UPNetwork  

Go Back   UPNetwork > Independent Forums > Fizzy Bubbles > FB Time Out > Visionary Glade

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 04-20-2020, 12:19 AM   #101
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Jangmo-o



It was early morning in Fizzytopia. The sun was barely coming up over Sludge Wave Coast, and most with any common sense were still fast asleep. So of course, when the Poisonous Palace's Battle Room was alive with loud clangs and the unmistakable sounds of battle at this unarceusly hour, one could reasonably narrow down the possible causes.

More loud clangs issued as Jangmo-o's head scale gleamed a metallic silver, an Iron Defense deployed against the oncoming Metal Claw from the Pawniard, forcing Ginny to back off. Jangmo-o then opened his mouth wide in preparation for a Screech, but it was cut short as Ginny lunged and landed a Throat Chop, aimed with grim precision. And before Jangmo-o knew it, he had been knocked on his back, with Ginny standing over him, one of her blades aimed at his throat. "...Slightly better," conceded the Pawniard. "The timing on Iron Defense was nicely done, but I saw the Screech coming a mile away."

"...the Screech, of course," Jangmo-o grumbled as he got back to his feet. "Gah, that was so obvious, I can't believe I-" He, however, stopped speaking there, instead cutting straight into a Screech attack that caught Ginny off-guard. The Pawniard recovered quickly and Defiantly, however, and went for a Sucker Punch, correctly predicting that the Dragon-type would be attempting a Dragon Claw. However, the Iron Defense from earlier helped Jangmo-o take this, and he still landed his own attack.

"That was vile, sneaky, and underhanded!" Ginny barked after the two of them had backed off. Then, however, she gave an approving, slightly deranged grin. "I've taught you well," she continued. "I think that can conclude this morning's training."

Jangmo-o grinned. "I've been getting in more practice on my own," he stated. "And against Flapple as well- he's a great rival for me."

"Very clearly," Ginny nodded. "I approve, by the way- with all the dangers our Trainers face, seeking help from any source you can is nothing to be ashamed of. But never take for granted that a newcomer is on your side," she added.

"No, ma'am," agreed Jangmo-o. "I didn't trust Flapple until maybe three weeks after Willa obtained him, if memory serves. It took me a while, but I was finally convinced his loyalty to Willa and admiration of me were both genuine."

"Good," Ginny nodded. "You can never be too careful, Jangmo-o. Our Trainers have made very powerful enemies. It's on us to keep them safe." Jangmo-o nodded seriously in response to this.

~~~~~

Later that day, Ginny's words were proven disturbingly correct. It had started as a nice little lunch date with Keith and Willa, and ended with the couple being accosted by a pair of Team Turnback grunts en route to Pansear Pizza Parlor.

"Y'know," Keith was saying, "You'd think your organization would have something better to do than to keep coming after us."

"Oh, on the contrary," smirked one of the grunts. "Eliminating our enemies is considered to be among the highest of priorities. The boss has promised a promotion to executive and a substantial pay increase to whoever brings you two in!" As she spoke, the Cacturne she'd sent out flexed its spiny arms threateningly.

"I'd advise you against this career path if I thought either of you would listen," Willa frowned.

"Yeah, you'll forgive us if we're not exactly jumping at the chance to take career advice from someone dumb and stupid enough to bail on this opportunity," retorted the male grunt, whose words got his Poliwrath chuckling in response.

Keith took a step forward, eyes flashing with anger. "Hey," he said ominously. "She's neither dumb nor stupid." He swiftly produced a Poké Ball and threw it. "Manchin, go!" he exclaimed.

Willa likewise threw an Ultra Ball. "Jangmo-o!" she declared. The Scaly Pokémon materialized in a flash of light, dwarfed by Keith's Chesnaught.

"If we gotta use force, then so be it!" declared the male grunt. "Poliwrath, Ice Ball!"

"Cacturne, Feint Attack!" commanded the female grunt.

Keith merely smirked. "Use Curse," he instructed Manchin.

"Chesnaaaaught," rumbled Manchin. A reddish aura came over his body as Poliwrath's Ice Ball made contact... and was deflected with no effort, not even making a scratch on the Chesnaught's Bulletproof body!

"Iron Defense!" Willa commanded Jangmo-o.

"Jang!" chirped Jangmo-o. Cacturne came in to attack from an odd angle, but Jangmo-o met it with a head scale as hard as steel, lessening the impact from the attack.

Now Keith gestured towards Poliwrath. "Thunder Punch, let's go!" he called to Manchin.

"Jangmo-o, Dragon Claw!" Willa commanded.

"Counter!" ordered the male grunt.

"Cacturne, Payback!" the female grunt called out.

It all happened at once. Poliwrath was able to expertly repel the Thunder Punch and send Manchin stumbling backwards, while Cacturne took the Dragon Claw and fought back with a powerful punch that sent the Dragon-type skidding backwards past Willa.

"Now use Submission!" exclaimed the Poliwrath's Trainer.

"Poliwraaaath!" responded Poliwrath, charging at Manchin, who was able to hold out his arms and keep the Water/Fighting-type at bay.

"Attaboy, Manchin! Keep pushing back!" Keith cheered on his Chesnaught.

Willa, meanwhile, watched as Cacturne advanced on her. She said nothing, torn- she wanted to bolt for her own safety, but at the same time she wasn't about to just leave Keith to deal with this himself. She reached for her bag, even though she knew she didn't bring any other Pokémon with her.

"Jaaaaaangmo!"

It had taken a good moment, but Jangmo-o was able to recover from the attack. The little Dragon-type saw Willa being menaced by Cacturne, saw her in imminent danger, and was in no mood to simply sit back and let it happen, no matter how much that Payback had hurt.

Willa's eyes widened ever so slightly as Jangmo-o started glowing. He stood up on his hind legs as his front legs grew significantly. The tail lengthened, and more scales sprouted all over his body, and he drew much closer to Cacturne's height. Keith and Manchin likewise took notice as this happened even as the latter continued to grapple with Poliwrath. And finally, the glowing stopped, whereupon the new gave a triumphant roar! Willa, a satisfied smile on her face, produced her Pokédex and pointed it at her Pokémon.

"Hakamo-o, the Scaly Pokémon. A Dragon and Fighting-type, and the evolved form of Jangmo-o," droned the device. "Hakamo-o leaps at its prey with a courageous shout, and its scaly punches tear its opponents to shreds."

"Tuuuurne," Cacturne murmured nervously.

"Oh, you still got this, Cacturne!" the female grunt declared. "Dynamic Punch!"

Willa smirked her satisfaction at seeing the new additions to the move readout for her new Hakamo-o. "Use Autotomize!" she declared.

"Haaaaka!" responded Hakamo-o. His scales glowed as some of the rougher edges were smoothed out, and he nimbly jumped out of the way of Cacturne's explosive punch. Very quickly he started running circles around Cacturne.

"Cacturne! Cotton Spore!" commanded the grunt. Willa, however, merely smirked in response, giving no commands in return. Cacturne let loose blasts of white dust, but Hakamo-o's body repelled it all, as though protected by some sort of Overcoat.

"Now! Sky Uppercut!" Willa commanded.

"Haaaa... kaaaaa!" Hakamo-o cried out, delivering a forceful uppercut out of seemingly nowhere that threw Cacturne into the air. The Grass/Dark-type landed on the sidewalk, unconscious, at the same time as the male grunt's Poliwrath started to falter.

"Now, Manchin! Needle Arm!" Keith commanded.

"CHESSSSSSSSSSSSSNAAAAAAAAUGHT!" roared Manchin, his arms glowing green as he gave one final forceful shove. Poliwrath was shoved right into Cacturne, whereupon it fell over and ceased moving.

Nervously, the grunts withdrew their Pokémon, then turned back to their opponents. "Uh-" began the male grunt.

"CHESNAUGHT!" roared Manchin.

"HAKA!" snarled Hakamo-o.

This was more than enough for the grunts- they fled then and there. Keith and Willa exchanged satisfied smirks at this outcome. "They never learn, do they?" Keith said.

"It's almost sad," Willa responded. "Honestly, it... actually is a little sad," she added quietly. "I feel no sympathy for Team Turnback's cause, of course, nor for their methods, but... I can't help but wonder... how many among their number are truly good people who were misled by a false history?"

"Yeah, I see what you mean," Keith nodded. "One of these days... we should try and take the fight higher up than their seemingly endless supply of grunts."

"Challenge their boss, you mean," Willa said. "I'm in favor of such an idea, especially if it would mean taking them down once and for all."

"That's what I'd hope it'd mean," Keith replied. "But for the time being, I'll happily take today's victory. Especially considering Jangmo-o evolved!" he added with a smile.

"Indeed," Willa smiled as well, turning to regard Hakamo-o. "Hakamo-o, very nicely done," she stated. "Thank you very much."

"Haka!" grinned Hakamo-o, who made good use of one of his arms and, for the first time, saluted his Trainer.

"Naaaaaaught," grinned Manchin, offering a fistbump, which Hakamo-o took him up on. He could get used to these arms and hands, he figured. Even as he was being withdrawn into his Ultra Ball later, he couldn't help but wonder what Flapple would think when he found this out- this, after all, was a much more drastic size change than when Flapple had evolved!


Quote:
What? Jangmo-o is evolving!



...

...

...!



Congratulations! Your Jangmo-o evolved into Hakamo-o!

*Hakamo-o learned Sky Uppercut!*

*Hakamo-o learned Autotomize!*
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2020, 08:00 PM   #102
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
The Mime Who Would Be Loud



Many years ago...

One day, deep in a wooded part of Fizzytopia, not a sound could be heard, especially not from the clearing in the center. There, three Pokémon could be found. Two of them were human-shaped creatures seemingly sitting on what appeared to be invisible chairs; they were Normal Form Mr. Mime, and they were watching the third among their group in total silence.

This third Pokémon, a Mime Jr., was cautiously miming the action of tying a tiny hammock between two trees- of course, there were no trees close enough for any actual hammock to be hung, nor did there appear to be a hammock in the Mime Jr.'s hands. And yet, as he climbed into said invisible hammock, there he lay, suspended in midair. This pleased the Mr. Mime couple, who silently applauded their son's marvelous miming.

The Mime Jr. gave a relieved giggle. "Yay, I did it!" he whispered.

The pair of Mr. Mime reacted to this hushed whisper as though they just heard an explosion, both losing their balance- the female even fell backwards out of her invisible seat, and was only able to get back up by grabbing some sort of invisible rope and hoisting herself back up- and covering their ears. When they recovered from this gross overexaggeration, they stood up and looked down, frowning at their son, miming their disappointment. After all, they were mimes. And mimes were silent, were they not? The Mime Jr. looked down shamefully- this was far from the first time his parents got on his case for making sound. His miming had been improving by leaps and bounds, but for some reason, the second a singular syllable slipped from his lips, his parents forgot all about how well he was doing. He would have kept looking down, had his mother not used Psychic to gently turn his head back up so he could watch them continue to silently scold him.

Later that evening, Mime Jr. was walking through the woods. He was heading home for the night, but if the look on his face was anything to go by, he really didn't want to. He stopped, leaning up against absolutely nothing, and sighed. Quietly, yet still audible enough that he knew his parents would throw a fit over it anyway.

"Hiya!"

"WAH!" Mime Jr. screamed, jumping nearly a foot in the air, following the completely unexpected greeting from right behind him. He wheeled around to see the source of said greeting, spotting a small purple lizard- bipedal in theory, but crawling around on all fours regardless. Trying to calm himself somewhat, Mime Jr. began to mime out a greeting.

But the Pokémon shook her head. "No, no, no, what's with that?" she grinned. "I heard ya scream just now, I know you can make some NOISE! C'mon, talk to me!"

'...hello," Mime Jr. said quietly, peering around nervously as he did so. "Um... I- I'm Mime Jr."

"The name's Toxel. Nice to meet ya!" came the enthusiastic response. "Whatcha doing out in the forest when it's getting dark, anyway? Not a lot of Pokémon are brave enough to handle that."

"Oh, well, I- I'm just on my way home," Mime Jr. murmured.

"Hmm," said Toxel. "Do ya gotta be home right away? Cuz it gets pretty boring around here sometimes, I figure you and I could hang out a while, have some FUN!"

"...I, uh... I guess I don't have to right away," Mime Jr. murmured. "Wh-what kind of fun are you thinking?"

"Heh, what else? Make some NOISE!" Toxel exclaimed boisterously. "And don't tell me ya can't make that kinda noise, I heard that scream when I startled you. C'mon, lemme show ya!" she added, taking Mime Jr.'s hand and rather forcefully leading the way. Mime Jr., still rather bewildered by all this, did not fight against this, and followed this rather enthusiastic Toxel.

Presently, they came to a clearing- it wasn't the same one Mime Jr. had been practicing his miming in earlier, but rather, it seemed to be set up with various roughly constructed musical instruments. Toxel crawled over to a guitar that appeared to have been thrown out by its human owner, leaving Mime Jr. to approach a bunch of rocks and sticks that seemed to constitute a drum set of some sort. "...are we gonna play music with these?" Mime Jr. whispered.

"Hah, yeah!" grinned Toxel. "Come on, Mimey! Let's blow the forest away! I never had someone on drums before- this used to be a one-mon act, and that suuuuucks! Now, let's hit it!"

And with that, they started to play their respective instruments. Of course, Toxel wasn't getting much of anything remotely resembling a decent melody with the guitar she was randomly plucking away at, and while Mime Jr.'s rhythm was off by a lot, to say nothing of how nervous he seemed to be about actively hitting the rocks with the sticks initially, it was still a lot of fun for the pair of baby Pokémon, and they started laughing happily as this went on.

"Hahaha! This is fun, Toxel!" Mime Jr. called out over the sound of his really bad drumming.

"I told ya!" Toxel called back.

This adorable jam session lasted several hours before Mime Jr. decided he really had to go home by this point. Toxel relented, but insisted that they should do this again. Mime Jr. smiled and agreed before starting to make his way back home. And true enough, the two of them met up again several more times in the coming weeks. Eventually, Mime Jr. even worked his miming skills into this once his sticks broke, and started banging away at an invisible yet very much audible drum set, a skill that highly impressed Toxel (though the fact that Mime Jr. wasn't able to mime her a better guitar saddened her).

"Heheheh, we're sounding way better, Mimey!" Toxel grinned one night. "This is so cool, having someone to play music with!"

"Yeah!" Mime Jr. exclaimed- in the previous weeks, he'd become far more confident in speaking above a whisper.

"Hah, and you're sounding more and more like you're having fun, too!" Toxel exclaimed.

Mime Jr. opened his mouth to say something else, but at that moment, it was forced shut again by an invisible force. His blood ran cold as he was lifted into the air and carried away from the invisible drum set. Toxel realized something was wrong and turned to look just as Mime Jr. was set down before his visibly irate parents, arms crossed as they glared down at their son.

Toxel crawled over. "Hey, uh, is something wrong-" was all she said before Mime Jr.'s father let fly a Psybeam, knocking Toxel away.

"H-hey!" Mime Jr. spoke up. "Dad, no! She's my friend!"

The male Mr. Mime shook his head defiantly, miming to his son in no uncertain terms that he was never to see her again.

"N-no!" Mime Jr. spoke up defiantly. "Dad, Mom, no! I... I've had enough of being quiet! Just because we're mimes doesn't mean we have to be quiet! I... I hate being quiet, and I like hanging out with Toxel!"

The Mr. Mime couple exchanged looks, shaking their heads sadly, as though each was asking the other where they went wrong. Then they turned back to their son, firmly miming their unchanging positions on the matter. The mother's eyes glowed blue as she tried to lift her son with Telekinesis again, but Mime Jr. wasn't taking this lying down. He took a deep breath, and let loose a bellowing Uproar that screwed with his parents' concentration as they were forced to cover their ears.

Toxel, however, wasn't just about to sit by and let her friend do this alone. She grabbed a nearby Sitrus Berry and crammed it into her mouth, chewing furiously before swallowing. Then, she took a deep breath, and bombarded both Mr. Mime with a thunderous Belch attack that actually knocked them off their feet.

Mime Jr. pulled up to Toxel; judging by the noisy engine sounds coming from whatever invisible object he was riding, it seemed as though he was miming riding a motorcycle. "Climb on!" he said to Toxel urgently. Toxel was too eager to get away from these maniac mimes to argue the logic of the situation, and found, to her great surprise, that she was able to get on the invisible motorcycle as Mime Jr. floored it and they pulled away from the mimes with a great roar of the invisible engine.

How long they rode for, neither of them knew. Weaving between trees, making daring jumps over small creeks, and in one instance, very narrowly avoiding running over an understandably freaked-out Skwovet, until finally, they arrived at the outskirts of a city.

"...I think we lost them," Toxel murmured. "...uh, Mimey?" she added, for it looked as though her friend was sobbing into the invisible handlebars.

"...I'm sorry, Toxel," sniveled Mime Jr. "I'm sorry my dad attacked you, I'm sorry they're such rotten pieces of... I..."

Toxel grabbed Mime Jr. and turned him around to face her. "Dude, you ain't gotta be sorry for them," she grinned. "I'm fine, I promise. Besides, you clearly ain't like them at all- you're really cool. I like you a lot."

"...I like you a lot, too, Toxel," Mime Jr. admitted with a smile. The two of them smiled at each other, moving slowly closer to each other, and as their lips met, they both glowed brightly, changing shape as they embraced, and when they finally broke apart, they did so as an Amped Form Toxtricity and a Normal Form Mr. Mime.

"...Dude! We just evolved! And I'm in Amped Form- that's so awesome!" exclaimed Toxtricity, strumming the guitar string-esque protrusions on her torso, sounding like an electric guitar as she did so.

"YES!" bellowed the new Mr. Mime. "AND TOXEL- NO, TOXTRICITY! THERE WILL BE NO MORE SHY QUIETNESS FROM THIS MIME! AS OF TONIGHT, I EMBRACE WHO I AM! FROM THIS NIGHT ONWARD, I AM A LOUD MIME!!!"

"YEAH!" Toxtricity cheered as Mr. Mime immediately started banging away on an invisible drum set, the two of them sounding better than ever before. And so they stayed there, on the outskirts of Cacophony City. Sometimes they would treat the local Pokémon to their musical skills. Sometimes Mr. Mime would work on his miming routine, complete with his trademark loud narration, which wasn't an aspect of it that his audiences tended to appreciate. But to the both of them, all that mattered was that they were happy. This way of life continued until one fateful day when a girl came and promised Mr. Mime the prospect of more receptive audiences, and then that other fateful day when Perform saw an opportunity to bring his girlfriend into the crazy family he'd been welcomed into.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2020, 02:20 PM   #103
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Kiloude And Clear



It was a day like any other, for the moment at least. The sun was shining, the Taillow were chirping, and somewhere in the Fizzytopia region, a Pokémon fight was well underway. In this case, actually, it seemed on the verge of wrapping up, as a winged Bug-type was sent plummeting to the ground by the unexpected Ice Beam that its Ariados opponent had just fired off

"Oh! Volbeat!" exclaimed the Bug Catcher as the Firefly Pokémon got back up. "Can you still fight?"

"Bebeat!" Volbeat declared.

"Good!" grinned the Bug Catcher. "Then go for a Zen Headbutt!"

The opposing Trainer, a man in his 20s, grinned, tweaking the brim of his cowboy hat, into which a Key Stone had been set. "Let's throw it off course!" declared Keith Masters.

"Aria!" hissed his Ariados.

Keith gestured forward. "Aragog! Sonic Boom!" he commanded.

"Ariaaa... dos! Dos!" exclaimed Aragog, sending out a barrage of shockwaves that disrupted the incoming Volbeat's flight.

"We've got it now!" Keith declared as Volbeat started falling once more. "Use Poison Jab!"

"DOOOOOOS!" screeched Aragog, lunging forward and ramming its head stinger into the Volbeat with great force.

The bystander who had agreed to referee the battle had seen all he needed to see by this point, for Volbeat was making no effort to get up. "Volbeat is unable to battle!" he declared. "Keith and his Ariados are the winners!"

Keith grinned as this declaration got the gathered crowd to cheer- on the course of one of their walks, Keith and his girlfriend Willa had ended up in Pechagrove Town, where an eager Youngster challenged Keith to a battle. Keith and his Toxtricity made quick work of the boy's Frogadier, and various other Trainers gathered at the sight. Before Keith knew it, he was taking several challengers in quick succession, this Bug Catcher and his Volbeat being his fifth battle of the day. "Good battle," he stated, shaking the Bug Catcher's hand. "Keep working with that Volbeat- you two are a good team."

Willa gave a small smile as she looked at Keith. "It was a good battle," she said quietly.

"Thanks," Keith smiled back. However, a scoffing sound behind him forced this moment to cease rather quickly as the couple turned to find the source. Said source wasn't hard to locate; a man was standing there, looking roughly Keith's age. He dressed fairly nicely and had neatly combed blond hair. "Can I help you with something?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.

The man regarded the couple with a maddening smirk that stank of a sense of smug superiority. "Oh, I doubt anything you could do would be of any help to moi," he replied, sounding bored. "I saw a crowd had gathered, with the unmistakable sounds of an ongoing Pokémon battle. But all I saw as I approached were a couple of amateurs at work."

Keith was at a momentary loss of words. He turned to Willa. "Can you believe thi-" he started, stopping rather abruptly as he saw the positively frigid look the newcomer was getting from Willa.

Moreover, as Keith looked back at the smug man, he had noticed Willa, chuckling as his smirk widened. "Willa Carnet. As I live and breathe."

"Hello, Roger," Willa responded icily.

"...an old enemy, I take it?" Keith spoke up.

"An accurate description," Willa gave a nod.

"Roger DeLampent the third," the man introduced himself. "You see, Willa and I used to attend Kiloude Academy together. Why, we even used to be friends at one point, back when she was, ah, someone of note."

"No, see, you miss an important distinction," Willa responded frostily. "For there to be a friendship, each person must like the other for who they are, not for their mother's fame and notoriety."

Roger, however, was pretending to yawn in the middle of Willa's retort. "Oh, I do apologize," he said lazily. "It's just that I've heard your little spiel before. Some things truly never change, do they?"

"OK, I've heard enough," Keith said, stepping forward. "So you're one of the superficial shitstains who pretended to be friends with Willa?"

Roger raised an eyebrow, regarding Keith distastefully. "I prefer to think of myself as decidedly selective of the company I keep," he replied delicately. "And if your battling skills are anything to go by, I don't think I'd deign to select to keep you company," he added.

"Oh, yeah?" Keith retorted. "You're some hotshot Trainer, then? You and me, let's go, right now. One Pokémon each-"

"No," Willa interrupted, stepping forward. She turned to look at Keith, an intense look in her eyes. "I greatly appreciate what you're doing, but it would give me indescribable satisfaction to crush him like a Grepa Berry," she said softly.

Keith could only smile at this. "Then go ahead and crush him," he replied.

Willa gave a small smile in return, then turned to face Roger, having replaced said smile with a distasteful scowl in the time it took her to turn around. "One Pokémon each," she stated.

"I have places to be," yawned Roger. "Fortunately for you, I doubt this will take very long, so I'll indulge you this one." With that, he held up a Luxury Ball, as Willa grabbed one of her Ultra Balls. With a flick of his wrist, Roger lobbed the Luxury Ball forward, sending out a rather ornate and regal-looking serpent. Willa was quick to consult her Pokédex.

"Serperior, the Regal Pokémon. A Grass-type, and the evolved form of Servine," droned the device. "Serperior stops its opponents' movements with a single glare, only giving its all against opponents that its glare does not deter."

Willa smirked, throwing her Ultra Ball. "Doduo!" she declared as the Twin Bird Pokémon made its appearance.

Roger scoffed. "A type advantage. How uninspired," he said. "Serperior, Glare."

"Use Quick Attack!" Willa commanded.

"Do do!" cawed Doduo as she charged forwards at great speeds, ramming into Serperior before the Grass-type could actually execute the Glare. However, Serperior was quick to recover from this, and even quicker to take advantage of the close proximity by coiling around Doduo.

"Exellent, Serperior," smirked Roger. "Now, then- the Glare attack, if you would be so kind."

"Ssssssser," hissed Serperior, locking eyes with one of Doduo's heads. The Normal/Flying-type's struggling ceased almost right away, and as Serperior's hold loosened, Doduo was finding movement to be quite difficult.

"Now follow up with Leaf Storm," added Roger.

"Dodge it!" Willa called.

"Do... do..." Doduo struggled as Serperior whipped up a forceful storm of leaves, and ultimately, Doduo was unable to evade them. Strangely, Contrary to what one would expect, Serperior seemed to have gained strength from doing this, a fact that both Keith and Willa noticed straightaway.

"Now, Doduo- Pluck!" Willa commanded.

Roger gave a maddening smirk. "Dragon Pulse," was all he said.

"PERIOR!" Serperior exclaimed, letting loose a powered-up blast of draconic energy from its mouth. Doduo ran into it heads-on, but was blasted backward by the boosted move.

Roger yawned as Doduo struggled to get up. "We would be wise to finish it off, Serperior," he stated. "A Tackle attack should suffice."

"Doduo, get up! Quick Attack!" Willa called out. However, Doduo found itself unable to move for the paralysis, and what was more, Roger's assumption that Tackle would finish the job turned out to be right on the money.

"Doduo is unable to battle!" declared the bystander from earlier. "Roger and Serperior are the winners!"

This time, however, nobody cheered. In fact, as this smug man's Serperior had started winning, the crowd had begun to disperse, nobody pleased to see such an unlikable man doing so well in battle. The referee noticed this shortly after making his call, in fact, and awkwardly attempted to make himself scarce as well.

Neither Keith nor Willa were focused on this, however, as Roger withdrew Serperior with a smug chuckle. "Talentless," he said loftily. "Even with a type advantage, you still lost. You see now, Willa, why I deemed it necessary to terminate our friendship? Without your mother's status to fall back on, why would anyone willingly waste their time on an unskilled Trainer like you?" Electing to leave things on this note, Roger turned around and walked away, chuckling to himself as if he had just uttered the wittiest thing in the history of spoken words.

Keith glared at Roger as he left, seething in silent fury, before turning his attention to Willa, who was looking down. "Hey," he said softly. "That jerk's not worth even thinking about anything he said."

"...I want to believe that," Willa said quietly. "But Doduo should have had that battle." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "In my grade at Kiloude Academy, there were all the cool kids who hung out together, a group everyone wanted to be part of, and Roger was their leader- his grandfather owns the Poké Ball Factory in Kalos, so of course he gets free Luxury Balls for every birthday. There was even a rumor he was given a Master Ball as a graduation present. He... I thought he was my friend back then... I thought they all were... but no, once mother stepped down from her role as League Champion... the next day, when I went to school, none of them wanted anything to do with me. I was so confused, and then Roger told me, plain as day, that the only reason any of them had any interest in me was because my mother was the Champion. He told me the same thing he said today- that without my mother's status to fall back on, nobody would ever want anything to do with me."

Keith had put his arms around Willa about halfway through what she was saying, and judging by the way Willa was holding onto him now, it seemed this was the right move to make. "Hey- it's not even worth thinking about that," he was saying quietly. "That guy is the most arrogant jerk I've ever seen, and believe me, I've known more than my fair share. Y'know, so Doduo lost- type matchups aren't everything, and unfortunately, this time it meant that the smug jerk lucked out, that's all."

"...what if he was right?" Willa murmured shakily. "What if I really am just a talentless nobody?"

In response, Keith gently lifted Willa's head up so she was looking at him. "You know good and well that's not true," he said firmly. "Talentless, you? Who was it who outwitted and caught that wily Rowlet in Cadaver Forest and raised it into a formidable Decidueye? Who was it who earned the respect of that powerful Eelektross using nothing but a Yanmega? Who was calling the shots when Skiddo helped take down that giant Runerigus and even evolved into Gogoat afterwards? Those aren't feats one generally associates with the talentless," Keith grinned. "And I know you're smart enough to know that, Willa."

"...you're probably right," Willa conceded with the slightest of smiles. "Being stupid again, I guess. Just... I always figured if I ever ran into Roger again I would prove I was the better Trainer, finally get to wipe that smug smirk off his face."

"Well, I know if I ever see him again it's gonna take me great willpower to not punch that smug smirk off his face," Keith scowled. "I damn near sicced Marvolo on him, the way he was talking to you."

"Oh, as if I couldn't get that done if I needed to?" Willa smirked.

Keith smirked back. "Oh, there's no doubt about that," he replied. "But where would the fun be if I didn't get a shot at him as well? Like I'd just stand by and let him be a jerk to you."

Willa gave a small chuckle at this as she and Keith embraced. "I will want to fight him again," she said. At this, Doduo came walking over, worn out, but by the looks in her eyes, just as determined as her Trainer. Willa smiled and pet Doduo, alternating between the heads as she did so. "You too, huh?" she murmured. "Don't worry- we will train, and we'll be ready."

"You can count on my help," Keith added. "Nagini and Marvolo would be great for Doduo to practice against."

"Do! Do!" Doduo cawed in response.

Willa smiled. "Take a rest, my friend," she said quietly, withdrawing the Twin Bird Pokémon. "Alright... shall we head home, then?" she asked Keith.

Keith nodded understandingly, taking Willa's hand. "Of course," he replied.

"I apologize for this," Willa stated as they started walking. "I know he's a complete slimeball, I know he's not worth listening to..."

"...and I know that such aspects of a person don't necessarily stop their words from getting to you sometimes," Keith finished. "It's totally fine."

"Thank you for understanding," smiled Willa. "Besides, this way we'll be able to catch Meowth in the act if he's throwing a wild party."

"Heh, he better not be," chuckled Keith. "If I've told him once, I've told him a thousand times, don't throw a wild party in my own house... without inviting me."
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2020, 02:22 AM   #104
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Day Of The Doduo



In the days following that encounter in Pechagrove Town with one Roger DeLampent III, there was much training happening at Sludge Wave Coast. Moreso than usual, that is to say, with Willa and Doduo working tirelessly to get stronger, as well as perfect their approach to taking on more serpentine Pokémon- it was clear from their battle against Roger's Serperior that this was something of a weak point for them. And naturally, this training was aided by none other than Willa's boyfriend, Keith, as well as his own Pokémon. At this moment, yet another training battle was taking place in the front yard of the Poisonous Palace.

"Doduo! Drill Peck!" Willa called out.

"Do do!" cawed Doduo, her beaks whirling with energy as she charged forward.

"Evade it, Nagini!" Keith commanded.

"Chaaaaboka!" hissed the Arbok Keith had issued the order to. She deftly slithered around Doduo's attack, and despite the Twin Bird's efforts, Nagini coiled around her yet again, trapping her.

"Gah," Willa grunted as Nagini let Doduo go. "I figured that new move might have been worth a shot..."

"Hey, Drill Peck's nothing to sneeze at," Keith said reasonably. "But it seems to me a contact move might not be the best opening move in this kind of situation, y'know?"

"Chaaaa," Nagini nodded in agreement.

"You may be right," conceded Willa. "Very well- Nagini, may we try again?" she inquired.

"Chaaaboka," Nagini responded, bowing politely before all involved resumed their earlier positions.

Willa turned to Doduo. "Are you ready?" she said softly.

But Doduo's eyes blazed determinedly. "Do! Do!" she cawed fiercely, turning to face the Arbok yet again.

Meowth watched this from off to the side. "Man, dat Roger guy's gotta be some piece o' work," he remarked. "I ain't neva seen nuttin' light a fire unda Doduo's tail feathas like dis before."

Willa gestured forward. "Doduo! Tri Attack!" she commanded.

"Dododododo... DODO!" Doduo cawed, charging up and firing off a triangle of pure energy. Each corner was aglow with a different energy- the red glow of fiery energy, a yellow electrical glow, and a cool blue glow.

"Dodge it, Nagini!" Keith called out.

"Chaaaaboka!" Nagini exclaimed, diving out of the attack's way. When she raised her head once more, however, Doduo was nowhere to be seen. "Cha? Boaaa?" Nagini murmured, looking around.

"Nagini! Doduo's right behind you!" Keith exclaimed, for indeed, under cover of the Arbok dodging Tri Attack, Doduo had managed to run around the whole thing and end up in the Arbok's blind spot.

Willa smirked. "Drill Peck! Now!" she ordered.

"DO DO!" Doduo cawed. Even as Nagini wheeled around, she was met with a pair of powerful beaks at once.

"Nagini, use Glare!" Keith ordered.

"Fury Attack!" Willa commanded, and before Nagini could lock eyes with either of Doduo's heads, the Normal/Flying-type was already pelting the Arbok with numerous strikes with her beaks in rapid succession, the heads moving too fast for the Arbok to even try to establish eye contact.

"Try Wrap!" Keith called out.

"Agility!" Willa exclaimed, but this time, Nagini was able to do as instructed, and use the close proximity to coil around Doduo and hold her still.

"OK, that was definitely better," Keith stated as Nagini let go of Doduo.

"Agreed," nodded Willa. "But no matter what we try, Doduo will inevitably have to move in close for some of her attacks, and I know Roger will take advantage of that first chance he gets," she scowled. "He's had that Serperior since it was a Snivy, you know. He'd bring it to school and it'd just turn its nose up at everyone else like it was better than them. Like Trainer like Pokémon..."

"Chaa..." Nagini murmured, eyeing Doduo with interest. Doduo looked furious with herself, her heads glaring angrily at each other as she tried working out where her strategies were going wrong. The normally level-headed bird was seriously worked up by all of this, and all she wanted was to figure out what would work here. "Chaaa, chaaaaboka, cha chaaa," Nagini hissed, speaking up so Doduo would hear her.

"Nagini?" Keith murmured. "What-?"

"Chaaaa... BOKA!" Nagini was exclaiming, now charging up an orb of frigid energy in her mouth, and then from said orb unleashing a forceful Ice Beam into the sky!

"Doooooo..." cawed Doduo wonderingly.

"Ice Beam?" Willa murmured. "Of course... Doduo, if we can teach you that move, that could be a big help against Serperior. It's super effective, and if you can cool down its body, it won't be able to bind you so quickly and easily. I would suggest Icy Wind for such a purpose normally, but I know that that Serperior has Contrary... Keith, what do you think?" she inquired.

"I think Nagini's onto something here," Keith said, nodding approvingly. "Now... Doduo learning Ice Beam isn't exactly normal, so this won't be easy," he added. "I feel a little stupid even asking this of you two, but are you sure you're willing to-"

"I don't think you even need to finish the question," smirked Willa. "You already know what my answer will be, and you can see Doduo's answer plain as day." Indeed, the intense fire burning in Doduo's eyes was as noticeable and obvious as a Togekiss in a flock of Spearow.

Keith grinned. "I expected nothing less, from either of you," he nodded. "Alright, Nagini- let's do this!"

"Chaaaaboka!" Nagini replied with enthusiasm.

The training went well into the night following this. They had focused on the ice portion of Doduo's Tri Attack, trying to get her to put more emphasis on that than on the electric and fire portions, and true to what Keith had foreseen, it was rough going. But Doduo wasn't about to give in so easily. She quite agreed- Ice Beam was the way here, and she would master that move, no matter what...

~~~~~

"...so he's actually coming here, then?" Keith was saying, two days after that training session. "Frankly I'm surprised he even agreed to a rematch, figured he'd think such a thing beneath him," he added, rolling his eyes distastefully.

"He certainly said as much," Willa replied, still holding her Holo Caster in her hand. "Once he was done with that infuriatingly smug chuckle of his, he agreed to, in his words, once again rub my talentlessness in my face."

"Rub- I swear to- he'll be rubbing pain medication into his face when I get through with him if he keeps talking to you like that," Keith grumbled.

Willa looked at Keith, regarding him with a small smile. "He really gets you aggravated, doesn't he?" she inquired.

"I've had to deal with more than my own fair share of smug, infuriating jerks in my day," Keith seethed. "So that trait in and of itself, that's bad enough. Combine that with said attitude being directed towards someone I care deeply about, and..."

