takes 41 damage from Poison! GS: Dynamax expired! GS: Sable Aomori has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.
What Chase is getting from this, ultimately, is that Kalisa cares very much about what her father thinks and, while at least seemingly happy with and proud of her relationship with him, still is beholden to the path he's set for her. His feelings on that are... mixed. Scratch that. Not really mixed. What's mixed is how much he doesn't understand it. Not even a little. But he feels like he's supposed to.
Nidoran is encouraged! Nidoran is given quiet hopes! Nidoran will be strong! Nidoran will -- erm. Um. He erupts from the earth, slides across Kalisa only barely, and flails as he's made airborne by the force of his own attack. As if hanging in the air before the fall, he is upside-down and looking back at Kalisa as she gives her judgment.
His eyes go big and watery before he falls and hits the ground with a thud and a squeak.
Kalisa rises, spear aflame, and she crashes back down like a comet. Chase whistles somewhere in the din of flames, but Nidoran is barely able to keep step within this fight already. He gets a burst of speed that really only lets him leap back to his feet before he is engulfed in force and fire only briefly before he is thrown through the air.
Nidoran land on his back, bounces to his belly, then falls and lands on his back again, quite near Chase. His legs wiggle and Chase bends down, holding up a Poke Ball. Nidoran vehemently shakes his head.
He rights himself in time to look to the glory of Sirfetch'd, along with Chase and Pikachu, all three of them left staring in awe as evolution takes place upon the battlefield. This time when Pikachu does her pom-pom dance, Nidoran joins in the motions.
"Pi pika!" "Ni ranran!" "Pi pika!" "Ni ranran!"
He has no pom-poms himself, though...
Nidoran drops back to all fours and looks up at Chase, nothing but trust in his eyes. Chase gives a nod and a gesture, whistling along with it, and Nidoran nods in understanding. He faces Kalisa, afraid, trembling, but impossible to intimidate because he is already terrified.
Then he roars. Once. Twice. Three times...!! And on Chase's mark, leaps after Kalisa to strike, ricochet off the ground, strike again, and again, and again...! A fury of attacks from every ping pong direction the poison pin Pokemon can manage.
GS: Blitz added to Chase! GS: Chase has activated Force Action: Boost! GS: Hyper added to Chase! GS: Chase has activated Force Action: Boost! GS: Shield added to Chase! GS: Chase has activated Force Action: Boost! GS: Blitz! Chase has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Fury Attack! GS: Chase has gained 1 Combo! GS: Chase gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Cover, Mighty, Quick, and Riposte expired! GS: Chase has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.
"Got into it in college!" Chisato replies to Ida cheerfully, and then slams her foot into the ground, steadying her stance. "Just the cutest ones!" is her answer in turn to Kalisa.
Then Kalisa CRASHES down on her, and Chisato has to throw up her arms in a cross block, the shockwave and terrific force of it sending dust flying behind her, scowering away the space around her feet. Chisato grits her teeth--
Wait, that's a wild grin. ...and one of her hands is holding her phone. "Drop!" she calls.
The camera drone does not drop anything. It hovers helpfully. Beep.
It does, however, distract from whatever is up in the sky that just dropped a package of BOMBS that crash down on Kalisa's position!! Each is painted with grinning teeth. Not one of them is secretly a Voltorb. The explosion is big enough that Chisato has to close her eyes and cover them behind her arms!!
GS: Chisato Madison spends 2 Combo on Headshot! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Chisato Madison has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Preparation! GS: Chisato Madison has gained 2 Combo! GS: Chisato Madison gains 22 THP from her Cautious! GS: Chisato Madison has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Link has posed.
Link's strike connects, but its not a proper hit as the blade ends up banging into and off the ground with a metallic ringing noise. Wary of another counter, Link shifts his shield infront of him as he draws back a step waiting and watching for his next opening holding the blade pointed down to his side. While there is conversation going around him, most of it with or at Kalisa, the elf boy is mostly focused on making it through the fight. He may be talented, but he's still a young boy and both knows and feels like he's walking a fine line if the fight keeps going.
But until Kalisa Dragmire surrenders or flees, he has to stand and fight for any chance at a clue to his sister's whereabouts. When Kalisa burst a flare of shadow outward, he launches forward into it using his shield to parry his way in. The formless shadow wraps around it and adds new bruises to his bloodied body but it doesn't stop him from making another thrust at Kalisa.
