Session 26

Monica turns the cash register display back toward her and shrugs. "I mean, another gym leader? At this?"
Sam Spade: "Odd. And worrisome."
Sam Spade: "But I like her and I'm pretty sure I'm glad to have a chance to battle her? Right, Malta?"
Malta cheeps confidently and wiggles her tailfeathers.
Max Thorn scratches his chin. "Eh, gym leaders are people too."
Monica: "Whoa, wait, you know her?"
Esme: "We met her back in Metro Beach!"
Max Thorn: "We, and she, helped the Metro Beach leader get back into the groove, as it were."
Sam Spade: "Yeah."
Monica tilts her head. "Huh. I didn't know gym leaders traveled that much."
Monica: "Anyway, it'll be starting soon, so you should probably go get your cute friend."
Sam Spade: "Cheri does."
Sam Spade: "Oh, right!"
Sam Spade: "Um. Do you want to come with us? I'm sure Nurse Joy would be happy to see a friendly face…and see that face hasn't taken any damage recently."
Max Thorn: "And is in fine form."
Monica shakes her head. "I have to manage the store. Matches like this always mean crowds, and crowds always mean shoppers."
Esme: "Business is good."
Sam Spade: "Alright, then. We'll tell her you said hi, then."
Monica: "Besides, I doubt she'll be able to do anything but talk business until sundown."
Sam Spade: "And then you have business, too, huh."
Max Thorn: "Mmm. At least stop by long enough to reassure her that you're fine."
Monica shrugs. "Alright…? I'll stop by tonight. Maybe bring her dinner."
Sam Spade does not clench her fist and say 'YES!' out loud. And if Monica tries to read her mind, she'll know.
Anna Tommize smiles a bit.
Anna Tommize: "Her cooking is good too…"
Monica: "Oh! There you are!"
Anna Tommize flinches at the attention.
Anna Tommize: "H-hello…"
[OOC] WC GM: Anna's gotten back out of the center, then?
[OOC] Anna Tommize: I s'pose so.
Monica: "Alright. Just make sure, in an hour, you're where the crowd's gathering."
Max Thorn nods, then steps out of the store with a wave.
Esme heads out to make preparations!
[OOC] Sam Spade: If Anna's here, is there anything we want to do before we go to the tournament? We already did daily training, so.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Well, Esme wants to dowse.
[OOC] Esme: ABD, Always Be Dowsin'
[OOC] WC GM: Go for it.
[OOC] WC GM: Orange shards, of course.
Esme decides to go for a quick dowse around the town! Luckily this area has exactly the color she's looking for…
Esme rolled up 9#1d6: 4 4 6 4 2 4 1 2 6 (33)
[OOC] Esme: There we go, danke
Esme rolled up 2#1d6: 1 6 (7)
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Hmm.
Esme rolled up 1d6: 3 (3)
Esme rolled up 9#1d6: 4 2 5 5 4 1 6 1 3 (31) (Part deux)
Esme rolled up 1d6: 6 (6)
Esme rolled up 1d6: 4 (4)
[OOC] Esme: 14 Orange, golly gee
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Wow good haul
[OOC] Esme: Seriously though I've got like 30 orange shards and it only takes 4 to make a type booster/brace or 6 to make a Focus/Stat Booster >_> If you want equipment feel free to ask her
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Orange does ground, right?
[OOC] WC GM: Normal, fighting, dragon.
[OOC] Esme: Sadly nope, Fighting/Normal/Dragon
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Oh, that doesn't help her.
[OOC] WC GM: Ground is green.
[OOC] Max Thorn: What color's for fairy?
Esme returns triumphant with her bundle, and fiddles around with a few of them until match-time, hoping to finish a nice collar for Gervais…
[OOC] Esme: Red
[OOC] WC GM: "Red is Fire, Fairy, and Psychic; Orange is Normal, Fighting, and Dragon; Yellow is Electric, Rock and Steel; Green is Bug, Grass, and Ground; Blue is Water, Ice, and Flying; Violet is Poison, Dark, and Ghost."
[OOC] Esme: Like Type boosters are just +5 to moves, Bracers are 15 Damage Reduction VS moves, Stat Boosters are +1 CS, Focuses are trainer only but +5 to any stat except HP
Max Thorn: "Oh! Esme, would you be able to do a Fairy-type and Ice-type booster, please?"
Esme looks up. "Oh, you know boosters! Well, in theory, yes. In practice…" She digs around in her bag. "I could finagle an ice one at the moment. Haven't really found any fairy-essenced shards yet."
Max Thorn: "Huh. Didn't find any shards near Foundry Town, then?"
Esme: "Well I did, but…"
Esme motions to the pile of Yellow shards.
Esme: "In any case, it's for little Noot, I'm guessing?"
Max Thorn: "…Ah. Oh. Steel, right. And yes, it is."
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Hmm, stat boosters would be helpful for Meeps.
Nootaikok yipsqueaks, his bundle of tails swaying.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Defense stages.
