ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

Did you learn any other moves besides fire type ones?

"Let's see… I just learned Aerial Ace and Brick Break, but I'm, uh… kind of a wimp, so they won't be as useful as I hoped. Wait, I also learned Wild Charge! … which causes recoil damage, making it incredibly risky to use…"

Jack: Trust me, type advantages aren't what wins fights, but strategy. Never forget that.

Exactly, Jack. Strategy helped me win my round 1 fight.

"Fire is thE MOST DESTRUCTIVE of the natural elements! You can take on ANY foe that stands in your way!!!"

Back inside Room 17, #42 Watanabe Street...

The Pawniard squad leader soon carefully removed the miniature door he had carved for himself out of the regular door, signalling for his subordinates to form up behind him, pointing to them and crossing his blades in a defensive stance.

The four of them practically sidled in as though they were a single entity, or at least five entities with a very loose grasp on the idea of personal space.

They looked all around them. Fairly standard Hoard apartment, from the looks of things. Pretty empty, yet also just a little messy... kitchen cupboards open, various utensils and crockery strewn about the place...

The lead Pawniard lightly tapped his foot twice on the floor to single them to hold position, before pointing to his four subordinates, directing them to different parts of the apartment. One to the kitchen, one to a bathroom, one to the bedroom, and one to stand guard at the front door. They each gave affirmative nods and quietly spread out.

edited 9th Aug '17 10:58:36 AM by PresidentStalkeyes

"Unless they're a Water type. Or Rock type. Or Ground, if I remember correctly."

"ANY foe, BITCH."

Sushi's starting to get pretty riled up.

"Shut it, you're gonna draw attention!" I hiss, half-annoyed, half-embarrassed.

That's a problem, considering your line can't use grass moves, but it doesn't mean you can't beat those kinds of Pokémon in a different way.

"ONLY when you ADMIT that you can take on ANY foe that stands in your way!!!!"

Sushi, don't embarrass him anymore.

"I will strangle you if that's what it takes to keep you quiet."

(I decide to just walk back to my waiting area.)

LEMME BACK IN! (Cortez yells.) LEMME BACK INTO MY INN!

Kid, now many times do I have to tell you to go away? (Sheila says, shoving Cortez out the door of the inn for the fifth time.) You're just a kid. You can't and don't own this inn.

NO I'M NOT! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU? I'M CORTEZ! MAWAN AND THAT NINETAILS TURNED ME INTO A TYWUNT! (Cortez shrieks, running back inside.)

For the last time, you are not Cortez, and you don't own this inn! (Sheila says exasperatedly as she picks up Cortez and sets him outside.) You're another annoying prankster out of the several we've had already. Where are your parents?

SHUT UP AND LEMME BACK IN! (Cortez runs for the door, but the Gliscor beats him to it, slamming it shut and locking the door.)

LEMME IN! LEMME IN OR YOU'RE FIRED! (Cortez shouts, headbutting the door.)

(Failing to do anything, he runs over to a nearby window to try and climb back in, but at his new smaller size, he cannot reach it in order to do so. Not wanting to damage his inn by using a move, he runs over to a nearby rock and tries to push it to the window, but it's too big and heavy for him.)

I WANT BACK IN! MOVE! MOVE MOOOOOVE!! (After several failed pushes, Cortez slumps down onto the ground exhausted.)

I...I want back into my inn... (Cortez whines.)

edited 9th Aug '17 12:41:03 PM by kablammin45

*I narrowly deflect the stream with a Dazzling Gleam and follow that up by spreading Stun Spores into the air. I send them towards Iris with a Fairy Wind, mixing the two moves together. Iris clings to her spear even more tightly as she's hit, and she staggers after breathing in the Stun Spores. With a grin, I crack my knuckles as I watch her struggle to remain standing. For a moment, I just take in the image before me, managing to ignore the pain slowly surging through me. It's just as thrilling as I'd imagine, seeing someone brought to their knees before me. I snap back to reality, however, when Iris gets back to her feet properly, pulling her spear out of the ground. She coats her spear in high-pressure water again, and I in turn begin charging another Dazzling Gleam. We look each other in the eye and share one last exchange of words, punctuated by our tense breathing, before our final clash.*

Iris: "Ya fight damn good, Whirlwind... 'Specially for a first-timer..."

PJ: "I could say the same of you, Iris... I've been dreaming of a fight like this for a while now..."

Iris; "Well, glad I could oblige, my man... Shame it's over so fast..."

PJ: "Yeah... Whaddya say, though, wanna end it with a bang?"

*In response to my question, Iris smirks.*

Iris: "Sounds good. Now then... Razor Shell!"

PJ: "Astral Ray!"