Then she's not there as she jumping up to unleash a wave of force at others from her spear. The edge of that strike just barely misses him as tucks in around it, focusing on the spear wielding Gerudo and where she's going to potentially be as he tries to unleash a sudden flurry of attacks trying to catch her offguard.
GS: Link spends 3 Combo on Gatling, loading 3 into Gatling! GS: Link has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Flurry Strikes! GS: Link enters a Counter stance! GS: Link has gained 2 Combo! GS: Link takes 44 damage from Poison! GS: Poison expired! GS: Link has completed his action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Link's Parry and Strike for 111 hit points! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Nina Chiyome's Counter Attack for 94 hit points! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: Kalisa Dragmire enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire critically fails to charge Dirk Swordsman's FIRST IMPRESSION for 310 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Cripple applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Hyper applied to Dirk Swordsman!
<Pose Tracker> Vivace Mori has posed.
Prinplup is *really* overextending, and Vivace knows it. After another swat with the metal-edged wings, Vivace calls: "Prinplup! Back! Return!" She's not going to leave her out for -
Well, for the rest.
The shadowflame engulfs Erikodus - and Vivace, who is riding it. It completely hides them from view, a ball of churning black flame... which Erikodus is vulnerable to, as anyone who's studied Pokemon knows. She yells, at first defiance, but it turns to pain.
The black light clears.
Vivace is still there, holding a Pokeball, open; Niquia now plugs into Erikodus' port, and in front of the three of them is a shimmering shining wall of light. It's the main reason Vivace is still up, hanging onto the faintly smoking Erikodus.
"Thanks, Niquia," she croaks out, sounding a little raspy.
"Ni ni ni! Ni ni!" Niquia sounds like an old computer, beeping, different tones.
Vivace pushes her slightly frazzled hair back as she finally gets a chance to look around. Chisato's more than accounting for herself - not an adult she has to look after, then. Link is still doing okay - he's going to have to beat Kalisa to get any information out of her. Sable is fine. Chase's Pokemon are still cheering, which she will consider successful (and appreciated even if she's not going to admit it.) Dirk is - Dirk is -
"Oh, no," Vivace's voice is quiet... until, much louder, "Oh, YEAH! DIRK! I'll back you up! - Erikodus! You see where Farf - Sirfetch'd is aiming? Blast it open!" She rises up on its back, pointing, as the enormous squat gun mounted under the front of Erikodus begins to spin.
And then it fires - not one blast, or four (it does have four barrels) but a stream of electric beams, sizzling blue, down at Kalisa, towards where Sirfetch'd is trying to break past her guard!
GS: Vivace Mori has activated Force Action: Full Clip! GS: Vivace Mori spends 2 Combo on Gatling, loading 2 into Gatling! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Vivace Mori has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Erikodus - Electron Gatling! GS: Vivace Mori has gained 1 Combo! GS: Vivace Mori has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
"You're his blade, yeah," Josie agrees readily to Kalisa's statement. "Just mind where he sticks you."
Her gaze tilts towards Sable and she parts her lips in a mirthless smile. "Got it in one, kiddo," she remarks. "She ain't here for none of that today, mind. ...But mind you who she's servin', right?"
Rolling back after scoring that singular hit, Eirene hovers in place, awaiting the opening and command to direct her next strike. Except, she never really gets the chance: a storm has gathered at the point of Kalisa's spear, and as she slams it home to the earth, the devastation thus unleashed is unsurmountable.
Cast aside by destruction's wall, Eirene cannot help but ragdoll until she lies there on the ground, fairly scorched. "Trum..." she utters, for she is still alive of course. But certainly in no condition to continue. "Tch," Josie hisses, drawing forth Eirene's Pokeball and recalling her with scarcely a word otherwise. "If that's how it's going to be..."
She casts forth a third ball, her gaze flitting towards where Sirfetch'd rises where Farfetch'd had fallen.
"Kirke! Show her what for!"
"Bombirdieeeeer!" screams Kirke, destroyer of picnics. She roars off towards the heavens, seemingly departing this place for greener pastures. A second passes, and Josie's grim but smug expression doesn't shift. Five seconds. Ten--
A shadow falls upon the makeshift arena. "BOMB...!" screeches Kirke, as from above she releases her payload of a single very large rock.