Esme smiles. "Not a problem. Let's see…" She rummages through her bag, fishing out a handful of blue shards. Given a few minutes, some strange noises, and a tiny shower of sparks she fashions it into a small circlet for the Vulpix.
Esme hands it to Max. "There you go!"
Sam Spade: "That was…kinda freaky. And really neat."
Nootaikok presents his head for Max as the circlet's affixed, and the little fox'mon's tails wag happily. He pads over to Esme and attempts to lick her face or hands, whichever he can reach.
It is easy to spot the crowd as it begins to form. There are no megaphones or shouts, just a general gathering of people around what could almost be a town square, now that you notice the position of buildings around it.
Max Thorn whistles, and Nootaikok rejoins Max as he joins the crowd.
Esme: "Hee~. Glad you like it, mon petit. Gervy, I finished your collar too!" She looks up to the crowd. "Just in time too, it seems."
Anna Tommize: "Ooh…"
It is easy to recognize Cheri in the middle of the crowd, from her style of dress. She is surveying with a grim expression.
No sign of Diablo yet, that you can see.
Sam Spade makes her way towards Cheri.
Sam Spade: "Excuse me, Madame Cheri?"
Cheri: "Oh! Ze carina! You and your friends are here?"
Sam Spade: "Yes, we are!"
Sam Spade: "Um. Is something wrong? You don't look happy."
Cheri: "Si. This exhibition. It is disonore!"
Sam Spade frowns.
Esme tags along behind Sam. "I'm guessing it's bad?"
Sam Spade: "How so?"
Cheri gestures to the crowd. "'Ow many have the badge? Quarter? Half?"
Anna Tommize raises her hand.
Sam Spade: "No, Anna, this badge."
Anna Tommize tilts her head.
Anna Tommize: "Oooh…"
Anna Tommize lowers her hand.
Cheri: "His badge, his regole…but it should be won. Earned."
Sam Spade: "She's saying as much as half the crowd is only here to make it harder on the ones who don't."
Sam Spade: "Or how many could earn it?"
Cheri: "No. I am saying, this is not how it should be!"
Sam Spade: "Well."
Anna Tommize: "H-h-how should it be, ma'am…?"
Max Thorn: "People should only compete with others in their weight class."
Max Thorn: "Someone with a badge shouldn't be facing someone who doesn't, because it's not fair to the person without."
Cheri winks at Max. "Ah. You guess my dispetto?"
Sam Spade: "Huh."
Esme: "Especially when it comes to earning said badge, yeah. Kind of lopsided."
Esme: "Are you going to give them all Bibarels again?"
Sam Spade: "That's definitely what worried me about it…"
Cheri giggles as the crowd begins to step back, leaving a total of 18 trainers in a rough circle.
Cheri: "No. Something more…'special'…"
Sam Spade: "…Oh dear."
Max Thorn: "Think so, yeah."
[OOC] Max Thorn: Are we in that number?
[OOC] WC GM: Yes.
Aside from the party and Cheri, most of the trainers seem to be residents of Dojoholm - and many look like their pokemon. In order from the party's and Cheri's left:
A pair of 10 year olds in matching gis and baseball caps, one standing next to a machop, one next to a timburr. It is hard to tell if they are boy or girl, though the one with the timburr has a ponytail. Their identical poses suggest they study under the same sensei, at least.
A somewhat hirsute young man, probably around 18, in torn street clothes with a mankey standing on his head.
Identical twin boys in what seems to be a practiced mirror pose, one dressed in red with a sawk next to him, one dressed in blue with a throh next to him.
A girl with an intense look on her face and a diagonal scar across her nose, looking into the eyes of her lucario. Perhaps they are having a last-minute empathic tactical discussion?
A free-spirited boy, maybe 12, wearing a wingsuit and running around a bit. His hawlucha is trying to get him to calm down, presumably to focus on the match.
Identical twin girls in what seems to be a practiced mirror pose, scowling at the twin boys as if accusing the boys of ripping them off. The girl in blue has a meditite, while the girl in red has a mienfoo.
A scruffy-looking lad, the kind you'd expect to find in a dark alley (if there were any in Dojoholm), standing back to back with his tyrogue.
A plain-looking tomboy making eyes at said lad, with a pancham.
And finally a slightly obese boy, perhaps training for sumo, in loose clothing though you can see suspenders under his shirt, with a makuhita.
Other than Cheri, none of the trainers seem to be much older than the party.
Sam Spade readies her weapons for the fight. Specifically, she slaps her cheeks a bit to bring some more color to them, then lets Malta preen her hair into place.
[OOC] Sam Spade: And we're still down a MAS?
[OOC] Max Thorn: Looks like.
[OOC] WC GM: Jack is present even if he won't be acting.
Max Thorn brushes his fingers past his left ear, coming away with Antheia. Nootaikok jumps upward and dematerializes into his ball.
Meeps exhales. It's clearing raring to go.
Cheri: "I t'ink they only have uno each. I don't know about you, but I brought tre."
Esme has Gervais in front of her, with Lucrece a bit offways in the crowd. "You watch from there, Luc! Get some more battle data for now!"