Willa's smile widened slightly. "You are sweet," she said. "Worry not- he'll have nothing to be smug about when Doduo and I are through with him," she assured him.

Keith smiled back. "Yeah, you're right," he conceded.

Normally it'd be around this point that the interactions between the couple would cause Meowth to roll his eyes and turn away, but this time, they weren't able to get to that point, because it was around then that they all heard footsteps. They turned and looked, and sure enough, Roger DeLampent III had entered Sludge Wave Coast, and was looking around at the various buildings, looking decidedly unimpressed. "Pfft. You call that a battle facility?" he scoffed upon seeing Sludge Wave Colosseum. "And someone should really knock down that ratty old ruin," he added with a glance at Terri's house. "And- ah, the residents really should do a better job of taking out the trash," he said smugly upon spotting Keith and Willa.

"Oh, we're plenty good at taking out the trash," Willa retorted icily. "In fact, why don't I demonstrate right now?"

"Aha, witty as ever," chuckled Roger. "No, see, by trash, I was referring to you, your peasant boyfriend and that ratty Meowth on his shoulder.

"Hey, watch who yer callin' ratty," Meowth scowled.

Roger raised an eyebrow. "A talking Meowth?" he said with interest. "Well, that changes everything. I'll pay you 100,000 for the Meowth," he said to Keith.

"Wh- no!" Keith exclaimed. "The hell do you think I am?"

"Alright, fine, you drive a hard bargain," chuckled Roger. 1,000,000, and not a Pokédollar more. Come now, I'm being more than reasonable, you could buy several dozen Meowth for what I'm offering-"

"You can't put a price on my friend," Keith said firmly. Roger chuckled at this, shook his head, then opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Willa stepped in, holding an Ultra Ball before her, and pointing it straight at Roger's throat.

"Go ahead," she said in an ominously quiet tone. "Make him another offer. I dare you."

Roger, most wisely, did not make Keith another offer. Rather, he backed up in a would-be-casual manner, then produced the same Luxury Ball from last time. "...well, then, we really should get going with your subsequent thrashing," he said. "I assure you I take no pleasure in hanging around this hovel any longer than is strictly necessary, so I'd like to make this quick." As he spoke, he flicked the Luxury Ball forward, sending out his Serperior, who smirked smugly as it recognized Willa.

Willa threw the Ultra Ball. "Doduo!" she declared, the Twin Bird materializing in a flash o light.

"Be ready, Serperior," Roger yawned.

"Serrrrr," hissed Serperior.

Willa smirked, before ordering the first move. "Use Tri Attack!" she exclaimed.

"Do do!" Doduo exclaimed in response, charging up a triangle made of three different elemental energies, and letting it all fly at Serperior at once.

"Evade it," Roger said lightly, and while Serperior did this with ease, it very quickly lost sight of Doduo in the process.

"Ssssserperior?" hissed Serperior questioningly.

"Wh- Serperior! Behind you, you ignoramus!" snapped Roger.

"Drill Peck, go!" Willa commanded. And just as Serperior wheeled around, it was met with the powerful Flying move right to the face.

"Of course this won't work," smirked Roger. "As with last time, Serperior- Glare."

"Fury Attack!" Willa commanded.

"DODODODODODODO!" Doduo cawed, striking Serperior with her beaks with great rapidity. As was the case when training with Nagini, Serperior wasn't able to actually get off the move, for Doduo's heads were moving too fast for reliable eye contact to happen.

"Then stop it where it stands with Wrap!" Roger exclaimed. He was starting to sound rather worked up that the battle wasn't immediately going his way like last time.

Willa smirked. "Doduo! Ice Beam!" she commanded.

"What?!" Roger exclaimed, but indeed, Doduo fired off a pale blue beam of frigid energy at Serperior's oncoming coils, restricting their movement as ice spread over them. Doduo then hastened to back away as Serperior furiously tried to shatter the ice that was hindering its movement.

"Good work, Doduo," said Willa.

"Do do!" cawed Doduo in response.

"Now that is absolutely impossible!" Roger was shouting furiously. "Doduo can't learn Ice Beam!"

Willa smirked, raising an eyebrow. "And yet, mine did," she said simply. "Doduo, Agility!"

"Do! Do! Do!" cawed Doduo as she started running circles around Serperior, accelerating rapidly as she did so.

"V-Vine Whip! Trip it!" Roger exclaimed.

"Perior!" Serperior exclaimed, extending a pair of vines from its ornate collar and stretching them out on either side of itself. Very quickly, one of the vines managed to trip Doduo, sending it tumbling to the ground.

"Doduo!" Willa exclaimed.

"Now! Leaf Storm!" Roger called at once.

"Serrrrr... PERIOR!" Serperior exclaimed, pelting the fallen Doduo with a forceful blast of foliage that served to power up the snake in a manner Contrary to how the move generally operated.

Roger's smirk was most maddeningly back in place now. "Dragon Pulse," he said simply.

"Doduo, get up! Dodge it!" Willa called urgently.

"Do... do..." groaned Doduo. After such a nasty fall, she was struggling to get back up immediately, but was making a valiant effort all the same. However, as she got back to her feet, Serperior let loose a powerful blast of draconic energy.

"DODUO!" Willa screamed.

"Do... DO!" Doduo cawed sharply, making a sudden jump, and just managing to evade the Dragon Pulse. She seethed with fury- such a maddening opponent, both to her and to her Trainer. This was a battle Doduo knew she couldn't afford to lose, with her pride and Willa's self-esteem on the line. That desperate scream from Willa that spurred Doduo into action, that had said it all and then some- they had to win this. And if Doduo had anything to say about it, they would.

Willa's eyes widened as a bright blue-white glow came over Doduo's body. Doduo grew taller, magnificent tail feathers sprouted from behind her, and perhaps most noticeably, a third neck sprouted between the two original heads, topped with a head of its own. Roger looked incensed at this point, glaring as the glow died down, revealing that with all three of her heads, the was glaring right back. "Do!" "Dri!" "O!" each head cawed out a different syllable.

"She evolved into a Dodrio!" Keith grinned as Willa, moved beyond words, consulted her Pokédex.

"Dodrio, the Triple Bird Pokémon. A Normal and Flying-type, and the evolved form of Doduo," said the Pokédex. "When it sleeps, one head stays awake to keep watch. The heads are said to represent joy, sorrow, and anger."

"It doesn't matter if it evolved," Roger said, making a noticeable effort to keep his cool, even though he very clearly didn't believe his own words. "Yes- a third head means it's all the more susceptible to our Glare!" he declared.

Willa smirked. "Dodrio! Supersonic!" she commanded.

"DRIOOOOOOO," droned the three heads in unison, sending a volley of disorienting sound waves right at Serperior, whose slithering became quite erratic as all thought of using Glare vanished. It was at this point Willa gave a significant look to her significant other, and taking the cue, Keith and Meowth rushed to her side.

"Now what?!" demanded Roger as Serperior slapped itself silly with its own tail, for Willa, Keith, and Meowth were starting to make identical movements, movements that resonated with the blue Z-Crystal set into Willa's Z-Power Ring.

"Prepare for trouble!" Willa stated.

"Make it double!" Keith added.

"Meowth, dat's right!" Meowth chimed in.

Following this, the three of them made the basic movements that started off any set of Z-Move poses- moving their arms up, out, down, then crossing them again, this time with them held out before them, left wrist over right. Though she'd never been through this before personally, Dodrio still knew what was coming, her three heads cawing their readiness for what was to come.

"Feel the chill!" Willa stated as she moved her hands to start the Icium Z pose.

"As we aim for the top!" Keith added, copying these movements as Willa was making them.

"As we stop at nuttin' ta reach..." Meowth chimed in, imitating these moves with his front paws.

"...the coldest, highest pinnacle!" the three of them exclaimed simultaneously as they finished the movements. Z-Power flowed, not just from Willa, but from all three of them, into Dodrio. The Triple Bird Pokémon cawed loud and long, her Ice Beam being powered up as Roger furiously tried to snap Serperior out of its confusion.

Willa grinned. "Dodrio, are you ready!" she called out. When she heard an affirmative caw in response, her grin widened. "Then we'll use..."

"Sub... zero... Slammer!!!" the trio exclaimed at once.


Quote:

Dodrio surrounded itself with its Z-Power!

Dodrio unleashes its full-force Z-Move!

...



From the ground below, a great pillar of ice erupted directly beneath Dodrio, carrying the Normal/Flying-type straight up. And then came the beam- more powerful and potent than any Ice Beam, creating great spikes of ice in all directions as it totally engulfed Serperior. And then the ice exploded all at once, with the pillar of ice shrinking away from beneath Dodrio as all present could see for themselves, with no doubt whatsoever, that Serperior had been knocked out.

"No! No! No!" Roger shouted as he withdrew Serperior. He was actually stamping his foot, his face was turning red; he was taking the loss quite badly. "You cheated!" he said to Willa, pointing an accusing finger at her.

Willa responded with a decidedly different sort of finger. "You lost," she said simply.

"No. No. I do not lose to the likes of you!" Roger snarled. "You got lucky because your Doduo evolved at the right moment- you still have no skill as a Trainer! To think you're anywhere near the level of I, Roger DeLampent the third, heir to the Kalos Poké Ball Factory and the DeLampent fortUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNE!" he squealed, for Keith, having had quite enough by this point, had stormed over in the middle of his maniacal monologue, and made his point very plainly, by way of a good kick in the Sludge Bombs. "You... How dare..." he gasped as he writhed on the ground. "I am Roger DeLampen-"

"I don't give a Patrat's ass if you're Ash friggin' Ketchum with the world's strongest Pikachu," Keith interrupted, a decidedly ominous calmness to his voice. "You do not treat my girlfriend with any sort of disrespect, least of all the levels of disrespect she's endured from you. Now- suck it up, accept that you lost, and get the hell off my property," he said. "You have exactly eleven seconds- after that, I send out my Seviper and he does what he will with you."

"Gah... In case you haven't noticed, I'm in pain at the moment," snapped Roger. "How do you expect-"

"Five seconds," Keith interrupted, enlarging the Christmas Ball he now held in his hand.

Roger elected to not finish his question. Instead, most wisely, he scrambled out of Sludge Wave Coast as fast as he could hobble. With the unpleasant man having fled, Keith's smile returned. He turned to face Willa. "Sorry if I stole your thunder just then," he said sheepishly. "But that felt good to do."

But Willa was smiling as well. "It felt good to see," she replied softly. "I always thought it would be most satisfying to give him a kick in the Sludge Bombs myself after beating him, but seeing someone else willingly do so on my behalf, without needing any prompting from me... I think I liked that even more." She put an arm around Keith. "It tells me he was wrong."

Keith, in turn, put both arms around Willa. "Of course he was wrong," he replied with a smile. "And if I could help reinforce that fact in your mind, then I'll gladly take it."

The couple looked into each other's eyes for a few moments more, then exchanged a kiss. Following this, Willa turned her attention to her newly evolved Dodrio. "Dodrio, you were fantastic," she murmured, petting the Triple Bird Pokémon, this time making sure to give equal attention to all three heads. "This battle wasn't just about me, was it? You must be just as happy about beating that Serperior."

"Drio," Dodrio cawed in response, all three heads nodding as Willa continued to pet her, a moment which continued right up until the collective sound of several stomachs growling all at once reminded everyone present that it was just about lunchtime. And after such an intense and satisfying battle, they were hungry, so inside the house they went.


Quote:
What? Doduo is evolving!



...

...

...!



Congratulations! Your Doduo evolved into Dodrio!

*Dodrio learned Supersonic!*
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 12:55 AM   #105
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Keith & Willa



It was just after the battle against Primal Dialga, and Sludge Wave Coast was in something of a panic. Normally things were pretty easygoing in this small coastal town, but once it became clear that Keith and Willa had mysteriously disappeared out of nowhere, it became something of a priority to, y'know, find them. Gavin Golurkson, Terri Alph, and Eddie Starmie were all attempting to find their friends, and for a while, they had no luck.

Soon, however, their attention was drawn by an odd-looking Dragonite landing in the Shadow Clearing. Before any of them could fully realize that the tail was too long and skinny, Jack Transformed before their eyes, turning into a copy of his Trainer, albeit with various noticeable differences, as this was done off of memory.

Gavin was the first to approach the Ditto. "Jack?!" he exclaimed. "Where the fuck are Keith and Willa?"

"Alright, easy, easy," Jack said as Eddie, Terri, and Laugh approached as well. "Calm down, they're fine, they'll be here momentarily. Long story short, they was sucked into a portal and wound up fighting Primal Dialga and helped save the world."

"...they what now?" Eddie asked flatly.

"Primal Dialga?" murmured Terri. "I've heard that term before..."

"I know of Primal Reversion," Eddie stated. "A transformation allowing super-ancient legendary Pokémon to reclaim their true power, but as I understand, Dialga isn't one of the Pokémon said to undergo it..."

"Yeah, this was something way different," Jack said grimly. "This thing felt more like fighting a Shadow Pokémon. But without the Shadow moves. It was corrupted. And don't ask me what happened to Palkia, either," he added. "I'm worn out as it is, I could do without having to hold back the vomit on top of that."

"Yeesh," murmured Gavin. "But... they're OK, right?"

"Yeah, no sweat," Jack grinned. "Better than ever, if you ask me. Speaking of which, I think they're gonna have a little something to tell y'all when they get back. I'd tell you myself, but it ain't my place," he stated.

"I wonder what it is," murmured Laugh, the Froslass speaking human language.

"What the f- Laugh, did you just-?" Gavin asked.

"Y-yes," nodded the Froslass.

"Laugh's been trying to regain her ability to speak human language," Terri explained. "She was human when she was alive, but when she came back as a Froslass, she couldn't get the hang of speaking human language in her new form, until recently." She smiled, taking hold of her girlfriend's hand, eliciting a smile from the Froslass.

"Well, congratulations on getting the hang of it," smiled Eddie.

"Thank you, Eddie," Laugh smiled back.

"Oh, shit, there they are!" Gavin declared, pointing off towards the western entrance to town. And sure enough, there were Keith and Willa, hand in hand, smiling at each other, strolling on in to Sludge Wave Coast. "Keith! Willa!" he called.

Keith grinned as he and Willa walked on over. "Hey, Gav," he greeted the Orre-native Shiny hunter. "Terri. Laugh. Eddie," he added. "Jack, you didn't-"

"Relax, dude, I didn't spill the beans," interrupted the Ditto. "Filled them in on the whole Primal Dialga situation, but that's it."

"So that's really a thing, then? Primal Dialga?" demanded Gavin.

"Indeed," Willa nodded. "Horribly corrupted, and immensely powerful. It took the combined efforts of no fewer than twenty Trainers to subdue it."

"And that's not even getting into the part where the Gigantamax Hatterene had to literally hold reality together," Keith added.

"...you're shitting me," Gavin said flatly.

"I saw it myself," Willa stated. "Keith was not exaggerating in the slightest."

"Most interesting," murmured Eddie.

"The poor Dialga," sighed Terri.

"OK, well, enough of that- we're all still here, so I'm thinking it's pretty damn obvious it was a success," Gavin stated. "Lemme get right to the point- Jack hinted that you might have something big to tell us, but most annoyingly, he didn't get specific. So what's up?"

At this, Keith and Willa exchanged smiles. "Do you want to tell them?" Keith asked. "I told Jack, I think it's your turn."

Willa gave a small nod, unable to argue with this logic. She turned back to their friends, and put an arm around Keith. "Once we were all brought back to safety following Primal Dialga's defeat, Keith proposed to me," she said. "And I said yes. We are getting married."

"Holy shi- wha- y- you're getting married?!" Gavin exclaimed.

"We're getting married"! Keith grinned.

"Yeah, you are, man!" Gavin laughed, exchanging a high five with Keith.

"X-x above! Congratulations to the both of you!" Eddie said.

"Congratulations!" exclaimed Terri and Laugh simultaneously.

"Yer wat?!" exclaimed a voice, causing Keith to turn around- Meowth was walking up to them, having clearly just left the Pokémon Center. "Did I just hear dat right? Yer gettin' married?!"

"You heard right, Meowth," Keith grinned. "Me and Willa are engaged!" At this, Meowth deftly climbed up to Keith's shoulder, and the two exchanged a fistbump.

The celebration continued on in this vein for some time. Keith and Willa went back into their home to begin the formidable task that was informing each and every one of their Pokémon of the good news. Most of them were very happy for the couple, openly expressing their congratulations. Others had rather different reactions...

"Mar-ried?!" Myrtle repeated incredulously. The Banette started floating in circles around Willa's head, eyeing her very intently. Willa, in turn, met Myrtle's gaze unflinchingly, knowing better than to let the Banette intimidate her. When Myrtle finally came to a stop, she had brought her face within an inch of Willa's. "If you hurt Meat Sack," she hissed in the merest of whispers. "If you break his heart, if you cause him a-ny con-cei-va-ble form of un-hap-pi-ness, you'll be dead where you stand. And I am a Ba-nette- I can make it look like an ac-ci-dent."

"...if I were to hurt Keith, I would expect nothing less from you," Willa replied. "More likely anyone who hurts him would have me to answer to in addition to you," she added with the slightest of smirks.

"...I knew I liked you," Myrtle smirked back. "Con-gra-tu-la-tions." And with that said, the Banette vanished into thin air.

"...I don't know how I was expecting that exchange to go, but I think that was the best conceivable outcome," Keith remarked.

Willa shrugged. "I could tell from early on that Myrtle cares more about your happiness than she would ever willingly admit," she stated. "That's why she never scared me, because-"

"-because you make me happy," Keith finished with a smile.

Once all the Pokémon were filled in, there came the more daunting task of Keith and Willa informing their respective families of the engagement. The reactions were varied. Willa had only her mother to notify, but Diantha insisted on quizzing Keith, grilling him to see just how well he really knew Willa. To general satisfaction, however, Keith nailed every single question the former Kalos Champion threw his way, knowing everything from Willa's favorite colors (purple and dark green) to how she likes her steaks cooked (well-done). Keith's parents did not grill Willa in such a manner, merely expressing happiness for the couple. His great-aunt Fateen was wholly unsurprised, having apparently foreseen this, and claimed to have kept quiet so as to not spoil the moment. And Grandma Masters's kind words were almost completely drowned out by the cacophony of celebratory noise her numerous Wobbuffet were making in the background. And once everyone who was to be notified of their engagement was in fact notified, Keith and Willa took a seat in the living room, and proceeded to flip through the TV channels in search of a good movie. It had been a long day, and while they were pleased with how it turned out, right now they just wanted to rest and relax, enjoy each other's company.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2020, 11:01 PM   #106
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Can't Turnback Now



It was a quiet afternoon at Sludge Wave Coast. The sea was calm, the weather was fine, and nothing big was going on. The Pokémon Trainers who called Sludge Wave Coast their home were all relaxing in their respective homes- Gavin Golurkson was watching a broadcast of a Battle Royal in Alola on his TV, gleefully shouting obscenities of encouragement at the mysterious Masked Royal; Terri Alph was making dinner for herself and her Pokémon; Eddie Starmie was reading through the book his grandparents wrote, enjoying a particularly interesting chapter about LM4's alleged connection to the moon; and Keith Masters and Willa Carnet were just sitting down to eat dinner.

"It smells wonderful," Willa was saying as she sat down at the dining room table. "Cotton and Shelley may have outdone themselves."

"I'm inclined to agree," Keith replied, sniffing hungrily at the air. "Those steaks smell amazing."

Willa gave Keith a small smile. "Honestly, I was impressed you remembered I like my steaks well done," she said. "How long ago did you learn that?"

Keith grinned. "We had only been going out a month or so," he replied. "How could I forget? That's how I like 'em, too. I remember, I asked how you wanted yours cooked, and you looked all conflicted."

Willa blushed ever so slightly. "I had received much ridicule over how I like my steaks cooked," she murmured. "I was not eager for even more. The indignant rantings of the head chef of Restaurant Le Yeah is one thing, but..."

"...but you didn't want me thinking you were weird," Keith finished. "I don't think I'll ever forget how your face lit up when I told you I like mine well done."

"Heh," smiled Willa. "You and father are the only other people I've ever known to prefer steak well done. Keith, I apologize for mother quizzing you as she did when we told her we're getting married," she added.

Keith shook his head as he sat down, for his Torkoal and Slurpuff were currently using Psychic to levitate the food into the dining room. "It's all good," he assured her. "She wants to be certain that we're not just rushing into this, I can get that," he said. "Besides, I don't think I actually got any of her questions wrong, did I?" he added with a grin.

"Not a one," Willa grinned back. "I-" At that point, however, the doorbell rang. "Oh, for- who could that be?" frowned Willa.

"Right as we're about to eat, too," Keith shook his head. "It never fails, huh? I got this one," he added, standing back up and making his way out to the entrance hall. The doorbell rang once more before Keith got to the double doors and pulled them open. "Hello?" he said, looking at the man who stood before him. An elderly fellow, completely bald, with eyebrows white as a Voltorb's ass. "Can I help you?"

"I certainly hope so," said the man. "This is the residence of Keith Masters, yes?"

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Who's asking?" he inquired cautiously.

Before the man could answer, however, Keith heard footsteps behind him, and as they stopped, an audible gasp. "Fuji?!" exclaimed Keith's voice, though it wasn't coming from Keith. The Poison-type Trainer looked behind him to see an exact copy of himself looking at the guest, borrowed mouth agape. "Hah, you're alive!" Jack exclaimed. "Lemme refresh your memory real quick," he added, before Transforming into the perfect likeness of their visitor for a moment, then back into a copy of Keith.

The old man's look of mild surprise gave way to a beaming grin. "I remember you!" he beamed. "It has been years!"

"...someone wanna fill me in here?" Keith asked meekly.

"Heh- Keith, Keith, this is Dr. Fuji, the guy I was telling you about from when I first came to be!" Jack said.

Fuji shook his head. "It's just Mr. Fuji now," he said. "I've put that chapter of my life firmly behind me."

"Yeah, I figure you must have if you're still kicking," Jack stated. "I heard about how Mewtwo blew up the lab, didn't leave no survivors, so-"

Fuji chuckled. "I had left Team Rocket long before that point," he assured Jack. "Back then I figured I was the only one on the Mewtwo project to have been spared from its wrath, but... well, may I come in?" he asked. "I have much to say."

"Yeah, sure, come on in," Keith and Jack said simultaneously.