GS: Josephine Lovelace has activated Force Action: Lock On! GS: You have activated the Force Action Lock On! GS: Josephine Lovelace has activated Force Action: Fury Shot! GS: You have activated the Force Action Fury Shot! GS: Josephine Lovelace has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Rock Throw! GS: Josephine Lovelace has gained 2 Combo! GS: Josephine Lovelace has completed her action. GS: Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Sable Aomori's Rock Tomb for 111 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo!
<Pose Tracker> Nina Chiyome has posed.
Nina might be glaring holes in the back of Kalisa's head as she talks about fallen empires. She has no idea what she's on about, but she's aware of the stagnation of her own world. A thing she's decidedly tried to figure out how to revitalize. It's why she's so deadset on standing up with the friendlier aliens!
The ninja is walking that line between predictable and not with the fact that she decides the best way to avoid being scorched by a giant black fireball is to just.. try to tackle the one wielding it.
She ducks, covering her face with her arms as the flames wash over her. Painful. Scorching. She stumbles, then drops her arms (After beating a few lingering flames) out, though like before. It had been an attempt to keep the enemy's attention as Poppy bounds up into the air and lands, launching a fire wheel straight at Kalisa as a follow up.
Cutting opposite the direction Poppy bounds and takes up a defensive position. Nina bounces foot to foot, trying to get her mind focused while getting the weight spinning again.
She lashes out with the weight on the chain, quick, reigned in, snappy. She gave herself enough slack to work with though and it's the sickle that's swing in a wide arc.
She's not thinking in long term practicals. She's not working on ideas of trying to hold back, to avoid actual damage (Nevermind that a weight at the speeds she's slinging around would cause real damage!). This is a threat and it's another thing on the pile on her shoulders reminding her that she's coasted too much.
With both hands she swings the chain at full length in a wide, vicious arc towards Kalisa. Waiting until the last minute to yank at the chain, using her elbow to bring it to a sharp stop before following up with the weighted side after trying to pull Kalisa off balanace. With a hook.
"I'm not letting some alien hurt anyone else here-" She calls out, the first really vocal thing she's done tonight! "You won't hurt my friends!" Following all of this up with a jumping slash. Catching the sickle mid-way back and bringing it down in a fast slash. Her tone darker than she usually has.
Too many people around for her liking. Somewhere in her mind she'll be embarrassed later, but she's also hurt and worried and probably bottling enough up at the moment that someone's getting the backlash! And she's genuinely worried about the others and- Well. Something broke!
GS: Nina Chiyome has activated Force Action: Snipe! GS: Nina Chiyome spends 2 Combo on Headshot! GS: Nina Chiyome has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Waxing Crescent! GS: Nina Chiyome has gained 1 Combo! GS: Nina Chiyome gains 5 FP from her Daredevil! GS: Delay expired! GS: Nina Chiyome has completed her action. GS: Sneak! The true nature of Chase's attack becomes clear! GS: Kalisa Dragmire perfectly guards Chase's Chase and his Pokemon are breathing in perfect sync! for 83 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire fails to evade Chisato Madison's Preparation for 356 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Dispel! Hyper, Jam, Quick, and Shield removed! GS: Quick applied to Chisato Madison! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire mostly guards Link's Flurry Strikes for 219 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Vivace Mori's Erikodus - Electron Gatling for 125 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Drowsy blocked! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has Fallen! She is no longer able to fight!
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"Let's talk later," Ida says. "Always glad to meet a fellow student." Especially on a world where the martial arts seem almost vestigial, thanks to long millennia of peace--or stagnation, as Kalisa puts it.
The phantasmal Idas are just that: chi-powered illusions suspended in a haze of atmospheric water. Their strikes simply pass through Kalisa, though Ida notes the way she tries to defend against all of them. It speaks to intense training, showoffishness, or caution. All three? There's no time to dwell on it.
Ida was not expecting Kalisa to land that hard, or with that kind of catastrophic, fiery force. The shockwave plucks Ida off her feet, and sends her tumbling across the field, burned and smoking from the impact. She lands hard just within the inner edge of the shadow sphere, facedown on the turf.
"Ree!" Sal cries. In an instant, she's at Ida's side, and Marigold and Aurora are there a heartbeat later.
"I'm all right," Ida says. She manages a smile; her face is soot-streaked and bruised. The rest of her isn't really any better off. But she's not the only one who got hit by that.