Anna Tommize gulps.
The overhead whistling of incoming airborne draws the crowd's attention up.
Max Thorn: "I've two, but Nootaikok's not going to handle them well. Antheia, on the other hand…"
In a firey aura as if fired as part of a draco meteor, Diablo streaks from somewhere above to land in the middle of the circle, making a small crater. He stands as the dust settles.
Esme claps her hands together. "A striking entry."
Anna Tommize: "Uh…h-hello…"
Diablo spreads his arms and slowly turns to address the entire crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen! Today we have a fine exhibition, young trainers and visitors alike! The rules are simple: whoever has a pokemon left standing when the fighting is done shall earn a badge! This will otherwise be a standard League match; the audience defines the arena's size."
Sam Spade: "Stan…aww."
The crowd looks at each other, then forms up to present a more solid line behind the trainers.
Sam Spade shakes her hair loose.
Diablo nods at Sam. "Today is a pokemon battle only. No trainer participation."
Both sets of twins GLARE at Diablo.
Diablo looks back at them. "And YOU know exactly why."
Esme: "Probably for the best…"
The twins look a little sheepish.
Sam Spade takes a step back and taps her shoulder below where Malta is standing. Malta flutters down to the ground in front of Sam.
Max Thorn tosses Antheia in, a grim smile on his face as the flower-clutching fairy floats to the ground.
Diablo: "Now! Bring forth your pokemon and let the battle BEGIN!" He leaps away, clearing the audience (if barely) in one bound.
Sam Spade: "Malta, are you ready?"
Malta: "Cheep!"
Cheri winks and points up. "Now! Enter, my amico!"
Lightning streaks from an empty sky with a brilliant flash! When the light clears, a zapdos is in the air in front of Cheri.
Sam Spade: "Um."
The other trainers…pause for a moment, looking at this.
Sam Spade: "That's."
Sam Spade: "Um."
Anna Tommize gulps and steps forward with Meeps.
Cheri giggles.
Esme: "Unexpected!"
Esme quickly registers it in her pokedex as seen.
Max Thorn: "Now, how's /that/ supposed to be fair?"
Sam Spade: "Madame Cheri, I assume your goal is to level the playing field, not ensure that everyone loses?"
Pokedex: "Zapdos. A legendary bird Pokémon that is said to appear from clouds while dropping enormous lightning bolts."
Anna Tommize winces and glares.
Esme: "Mm. Mmm. Yeah that sounds about right."
Anna Tommize: "J-Jerk!"
Cheri: "Not everyone will lose. Someone has to win, no?"
Sam Spade: "Sure, but…a bird like that one, you can probably ensure that Zapdos is the last one standing."
The zapdos looks around, before settling eyes on Lucrece. At this range the party can see it roll its eyes.
Cheri: "And if there is no disonore…"
The zapdos wheels around and flies off.
Cheri: "…huh? Oy! Get back here!"
Sam Spade: "Ah…heh…"
Anna Tommize: "…Typical…"
Cheri ducks through the crowd and runs after it.
Max Thorn facepalms.
Diablo: "And we have our first disqualification!"
Esme blinks, and glances over to Luc with a shrug. "Buh?"
Max Thorn: "I *told* you she was special."
Sam Spade: "Seems to me like the zapdos figured there was no reason to be here."
[OOC] WC GM: Round 1! Trainer actions first, in any order you like.
Max Thorn: "Eh. Let's groove, Antheia!" ((Agility Orders))
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Hmm. Sage skills are illegal right?
Esme: "Okay… Well, you're up Gervy! Stay focused and show them how it's done!" ((Focused Orders))
Gervais snorts with a small smirk. "Rino!"
Anna Tommize: "M-Meeps…be careful!" (Sage if legal?)
Sam Spade: "Malta! I want you to focus on that Throh for now! Stay sharp, though!" ((Focused Orders + Tag.))
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Triggers cheerleader's free action thing to put excited on Meeps.
[OOC] WC GM: Sage itself is probably okay, since it's a buff like a X-Sp.At. The others - yeah.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Alright.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: So Meeps has sage + excited
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Oh I have two edges and a feature unspent.
[OOC] WC GM: For this fight, given the number of combatants, we'll only focus on anything that involves the PC or their pokemon, whether as attackers or defenders.
The hawlucha stares down the crowd, as if daring someone to make the first move.
[OOC] WC GM: Gervais's turn!
Gervais rears up, then slams down on his front paws, sending a blast of spines towards the Makuhita! [Poison Sting]
Esme rolled up 1d20+2: 14 (14)
[OOC] WC GM: Hits
Esme rolled up 1d8+27: 28 (28)
A solid hit!
The sawk takes the hawlucha's challenge and tackles! The mienfoo and lucario act one second later, but see each others' motions and break off to attack each other instead.
[OOC] WC GM: Malta & Antheia!
Max Thorn whistles sharply, and a trio of faerie lights pop into being around Antheia. The little fairy then spins and sends up a glowing glyph, which shines upon the party's pokemon to give +1 to all rolls for the round.