Willa stepped into the entrance hall by this point. "Keith? Who is it?" she asked, looking quite confused. Keith exchanged looks with Jack, and they both chuckled.

~~~~~

"...so this is Dr. Fuji, then," Willa said, looking over at Fuji after Jack had told his story.

"Mr. Fuji, now, actually," replied Fuji. "I'd like to put that part of my past behind me."

"Of course," Willa nodded, knowing all too well the desire to put one's more shameful criminal past behind one.

"So, Fuji, what brings you around these parts?" Jack asked. "Pretty sure you ain't tracked me down, you were pretty surprised to see me."

"Indeed, that was a pleasant surprise," smiled Mr. Fuji. "No, I merely heard that this is where Keith Masters and Willa Carnet reside," he added with a nod to each of the aforementioned Trainers. "I know that you two have been working against Team Turnback."

"Indeed," Willa said with a frown. "You know of them?"

"I'm afraid so," Mr. Fuji replied gravely. "At the very least this time I can truthfully claim to have no involvement with them. However... former members of their ranks have brought me Pokémon mistreated by the organization, and have been able to supply me with information."

"So I'm not the only one to see sense, then!" Willa breathed.

"No, indeed," confirmed Mr. Fuji. "I wasn't sure what to do with the information I was given, but it was confided in me where I could find people more capable of acting on it. People Team Turnback have marked as enemies to their cause. You two," he said, pointing to the couple before him.

"What can you tell us?" Keith asked.

Fuji took a deep breath to steady himself. "I know where their headquarters is located," he stated. "And... I know the true intentions of their boss."

"To bring back this region's old Elite Four, you mean," Willa stated.

Fuji shook his head. "That is but a means to an end," he stated. "Officially, of course, it's the end goal. He makes it out like the old Elite Four were driven out by ingrates, that bringing them back will restore Fizzytopia to its former glory or some such nonsense... no. They only wish to bring back to power those who have no qualms about enacting draconian laws that hinder Pokémon Trainers, to ensure that the region is run by corrupt, flawed, easily bribed individuals."

"But all the Pokémon thefts?" Keith asked. "What's that all about?"

"They're trying to create the illusion that things are worse than ever under the new regime," explained Fuji. "That crime is rampant. Not only to undermine the confidence the Fizzytopian people have in their Elite Four, but also in the hopes of inspiring the old Elite Four to return to reclaim power."

"And this is all just a means to an end for them?" Willa inquired. "What, then, is their end?"

Fuji gave a hollow laugh. "What else?" he retorted. "It's the same thing Team Rocket's been after- world domination. Fizzytopia is one of the largest regions in the Pokémon world. If Team Turnback can hinder its Trainers and ensure its government is corrupt-"

"-then Fizzytopia would be easy pickings," Keith finished.

"They could take over in a heartbeat," Willa continued. "And by restricting the quantities of Pokémon we could have, they'd render us powerless, especially if they could circumvent such laws."

"And the old Elite Four were a bunch of corrupt lowlives," scowled Keith. "They'd crumble under bribery or blackmail like a Pelipper in a lightning storm."

"Bribery... Blackmail... a show of force..." said Fuji grimly.

"A show of force?" Keith repeated. "The old Elite Four were jerks, but they were also accomplished Trainers- how much of a show of force could Team Turnback put forth that would actually scare them?"

"Oh, you don't want to know," Fuji shook his head. "But... it's important that you know nonetheless- what the?!" he exclaimed.

For at that moment, the front doors were forcibly kicked in. Ginny the Pawniard flew out into the entrance hall, blades brandished. Keith and Willa hastened to follow, with Jack and Fuji bringing up the rear. There, standing in the doorway, were no fewer than six Team Turnback grunts.

"Oh, come on, I just repainted those!" Keith exclaimed, gesturing to the double doors. "Did you have to kick them in?"

"Shut up, Masters!" snapped one of the grunts. "We're here on a mission. Top priority. Hand over Fuji."

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Who?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

Another grunt pointed wordlessly behind Keith. Keith turned and looked- Fuji was right there, in plain sight, chuckling sheepishly.

"...OK, so much for that," sighed Keith. "Let's try this, then- get out of my house or my Pawniard kills you," he stated.

"Pawn pawn!" Ginny growled, brandishing her blades threateningly.

The grunts responded swiftly, throwing Poké Balls into the entrance hall. Almost at once, Ginny was stuck to a Magnezone's magnets, while a pair of Houndoom advanced menacingly on the group. "Oh, dear," Fuji murmured.

"Oh, they ain't getting to you so easily," Keith assured Fuji. He already had a Luxury Ball in hand, and he threw it at once. "Roxie, I choose you!" he exclaimed.

Willa likewise threw an Ultra Ball. "Probopass!" she declared. At once, Willa's Probopass appeared alongside Keith's Toxtricity.

"Use Flamethrower!" exclaimed the two Houndoom-owning grunts at once.

"Roxie! Overdrive!" Keith commanded.

"Toooooox!" Roxie howled wildly, strumming her protrusions wildly. A shockwave went forward, accompanied by the sound of an electric guitar, stopping the Houndoom before they could fire off their Flamethrowers.

Willa acted fast. "Deploy the Mini-Noses!" she commanded Probopass.

"PRO BO PASS!" exclaimed Probopass. The three Mini-Noses flew off of him. Two of them flew up into the Houndoom's faces, hovering obnoxiously before them, obscuring their view of their intended targets, while the third one tried to use its own magnetic pull to try and get Ginny away from the Magnezone. The Houndoom growled their irritation as their intended targets simply couldn't be aimed at.

"Gah, just blast right through them!" one of the grunts called out in annoyance.

Willa smirked. "Flamethrower, now!" she commanded.

"PROBOPAAAAAASS!" Probopass bellowed as each Mini-Nose spewed a steam of fire. The two Mini-Noses that were facing off against the Houndoom were able to counter the Flamethrowers that said Houndoom were now launching, while the third one was able to get Magnezone screeching in discomfort. In all the commotion, Ginny was able to yank herself out of range of the Magnezone's Magnet Pull.

"Shit! Magnezone!" exclaimed the grunt who had sent it out.

"Roxie, use Screech!" Keith ordered.

"Probopass, Head Smash!" Willa added.

Roxie created a grating screeching sound on her protrusions, causing the trio of enemy Pokémon to wince in discomfort, after which Probopass soared forward, ramming into them all and sending them flying out the front door. The grunts exchanged looks, silently agreeing they were outmatched, and so they withdrew their Houndoom and took off.

"Oh, not this time!" Keith declared. However, as he and Willa took off after them, one of the grunts stopped and wheeled around, throwing a Poké Ball, from which emerged what appeared to be a sentient mine cart made out of a large lump of coal, with four stumpy legs where one would expect to see wheels. The cart itself was piled high with dimly glowing coals. "What the-" Keith murmured, having never seen such a Pokémon before.

The grunt seized his chance. "Carkol! Smokescreen!" he commanded.

"Koooooooooool!" bellowed Carkol, exhaling thick, billowing clouds of black smoke from its mouth. Probopass acted fast, flying into the cloud, whirling his Mini-Noses around him to blow away the smoke, but by the time it was all gone, so were the grunts, their Pokémon, and most worryingly, Mr. Fuji.

"...Oh, damn, they got Fuji!" Keith exclaimed.

"Their Magnezone must know Teleport!" Willa added.

"And Fuji hadn't yet told us where their headquarters is located," groaned Keith. "Which of course is exactly what they were after- dude knows too much somehow. So how do we find him?" he asked desperately.

Willa did not answer right away. She was deep in thought for a moment. Then, her eyes lit up, and she wheeled around to the Ditto who had just caught up with them. "Jack," she said. "You can help us find Mr. Fuji."

"Wha- they got him?!" exclaimed the Ditto, still in the vague shape of his Trainer. "How-"

"Smokescreen and Teleport," Willa stated. "The point is, they'll likely have taken them to their headquarters. And he knows where it is. And since you Transformed into him earlier, then you might know it as well."

Keith gave a relieved chuckle at this. "OK, I didn't even think of that," he said to Willa with a smile. "Jack, what do you think?" he asked his Ditto.

"Alright, gimme a sec here," Jack frowned, looking as though he was trying to concentrate. Or poop. Either or. "I only Transformed into him for a second or two..." The couple waited patiently as Jack closed his eyes, tried stubbornly to recall that particular bit of info he'd gained from Transforming into his old friend. And then, his eyes flew open. "...oh, fuck me," he swore.

"What is it?" Keith and Willa asked simultaneously.

"I know where they got him," said Jack. "And... I know a few other things as well. I... I'm coming with," he stated.

"Naturally," Keith nodded. "Though I take it it's not just about rescuing Fuji?" he added.

"I mean, it's about that, but... there's more to it," said Jack. "No time to explain now."

"Right," Keith nodded. "Lemme just get your Cyber Ball, since I don't technically have you on my current team-"

"No time for that," interrupted Jack. "I'll be fine, I swear- we gotta move, and we gotta move now!"

"Indeed," Willa agreed. "We need to get there fast- we need a Pokémon with Teleport."

At this, a Luxury Ball on Keith's belt burst open on its own, and a blue blob emerged from within. "Wobbuffet!" Smiley exclaimed, seemingly in response to Willa's words.

"Works for me," Jack stated. He Transformed, becoming his normal self, and conveyed directions to Keith's Wobbuffet, just as Meowth and Phantump came running (floating, in Phantump's case) over to their respective Trainers.

"Meowth!" Keith exclaimed as the Normal-type climbed nimbly onto his shoulder. "We gotta move fast- Team Turnback took Mr. Fuji!"

"Phantump, this is going to be very dangerous," Willa said gently. "Are you certain-"

"I am," Phantump said firmly. "I... Team Turnback killed my mom. I won't let them get away with anything else."

With everything agreed upon, the group gathered close together. Jack turned back into a copy of Keith that was intentionally sloppy on the details, while Keith and Willa withdrew Roxie and Probopass. Meowth held onto Keith's shoulder while Phantump hugged Willa. Keith and Willa took hold of each other's hands, and they all huddled around the Wobbuffet. "Alright, Smiley," Keith said. "Wherever Jack told you to go, then. Use Teleport."

"Wobbuffet!" saluted Smiley. A shimmering light formed around the entire group... and in the next instant, they had all vanished.

Last edited by Missingno. Master; 08-30-2020 at 01:18 AM.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2020, 07:18 PM   #107
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Can't Turnback Now II



The light died down around the group, Smiley the Wobbuffet panting from such strenuous use of the move he'd had so little experience with, and as Keith and Willa looked, they could see where they were. And as they saw this, they exchanged bewildered looks. "This is their headquarters?" Keith murmured. "It's just-"

"-the abandoned warehouse where we first met," Willa finished. Indeed, they'd arrived at the very same warehouse on the outskirts of Greenmuk City where, all that time ago, Team Turnback had lured Keith into a trap; where Keith had to fight for his life, where his Paras evolved, and where Keith had met the woman that he would eventually propose to. "I never would have guessed."

"Wait," said Meowth. "Willa, weren't youse part o' Team Turnback?"

"Not for very long, "Willa stated. "I was led to believe that this was simply an abandoned building that was convenient for their use. I was never informed of where their headquarters was."

"Well... let's go on in, then," Keith said. He looked at Willa. "Will you be OK?" he asked quietly.

Willa nodded, steeling herself. "Yes. Thank you," she replied. "Just... I cannot help but remember that one time they took me hostage to lure you in..." she murmured.

Keith took hold of his fiancé's hand as he withdrew his exhausted Wobbuffet with the ball in his free hand. "We will be fine," he promised her. "I'm not going anywhere. We'll go in together, kick ass together, and leave together."

Willa met Keith's gaze with a small smile. "...then let's kick ass already," she said.

And with that, the couple walked up to the door, and acting together, kicked it in. However, as they ventured inside, it was the exact same empty, abandoned warehouse as last time, but with even fewer people within. "Well, this was a flop-" began Keith.

"BEHIND YOU!" Willa interrupted. She yanked Keith out of the way, just as a dazzling Psybeam flew right through where Keith had stood moments ago. Keith wheeled around to look just as the Kecleon flickered into view, looking annoyed at having missed.

"So they're keeping an eye on things- they are here!" Keith declared. "Meowth, Fury Swipes!"

"Phantump, use Branch Poke!" Willa added.

Kecleon, however, vanished into thin air once more, using its invisibility to dodge Meowth and Phantump's attacks with ease.

"Come on, Meowth!" Keith encouraged the Normal-type. "You can still see the zigzag! Look for that and aim properly! Jack, what are you doing?" he added, noticing the Ditto walking further into the large empty warehouse.

"Looking around, it's around here somewhere," insisted the Ditto. Then, he jumped up and down on a seemingly ordinary portion of the floor. "Aha," he grinned. "Right over here!" he called, as Meowth and Phantump continued to beat up on the guard Kecleon.

"What is it?" Willa inquired, leading the way over to where Jack was waiting.

"Heh, we can thank Fuji for knowing this one," grinned Jack. "Trapdoor in the floor right here." He stomped on the floor, and it rattled unnaturally.

"Nicely hidden," Keith remarked, sounding vaguely impressed. "I wouldn't have noticed a thing."

"Indeed," agreed Willa. "The question is, how do we get in?"

"Hm," Keith murmured, considering this. Then, he grinned as he plucked the Pumpkin Ball off his belt. "I think my newest Pokémon has what we need," he said to Willa. And he threw the ball into the air. "Go, Autumn!" Keith exclaimed.

In a flash of light, the Pumpkin Ball split open, and Keith's Pumpkasaur materialized in the barren warehouse, a soft yellow glow emanating from the face in her pumpkin. "Saur! Pumpkasaur!" she smiled.

Keith grinned. "Autumn, we need your help," he said. "It's time for your special attack."

"Pumpka!" nodded Autumn. She fired a single seed out of the top of her pumpkin, which embedded itself in the floor.

"...What is this going to accomplish?" Willa inquired dubiously as the pumpkin plant grew rapidly. "You told me to not pick the pumpkins, but what...?"

"Wait and see," Keith said with a smile. By this point, the pumpkin had sprouted. "Right there, Autumn," he added, indicating where the trapdoor was.

"Pumpka!" nodded Autumn. Extending a pair of vines, she deftly picked the pumpkin, and placed it right on the trapdoor. Willa blinked in surprise as the pumpkin flashed with light.

"Alright, now stand back," Keith instructed Willa. Autumn and Jack were already backing away from the flashing gourd. Willa, still not fully understanding what this was about, consulted her Pokédex.

"Pumpkasaur, the Pumpkin Seed Pokémon. A Grass and Poison-type," droned the device. "A relative of the Bulbasaur. Its special attack is the Pumpkin Bomb."

It was at that moment that the pumpkin exploded. Shards of orange shrapnel went flying as the trapdoor was destroyed by the blast. Shouts of shock and outrage erupted from under the floor, and as soon as Keith could see the staircase the trapdoor was obscuring, he could also see a number of Turnback grunts running up said stairs.

"Here they come," Willa murmured.

"Yep," Keith nodded. Once the grunts had started preparing their Poké Balls, however, Keith swiftly gave a command. "Autumn! Sleep Powder!" he ordered.

"Pumpkaaaa!" exclaimed Autumn, spraying clouds of sparkling blue dust from her pumpkin. The grunts barely got to utter any words of protest before falling to the floor. One of them managed to send out their Simipour, but it too succumbed to the Sleep Powder.

"Effective," Willa remarked, eyeing the fallen Turnback grunts. At that moment, Meowth had landed a final blow with Slash, and the guard Kecleon collapsed as well. Willa smiled as Phantump floated back over to her. "Very nicely done, Phantump," she said.

"Same to you, Meowth," Keith grinned.

"Really was a team effort," Meowth remarked. "Phantump's gotten way stronger lately."

"Wow, that's a lot of Turnback grunts," murmured Phantump, looking at all the snoozing grunts. Willa looked concerned, but Phantump didn't seem scared. "I'm ready to fight," he assured Willa.

Willa gave a nod. "Then let's go," she said simply. Keith led the way, with Meowth nimbly climbing back up onto his shoulder in the process. Willa and Phantump were right behind them, and Jack and Autumn brought up the rear.

At the bottom of the stairs, they found themselves in a fairly large room, and standing right before them was a pair of Turnback grunts- a pair that had shown up at Sludge Wave Coast earlier that day. "Masters and the traitor," chuckled one of the grunts. "What a day- first we bring in that old coot, and now we're gonna hand-deliver you two to the boss as well!"

"I can already smell the promotions!" chuckled the other grunt, throwing a Poké Ball. "Stantler, go!"

The first grunt threw a ball as well. "Volbeat!" he exclaimed.

Willa threw an Ultra Ball at once. "Hitmontop!" she declared.

Keith threw a Poké Ball at the same time. "Shelley, let's go!" he exclaimed.

The four Pokémon appeared all at once. The grunts' Volbeat and Stantler stood ready for action, while Keith's Torkoal and Willa's Hitmontop looked equally ready.

Willa raised an eyebrow. "Shelley?" she murmured. "I've never seen her battle before."

"Then you're in for a treat," Keith chuckled. "Shelley, use Flamethrower on Volbeat!"

"Hitmontop, Triple Kick!" Willa ordered, pointing to Stantler.

"It won't work! Volbeat, Water Pulse!" ordered the first grunt.

"Stantler, Hypnosis!" commanded the second grunt.

Shelley wordlessly let loose a powerful stream of flame from her mouth, and though Volbeat responded with a large sphere of water, the Flamethrower powered right through and landed a super effective hit on Volbeat, steam rising from where the Flamethrower had evaporated the Water Pulse. Hitmontop, meanwhile, was able to gracefully land all three brutal hits of the Triple Kick- Stantler's Hypnosis proved woefully ineffective on the constantly-spinning Fighting-type.

Stantler and Volbeat looked about ready to fight back, but Keith wasn't about to give them the chance. "Fissure attack!" he ordered Shelley.

White Smoke billowed from the top of Shelley's shell, giving off a sound not unlike a steam whistle as the Torkoal reared up, then slammed her front legs into the floor. The entire room shook from this, and then the floor before Shelley started to split open. A shockwave of white energy then erupted from the crack in the floor, and neither Stantler nor Volbeat were able to avoid it. Having taken calamitous damage from this, the pair collapsed on the spot.

"Oh, come on!" groaned one of the grunts as they withdrew their fallen Pokémon. "And our Houndoom haven't been healed up yet, either!"

"You- sh- wh- don't tell them that!" his colleague admonished him.

"Alright, well, as immensely satisfying as it is to see you all bickering like this," said Keith, stepping forward. "We're hoping you can kinda point us in the direction of your boss."

"Pfft. Are you stupid, Masters?" demanded one of the grunts. "What makes you think we'll tell you anything?"

In response to this, Shelley puffed out some smoke from her shell. It took the shapes of a pair of human figures and a Torkoal. The smoke Torkoal withdrew into its shell and plowed into the smoke human figures. The smoke humans' heads then separated from their smoke bodies.

"...His Torkoal makes a compelling argument," admitted the second grunt quietly.

"Gah... fine, fine, the boss's office is that way," sighed the first grunt, pointing to a door to Keith's left. "Make the third left, it's all the way down that corridor, and you didn't hear any of that from us."

"I knew you'd see sense," Willa said snarkily before she and Keith withdrew their Pokémon and ran through the doorway. And sure enough, as they made the third left they saw and headed down to the very end of the corridor, they saw a large door with the Team Turnback logo painted onto it. "This must be it," Willa murmured.

"So what do you know about their boss?" Keith whispered.

"Not much," Willa shook her head. "I've never met him. I've only heard stories."

"Yeah, well, chances are they're true," Jack piped up. "We, uh, we gonna kick some ass or what?" he added.

"Yeah, of course," Keith nodded. "Geez, Jack- you're all fired up."

"Oh, you got no idea," Jack stated, before stepping forward. He Transformed into a slightly misshapen Hitmonlee and gave the door a good kick, blasting it right off its hinges.

Keith and Willa could tell right away they were in the boss's office. It was a large, spacious room, put together extremely well with expensive-looking furniture. A very fat man sat behind a desk, chuckling ominously as his unwanted visitors arrived, and tied to a decidedly less nice chair was none other than Mr. Fuji.

"Well, well," smirked the man behind the desk. He sounded supremely unpleasant. "Keith Masters and Willa Carnet. I was wondering when I'd get to meet you two in person."

"So you're the boss of Team Turnback?" Keith said.

"Indeed I am," smirked the man. "Though your Hitmonlee, I must say, doesn't make a very good first impression, kicking down my door."

At this Jack Transformed into the perfect likeness of his Trainer, albeit with a different hat. "Try again, fatso," he said distastefully. "I seem to recall making an even worse first impression on you long ago."

"What the- oh. Ohoho, I see," chuckled the man. "You're the failure. My, has it really been that long?"

"What in the-" began Willa.

"I think I'm starting to get it," Keith frowned. "Team Turnback's boss is one of the Team Rocket scientists who created Jack."

"Bingo," confirmed Jack. "It gives me great displeasure to introduce you to Dr. Cartman, the reason the first thing I ever heard in my existence was 'Eugh! What the hell is that thing?!'."

Cartman gave a sharp laugh. "Its memory is remarkable," he remarked.

"One thing I don't understand," Willa piped up. "I thought everyone working on the Mewtwo project was killed when it broke out and blew up the laboratory?"

"Oh, yes," nodded Cartman. "Everyone who had shown up to work that day, that is to say- I called in sick that day. Now, naturally, as you can imagine, beautiful timing on my part- a selfish, lazy impulse on my part ended up saving my life! However, of course, with Mewtwo having broken free from our control, Giovanni declared the project a failure, and fired everyone on the project who was still alive. Which was basically just me."

"So you started up Team Turnback?" demanded Jack. "Trying to get Fizzytopia's old Elite Four back into power?"

"He did," Fuji said distastefully.

"Shut up, Fuji!" Cartman screeched unpleasantly. "Respect my authority!"

"Oh, I so don't like this guy," Keith murmured.

"You too!" Cartman continued, rounding on Keith. "Don't make me sic my Primeape on you!"

"Is that what you did to my mom?" Phantump demanded. "Sicced your Primeape on her?"

Cartman raised an eyebrow at Phantump's words. "Might've," he said indifferently. "I've had to silence more than a few potential problems over the years, but I think I've done well enough," he added, sounding somewhat proud of himself.

"Hence his kidnapping me," Fuji spoke up. "He found out I had started snooping into Team Turnback's secrets, and knew I was a threat."

"I SAID! SHUT! UP!!" Cartman screeched. As he spoke, he practically heaved an Ultra Ball into the floor, from which emerged a furry spherical creature with powerful arms and legs. The Primeape snorted viciously, looking around with a crazed expression. Keith and Willa exchanged looks, neither of them wanting to make any sudden movements, lest they incur Primeape's wrath. Fuji started to sweat, knowing death was surely imminent.

Phantump, on the other hand, reacted in a very big way. The sight of the Pokémon that had killed his mother was enough to spur him into action. He slammed his ghostly tail into the floor, and screamed loudly as gigantic brown thorny roots erupted out of the floor, the Frenzy Plant targeting Primeape with unmatched ferocity. Primeape snarled, trying to tear through the vines with Fury Swipes, but Phantump wasn't relenting.

"No! Primeape, rip those vines apart along with the stupid jerk making them!" Cartman exclaimed impatiently.

"Now's our chance!" Keith whispered to Meowth. "Cut Fuji free!"

"Right!" Meowth whispered back. He deftly jumped to the floor, and was able to slice easily through the ropes that had been keeping Fuji bound in place.

"Phantump!" Willa exclaimed, "Are you all right?!"

"I... I think so!" Phantump managed to call back, the Frenzy Plant continuing on, focusing very nicely on Primeape and Primeape alone.

Willa smiled. "Then keep going!" she encouraged the Stump Pokémon.

"Primeape! Keep attacking!" screeched Cartman. "Wha- HEY! No, no, you don't get to escape!" he added upon spotting Meowth and Fuji sneaking away.

"Who said we was escapin'?" Meowth demanded. "Implying youse scares us?"

"Ohoho, that's right," Cartman chuckled with an evil smirk. "I haven't shown you all yet, have I?"

"...oh, this is bad," Fuji murmured as Cartman walked casually towards the back wall of his office, even as Phantump's Frenzy Plant knocked Primeape clean out.

"Good job, Phantump," Willa smiled, for as Primeape fell, the vines vanished- Phantump's control over Frenzy Plant had clearly improved greatly.

Phantump was panting, exhausted from his exertion, even as he was scooped into Willa's arms, but he wriggled free, and floated over to the unconscious Primeape. "That was for Mom," he spat, before floating back over to Willa, who pulled him into a hug as he started to cry.

"There, there," Willa said soothingly. "It's all OK now, Phantump."

"Oh, no, it's not!" cackled Cartman. He pressed a button on the wall, and with a great mechanical whir, the entire wall slid open.

Keith's mouth fell open. "What..." he murmured.

"It couldn't be," Willa breathed, likewise incredulous.

"Oh, it is," Fuji murmured worriedly.

"...is that my little brother?" Jack whispered.

For when the wall slid open, it was revealing an extra section of the office, containing a very large glass tube, filled with a translucent fluid of some sort. And floating in said fluid, seemingly asleep, was a large creature of varying shades of purple. Keith had seen photos of this Pokémon before, but he could hardly believe he was seeing it in person.

"Yes," sneered Cartman. "Now you'll all respect my authority, won't you?! Behold the ultimate creation of Team Rocket- this is Mewtwo!"

Keith turned to Fuji. "This is what you meant by a show of force," he said.

Fuji nodded slowly, keeping a wary eye on Mewtwo. "The ex-Turnback grunts told me of this," he confirmed. "They didn't know Mewtwo by name, but when they described it to me, I knew there could be no question. Unfortunately, word got back to Cartman that I'd been tipped off."

"Yes, and we in Team Turnback don't like those opposed to our cause," sneered Cartman. "You would know all about that, Mr. Masters, miss Carnet, wouldn't you?"

"Fuck you and your entire organization," Willa said in a would-be-calm voice, though the fact that said voice shook slightly couldn't be hidden.

"Heh. Not the first time I've heard that before," laughed Cartman. "But it's all OK. You see that black collar on Mewtwo's neck?" he asked, gesturing to the Psychic-type. Keith looked, and indeed he could see some sort of odd-looking collar. "A little invention of my own. It bends Mewtwo's will to mine. The world's most powerful Pokémon, under my complete control!" he exclaimed. "And the time is now," he added, producing a small remote control from his pants pocket. "I'm gonna make an example of all of you, and demonstrate Mewtwo's capabilities by killing all of you dead!"

"We gotta fight," Keith stated, reaching for the balls on his belt. "Fuji, do you have any Pokémon?"

"Only one," Fuji said, producing a Rocket Ball. "It was provided for me as I joined Team Turnback, since I had none of my own, but... I'm not sure how much use it'll be against Mewtwo."

"Well, every little bit helps," Keith stated, throwing four balls at once, sending out his Toxtricity, his Pumpkasaur, his Houndoom, and his Torkoal. He considered sending out Smiley as well, until he remembered just how winded the Wobbuffet was from that Teleport- very clearly he was in no state to battle right now. Willa exclaimed wordlessly as she sent out Hitmontop, Probopass, Gyarados, Absol, and Pancham. And Fuji threw the Rocket Ball, producing a singular Normal Form Raticate.

But even as this happened, Cartman pressed the button on the remote. The fluid drained out of the tube, and the tube itself slid open, as did Mewtwo's eyes.

"Now, Mewtwo!" exclaimed Cartman. "Destroy them! Psystrike attack!"

Mewtwo's eyes flashed with the briefest hint of rage, before the collar around its neck lit up with electricity. Giving a pained cry, the Psychic-type instead generated a powerful force field of energy that expanded outward at a rapid pace. Gyarados moved fast, shielding the humans from the attack, and Absol was able to shield Pancham andn Fuji's Raticate, but nobody else was that lucky. As the attack died down, Keith and Willa could see that most of their Pokémon had been knocked out. Keith's only Pokémon left standing were his Houndoom and his Ditto, the latter having quickly Transformed into Willa's Absol in order to survive the powerful attack. And Willa's Absol and Pancham were still good to go- Probopass, Hitmontop, and Phantump had all fainted, and while Gyarados was still conscious, it wasn't by very much.

"Tch, figures," sneered Cartman. "No matter- now wipe the rest of them out with Aura Sphere!!"

Mewtwo, however, did not attack. It cried out in agony from the collar, but seemed to be trying to resist its influence. This gave Keith and Willa time to withdraw their unconscious Pokémon, while Jack Transformed once more, turning into a copy of Mewtwo. Little brother! he called out telepathically.

Little... brother? Mewtwo thought back, even his mental voice sounding pained. Who... are you?

I am the first Ditto, Jack responded. The so-called failure they created before they created you. You must fight that collar! Cartman wishes to use you for his own personal gain!

I am- ow- trying! Mewtwo thought back irritably. The device is too well-constructed. Even my power cannot overwhelm- ah... aaagh... GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

With that, Mewtwo's eyes flashed red. Sparks visibly flew from the collar as Mewtwo grabbed desperately at the device.

"We gotta destroy the collar!" Keith exclaimed. "Jack, use Psycho Cut on the collar!"

"Use Aura Sphere! Use Aura Sphere!!" Cartman was screeching childishly, actually jumping up and down. "RESPECT MAH AUTHORITAH!!!"

Mewtwo responded with a pained, bellowing roar, evading Jack's Psycho Cut, and unleashed Aura Sphere as ordered. Though instead of aiming it at any of Keith or Willa's Pokémon, or at Fuji's Raticate, he instead aimed it at Cartman's head. As horrible a man as he undoubtedly was, the sight that followed nevertheless made Keith, Willa, and Fuji wince. As the decapitated remains of the Team Turnback boss slumped to the floor, Mewtwo turned slowly back to the others, collar still sparking.

"...uh-oh," murmured Keith.

Little brother! called Jack.

DESTROOOOOOOOOY!!! Mewtwo thought back. BAD... PAIN... ATTACKING... FEEL BETTER!

Jack Transformed into a copy of Keith. "It's no good!" he reported. "The collar's brought Mewtwo beyond reason! We have to fight! If we knock Mewtwo out, we can safely remove the collar!"

"And of course it already knocked out Autumn," sighed Keith. "Sleep Powder would've been amazing here."

"Pan... Panchaaam," Pancham murmured nervously.

"Ab!"

"Pan?" Pancham murmured, looking up at the Dark-type beside him.

Absol was looking fearlessly at Mewtwo. "Ab, Absol sol!" she declared.

Pancham was in awe. Absol had been his mentor from the moment Willa caught him, and right now, the Disaster Pokémon was standing at the ready, willing to fight, even though this was almost surely a losing battle. There was much at stake here- Absol could foresee great disaster if they failed here, and she refused to simply stand by and allow it to come to pass. So... what the hell was Pancham doing, being all scared? The time for action was now!

Willa gave a soft gasp. "Look at Pancham!" she breathed, for the Fighting-type had started to glow brightly. Absol didn't take her eyes off Mewtwo, but gave a proud smile as her friend began to evolve before their eyes. Pancham got taller, wider, and overall bulkier, arms becoming more muscular, and the leaf in his mouth grew into a twig instead. The glow faded quickly, leaving a formidable in Pancham's place! Willa was quick to consult her Pokédex.

"Pangoro, the Daunting Pokémon. A Fighting and Dark-type, and the evolved form of Pancham," droned the device. "Pangoro has a violent temperament, but does not tolerate bullying. It rushes in to attack, caring not for any damage it might take in the process."

Willa and Keith exchanged looks. "Ready?" murmured Willa.

"As I'll ever be," Keith murmured back. The couple then held hands.

"I'm ready, too," Fuji said bravely. "Raticate, let's do it!" he called.

"Rrrrraticate!" screeched Fuji's Raticate.

"Get ready, everybody"! Keith called to his Houndoom and Ditto, as well as Willa's Absol, Pangoro, and Gyarados.

Mewtwo roared violently, glaring in a crazed way at his opponents, the collar blinding him to all reason. Keith, Willa, and Fuji stood ready to give orders to their Pokémon, hoping against hope they were ready for this.


Quote:
What? Pancham is evolving!



...

...

...!



Congratulations! Your Pancham evolved into Pangoro!

*Pangoro learned Bullet Punch!*

*Pangoro learned Entrainment!*

*Pangoro learned Hammer Arm!*

*Pangoro learned Night Slash!*

Last edited by Missingno. Master; 08-30-2020 at 01:24 AM.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2020, 07:18 PM   #108
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Can't Turnback Now III



Mewtwo gave a bellowing roar, spreading his arms wide. Numerous large stars appeared all around it and were Swift to pursue their targets. The attack landed, striking every Pokémon present, though thankfully nothing had been KO'd.

"Jack, Transform into Mewtwo!" Keith ordered. "Ruby, use Howl!"

"Absol, Megahorn!" Willa commanded. "Pangoro, Night Slash! Gyarados, use Bite!"

"Raticate! Crunch!" called Fuji.

Keith's Pokémon made the first moves, with Jack turning into a copy of his little brother, and Ruby throwing her head back and giving a piercing howl that roused the spirits of her allies and powered up their physical moves. Once this happened, Absol, Pangoro, Gyarados, and Fuji's Raticate converged on Mewtwo. Mewtwo, however, met them all head-on, coming out swinging with Mega Punch after Mega Punch. Absol was thrown back by the first one, which prompted Pangoro to furiously clash with the second one, Mega Punch fighting against Night Slash, with the two seeming just about evenly matched. Seeing their openings, Gyarados and Raticate moved in for their attacks. Raticate chomped down on Mewtwo's arm, but the unavoidable sight of the massive Gyarados incoming caught Mewtwo's attention, and he generated another powerful Psystrike, even while Pangoro pushed it back. Ruby, Pangoro, and Absol were unaffected, of course, but Gyarados and Raticate were knocked out instantly.

"Gah!" Keith gritted his teeth. "Jack, we'll use Psystrike as well!" And Jack acted at once, generating his own expanding force field of energy that further pushed Mewtwo back. However, Mewtwo's attention turned to Fuji, who had just withdrawn his unconscious Raticate.

"Shit!" Jack exclaimed, Transforming into a copy of Keith. "Keith- I gotta get Fuji outta here!" he said urgently.

Keith was inclined, for the briefest of moments, to object, but he knew how significant Fuji was to the Ditto, how important the kindness the old man had shown him was to the Normal-type. This, they knew, was his chance to repay that kindness, and Keith could not deny him that. "Quickly, then," he stated. "We got this."

"Right," Jack nodded, leading the way out, with Fuji needing no further prompting.

Mewtwo's roaring snapped Keith and Willa's attention back to the battle- Mewtwo was now charging up several Aura Spheres- one for each Dark-type still opposing him. "Ruby, use Flamethrower!" Keith ordered.

"Pangoro, Stone Edge! Absol, Ice Beam!" Willa called out.

But it was no good- Mewtwo's barrage of Aura Spheres blasted through the flames, rocks, and frigid energy, pelting their intended targets remorselessly. Though the attacks that had been launched hit Mewtwo as well, it was the only one out of the Pokémon that had just taken an attack to not faint then and there.

Things looked bleak. Keith and Willa stood helplessly in the now-unused office as Mewtwo roared in an uncontrollable berserk rage. Mewtwo would soon attack once more, and with all their Pokémon having fallen, fighting it off seemed impossible.

"...What are we going to do?" Willa murmured shakily.

"I... I don't know," Keith replied uncertainly. His mind was racing a mile a minute at this point, trying to come up with something- anything!- that might help them.

"I can't believe it," Willa was saying. Tears had come to her eyes. "After all we fought, Mewtwo is going to... We... I- I could do nothing..."

Keith looked at Willa. She was taking this especially hard, and he couldn't even blame her- ever since she'd quit Team Turnback, she'd set herself against them, actively trying to foil their plans, with Keith helping her out with that every step of the way. And now... it was all for naught.

...or was it? One idea occurred to Keith. It was crazy. Downright insane. And nothing about it guaranteed success, or even made any reasonable promise of success. But... there was no other way," Keith realized. Mewtwo had seen to that. And he'd soon see to this, too, if they didn't act fast. But the risks involved were likely immense...

"...there's one last thing we can try," Keith said, quietly yet resolutely. "I think... I think one good Z-Move might finish it off."

"A- a Z-Move?" Willa repeated incredulously. "But all of our Pokémon-" She stopped there, for Keith was fixing her with an immensely significant look. And judging by how her eyes widened, by how she started shaking her head, she got it loud and clear. "...no. No! Keith, you can't possibly-"

"Listen to me- this is the only option," Keith said urgently. "None of our Pokémon are in any shape to do it. It's got to be me."

"No!" Willa blurted out, pleadingly. "I've seen you get winded from using Smog! You don't have nearly as much energy for using attacks as whole Pokémon do! You... you could..." She could not bring herself to finish that sentence.

"If Mewtwo goes unchecked, then the entire planet could," Keith retorted. "Willa, I... I know. Arceus knows I know. But... I can't just let the world go like this. I can't be selfish." He then pulled Willa in close, and the two held each other tight, as though each was afraid to let go of the other, and they kissed. "...I'm not going to be selfish," he stated. "And that means towards you, too," he added. "I love you, Willa," he said. "I promise you, and I need you to trust me on this, that I will do everything I can to make sure I survive this, as long as you don't give up. If things look bad, bring me home, get my Pokémon to help. Anything you can. OK?"

Willa was scared, to put it mildly. She knew, deep down, that Keith was right, that this was the only way to save the world... but even just picturing the potential cost was almost too much for her to bear. She looked into Keith's eyes, tears falling freely from her own in what was perhaps one of the biggest displays of emotion anyone could ever claim to have seen from her. But... Keith was swearing, up and down, that he would fight for his life, fight to be able to live to see the world they would save. And he was asking Willa to trust him. Asking trust on words alone from Willa Carnet was an order taller than most Gigantamax Pokémon, but if there was anyone on the planet who had earned such trust, it was the man wrapped in Willa's arms right now. "...All right," she said at last, a small, terrified nod accompanying those words.

Keith nodded back, maintaining eye contact, trying to reassure Willa, for he knew she needed reassurance in the worst way right now. And so did he, somewhat. He'd do his damnedest to keep that promise, but whether he'd be successful, that he wasn't so sure of... The two shared another kiss before finally breaking apart, just as Mewtwo fixed its unreasonable glare upon them. They had a minute, if that. With Keith standing ahead of her, Willa began the Ghostium Z poses.

"...prepare for trouble," Willa groaned.

"Make it double!" Keith added determinedly, copying the poses.

"We aim high... we dream big..." Willa stated, making the necessary movements.

"And to our opponents..." Keith chimed in.

"...We are the bad dreams!" the couple finished in unison. Keith felt it all at once- the Z-Power flooding right into him, a most curious sensation. He felt power, immense power, transforming his dinky Night Shade into something much stronger. All of a sudden, stopping Mewtwo seemed not only possible, but a certainty. He smiled- he knew Willa was putting all of her love into those poses, even in spite of her fear... or maybe because of her fear, in hopes that her love would help get him through this. And if that was the case, he hoped she was right.

"...Here comes Mewtwo," Keith said. "Willa... give the order."

Wiping tears from her eyes, Willa looked on resolutely. "...Never..." she murmured. "...Ending..." she added, a little louder. "NIGHTMAAAAAAAAAARE!!!" she suddenly bellowed, the words exploding from her mouth in a tremendous effort.


Quote:

Keith surrounded himself with his Z-Power!

Keith unleashes his full-force Z-Move!

...



What happened next honestly just looked surreal. The office seemed to be replaced by a creepy-looking landscape full of dead trees, the bright blue sky now pitch-black, and there was naught within this but Willa, Keith, and Mewtwo, the last of whom was charging at the former two, when a great dark shadow spread out around Keith all over the surrounding ground. Keith shuddered where he stood as he poured immense power into this move. And as Mewtwo flew over the shadow, a number of ghostly appendages rose up out of the ground, trapping Mewtwo in a dome before they all exploded at once with great force, eliciting a roar from Mewtwo that conveyed anger and anguish in equal measures. And then, just like that, they were back in reality, Mewtwo lying unconscious on the floor, the collar in pieces around it, still sparking sadly, but now ineffectively.

But Willa had eyes only for her man. "We did it... we really did it, Keith!" she smiled. When Keith did not respond, her smile faded. "...Keith?" she added. And this time, Keith did respond... by way of his knees buckling, and him collapsing in a heap where he stood. "KEITH!" Willa shrieked, running over to him at once.

~~~~~

...

...

...darkness. Darkness all around, every which way he looked. Whether his eyes were closed or open made no difference. Except when he looked down at himself- then, he'd see himself, dressed exactly the same, though he did not appear to have any of his items or Pokémon on hand. Moreover, he was seeing himself very clearly, as though in expertly engineered lighting, yet his surroundings remained pitch black. "Wha..." Keith murmured. "Where... where am I? What... what happ-" And before he could finish asking, as if on cue, his memories caught up with him. The great clash with Team Turnback. The faceoff against their boss. Mewtwo. The Z-Move. Mewtwo getting knocked out just before... just before he himself passed out. "...oh, no," Keith murmured. "No, I gotta wake up, I gotta wake up..." He glanced all around, in every direction, until he could spot something in the distance.

Keith took a few tentative steps forward. He couldn't see whatever he was standing on, but evidently it was solid and able to support his weight, and so he kept moving. Soon after, however, he stopped, realizing he was seeing light of some kind. "Ohhh, no," he chuckled, shaking his head and backing away. "I know how this works- I go into the light, show's over. That won't do at all."

"No, don't worry," came a familiar voice. "Truth is stranger than fiction." Keith turned to his left, where he'd heard the voice coming from, and saw a Dusknoir floating his way.

"Peeves!" Keith exclaimed with a relieved chuckle. "Oh, man, are you a sight for sore eyes! OK, I'm guessing that Z-Move really did a number on me, huh?"

"To put it lightly," the Dusknoir chuckled. "But yeah, like I said, no need to worry about that light. It doesn't mean what you think it means. Can't believe everything you see on TV, y'know?"

"...what are you saying?" Keith asked.

"I'm saying that light's your ticket home," the Dusknoir responded, gesturing towards aforementioned light. "Now come on, let's get outta here."

Keith, however, did not budge. "....no," he said.

The Dusknoir fixed Keith with an impatient look. "Do you want to die or something?" he inquired.

"No... but you want me to," Keith retorted, returning the impatient look with one of wary suspicion. "I'm no fool. I go into the light, I die. Leave this world permanently. One way only. Dead."

"I just said-"

"-yeah, I heard what you just said," Keith interrupted. "And it directly contradicts what I know from experience."

"Oh, how could you know from experience?" the Dusknoir demanded, sounding more and more impatient by the minute. "You were dead for half a second almost twenty years ago!"

"Yeah, but I saw the light back on Phantom Isle," Keith stated. "When those ghost children went into it and were finally at peace. And the thing is," he added, now walking around the Ghost-type. "I told my Pokémon all about this. Peeves included. But then, you wouldn't know, would you?" he added in an accusing tone. "Because you're not Peeves!"

"That is the most ridiculous-" began the Dusknoir indignantly.

Keith folded his arms. "Am I wrong?" he challenged, cutting across the Ghost-type's attempted rebuttal.

The Dusknoir gave an exaggerated sigh, glaring at Keith. "...I should have known it wouldn't be this easy," he sighed, his voice suddenly changing drastically. No longer did he sound anything like Peeves. Now he simply sounded like a polite old man. "You're not an easy one to get ahold of, Keith Masters."

"You know who I am," Keith said. Not exactly surprising to him at this point- whatever this was knew to try and mimic Keith's Dusknoir to try and fool him.

"Oh... we've met," the Dusknoir replied. "For half a second. Almost twenty years ago."

"...You're the Grim Reaper, aren't you?" Keith asked.

"One of many titles the living have for me," came the reply. "I prefer the name Death, personally. It gets right to the point."

"Uh huh," Keith said. "So... dare I ask why you felt like impersonating my Dusknoir and tricking me into going into the light?"

"To finish what I started," Death replied. "What would have been done and over with all those years ago had that Missingno. not intervened." He rolled his eyes. "Normally I've no small amount of respect for Missingno., but I have to say, I'm never a fan of bad timing."

"Not exactly bad timing from where I stand," Keith retorted. "Myrtle saved my life."

Death pointed at Keith. "And that, my good sir, is exactly the problem," he stated. "She did not prevent you from dying- you were already dead, and she happened to be quick enough and powerful enough to undo it. Pull you away before I could get a good grip, as it were. Accounting, as you've undoubtedly noticed, for your... abnormalities.

"You mean me being 25% Gastly," Keith stated.

"If you want to get technical, it's more like 26.4%," Death responded. "The difference that makes, of course, is negligible. But I digress- I'm not here to make small talk. I'm here to finish the job. To escort you into the next world."

Keith shook his head. "With all due respect, nothing doing," he replied. "I need to wake up."

Death gave a small chuckle. "I have no small amount of experience with this sort of resistance," he said. "I will tell you what I tell all the others- let it go. The world will go on."

"And what of my family? My friends? My Pokémon?" Keith demanded. "What of my fiancé?"

"They will mourn you, and eventually move on," Death said dismissively. "All will move on. The world will continue. You see, existence as we know it is vast, and in the end, thoroughly unconcerned with the small, meaningless affairs of mortals. Do not mistake my words for an underestimating of what you've accomplished," he added with a nod to Keith. "I am aware of the circumstances of your latest passing-"

"I am NOT dead!" Keith interrupted hotly.

"-and I feel it would not be an exaggeration to call you a hero," Death continued smoothly, as though he had not been interrupted. "Not many can say that about themselves. You've helped, Keith. More than most can claim to have done. More than enough. It's time for you to move on."

Keith looked at Death. "There's a reason you're bothering with this whole song and dance instead of just dragging me into the light," he stated. "You can't, can you? Not without my say-so?"

Death gave a deep sigh. "...Unfortunately, that is the rule," he admitted. "You need to accept your fate and move on."

"This ain't my fate, though," Keith stated. "My fiancé, my Pokémon, they're hard at work trying to wake me up right now. I promised Willa I'd fight for my life, and that's just what I'm gonna do."

"Are they fighting for your life, though?" Death asked shrewdly. "Willa Carnet is... not a very trusting individual, is she? You promised you'd fight for your life, but what makes you think she took you at your word? Perhaps she's given up on you..."

~~~~~

Willa was kneeling beside Keith's bed, the Poison-type Trainer's body having been laid out on said bed. He was breathing, he was alive, but only just barely, and he hadn't regained consciousness in the twenty hours that had passed since Mewtwo's defeat and Team Turnback's forcible disbandment. A number of Keith's Pokémon were nearby as well, with Rubeus and Hebenon taking turns using Soft-Boiled on their Trainer at regular intervals. Cyanide was sounding a Heal Bell every so often, and Selia continued to try and check Keith psychically, see if there was any sign that he'd soon be waking up. Every check was followed by the Musharna slowly shaking her head and floating away.

And yet, Willa was not giving up on him. She would not move from her spot, and in fact showed fierce resistance when Myrtle attempted to move her away with Psychic. She was holding one of Keith's hands with both of her own. "If it was anyone else... anyone else at all... I don't think I'd have believed them," she was murmuring at one point. "Selia says you're in bad shape... Myrtle isn't sure it's a good idea for me to be this stubborn... Peeves and Liliana haven't had any luck finding you in the spirit world..." Tears fell from Willa's eyes, creating tiny stains on the bedsheets as she held her fiancé's hand. "I'm not giving up on you," she whispered. "If you say you're gonna make it through this, I'm gonna do whatever it takes to make sure you can," she promised. "I love you, Keith..."

~~~~~

For a moment, Death's suggestion left Keith speechless. He painted an unpleasant picture, having the gall to back it up with Willa's well-established trust issues. But for all his outrage at Death's insinuations, Keith was just the tiniest bit scared- what if Death was right? What if Willa was just giving up on him? What if-

"I love you, Keith..."

Willa's declaration of love reverberated faintly in Keith's mind at the same time it had been spoken. It was faint, an echo of an echo, but Keith heard it clear as day regardless, and it filled his heart, kicking out those doubts Death had so cruelly planted. "She hasn't," Keith stated.

Death's eye narrowed. "Say again, boy?" he murmured.

"She hasn't given up," Keith stated firmly. "She hasn't, and I'm not about to either. I made a promise, Death. And Keith Golbatson Master keeps his promises." With that, he wheeled around and stormed off. He didn't know where he was headed, but as long as it was away from the light and away from Death, it was as good a start as any. However, he hadn't gone more than ten feet when he felt a powerful blow right in his back, causing him to stumble. He looked back, seeing a shadowy fist retracting into Death's real fist- a Shadow Punch!

"Really, now," Death said, floating towards Keith. "I'm growing quite weary of your games, boy."

"Yeah? Right back at you," Keith retorted defiantly. "I don't care what you say, it's not yet my time!"

"That is not your decision!" Death snarled.

"No more is it yours!" Keith shot back. "How can you make that decision when you can't even take me without my permission?"

"I. Am. DEATH!" thundered Death. "You dare backsass me!"

