Druid Dude
Veilstone Game Corner
The woman at the counter smiles at Desmond. "A bit young, eh? No matter. 1,000 Pokedollars for 50 coins, and 10,000 for 500." she holds out two boxes, one bigger than the other. Desmond hums for a bit as he chooses, before he plops down 10,000 Pokedollars, grabbing the bigger bag, bowing slightly in thanks, and walking away quickly.
Seeing Atrin looking for a machine, he opens the bag and shoves 250 Corner Coins into Atrin's hands.
Desmond: The people here won't allow those who don't play. Just sit down, don't cause a ruckus, play a few rounds. It's my money anyway.
he reassures as he leaves, sitting at a random slot machine. To escape the notice of the bouncers, he places 3 coins in one, and starts the slot machine. He searches the sides of the machine for any sign of a belt, but it's pretty crowded, and so he pulls the lever to buy himself a little time. He stops the machine three times. Each time, he gets a 7. He laughs as coins start flooding out. He puts them in the provided bag and starts on the next one.
Desmond: Just for the belt... Just for the belt...
he murmurs as he pulls the next slot machine's lever.
Desmond: Maybe just one more...
You piss off the Venom T-Rex. Roll initiative.
Curious Mind
Veilstone Game Corner
Atrin sits at a machine, and plays a couple games. He looks over at Desmond, a bit worried.
Atrin: Hey, maybe we should find new machines. See if our luck's a bit better elsewhere. Don't forget what prize we came here for.
Druid Dude
Veilstone Game Corner
Desmond: Hold on... Just one more...
he mumbles, moving to the next machine.
Desmond: We can't just go here for a belt... There's gotta be more to this place than that!
he insists as he pulls the slot machine lever a few more times, this one failing to give him any coins. He slaps the lever in annoyance, and a white belt falls from the top of the machine.
Desmond: This thing is rigged.
he growls as he moves to the next, not noticing the belt.
You piss off the Venom T-Rex. Roll initiative.
Curious Mind
Veilstone Game Corner
Atrin is watching Desmond, increasingly worried. He does see the belt fall, and grabs it.
Atrin: That's gotta be it. Desmond, we got what we came for. We should get going.
Druid Dude
Desmond: Huh? But we just got here!
he whined, walking away and bumping into a rough-looking man who falls onto a blackjack table. The angry-looking men stand up and round on Desmond, who had dropped his bag of Corner Coins and is looking for it, ignoring the men until he's grabbed by the collar of the lead, a long-haired man. "Hey... You scratched my shoes. I hope you can compensate me." he breathes.
Desmond: Sorry, looking for my coins.
he scoffs, and the man clenches his fist.
You piss off the Venom T-Rex. Roll initiative.
Curious Mind
Veilstone Game Corner
Atrin: Sir, apologies for my friend. We were just about to leave anyway.
As he says this, Atrin reaches out to Mimir.
Atrin: Mimir, we have a problem. Desmond's gotten way too into being here and we might have accidentally picked a fight. Let Morgan know we might need help.
Mimir and Morgan's location, Veilstone City
Mimir turns to Morgan, and transmits a message to her head showing three images. One is of Desmond, the second is of an empty wallet, and the third is of the most stereotypical thug that Mimir can think of.
Sinnoh Zone
Morrigan tries, instinctively, to use a Curse or a Pain Split, but the Taunt has locked those options away for her. All she has that's an attack is Shadow Claw, and she's too far away from Beck to use it. She raises her hands in front of her face to try and block the Heat Wave, but her body is made of cloth, and it catches alight as she is burned.
Morrigan: <No, no no! This is... nooooo!>
First her mega form is stripped away, like throwing away a costume that burns up once it is off her. But she has nothing left to give, she is forced to retreat into Whitt's ball.
Whitt lets go of his dagger, which is already melting within Nitrogen.
Whitt: Oh no.
Druid Dude
Mimir & Morgan, Veilstone City
Morgan: <%^√÷¢^¢^}, Desmond...>
she curses in Metal Sound, before gesturing to Mimir to fly towards the Game Corner and doing so.
Meanwhile at the Veilstone Game Corner
Desmond seems to realize that he's in a bad situation and raises his hands in surrender.
Desmond: Alright, I'm sure we can get through this. Atrin, you can leave.
he smiles at the thugs and motions silently for his companion to leave. He wouldn't let him get involved in this accident. "Shaddup, kid." The lead thug spits. He pulls out a wad of cash and tosses it to a nearby bouncer, who tosses him a Pokeball.
Desmond: Oh Distortion.
he curses before being thrown by the thug into a slot machine. The thug sends out a Golem, points at Desmond, and roars, "Use Rollout!" the Golem tucks its head, arms and legs into its shell and spins. Patrons scream and run out as the Golem streaks towards Desmond and Atrin.