[OOC] Max Thorn: That's Fairy Lights, which is a Standard Action, and Arcane Favour, which is a Free Action.
Malta bursts into the air, heading straight for the Throh! As she passes, she pecks it right in the forehead!
Sam Spade rolled up 1d20+2 2d6+8+6: 4 (4), 20 (20) (AC 2.)
[OOC] Sam Spade: Erg. Betting that thing has 3 Eva…
A hit! Barely, but it seems the lucario hit hard. The throh is down!
[OOC] Sam Spade: Well!
The lucario's trainer frowns menacingly at Sam.
The sawk tries to take advantage of the distraction and pummel the lucario - who sidesteps, causing the sawk to miss by a centimeter.
The meditite gangs up with the mienfoo to harass the hawlucha.
The pancham walks up to the tyrogue and presents…is that a note of some kind? Its tomboy trainer looks hopeful, until the tyrogue shreds it.
[OOC] Sam Spade: "Do you like me? Y/N"
Esme: "Oh no!"
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Oh wow jerk
Anna Tommize frowns at the tyrogue's trainer. Mean.
Max Thorn: "How rude!"
The timburr and machop pile on the mankey.
The makuhita thrusts an arm at Gervais!
WC GM rolled up 1d20: 7 (7)
WC GM rolled up 1d8: 6 (6)
WC GM rolled up 2d8+29: 37 (37)
[OOC] WC GM: 8 damage after defense
Hits three times!
[OOC] WC GM: Meeps' turn!
Meeps carefully adjusts its stances and searches for threats, letting loose a sharp growl to dissuade any threats. "Attack me and I'll cripple you for the rest of the battle" seems to be the message.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Growl to any targets within range. If none are in range, Meeps will position itself to clip the Lucario.
[OOC] WC GM: Consider the lucario, makuhita, and sawk in range.
Anna Tommize rolled up 1d20: 6 (6)
[OOC] WC GM: Kind of straddling the border between lucario/sawk and makuhita.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: AC is 2
Three pokemon are growled at!
[OOC] WC GM: Round 2! Trainer actions first.
Max Thorn: "Keep up the groove, Antheia!" ((Agility Orders))
Anna Tommize: "M-Meeps? What're you doing?!" ((Moment of action, free temp. action points for two allied trainers.))
Sam Spade: "That was good, Malta, keep it up, but focus on the tyrogue for now!"
The pancham's trainer just…GLARES at the tyrogue's, one eye twinkling. Tyrogue and trainer gulp in unison.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Changing Tag.
The hawlucha dances around the incoming attackers and retaliates with a one-two motion.
[OOC] WC GM: Gervais!
Gervais don't like them slappyhands one bit. He leaps at the Makuhita with his horn! [Peck]
Esme rolled up 1d20+2: 22 (22)
[OOC] WC GM: CRIT!
[OOC] Max Thorn: Who's the nearest foe to Antheia that isn't a PC 'mon?
Esme rolled up 2d8+28: 41 (41) (IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE)
[OOC] WC GM: That *was* makuhita; now it's either sawk or lucario.
The makuhita goes down! Its trainer recalls it, sighs, and slinks back into the crowd.
Max Thorn: "Nice shot, Gerv!"
The mienfoo grabs one of the hawlucha's arms and throws!
The sawk looks between its opponents, and goes for the lucario again - missing. The lucario retaliates with a knee to the sawk's stomach; in one hit, the sawk is out of it, sliding to a halt with dazed eyes.
The lucario's trainer does not miss a beat, looking at Sam and beckoning with one outstretched hand.
[OOC] WC GM: Malta & Antheia!
Esme: "Hee~, his training shows! …Though that lucario seems like a problem."
[OOC] Max Thorn: Okay…
Max Thorn: "Want to tag-team the lucario with Antheia, Malta?"
Sam Spade: "I pretty much figured the lucario was occupied, but it really wants to get Malta."
Sam Spade: "I think Malta should have this, though."
[OOC] Sam Spade: Can I change tags or will that have to wait for Sam's next turn?
Anna Tommize: "B-be careful Sam…"
Max Thorn: "Okie-doke." Max scans the field. Who's the next nearest, then?
[OOC] WC GM: Go ahead and change tags.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Alright, then.
The lucario is definitely the nearest non-party pokemon.
Sam Spade: "Give that Lucario a taste of your air power, Malta! Peck!"
[OOC] Max Thorn: I said *next* nearest, as in the nearest that is not the lucario. :p
[OOC] Max Thorn: But eh.
Max Thorn: "…Right. Antheia, go teach that tyrogue a lesson!"
Max Thorn rolled up 1d20: 11 (11) (Fairy Wind)
Sam Spade rolled up 1d20+3 2d6+8+6: 13 (13), 21 (21)
[OOC] WC GM: Ah. That would be the timburr/machop/mankey melee.
[OOC] WC GM: Both hit.
Max Thorn rolled up 2d8+22: 33 (33) (super-effective, woo)
Deep hits. The lucario is on one knee. Its trainer…grins.