"I don't give a Raticate's ass if you're Ash friggin' Ketchum with the world's strongest Pikachu!" Keith retorted. "Acting all high and mighty like that! What, you take dead souls from one world to the next, and only if they give you the OK? You're nothing but a bus driver with an ego, and I'm not getting on board. Now, whether or not you'll excuse me, I have a life to get back to!"

"Ohhhh, no, you don't!" Death stated, flying around Keith and barring his way. "You got away from me once before, and that in and of itself is intolerable. Letting you go a second time? Unthinkable," he seethed. "So what now, boy? You going to fight for your life?"

For a moment, Keith glared up at Death, saying nothing. Then, he gave a small chuckle, a shrug of his shoulders. "I promised I would do just that, didn't I?" he asked. "Yeah... I did promise." Then, whatever trace of a smile had started to form on his face vanished abruptly. "And Keith Golbatson Masters keeps his promises," he stated ominously. Just then, his eyes gleamed, and Keith shot off a black bolt of Night Shade right at Death's face.

It had no effect whatsoever. Death simply hovered there, looking decidedly unamused as the Ghost move struck him. "Who threw that piece of paper at me?" he asked ominously, before sticking both arms straight out on either side. Then, he started spinning as purple energy formed around his fists, and Keith was knocked backwards by the Darkest Lariat. As Keith hit the... ground? Whatever he had been standing on. As Keith fell, Death then shot another Shadow Punch his way, the spectral fist cutting right through the puffs of Smog Keith was sending Death's way.

Death loomed over Keith as he struggled to stand up. "Now I think we understand each other," he seethed. "You see the futility? You can't touch me. You can't beat Death."

Panting, Keith clambered back to his feet. "I don't mean to," he said. "I'm no fool. I don't seek immortality or any shit like that." Death said nothing, eyeing Keith curiously. "I get it- someday, the day will come when you and I meet here again, and I go with you willingly. That's gonna happen someday. Happens to everybody. I get it. But that day isn't today," he said insistently. "You say I'm a hero, that I've achieved more with my life than most others could dare to dream, that I deserve to be rewarded for it... all the reward I want is be able to keep that promise I made," he said almost pleadingly. "To be there for my friends, my family, my Pokémon... to grow old with the woman who's trying so hard to keep me well, to help me wake up. That's all the reward I want for now," Keith stated. "And if, down the road, I can do even more good for the world, all the better."

For the next few minutes, there was an almost eerie silence as Keith and Death stared at each other, each stubbornly maintaining eye contact with the other. Death's eye seemed to be almost searching for something in both of Keith's.

"...You know," Death spoke up at last. "Your attitude is... refreshing. As I've said, I've often gotten people pleading with me to, cut them a break, argue that it's not yet their time... and many of them do it with the foolish notion that it will work forever, that they can stave off Death permanently through words alone. But you... I will say, you are far from the first to have an attitude like yours, a desire to live while accepting that Death is still an inevitability... but your kind is still few and far between. You're a sensible man. I respect that."

"Thank you," Keith replied.

"Now, do me a favor," Death said with the merest hint of a chuckle. "Be a little more careful, would you? I'd hate to have you try to get away a third time."

Keith's eyes widened. "You mean-" he began.

Death gave a single nod. "I'm starting to get the feeling that talking you into accepting this fate would be an exercise in futility," he said. "Better to let you wait until you're ready to accept it, especially now that I know that someday, you actually will."

Keith broke out into a relieved smile. "Thank you," he said. "A million times, thank you! Now, how do I- OK, wait, wait, I go the way you were blocking, don't I?" he added with a chuckle.

"Sensible and smart," Death replied. With those words, the Dusknoir vanished, leaving Keith free to walk the hell away from the light.

~~~~~

Willa looked up anxiously at Peeves, who had just returned. "No sign of him," the Dusknoir said sadly. "Willa... I don't know if he-"

"If he promised me he'll make it through this, then he will!" Willa replied heatedly. "You've known him even longer than I have, Peeves- you should know him better than that!"

"...the spirit world is a big place," Peeves shrugged. "It's entirely feasible I missed something. I'll rest for a few minutes and try again..."

At that moment, however, any need for another attempt was swiftly eradicated. Incoherent mumbling came out of Keith's mouth, and he started moving ever so slightly. Willa gave a gasp, turning her full attention to her fiancé, just before his eyes started to open. As said eyes focused on Willa, a grin formed on his face. "You didn't think I'd go down that easily, did you?" he chuckled. Willa gave a shaky sob/laugh, and wrapped her arms around Keith, prompting him to hug her back just as tightly, a hug that did not let up on either end for a solid fifteen minutes.

Not long after, Keith and Willa were both sitting right next to each other on the couch in the living room. At Peeves's insistence, they were both taking it easy and sipping from mugs of hot soup he and Phantump had made for them. "Do you remember anything?" Willa asked Keith.

"Well, after seeing Mewtwo go down, it's all really hazy," Keith admitted. "I'm getting vague recollections of some kind of light, and... trying to stay the hell away from it. And a Dusknoir, something about a Dusknoir... not Peeves or Lil, I don't think..."

"Well, we Dusknoir have a reputation for ferrying souls into the next world," Peeves remarked as he was floating towards the entrance hall. "Hell, there's rumors that the Grim Reaper himself takes the form of a Dusknoir sometimes."

Willa looked at Keith. "Imagine if you literally had to battle the Grim Reaper to stay alive," she chuckled. "If anyone could manage it, though..." she added, putting an arm around her man.

Keith chuckled. "Seems like a bit of a tall order," he said. "But if that's really what I had to do, then I'm sure I did. After all," he added, smiling to Willa. "I made you a promise, didn't I?"

Willa smiled back. "And Keith Golbatson Masters always keeps his promises," she replied. Then, her smile turned to more of a devilish smirk, and she yanked Keith in for a kiss. To put it mildly, Keith had no objections.

"And you," Keith smiled, once the kiss had concluded. "I wouldn't have made it through that in the first place without you doing everything you could, making sure everyone was keeping my body going, would I have?"

Willa smiled back. "You didn't think I'd let you go down that easily, did you?" she replied.

"By Arceus, I love you," Keith said.

"I love you, too," Willa replied. And the couple remained in each other's arms, looking into each other's eyes, feeling closer than ever before.

After a while, Keith spoke up again. "So, I know I knocked out Mewtwo, but what happened after?"

"Well, Jack and Fuji were able to get to the Greenmuk Police Department and fill them in on where Team Turnback had their headquarters," replied Willa. "Apparently we just missed them- Mewtwo came to, now calmed down, and Teleported us all out of there. Evidently the police found a lot of evidence, enough to be able to apprehend their admins and a number of the more active grunts. The team is effectively disbanded by now. Jack told me that he saw Fuji safely home, and also that Mewtwo is fine."

"Where is Mewtwo, anyway?" Keith asked.

"He don't want me blabbing," Jack said, walking into the room, in the imperfect likeness of his Trainer. "And I'm gonna respect that. Dude insists he owes us big, though, so I doubt we've seen the last of him, and if you ask me, that's a good thing. Glad you're up and about, by the way," he added with a grin. "You actually used a friggin' Z-Move?"

Keith shrugged. "Desperate times," he replied.

"That they were indeed," Jack nodded in agreement. "Though I think I speak for everyone when I say, don't ever do that again," he added.

"Deal," Keith chuckled with no hesitation whatsoever. "I got far too much to live for," he added, smiling at Willa.

Jack chuckled. "I'mma leave you Luvdisc alone," he smiled, before melting back down to his usual amorphous blobby self and oozing out of the room. This left Keith and Willa by themselves. They spent the better part of the night like this, talking about anything and everything that came to mind. Their hopes and dreams for the future. Various ideas about their wedding. They talked, and talked, and talked, until Myrtle floated in, slapped Keith upside the head, threatened to kill him if he ever made her worry like that again, and also pointed out that the sun was coming up, at which point the couple looked at each other, burst into laughter, and went off to bed together.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-23-2020, 03:10 PM   #109
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
The Family



"...and so, Keith, do you take Willa to be your wife?"

Keith smiled, his eyes meeting those of the woman standing before him, the woman he was in the process of marrying. "I do," he said, without the slightest shred of hesitation, something Willa noticed and appreciated.

"And Willa," continued the minister, Eddie's Uncle Fred. "Do you take Keith to be your husband?"

"I do," Willa nodded, smiling back at Keith, having answered with zero hesitation.

"Then by the power vested in me, I hereby declare you husband and wife. Keith, you may kiss the bride."

Keith, to put it mildly, did not need to be told twice. Emotional cheering erupted from the gathered crowd, both from the people and the Pokémon. Keith and Willa's wedding was taking place at Sludge Wave Coast, just outside the Poisonous Palace on a beautiful sunny day. Gavin, Terri, and Eddie were all of course in attendance. Keith's parents were there, and Patrick Masters seemed to be doing his best to not blubber like a baby- and failing miserably, to the mild amusement of those seated nearest to him. Willa's mother was there as well- Diantha, the former League Champion of the Kalos region, and while she was a lot more composed, there were tears visible running down her face all the same. Also present were some other guests- Gavin had invited his brother Hordel; Eddie, in addition to asking his uncle to officiate the wedding, had also of course invited his Aunt Wilma; and Terri had invited a number of the researchers from the Ruins of Alph. A number of Keith and Willa's various friends had also been issued invitations as well.

There were also many Pokémon in attendance- several of Keith and Willa's Pokémon were present; Meowth, Gemini, Nagini, Yanmega, Eelektross, and Phantump. Keith's parents had brought along Jack, the Abomasnow they had gotten from their son, who looked every bit as emotional as Patrick Masters, snowflakes fluttering down from the Grass/Ice-type's eyes. Luna the Swoobat was perched atop Terri's head (Terri didn't seem to mind this), and several people seemed initially confused by the perfect copy of Keith seated in the stands before realizing that it was in fact his Ditto. Dr. Alph, the head of the research team, had brought along a single Unown, and sitting beside Eddie's Aunt Wilma was the Kangaskhan she and her husband had flown in on.

Once the wedding was done, a bunch of Keith and Willa's Pokémon set to work at once. Chairs and stuff were cleared out. Tables were set up. Food was psychically levitated out, including the impressive wedding cake they had ordered from the Pokémon-run bakery they had gone to some time ago. Gavin, as Keith's best man, gave a touching, if somewhat profanity-laden speech, and the dancing commenced shortly thereafter.

The Pokémon, by and large, were doing their own thing at this point, though many of them were watching the humans. Case in point, Luna stood on the grass, watching with her usual smile as her former Trainer danced with his new wife. "I'm happy for them," the Swoobat murmured.

"Yeah, same," came a voice from behind Luna.

The Swoobat did not turn around. She'd known the Ditto she used to be teammates with was back there. She also knew he wasn't completely focused on this, and not just from his distracted tone, either. "So you sense it, too?" Luna said quietly.

"Kinda, I guess?" the Ditto shrugged. "It's also, like, how a bunch of the possibilities I saw play out when-"

"-when you used Roar of Time and saved the world," Luna finished for him. "Yes. If it gives you any comfort, Jack, I can safely rule out the worst of the possibilities you've foreseen."

"Only thing I don't get is, why now?" Jack wondered out loud. "Why here? The Dialga stuff was months back. The time distortions should have all-"

"I believe it is the result of residual energy reacting to the presence of Dr. Alph's Unown," stated Luna. "Terri has been playing with her near the Poisonous Palace for a while."

"Just one Unown's got that kinda power, though?" Jack murmured skeptically. "Thought there had to be at least two to get the weirdness flowing." Luna did not answer, simply maintaining a mysterious smile. "...so what do we do, then?" he asked.

"We get the Pokémon to remain outside tomorrow morning," Luna stated. "All except Selia."

"Wh- Selia- so then, they're gonna-" began Jack.

"Yep," nodded Luna. "I believe my word alone will be all the convincing most of the Pokémon will need, though I will need you to reinforce the issue wherever necessary."

"Yeah, count on it," Jack agreed, already oozing away, while Luna closed her eyes, telepathically transmitting her message to all of Keith and Willa's Pokémon.

~~~~~

The next morning was looking to be a good one. Keith and Willa woke up as a married couple for the first time, and at Jack's oddly persistent suggestion, they brought all of their Pokémon outside to enjoy the quiet tranquility early on in the day. It was a very nice atmosphere, so much so that Gavin, Terri, and Eddie had all gone outside as well. The group had gotten to talking, to the point where none of them noticed the subtle strangeness in the air around the Poisonous Palace. It wasn't too terribly noticeable, but if one were to look at the place long enough, they would gradually come to the realization that it looked like it was slightly... shimmering. As though one were looking at it through a glass of water. Jack and Luna noticed it, of course, the Ditto and Swoobat exchanging looks before turning back to the mansion, though Keith and Willa seemed to not notice it.

"...really sure you don't wanna come in for breakfast, Meowth?" Keith was saying. He and Willa were puzzled- all of their Pokémon thus far had steadfastly refused to go back in the house with them to get some breakfast.

"We's good out here fer da moment," Meowth assured Keith. "Youse two go ahead. We'll catch up," he grinned.

"If truth be told, I would not object to this breakfast being just the two of us," Willa said with a small smile. "We can come back out and feed the Pokémon afterwards."

Keith couldn't help but smile back at his wife. "You're not wrong," he conceded. "C'mon, my love." And hand in hand, the newlywed couple retreated back into the house.

What happened next caught everybody's attention. As Keith and Willa walked in through the double doors, the subtle shimmering effect intensified, as though Keith and Willa walking through it seemed to cause some sort of visible ripple to go through it. The temporal distortion shined with strange energy.

"What the fuck?" demanded Gavin.

"It seems to be some sort of distortion in time," breathed Eddie, adjusting his glasses. "Like the ones that came about as the result of Primal Dialga some months ago- but why would it happen here, let alone now?" Terri, meanwhile, watched in silence, a curious look on her face as she kept an intent eye on the doors.

And then, as soon as it had fired up, the distortion seemed to die down. The front door handles jiggled a little bit... and then the doors swung open. For the briefest of moments, it looked as though nothing had actually happened, that Keith and Willa were simply coming back outside to ask what the hell had just happened. But then a number of details could be seen that made everyone realize that something had definitely just happened. Keith and Willa were both dressed the same as they always were... except they looked just a little... older. Willa wore her hair maybe a little shorter now, but other than these, they largely still looked like the Keith and Willa Masters who had just gone into the house. These details would have been pretty easily overlooked were it not for the minor detail that there was a young girl exiting the house with them as well. None of them had ever seen her before, and she looked to be about ten years old, with long hair the same shade of green as Willa's, wearing a Mega Hat like Keith's.


"All right, sweetie," Keith was saying. "Today's the day, we're gonna help you catch your first Pokémon!"

"I remember when your grandmother helped me catch Yanmega," Willa said, beaming with pride at the little girl.

"I'm so excited, Mom, Dad," smiled the girl.

"Uh..." Gavin spoke up, catching their attention. "Can I just... what in the... huh!?!"

"Oh, Gav- didn't expect you guys to be up," Keith chuckled. "And, uh... looking like... like you did ten years ago?" he added, grin fading slightly as he got a proper look at the others, particularly at Eddie and Terri. "Wha...?"

At this, Jack Transformed into a copy of his Trainer. "Alright, explanation time," he said. "Last night, during Keith and Willa's wedding reception-"

"Wh- last night?" Keith repeated incredulously. "Our wedding was ten years ago!"

"You say what now," Gavin said flatly.

"Hey, hey, hey, lemme finish here!" the Ditto exclaimed. "Anyway. Last night, me and Luna both noticed something freaky startin' up over the Poisonous Palace, something that lined up with a bunch of possibilities I saw coming back when I had done the thing against Primal Dialga. Luna here confirmed my suspicions, said time was startin' to get all distorted. Luna?" he added. "I think you got a better grasp on the specifics than I do."

Yep, Luna confirmed telepathically, taking this as her cue to fly up, the better to be seen. The distortion reached its peak several minutes ago, when Keith and Willa went back in for breakfast, tethering everyone in the house to this point in time. I think the simplest comparison would be to compare it to a big rubber band- while time moved forward as normal as far as any of you would know, when it was stretched to its limit, which appeared to be ten years into the future, it snapped you all back here.

"...so we're back in 2020?" Willa murmured.

"Whoa," the girl murmured. "So this is how everyone looked before I was born?"

"What about our Pokémon?" Keith murmured. "I mean, I see you all there- oh! Sirius!" he exclaimed, noticing the male Mightyena. Breaking out into a relieved smile, he ran over and started hugging and petting the Mightyena. Sirius, though initially wary of the entire time distortion deal, very quickly came to realize that this was in fact his Trainer, and licked his face. "Hahaha... Oh, it's so good to see you again!" Keith grinned broadly. "Listen, listen- about five years from now, I'm gonna need you to be extraordinarily careful if ever we're around any sort of busy streets, alright?" Sirius gave an affirmative bark in response, tail wagging. The rest of the gathered Pokémon started to gather around by this point, Sirius's behavior getting them to relax somewhat.

"Yeah, anyways, Luna was explaining to me, this was why we were all insistent on staying outside," Jack stated. "She and I were warning everyone except Selia to stay outside.

"Except Selia?" Keith repeated. "Why her?"

In response, a Luxury Ball on Keith's belt burst open, and the Musharna materialized. Luna told me why, ten years ago. Or should I say, last night, the Psychic-type said telepathically. She believed my capabilities would be best suited to getting everyone caught up on things.

"Ah, yes, I could see that," Keith nodded. "Because I just realized how awkward it is that now this is the second time we're gonna be introducing you to, uh, our daughter," he chuckled, with a smile in the direction of the girl who was currently giving Sirius a belly rub. "This is our daughter- Maribel Diantha Masters."

"Why was she brought back here along with you, though?" Eddie wondered out loud. "Surely the distortion only had that effect on those present in the house when it happened...?"

"Ah... I believe I was already pregnant at that point in time," Willa murmured. "We found out less than a week after we got married."

At this point, Selia approached the others, emanating pink puffs of Dream Mist from the spot on her forehead. Gavin, Eddie, Terri, and all present Pokémon were subjected to it, and all fell asleep instantly, all of them experiencing the same incredibly detailed dream. I have imbued that Dream Mist with their most pertinent memories of Maribel, Selia explained to the Masters family. They will know her as well as they did ten years in the future.

"Thank you, Selia," Maribel said politely.

It is no problem, Selia responded modestly.

Soon, everyone woke back up. "Whoa..." Gavin murmured. "I... Yeah, I remember now," he murmured, smiling at Maribel. "Ah, geez, did you really get on my case because Maribel's first word was 'shit'?" he asked Willa.

"Initially," Willa confirmed. "It didn't take us much time to teach her to not repeat whatever her Uncle Gavin says when he's in pain."

"Eheheh, yeah, a good life lesson," Gavin chuckled weakly. "So, wait- with y'all basically having been to the future now, does this mean that you'll be able to predict stuff before it happens?"

"I doubt it," Jack stated, walking over, still Transformed into Keith. "See, the timeline kinda skewed into a tangent now that this happened. Your past selves," he said to Keith and his wife and daughter, "are in one tangent, and we're in another, so there shouldn't be any past versions of nobody in that house. Well, past versions to you, present versions to us- I dunno, timeline crap and grammar don't mix well."

"Heh, believe me, I know," Keith nodded.

"But yeah- Luna was saying that too many Pokémon being crammed into that distortion might have screwy effects, that's why most of us hung back," continued Jack. "You know how Luna is- dunno how she can work this stuff out, but she can work it out, and damn well, too.

"And that doesn't change moving forward," Keith grinned. "At least, if this tangent of the timeline doesn't change anything about her, anyway."

"Dad?" Maribel said to Keith. "Can I go in and see how the house looked before I was born?"