Farfetch'd.
Shit, Ida thinks, her heart twisting in her chest. Dirk's terrified. That animates Ida, compels her to move. The martial artist plants her hands in the turf, and shoves herself to her feet. "Hold on!" she cries--to Dirk, to the Pokemon she hopes has merely fainted--as she charges forward. Farfetch'd is small, and easy to shield. She should be able to distract Kalisa long enough for Dirk to recall him, or take a hit--
"Evoi," says Marigold, from where she sits outside the shadowy sphere. "Evoi, evoi." (Show her. Show her what you choose to be.)
Ida's jaw drops. Galar might be cosmic dust, but Sirfetch'd remembers.
Ida repeats her martial bow--stiffly, with a grimace of pain--and lets out a breath. Silver flows out across her burn wounds as she curls her right hand into a fist. Golden-bright chi flares around it as she waits for her opening. In the aftermath of Erikodus' attack--which is no less impressive on a normal, non-Gigantamax scale--Ida lunges. She crosses the distance in a few heartbeats, the shockwave of her passage ripping through the air. Her fist flies for Kalisa's stomach, blazing bright as she simply tries to end this before Kalisa can end them.
GS: Ida Everstead-Rey spends 5 Combo on Headshot and Gatling, loading 3 into Gatling! GS: MYSTIC ARTE! Ida Everstead-Rey has attacked Kalisa Dragmire with Unbroken Lotus Fist! GS: Mute expired! GS: Ida Everstead-Rey has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Kalisa Dragmire critically fails to guard Josephine Lovelace's Rock Throw for 315 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Misery adds Blind! GS: Blind applied to Kalisa Dragmire! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has Fallen! She is no longer able to fight! GS: Delay! Attack weakened! GS: Kalisa Dragmire mostly evades Nina Chiyome's Waxing Crescent for 135 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Kalisa Dragmire gains 1 additional Combo! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has Fallen! She is no longer able to fight! GS: Kalisa Dragmire fails to evade Ida Everstead-Rey's Unbroken Lotus Fist for 312 hit points! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Kalisa Dragmire has Fallen! She is no longer able to fight!
<Pose Tracker> Kalisa Dragmire has posed.
Kalisa is panting harder as she lands. There is the slightest droop to her shouldrs for a moment, a momentarily laxness in the grip of her spear. But only a moment, for it tightens once more.
She watches Farfetch'd fall, and close his eyes... she did not strike with the intent to kill, necessarily... but she did say she would not hold back. She is about to turn her attention away from him when that symbological glow kicks in, and she turns back to watch...
And watches as the last night of Galar rises once again. One might get the sense that her eyes are widening under her mask, but the hushed tones in her voice. "So this is the evolution of a pokemon..."
Sirfetch'd says that honor will not sleep, and for some reason, Kalisa nods in something approaching understanding. Her response is to raise her spear to the ready once more.
Neither will she.
Blinding speed is called forth as Sirfetch'd zips closer. Kalisa moves to meet him, swinging her spear for a flash of blade and spear--and Sirfetch'd, newly rejuvenated by his evolution, has the upper hand. There is a disquieting sound of pain as the shield slams into her stomach, and she takes a terrific blow from the follow-up, being sent staggering back. A deep cut runs down her side from the strike.
That's not acceptable. "If it is his will, none will gainsay it."
Kalisa looks to Sable. "Do not misunderstand. I am not here to stop you, merely to take your measure. I have no quarrel with your peoples... as long as they do not pose a threat to Filgaia or Lunar."
What is it that Kasu detects in Kalisa's scent?
Surely nothing familiar, for this is the first time they've met.
Tombs of rock are summoned, and Kalisa rallies her flagging strength to dart through most of them, though a few clip her on the side or a shoulder before she is free.
Chase, for all his difficulties with some forms of communications, is nevertheless a keen observer... though Kalisa would never admit to it, if he were everto share said observations.
Kalisa stares down the Nidoran as it turns to face her again. "And still you presist..." She nods as Nidoran roars, and draws her spear once more. "I have known men who have fled for less. So be it." Nidoran charges, and Kalisa blocks the advance with slant of her spear--and when the attack comes from another angle she turns to block it, and several times more before the assault is done.
"... The cutest ones...?" she asks questioningly to Chisato. She doesn't have a a great reference for cuteness, and the tone in her voice is perplexment.