Sam Spade frowns at the lucario and its trainer.
Esme: "Why is she smiling?"
The timburr and machop manage to take down the mankey and immediately begin looking for other targets.
The medititeand mienfoo seem to be having trouble with the hawlucha.
The tyrogue nervously steps back from the pancham, who steps forward with fists balled, a menacing aura growing in sync with its trainer's aura.
[OOC] WC GM: Meeps' turn!
Meeps rolls its eyes at Anna and, without taking its feet off the ground, carefully shuffling to position the Timbur/Machop/Mankey group between it and the Meditie and Mienfoo before sparking electricity around itself to form a barrier. (Reflect. Cheerleader activates; applying a second stack of excited.)
[OOC] WC GM: Round 3! Trainer actions.
Max Thorn: "Keep groovin', Antheia! You're doing great!" ((Agility Orders))
Sam Spade: "Keep an eye on that lucario, Malta, they're up to something over there."
Anna Tommize watches, fretting over Meeps. Nervously, she looks up at the lucario trainer. H-how is she OK with her partner fighting like that…Still, Anna looks back at Meeps and tries to keep rooting her her partner! (Sage, third stack of excited.)
[OOC] Sam Spade: Focused orders, still, but thanks to Momentum, Malta is +2 to Evasion against the Lucario.
The lucario's trainer tosses something - a potion of some sort - to her lucario. The lucario stands back up.
Esme gives Gervais a thumbs up. "Encore!"
[OOC] WC GM: Med Ed or Poke Ed to recognize it.
Sam Spade rolled up 2d6: 4 (4) (Med Ed)
Esme rolled up 2d6: 10 (10) (What are Pokemon)
[OOC] Sam Spade: Haw, the incompetents are rolling =D
[OOC] WC GM: Eh, Esme got it. Anyway, Gervais's turn.
Max Thorn rolled up 5d6: 16 (16) (pokemon ed :V)
Esme pouts. "I should really invest in some medicine training at some point… but oh well… Gervy!"
Gervais perks.
Esme: "Knock it out of em!"
Anna Tommize shivers at the lucario trainer's smile. Scary! This woman is scary!
Gervais nods, and leaps ahead, skidding to a halt in front of the lucario. It kicks back with its hind legs! [Double Kick]
Esme rolled up 2#1d20: 18 17 (35)
[OOC] WC GM: Hit hit
Esme rolled up 2d6+24: 32 (32) (Super Effective!)
Max Thorn: "Looks like a one-rounder's needed."
A solid hit, but the lucario's still up.
The lucario retaliates with a haymaker PUNCH, apparently intended to power up the lucario to boot!
WC GM rolled up 1d20: 16 (16)
[OOC] Sam Spade: Ouch. 6 Evasion can't beat that.
WC GM rolled up 2d6+22: 29 (29)
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Powerup punch doesn't hit hard, but you'll need to drop it soon.
[OOC] WC GM: 4 damage after defense
There is a bit of a dustcloud around the meditite, meinfoo, and hawlucha - but the meinfoo comes sailing out of it at Meeps, only to bounce off Meeps' reflect shield and sail into the crowd.
The timburr and machop nod at each other, and jump at Meeps - landing on and leaping off the reflect shield to land in the dust cloud. It soon settles, with the meditite and hawlucha KOed as well.
Gervais grins through the blow! "Riiiinooooo~"
Meeps paws the ground and lets out a low "baaah" .
The pancham has the tyrogue by a headspike. Likewise, the pancham's trainer has the tyrogue's trainer by an ear. They drag their respective targets out of the arena.
[OOC] WC GM: Malta, Antheia, and Meeps!
Max Thorn: "To that end…Antheia, throw some shade on that lucario. Pay-to-win ain't right."
Sam Spade: "Malta, finish off that Lucario! One last Peck!"
Max Thorn rolled up 1d20 2d8+22: 5 (5), 32 (32)
Sam Spade rolled up 1d20+5 2d8+8+6: 20 (20), 18 (18) (AC 2)
Meeps carefully watches Malta's attack out of the corner of its eye.
[OOC] Sam Spade: …20…roll of 15, no crit. Aww.
[OOC] WC GM: Yeah, sorry.
The lucario is barely standing.
[OOC] WC GM: Meeps!
Max Thorn: "I know I'm not Anna, Meeps, but think you could give the lucario a shocker, please?"
Meeps sighs and saunters away from the dust cloud, choosing not to cotton spore the whole group, and stomps in front of it, letting loose a shrill Baah before arcing electricity at the staggering lucario!
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Thundershock
Anna Tommize rolled up 1d20: 10 (10)
[OOC] WC GM: Hits
Anna Tommize rolled up 1d8+6+13: 26 (26)
Max Thorn: "Much appreciated."
Anna Tommize looks in awe as Meeps brutally hold the shock on the lucario until it falls.
The lucario goes down. Its trainer just smiles more broadly as she recalls her pokemon.