"Sure thing, sweetie," Keith nodded. "Only real thing that should be different is that your bedroom was originally a guest bedroom."

~~~~~

Soon enough, it had come time for lunch. Most everyone had grown accustomed to what had happened by this point, and while the fact that it happened was still a lot to take in, Selia's little Dream Mist stunt ensured they remembered Maribel well, and she was every bit as pleasant to get along with as they remembered. She seemed to have a certain affinity for the larger, more physically imposing Pokémon out of what her parents had; even Marvolo didn't take long to decide he liked her.

After everyone was done eating their delicious burgers, the Masters family stood up. "All right," Keith stated. "Maribel, sweetie, let's move- we're gonna help you find a Pokémon!"

"Yes!" grinned Maribel. "Bye, everyone," she added. "I- What was that?" she murmured, hearing the sudden sound of an impact coming from the forest north of the house. A Nuzleaf had slumped to the ground after being thrown into a tree, totally knocked out, as its unimpressed assailant continued onward. A small blue dragon with stubby limbs and a Head hard as Rock. As soon as it saw everyone present, it assumed some sort of fighting stance. "Bay bay! Bay bay!" it barked aggressively.

"Oh! What's that?" Maribel murmured. She dug into her bag, pulling out what looked like a smartphone with a Rotom face on the back, and pointed it at the newcomer.

"Bagon, the Rock Head Pokémon. A Dragon-type," droned the device. "Bagon dreams of flying, so it jumps off of cliffs like an idiot, making its head hard as steel."

Maribel frowned. "Be nice, Rotom," she admonished the electronic device. "So that's a Bagon," she murmured. "It... kinda looks like it could evolve into Salamence?" she murmured, tilting her head. "Which would grant its wish of flying," she added.

"What's that thing she's got?" Gavin whispered to Keith.

"A Rotom Phone," Keith whispered back. "A smartphone powered by a specially trained Rotom. It has a Pokédex built in. Though the Rotom in Maribel's phone seems to have a bit of an attitude," he added. "This being ten years ago... they would be just starting to catch on outside of Galar by this point," he nodded.

Maribel held up her Rotom Phone. "OK, Rotom," she said. "Does Bagon evolve into Salamence?"

"No," retorted the Rotom Phone. "Bagon evolves into Shelgon."

Maribel raised an eyebrow. "...does Shelgon evolve into Salamence?" she asked flatly.

"Yes. Shelgon evolves into Salamence," said the Rotom Phone.

"...so why didn't you just say that in the first place?" asked Maribel.

"You asked if Bagon evolved into Salamence. It evolves into Shelgon," said the Rotom Phone. Maribel groaned, putting away the Rotom Phone, and turning her attention to the Bagon, who wasn't just standing around.

"BAY BAYYY!" Bagon screamed, launching itself at Marvolo for a Rage attack.

"Sssseviper," scoffed Marvolo. The Poison-type flicked away the Bagon effortlessly with his tail blade. Maribel watched as Bagon stubbornly got back up and tried again. And again. And again. The Dragon-type's frustration was growing noticeably with every failed attempt at attacking the powerful Seviper, and Bagon was fuming at its constant lack of success.

Maribel approached Bagon, crouching down beside it. "Bagon," she said. "You wanna get stronger, right? You wanna evolve someday, become a Salamence, and be able to fly?"

"Bay! Baybaybay, Bagon!" Bagon exclaimed as it tried yet again to attack Marvolo.

"That won't work," Maribel said patiently. "Marvolo is far too powerful."

"Bay! Gon!" Bagon exclaimed in frustration.

"See-ee-ee-ee-eeviper," Marvolo chuckled, thoroughly amused by Bagon's frustration.

Maribel dug out her Rotom Phone, and with a few taps of the touch screen, brought up something. "Hm," she murmured, before putting the Rotom Phone back in her bag. "Bagon, use Twister," she said.

"Bay?!" Bagon replied, surprised at the human giving her a command.

Maribel nodded encouragingly. "Give it a try," she said.

"Bay..." murmured Bagon. Unsure as he was about this, it took no more than another look at Marvolo's smug face to spur him into action. "BAGON!" he exclaimed, stomping the ground, creating a whirling Twister around Marvolo. The Seviper wasn't flung around by it, but it was proving more effective than Bagon's previous approach.

"Now use Rage!" Maribel called out.

"GOOOOON!" Bagon bellowed, barreling into the Seviper with great force. And this time, the Seviper, distracted by trying to dispel the Twister, was actually knocked back by the anger-fueled move! Though far from knocked out, the Seviper gave an annoyed hiss and slithered away, no longer finding the situation quite as funny.

"...Bagon," Bagon murmured wonderingly. It wasn't exactly a victory, but doing as the human had told him... well, it got better results than he was getting on his own. He looked up at Maribel. "Bagon bay?" he said.

Maribel smiled. "My name is Maribel Masters, "she said to Bagon. "I'm gonna be starting out as a Pokémon Trainer today. And after seeing you in action, I'd like it if you'd agree to be my first Pokémon." As she spoke, she took out the Luxury Ball her parents had given her. "I can help you get stronger, Bagon. Someday you'll be able to fly."

"Gon... Bay bay! Bagon!" grinned Bagon, nodding.

Maribel's smile widened. In a move that made her father beam with pride, she turned her Mega Hat backwards with her free hand. "Then go, Luxury Ball!" she exclaimed, tossing the ornately-decorated sphere. Bagon exuberantly met the ball head-on, and was sucked inside. The ball landed in the grass and barely wobbled before falling still.

A chiming sound from within her bag got Maribel to take out her Rotom Phone once more. "Bagon has been registered to your Pokédex!" it stated.

"Congratulations, sweetie!" Keith grinned. "Your first Pokémon!"

"Yeah, dat's gotta feel good," Meowth purred.

"So cool!" Phantump smiled.

Willa's smile was faint yet indisputably there. "That's my girl," she said.

"Thanks, everyone," Maribel smiled. She looked at the Luxury Ball in he hand, almost as though unable to believe it was there. "I... I really have my own Pokémon now..." she murmured. "I... This is really... I'm really a Pokémon Trainer now," she said, starting to snivel as the emotions built up. What followed was a heartwarming family hug, one which Gavin, Terri, and Eddie were encouraged to get in on; and so they did.

Last edited by Missingno. Master; 09-23-2020 at 07:27 PM.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 12-12-2020, 08:34 AM   #110
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
All's Fair In Love And Sludge



It was a quiet, calm night, following a somewhat eventful day; in his haste to get dinner out to all of his Pokémon in due time, Keith accidentally dropped Ricin's Poké Ball in the food intended for him. And Ricin, being an Alolan Muk, gobbled up his food with such enthusiasm and vigor that he didn't realize he'd consumed his own Poké Ball until it was already in pieces. Undeterred, Keith produced a Skull Ball he'd procured, hoping Ricin would accept it as a suitable replacement, and to general satisfaction, he did. Were that the end of it, the day wouldn't have been too terribly eventful, but that was not to be- Maribel had then asked questions about Team Skull, and in the midst of the family's discussion, Willa had pointed out some parallels with the Poké Balls Keith kept his pair of Muk in; namely, that Strychnine, a Normal Form Muk, was in a Rocket Ball, a ball made for the evil organization hailing from the Kanto region, which was also where Normal Form Grimer and Muk were first discovered. Meanwhile, Ricin, an Alolan Muk, was now housed in a Skull Ball, a Poké Ball representing a gang from Alola. Ricin and Strychnine found the coincidence rather fascinating, though if truth be told, Keith had a shrewd suspicion it was more than just that that had Strychnine's interest, and before he knew it, Strychnine had taken Ricin by the hand and the pair of them oozed off in the direction of the nearest garbage dump.

"...wow," Ricin breathed, looking up at the full moon shining down upon them. "This really is a beautiful view, Strychnine," he smiled.

"Isn't it?" the Normal Form Muk smiled back. "The moon's supposed to be what gave rise to the first Grimer, maybe that's why we find it so beautiful."

"Yeah..." nodded Ricin. As he gazed at the beautiful night sky, he absentmindedly grabbed a nearby bag of garbage and ripped into it, chowing down on handfuls of coffee grounds, empty Petaya chip bags, and a rotten Eggant Berry. "Oh- uh- would you like some?" he added suddenly, offering the smelly sack of garbage to Strychnine.

But Strychnine already had a garbage bag of her own in hand, and was in the process of popping some dead batteries into her mouth. "I'm good, but thank you," she smiled.

"Yeah..." murmured Ricin, turning sheepishly away.

Strychnine turned to face Ricin. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, nothing, just... I should've noticed you already had something to eat," the Alolan Muk said quietly.

"Well, why should you have noticed?" chuckled Strychnine. "You were entranced by the view. I should know- so was I. And you still thought to offer me something. I'm grateful for that."

"...You're right," smiled Ricin. "I... I guess I was worrying too much. It... it's kind of a thing with me."

Strychnine nodded seriously. "Because of the Muk who you and your brothers and sisters were led by, right?" she said. "I remember you talking about him."

Ricin jiggled uncomfortably. "...we were always too scared to stand up to him," he murmured. "Anything we disagreed with, we either kept to ourselves, or risked getting smacked around and told how it was somehow our fault instead of his."

Strychnine took hold of Ricin's hand. "But he was wrong, wasn't he?" she asked gently. "Including about humans, right?"

"...Yes, especially about humans," admitted Ricin. "Muk always made us think humans were horrible, that they couldn't be depended upon, that not one of them would ever love our kind... but Terri and Keith proved him wrong. Living with Keith, w-with all of you, it's... it's even better than my dreams," he said with a small smile amid sludgy tears.

Strychnine smiled in silence for a moment. "Having you on the team has been wonderful for us as well," she assured Ricin. "I, um... I'm glad your experiences haven't made you think badly of all Muk," she added quietly.

Now Ricin turned to look at Strychnine. "Well, but, how could I ever think badly of you?" he asked in surprise. "Y-you've always been so nice to me, you... you're so... I mean..."

"...my ex-boyfriend had a fear of Muk that he couldn't explain, even though he was a Grimer," sighed Strychnine. "I found this out by showing him that I evolved. It, uh... it ended up being a deal-breaker."

"...it's his loss," Ricin said gently. "You are kindhearted, smelly, and beautiful- any Grimer or Muk would be lucky to have you."

"...thank you," smiled Strychnine. Following this, the pair of Muk continued to sit atop mounds of rotting garbage, looking up at the night sky together while idly munching on their discarded surroundings. Little more was said as their mouths were continuing to consume bags of kitchen garbage, chunks of old, rusted appliances, and so forth. Eventually, Ricin happened upon the end of an old, frayed extension cord, and popped that in his mouth, slurping it up like a strand of spaghetti. As more and more of it was forcibly unearthed from beneath the garbage landscape they were surrounded by, the cord seemed to be coming more and more from his left, and as Ricin looked, he saw that the rest of it was already unearthed; Strychnine had found the other end and had been slurping it up as well. The pair of Muk continued to move closer as there was less and less extension cord between the two, until finally, their sludgy lips met, right at the point where the fraying of the cord was so bad that it actually snapped apart at that point. However, as the pair of Poison-types were proving right now, that cord was not the only thing holding them in such close proximity; they remained like this for several straight minutes of their own free will before breaking apart.

"I... Um..." Ricin murmured. "I... Th-that..."

"Ricin," Strychnine said, cutting through the Alolan Muk's stammering, a gentle smile on the Normal Form Muk's face. "I want to get right to the point- I like you, and I think you like me. I would love for this to become something, but it has to be mutual- I don't want you to only do it because you think it'll make me happy, I want you to be happy as well."

"...but it would make me happy," Ricin admitted after taking a moment to compose himself. "I... I've had feelings for you for a long time, Strych. I just... I never had the guts to act on them. If... if you're OK with how insecure I can be sometimes?"

Strychnine's smile widened. "I'm OK with that as long as you can put up with how direct and to the point I can be," she replied.

Ricin smiled himself. "Sounds fair to me," he said, after which point all remaining communication on the matter for a good while after was of a thoroughly nonverbal nature. It was several hours before the couple, hand in sludgy hand, oozed back to Sludge Wave Coast.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2020, 04:09 PM   #111
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
The Seviper Who Saved Christmas IV



The Christmas spirit was alive and well with the Masters family. That much was clear to anyone who was there to witness the Banette's Revenge pulling up to the dock of Saccharine Island, for the sounds of the family singing Christmas carols could be heard long before they actually made port.

"...and a Farfetch'd in Aspear trees!" they sang as they walked ashore. Keith and Willa Masters were hand in hand, and their daughter Maribel was with them as well, having most festively swapped out her Mega Hat for a Santa Claus hat. Keith and Willa were dressed the same as usual, however, though Keith held a decidedly festive sphere in his other hand. The Meowth on his shoulder was still absentmindedly humming the tune to "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch", a small smile on his feline face.

"That was fun," Maribel smiled. "But we're here because of a Dynamaxed Pokémon, right?" she added.

"Indeed we are," Keith nodded. "Uh, once again, family, I do apologize that I'm gonna be the only one of us taking part here-"

"It's quite alright," Willa assured her husband. "Marvolo seemed very insistent, after all."

"Besides, I'd love to see him in action here," added Maribel. "It'd be just like that story you always tell me at Christmastime- about the Seviper who saved Christmas." Keith and Willa exchanged knowing smirks at this, knowing far better than their daughter just how true that tale really was.

"That it would, sweetie," Keith nodded. "That it would. All right, Marv, come on out!" he added, throwing the Christmas Ball. In a flash of light and a swirl of snowflakes amid the distinctive sound of sleigh bells, the powerful Seviper materialized.

"Heh," smirked Marvolo as they proceeded onward. "Y'know, I was shocked to see Pluself and Minelf come to life again."

"Oh, I bet," Keith nodded.

"Yes... Typically it's only on Christmas Eve they even can, but Santa gave them a little boost, seeing as this was an emergency," he explained. "Apparently the forecast this year calls for the kind of weather he'll actually need Rudolph for. And if his lead Stantler is busy running amok, driven crazy with Dynamax Energy..."

"Sound logic indeed," Keith nodded gravely.

"And you're being deliberately vague when responding to me because Maribel still doesn't know I'm the Seviper who saved Christmas," Marvolo added with a smirk. "You do realize I'm not opposed to you telling her?"

"No, I know that," Keith nodded. "All in good time, though. It won't be much longer."

"Heh... You want to see if she'll work it out on her own, don't you?" chuckled the Seviper.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Keith nodded. "I'm very sure about it, too." And their conversation continued on in this vein as the family made their way towards the site where their latest raid boss awaited. Maribel, of course, couldn't understand Seviper language like her father could, and so was still in the dark as to what they were talking about. But Keith was hoping this wouldn't last long- he knew Maribel was smart, he was hoping she'd be able to work out for herself that Marvolo was indeed the Seviper who saved Christmas, especially since it seemed he'd be doing it again.

It wasn't a very long walk at all, and their target finally came into sight. And what a sight it was, too- a Stantler of stupendous proportions, towering over all present, whose bright red nose was quite literally aglow.

"Huh. Always thought Rudolph was Shiny," Marvolo frowned. "Never actually met him. What- and what are all these others doing here?" he demanded, noticing the other gathered Trainers.

"Marv, this is a Power Spot governed by a Gym Leader," Keith responded, electing to speak in Shuppet language. "The alert went out like any other raid. We heard the alert at the same time Pluself and Minelf were filling you in."

"Feh. I figured it'd be just me, but I suppose this isn't about the spotlight in any case," conceded Marvolo. "As long as none of them slow me down."

Maribel looked up at Keith. "Dad, can you teach me Shuppet language someday?" she asked.

Keith smiled at his daughter. "I'd be glad to, sweetie," he responded. "I'm sure Myrtle and your Aunt Helena would be happy to help with that as well. But for right now, we've got a battle to focus on."

"Absolutely right," nodded Willa. "Are you going to need this, dear?" she added, holding up the Dynamax Band.

Keith, however, shook his head, holding up his left wrist, which currently bore his Z-Ring, complete with his Poisonium Z set into it. "I'm good," he replied. "You take that in case Marv faints. Not that that'd happen," he added with an amused grin in response to Marvolo's indignant hiss. Maribel, meanwhile, took out her Rotom Phone and held it up to the opponent.

"Stantler, the Big Horn Pokémon. A Normal-type," said the Rotom Phone. "Staring at Stantler's antlers for too long will give the feeling of being sucked into them, and leave onlookers unable to stand."

"...wow, Rotom," murmured Maribel. "A normal entry for once? No insults or sarcasm?"

"Consider it your Christmas present. Don't get used to it," replied Rotom. Maribel smiled in response, returning her Rotom Phone to her bag, much less roughly than she usually would.

"All right! Let's get this party started!" grinned Keith, adjusting the brim of his Mega Hat. "It's time to put that new move I taught you to the test, Marv! Use Focus Blast!"

"Ssssseviper!!" hissed Marvolo as he charged up a brilliant blue sphere of raw fighting energy in his gaping maw, then let it fly right towards Rudolph.

And the attack hit its mark! Marvolo gave a satisfied hiss as his Focus Blast defied its most common, cruel, and yet admittedly accurately descriptive nickname of "Focus Miss". As did the various attacks of the other Pokémon taking part in this raid, of course, everyone working together to wear down the red-nosed Stantler. And Rudolph responded... by singing?

"Wha...?" Maribel murmured, as her parents exchanged looks of surprise. She took her Rotom Phone back out. "OK, Rotom, what's that move?" she asked.

"Round," responded Rotom. "A Normal-type move where the user sings to attack. If any of its allies are about to use Round at the same time, the move will be increased in power for them, and they will attack right after the first Round is used."

"But it's only really at its best when used by Pokémon who are battling alongside allies," Keith murmured. "Why would it...?"

"And multiple times, no less," Willa noted, for Rudolph appeared to be spending all of its time repeating the same attack again and again. Then, she turned to Keith, for her husband had started to absentmindedly hum "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Stantler". "...a little on the nose for this situation, wouldn't you say?" she smirked.

Keith chuckled. "Pun intended?" he smirked back.

"Naturally," nodded Willa. "So you have that song stuck in your head as well?"

"I do, too," Maribel spoke up. "It happened when that Stantler kept using Round."

"Yeah, and it ain't just youse guys, either," Meowth spoke up. "But it sounds all sad and somber..."

Marvolo was silent, looking up at the one and only member of Santa Claus's crew of Stantler with whom he hadn't already been acquainted. "Well, you all know the story, I assume," he hissed. "Teased and laughed at for his red nose, until Santa realized this was his way to make his journey safely when the weather isn't so cooperative."

"It seems like it's upset at us attacking," Keith stated.

"Well, of course he is, but what other options are there?" Marvolo demanded. "That Dynamaxing won't wear off until Rudolph's lost every last hit point he's got, and how the hell do you propose Rudolph guide the sleigh this year in that condition? Ain't a set of reins big enough, and that's the least of the concerns."

Maribel tilted her head. "Marvolo seems to feel pretty strongly about something here," she commented. "And come to think of it, a Stantler with a red nose... but there's no way that's actually Rudolph, is there?" she murmured with a slight chuckle. She trailed off, seemingly deep in thought, looking back and forth between Rudolph and Marvolo.

Keith smiled, seeing his daughter doing this, hoping she really was piecing things together right now, before turning back to the battle at hand. "Keep at it, Marv!" he called encouragingly. "Use Present attack!"

"Ssssevipah!" Marvolo hissed, as red and green energy swirled around his tail blade. He raised the end of his tail into the air, and a shimmering, glowing gift box materialized before it. Then, with the flat side of his tail blade, he whacked the gift box Rudolph's way. Maribel's eyebrows raised visibly at this- until this point, she had never actually seen her father's Seviper use Present before.

The whole family watched the Present warily, but as it turned out, they had no need to worry; the festive gift box blew up on contact with the shield, damaging said barrier effectively. Keith exhaled in relief- he knew Present was, to put it mildly, a real gamble of a move, and was never able to find out what would happen if a Present destined for healing purposes was thrown at a Dynamaxed Pokémon's shield (despite having asked around several times by this point).

And all the while, the song continued as Stantler proceeded to attack once more- a Hypnosis to lull the Sudowoodo to sleep; a powerful Max Strike that hit Marvolo hard; and yet another Round, this one targeting the Breloom. "Marv, you OK?" Keith called.

"Of course!" Marvolo hissed in response. "It'll take more than that to stop me. Now we should hurry up here- I get the feeling that Rudolph might start fighting more seriously once the song is over!"

Keith nodded. "Right," he agreed. "Then use Focus Blast!"

Maribel looked on in silence as Marvolo let fly another Focus Blast. The Present from before was still on her mind, not to mention just how much this whole thing seemed to matter to Marvolo, beyond simply the prospect of victory, which seemed to be the primary motivator behind his battling usually. And their opponent... she'd initially laughed off the idea of that Stantler being the actual Rudolph, but the fact that the song was being almost magically piped right into her mind via the Stantler's use of Round... it was all adding up to what she thought was a frankly ridiculous idea, and yet, as she considered it, it was already starting to seem less ridiculous from what she'd seen thus far today.

As Maribel was pondering this, Marvolo let loose another Focus Blast right at Rudolph, hissing his satisfaction as the move met its mark. He was far from the only one attacking here, either, but before long, the red-nosed Stantler started to attack once more. Now it let loose a Max Airstream that dealt some super effective damage to the Pinsir, then followed up with a Swift that, among other things, dealt a knockiut blow to that poor Pinsir. Finally, it let loose with Hypnosis once more, and this time it was the Drifloon who went to sleep.

"This isn't good if it keeps using Hypnosis," Willa murmured. "Suppose Marvolo's the next one to take one of those?"

"I'm not too worried- Marv knows Snore and Sleep Talk," Keith stated.

"Indeed, but neither of us has a Normalium Z," Willa persisted. "Suppose the opportunity for a Z-Move presents itself and Marvolo is asleep?"

"...Yeah, you're right, that is concerrning," Keith conceded. "Still, though, he's got Shed Skin, so I feel like the risk isn't as great as it could otherwise be... But yeah, definitely something to look out for," he nodded.

Maribel, meanwhile, was deep in thought. Growing up with her parents' Pokémon, she'd come to know them really well, and she knew that Marvolo, in spite of how proud and unfriendly he tended to come off as, was a Seviper with a big heart, said fact coming to light especially around the holidays, where he tended to get especially caught up in the Christmas spirit. Hell, her father even kept Marvolo in a Christmas Ball. And then all those stories Keith would tell her about the Seviper who saved Christmas, Marvolo tended to be present every time Keith would tell them as well. And for the longest time, Maribel always just thought that this had more to do with Marvolo's love for Christmas just in general. But now, she started to wonder- was he always listening to them to make sure that Keith got the details right? Electing to say no more on the matter right now, Maribel looked on to watch the battle continue to unfold.

"Let's keep it going! Focus Blast!" Keith was saying.

"Ssssevipah!" Marvolo hissed in response, letting fly yet another sphere of pure Fighting energy.

To Marvolo's satisfaction, the move not only hit, but even forced the red-nosed Stantler to put up yet another shield. Keith and Willa exchanged looks and nods, the former adjusting the Z-Ring on his wrist while the others started chipping away at the barrier.

Before long, however, Rudolph made the song sound yet again, and this time, it was the conclusion of the song, after which the magical Christmas Stantler stopped screwing around. A forceful Max Quake, followed up by what was obviously its base move, a devastating Earthquake. The Sudowoodo was felled by this, after which the Breloom was smacked by a harsh Giga Impact.

"Now dat da song's done, it ain't messin' around no more," Meowth whimpered.

"No, indeed," Willa agreed.

"So, wait, if it was actually not at its full power until the song was over... then could it really be Rudolph?" murmured Maribel. "And Marvolo was so insistent on taking part in this, but he doesn't look the way he usually does in battle, does he...?" As she looked on, Maribel realized what it was she was seeing in the Seviper's eyes. It was something she'd seen in it before, when she was younger, and almost got cut on Marvolo's tail blade- a rare instance of genuine concern. "...Dad?" Maribel spoke up. "Those stories you would tell me about the Seviper who saved Christmas... they really happened, didn't they?"

Keith grinned broadly. "I knew you'd be able to piece it together in the end, sweetie," he replied. "And I take it you have a shrewd idea just who that Seviper is, too?"

"It's Marvolo, isn't it?" smiled Maribel. "He's saved Christmas before, and he's trying to do so again now, isn't he?"

Keith nodded. "He is indeed," he confirmed.

"Keith!" Willa exclaimed, pointing to Rudolph. Keith looked, just in time to see Gary's Stantler finish off the barrier with a Psychic attack.

"Right!" Keith nodded as Meowth jumped down off his shoulder. "Maribel, sweetie, watch us closely now," he added. With that, Keith, Willa, and Meowth crossed their arms before them (front legs in Meowth's case) in the starting position of any Z-Move pose.

"Prepare for trouble!" declared Willa.

"Make it double!" Keith added.

"Meowth, dat's right!" chimed in Meowth.

The trio then, to Maribel's wonderment, performed the set of poses that preceded any Z-Move poses, moving their arms/front legs up, out to their sides, and then crossed again in front of them, left wrist over right.

"He pulled the sleigh!" said Willa.

"He built the sleigh!" added Keith.

"He fought ta rescue Santa!" exclaimed Meowth.

"The Seviper who saved Christmas!" they exclaimed in unison as they pulled off picture-perfect Poisonium poses. Z-Power flooded out of the three of them and into the Fang Snake Pokémon before them, who hissed his satisfaction. He felt it- his Belch move getting powered up into something even stronger, something that would help them end this fight so that Rudolph would be in good condition to do his thing when the time came.

Keith and Willa exchanged grins, before turning back to face Marvolo. Together with Meowth, they cried out, "Acid Downpour, let's gooooo!!!"


Quote:


Marvolo surrounded itself with its Z-Power!

Marvolo unleashes its full-force Z-Move!

...



"Seeeevipaaaaah!!" Marvolo hissed in response, as poisonous energy emanated from his body. The ground beneath Rudolph turned to a gigantic poisonous swamp, and at the same time, a caustic rain fell upon the magical Normal-type, reacting with said swamp and the abundance of Z-Power to inflict massive damage.

Rudolph was still standing when the poison vanished, however, and was not deterred in the slightest, unleashing a potent Max Mindstorm upon the poor Breloom, and even knocking it out by following up with what had to be that Max Move's base move, Psychic. But then came the Earthquake, shaking up numerous Pokémon on the battlefield, Marvolo included. "Marv! You OK?" Keith called.

"Gah... Of course!" Marvolo hissed back confidently. "Takes more than that to trip me up, you should know that!"

"Heh, naturally," Keith grinned.

"I'd be more surprised if he wasn't faring well," remarked Willa. "Marvolo's always been one of your toughest Pokémon."

"It's so cool, getting to see him battle like this," Maribel smiled. "Especially now that I know he really is the Seviper who saved Christmas- that makes him even cooler to me." Marvolo couldn't help but smile at this himself- although this version of him was from the current timeline, as opposed from the future timeline that Maribel had arrived here from, the memories that Selia had given him helped him to remember just how much he'd grown to respect his Trainer's daughter as she was growing up- she was never afraid of him, but still looked up to him as a big, strong, powerful Pokémon. Truly an attitude befitting the daughter of a Poison-type master and an Ace Trainer.

Keith nodded, also smiling. "Couldn't have said any of that any better myself," he said. "All right, Marv, let's keep this going!" he added, noticing that the red-nosed Stantler was open to attack once more. "Hit it hard! Focus Blast, let's go!"

"SeeeeeeVIPAH!" Marvolo hissed in response, charging up and letting fly yet another sphere of raw Fighting energy.

"Yes!" Keith exclaimed as the Focus Blast hit its mark. Not only that, but between the Focus Blast and all the other moves, Rudolph was looking to be near the end of his rope. The battle would surely soon be over, giving Rudolph ample time to heal up before the time would come for takeoff.

Alas, it wasn't to be so simple- Rudolph unleashed yet another Max Mindstorm, this one already powered up by the presence of Psychic Terrain, and this time, the target was Marvolo himself. The Seviper reeled from the powerful, super effective Max Move as Rudolph blasted the Pinsir with a Giga Impact, but after that came a move nobody was happy to see- Earthquake. Of the Pokémon it hit, only the other Stantler came out of it with any hit points remaining, and Marvolo was one of the Pokémon targeted.

"Oh no!" gasped Maribel as the Poison-type collapsed in a totally unconscious heap.

"Not good," frowned Willa.

"Gah..." sighed Keith, holding out the Christmas Ball. "Marvolo, come back now!" he exclaimed, withdrawing his Seviper. And at that moment, however, energy began to swirl around the ball, but it didn't look like the standard Dynamax Energy. Rather, this was a bright, vibrant shade of red, accompanied by a lovely shade of green.

"What in the...?" murmured Willa, raising an eyebrow.

"It's Christmas magic, isn't it?" Maribel whispered wonderingly.

"That... could be, sweetie," Keith admitted, looking at this energy with great interest himself. "Wouldn't be Marv's first time being subjected to it, either. Oh- Willa, dear, the Dynamax Band!" he added.

Willa nodded, already having put the band on her wrist. The Wishing Piece set into it was already aglow with red and green energy- more Christmas magic, no doubt, but the Masters family were in agreement by this point that surely it'd work in the same basic way. And so, taking careful aim at Gary's Stantler, Willa fired off a bundled beam of Christmas magic that would serve to heal the relatively smaller Stantler. It was all they could do while waiting for Marvolo to finally recover.

Keith kept looking back and forth between Rudolph and Marvolo's Christmas Ball, but every time he looked, there was still the Christmas magic doing its thing. And then, just as the last of the magic faded away, Keith could see a Sableye landing a Foul Play, which proved to be the knockout blow.

"We won," Willa exhaled with a small smile.

"Will. will Rudolph recover in time, though?" Maribel asked.

"I think all we can do is hope so, sweetie," Keith murmured. "I- what the?" he murmured, for he felt the Christmas Ball in his hand shaking. Red and green energy started to swirl around the ball again, before firing right at Rudolph in a beam without Keith even needing to take aim. And as it hit Rudolph, that was when the snowstorm kicked up. Nothing could be seen, and the only sounds that were audible over the brief blizzard were the unmistakable sounds of sleigh bells, and the sound of the Christmas Ball in Keith's hand opening up, its occupant emerging on his own accord.

"Whew," Keith exhaled once the snow had died down. "OK, everyone alright?" he asked.

"Naturally," Willa nodded, sounding as though she might have taken mild offense at the very implication that she couldn't handle a little snow.

"I'm fine, Dad," Maribel smiled. "Oh- whoa! Mom, Dad, look at that!" she exclaimed, pointing where Rudolph used to be. Indeed, as Keith and Willa looked, they saw a huge pile of festively wrapped presents that the others were already starting to converge upon.

"Hahaha," chuckled Keith. "I think we got ourselves a little thank-you from Santa Claus himself."

"I should hope so," smirked Marvolo. "Way the weather's supposed to be, he should be grateful we got his living headlight back down to size."

"That's the spirit, Marv- wh- Marvolo?" Keith murmured, looking at his Seviper properly for the first time since the snowstorm.

"What?" demanded Marvolo, for now Willa and Maribel were joining Keith at looking at him. "What are you all looking at?" And then he took a look. "What the?!" the Seviper exclaimed. Indeed, something had happened- all instances of purple and red on his body had gotten darker and more vibrant, and all of his yellow markings had turned a vivid, festive shade of green! "When did this happen?!" the Seviper exclaimed, with a slight chuckle.

"I'm guessing it happened just now," Keith speculated. "Just before you sent yourself out, there was this sudden surge of, we're guessing Christmas magic, and your ball shot a beam of the stuff at Rudolph just before that snowstorm hit."

"I think you still had some Christmas magic saved up," Maribel smiled. "That's what was healing you instead of Dynamax Energy- Rudolph must have done something to this Power Spot."

"That... that makes sense," realized Marvolo. "Because when I was in there, all I could think about was how I wasn't gonna be any help if I was stuck in that ball healing up, and I just... I wished I could do something."

"Well, I think you got your wish," Keith remarked. "I think you managed to heal up Rudolph. I've never seen a Pokémon in its ball take the place of a Dynamax Band for such a purpose before... Honestly, if this really is the Christmas magic changing your color like that, I'm not sure I'm that surprised," he chuckled. "Knowing what I know, y'know?"

"I know," Marvolo hissed good-naturedly. "Honestly... this ain't a bad look," he admitted. "I'm cool with this."

"Glad to hear it, Marv," Keith nodded. "Now... what say we go and get our gifts?" he added to the family.

"Sounds like a plan," nodded Willa.

"Yeah!" Maribel agreed. And with that, the family headed over to claim their gifts, along with Marvolo, the Seviper who had, once again, saved Christmas.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 04-25-2021, 10:52 PM   #112
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Hippopotas



"Salamence, Double-Edge! Hippopotas, Take Down!"

"GRAAAARGH!"

"HIPPO!"

With their Trainer's commands issued, Salamence and Hippopotas charged at each other with full force. And yet again, however, Salamence knocked Hippopotas away with ease.

Maribel was quick to kneel beside the Ground-type as he unsteadily got back up. "Hippo..." he sighed dejectedly.

"I know this isn't going so smoothly just yet, Hippopotas," Maribel said soothingly. "It's not unexpected- you only just learned Take Down a little while ago. But as hard as it is, there's nothing to it but to keep trying. You've been getting so much stronger lately, so I know you have it in you."

"...potas," Hippopotas responded, managing a small smile.

Maribel smiled back. "There, see?" she said. "Now, I'm gonna go and get you all some food, it's about time for lunch," she added. "Will you all be OK out here?"

"Hippo!" nodded Hippopotas.

"I can keep an eye on everyone!" Trevenant smiled.

"Tenta!" Tentacool chimed in. Bouffalant, Dracovish, and Salamence all bellowed and roared their agreement as well.

Once Maribel went back inside the Poisonous Palace, leaving her Pokémon out front to continue enjoying the pleasant weather at Sludge Wave Coast that day, Salamence stomped over to Hippopotas. "Now, what's with that sad, pathetic look on your face?" the Dragon Pokémon demanded. "You think I gave up every time my little fits of Rage back when I was a Bagon didn't do shit?"

"Well, no, you didn't," conceded Hippopotas. "Just... Maribel adopted me not long after she caught you, right? And now look at you, and look at me."

"Aw, don't let that get to you," said Trevenant, the arboreal apparition placing a branch on the Ground-type consolingly.

"Yeah, you got a lot of power," Pinsir added.

"I've spent longer as a Tentacool than you can imagine," Tentacool offered quietly. "I know I'm still weak. Moreso than you, for sure. But I know I won't always be. Maribel sees great potential in me- in all of us. And I have faith she will bring it out. You are not weak, Hippopotas."

"...thanks, guys," Hippopotas said, the small smile returning. "Hmm... maybe one more sparring match before lunch," he decided. "Um... maybe I'll work my way back up to taking you on, Salamence?" he added.

"Heh, whatever works for you," Salamence shrugged.

Hippopotas nodded, then looked around, stopping as his eyes fell on his newest teammate. "Hey, Dracovish?" he called.

Dracovish, who had been playing around in the sea, perked up and jumped out. "Hm?" it responded.

"What do you think of a battle?" asked Hippopotas.

"Battle?" repeated Dracovish. A derpy yet adorable grin formed on its face. "YESSSSSSS!" it bellowed, already charging in for a Tackle attack. Hippopotas, already chuckling at his teammate's enthusiasm, went in for a Take Down in response. This matchup proved far more even, and Hippopotas started to push Dracovish back somewhat. Dracovish, however, redoubled its efforts and knocked Hippopotas away, though with considerable effort.

Hippopotas grinned- Dracovish wasn't quite on the same level as Salamence in terms of strength, but at the same time, the feisty frankenfossil was no weakling. This was no time to dwell on it yet, however, for Dracovish was now following up with a Water Gun! Hippoppotas took a step back and sneezed out a Sand Attack to try and block the water. The attacks collided in midair, cancelling one another out, after which they charged at each other again, this time matching Tackle attack with Tackle attack. For a few moments they struggled against each other-

"Lunch time!" Maribel called, carrying several large bowls of Pokémon food.

Dracovish dropped the battle like a hot Petaya Berry, gleefully running over and devouring its food, leaving Hippopotas to skid forward on the ground a bit. He got back up a moment later, however, and went to join his teammates.

"Everyone enjoying?" Maribel asked her Pokémon, to which she got numerous humorously muffled yet undeniably satisfied responses. "That's good," she smiled. Then, she knelt down near where Hippopotas was eating. "I saw a little of that battle with Dracovish," she said. "I liked what I saw, Hippopotas. Once we're all done eating, how about we try battling someone else, hmm?"

"Mmm- Hippo!" Hippopotas responded cheerfully after swallowing his latest mouthful of food. Between the battle with Dracovish and the fact that he was now eating, Hippopotas was already in a better mood.

~~~~~

After lunch, Maribel had gone around town, seeking a battle with anyone willing to take on Hippopotas. And before long, they'd found a willing opponent- Terri Alph. "Certainly I'll battle you and Hippopotas," Terri smiled. "Laugh, would you be willing to referee?" she added to the Froslass she was currently holding hands with.

"O-of course, Terri," smiled Laugh. It was at this moment they approached the battlefield in the Shadow Clearing. Terri and Maribel took their positions on either end of the battlefield, while Laugh floated off to the side. "Alright," she said. "A one-on-one battle between Terri Alph and Maribel Masters. Begin!" she declared.

Maribel turned to her Hippopotas. "Ready, Hippopotas?" she said.

"Hippo!" Hippopotas declared, stepping forward.

Terri threw a Poké Ball. "Bear, engage!" she declared, sending out the clay colossus that was her Golurk.

"...Hippo," Hippopotas murmured weakly- this thing was even bigger than Salamence!

"Don't sweat it, Hippopotas," Maribel said encouragingly. "I have faith in you! Your Take Down won't work, but you still have moves that will!"

"...Hippo!" nodded Hippopotas.

"Let's begin!" said Terri. "Bear, use Mega Punch!"

"GO LURK," clanked Bear, drawing back a massive fist that glowed vibrantly.

"We meet it head-on!" Maribel declared. "Use High Horsepower!"

"HIPPO!" exclaimed Hippopotas, charging forward. He rammed into Golurk's oncoming fist, but was knocked back by the power-packed punch. "Poooo..." he groaned uncertainly.

"You can do this!" called Maribel. "Sandstorm!"

"Hippo!" replied Hippopotas. He took a deep breath, and sneezed out a huge plume of sand. Harsh winds whipped up, catching the sand, and blanketed the battlefield in a harsh sandstorm in no time. Of course, the move wasn't going to do anything against Bear- Golurk are part Ground, after all- but Terri knew that Maribel knew this good and well. Moreover, the fact that Hippopotas's mere presence didn't cause a sandstorm meant that the only other Ability that that Hippopotas could have had to be...

"Let's do this!" Maribel grinned. "Scorching Sands attack!"

"Hippoooo... POTAS!" bellowed Hippopotas, sneezing out a jet of heated Sand with great Force. Bear gave a displeased sound as it was hit by the attack, right in the torso. Maribel couldn't tell if the move had caused a burn as she'd hoped, but she listened intently- something didn't seem right. Indeed, there then came the sound of a few metal objects falling to the ground- two small ones, followed by one very big one.

"...uh-oh," frowned Terri.

"What's wrong?" Maribel asked.

"I can't say for sure, but I think Hippopotas's attack might have dislodged the-" began Terri.

"LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURK!" bellowed Bear suddenly, in a violent outburst that dispelled the sandstorm. The metallic seal that covered the crack in its body was now lying on the ground beside the large nails that usually held it in place, and the crack, as well as Bear's eyes and the spiral patterns on its shoulders and hands, were aglow with a violent red energy.

"...the seal on its chest," finished Terri. "Not good. We need to get it back on as soon as possible! The seal is what keeps a Golurk's energy in check!"

"GOOOOOOO LUUUUUUUUUUUUUURK!" Bear shouted wildly, swinging its fists every which way, its Arms like Hammers as it pummeled the battlefield. Laugh hastened to her girlfriend's side, ready to use Protect on them both if need be.

"Hippopotas, bring the seal and nails over here!" Maribel exclaimed.

"Hippo!" nodded Hippopotas. He quickly picked up the nails with his mouth and dropped them onto the seal, but the metallic clanking noise this produced drew the attention of the out-of-control Golurk. Even as Hippopotas began to drag the items backwards towards Maribel, Bear took a wild swing, another powerful Hammer Arm that knocked the Ground-type backwards. Maribel hugged Hippopotas as he came to a stop, noting the seal and nails nearby.

"OK- we gotta get them back onto Bear," she murmured. Terri, meanwhile, was attempting to withdraw Bear, but the Golurk seemed immune to the Poké Ball's recall beam.

"We may need to immobilize Bear before we can reapply the seal," said Laugh. "If I may?"

Terri nodded. "Give it a shot," she agreed. And with that, Laugh let fly an Ice Beam that froze Bear's feet to the ground. This, however, only made the Golurk angrier, its upper body thrashing about like crazy. It lost balance before long and fell on its front. And then came another Mega Punch, this one aimed right at Maribel! "No!" exclaimed Terri.

"Ah!" gasped Maribel.

"HIPPO!" Hippopotas thundered. The startled gasp of his Trainer was sufficient to spur him into action, and he met the Mega Punch head-on. And this time, Hippopotas would not give in. He dug in his heels and pushed back with naught but the Highest of Horsepower. For a moment, they seemed evenly matched, Hippopotas holding his ground with little more than raw determination. And then, slowly, incredibly, Hippopotas managed a step forward, pushing Bear's fist back a bit.

And that's when the glow came over Hippopotas's body.

Maribel gave another gasp, this one considerably softer, as she realized what was taking place. Hippopotas grew larger, considerably larger. Grew into a formidable beast that looked much more of a match for this aggravated automaton. Grew into the formidable form that was ! "HIIIIIPPOOOOWWWWWW!" he bellowed impressively.

Maribel's Rotom Phone pinged at this, prompting her to dig it out of her bag. "Hippowdon has been registered to your Pokédex!" it spoke up. "Hippowdon, the Heavyweight Pokémon. A Ground-type, and the evolved form of Hippopotas. Hippowdon attacks by making a huge sand tornado, and its big mouth can crush a car. Sheesh. They should call this thing the Property Damage Pokémo- MMMPH!" it muffled indignantly as Maribel stuffed the Rotom Phone back into her bag.

"Hippowdon! Push it back!" Maribel called encouragingly. "High Horsepower!"

"HIIIIIIIIPPOOOOOOOOOOOW!" Hippowdon roared in response, and with one last great effort, shoved Bear back so forcefully its feet were no longer frozen. Still lying down, however, the enraged Golurk was now trying to get back up.

"Do it now! Ice Fang!" Maribel ordered.

"HIIIIPPOOOOOOOW!" responded Hippowdon. Getting Maribel's point right away, he charged in and bit down on one of Bear's hands. Frigid energy was released, and the hand was frozen to the ground.

"Now's our chance!" breathed Laugh. "I'll try and hold it with Psychic, but I'm sure it won't hold long."

Terri nodded. "If all goes well, it won't need to be long," she replied, before running over to where Maribel and Hippowdon were already dragging the seal and nails. "I'm sorry about this," Terri said as she helped Maribel pick up the big, heavy seal. At that moment, Bear went stiff, as Laugh exerted her Psychic hold to keep the girls safe from any flailing limbs.

"It's alright, you couldn't have known," Maribel responded as they moved the seal into place. "Hippowdon- can you hold this here?" she asked.

"Hippow," rumbled Hippowdon. He stomped forward, and with his large mouth, pushed up against the seal, holding it still even once Terri and Maribel let go- this allowed them to grab the nails and push them firmly back in the holes, securing the seal once more.

The effect was immediate. The red glow died down, and even as Laugh relinquished her grip, Bear did not flail about as it had been doing. With precise and calculated movements, it flexed its arm and shattered the ice holding it to the ground. It stood back up, then bowed deeply to Maribel and Hippowdon in turn. "GO LURK LURK," it stated apologetically.

Maribel smiled and nodded. "It's OK, Bear," she replied. "Nobody was hurt."

"Hippow," nodded Hippowdon.

"We'll work on trying to keep that seal more secure in the future," Terri stated. "I really should have made sure it was before I sent Bear out for this. Would it be OK if we resumed this battle another time?"

"Of course," nodded Maribel. "But I should be thanking you and Bear- that situation turned out to be just what Hippopotas needed to evolve," she added, smiling at her Ground-type.

"HIIIIPPOOOOOOW!" Hippowdon bellowed happily. This elicited happy laughter from both Trainers as well as Laugh, and even Bear was looking more at ease, knowing that nobody was hurt from this incident. With all that done, Terri and Maribel both headed for the Pokémon Center to get their respective Ground-types looked at.


Quote:
What? Hippopotas is evolving!



...

...

...!



Congratulations! Your Hippopotas evolved into Hippowdon!

*Hippowdon learned Fire Fang!*

*Hippowdon learned Ice Fang!*

*Hippowdon learned Thunder Fang!*
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2021, 07:26 PM   #113
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
The Reporters



It was shaping up to be a fairly uneventful day at Sludge Wave Coast. It was still morning, but nobody had any real plans for the day. In the Poisonous Palace, Maribel had excused herself from the kitchen table when she finished her breakfast, and had gone up to the Battle Room to train with her Dracovish, which left her parents seated at said table, still polishing off their pancakes at a more leisurely pace. "Mm. These really are good," Keith remarked after swallowing his latest forkful of food.

Willa gave the slightest of smiles. "You are sweet," she said modestly. "Perhaps once we're finished and the dishes are done, we can go and see how Maribel's training is coming?"

"Sounds like a plan," Keith nodded. "I admit I'm interested in seeing this attack she's trying to teach Dracovish."

"As am I," Willa agreed. "Fishious Rend, I believe it's called? I can't say I've ever heard of it before..."

"Well, the Pokédex did call it Dracovish's special attack," Keith shrugged. "But then, any information on Dracovish came right from Cara Liss, who wholeheartedly believes that it really was an apex predator in prehistor- now, who could that be?" he added, for he found himself quite abruptly interrupted by a loud and persistent knocking at the door. "We weren't expecting anyone, were we, dear?" he asked his wife.

Willa shook her head slowly. "Not that I'm aware of," she said, sounding equally bewildered. The couple turned to each other, shrugged, then got up together to answer the door, for they were both all too curious as to who was there. And as they pulled open the double doors, they got their answer, though the unexpected presence of these two raised even more questions.


"...Diana? Marv?" Keith said in surprise, for indeed, there stood Diana Macks and Marv Liss. "What brings you here, we weren't expecting-"

"Shut up!" interrupted Diana irately. "Like you don't know what we're doing here."

"Why?" Marv said simply. "Why did you do it?"

"...I'm very confused," Keith said after a moment. "What did we do?"

"Don't play dumb!" snarled Diana. "We know all about that 'anonymous tip' to Fizzytopia TV! Well, thanks to your big mouths, Marv got fired!"

"And when Diana stood up for me, said either they keep me on or fire us both... they fired us both," Marv said, putting an arm around Diana. "Just... why? It wasn't enough to blab our secret, you even had to call the TV station to tell them specifically?"

Willa stepped forward, a dangerous look in her eyes. "Don't you dare impugn my husband's honor," she said in a quiet tone that was most certainly heard and heard well by all present. "Keith Masters keeps his promises."

"Is this a confession?" demanded Diana. "Are you saying you did it?"

"Hey, my wife would never!" Keith said hotly, likewise stepping forward.

"Then who?!" exploded Marv. "You two and that girl of yours are the only ones we told, so that only leaves-"

"No!" Keith and Willa exclaimed simultaneously, cutting Marv off before he could get to the point they all saw coming.

"We raise her right," Willa stated. "Maribel would never break a promise."

Keith nodded. "She knows a Masters never breaks a promise," he added.

"Enough already!" Marv exclaimed in anger. By now he had a Poké Ball in his hand, enlarged and ready to go, and by the time the Masterses noticed this, Marv had already thrown it. "Go, Bright!" he exclaimed.

"And go, Sweet!" Diana added, likewise throwing a Poké Ball.

As the balls burst open, Keith and Willa could see that Bright was a Volbeat, and Sweet an Illumise. The pair of Bug-types materialized side by side, casting each other loving looks for a moment before turning to focus on who they reasoned to be their opponents- that is to say, Keith and Willa.

"A battle, then?" Keith said, backing up slightly, a Poké Ball in his own hand. "It won't solve anything, but fine! Mercury, let's go!" he added, throwing the ball.

Willa threw an Ultra Ball as well. "Vanillite!" she declared. And across from Bright and Sweet appeared Keith's Galarian Stunfisk and Willa's Vanillite.

"Use Tail Glow!" Marv ordered Bright.

"Bebeat!" Bright declared, closing his eyes and focusing as his backside lit up intensely.

"Sweet Scent! Now!" Diana commanded.

"Miiiiiiiiseeeeeeeeeee!" trilled Sweet, letting loose a most alluring aroma that started screwing with Mercury and Vanillite's concentration.

"Stay strong!" Keith encouraged his Pokémon. "Mercury, Metal Claw!"

"Vanillite, Firestream!" Willa called out.

"Stun! Stun! Stun!" grunted Mercury, hopping forward, her teethlike fins gleaming like silver as she made to swipe at Bright.

"Vaaaaniiiiiiiiill!" screamed Vanillite, letting loose a fiery onslaught from his mouth aimed right at Sweet.

But Marv was ready for them. "Use Dazzling Gleam!" he commanded Bright.

"Beeeebeeeeeeat!" declared Bright. He wheeled around, aiming his luminous rear at his opponents, and then letting loose a powerful flash of magical light, far stronger than a Dazzling Gleam would typically be.

"Gah," Keith gritted his teeth as Mercury and Vanillite were knocked back by the move. "Come on, Mercury, use-"

"Oh, come now. This barbaric display is hardly necessary."

Diana and Marv, caught off guard, turned around to see the source of the voice behind them. Keith and Willa, meanwhile, tensed up as they heard the voice, and stepped forward, knowing good and well who had spoken. "You!" Keith and Willa said simultaneously as they saw who it was.

Roger DeLampent III smirked unpleasantly. "Me," he replied.

Keith took a few steps forward. "Boy, you got some Sludge Bombs on you, setting foot on my property-" he began.

"Oh, spare me the dramatics," yawned Roger obnoxiously. "I assure you I have no interest whatsoever in being on your property for any longer than is necessary. No, I was merely in the neighborhood and happened to notice a very irate Diana Macks and Marv Liss, after having just heard about their most unfortunate firings. And how delicious- to think that they have you peasants to thank for this!"

"You lying sack of-" Keith seethed.

"Leave immediately," Willa said icily.

"Hold on a sec," Diana said, looking at Roger. "What exactly do you want with us?"

Roger smirked. "Why, deal of the century," he said. "You see, I've been in the midst of negotiations to buy Sludge Wave Coast-"

"THAT WAS YOU?!" Keith and Willa exploded simultaneously.

"You're the one behind all those nonstop phone calls offering us increasingly extravagant amounts of money for our home?!" Keith exclaimed. "How many times do we need to say no and hang up before you get the hint- this town is not for sale!"

At this, Roger laughed. "You call this a town?" he retorted. "Oh, lord... No, see, this patch of land would be a most ideal spot for this seaside mansion I'm hoping to have built, so once I've forced you off it, construction can commence! And that, Diana and Marv, is where you two can come in. Help me create a smear campaign against these peasants, and once they're driven out and my mansion built, you two will be guaranteed jobs as my maid and butler, with far greater pay than those Fizzytopia TV ingrates ever dreamed of offering you."

Keith and Willa exchanged shocked and appalled looks, then turned to Diana and Marv. "Diana, Marv, surely you're not considering this?" Willa said.

"I..." Diana murmured, sounding lost in thought. "I don't know... I... I mean, I don't do smear campaigns, but... after what they did..."

"How many times do we have to say it? We didn't spill your secret!" Keith said.