Suddenly a loud cry pierces the air and a stream of water strikes the Golem, stopping it in its tracks and causing it to faint, crashing into a table. Desmond looks behind him and only sees a blue flash.
Desmond: What the...?
The other thugs break out of their surprise and throw their Pokeballs, sending out Geodudes and Nosepasses, only for Morgan to dash into the Game Corner with Mimir.
Desmond: You can save the "I told you so" for later! Use Metal Sound!
Morgan: Oh I will.
grins Morgan as she strikes her blade against her sheathe, causing all the Pokemon to wince in horror at the sound.
You piss off the Venom T-Rex. Roll initiative.
Curious Mind
Veilstone Game Corner
Atrin: Glad I got to you, Mimir! Psychic on these guys!
Mimir lifts up a Geodude with Psychic energy, and yeets it to a roulette game, where it lands and comically is spinned around.
Druid Dude
Oh hey, the Geodude got the top prize. Coins start spilling out as the machine is broken. Morgan then flips some on her blade and begins flicking them at the other Pokemon, pinging off them.
Desmond: Alright, Atrin. This isn't an apology yet, but let's finish this quickly. Morgan, use Sacred Sword!
Morgan grins as the familiar black blade begins charging.
You piss off the Venom T-Rex. Roll initiative.
Curious Mind
Veilstone Game Corner
Atrin: Mimir, flash cannon!
Mimir does so, firing a beam of steel energy at one of the nosepasses and knocking it out!
Atrin: Apologize later, yeah. For now, just clear the way out!
Flying Colors
Sinnoh — The Mystery Zone
Nitrogen: Oh, don't give me that.
-She cues the winds to die down, allowing the heat of Beck's Drought to cut through.
Nitrogen: This is all the Frozen Emperor has to offer? Melting under the slightest pressure?
-She grabs him by the back of the neck, nails digging into his skin, and forcibly turns him around to face Beck.-
Nitrogen: I can see why you needed me. I can't see how you ever thought you had a chance. Laid low by the last remnant of a failed class, an inferior with no name beyond the serial number I was given? You're a pathetic excuse for a Templar.
-Beck approaches, steam rising under each step.-
Beck: <Count yourself lucky I'm not Bren. At least someone will enjoy this next part.>
-Beck lets out a stream of fire at Whitt's feet, intent to cook him from the ground up, like a witch on a stake.-
-It's hard to scream when you can't breathe.-
Druid Dude
Desmond & Morgan: Understood. GRAAAAAAAHHH!
they roar in unison as the Sacred Sword carves through the doors and toss any unfortunate Pokemon in the way. Desmond rushes out, Morgan covering Atrin's exit alongside Mimir. Once all of them are outside, Desmond closes the doors, and slump against them, panting heavily.
Desmond: Good... job...
he pants, before standing up.
Morgan: Right, right, don't you have something to say?
she huffs, and Desmond hangs his head in shame.
Desmond: Thank you, Morgan and Mimir. And... I'm sorry, Atrin. I got you in danger because of my stupid addiction.
he shakes his head sadly.
Desmond: This is no way for a future knight. I'm very sorry.
Edited by Jules-Firenze on Aug 19th 2023 at 11:44:51 PM
You piss off the Venom T-Rex. Roll initiative.
Sinnoh Zone
It's funny. Whitt has spent a lot of his life trying to feel the heat. It's a quirk of his creation - he runs so cold that things that are hot lose their temperature as soon as he touches them. In many ways, warmth has always been an alien idea to him.
This is the first time he has every been hot, and it's excruciating. As difficult as it is to breathe when he can't breathe, he does it anyway, thrashing desperately but not having the strength left to escape. The ice he tries to use to protect himself is only the smallest of barriers, and probably the only thing that keeps him alive.
When at last Beck stops and the flames disappear, Whitt looks up at Nitrogen. Talking hurts his throat, but he does it anyway.
Whitt: Months ago, when I told you my plan to leave the School... was there ever a moment when you considered it?
Flying Colors
Sinnoh — The Mystery Zone
-Nitrogen only looks at Whitt with contempt.-
Nitrogen: In your dreams.
Sinnoh Zone
Whitt lowers his head.
Whitt: Just make it quick.
And he makes sure he doesn't look behind Nitrogen, where both of Horus's blades are flying towards her back as quickly as they can.
Flying Colors
Sinnoh — The Mystery Zone
-Nitrogen doesn't see Horus. Beck, however, does.-
Beck: <Behind you!>
-Nitrogen's eyes widen, and she reacts just in time to phase out. As limited as her phasing ability is, it gives her just enough of a window to escape, the blades piercing through her intangible form before she would have been able to properly dodge.-
-When she becomes corporeal again, she coughs and sputters.-
Nitrogen: Beck, make sure that doesn't happen again!