Anna Tommize looks back at the lucario's trainer. T-this can't be what she wanted…
Anna Tommize: "Why…"
Max Thorn: "Though…I get the feeling that the trainer's a bit of a git."
Meeps pivots to face…Malta.
That just leaves the machop and timburr. They appear to be unscathed.
[OOC] WC GM: Round 4! Trainer actions!
Anna Tommize: "H-how…"
Anna Tommize uses babydoll eyes on the lucario's trainer.
Sam Spade: "Malta, is something…keep an eye on Meeps, for now?"
Max Thorn: "Okay. I'm gonna go for the machop. Antheia, you're doing fantastic! Keep up the groove!" ((Agility Orders))
Esme: "In the home stretch, Gervy! Don't lose sight of the win!" ((Focused Orders))
[OOC] Sam Spade: Focus Orders, tagging Meeps just in case that lucario's trainer is up to something mean…like mind control.
Meeps Baaaahs back at Anna.
Anna Tommize: "It's an…it's an individual tournament…"
Anna Tommize: "Meeps no!"
MachopTrainer: "Actually it isn't."
Anna Tommize: "Eh?"
Anna Tommize tilts her head.
TimburrTrainer: "Your friends figured it out. We can tell."
Anna Tommize: "B-but our team is like five people it's not fair…"
Sam Spade: "Yeah, but really, it's whichever pokemon are standing at the end, yeah? Whenever 'end' is."
Sam Spade: "Note how Jack hasn't told Sandy to do *anything*."
Anna Tommize stares at Sam sort of slackjawed.
Max Thorn: "Sandy's not *done* anything, either."
Anna Tommize: "A-and Meeps hasn't…except when Max asked…"
Anna Tommize looks back at Meeps and sighs.
The two identically-clad kid trainers fold their arms. "You are wise." "We're ready if you are."
Max Thorn: "Not…quite true. Meeps used Reflect."
Anna Tommize sighs.
Sam Spade surveys the rest of the trainers. How many are still really into the fight?
Sam Spade: "Anyone else wanna stay in? I know Malta's having fun."
Meeps turns away from Malta after locking eyes with it, and faces the Machop/Timburr pair.
Anna Tommize: "Grr…"
Sam Spade grins at where Diabolo is standing.
Anna Tommize: "M-Meeps! Kick their butt!"
Only the two kid trainers are still participating. The rest have recalled their pokemon - save for that shady guy and the tomboy who left, the latter of whom seems to be lecturing the former into submission.
Meeps, in turn, bellows at the Machop/Timburr pair.
Sam Spade: "I also know I'm not gonna quit, because I've seen Diabolo withhold badges for insufficient spirit."
Max Thorn: "Don't really think this tournament's a fair assessment of skill, so much. Teamwork, perhaps…"
Max Thorn: "Would explain the lucario, actually."
Max Thorn: "Since we were only able to handle it as a team."
Max Thorn: "So! Let's do this."
Sam Spade: "That. Yeah, that would make sense."
[OOC] WC GM: Perception or Intuition checks, all.
Max Thorn rolled up 3d6: 10 (10) (Perception)
Sam Spade rolled up 4d6: 17 (17) (Perception)
Esme rolled up 2d6: 12 (12) (Intuition)
Anna Tommize rolled up 3d6: 13 (13) (perception)
Anna Tommize: "Meeps! Be careful!"
Max Thorn: "Be on your guard. I have a bad feeling about this…"
[OOC] WC GM: Gervais has first action.
Esme tilts her head. "Yeah… Gervy, keep your distance!"
The kid trainers call out, "Machop, stay back!" "Timburr, block anything that comes in!"
Sam Spade: "Ready for the final battle, or ready to settle it?"
The Nidorino complies, hopping backwards and firing spines from max range towards the Machop! [Poison Sting]
Esme rolled up 1d20+2: 5 (5)
[OOC] Esme: PBBT
Sam Spade: "Malta, focus on the Machop…"
The machop ducks the spines.
[OOC] WC GM: Malta and Antheia!
Sam Spade: "If Diabolo hasn't called it, then I guess we're still in play. But while it would bother me to have to fight Meeps or Antheia, I'm still having fun!"
Sam Spade: "Malta, use Peck!"
Max Thorn: "Put some wind in play, Antheia!"
[OOC] Sam Spade: Working too well not to. Buuut Momentum is capped at 6, so.
Max Thorn rolled up 1d20 2d8+22: 3 (3), 30 (30) (Fairy Wind, AC 2)
Sam Spade rolled up 1d20+5 2d8+8+6: 14 (14), 30 (30) (Peck attack with Focus Training, Focus Orders, and 6x Momentum.)
[OOC] Max Thorn: which is definitely a miss.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Which is definitely not. And super-effective.
Malta's peck dives in…only for the timburr to shield the machop with its wooden beam! Still, the timburr is driven back into the machop.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Aww.
The machop and timburr just…hop back, getting as far away as they can while still being inside the arena.
[OOC] WC GM: Meeps' turn!
Anna Tommize: "Meeps! G-go knock the Timburr out of the arena! Tackle!"