"A likely story," scoffed Roger. "Now, do shut up, and let Diana and Marv make this most important decision-"

"Excuse me?"

Everyone turned to look- Maribel Masters had shown up in the entrance hall behind her parents, her Dracovish not far behind. "Maribel, sweetie, I'm sorry if you heard any of what just went on," Keith said.

"It's OK, Dad," replied Maribel. "Mr. Liss? Miss Macks? My mom and dad didn't break their promises, and I didn't break mine," she said.

"I... would love to believe that," Marv said quietly. "But if not any of you, then who else?"

At this, Maribel grinned. "I'm glad you asked," she said. "Rotom?" And that was when Maribel's Rotom Phone floated out of her bag and hovered before Diana and Marv's bewildered faces, and proceeded to play back some recorded footage. At first it was just of an aerial view of Sludge Wave Coast, from the point of view of someone or something zipping about aimlessly. Maribel could be seen playing with Dracovish, Keith and Willa could be seen talking to Diana and Marv, Roger could be seen behind the Pokémon Center... And that last one was what Rotom's footage seemed to focus on, zooming in on him from behind.

"Heheheh, oh, how delicious!" Roger said in the footage, clear as day. "I just might have what I need to run those peasants off this land once and for all!"

The footage cut out shortly after that, at which point everyone present slowly turned to look at the real Roger, whose maddeningly smug smirk was completely gone by this point.

"...now, I can see how such a thing could be misconstrued in the improper context-" Roger began. Before he could begin his Tauros shit explanation, however, Willa marched right up to him and gave him a swift kick in the Sludge Bombs. Roger emitted a high-pitched wheeze and toppled over, crying out in pain as Willa grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him back up so their eyes were level.

"Now you listen to me and listen good," Willa said, her tone quiet, yet all present caught every single syllable. "As unwelcome as you've been in Sludge Wave Coast, you are even less welcome now. Get out. Get out, and pray to whatever higher power you answer to that our paths never cross again. And if you don't believe in any higher power, then I highly suggest you take this opportunity to pick one." She let go of Roger, allowing him to collapse in a heap. "You have eleven seconds to leave. If I can still see you when they are up, I am going to feed you to my Gyarados."

"You... you're bluffing," gasped Roger, still feeling the kick.

Willa produced an Ultra Ball from her bag and enlarged it. "Try me," she retorted coldly.

"I... Diana, Marv, surely you don't believe-" Roger pleaded.

"You got us fired and nearly turned us against our friends," Diana interrupted with a scowl. "If you're not out of here in eleven seconds, I'm gonna help her feed you to her Gyarados."

"...little girl?" Roger squeaked desperately, turning to Maribel.

"Mom, if Gyarados doesn't eat all of him, can Salamence have what's left?" Maribel asked Willa.

"Of course, sweetie," Willa smiled.

That was too much for Roger. Making funny whimpering noises, he turned around and scrambled down the road leading out of town as fast as he could, and didn't so much as look back.

"...we weren't actually gonna feed him to a Gyarados, were we?" Marv spoke up, breaking the silence at last.

"No," Willa stated, putting the Ultra Ball back in her bag. "Though I would have sent him out to further scare Roger if it proved necessary."

"And Maribel, I think we all owe a big thanks to you and Rotom," Keith said, beaming with pride as he turned to his daughter. "That video footage was exactly what we needed to see."

"it was really Rotom's doing," Maribel replied modestly. "When we heard the arguing from upstairs, it showed me the footage, so I came running."

"If anyone's gonna screw with you guys, it's gonna be me," Rotom stated before diving right back into Maribel's bag.

"Heh," chuckled Diana, though she was now looking rather sheepish. 'I, uh... well, I... I'm, uh... I'm sorry," she said quietly. "For suspecting you guys of breaking your promise..."

"I apologize as well," Marv nodded. "Upset though we were at the situation, our actions were inexcusable."

"Bebeat," added Bright, bowing to the Masterses.

"Illumiii," agreed Sweet, likewise bowing.

Keith turned to Willa. "What do you think?" he asked.

Willa allowed herself a small smile. "This whole mess was Roger's fault, was it not?" she replied. "If there is anyone qualified to recognize such a situation, it would be me."

Keith chuckled. "Very true," he nodded. "Water under the bridge," he added to Diana and Marv.

"All is forgiven," agreed Willa. "Roger is a nasty piece of work."

"I'll agree with that," Marv nodded. "Should we be worried, though?" he added. "We did threaten him- suppose he contacts the authorities?"

"Oh, the Fizzytopian police force is no longer on speaking terms with Roger," Keith chuckled. "He tried catching one of their Arcanine, thinking it was wild. And when he learned the truth, he offered to buy the Arcanine in question."

"Wouldn't take no for an answer, and from what I hear, called them some nasty names," Willa added. "With any luck, that plus this incident will finally clue him in to the fact that he can't get his way simply by throwing money around."

"One can only hope," Keith sighed.

"Agreed," Diana nodded.

Willa was looking down at the pair of Bug-types by their guests' feet, who were currently looking lovingly into each other's eyes. "I wasn't aware until today that either of you had Pokémon," she added, producing her Pokédex.

"Volbeat, the Firefly Pokémon. A Bug-type," droned the device. "Volbeat emits light from its tail, and controls it to communicate with other Volbeat. It is drawn to the sweet aroma of Illumise." Then, the image displayed changed to that of the other one. "Illumise, the Firefly Pokémon. A Bug-type," it continued. "Illumise emits a sweet fragrance to lure a swarm of Volbeat, then leads them in forming geometric designs in the night sky with their luminous tails."

"Bright and Sweet were given to us when we started working at Fizzytopia TV," Marv explained. "We were originally made to work together in doing fluff pieces on wild Pokémon, and this Volbeat and Illumise are well-suited to drawing them out. Bright's Ability is Illuminate, you see."

"And Sweet's Sweet Scent is extremely effective," added Diana. "Those two have been in love basically forever, too- long before Marv and I started going out."

"That's always nice to see," Keith smiled.

"Yeah... though, we, uh... we're still out of a job, so there's that," Diana added sadly.

Willa turned to Keith, smirking slightly, for she already knew there'd be that look in his eyes before she saw it. "You're getting an idea, aren't you?" she asked.

"Heh, you know me well, dear," Keith grinned. "Marv, Diana... why don't you live here at Sludge Wave Coast?" he asked. "My Pokémon and I could help build you a house. And not just a house, either," he added. "I have this idea- you surely heard about how Channel 110 went off the air recently? Well the channel itself meant nothing to me, but the number 110 is significant to me, so I was thinking... a TV studio for Sludge Wave Coast. Like, small-time news, maybe coverage of Colosseum challenges," he said, gesturing towards the massive structure that was Sludge Wave Colosseum. "It probably won't start out as the most glamorous career for you two, but you've already proven yourselves as a news team, and unlike the people at Fizzytopia TV, we're fine with the fact that you're related to Cara Liss," he said to Marv.

"I..." said Diana, her mouth agape. "I... W-wow, this... this is more than generous," she murmured.

"Indeed," Marv agreed, looking likewise taken aback. "We can't conceivably ask such a thing of-"

"Well, then I'd say it's a good thing you're not asking- I'm offering," Keith grinned.

"And his is far from the only help you can count on," Willa added. "You'll find I'm willing to assist in making this happen as well."

"Me, too!" added Maribel.

'Stun stun!" Mercury chimed in.

"Nillite!" agreed Vanillite. Even Dracovish gave a happy bellowing roar.

"...Where would we stay while such a place is being constructed?" Marv asked.

"Oh, the Pokémon Center has good rooms," Keith stated. "It's a very nicely run place- my Banette runs it."

At this, Diana and Marv exchanged looks of surprise, followed by small smiles. "...Our lives are about to get a lot more interesting, aren't they, Marv?" said Diana.

"That they are, Diana," nodded Marv. "That they are. Oh- if I may make a request in regards to our new place?" he added. "I, um... I think someplace... spacious would be nice. I haven't battled in a long time, but-"

"-but that battle we were having, even if it was for the wrong reasons, it... it was kinda invigorating," Diana admitted. "I feel like I might just be getting more into the Pokémon training thing than I ever did before. Like... it's one thing to report on such things on live TV news, but..."

'...it's another thing altogether to be actively involved in a battle," Marv nodded.

With that all said and done, Keith and Willa led Diana and Marv to the Pokémon Center so that they could get their rooms in advance. The days that followed would be very busy indeed.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2021, 11:30 PM   #114
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Meowth In Love



"...And I dunno, like... in those two weeks before I really started to get to know her, I still... I had this fascination with her," Keith was saying. "Like... I wanted to get to know her better, though obviously I wasn't gonna push things, y'know? And in hindsight, looking back, it was definitely somewhere in that time where I had started to fall in love with Willa, even if it took me some time to really realize it."

"But ya knows now dat it was love, right?" Meowth replied.

"Oh, easily," Keith nodded. "Heh, I still remember- after Willa and I officially became a couple, Myrtle told me I had been so obviously in love with her for at least a week beforehand. She said my eyes would light up whenever Willa would enter the room, and the emotions she'd taste brewing deep within me apparently told her way more than they were telling me at the time. So... you're thinking you feel the same about Espurr, huh?" he added quietly with a smile.

"Big time," Meowth replied with a faint smile. "Aargh, but I dunno wat ta make o' her, she don't let nuttin' on..."

Keith shrugged. "Neither did Willa, at first," he said fairly. "And from what Willa tells me, Espurr isn't shy about voicing her disapproval of something, so the fact that she hasn't explicitly shot you down... like, I don't wanna build up your hopes, but at the same time I don't wanna crush 'em unnecessarily, either, y'know?"

"Yeah, I gotcha," Meowth nodded. "I just gotta figure dis stuff out, figure out whether dis is da real deal or just some passin' crush before I start gettin' too much inta dis... Cuz if I'm just gonna fall outta love like wat happened wit Ruby, den..."

Keith nodded. "Probably a good idea," he stated. "I'm not sure if I'd be much help with that, though," he added apologetically.

"Nah, it's cool," Meowth stated, jumping down off the table and onto the floor. "I'mma take a walk, alright?"

Keith nodded. "No problem," he said. "Just be back in time for dinner."

"Ain't I always?" Meowth purred as he walked away.

~~~~~

Meowth wandered across the Shadow Clearing, deep in thought, trying to make sense of his own feelings. As he wandered, however, he wasn't looking where he was going, and ended up walking headfirst into the House of Alph! "Owww..." he groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Prob'ly scratched up my charm, and I just polished it, too..."

"You seem troubled, Meowth."

Meowth turned around at this voice, and spotted Terri's Darumaka standing there. "Oh. Hey, Tell," said Meowth. "You said it, though," he added. "I've fallen fer Willa's Espurr, but good And I dunno... she don't give much up, so I ain't got no idea how she feels fer me, and... I dunno, I wanna figure dis out, I wanna work out whether dis is true love I'm feelin' or just a simple crush, cuz if dis is gonna pass like it did wit Ruby, I ain't sure I wanna put so much work inta just more heartbreak, ya know?"

"I do indeed," Tell replied. "Though I fear that such a thing might be difficult to discern unless you start to get to know Espurr better in the first place," he added fairly.

"Ehh, dere's sometin' to dat," Meowth conceded.

"I'll make a deal with you," said Tell. "I have an idea as to how you might figure this out more definitively, and I will tell you... if you can beat me in battle."

"A battle, huh?" grinned Meowth, extending his claws. "Alright- bring it, den!" he challenged the Fire-type.

Tell made the first move. The Darumaka pulled in its limbs and went into a Rollout attack, rolling towards Meowth at high speeds. Meowth merely smirked at this, and fired a Mud Shot at the oncoming Darumaka. This stopped the Rollout, but as the Darumaka unfurled himself from the spherical shape he'd taken on, he proved to be ready by going right into a Flamethrower!

"Gah!" Meowth grunted as he narrowly dodged the Flamethrower. "Alright, den- take dis!" he declared, throwing a Water Pulse at Tell. Or trying to, at least- Tell had already lunged at Meowth, landing an unexpected Sucker Punch! This did not stop the Water Pulse, but it caused Meowth to misfire the attack wildly. Steamed at this, Meowth went right into a Fury Swipes. At first, the Darumaka seemed to not react to this.

And then he started to glow.

"...oh, geez," Meowth whined, stepping back as Tell grew larger, and significantly so. Stubby legs became slightly less stubby legs, and stubby arms became veritable tree trunks of limbs, and before Meowth knew it, a grinning towered over him! "Ehhh..." Meowth whimpered.

"Heh... giving up so quickly?" Tell Taunted Meowth. "I suppose this isn't that big of a deal to you after all. Espurr would never be interested in a quitter anyway."

Meowth's eyes narrowed at this. "...I'mma choke dose words down yer throat!" he responded, lunging at the freshly-evolved Darmanitan, landing a Power-Up Punch. Tell skidded backwards a bit, but then the fire blazing from his prominent eyebrows spread to his whole body, and he rammed Meowth with a hideously intense Flare Blitz! This damaged both participants, Meowth moreso than Tell, but both were still conscious. Meowth took a moment to get back up, and as he did so, he saw that Tell had changed shape, and even color; the Darmanitan now looked like ! Meowth lunged for another Power-Up Punch, but this time it felt like trying to punch solid concrete- Tell didn't even budge. "Wha..." panted Meowth.

"Now that I have evolved, I have access to the power of Zen Mode," explained Tell. "My mental prowess and defensive capabilities are far greater now that I've been sufficiently damaged. I'm afraid you cannot win."

"Like hell!" Meowth snarled, lunging at the Zen Mode Darmanitan. Tell, however, simply sat there, took the Take Down, took the Slash, took the Play Rough. Then, his blank eyes glowed brightly, and a powerful force stopped Meowth from moving forward "Gah..." Meowth grunted as he was assaulted by Extrasensory.

"I am disappointed," continued Tell calmly as Meowth struggled vainly against the Psychic move. "I thought your will was stronger. I thought finding this out meant something to you. Are you aware that Espurr has been standing several yards away, watching our battle since it began?"

"Eh?!" Meowth exclaimed in shock. He was able to turn his head, and so he did just that, and true to Tell's word, Espurr was standing near the Poisonous Palace, watching the battle unfold with her usual unreadable expression.

"Yes," continued Tell as he psychically lifted Meowth into the air. "And now she sees you as the weak wimp you've been proving yourself to be in this battle. I have not even felt those last attacks you've used. Like pieces of paper. It matters not how you feel about her- surely she would not have any interest in someone who cannot even-"

"STOP IT!" Meowth Screeched as, with a tremendous effort, he broke free of the Extrasensory's hold, going right into a Feint Attack that struck Tell from an unexpected angle, making him wobble in place. "Who are youse ta tell me how I feel?!" he demanded as he went seamlessly into a Water Pulse. "Youse don't know me-owth! Youse don't knows wat I been trough, how tough I really am, and how strong my will is!" he continued, Working himself Up before going into a vicious Fury Swipes. "If youse tinks I'm about ta just give up on dis, give up on Espurr, den yer dead wrong!!" he declared, turning the Fury Swipes into a violent Play Rough that finally made the Fire/Psychic-type tip over in defeat, turning back to as he slowly got back up. "Alright... I won," panted Meowth. "Now wat's dis big idea o' yers?" he demanded.

Tell smiled. "You just experienced it," he said. "Meowth, I owe you an apology- the idea was, we would battle, and then I would evolve, as I knew I was getting close to doing. And I would enter my Zen Mode and become nearly impervious to damage. And all the while, I would belittle you, Taunt you, and see how it made you feel, how it made you react. Had you deemed continuing the battle not worth your time, what would that have said about you? Giving up on this in the face of the slightest bit of adversity, surely you wouldn't have felt that strongly about Espurr? But you did not- you persevered, broke free of my Extrasensory, and defeated me, all because of your burning desire to pursue this. There is no doubt in my mind that deep down, this desire is fueled by strong feelings of love. I believe your feelings for Espurr are genuine, Meowth, and that she would be a fool to not reciprocate," he said, giving a deep, respectful bow. "It was a good battle."

"...fer real?" Meowth murmured. "Huh... Well, dat's... wow. Dat was some kinda plan. I accepts yer apology, fer da record," he added. "I'll say dis- yer plan really seemed ta work. Only question now is... I know how I feel... but how does Espurr feel?" he murmured, glancing over at the Psychic-type. Espurr's expression had not grown any less unreadable.

"That is beyond even me, and is not my business in any case," stated Tell. "I wish you luck in figuring this out," he stated, before wandering away to show his evolution to his Trainer. Espurr had also wandered off by this point, leaving Meowth alone with his thoughts.


Quote:
What? Darumaka is evolving!



...

...

...!



Congratulations! Your Darumaka evolved into Darmanitan!

*Tell learned Hammer Arm!*
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-05-2021, 09:32 AM   #115
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Espurr



It was a beautiful, albeit windy, day in Fizzytopia, and the Masters family, as they so often did, were spending this day out and about. Their destination of choice today was none other than the Clawmark Mountain Range, a location that was quite fresh in their minds, albeit not for the nicest of reasons.

"Well, regardless of how the other day went, it's... kinda nice to be back up here," Keith admitted. He and his wife Willa were leading the way, leading the way down a rocky yet mercifully stable trail on the side of one of the mountains.

"Indeed," Willa agreed. "Maribel, sweetie, I think we should thank you for suggesting this."

"No problem," Maribel smiled- she was walking behind her parents, taking in the view. "Last time might not have gone all that well, but I didn't want that to stop us from enjoying this place, y'know?"

Keith gave a small chuckle. "Can't argue with that logic," he smiled. "How are the Pokémon doing?" he added.

Maribel looked behind her at where a few of the family's Pokémon were bringing up the rear. "Probopass looks the same as ever," she reported. "Pinsir finally gave in and accepted the offer to ride on Gogoat's back. Lenny's just in awe at the whole place. Mienfoo looks right at home here, of course. And Espurr's still staying a good distance away from the others."

"As usual," Willa said with a soft sigh. "Espurr's proven... difficult to connect with," she murmured to Keith. "I'm glad she at least listens to me in battle, but beyond that..."

"Well, I'd say give it time," Keith replied. "You just caught her last week. As I recall, it took several weeks before you'd open up to me about anything," he reminded his wife.

"...true," Willa conceded with a small smile. "And even now, I'll still take my time when it comes to meeting someone new."

"Yeah- it's just who you are," Keith said. "And if Espurr's the same way, then... yeah. It's just a matter of time, right? Meowth, what do you think?" he added, before turning to look at the... nothingness on his shoulder. "...Meowth?" Keith said.

"He just went back towards Espurr," Maribel reported.

"...ah," Keith nodded. "Well, I guess we'll see how this attempt goes."

"That we will," Willa agreed.

Meowth, meanwhile, made it back to where Espurr was lagging behind, and walked beside the Psychic-type. "Hiya, Espurr," he said.

"...Meowth," Espurr responded by way of a greeting.

"So... would it be alright if I was ta walk wit youse?" Meowth asked hopefully.

"Would... you object if I said no?" Espurr responded. "I... prefer to walk by myself."

"Oh... well... yeah, dat's fine," Meowth replied, and reluctantly and dejectedly, he quickened his pace slightly, pulling ahead of Espurr, though he wasn't especially eager to catch back up with the others yet.

Onward the group proceeded, along the rocky hiking trails. Careful they were, all the while, for the wind would occasionally pick up somewhat. Thankfully, none among them were so light as to have to worry about being swept away by said winds- they weren't quite that strong. The view they were getting was amazing, but Meowth wasn't quite in the mood for such things.

"Man," he murmured to himself as he slouched along. "I dunno wat ta make of Espurr... Ain't neva lets on about nuttin'... won't hang out wit nobody... gah, but I ain't neva been dis much in love before, eitha!" he sighed. "Wat Keith was sayin' it felt like when he realized he was in love wit Willa, dat sounds like a dead ringa fer how I'm feelin'... And afta dat battle wit Tell, I'm even more sure about it... but if she don't feel da same way back, den wat's a Meowth ta do?" Meowth gave a sigh, knowing full well he was too far away from anyone else to reasonably expect any answers. He considered picking up the pace again, catching back up with the others, but before he could take one more quickened step, the wind picked up again, stronger than before. Everyone stopped where they were, the better to brace themselves, and moments later, the impromptu gale died down. But then, Meowth heard something. At first, a cracking sort of sound. He felt something at his feet- looking down, he saw flecks of gravel landing in that area. "Huh?" he murmured. And then, the look of confusion gave way to that of dawning comprehension, and not of the good kind. Slowly, Meowth turned his head, looking up the steep rocky cliff to the right of the trail, to where a large boulder teetered precariously overhead. And right as Meowth registered that last bit, there was a crunching sound, and the cracked pieces of the top of the cliff fell freely to the hiking trail below. For the boulder, the straw that broke the Numel's back. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Meowth screeched, frozen in place by fear as he registered the fact that this very large boulder was now about to fall right on top of him.

"What?!" Willa exclaimed sharply as she wheeled around.

"Meowth!" Maribel cried out.

"NO!" Keith bellowed, scrambling for his belt, for Meowth's Poké Ball. If ever they could claim there to be an emergency that warranted the use of that thing, this would be it!

But as it turned out, this wasn't necessary- Meowth saw a gray blur racing in front of him, and as it stopped, he had but a second to register that this was Espurr before she started glowing. Meowth's mouth fell open as Espurr grew taller, her fur sleeker, until finally, there stood before him a most beautiful ! And she didn't stop there- her yellow eyes went eerily blank, and facing up at the oncoming boulder, she opened up her folded ears.

All at once, a potent psychic force exploded forth from the Psychic-type's ears- or rather, from the organs said ears had been covering up. The boulder's descent was halted instantaneously. More cracking was heard, but this time, it was coming from the boulder itself. The cracks grew deeper, more pronounced, and greater in quantity, before the boulder burst apart, leaving naught but sand to rain down upon the fortunate felines.

"Whoa!" Keith breathed. "Espurr saved Meowth!"

"And she evolved into a Meowstic!" Willa added, taking out her Pokédex.

"Meowstic, the Constraint Pokémon. A Psychic-type, and the evolved form of Espurr," droned the device. "Male Meowstic prefer a more supportive battle style, while the females favor outright attacking. By unfolding its ears, it can unleash incredibly destructive psychic power."

"Meowstic..." Meowth murmured, voice thick with emotion. "Ya saved me... Ya do care..." Meowstic said nothing, however, and instead ran off back down the trail. "Hey!" Meowth called after her. "Meowstic, wait!" And he ran after her.

Keith and Willa exchanged looks at this. "Should we... do something?" Willa inquired.

Keith shook his head. "I get the feeling this is something those two have got to work out themselves," he stated. Willa wasn't as sure about this, but stayed put regardless- she knew that at the very least, Keith knew Meowth and knew him well, and so she was willing to trust him on this.

It took Meowth some effort to keep Meowstic in view, but he kept up nonetheless, even noticing as she ducked into a small cave they had passed earlier and following her inside. There he spotted her sitting on a rock at the back of the small cavern. "Meowstic?" Meowth said. "Wat was dat all about? Why'd ya run away?"

Meowstic would not meet Meowth's gaze. "Surely I don't need to explain by this point?" she said softly. "You saw what I did just now."

"Ya mean destroyin' da boulda dat was about ta wipe out howeva many lives I gots left?" Meowth retorted. "Da ting I'm still tryin' ta tank youse fer doin'?"

"All right, fine, so it went well. This time," Meowstic sighed. "At least this time it was only something I was trying to destroy anyway. At least this time it wasn't... it..."

"Wat are youse talkin' about?" Meowth wondered.

"I can't control it, Meowth!" Meowstic exclaimed, tears coming to her eyes. "The power that I used to destroy that boulder? If my ears unfold, that power comes spilling out whether I want it to or not. And it was just the same before I evolved, too... even if I wanted to do something so innocuous as... as pressing my ear to a... to a Pokémon Egg to try and listen for any m-movement within..."

And that's when it clicked to Meowth. "...da Beldum Egg," he breathed. "Dat happened because o' yer psychic powa?"

"...I did not mean for it to happen," Meowstic said sorrowfully, looking down at the ground. "I found a Pokémon Egg, abandoned and alone. I... I thought that by pressing an ear to the shell I could... could listen to the Pokémon inside, see if it was doing OK. Instead, I... I... I do not wish to slip up like that again," she said firmly. "I cannot. I've hurt one too many already." She looked up again, making eye contact with Meowth for what Meowth was pretty sure was the first time ever. "This is why I have been so consistent in rejecting your advances," she said quietly. "I... Meowth, I have such... such strong feelings for you... and that's exactly why I would feel worst of all if I were to hurt you."

Meowth walked over, putting an arm (front leg?) around Meowstic to comfort her. "...so ya do likes me," he murmured. "Meowstic..."

"...how could I not like you?" Meowstic responded. "Brave, smart, handsome... a natural leader..." She shook her head carefully (likely so as to not let her ears unfold by accident). "Someone who deserves far better than a walking nuke," she stated.

"Yeah, well, wat if I didn't care about all dat and chose youse anyway?" Meowth retorted. "Even knowin' wat I know... Meowstic, dat only gives me a higher opinion o' youse. Not only are ya beautiful, but ya care, too. Yeah, yer powers kinda... did sometin' bad, but ya just proved youse can use 'em fer good, too," he pointed out.

"...but what if I slip up again?" Meowstic murmured, sounding almost fearful. "What if instead of an unborn Beldum or a massive boulder, it's you on the receiving end of that power instead? I... I could never forgive myself..."

"I'm willin' ta take dat risk," Meowth said firmly. "I'd take dat kind o' hurt ova wat's happened wit my past relationships, dat's fer sure..."

Meowstic looked at Meowth. "What do you mean?" she inquired.

Meowth gave a sigh. "Well, latest one was Ruby," he said. "She and I were a ting fer some time, but eventually we both decided we was betta off as friends. And I saw it comin' fer a while, in hindsight, but it still hurt when we was discussin' it. And before dat, dere was dis Purrloin... Should'a guessed sometin' was up when her Trainer stopped bringin' her whenever he'd visit Keith, and then one time I saw her just fawnin' over dis Luxio like I weren't nuttin," he sighed. And den before dat, before even meetin' Keith, before anyone even caught me in da first place... gah, now her I really don't like ta tink about..." he shook his head. "Fer a while it was great. Den, she evolved, and I'd helped a lotta tings go her way, and den she revealed she ain't gave a Patrat's ass about me, dat she'd been usin' me ta achieve her own ends..."

Meowstic put a front leg around Meowth. "...how did you come back from that?" she said softly.

"Weren't easy," Meowth sighed. "Ain't neva wanted ta share da spotlight wit another cat fer a long time. Even went trough kind of a scaredy-Meowth phase, back when I first got traded ta Keith. But having people and Pokémon I could trust all around me, it helped. Dat said, ain't none o' dem even knows dat much about my first relationship," he added. "Dere's a whole lot more ta dat story, and I ain't neva felt ready ta open up dat can o' Wurmple."

"...if you ever feel comfortable talking about it, I would be happy to listen," said Meowstic. "If, of course, you would lend an ear when I need someone to talk to?"

Meowth smiled. "Dat sounds like a good deal ta me-owth," he purred. "It felt good, talkin' ta youse."

Meowstic purred back, with the merest trace of a smile on her face. "Likewise," she responded. And then, she took her front leg off of Meowth, and instead took hold of his paw with hers. "...I saw you battling Terri's Darmanitan the other day," she added.

"Yeah, I know," Meowth nodded. "Tell told me halfway trough da battle dat youse was watchin'. I... I was tryin' ta figure out how I truly felt about youse. Like, was dis da real deal or would I just eventually kinda fall out o' love like wat happened wit Ruby? And Tell said dat if I beat him in battle he'd tell me how I could figure dis out, except da battle itself was a test- like, he was tryin' ta get inta my mind and mess wit me, and da fact dat I persevered and kept tryin' told him dat my feelings was da real deal."

Meowstic's faint smile grew slightly more pronounced. "I am pleased to hear it," she said softly.

"Ya know, he had me in a pretty fierce Extrasensory," Meowth pointed out. "I dunno how dat measures up ta wat youse does, but even so, da fact dat I was able to fight against, let alone win against, a powerful Psychic move like dat, I feel like dat's gotta say sometin' about how I'd fare in dis relationship, yeah?"

"...There may well be something to that," conceded Meowstic. "Meowth... I feel like we could stay here and talk all throughout the day and I wouldn't get tired of it," she admitted. "But... I'm not sure that that would be the most practical course of action, considering the others are surely waiting for us. What say we rejoin them?" she asked. "I'm feeling better now. Are you?"

"Yeah," Meowth smiled. "So, are we gonna walk closer to the othas now, or... are we gonna stay behind a bit?"

Meowstic's smile became ever so slightly more pronounced. "A little behind them, for now, I think," she said. "Though... perhaps later on it wouldn't be a bad idea to get to know my teammates better," she added. And with that, still holding paws with Meowth, Meowstic led the way back outside. They'd catch up with the others, just enough so that they could see the pair of felines returning, but would lag behind so as to just be able to enjoy each other's company for the remainder of the hike. While it wasn't an outcome anyone had seen coming for the day, the fact remained that from here on in, Meowstic was gonna make things interesting.

And Meowth liked interesting.


Quote:
What? Espurr is evolving!



...

...

...!



Congratulations! Your Espurr evolved into Meowstic!

*Meowstic learned Magical Leaf!*

*Meowstic learned Me First!*

*Meowstic learned Stored Power!*

*Meowstic learned Charge Beam!*

*Meowstic learned Sucker Punch!*
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2021, 03:23 PM   #116
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Shadow Force



The day had started out fairly ordinary, as days go in the Fizzytopia region. It was early in the morning, the sun just starting to rise over the small town of Sludge Wave Coast. Hardly a soul was awake at this hour. One of those few awake souls, however, was Keith Masters, and it was he and his Pokémon that were doing some training just outside the mansion known as the Poisonous Palace.

"All right!" Keith declared. "Now, Roxie, Earth Power!"

"Tooooox... TRICITYYYYY!" bellowed Keith's Amped Toxtricity as she slammed a fist into the ground. This caused the ground all around the other end of the outdoor battlefield to crack and glow.

Keith turned to look at the Fire-type standing on that end. "Leo, use Quick Attack and dodge it!" he ordered.

"Flaaaaare!" responded the Flareon, who zipped out of the way, and not a moment too soon, for the ground on which he'd just been standing suddenly erupted with great force.

Keith nodded his approval. "Let's try it again!" he stated. "Leo, use Embers Resonance!"

Leo took a deep breath. "FLAAAAAAAAAAAAARE!!!" he roared, a loud, echoing roar that echoed all around. Visible, red-hot soundwaves emanated from the Flareon's mouth and washed over Roxie. The Toxtricity stood strong, very much used to loud noises with her Punk Rock ways, but before long, the sheer intensity of the move started to get to her all the same, and she staggered backwards, clutching her arm as a burn started to form on it.

Keith grinned widely as his Flareon stopped the attack. "Nice job, Leo!" he congratulated the Fire-type. "You're really getting the hang of that one!"

"Flaaare!" Leo declared happily, wagging his fluffy tail.

Keith then turned to the Toxtricity. "Roxie, thanks for the help," he added as he carefully sprayed a Burn Heal on the afflicted arm. "And you can tell Perform he can take down the soundproof barriers he put up," he added. "I think Leo's done practicing that move, so we won't have to worry about waking anyone else up."

"Toox!" grinned Roxie. She and Keith shared a fistbump, then the Toxtricity went off to find her rather loud boyfriend.

"Take a good rest, Leo," Keith added, withdrawing the Flareon into his Premier Ball. Then, he looked around, finally spotting who he was looking for- a white and brown canine was sitting nearby, holding a canvas steady with vines protruding from her armpits, while one front paw, clutching her tail, was moving said tail intently across the canvas, the paint oozing from said tail's tip changing color rapidly. "Chromium?" Keith called.

"Smeeear," Chromium responded dismissively, waving him off with her free front paw, not even slowing down or looking away from her painting.

Keith sighed and rolled his eyes, opting to take the opportunity to take out his Pokédex, access his PC remotely, and make a few changes to his team. He was intending to do some more training, and his next idea was to work with his Smeargle. But, as usual, Chromium was proving... difficult.

At that moment, Keith heard light footsteps approaching from behind. Familiar footsteps, and so he turned around, wholly unsurprised to see his Meowth. "Hey, Meowth," Keith remarked. "Thought you were gonna be hanging out with Meowstic today?"

"She's still asleep," Meowth replied. "Figured I had a little time fer trainin' afta all."

"Well, that makes one Normal-type around here," Keith sighed, glancing over at his Smeargle.

"Yeesh," sighed Meowth. "Busy wit anotha mastapiece, I see?"

"Yep," Keith nodded. "I dunno, Meowth... She listens well enough when we're in battle, but other than that..."

"Yeah," Meowth nodded. "If it don't concern her art, good luck gettin' her ta give a Patrat's ass. Her art does come out good, though," he added fairly.

"Oh, no question," Keith nodded in agreement. And then, as if on cue, Chromium stood up, and still holding the canvas in her vines, approached her Trainer. "Alright, Chromium, what do you got for me?" Keith asked.

"Smeeeear!" declared Chromium grandly, turning the canvas around. As if to prove Meowth's point, the painting she had just finished was a decidedly grand depiction of Leo using Embers Resonance.

"...Alright, I admit, that is incredible," Keith nodded. "But even so, Chromium, I told you it was gonna be all about training this morning, y'know?"

"Smeargle smear," Chromium nodded indignantly. "Smeargle Smeargle smear, Smeargle eargle!" she added, gesturing once again to the painting.

"...she says she knows, and dat's why she did da paintin'," Meowth translated. "Cuz what better time den during da trainin' ta have access ta dat kinda subject matta?"

Keith gave a deep sigh. "...Priorities, Chromium," he said at last. "Your art is incredible, and you got a lot of talent in that area, but that doesn't mean you should prioritize it above all else."

"Smeeear," Chromium yawned dismissively.

"...right," Keith sighed. "Well, if you're ready to finally join us, I thought we could work on that one cool new move you learned the other day? Completely unfamiliar with whatever it is, so it's in both our best interests to try it out."

"...Smearg," conceded Chromium. She set her painting carefully down, leaning up against the front of the Poisonous Palace, then withdrew the vines into her body and strolled out onto the battlefield.

"Alright, then let's give it a good shot," Keith stated. "Chromium, use Shadow Force!"

"Smear!" declared Chromium. Her purple tail paint turned a dark blue, and she painted a big circle in midair before her with it. Curiously, this left a trail of paint that lingered in midair, before filling in and becoming a portal, which the Smeargle lunged into, before the portal closed completely.

"Ah, so it's a lot like Phantom Force, then," Keith grinned. "Interesting." And so he waited for his Smeargle to reappear.

And waited.

And waited.

Aaaaand waited.

"...so we's sure she's a Smeargle and not a Slakoth, right?" Meowth piped up.

"Ha ha," Keith retorted. "We don't know how exactly this move works, Meowth, we can't possibly- WHA!?"

For at that moment, a portal appeared in midair identical to the one Chromium had disappeared through, and a pair of vines shot out from said portal, lashed around Keith and Meowth, and yanked them through! The portal closed up behind them, leaving a remarkably empty clearing.

"...where are we?" Keith murmured wonderingly. After the initial shock of being suddenly dragged through a mysterious portal wore off, he started looking around at his surroundings, and what surroundings they were! Chunks of land, here, there, all around, floating like small islands of sorts, except some of them looked sideways, and even upside-down. How could Keith tell? A simple matter of seeing which way the bizarre trees grew out of them. And beyond it all, a dark blue expanse, with a swirling vortex of similarly dark clouds in the distant distance.

"...dis is weird," Meowth whispered.

"Smeeeeear! Smeargle!" Chromiumm was saying, overcome with awe. A yellow aura overcame her body as she rose up with Magnet Rise. Then, she made further use of Vine Whip to hold yet another canvas, and she began to paint furiously, desperate to capture the bizarre environment they were in.

"So, when using that move, that... Shadow Force... this is where you end up before reappearing?" Keith said to his Smeargle. "What... WHAT WAS THAT?!" he exclaimed suddenly, as a large presence made itself known by flying overhead. Keith did not get a good look, as it was gone as quickly as it came, though even after it left, the remnants of his echoed shout still lingered, to his mild embarrassment.

"I tink I gots an idea," Meowth murmured. "Shadow Force is supposed ta be sometin' only da legendary Giratina can do, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's right," Keith nodded. "Wait- yeah, Giratina," he added. "It's supposed to be able to travel between worlds or something? So, maybe that's what it does when it uses Shadow Force?"

"It could be," Meowth purred. "So if dat's da case, den dat'd make dis..."

"...the Distortion World," Keith finished, looking around. "Well, it... certainly lives up to the name, I'll say that much."

"Smeargle..." Chromium murmured, continuing to work on her painting.

"Chromium," Keith stated. "I think we should maybe-"

But before he could say much else, an angry draconic screech sounded. Keith looked up towards where it had come from, just in time to see a large, imposing serpent descending their way. Keith took out his Pokédex and pointed it at the newcomer, even though he and Meowth knew damn well what it was.

"Giratina- Origin Forme- the Renegade Pokémon. A Ghost and Dragon-type," droned the device. "Banished for its violence, Giratina silently gazes at our world from the Distortion World."

"...for its violence?" Keith repeated nervously as Giratina drew closer, screeching yet again.

"...it don't seem ta take too kindly to intrudas," Meowth whimpered. "No prizes fer guessin' who it means by dat."

"Chromium, get us the hell out of here!" Keith whispered urgently to his Smeargle. Chromium, however, waved him off as she continued painting, now with renewed vigor once she'd spotted Giratina. And then, Giratina let fly a horribly powerful Dragon Breath! Keith had to jump out of the way, and before he knew it, he found himself standing on one of the sideways pieces of land! But even though he knew he was sideways, he still felt gravity holding him "down" to the land he was standing on. "Gah, alright," Keith muttered, producing a Poké Ball. "You want a battle, Giratina? Let's go." And he threw the ball. "Hedwig, I choose you!" he exclaimed.

Keith's Crobat materialized in a flash of light. "Cro!" she uttered, before looking around, trying to not look bewildered at her new, unfamiliar surroundings.

"I'm counting on you!" Keith declared as his Crobat's eyes found Giratina. "Try and outmaneuver it!"

"Cro! Bat!" replied Hedwig, flapping all four wings furiously, putting on speed as she zipped all around. Giratina attempted to follow Hedwig's movements, but very quickly found this quite difficult.

"Nice, Hedwig!" Keith grinned. "Now, right into a Wing Attack!"

"Crobat!" Hedwig responded, popping up behind Giratina and striking hard with her wings. The attack pushed Giratina forward somewhat, but it was nothing the Renegade Pokémon couldn't recover from, as it proved when it so swiftly wheeled around to face Hedwig head-on.

"Hedwig! Confuse Ray!" Keith ordered. But even as Hedwig let loose the ray of light, Giratina shielded itself with a quick Safeguard.

"Oh, dat's bad," Meowth whimpered.

Keith smirked. "Is it?" he retorted. And indeed, as he said this, Giratina began thrashing around in confusion all the same!

"Wat da- oh!" exclaimed Meowth. "I forgot about Infiltrata! O' course dat Safeguard wasn't gonna stop Hedwig!"

"Damn straight," Keith grinned. "Hedwig, attack now!" he added. "Use Acrobatics!"

"Cro! Bat! Cro cro bat!" Hedwig grunted, flitting this way and that, leaving short-lived afterimages in her wake as she flew in circles around the confused Giratina, before striking at an unexpected angle. Giratina growled bewilderedly, but was unable to articulate an attack in retaliation.

Keith was on a roll by this point, and was not about to give an inch. "Feint Attack!" he commanded.

But by this point, Giratina had regained its senses somewhat, and in that moment of clarity, looked all the angrier. As Hedwig landed a super effective blow with Feint Attack, she was lit up by a powerful Thunderbolt!

"Hedwig!" Keith exclaimed, but even as he called out, his Crobat rose back up, flapping her four wings- the Thunderbolt attack had hit hard, but not hard enough to take her out.

"Smeeear," Chromium murmured, eyeing the battle with interest as she continued to paint.

"Hedwig! Dark Pulse now!" Keith ordered.

"Cro!" responded Hedwig as she let fly the potent Dark-type move. This time, however, Giratina appeared to have shaken off the confusion entirely, and deftly flew out of the way of the move.

Meowth clinging to his shoulder as though for dear life, Keith started jumping from strange landmass to strange landmass to ensure he maintained a good viewpoint of the battle. "Again!" he called out.

But Giratina ensured this didn't happen. It slammed its tail into a nearby floating island, and a powerful Stone Edge erupted out of the landmasses closest to Hedwig, striking the Crobat for powerful super effective damage! She mercifully landed on a piece of land, which, considering the very nature of the Distortion World, was absolutely not a guarantee, but she was completely knocked out.

"Return, Hedwig!" Keith said at once, withdrawing his Crobat.

"Thus I reiterate- dis is bad," Meowth squeaked. "Giratina don't seem like it's gonna listen ta reason!"

"Well, then we've got to keep trying," Keith stated determinedly, now throwing a Fizzy Ball. "Hebenon, you're up next!" he exclaimed.

The ball split open in a flash of light, and the obvious inspiration for its color scheme appeared, the Qwilfish puffing up slightly as he spotted his legendary opponent. "Qwillll!" he declared.

Giratina made the first move, firing a Shadow Ball towards Hebenon, but Keith was quick to act. "Quick, Hebenon, use Bounce!" he ordered.

"Qwil fish!" Hebenon responded, smacking the ground with his tail. This sent him soaring up and away. The Shadow Ball had missed completely, but now Giratina was eyeing the Qwilfish who appeared to now be swimming in midair.

"Well, that works, too," Keith chuckled. "Friggin' Distortion World. I'll take it! Hebenon, use Dark Void!"

"Qwiiiil!" Hebenon exclaimed, launching a pitch-black orb at Giratina... only for it to bounce off with no ill effects.

Meowth smacked Keith upside the head. "Did youse ferget it had used Safeguard?!" he demanded.

"...yeah, actually," Keith admitted. "Change plans, then!" he called out. "Hebenon! Ice Beam!"

"FIIIISH!" Hebenon exploded, letting fly a blast of frigid energy, though Giratina was quick to meet it with an Aura Sphere, holding the frigid attack at bay. Roaring angrily, Giratina then fired more Shadow Balls towards the Qwilfish.

"Use Teleport!" Keith ordered.

"Qwil!" responded Hebenon as he vanished into thin air, allowing the Shadow Balls to pass harmlessly past where he'd been. Unbeknownst to Giratina, Hebenon reappeared right behind the Renegade Pokémon, even as the Ghost/Dragon-type was looking round for any sign of hm.

Keith grinned widely. "Now! Use Ice Punch!" he ordered.

Icy energy swirled all around Hebenon's body, and by moving his tail furiously, the Qwilfish propelled himself forward, letting him tackle Giratina from behind with great force.

Now Giratina knew where Hebenon was, and it reacted swiftly, wheeling around to face the Qwilfish. Its eyes glowed brightly, causing Hebenon's to glow as well, and Giratina seemed to heal itself while Hebenon appeared to be taking damage. "Oh, crap, that's Pain Split!" Keith exclaimed. "Hebenon, Fire Spin!"

"Qwilfiiiiiiiiiiish!" bellowed Hebenon. The Qwilfish breathed fire from his mouth that swirled around, creating a whirling vortex all around Giratina.

Giratina, however, had had enough. All at once, the flames from the Fire Spin dispersed, as though compelled to do so by a strange force. Giratina's eyes were now glowing blue, and the Psychic attack didn't end there, as Keith saw as his Qwilfish was forcibly thrown into the ground beside him. "Qwiiiiil..." Hebenon groaned feebly, completely knocked out.

"Hebenon, come back now!" Keith stated, withdrawing his Qwilfish. "You battled hard, and I'm proud," he murmured to the Fizzy Ball before placing it back on his belt. Then, he took a Luxury Ball off his belt and threw it. "Myrtle, go!" he exclaimed.

The Banette appeared in a flash of light. She took one look at Giratina and wheeled around to face Keith. "Are you fuc-king kid-ding me," she said bluntly.

"Not in the slightest, Myrtle," Keith said seriously. "We got a big problem here."

"I'll say," retorted the Banette, eyeing Giratina warily. "Gi-ra-ti-na is pissed. What did you do? How are we e-ven here in the first place, for that mat-ter?"

"So, turns out, that Shadow Force move Chromium learned yesterday? Takes her here," said Keith. "I'm guessing Giratina sees us as intruders."

"Well, ob-vi-ous-ly," Myrtle stated. "Sha-dow Force is its spe-cial at-tack. How could it be used to a-ny-one co-ming in here?"

"Yeah, well, we're gonna need to do something to calm it down," Keith stated. "Can you eat away its anger?"

"Not all of it," Myrtle stated. "But I will do what I can."

"All I can ask of you," Keith nodded. "Go for it, then."

Myrtle closed her eyes and focused. Locked onto Giratina's feelings of rage, and tried to sap it away, eat it all up. It was spicy, flavorful, and quite filling- Myrtle was already starting to fill up on the Renegade Pokémon's anger, and she knew good and well that there was plenty more left in it. She opened her eyes and shook her head.

"Damn," Keith sighed. "Alright, then," he shrugged, taking hold of the brim of his Mega Hat. "Here we go, Myrtle! Time to show the true power of a Missingno.!" And he swept the Mega Hat off his head and held it up high. "Mega Evolve!!!" he exclaimed. And there came the tendrils of energy, connecting the Banettite Clip to the Mega Hat- connecting Myrtle to Keith. And once that connection was made, Myrtle changed shape, zippers appearing and opening up all over, letting out the cursed energy given actual shape, until there floated before Giratina a powerful !


Quote:


Myrtle's Banettite is reacting to Keith's Mega Hat!

!!!

!!!!

!!!!!




Myrtle has Mega Evolved into Mega Banette!
"Go fer it!" Meowth cheered.

Keith grinned, setting the Mega Hat back on his head. "OK! Myrtle, Shadow Ball, go!" he ordered. And Myrtle, giving an eerily echoing cackle, let fly a Shadow Ball. Giratina responded with a Shadow Ball of its own, and the two clashed in midair for a moment before exploding- the two were evenly matched! And then, Giratina flew up, right through a portal that appeared out of nowhere before it.

"OK, dat's definitely Shadow Force," Meowth stated. "Dis is bad."

"Not necessarily," Keith stated. "Myrtle, now use Phantom Force!"

"Sur-pri-sing-ly smart, Meat Sack," Myrtle smirked, before vanishing into thin air. And not a moment too soon- Giratina reappeared from another portal, but seemed surprised to not be striking anything or anyone. Moments later, Myrtle reappeared behind Giratina and unleashed a devastating blow with her strangely patterned claws.

"Dragon Breath, let's go!" Keith ordered. And Myrtle, unzipping her zipper mouth, let loose a potent blast of draconic energy. Giratina, however, once again met this attack with one of its own, in this case its own Dragon Breath. And initially, they proved evenly matched yet again, but as they struggled to maintain the attacks, Giratina's started to gradually push Myrtle's back. Myrtle stubbornly redoubled her efforts, but was ultimately blasted by Giratina's move. "Myrtle!" Keith exclaimed.

While all of this was going on, however, the last ball on Keith's belt, the Heal Ball, opened up, unleashing the Slurpuff it contained. Cotton looked more than a little surprised to see Giratina, to say nothing of the Distortion World they were in, but once he saw Chromium, the Fairy-type started making his way over to her. "Hey, Chrome," said Cotton.

"Cotton," nodded Chromium, not even looking away from her latest painting, for several finished ones lay all around her.

"So... what's going on here, exactly?" asked the Slurpuff.

"Well, as it turns out, using Shadow Force is quite different from Phantom Force," Chromium stated. "The main difference being, instead of simply vanishing, you travel into the Distortion World. Which does make sense- Giratina's domain, Giratina's move. And what a domain it is, too," she added. "The perfect mixture of beauty and strangeness to elevate my art high above that of all others! To say nothing of Giratina itself... though I must say, I do wish it would stay still while I'm painting it!" she added indignantly, watching as Giratina snaked deftly through the air to evade Myrtle's latest barrage of Shadow Balls.

"Yeah, well, it does seem a little annoyed," Cotton said fairly. "Maybe it's not OK with this intrusion."

"I- what- Intrusion!" Chromium repeated haughtily. "Well, I never! That overgrown shoelace should be so lucky as to get to welcome an artist of my caliber into its domain!"

"Doesn't seem like it'd agree to me," shrugged the Slurpuff. "Your art's incredible, but that ain't everything to some, y'know? Besides, how long's it been battling Keith now?"

"A while," Chromium shrugged indifferently. "It's already beaten Hedwig and Hebenon."

Cotton looked surprised. "Hedwig and Hebenon?" he repeated. "Wow. They're strong, that ain't easy. And now Myrtle's gone Mega on top of it all... Why don't you help with this battle?" he asked. "I mean, you got them all here in the first place, right?"

"I'll help once I'm done with these paintings," Chromium stated. "Art comes first!"

"Does it, though?" asked Cotton. "What do you think that angry Giratina's gonna do to Keith if it wipes out all his Pokémon that are willing to fight for him? And who's gonna be able to appreciate your art then?"

"Well, I-" began Chromium, but she stopped herself. She had been about to tell Cotton that since she now knew Shadow Force she could very easily get out of here herself, go back to their world, and find someone to appreciate her art. But before she could get anywhere near saying that, the fact that she'd be doing so without her Trainer caught up to her, and it dawned on her just how horrible that'd make her. Would she really just leave Keith to die here for the sake of her art? She glanced at her finished paintings, then at her half-completed work she still held with Vine Whip. Beautiful, all of it... but then she tuned to look at Keith, who was now withdrawing a clearly unconscious, non-Mega'd, Banette.

"Welp, that's my cue," Cotton stated, already starting to make his way back over to Keith. "Think about what I said, Chrome, alright?"

Chromium said nothing in response, watching incredulously as Cotton so readily headed back over to Keith, threw himself in the path of an oncoming Dragon Breath, fought back with Dazzling Gleam... was that Slurpuff crazy? Granted, being a Fairy-type gave him a useful advantage against those Dragon moves, but surely the Ghost moves would be no picnic... All for Keith? And yet, as Chromium looked back at the hatted human, she couldn't help but feel admiration for him. Admiration she'd felt before, but it never made her think like this. He... really did put up with a lot from her, didn't he? Chromium tended to put her art above all else, never really gave much thought to anyone else... Keith deserved better than that, didn't he? He's the reason she was so powerful, the reason she'd learned as many moves as she'd learned. She recalled him tirelessly trying to work out the tangled mess that were the laws governing Smeargle and the rules regarding their signature Sketch move under the old Elite Four, she recalled him never once considering giving her up, even when times were tough and PC space was at a premium... And she felt an almost comparable surge of admiration for Cotton. That Slurpuff... he truly appreciated her talents, too. He never caved to her haughtiness, never gave in to her Tauros shit, but was nice to her all the same. Even when he was just now telling Chromium that her art was not in fact what the whole world revolved around, he did it in a simple, plainly-spoken, yet undeniably nice way. He was always nice to her... nice to even just be around... and he, too, was an artist, she realized, suddenly. Even if he didn't paint, his canvas was more of a culinary nature, his masterpieces decidedly more fleeting... but if anyone was in a position to understand her... that was why she never scoffed at the notion that he might understand her, she realized. Because deep down, she knew he did.

"Oh, geez, Cotton!" Keith exclaimed as his Slurpuff got blasted backwards by a powerful strike from Giratina's Steel Wing. "Can you still battle?"

"Sluuuur... Slurpuff!" Cotton grunted determinedly, getting back up and facing Giratina defiantly, even as Giratina readied easily the largest Shadow Ball Keith had ever seen. Keith gritted his teeth- Meowth had jumped in to help Cotton earlier in the fight, but got taken out with a single Aura Sphere. If Cotton fainted, they were toast!

"Damn it," Keith grunted as Giratina launched the Shadow Ball...

"SMEAR!"

And in that instant, Chromium, in the air thanks to Magnet Rise, flew in the path of the Shadow Ball. The Normal-type was unharmed, though she was forced to let go of her half-finished painting, when went flying off into the seemingly infinite void beyond.

"Chromium!" Keith grinned, relieved. "You ready to battle?"

"Smeargle eargle!" nodded Chromium.

"Sluuuurpuff!" smiled Cotton.

"All right!" Keith grinned. "Let's turn this around! Cotton, Soft-Boiled! Chromium, Frost Breath!"

"Puuuuff!" Cotton declared, generating a glowing yellow egg that passed into his body to heal up his injuries.

"Smeeeeeear!" howled Chromium, unleashing a frigid gust of wind from her mouth. Giratina roared its displeasure at the technique, but was not deterred, and began to contort its Face into a most Scary form.

"Cotton! Magic Coat!" Keith commanded.

"Slurpuff!" Cotton declared, generating a mysterious barrier around himself and Chromium, and Giratina itself was the only one affected by its own move, and it recoiled in fright for a second.

"Chromium, now use Dragon Rage!" Keith ordered.

"Smeargle eargle!" Chromium responded, scribbling madly in midair with her tail, forming a powerful blue fireball, which she then sent flying at Giratina. The Renegade Pokémon, still slowed by its own Scary Face, was a sitting Ducklett at this point and took the move head-on.

"Now, Chromium!" Keith declared. He'd seen his chance here and seized it- with his wife's Ghostium Z set into his Z-Ring, Keith moved his arms.

"Smeargle!" responded Chromium, moving her front legs likewise.

"Our minds, our spirits, linked as one!" Keith declared as they moved in unison. "We aim high, we dream big... and to our opponents, we are the bad dreams!"

"Smeeeeeear!" howled Chromium as the Z-Power flooded into her body. This started powering her up, taking the move that got them into this mess in the first place, and turning it into something new, something even stronger.

"Now for a masterpiece Giratina won't soon forget!" Keith declared. "Use Never-Ending Nightmare!!!"


Quote:

Chromium surrounded itself with its Z-Power!

Chromium unleashes its full-force Z-Move!

...



At once, the Distortion World around them was gone, leaving naught but an eerie yet relatively normal landscape in its place. Tendrils of sinister energy rose up all around Giratina, then wrapped themselves around the legendary Pokémon, creating a huge explosion. And then, they were back in the Distortion World. Giratina, breathing heavily, was still floating near them, but its growling still conveyed anger.

Chromium held out her front legs to either side, as though to shield the Slurpuff and human behind her. "Giratina, stop!" she called. "Do not hurt my Trainer or my boyfriend!"

"Boyfriend?" Cotton repeated happily.

"Well, of course," Chromium murmured to him, sounding as though this was the most obvious thing ever, though still with a small smile.

"Don't hurt them?" Giratina repeated incredulously. "You come into my domain, uninvited and unwelcome, and expect me to show mercy?!"

"To them, yes," stated Chromium. "I dragged them in here to show them the beauty I had seen, and have only acted in self-defense. They are innocent in this matter. It is I your beef is with," she stated. "I am the artist Chromium. Yesterday, I was able to learn the move Shadow Force, and today I have discovered it allows me to come here." She paused, but Giratina seemed to be eyeing her intently, waiting for her to continue, and so she did. "The intention was to reappear in my world moments after disappearing, just to demonstrate the attack to my Trainer," she explained. "But once I saw this place, I knew... I just knew I had to paint what I saw! However," she added. "It does not excuse my intrusion. So for that... I am sorry. If you allow it, we will leave your domain and never return."

"...those are your paintings, over there?" Giratina questioned, with a glance at the canvasses Chromium had left behind when she joined in the battle.

"Yes," nodded Chromium.

Giratina said nothing, then flew over to inspect them. Keith and Cotton exchanged looks and shrugs, not knowing what to expect next. And then, Giratina flew back over, using Telekinesis to bring the paintings along, and place them gently at Chromium's feet. "...your talent is remarkable," Giratina stated. "While I maintain the intrusion was not welcome... I can see that you have captured the beauty of this place quite nicely. And I see you've even captured moments from the battle, as well," it added, eyeing a few of the paintings, which showed Keith using his Crobat and Qwilfish to battle Giratina. "One who has such an appreciation for this... I suppose I can show some respect to," it conceded. "And I will admit, it can get lonely here at times... very well," it seemed to make up its mind. "You may return here when you see fit," it stated. "But be sure your Trainer knows to not mistake this for a sign of submission," it added, eyes flashing dangerously. "No ball he can throw will catch me, and he would be unwise to try, nor would he be wise to attempt to give me orders as though I was his to command."

"Your terms are fair," nodded Chromium. "I thank you very much." Giratina nodded back wordlessly, then flew off into the distance.

Keith exhaled, letting out breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding in. "Chromium, that was incredible," he smiled. "And... I guess you finally started thinking about your priorities, huh?" he added.

"Smeargle," nodded Chromium, who, to Keith's great surprise, hugged her Trainer. Keith was taken aback for a moment, but in the next moment, hugged his Smeargle back. Once they broke apart, Chromium drew another portal in midair, and the group headed through it, finding themselves back in Sludge Wave Coast. Just as the portal closed, the front doors of the Poisonous Palace opened up, and two very welcome sights came walking outside.

Keith walked up to his wife and daughter at once and hugged them both. "Boy, are you two a sight for sore eyes," he smiled.

Willa chuckled. "All I did was sleep late, as I tend to do," she smiled, though hugging her husband back.

"Yeah, Dad, I might have slept a little later than usual, but not by a lot," added Maribel. "You OK?"

"I am now," Keith grinned. "You two wouldn't believe what we just been through..."