'Drop.' Kalisa puts her guard up, warily regarding the drone that has been recording this entire incident. Were it to drop upon her doubtless she could simply swat it out of the air.
She doesn't see the bombs until it is too late. She is engulfed in the explosion, and as the blinding light dies down she staggers out of it, parts of her armor burnt and charred, and that's a definite limb on the right side.
She coughs as she regards the journalist warily. "... You are no mere reporter of facts," she says, warily.
Link is ever vigilant in this fight--and he is right, until Kalisa withdraws or gives up the fight, the wisest course of action is to remain alert. She meets his flurry of blows with his spear, deflecting most--though she leaves the exchange with a few more cuts on her exposed arms and sides.
Erikodus has his own trick for Kalisa it seems, and she stares in ocncern as those barrels spin up--then she pushes herself into motion, her muscles aching as she attempts to stay out of the path of that beam of electric light--her arm is caught in the blast though, and she comes to a halt, that arm hanging limply.
"Two pokemon working in symbiosis... Hmm." She's still analyzing her combatants, it seems.
Kalisa offers no retort to Josie's word of caution.
Josie's Bobadier is called out, and he has a very simple--and as it turns out very effective--attack. A single rock, flung from the heavens. Kalisa oncentrates, a swirling mass of shadow and flame--red and black in equal measure, forming above her--but the rock punctures straight through it as the barrier is still forming, shattering against her armor with a cacocphonous ding of rock on metal. She stumbles back, and there is a wheeze in her breath.
Nina comes after her with a flury of strikes of her chains weight and sickle both, and though a few of the strikes land, many more do not. "What did you think would happen when you accepted the challenge for a battle?" she says coldly. "Do not play at being a warrior if you are not prepared to accept the risks of such a choice."
But the time spent chiding is time spent for Ida to summon her wonderous golden chi, to renew her determination to end this fight beofre any more casualties or near-casualties occur. She's still winded, evading Nina's flurry of blows, and is too slow to escape Ida's strike. She takes it, full on in the stomach, and there is a groan of air suddenly being forced from her lungs.
She sinks to one knee, leaning on her spear heavily to remain upright.
She is cut, bruised, burnt, shocked, and a few other things. She is short of breath, and her one arm still isn't moving quite right.
And she is chuckling.
"Very well. I am satisfied."
Slowly she rises to her feet, struggling all the way. "An excellent demonstration. Thank you, for this fight."
"I will be watching."
That hot chafing dessert wind picks up once more, and swirls around her. A font of sand opens up on top of her and in the next instant she is gone.
<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.
"Wow, that would be sick if you was using a shield," Dirk says as Sirfetch'd makes that great leap.
Honedge's eye closes, and he laughs.
Dirk doesn't realize it yet, but he will.
As the others come in in the wake of his attack, Sirfetch'd tumbles off of Kalisa and skids on the ground -- a moment much like Farfetch'd's own landing after the initial vault. He gazes upon Nidoran, and he nods once in approval.
His shield is raised as he circles round, but it seems that their assault has at last told -- the interloper leaves honorably, and so the duck of proof interferes not. In the immediate aftermath, Sirfetch'd looks towards Link.
"Sirfetch'd." (Same hat.)
At this point - as peace returns to the area outside of the closed-off Gym - the rest of the Swordsman School runs on the field, with different levels of haste. Dirk, who has the longest legs (this is science, check it) gets there first and the first thing he does is throw his arms around Sirfetch'd and hug him.
Which mostly pulls *HIM* nearer to Sirfetch'd.
"J-jeez," he says after a couple of seconds. "What is going on with you here even. Dang."
"Sir, Sirfetch'd," Sirfetch'd begins to explain. "Sir sir, Fet-t-tt, Sirfetch'd." (I regret that I terrified you, dear fellow! I admit that I was not in my right mind, exactly, although it's difficult to say now. The change is profound, and I shall surely come to laugh at my own past foibles. Nevertheless, let it be said that I do not think I could have come to such a height without the support of you and all of the others.) "Sirfetch'd!" (And that includes all of you - fellow Pokemon and trainers and our visitors from afar alike!)
Dirk has not had the time to build the intuitive understanding of Pokemon communication with Sirfetch'd. "It's okay, dude. It - just, I was worried for you, you know."
"Sirfetch'd," concludes the knightly Pokemon, with a sweeping bow.