Meeps lowers itself and starts sprinting, fully intending to drive itselfs into the Timbur without stopping.
Anna Tommize rolled up 1d20: 15 (15)
[OOC] WC GM: Hits
Anna Tommize rolled up 1d8+8+6: 18 (18)
The timburr, and machop with it, are pushed right up to the audience - but not through them.
[OOC] WC GM: Round 5! Trainer actions!
Meeps stands before them, locking eyes.
Anna Tommize: "Meeps! Don't give up! You have them on the ropes!"
Sam Spade: "Malta, focus on the Machop still!"
Esme eyes Gervais, who nods in turn. Keep it steady! ((Focused))
MachopTrainer: "What do you think? Will they figure it out?"
[OOC] Anna Tommize: They're using Bide of course
TimburrTrainer: "I hope so. You know we can't beat all of them."
Max Thorn: "All right, Antheia. Sit pretty, and wait."
The two trainers give Max a hopeful look.
Meeps stands and glares. "No matter what you're doing, it's going to have to go through ME."
[OOC] WC GM: Gervais's turn, unless Max is going to react.
Gervais holds position, getting himself pumped for whatever's waiting… [Focus Energy]
Max Thorn stretches, and sits. "C'mon back, Antheia. We're the only ones still fighting."
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Flabebe has tackle too, doesn't it? It doesn't hit too hard and we may be able to finish pushing them out.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Yeah, but they're not trying to win, why should we make them lose?
Max Thorn: "The tournament is over when no one is fighting any longer, however that comes about."
[OOC] WC GM: Malta, then Meeps.
Max Thorn: "Is that not correct?" He addresses the machop and timburr's trainers.
Sam Spade: "Malta, see what you can do to get ready if Diabolo says we're wrong. Agility!"
Malta fluffs her feathers. She looks faster.
The trainers smile and bow in unison. "That was your plan, was it not?" "We want in!"
Max Thorn: "…De facto, I guess it was."
[OOC] WC GM: Meeps' turn.
Meeps continues glaring, not breaking eye contact, but instead crackling electricity and releasing fluff all over its opponents. (Cotton spore. -3 speed stages.)
Anna Tommize rolled up 1d20: 2 (2)
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Ac2 haha rip
Max Thorn: "The best fight is the one not had, generally. So."
Diablo: "One pokemon still fights! The battle continues until there is no more fighting!"
Anna Tommize: "Meeps what are you doing?"
Max Thorn: "See?"
[OOC] WC GM: Next round. Trainer actions, then Gervaise, Malta, Antheia, and Meeps.
Anna Tommize does nothing. Meeps just holds its ground.
Max Thorn yawns, and pulls out a stick. He releases Nootaikok, and plays fetch with the little fox'mon.
Sam Spade: "Anna, send out your Rotom!"
Diablo looks between the trainers for a moment, then laughs out loud. "You're serious. I guess that is by the rules. Okay! This match is over! Seven victors!"
Esme: "Nice!"
The two kid trainers jump and high-five each other. "Yaaay~!"
Meeps barks at its opponents on the side of the ring. It's not satisfied! Proudly turning around, it saunters back to Anna.
The crowd begins to disperse.
Anna Tommize: "Meeps! What's gotten into you…"
Max Thorn: "Competitive spirit?"
Anna Tommize ruffles its fur out.
Anna Tommize: "D-don't get yourself hurt…they're fighting pokemon…"
Gervais all but prances back to Esme, grinning the whole while.
Anna Tommize looks at the timburr and machop trainers.
Suddenly the lucario's trainer seems to slide right in front of Anna, looking her in the eyes. "You. Rematch. Sundown."
Anna Tommize looks at the lucario.
Anna Tommize: "E-eh!?"
Anna Tommize: "M-Me…?"
Anna Tommize: "But, why…"
The lucario is still in its ball. Probably its trainer has not been to the pokemon center yet.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: I like Lucario girl she seems cute~
Esme: "Excellent, mon petit chou~"
Anna Tommize: "I-I don't want m-my partner to get hurt, though…"
Max Thorn returns Antheia to his left ear, and continues to play fetch with Nootaikok for a bit.
The lucario's trainer grins. "Because. Fluffy." She pats Anna's head just above her mears. "Your pokemon too."
Anna Tommize quakes under the scary lady's touch.
Max Thorn: "Just don't get fleeced, Anna."
Anna Tommize: "A-aah….w-why…"
[OOC] Max Thorn: Sorry, had to. :V
Anna Tommize looks down and blushes.
Anna Tommize: "T-thanks…I think…"
The lucario's trainer slides on out of view.
Max Thorn: "In all seriousness, I'm sure you're up for it."
Anna Tommize gulps.
Anna Tommize: "I-I don't understand why…"
Anna Tommize: "B-but…"
From nowhere the trainer's voice echos, "Your friends too."
Anna Tommize looks down at Meeps. It gazes back, weirdly relaxed.
Anna Tommize: "I-I think Meeps…wants to…"
The mareep nods.
