ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

"Yeah… actually kinda scary…" I mutter.

I can't be certain of trusting Serris either, but I'm willing to follow his plan just this once.

(I say, now deciding to quiet down and continue watching the fight.)

(I give up and return to watching the fight as well. The trio has long since started doing so again as well.)

*Jani just barely gets out of the way, aided by the imprecise aim and Jani recognizing her own mistake. It explodes a few feet behind her, the sound of which causes her to react and say aloud* Holy shit...

*the mortal danger brings back an old friend* (She's too fast...    So let loose something she can't avoid.    Oh Groudon...not this again...    Let loose...you're both in the same boat.    Everyone's watching.    Want them to watch you fail? Or worse...    ...)

*despite not knowing that the mechanics are on her side, she starts a Talking Is a Free Action speech* Y'know, I remember something from biology class about certain habits of bees...it still applies to bomber bees, but well...    You're enviably quick on the uptake, so I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.   

*at first, not much seems to be happening, aside from the ground in a considerable radius from Jani contracting just a little, then without warning, it violently shakes, sending all sorts of underground debris, puffs of dirt, and even a few sizeable broken pieces of the ground itself well into the air...chaotically, unpredictably, as VA-Jani announces*

   EARTHQUAKE.   

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE FORCES OF NATURE RIGHT HERE FOLKS! *Birch bellows, while Elm elaborates* A force of nature, but to what end? Even low flying insects are resilient against ground attacks...this seems more like a matter of personal pride than a serious push!

edited 9th Sep '17 9:30:06 PM by sarysa

(I tense up at this sight...shit!... I hold on to my seat to steady myself.)

edited 9th Sep '17 6:30:35 PM by Team42Larson

[I watch as Jani's attack, something I've only seen remnants of before, send plumes of rock into the air. I can hear her...amidst the crashing and tearing of the earth, her voice somehow has a presence...a malice. This isn't Jani...no, this is Jani, but...it can't be her.]

[I'm left speechless. I had the feeling something like this would happen, that it could flare up...where's Bella? I can't place her through the dirt, is something going on? I grip the seat rests beside me, trying to keep myself calm. Is this it? Is this the start of it, the end of it?]

edited 9th Sep '17 6:37:10 PM by BlackMageAnolis

(Holding onto my seat, I look at Marlon in shock.)

M-Marlon...I don't think that's normal...

No, it isn't normal.

(I say, stunned.)

edited 9th Sep '17 7:11:16 PM by Team42Larson

>F follows the Pokémon they are familiar with and listens in to the conversation, giving a few nods and sympathetic pats on the back along the way. Eventually, their mind wanders out of boredom, and so do their eyes.

>A Psyduck approaches them near the arena. He appears to recognize them.

"Hey, aren't you the Espurr I've met way back earlier? I didn't expect you to be in Hoard as well! Your name is... F, if i remember correctly."

"Who are you and why do you know my name?"

"You mean, you forgot me already? I am the Psyduck that helped you find your way in the forests."

"oooOOH. What is you name, anyway? I never got it."

"My name's Bertrand, but you can call me Bert. Anyway, what business do you have on Hoard? I'm just here to visit a friend."

[Heh, he does look like the Sesame Street character. Sweater, hair and all.]

"Uh, I'm just here to join my friends."

edited 9th Sep '17 11:55:33 PM by fdiaperhead

*I can feel the Earthquake Jani loosed mildly. Due to the waiting room's distance from the rest of the arena, I only sense it as a magnitude 3-4 (Richter) and am unharmed.*
Oh my... What the hell? What other being could have...
*I try to remember what time (in-universe) my fight was scheduled for.*
...It can wait, can't it? Yep, cause it'll never happen...
*I dash out of the waiting room.*

(I tensely watch the seemingly endless staredown. Please don't let this be it... I have a tangent thought. Where's F? They need to see this.)

Heads up now. I may have to post Sary's (intended) next posts because...hurricane.

edited 10th Sep '17 6:13:41 AM by Team42Larson

Marlon... (I ask.) You don't think either one of them is going to go all out right here and now, do you?

(I still can't believe Jani turned out to have VA after all. Delilah is anxiously gripping my hand, Marsha is watching with her jaw dropped in shock, and Benji is just watching in grim silence.)

I hope not...but I have a bad feeling that they will, but which one?...

(I say, worriedly.)

edited 10th Sep '17 7:27:12 AM by Team42Larson

I feel like it's be worse if it were Bella, if you ask me...because then that would change everything about Serris's plans... (I say.)

Yeah...let's hope it isn't Bella..

(I trail off, in shock.)

PJ: "Scary in all the right ways... Man, does she have one hell of a gift."

*Bella does her best to avoid the chunks of earth being hurled her way, though a few manage to strike her, doing a little damage. It's still not enough to hurt her significantly, though.*

Belladonna: "Bees? Really? Honey, I'm a beefly, there's a difference."