~~~~~

"I don't believe it," Willa stated plainly, with an amused smile on her face. "The Distortion World? Giratina? Chromium thinking of others?"

"Wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't seen it for my own eyes, so I don't blame you, but yes," Keith said firmly. "The Distortion World. Giratina. And Chromium was awesome," he added, scratching behind the Smeargle's ears.

"Smear Smeargle!" declared Chromium, using Vine Whip and holding up the paintings she'd brought back, showing her beautiful depictions of the Distortion World and of Keith battling Giratina with his Crobat and Qwilfish.

"...these do look pretty convincing, Mom," Maribel remarked.

"They are good," conceded Willa. "But it's still a bit much... Oh!"

For at that moment, a small portal opened up near Chromium, and another canvas tumbled out of it. Chromium's eyes lit up- it was the unfinished painting she'd lost to the void! "Smear!" she said joyfully, picking it up and resuming work on it at once.

"...Alright, I believe you," Willa conceded. And with that, the Masters family couldn't help but burst into laughter while Chromium, with Cotton by her side, determinedly worked to finish the painting. On the one hand, she'd learned a lot about what her priorities ought to be. On the other hand... her art had just been praised by basically a god. Exactly the boost her ego didn't need!

Last edited by Missingno. Master; 10-20-2021 at 01:06 AM.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2021, 06:40 PM   #117
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Mega Madness II



It was later in the morning. The previous night, Willa Masters had woken up shaking, tears in her eyes, with her husband immediately recognizing that she'd had the Gravity incident nightmare again. Willa had gone for a walk to clear her head, something Keith had no objections to- having had his fair share of recurring nightmares in his life, he was more than understanding. However, he was fairly surprised to find, upon waking up at a more usual time for him, that his wife hadn't yet returned. One hastily-made call to Willa's Holo Caster, however, was enough to set his mind at ease, and so he instead decided to help his daughter out.

"...alright, and that should do it," Keith stated, helping his daughter put the new collar on her Salamence. Salamence gave a soft growl of satisfaction, grinning slightly, for the collar had a fairly important component set into it- a Salamencite.

"So, Dad, can we have a training battle now?" Maribel asked.

Keith grinned broadly. "Sure," he agreed. "Two on two, I think- there's someone else you want to get in on this, right?"

"Yep," confirmed Maribel. "Salamence, I'm saving you for last, alright?" she added to the Dragon-type. Salamence gave an impatient huff, but nodded all the same. Content with this, Maribel ran over to the outdoor battlefield. "So, Dad, where did you say Mom was?" she asked.

"She'd gone for a walk earlier," Keith stated as he walked over to his end of the battlefield. "She'll be home soon, she said when I called her. Alright, you ready?"

"Yep!" grinned Maribel, throwing a Poké Ball. "Come out- Tepig!" she exclaimed as the Fire Pig Pokémon materialized in a flash of light.

"Alright, then," stated Keith, throwing a Poison Ball. "Miasma, let's go!" he declared as the Garbage Queen herself materialized, the foul-smelling Spritzee looking down her beak at her opponent, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

"Let's begin!" said Maribel. "Tepig, Tackle attack!"

"Tepig! Tepig Tepig Tepig... TEPIG!" Tepig exclaimed as he charged forward, lunging at Miasma.

"Miasma, use Revenge!" Keith ordered.

"Spr-r-r-r-ritzee!" trilled Miasma. She simply hovered in place, taking Tepig's Tackle, at which point a fiery orange aura came over the Garbage Queen's body. Then, Miasma dove down and struck Tepig for much greater damage.

"Oh! Tepig!" exclaimed Maribel, but even as she spoke, her Tepig was already getting back up. "OK- you still good to go?" she asked.

"Tepig!" nodded Tepig.

Maribel nodded. "Then use Body Slam!"

"Pig!" grunted Tepig, jumping up and landing on top of Miasma, all happening quite fast. The Spritzee was caught off-guard and made to crash to the ground, though she too got back up with no problem.

"OK, that Body Slam's not too shabby," Keith nodded. "Alright- now use Poison Jab!" he ordered.

"Sucker Punch!" Maribel commanded.

"TEPIG!" Tepig exclaimed. As Miasma flew in for an attack, she was suddenly struck from the side. The sheer unexpectedness of the blow caused Miasma to veer off-course, even though she resisted the attack.

Maribel seized her chance. "Now Tackle once again!" she ordered.

"PIIIIG!" Tepig bellowed, barreling into Miasma from behind, sending the Spritzee tumbling to the ground. She was able to get back up, but was already looking somewhat worn down.

"I think we'll call this one here for now," Keith stated. "Those are the only moves Tepig knows so far?" he asked his daughter.

"Yep," nodded Maribel, scooping the smiling Fire-type into her arms.

Keith gave a low whistle. "Well, then, definitely off to a good start if you two can work so effectively with so few options," he stated. "Probably a good idea to look into teaching Tepig more attacks, including some Fire moves. Now, then... I'm thinking we kept Salamence waiting long enough, yeah?" he grinned.

"My thoughts exactly, nodded Maribel. She walked back over to her end of the battlefield, set Tepig back down on the ground, then turned to her trusty starter. "Salamence, ready to show 'em?" she asked. Salamence roared eagerly in response and stomped out onto the battlefield.

"Alright," Keith grinned. "Miasma, come back," he added, withdrawing the Garbage Queen. "Alright, now..." he murmured, placing Miasma's Poison Ball back on his belt and reaching for a regular Poké Ball-

"Actually, may I?"

Keith and Maribel both turned to look, smiling as they saw who was approaching them. "Willa," Keith smiled, walking over to embrace his wife. "Feeling better?" he asked.

"Immensely so," Willa responded with a small smile. "Notice anything different?"

"Anything dif- what- oh," Keith murmured as his eyes fell on the hairclip Willa always wore- it now sported a very distinctive rainbow-colored marble set into it. "A Key Stone?" he said. "Wasn't expecting that, you always said you'd hold off on getting one of those until you got a Mega Sto-" He stopped there, Willa continuing to smirk as her husband's eyes widened with realization. "Wait, you don't mean you actually...?" he breathed.

Willa gave a single nod. "Mawile found a Mawilite while we were out walking. I was late coming back because I stopped to buy a Key Stone and get them set. Now... Maribel wishes for a strong opponent to Mega Evolve Salamence against, yes?"

Keith nodded, grinning. "Oh, this I gotta watch," he said with evident eager anticipation. "Maribel, sweetie, would you mind battling your mom instead of me?" he called over to their daughter.

"Not at all," Maribel replied, though she looked surprised. "Though I was kinda hoping Salamence would get to battle something else Mega Evolved, Dad was gonna use Chuck," she added.

"Oh, I have faith I won't disappoint," Willa responded, taking Keith's place on the opposite end of the battlefield. She gave a small bow to both Maribel and Salamence, and then threw an Ultra Ball. "Mawile!" she declared as the Steel/Fairy-type materialized. And right away, Keith and Maribel's eyes found the pearl necklace Mawile was now sporting. One pearl in particular was very clearly not a pearl, either...

"Oh!" Maribel gasped softly. "So Mawile can...!"

Willa nodded. "Indeed," she stated. "Sweetie, you may have the honors."

Maribel nodded. She took a deep breath, grabbed the brim of her Mega Hat, and exhaled. "Here we go, Salamence!" she declared. "Time to show just how high we can soar!" And in a magnificent imitation of her father, she swept the Mega Hat off her head and held it up high. "Mega Evolve!!!" exclaimed Maribel.

Right away, four tendrils of energy snaked out of the Key Stone, and four more erupted from the Salamencite in Salamence's collar. The tendrils connected in midair, connecting the Key Stone to the Salamencite- connecting Maribel to Salamence. And with this connection established, Salamence underwent an epic transformation, the wings fusing together into a single large crescent shape, and with a mighty roar, the powerful and awesome revealed itself!


Quote:


Salamence's Salamencite is reacting to Maribel's Mega Hat!

!!!

!!!!

!!!!!




Salamence has Mega Evolved into Mega Salamence!
Willa and Mawile both looked on at the Mega Salamence. Then they looked at each other. As eye contact was established, they grinned at each other. Then they turned their attention back to the battle. Mawile might not be Willa's starter, or even her first Pokémon other than her starter, but she was still the first Pokémon Willa had ever caught by herself. They'd spent so much time together... they could do this. Willa pressed two fingers to the Key Stone set into her Mega Hairclip, and the same glow started up. "Mawile!" she declared. "Mega Evolve!!!"

And the same thing took place as with Maribel and Salamence- the tendrils of energy connecting Key Stone to Mega Stone- connecting Trainer to Pokémon. And the transformation- Mawile's jawlike steel horns splitting into two mouths being the biggest and most noticeable part of the transformation. And soon, standing opposite Mega Salamence was a powerful !


Quote:


Mawile's Mawilite is reacting to Willa's Mega Hairclip!

!!!

!!!!

!!!!!




Mawile has Mega Evolved into Mega Mawile!
Maribel made the first move. "Use Flamethrower!" she exclaimed. And Mega Salamence, roaring loudly, let fly a scorching stream of fire right at Mawile.

"Fire Blast!" Willa ordered.

"MAWWW!" Mawile responded, unleashing a distinctly-shaped flame that collided with the Flamethrower, the two moves creating an explosion.

"Fire Fang, now!" Maribel called out.

"Mawile, Play Rough!" Willa commanded.

This time, the pair of Mega Evolved Pokémon moved into attack at close range. Salamence was diving down at Mawile with his mouth open, teeth ablaze, but Mawile positively pounced, and in an astonishing display of Huge Power, began pummeling the Dragon/Flying-type. Salamence, however, did not take this lying down, and managed to chomp down on Mawile, cutting the pummeling short as he gripped the struggling Mawile determinedly with still-burning fangs.

"Fly, Salamence!" Maribel grinned. And with acceleration to make a jet jealous, Salamence was off, soaring up into the sky. And then, when Salamence could be seen turning around and rocketing towards the ground, Maribel spoke up again. "High Horsepower, now!" she exclaimed.

"Mawile! Foul Play!" Willa exclaimed. And as they descended, Mawile tried to use Salamence's momentum against him, tried to spin him around so he would be the one plummeting into the ground, but she was only partly successful- both Pokémon ended up crashing into the ground with impacts that threw up more dust than a Hippopotas with the stomach flu.

Once the dust settled, both Pokémon were still standing, though were breathing rather heavily by this point, each still eying the other warily. Maribel and Willa made eye contact, and in that moment each knew that the next move would decide the battle.

"Sizzly Slide!" Maribel commanded.

"Shadow Break!" Willa ordered.

And the Pokémon lunged towards each other, Salamence cloaked in flames, Mawile cloaked in a shadowy aura. They crashed into each other with great force, each struggled to overpower the other... and then they each fell backwards, the Mega Evolutions reverting simultaneously, as Mawile and Salamence slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Mawile and Salamence are both unable to battle!" Keith declared from the sidelines. "This match is a draw!"

"Thanks, Salamence," Maribel smiled as she withdrew her starter. "You were great."

"As were you, Mawile- take a good rest," Willa said as she withdrew Mawile. Then, she walked over, smiling proudly, and pulled her daughter into a hug. "I hope you realize, I was not holding back," she stated."

"I had a feeling," Maribel grinned. "I wasn't holding back either."

"I believe it," nodded Willa. "You and Salamence make an incredible team."

"So do you and Mawile, Mom," replied Maribel.

"I'll second all of that," Keith grinned, approaching his family, who did not hesitate to pull him into the hug as well. "That battle was amazing. I would never have thought you two were Mega Evolving your Pokémon for the first time."

"It likely helped that we have strong bonds with our Pokémon already," Willa stated as the hug broke apart. "Mawile was the first Pokémon I ever caught since coming out to Fizzytopia- before that it was just Yanmega and Eelektross."

"And Salamence was my very first Pokémon ever," added Maribel.

"That would do it, alright," Keith nodded. "Now... what say we go get our Pokémon healed up?" he added, with a glance in the direction of the Pokémon Center.

"That makes sense," agreed Willa. "Though after that, perhaps we could... have something to eat?" she added sheepishly. "I... might have neglected to eat anything while I was getting my Key Stone and all that."

Keith gave a chuckle. "Hey, as it happens, Maribel was so eager to get started on this training that we didn't eat breakfast, either," he smiled. "I think we could all use a bite to eat-" At that point, Keith's point was driven home as his words were interrupted by the gurgling chorus of three stomachs rumbling in almost perfect unison. At this, all the family could do was laugh as they headed off to the Pokémon Center. They only hoped the place wasn't too crowded that morning.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2021, 06:07 PM   #118
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
After The Funeral



The rain had let up as the pair of vehicles drove away from the Loch Bygone Pokémon Gym, and they were back in completely dry weather as they arrived back in the small coastal town of Sludge Wave Coast. It was somewhat late in the afternoon by this point- the sun hadn't quite yet started to set, but it wasn't far off from that, either.

"So, Dad, can we see the Pokémon that joined you?" Maribel asked as the Masterses stepped out of their perfectly parked pickup truck.

"I admit I'm curious as to which one it was as well," added Willa. "You were not exactly specific."

"Heh, yeah, true," Keith nodded, plucking the Poison Ball off his belt. "Alright, no time like the present," he stated. He pressed the button to enlarge the Poison Ball, then threw it into the air. "Come on out, Visha!" he exclaimed, and with that, the Seviper-turned-Zangoose materialized.

"...Visha?" Willa remarked. "...in hindsight, I'm not sure how I didn't expect that," she conceded with a small smile. "I'm guessing Marvolo had a lot to do with this decision?" she inquired.

"Some, but less than you'd think," Keith stated.

"But... Dad, isn't that a Zangoose?" Maribel asked. "I thought Seviper and Zangoose hate each other?"

"Well, sweetie, Visha isn't really a Zangoose," Keith stated. "Not truly. There's a... very long story behind her, but to give you the short version, she used to be a Seviper, and still is one at heart."

"Ohhh," nodded Maribel.