-Beck snarls, and takes flight to fire a Flamethrower from above, aimed at the Doublade that almost skewered her trainer-
Sinnoh Zone
Horus has no chance against a mega-evolved Beck. But, Whitt didn't need him to win, or even to stab Nitrogen. He just needed her to let go.
He scrambles away from her, reaching a point a few feet away. He didn't want to use this option, but there's clearly no other choice. As much as it pains him to admit it, Nitrogen is more powerful. For now.
In a special pocket in his jacket is a small case, which he opens to reveal a syringe filled with dark coloured liquid. He raises it and places it against his arm, in a gap made in his shirt by the fire.
Whitt: Time for you to see just how insignificant you and your whole class are.
He presses down on the syringe, injecting the serum - the Ferocaine, which Gabriel gave him - into his veins.
The effect is instantaneous. He doubles over in pain, screaming as his veins writhe and turn black, then white. As he falls to his knees the ground where his hands touch it freezes instantly and shatters just as quick, carving holes into the earth beneath him. Mist oozes off of his body, carrying dozens of ice crystals into the air which fall again as snow just as quickly.
And then it stops. Whitt stands, quietly, and turns to face Nitrogen. His face is blank, expressionless, but the purple of his eyes has gone, replaced by a pure white iris that matches the rest of his body.
Whitt: Ferocaine Enhanced Form. Absolute Zero Emperor.
Gabriel walked over to a set of injector syringes and ran a hand over them. "Whitt, you asked for Victor and I to find some way to... "amplify" your power. I think I have an answer."
Gabriel picked up one of the syringes and tossed it idly in hand. "I call it ferocaine, it's a chemical concoction that should work as you need."
He smiled a bit. "You know tales of people overcoming their limits? This works much the same way, the human body can only exert so much strength before it starts to damage itself... we psychics are no different. We have subconscious limitations on how much energy we can output before the energies damage our bodies..."
He turned the injector towards Whitt. "Now... if you use it, make sure to use it quick, or else you risk serious if not permanent damage."
Flying Colors
Sinnoh — The Mystery Zone
-Nitrogen watches Whitt's power surge, and swears under her breath.-
Nitrogen: Damn it, there's always something else. Beck, keep up the heat, we're gonna need it!
-She lets the winds pick back up, offering her protection from the ice again, and in tandem with Beck, commands a wind vortex filled with Beck's fire to wrap around Whitt.-
Sinnoh Zone
The flames cocoon Whitt, who makes no effort to dodge or avoid them in any way. While standing in the flames, he looks down at his hands.
Whitt: Shame. I almost enjoyed that taste of warmth. But I don't even feel this. Absolute Zero Pulse.
He breathes out, and cold winds dispel the swirling flames. Whitt appears completely unharmed. He raises his hand so that it points towards Beck.
Whitt: Pest. Absolute Zero Spear.
A small glacier emerges from the ground, growing with unbelievable speed so that it stretches into the sky towards Beck. In seconds it is as large as the lance that he summoned during the fight with Brie, and that required nearly a full minute to summon.
Flying Colors
Sinnoh — The Mystery Zone
-Nitrogen continues cursing internally.-
Beck: <Ack!>
-Beck spews a gout of flame at the incoming ice lance — thankfully able to dull the point before it skewers her, but it still hits her hard and knocks her out of the sky. In her downward trajectory, she aims to collide with Whitt to at least do some damage.-
-Nitrogen, for her part, keeps blowing the wind at Whitt, trying both to knock him back and tear at his spirit-
-She's visibly reevaluating, but isn't fleeing yet.-
Sinnoh Zone
Whitt: Absolute Zero Wall.
From the ground around him, a sheer wall of ice rises up, slamming into place with a loud thud in time for Beck to slam harmlessly into it. Likewise, Nitrogen's Ominous Wind simply buffets the wall like a storm against a strong house.
Whitt then places his hand on his side of the wall.
Whitt: Absolute Zero Storm.
The wall explodes outwards, sending huge chunks of ice flying towards Nitrogen and Beck.
Whitt: How does it feel now, also-ran. To see yourself compared to my true power.
Flying Colors
Sinnoh — The Mystery Zone
-Between the crash and the subsequent ice shrapnel, what little bit of energy Beck had left is spent, and she goes down.-
-Nitrogen, too, is hit hard, the splinters shredding her coat. The winds die down as she sits up, breathing heavily.-
Nitrogen: ....
-She laughs weakly.-
Nitrogen: Feels like... you know what it takes after all. You do... what it takes to survive.
-She coughs.-
Nitrogen: No such thing as honor... when you're running from the School. No life is... precious except... your own.
-She glances up.-
Nitrogen: Why did you care about me? Nobody does.
Veilstone City
While Desmond goes to grab corner coins, Atrin eyes everywhere he can.
Atrin: Right. I'll try to find the belt while looking like I'm finding a machine for us or something.