*Bella puts her hands together and fires a scattershot Dazzling Gleam at Jani.*

Yalta: "I don't think I can see either of them going all-out, if it would give away that they have Viral Aggression. Belladonna would never be so obvious, and while I'm less certain about Jani, I doubt she'd want to give that away either."

Subsitute bits begin here.

*Jani reels from the Dazzling Gleam, her Earthquake having made her a sitting duck. That familiar glow appears in front of her, indicating that her Focus Sash has activated*

*Jani can only sigh at this point* Can't fight fate, huh? At least we got to give them a show... *then thinks to herself*    (Do what Digda taught you...)    *referring to her tutor from earlier in the day*    TAKE THIS!    *she shouts, before...digging underground*

OOH, THAT SMARTS! *Birch bellows, while Elm elaborates* Pixie Lust's Dazzling Gleam seems to have more than simply fazed Wessel, and her Reversal technique from the last round won't cut it against the flying fairy. She's already demonstrated creativity while underground — what could she be planning?

You have a point, Yalta, but what if Bella decides that she wants to have a show of force for us?...

(Fuck man, this is a nightmare playing out in front of me! It's almost like Freddy Krueger is around the corner...)

edited 10th Sep '17 8:41:22 AM by Team42Larson

(I begin to wonder if we should be ready to either fight or run in case something happens. I give another worried look at Marlon.)

edited 10th Sep '17 8:45:23 AM by kablammin45

(I think deeply, some of my thoughts leaking out..)

No...remember Ripley's plan...

*Bella sighs as Jani goes under.*

Belladonna: "Ugh, are you for real with this? Not much of a show if you go into hiding, now, is it?"

*Bella flies up, hoping that an increase in altitude will keep her out of Jani's range. She looks at her hand contemplatively before nodding to herself.*

Belladonna: "Oh, I might as well..."

*Pink energy begins to collect in her hand, though this is distinctly different from any Dazzling Gleam.*

Yalta: "I did say we should be on-guard at all times, didn't I? If I'm wrong and she does let loose, we need to be ready for that."

*any attacks that may or may not have been executed miss while Jani is underground. A fairly small radius of the earth contracts, with little bits of earth naturally trickling down, but these too eventually join the fold and contract as well. The funny thing is, it's contracting at a very unnatural angle, with the focal point actually being well outside the center of the cone*

*within the anomaly, Jani becomes visible for a split second, but not long enough to matter as the earth violently expands beneath the focal point and propels her high into the sky — damn near cheap seats height due to this being VA-Jani's work*    AERIAL ACE!    *she shouts from up high, having the canonical little dirt cone◊ beneath her for modesty...but also a couple additions. Not only are there now "dirt wings" for steering, but there are some vicious looking "dirt claws" coming out the top of the structure near Jani herself*

*Jani starts steering herself down, her launch angle having already given her a decent amount of velocity. She steers in a somewhat chaotic pattern, hoping to throw Bella off but ultimately aiming for her*

IT'S AERIAL ACE, FOLKS! A DIGLETT IS USING AERIAL ACE!! *Birch has just lost it, luckily Elm adds an experienced touch* Clearly someone has been doing her homework — Aerial Ace is the signature move of Digda, a professional battler who also happens to be situated just outside the announcer’s box! *Elm waves to Digda, while Digda dirt-waves back* Wessel seems pretty reckless about it, though...hope she "installed" some brakes!

Yes, you did say that Yalta. Even with a plan in place we need to be ready for any-

(My train of thought is interrupted by Jani using Aerial Ace in a fairly disturbing way.)

The fuck?

edited 10th Sep '17 9:00:00 AM by Team42Larson

(I watch in silence, shaking my head in shock.)

*Bewildered by Jani's movements, Bella is struck by the Aerial Ace, leaving a small gash in her side. She doesn't move for a moment, but then, her hands begin to twitch. She slowly turns to Jani, a peculiar smile across her face.*

Belladonna: "Well... That actually hurt me... Good job, I must say."

*Bella holds out her energy-filled hand, and constructs what looks like a shining pink bow from that energy. Bella grabs the ethereal string of the bow and pulls it back, a glimmering arrow manifesting as she does.*

Belladonna: "Pity I have to end this now, but I'll at least give you the courtesy of using my secret technique to finish you off. It's my own little spin on Moonblast, just so you know. Enjoy."

*Bella looses the arrow at Jani.*

Yalta: "I can't see this ending well..."

*I grin from nonexistent ear to nonexistent ear as Bella shows off her special Moonblast.*

PJ: "Hoooly shit! Niles! Niles, dude, she's doing it! She's doing the thing that she like never does oh my god this is freaking awesome!"

Wh-What the hell???

(I say in stunned shock.)

[In the split second before (perceived) impact, I shoot up from my seat, wanting to jump out and do something...]