Esme: "Ahh, Lucrece, you see everything? Just have to stay focused…" She nods, then motions with her hands. "And then pierce right through!"
[OOC] WC GM: 24 XP each from the battle, distributed among your pokemon as you wish.
[OOC] WC GM: And a trainer level given what's about to happen.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Aaaalright~
The dispersing crowd lets Diablo through. He tends to the other two trainers first, then walks up to you. "I have to ask. Was this really your plan from the start?"
Anna Tommize shifts uncomfortably.
Anna Tommize: "I-I don't think I had a plan…really…"
Max Thorn: "Stopping once we were the only ones standing? Yes."
Sam Spade: "Basically. Like I said, I find the idea of Malta fighting Meeps, Gervais, or Antheia distasteful."
Sam Spade: "Besides, we're traveling as a group, so if one of us lost, the rest would have to wait for them anyway."
Esme shrugs. "Teamwork makes the dream work, and all that."
Max Thorn: "But…in general, I'd rather not fight if it's not necessary. And it usually isn't, s'long as disputes can be settled before it comes to that."
Sam Spade: "Well, that's true to an extent, but we're also talking about pokemon."
Sam Spade: "Can you think how unbearable Meeps would be if he didn't have a chance to fight every now and again?"
Diablo smirks. "Hmph. I might not agree with your method, but fighting spirit is not of just the body, and I do not go back on my word. Well done." From a pocket inside his collar he produces five Break Badges - a stylized design suggesting a hand or arm chopping a boulder - each accompanied by a folded-up 5 kilopokeyen note, and distributes them to the party.
Max Thorn accepts it graciously, pocketing the banknote and slotting the badge into his case.
Anna Tommize gulps.
Anna Tommize: "T-thank you sir."
Sam Spade: "Thank you!"
Esme pins it in her case with the rest, snapping a pic with her pokedex. She'll send it home as a progress note later.
Esme: "Merci!"
Max Thorn: "My ultimate goal is to create a world where everyone can contribute positively.. Whether they actually will or not, the opportunity must be there. So. If that means I must fight, then I will. If I can manage to bring that around without fighting, I will be happier for it."
Diablo: "I'll have to revise the rules for next time."
Max Thorn: "Eh. I think there's scope for a tournament where winning isn't the obvious 'last 'mon standing'."
Diablo: "Maybe! Though, do you know when the next out of town trainers will be by? I have that long to prepare."
Max Thorn: "Encourage some creativity. Might isn't always the best way, though it is better to have it when you need it than to lack it and therefore fail."
Esme looks around. Any immediate signs as to where Cheri ended up?
Cheri is nowhere in sight.
Max Thorn: "I…don't actually know. Aside from my friends and Cheri, I haven't really seen any travelers."
Though her zapdos was headed for the sea.
Sam Spade: "Well, her zapdos was headed for the ocean, may…"
Sam Spade frowns for a second and casts a worried glance at Anna.
Diablo: "Hmmh. Troubling. As you can imagine, this town's children in particular want to take pokemon journeys."
Esme: "She just kinda pops in and out, even when we do meet her… Maybe next time we'll get to talk!"
Sam Spade: "Maybe we should head that way. I figure there's no real chance of any legendary-on-legendary fights, but."
Diablo: "But when they…returned…"
Diablo: "I had to keep the town's spirits up somehow!"
Sam Spade locks her gaze to Diablo.
Sam Spade: "Returned…to the fields?"
Diablo: "You know Cheri, right? Please convey my apologies to her."
Anna Tommize frowns back at Lucrece.
Diablo shakes his head. "Returned here. Unable to continue their journeys, they went home."
Sam Spade: "Why…were they unable to continue their journeys?"
Max Thorn: "Why'd their journeys end?"
The porygon rotates its head and body opposite to one-another, with a curious "Poryyyy?"
Diablo shrugs. "I didn't have the heart to ask. I could tell they were forced to give up their journeys, and that is an upsetting thing."
Sam Spade: "That…does sound very upsetting."
Sam Spade: "If I had to guess, I think I'm very glad that the person who assigned Tim to us did so."
Diablo: "I do know that most of them only made it to Petro Swamp or Sky City."
Diablo: "And…almost none of them started off by going to Ice Cove."
Max Thorn: "Hmm. Well, we'll be here some time yet, so if you could convince 'em to come talk to us, we'll see what we can do."
Diablo shakes his head. "I can't. But if you could ask around and tell me what you find…"
Anna Tommize: "Darn thing…"
Max Thorn: "Sure thing."
Diablo: "You are not me. No one will blame you for being curious."
Sam Spade: "Just so."
Sam Spade: "Well. They do blame me for being curious, as it happens, but I've yet to let that stop me."
Diablo: "Thank you. I will be in my gym - or you can tell my daughter, who I hear you saved last night."
Max Thorn nods. "We'll do what we can."
[OOC] Max Thorn: logend soon?
Diablo: "And if you do talk to her…please tell her how proud I am of what she does."
[OOC] WC GM: Sure. Any last lines?
Esme: "Will do!"

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