*Iris charges at me, spear blazing, and I hold out my hands, filled with pulsing energy. Deciding to be a good sport, I wait until she's just about to strike me before firing my Dazzling Gleam at her. As the beam subsides, Iris drops her spear and falls to the ground with one final grunt. As I see her fall, I catch my breath and look her over. Still breathing, bits of blood catching on her fur, and probably a good number of bruises. A sense of pride wells up within me. I did a real number on her, didn't I?*

"..."

With nothing else to do, Finley simply sits down in the lobby, waiting for it all to end.

What great fucking luck. Eliot and Mila are probably doing great on their own mission, and here she is failing her own.

PJ is probably fighting right now too... why else would he take so long. He had one job. A single job to not participate and get Bella out. It wasn't hard. What the hell went wrong?

(As Cortez sadly walks away from the inn, he sees his Haxorous lackey walking back toward the club.)

Hey! Bruce! Get me back into my inn!

Bug off, kid. Go find your parents. (The Haxorous says, continuing to walk past him.)

YOU IDIOT, IT'S ME, CORTEZ! THE ONE WHO PAYS YOU SO WELL! (Cortez yells. He grabs onto the Haxorous' tail.)

I said bug off, you little brat! (The Haxorous yells, shoving Cortez off his tail.) Your attitude stinks about as bad that ex-friend of mine. (He rubs his head and enters the club.)

GIT BACK HERE YOU MOWON! (Cortez yells, running after him.)

Sorry, honey. No kids allowed. (The Shiny Dragonite guard says, blocking Cortez from going in the club after Bruce.)

I AM FORTY-FWEE YEARS OLD! I GO HERE ALL THE TIME! LEMME IN! (Cortez yells, trying to fight his way past her.)

No you're not, where are your parents? Are you lost, honey? (The Dragonite asks in concern.)

MY PAWENTS ARE GONE AND I'M NOT WOST! LEMME IN!

(Without another word, the Dragonite picks Cortez up, drapes him over her shoulder, and begins walking off straight ahead with a pained expression on her face.)

PUT ME DOWN! UNHAND ME! I'M A HIGH-RANKING OFFICIAL ON THE COUNCIL! WEGGO AH ME!

(The Dragonite doesn't respond. Cortez looks behind himself to see where they are going. He sees a tall structure ahead of them. A worn down looking sign up front reads: "Briar Rose's Home for Orphan Dragons".)

NO! NO! NO! (Cortez shrieks, squirming around and trying to escape, but he can't escape the tight grip of the Dragonite.)

edited 9th Aug '17 1:28:47 PM by kablammin45

(I poke my head out of my waiting area and see a familiar Braxien in the lobby. I try to ping Fin.)

Fin? What are you doing here?

edited 9th Aug '17 1:28:06 PM by Team42Larson

OH, AND THAT'S A KNOCKOUT! What do you think, Elm? *Birch puts forth, while Elm replies* It was indeed an even match, but speed and timing won the day. Going for that risky move to Gleam his opponent at point blank range was the clincher for our bombastic Ribombee!

Huh...it seems Iris is down for the count. Our medical teams are in route to give her proper treatment. *they do that* Mystic Whirlwind moves on to the next round!

*time passes as the previous match is cleaned up, the announcers insert a couple sponsor mentions, and then the next round is announced*

Our next contender hails from the nearby village of Glasstone, and he's as tough as you'd expect! Give it up for — LARRY THE LAIRON!!

*audience applauses as Larry the Lairon trots into the arena. the normally quadrupedal Lairon stands up on his hind legs* Grawwwwwwwwwr!! *he "says" as he beckons the crowd* Really digging that "feral" shtick there!

*Elm is clearly struggling, as she tries desperately to make sense of the challenger* Larry's challenger is a...okay, frankly folks, I can't read this handwriting for the life of me...a DJ 81 at? *then manages to compose herself* ...a mystery species from...Birch, you give this a try.

*Birch gives it a read, and asks* Where the hell is Phi-la—del-phia? *the final part is legible enough for Elm to read, but Elm's pretty confounded still* Give a warm Hoard welcome to...Nuclear Wessel?! We really need some sort of standards here, Birch. *to which he retorts* Literacy for a tournament? What, will they throw books at each other? *which is still a little audible to the crowd*

She sighs, and looks around for the source.

There's Marlon, alright...

The mission was a fucking failure. All PJ and I came here to do was to convince Bella from joining, to keep this town safe. Now PJ is fighting, Bella is off doing who-gives-a-shit, and I'm left to wallow in defeat.

Shit. I'm almost certain that both of them are ticking time bombs and that if they're allowed to keep at it like that, the VA will completely take them over.

YEAH, NO SHIT! WHY DO YOU THINK I'M HERE?!

Finley breathes, frustrated.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated. What do we do?

There will be quite some time until my next fight so I could come out and talk to you about this if you want.

Sure, if you want. I don't know what good it'll do. Only thing I can think of now to keep Bella out is...

To hurt her just enough.

Nevermind.

Something like that... it's out of the question immediately.

edited 9th Aug '17 1:49:46 PM by BaconZorp