Dirk reaches over to grip the side of Sirfetch'd's wing and guide it up. "Like seriously. You was all bony and everything and now you're like someone glued two Black Belts together. Look at this man's musculature," Dirk says, sorta-kinda in the direction of ChaseVivaceSable.
"Sirfetch'd!" (I say!) The duck's bill pinkens as he looks aside, raising his shield as if to cover his eyes.
Dirk lets go of the wing.
<Pose Tracker> Sable Aomori has posed.
There are attacks from all sides. Sable watches many. She hears Nina call out...
"..."
She says nothing to that for now. Instead, she looks back at Josie and nods. "I see. I'll remember."
"But we're not just... a place you can go to get stronger," Sable says to Kalisa. ?"I don't care about 'his' will. You can't have my mom." That's what it meant to Sable, anyway. "...You're not here to stop us today. But will you be tomorrow? We're taking your measure, too."
Chisato is one of the cutest ones.
When Kalisa disappears, and says she will watch, Kasu howls again. Sable doesn't know what it is, but Kasu is vigilant, it would seem. Her howl means she won't let anyone sneak up on Sable.
Sable... does not read Pokemon's hearts, but she can understand Sirfetch'd and his majesty well enough. Especially that bow.
Sable smiles at Dirk and Sirfetch'd. "Very muscular," she says, and leans down to pet Kasu now that she's coming back. "He's really cool..."
<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.
Nidoran attacks! And attacks! And attacks...! Every time his attack is blocked, and every time he attacks again, refusing to be deterred, refusing to be discouraged, simply refusing to stop until -- she is gone.
In the wake of the desert winds, and giving Sirfetch'd's nod an unblinking look, Nidoran...
...collapses. Chase rushes over to his Pokemon, gently scooping him off of the ground as Pikachu hops onto Chase's shoulder, looking to Nidoran in concern. "Pika...?" The Meteor Dive was already too much for Nidoran to take, and the Pokemon was only held up by a thread spun of his will.
In the wake of that hot, desert wind they're left with, Chase hugs Nidoran. Nidoran makes a weak utterance before Chase sets him back down and rummages in his pack for Nidoran's prize:
A pink and curly Mago Berry. Nidoran shoves it in his mouth, gnawing on it with watery, shimmery eyes and begins to hiccup and sniff as Pikachu happily hugs her stubby arms around his neck and nuzzles him with a, "Piiiii pika pi!" He gets a treat and Pikachu hugs even though he l-l-loooost!
Chase approaches Dirk and Sirfetch'd with a smile meant to be a congratulations, and offers the newly evolved Pokemon an Oran Berry. The other Pokemon around shall get such offerings, too, to help recover from the battle.
Only after he's handed some out does he look to where Kalisa once was again, frowning with distant thought. Some Visitors want very strange things...
<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.
"I'm a journalist," Chisato says to Kalisa's shock, and winks. "I have my sources." For heavy ordinance, apparently.
Kalisa makes her exit. "Yeah, and so will the free people of Energy Nede, lady!" Chisato declares, pointing to her drone in the sky. She holds the pose for several seconds, and then spins a heel on Dirk. "And now," she says to herself, and flicks her wrists, and suddenly instead of a gun and a phone she has a pen and notepad. "For my next trick, I will interview a pokemon. Young man! Chisato Madison, Nede Times, do you have time for some questions!"
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida settles back into a ready stance, fists raised. Kalisa elects to concede, and Ida does not blame her. "You'd do well to listen to Sable," she says--mutters, really, since Kalisa's already gone. (Or is she?)
"Evoi!"
Ida's head snaps up at the sound. Marigold, Aurora, and Sal have picked up Ida's backpack, and together, have managed to drag it across the field to her. Aurora shrugs its strap off. Sal unzips the side compartment and rummages around. "Butterfree, Ree," she says, as she produces a Potion.
A few spritzes later, Ida feels much, much better.
Sal, meanwhile, flits over to Nidoran with a Heal Berry. He more than earned it.
<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.
Sirfetch'd gives Chase and Pikachu and Nidoran a bow before taking the Oran Berry and eating it with grace and manners. As a duck, this involves gently tossing it in the air, catching it in his mouth, and wobble-gurgle-gulping it down.
"Uhhhhh" says Dirk to Chisato, which is BASICALLY consent.