Before Keith could speak up again, however, he facepalmed as he heard sudden urgent shouting from the direction of the Poisonous Palace. "Oh, here we go," he sighed.

"Code three-three-five! I repeat, we have a code three-three-five!" Ginny was bellowing in through the front doors. "Find and secure Marvolo's Poké Ball! This is not a drill-"

"Ginny! GINNY!" Keith exclaimed, cutting short the Pawniard's paranoid panicking. "It's OK, Ginny."

"Pawn Pawniard!" Ginny stated, saluting Keith, though she then began to glare distrustfully at Visha. The Normal-type did not react much to this less-than-friendly greeting, merely rolling her eyes.

"OK, none of that," Keith stated. "Ginny, this is Visha, your newest teammate. She's the one Marvolo and I were telling you all about."

"...Visha?" Ginny repeated, with another glance at what looked to her like a Shadow Zangoose. "Hm..."

And then, at that point, Marvolo burst out of his Christmas Ball. "She is no Zangoose," the Seviper stated simply.

"...so the story was true, then," Ginny said. "Very well. Welcome to our team, Visha," she said. "My name is Ginny."

"Yeah, kinda figured when I heard this guy interruptin' you," nodded Visha. "Code three-three-five, eh?"

Ginny nodded. "Operational code for when a Trainer-owned Zangoose is spotted on the premises," she responded. "With wild Zangoose, they come here at their own risk, if at all, and Marvolo does what he does with them. Trainer-owned ones, that's a whole other swarm of Yanma, and the idea is to minimize the risk of any carnage."

"I can see that," nodded Visha. "Big on safety and security, I take it?"

"Is she ever," nodded Marvolo. "Paranoid to the point of obnoxiousness sometimes, but she means well and does well by us."

"Seems like we're in good hands, then," stated Visha. "So, er, any others I can meet?" she added.

But before Marvolo could say anything, the next of Visha's new teammates to be introduced was decided for him, as a dull greenish-grey Spritzee flew down to meet them. "Ah... you must be Visha, then?" she inquired.

"...yeah," nodded Visha, unsure what else to say, having not expected this. "Um... who're you?" she added.

"I am Miasma, the Garbage Queen of Grandio City," Miasma introduced herself regally. "For many years, I have considered myself queen and protector of Poison-types, and since joining Keith's team, I consider my role unchanged. You, Visha... your story has reached us here, and let me assure you, even though you are outwardly a Normal-type, you remain a Poison-type within- where it counts. As such, I welcome you as warmly as any other Poison-type to find their way here," she said graciously. "And another thing... this Vigil," she added, lowering her voice. "I deeply apologize for bringing up what I'm certain must be a sore subject, but I simply must have my say; you can count on my help should you feel ready to exact vengeance on that scoundrel," she promised.

Visha managed a small smile at this. "That's much appreciated," she responded, even bowing a bit to Miasma.

~~~~~

"Well?" Marvolo asked Visha. Several hours had passed by now, and Visha had been shown around town, around the Poisonous Palace, and gotten to meet her numerous teammates, as well as the other Pokémon there were to meet around town.

"Alright, I think I might just like it here," conceded Visha. "Strange bunch, to be sure, but the good kind of strange. That Ledian, though, that's really Stewie?"

"Really is him," Marvolo confirmed. "From what I heard, he was purified sometime after you were knocked out in that battle."

"Different as night and day," remarked Visha. "The Ivysaur's nice, though. And the Haxorus, for that matter. Big ol' softie goofball kind of fella."

"Heh, don't let that fool you when it comes time to hunt," grinned Marvolo. "Norbert's a natural. Y'know, you should come hunting with us- it's usually me, Goyle, Pisces, Kyle, Lenny, and Norbert, sometimes Gold comes along, sometimes Fang and Aria as well. Their kid used to, but these days Artemis tends to go hunting with her girlfriend."

"Y'know, I just might," nodded Visha. "We ever get to gut some Zangoose? Of the, ah, non-cursed-Seviper variety?" she amended hastily.

At this, Marvolo's grin widened. "Every chance we get," he replied.

"Then count me in," Visha grinned back. She glanced out over the charming town she could now call home, pausing as she noticed Terri walking with her own newest Pokémon. "Huh," she murmured. "Didn't realize Paine came along as well."

"Who, the Gothitelle?" asked Marvolo.

"That's the one," nodded Visha. "Though I suspect she might go by a different name by now. What's that one like, her new human?"

"Terri? She's all right," Marvolo stated. "She's strange, but the good kind of strange."

Visha allowed herself a chuckle. "Fair enough," she said. "Definitely get the feeling there's more to 'er than meets the eye, though," she added. "And if I'm sayin' that much, no doubt Paine or whatever she goes by now's noticed it as well."

~~~~~

"...and that was Find," Terri was saying to Keep as the Cutiefly was buzzing away. "It's a good sign that she likes you- Cutiefly can sense Aura." The Gothitelle nodded in response with a small smile, though said smile faded slightly as she glanced back in the direction of the House of Alph, where she'd just met most of her other teammates. "...ah, you're wondering about Perform, huh?" said Terri. "I wouldn't take it personally. Perform's parents took the whole 'miming means being silent' thing entirely too seriously, and tried to push those beliefs on him as well, when his very nature is to be loud. Give him time," she stated. "He'll realize you're not like that, and once he does, I guarantee he'll be a lot more welcoming." Keep hesitated, but then smiled once more and nodded. Terri smiled back, then gestured for Keep to follow her back inside. "Come on, Keep- we're gonna start making dinner soon."

Thank you.

Terri stopped, surprised, for those words had rang loud and clear in her head, in a tone of voice she'd never heard before. And yet, as she turned back to face the Gothitelle, there could be no doubt as to its source. "...you're welcome," Terri nodded, still smiling. And she then turned around to continue heading back in, and this time, Keep was not far behind.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2021, 01:44 PM   #119
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Pirates Of The Fizzibbean
The Tale Of Captain Meowth





It was the dead of night. Not a soul was around, nobody was guarding the Wishing Well. And typically, in this day and age, nobody really bothered to guard it too closely. Why would they? It only really responded to having a specific kind of object thrown in, one which was really rare and not easily obtainable, much less by the wrong hands. And yet, that night, such a thing had indeed fallen into the wrong hands... or, well, the wrong paws.

Nobody had seen the boat being silently rowed up to the shore. Nobody had heard the crew of Steel-type miscreants go ashore, nobody had witnessed them approach the Wishing Well, their yellow eyes aglow with almost indecent excitement.

"Are ye sure, then?" one of them quietly meowed, glancing over at the Galarian Meowth next to him. This one clutched a strange stone in her front paws. "He won't be one o'... our kind, after all..."

"O' course I'm sure," snapped the second Galarian Meowth. "Long as this all goes accordin' to me plans, we'll have the newest member o' the crew ready fer action. Once he's beaten down and all that, anyways."

Some of the other Galarian Meowth hissed their disapproval. "Ye don't mean we're to fight 'im ourselves?" asked one of them.

"Arrgh, belay yer worryin'," snapped the female of the bunch, still clutching the strange stone. "Already paid off a few hapless souls to do the fightin' in our stead. They handle the messy work, and we come in and do the rest." She chuckled evilly at this, and her crew followed suit, all as the female Galarian Meowth went up to the Wishing Well. Closed her eyes, focused, made clear her intentions... and then heaved the Wishing Piece right in. Then, with quick paw signals, she got her crew to bear a hasty retreat, and they were already out of sight by the time an excessively vertical feline began to rise right up out of the well.

~~~~~

"Ahhh, this is the life, isn't it, Meowth?"

"Eh."

At this, Keith turned to look at the Normal-type seated by his side- the two were sitting on the dock at Sludge Wave Coast, looking out at the sea. It was early in the morning, and the sun was just rising, giving them a truly magnificent view. "'Eh'?" Keith repeated. "Beautiful sunrise like this and all you got to say is 'Eh'?"

"Ehhh, not the sunrise, dat's lookin' good," Meowth shook his head. "Nah, it's more the sea."

"...You're not gonna fall in, y'know that, right?" Keith stated amusedly.

"It ain't even dat, eitha," Meowth replied.

Meowth now had Keith's full and undivided attention. "Then what is it?" Keith asked, concern evident in his voice. "You never did seem to take well to the sea, even by 'Meowth don't like getting wet' standards."

Meowth gave a sigh. He didn't know if he was feeling up to telling this tale. But before he could say as much, he and Keith both looked back at the shore at the sound of approaching footsteps, and there they could see Willa Masters and her Meowstic.

"Willa," grinned Keith. "We didn't wake you up, did we?" he asked, knowing full welll his wife's tendency to wake up bright and early at the crack of noon.

But Willa shook her head. "Worry not, neither you nor Meowth were the culprit. No, Mienfoo had come into our room to find a space to meditate in peace and quiet. Ironically, her entrance awoke me, and I wasn't able to get back to sleep, so I figured I may as well come out and see the sunrise. And once I mentioned Meowth was sure to be out here as well, Meowstic insisted on accompanying me."

"Hey dere," Meowth grinned as Meowstic sat down beside him.

"Meowth," Meowstic greeted him with a small smile. "How are you this morning?"

"Alright, I guess," shrugged Meowth. "Keith was just askin' me why ain't dat cool wit da sea. Like, moreso den you'd expect from a Meowth."

"...would I be correct in assuming this ties into the, ah, 'can of Wurmple' you were disinclined to open that day when we started going out?" asked Meowstic gently.

"Big time," Meowth confirmed.

Meowstic put an arm (or front leg, depending on your point of view) around Meowth. "You do not have to talk about it if you're not comfortable doing so," she stated firmly. "I'm certain Keith will understand this as well."

"...da ting is, I... I dunno, maybe I oughta talk about it, get it out in the open," Meowth decided. "I'm startin' ta tink dat just keepin' it buried deep down ain't doin' no one no favors no more."

"Well, we're here to listen, Meowth, if you're really willing to talk about this," said Keith.

"Indeed," Willa agreed, sitting down next to her husband.

Meowth looked around. His girlfriend, his Trainer, his Trainer's wife... he really was well and truly surrounded by people who he could trust, wasn't he? "...Alright, den," Meowth conceded. "Well... Keith, Willa, ya rememba dat time we was out at sea and dat ship full o' Galarian Meowth attacked us, wit dat Perrserker callin' da shots?"

"Hard to forget, as that's when I caught Dhelmise and when Tyrogue evolved into Hitmontop," nodded Willa.

"Y'know," Keith piped up. "I do kinda recall you seemed... particularly displeased to see them."

"Yer very perceptive," Meowth said dryly. "But yeah- dose metal-faced lugs are da crew o' the Iron Charm. If ya ain't knows da name, I wouldn't blame ya," he added fairly. "But back in da day, dat ship was da menace o' da seas. Perrserker might be da Viking Pokémon, but make no mistake, dems is da nastiest crew o' Pokémon pirates dis side of Alola... and yers truly was deir captain," he sighed.

"Their captain?!" Keith and Willa repeated incredulously and simultaneously.

"Yeah," Meowth sighed. "Before Perrserker, I was da one callin' da shots wit dat crew."

"That's... more than a little shocking," Meowstic admitted. "I... would never have guessed."

"Well, I'm glad ta hear ya ain't neva would'a guessed," Meowth stated. "Cuz I strived ta make sure I left dat part o' my life firmly behind me-owth.

"It's definitely hard to imagine," Keith admitted with a shrug. "I can't really see you at the helm of a ship, commanding a crew of cutthroat Galarian Meowth.

"Heh, you'd'a been shocked ta see me back in dose days," Meowth replied. "But I guess I betta start at da beginnin'."

"A good place to start, I think," Willa stated.

"Alright... well, it all started years ago," Meowth began. "Before youse traded fer me, before my previous two Trainers even met me."

"Wait, but I looked into those records a long time ago," Keith frowned. "Your original Trainer got you from an Egg in the old Egg House."

Meowth shook his head. "Dat's wat dey told him," he stated. "I'll get more inta dat later. Fer now, suffice ta say dat place ain't exactly kept on top o' tings. Now, den," he continued. "Before any Trainer had any claim ta lay ta me-owth... well, I lived in da wild, as Pokémon do. Da story begins wit dis weird energy. I ain't known wat ta make of it back den, though nowadays I know it's Dynamax Energy. I'd fallen inta dis hole in da ground, knocked me clean out. I ain't too clear on wat happened in da meantime, but dere's... patchy memories of a ridiculous view from high up, and dis ominous red glow. And when I came to..."

~~~~~

"Owww... what happened?"

"Yarr, he awakens!"

"Arr!"

"Arrrgh!"

"...Eh?" murmured the Normal Form Meowth as he unsteadily got up. All around him, he could see other Meowth, though all very different from himself- wild, tough fur, hornlike whiskers, yellow eyes, charms as black as Murkrow feathers. "What's all this?" he meowed. "What happened?"

"Lemme tell ye, matey," said one of the Galarian Meowth, one who Meowth couldn't help but find quite... pretty. "Ye fought off seven enemies in one go!" she grinned. "Me an' the rest of us, we ain't seen nothin' like it before!" The other Galarian Meowth all voiced their agreement.

"Eheheh... I mean, it was nothing," Meowth replied modestly.

"Arrgh, no need fer modesty amongst us, lad!" chimed in another Galarian Meowth.

"Aye! We's all Meowth here, ain't we?" added another.

"See, yer beholdin' the crew o' the Iron Charm!" declared the female Galarian Meowth. "Most feared pirate ship in the Fizzibbean! Now, here be the deal- we been a crew without a captain fer far too long, and after what we seen, yer the obvious choice to lead us to greatness!"

~~~~~

"Afta dose flatterin' words, what's a Meowth wit nuttin' else goin' fer him ta say?" Meowth shrugged. It was at this moment he took hold of Meowstic's paw with his own, and the Psychic-type took the cue, pulling Meowth into a gentle embrace, which the Scratch Cat Pokémon looked most appreciative of, pausing for a moment to look into Meowstic's eyes before continuing his tale.

Keith and Willa exchanged looks, shrugging their shoulders. "When Meowth puts it like that, I'm not certain I can blame him," Willa admitted.

"Same here, yeah," Keith nodded. "They probably made him feel like he fit in for the first time... boy, if anyone can relate..." he chuckled.

"...it would be us," Willa finished, nodding as well.

"Yes... anyone in that situation would surely desire such a turn of events," Meowstic agreed.

"Yeah, youse gets it," Meowth purred gratefully. "So... yeah. Fer a long time, it was a pretty decent situation, all tings considered," he shrugged. "I grew inta da role o' captain pretty quick, if I do say so myself..."

~~~~~

The cargo ship was moving fast over the waves, her crew frantic to reach their location in the Cascadia Archipelago before their pursuers caught up, but alas, that looked to be the case. The crew didn't know what was more disturbing- that they were actually under attack by pirates, or that said pirates were Pokémon! Loud, commanding screeches and meows could be heard from the helm of the Iron Charm, as her captain, who was still an alleged hatching, two trades, and a trading machine malfunction away from gaining the power of human speech, issued commands to his crew.

"We're comin' up on her port side!" Captain Meowth shouted as he adjusted the wheel accordingly. "All paws, battle stations!"

"Yes, sir!" "Aye aye, captain!" and other such affirmative yowls sounded from the deck below as the various Galarian Meowth busied themselves. Some of the crew of the cargo ship had sent out Pokémon of their own- a few Slowbro and Jellicent could be seen on the port side of the ship, ready to fight back.

The female Galarian Meowth stood beside the captain. "Arr, fer certain they ain't goin' down without a fight, sir," she remarked.

"Oh, aye," agreed Captain Meowth. "But don't ye worry none- they want a fight, we can give 'em one!" he grinned. "First mate, be everyone in position?"

"Aye, captain," nodded the Galarian Meowth by the captain's side. "Ready and awaitin' orders."

And so Captain Meowth kept a careful eye. "All paws, prepare fer a Shadow Ball broadside, on my order," he instructed his crew. "Hold... hold..." And once he was certain the time was right, he gestured with his paw. "FIRE!!" he commanded.

And at once, the Galarian Meowth obeyed, shooting Shadow Ball after Shadow Ball at the enemies. The Slowbro and Jellicent, having clearly been sent out in anticipation of Steel-type moves, were caught unawares by the super effective Ghost-type onslaught. The Jellicent had the good sense to back away, while the Slowbro cluelessly stood in place, taking the attacks until they fell over.

Captain Meowth, meanwhile, wasn't just wasting time watching this happen- rather, he was continuing to steer the Iron Charm, bringing her closer and closer to her target. "Prepare to board!" he called to his crew, and indeed, a number of the Galarian Meowth were getting ready to leap aboard the cargo ship, while the others threw their grappling hooks to keep the ships together. And once they had drawn close enough, leap they did! The crew, helpless against such numbers, especially without any more conscious Pokémon, weren't able to put up any sort of effective resistance as the ferocious felines robbed them blind.

~~~~~

"...we was mastas of our craft," Meowth said. "We plundered pretty much any ship wat dat came in our sights. First it was out o' greed, but den it was out o' necessity."

"Necessity?" repeated Keith.

"See, word o' mouth started ta spread," Meowth explained. "Ship captains started gettin' more careful like. Dey stopped underestimatin' us, and half o' dem'd make good deir getaways before we'd even started ta give chase."

"I see," nodded Meowstic. "You ended up having to take what you could get."

"Beggas can't be choosas," Meowth nodded. "Though it must be said, we ain't neva gone hungry," he added fairly. "I was pretty good at wat I did. Yeah... back den, we was livin' da life, and yers truly felt on top o' da world." He gave a heavy sigh as he reminisced.

~~~~~

"Arrr har har har!" Captain Meowth laughed as he tossed handfuls of coins in the air. "What a haul! Arrr, life do be great, though," he sighed with a contented grin. "Ain't that right, first mate?" he added, turning to the Galarian Meowth beside him.

"Aye, captain," grinned the first mate. "Fer certain ye've done it again. Keepin' us rollin' in shiny things and keepin' our belies full, it be no small feat." And she nuzzled the captain affectionately- an action which, it must be said, Captain Meowth had no objections to.

"Arr, just doin' me job," purred the captain, nuzzling her back. "Just as ye does yer own job, and no mistake, ye does it well."

"Mmm, ye flatters me, captain," purred the first mate. "I be but a simple Galarian Meowth, no different from the rest o' the crew."

"I'll not stand fer such nonsense bein' uttered on me ship," smirked Captain Meowth. "Ain't no one I'd rather have as me first mate, in ev'ry sense o' the term."

"So then, ye'll keep on helpin' me, so I can maybe learn that new Steel Beam move?" asked the first mate.

"Oh, aye," nodded Captain Meowth. "But first, methinks I ought acquaint ye with me own Steel Be-"

~~~~~

"Meowth, I will pay you literally anything to not finish that sentence," Keith interrupted.

"Eheheh, sorry," Meowth chuckled sheepishly. "Dems was my ways back den, wat can I say?"

"So she was the first relationship you were in, then," said Meowstic. "I... take it there's more to that story, then? That things went downhill?"

"Ehh, youse could say dat," Meowth nodded.

"Could say what?" inquired Willa.

"Dat tings ain't stayed dat good forever," Meowth sighed. "Da first mate, she got all da special treatment from me. Bigga cut o' any loot we scored. First pick o' da shiniest coins or da best Technical Machines. Dinin' wit da captain. And I'd help her learn any new move she put her mind to. Steel Beam were just da tip o' da Bergmite, but dat was da big one wit her. Helpin' her out like dat, it ended up makin' me feel real good, fer more den one reason," he added sheepishly.

"But...?" Willa prompted Meowth.

"...but it ain't lasted," Meowth sighed. "I'll neva forget da day she mastered Steel Beam..."

~~~~~

"There! Try it again!" Captain Meowth called out encouragingly. And the first mate of the Iron Charm stood there, panting heavily, having just attempted and failed yet another attempt to pull off the move she'd been trying to learn for so long. They had gone ashore on a small rocky island, so that the two could work on Steel Beam without risking damage to the ship.

"Captain... I don't know..." panted the first mate.

"Arrgh, belay that!" interrupted Captain Meowth. "After all yer practicin', there can be no doubt! Ye can do this! Now show me! Show me Steel Beam!"

"GaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" yowled the first mate, digging deep within her... and glowing brightly! Captain Meowth's eyes shined with awe as his subordinate/girlfriend evolved before his eyes. And didn't just evolve, but also seemed to gain a newfound mastery of the very move they had been working on, for as soon as the glow faded, the newly-evolved Perrserker let loose a forceful Steel Beam that reduced the nearby big rock to rubble.

"Yarrr!" Captain Meowth exclaimed, beaming with pride as he went up to pull his first mate into a hug, only for Perrserker to beat him to it, yanking him rather forcefully into an embrace instead. The captain hadn't been expecting such roughness, but brushed off the observation- she had only just evolved, after all. It was a very emotionally-charged time, she needed a second to acclimate to her newfound size and strength.

~~~~~

"So she evolved into Perrserker at the same time as she mastered Steel Beam?" said Willa.

"Bingo," nodded Meowth. "Hard ta believe I used ta tink dat was da proudest moment o' my life...

"I suppose it's understandable," Meowstic remarked, though sounding a bit subdued.

"...Meowstic, I wanna make one ting clear," Meowth stated, having picked up on this subdued tone. "I'd pick youse ova her any day o' da week. And ya don't gotta take my word fer it right now just yet, neither- I ain't even gotten ta dat part o' da story," he added.

"...I appreciate that, Meowth," admitted Meowstic with a small smile.

"So... what did happen after that, then?" Keith asked Meowth. "Your girlfriend had mastered a tricky new move and even evolved... you had to be feeling on top of the world at that time... so what happened?" he asked.

"Yeah, I felt dat way in da moment," Meowth nodded. "And not witout reason. Notorious, feared, and super successful pirate captain, loyal crew, awesome girlfriend... fer one brief, shinin' moment, dat was me-owth. Dat was my life. And it felt incredible, fer da rest o' da day."

"Why? What happened?" came a voice that got everyone to turn their heads.

"Maribel!" Keith chuckled. "Sweetie, when did you get here?" For indeed, Keith and Willa's daughter was standing right at the start of the dock.

"A little while ago," responded Maribel. "Right around the time you told Meowth you'd pay him anything to not finish a sentence, what was that about?"

"Nothing," said Keith and Willa simultaneously. Maribel rolled her eyes, but smiled and did not press the matter.

"So, yes, to fill you in," said Willa. "Meowth was telling us about how he used to be a pirate captain," explained Willa. "He commanded a crew of Galarian Meowth, including one who became his girlfriend at the time-"

"-which is the one who had evolved into Perrserker, right?" finished Maribel.

"Dat's da one," Meowth nodded. "So yeah, everyting was great fer da rest o' da day. But dat night..." Meowth's face darkened. "Dat night, dere was a mutiny."

"A mutiny?" repeated Maribel. "So your crew rebelled against you?"

"That's... weird," Keith remarked. "You just got done telling us how well you treated them."

"Surely the first mate stood up for you?" said Meowstic. At this, Meowth turned to give her a silent yet significant look. "...oh," Meowstic murmured quietly. "Oh, no..."

"I'm afraid so," Meowth nodded grimly. "I ain't neva gonna forget dat night...

~~~~~

"Mm... zzz... hard ta starboard... Hmm... zz... hm? Heh? Wha?" Captain Meowth mumbled as he was awoken from his night's sleep, and far too early. He blinked blearily as he sat up in his bed, met by the sight of what appeared to be his entire crew standing in his room. "What's all this?" he mumbled. "Be somethin' wrong?"

"Ye could say that, aye," said one of the Galarian Meowth. "Yer time as captain be over!"

"Aye! And not a moment too soon!" agreed another Galarian Meowth. And to Captain Meowth's shock, he heard the entire rest of the crew meowing and screeching their agreement with this sentiment.

"Arrrgh, and just what do ye swabs mean by this, eh?" demanded Captain Meowth. "This is mutiny! Arr, first mate, good timin'," he grinned, seeing his Perrserker girlfriend stand up beside him. "Lock these traitorous mutineers in the brig!"

Perrserker did nothing but chuckle in response, slowly turning to face her former captain. "Methinks not... Meowth," she smirked, slapping him in the face with the backs of her claws, knocking him down.

"Wh... but... Perrserker..." Meowth murmured, caught off-guard by this all. "Not ye as well... I thought what we had were special..."

At this, Perrserker gave a loud, cruel laugh. "Ye thinks I felt anythin' fer ye?" she demanded. "Arrgh, too funny. Nay... see, Meowth, ye ne'er had our respect, not really. What ye were was the perfect pawn."

"Explain yerselves!" Meowth exclaimed angrily, trying hard to not let tears come to his eyes.

"Heheh... gladly," sneered Perrserker. "See, it all started back when me skills as captain were comin' into question. Crew was close to mutiny, if'n ye can believe it."

"Gee, I wonder what that be like," Meowth snarked.

"But I had me a plan," Perrserker continued. "One ship we'd recently plundered came bearin' a strange stone the crew called a Wishin' Piece. I pressed some o' the crew's more compliant Pokémon fer information, and found out that these things make this hole in the ground what be called the Wishin' Well react. Ye makes known yer intentions, and somethin' gets summoned. In this case, that be ye- the perfect pawn! A Meowth with strange power, but a power what only matters in certain specific locations, a power what prevents ye from evolvin' on top of it all! We summoned ye from the Wishin' Well in the land o' Fizzytopia, hired some local mercenaries to take ye down, and when ye came to, we heaped ye with praise, knowin' yer ego must've been ripe fer inflatin'. Me plan were to use ye. Make ye think ye had our respect, and get yer help to overcome certain hurdles I were havin' trouble with meself."

"...such as learnin' Steel Beam and evolvin'," Meowth murmured. "So ev'ry time I gave ye special treatment, ev'ry time I did ye any kind o' favor, our whole relationship..."

"All part o' me plan," smirked Perrserker. "Now that I learned the ultimate Steel move and finally managed to evolve, the crew now recognizes that I be cutthroat, connivin', and just plain strong enough to be their captain after all!"

"And I ain't?!" Meowth blurted out. "After all I did fer ye ungrateful swabs?! All the ships we've plundered, all the loot we've taken, and this be the thanks I get?"

"I've done better," retorted Perrserker. "And now that I be stronger than ever, I'll do even better still! A better captain, a better Pokémon than some nobody Normal-type Meowth what that can't even evolve!"

"Oh, ye thinks so, eh?" Meowth snarled angrily, extending his claws. "I'll choke those words down yer throats! Ye pack o' bilge Rattata are about to learn what happens to mutineers on my ship!"

~~~~~

"Oh, Meowth..." Keith murmured. By this point, he was holding the Scratch Cat Pokémon close to him. Meowth was shaking, tears falling from his eyes as he was recounting this part of his tale. Willa was sitting beside them, looking concerned, and Maribel was trying to pet Meowth comfortingly.

Meowstic, however, moved in and gently hugged Meowth herself. "She didn't deserve you anyway," she said gently.

After a few moments, Meowth had calmed down enough to speak up again. "Tanks... all o' youse," he murmured. "Sorry 'bout dat, it's still pretty hard ta relive..."

"Naturally," Willa nodded. "Meowth, you have nothing to apologize to us for," she assured him.

"Willa's right," Keith agreed. "Sometimes you just need a moment to let it out, right?"

"Heh, true," Meowth nodded. He wriggled out of Keith's grip and hugged Meowstic back, then continued with his tale. "So, where was I...? Oh, right, right, I was just tellin' da crew I'd show 'em exactly wat happens ta mutineers on my ship..."

~~~~~

"...ye'll show us what happens to mutineers, eh?" laughed one of the Galarian Meowth.

"Aye, we'll be sure to make note o' that," taunted another one. "Mutineers on former Captain Meowth's ship get an easy win and the privilege of makin' their former captain walk the plank!" This elicited uproarious laughter from the rest of the crew, Captain Perrserker included.

Meowth said nothing. He was still trying to process the reality of the situation. Just yesterday, he'd been on top of the world. And now, his entire crew, including his girlfriend, had rebelled against him and were kicking him off his own ship. And to make matters all the worse, Captain Perrserker herself was following Meowth out onto the wooden plank set out over the side of the Iron Charm, dagger-like claws extended and pointed in Meowth's direction. "Well, I'd say it pains me to have to do this... but it don't," sneered the Steel-type.

"Perrserker..." Meowth murmured. "Ye don't has to do this."

"Arrgh... Meowth, ye still thinks there be anythin' ye can do here?" Captain Perrserker chuckled evilly. "Ye thinks we had somethin' special, that ye was anythin' more than a tool to me? Why, ye wasn't even the best I ever had. Ye've done the job I needed ye fer, and now ye've outlived yer usefulness. Plain 'n simple." And she jabbed Meowth's back with her claws. "Off ye go," she sneered.

Step by step, Meowth neared the end of the plank. He took one last look backwards, at the crew he was once proud to command. "Mark me words," he hissed. "This'll not be the last ye see o' me. Someday, the day will come when ye all come to regret rebellin' against yer captain." And with that, he turned forward, took a deep breath, and took that last step off the plank entirely, falling straight into the sea. His frantic attempts at swimming, while they got him to a nearby desert island, also did not go unnoticed by the crew of the Iron Charm, and even as Meowth saw what used to be his ship sailing away, he could hear their cruel laughter, could still see the silhouette of Perrserker at the helm when that used to be where he stood. "Me ship... me crew... me girlfriend..." Meowth whined. He looked around at his new surroundings- barren and plain, all of it. A tiny spit of an island in the Sea of Fizzytopia, nothing to it but a single palm tree, and the sad, sad remnants of a shipwreck from long ago, naught left but chunks of wood. Meowth sighed. From the position of the sunrise, he had a good idea which way to go to get to the Fizzytopian mainland, but getting there alive was looking to be another matter entirely...

~~~~~

"Oh, Meowth..." Keith murmured. By this point, Meowth was being hugged not only by his Trainer, but also by Willa, Maribel, and even Meowstic. And there could be no question that he needed it, for he had stopped telling his story, and was shaking, tears leaking from his eyes despite what looked to be his best efforts.

"J-just like dat, I... I'd lost everyting..." Meowth sniveled. "Everyone I thought I could trust, dey all turned on me, I was nuttin' but a means to an end ta dem..."

"...like when my old classmates told me they only hung out with me because my mother was the Champion," Willa murmured.

"You deserved far better than them," Meowstic said gently. "And Meowth... don't forget... you do have better than them now."

"Yeah, I... I know," Meowth nodded, managing a smile at Meowstic's words. "But... dat messed wit me fer da longest time. Like..."

"...like being virulently against having any other cats on the team?" Keith said.

"Dat and da whole 'scaredy-Meowth' phase I was goin' trough when I first joined yer team," Meowth nodded.

"So how did you get off the island?" Maribel asked.

"Weren't easy," Meowth stated. "I had pieces o' wood from dat shipwreck, but dere weren't much left, dat wasn't exactly a recent shipwreck. I tried makin' a raft, but I ain't had nuttin' ta stick 'em togetha wit. So in da end, I just took da biggest piece o' wood I could work wit, lied down on top of it, and paddled my way ta da mainland."

"Eesh," Keith frowned. "That could not have been easy."

"Or pleasant," agreed Willa.

"Bingo on both counts," nodded Meowth. "Before dat day, I was actually pretty OK wit gettin' wet, but afta havin' ta walk da plank and get myself ta shore like dat afta everyting I'd lost..." he shook his head. "Neva wanted ta set foot in water again," he stated.

"Oh, man," Keith sighed. "Well, wait," he added. "What did you do after that?" he asked. "You did mention that the Egg House merely told your original Trainer that you had hatched from an Egg.

"Ah, yeah," nodded Meowth. "Well, see, once I got ta mainland Fizzytopia, I ain't had a clue wat I wanted ta do next, only dat it weren't gonna involve pirates or none o' dat in any way. I wanted ta leave dat life behind me-owth."

"Makes sense," nodded Willa.

"So I had dis stupid idea," Meowth continued. "I came across da Egg House. Heard word from local wild Pokémon wat it was all about. So, I gathered up bits o' shell from various Normal Eggs dat had hatched. Took me some time, but I got all I needed, includin' all da pieces from one whole Egg. Swiped some supaglue from a shop, and glued the Egg back togetha.. Den, I waited fer some Trainer ta pick up a Normal Egg, see? I snuck da fake Egg inta da storeroom, and when da Trainer left wit it, I waited. Hung around dat shop, outta sight, fer da whole week."

"A whole week?" said Meowstic. "What did you eat?"

"I had a little help wit dis," Meowth admitted. "Dis wild Audino sympathized wit me, snuck me food, helped me piece the Egg togetha. But yeah- once da Trainer brought da fake Egg back, I signaled fer the Audino ta make it shake usin' Psychic, den ta blow it apart. And dat's when I jumped inta position, so from da point o' view o' da Trainer, he'd just hatched me."

"...how did that work?" Keith asked after a moment of stunned silence. "Did... did you put anything in the Egg to weigh it down, at least?"

"Couple o' rocks and hairballs," nodded Meowth.

"And the Trainer never noticed the cracks?" Willa asked dubiously.

"Dat was what worried me as well, but tankfully no," shrugged Meowth. "Either I glued it dat well or dey was just plain unobservant.

"And nobody figured that you were clearly not a newborn Meowth?" continued Keith.

"I was still pretty young back den, gimme a little credit," purred Meowth. "I could still pull off da cutesy look. Not ta mention, like I said earlier, the Egg House ain't exactly had da most attentive staff. In any case, though, my new Trainer put me up fer trade, and dat's when I ended up wit da girl wat dat traded me ta youse," he stated, with a glance at Keith. "I lasted a bit longa on her team, and dat's when I first saw dem on TV- dose bumblin' Team Rocket membas and deir talkin' Meowth. I idolized dat Meowth," he smiled. "He had real friends. Friends dat would neva turn on him when he'd need dem most, friends dat didn't give a Patrat's ass whetha he evolved or not. Dat right dere, dat was wat I wanted."

"So, then when the trade machine malfunctioned...?" said Maribel (Keith had told her, years ago, the origin of Meowth's ability to speak human language).

Meowth nodded. "Wateva Dream Mist had gotten inta dat ting reacted wit my heart's desire and made me able ta speak like dis," he stated. He recalled way back when they had been speculating about what could've caused the malfunction. One of the possibilities that had been brought up was human DNA in the trading machine, but their main theory had been some Dream Mist in the trading machine. And then, years later, after Keith had acquired Selia, the then-Munna was able to confirm just about instantly that some errant Dream Mist had indeed been the cause.

"Meowth," said Meowstic. "I... I want to make this clear. I promise you, I will never do what that Perrserker or those Galarian Meowth did to you. I promise, my feelings for you are real."

Meowth, however, was smiling. "If I had da slightest fear dat you'd betray me like dat, I neva would'a asked Willa ta catch youse," he said to Meowstic. "And afta youse put yerself in danger ta save me from dat boulda back in da Clawmark Mountains? Dere ain't no doubt watsoeva," he purred, nuzzling Meowstic affectionately.

Meowstic's small smile became more pronounced than usual. "I am glad," she said as she nuzzled Meowth back. No more words were spoken for the longest while as the small group, the small family, held onto each other, watching the sunrise, Meowth now doing so with a great deal more appreciation. It had felt good to talk about his past like that, and he felt all the more appreciation for the real friends and family he had now.

~~~~~

The crew of Galarian Meowth looked on from their hiding spots as the various Trainers they'd hired for this continued to attack. Occasionally they'd scowl as it looked as though the fools were teetering on the brink of defeat, but when all was said and done, they'd done their job and done it well, and the Gigantamaxed Meowth deflated back to size in almost comical fashion. And then came the fountain of coins- at this, the scurvy Steel-types smirked, knowing the fools would interpret that as their payment. However, instead, the corrupt government officials the Meowth had bribed stepped in and seized the sparkly stockpile. This did nevertheless leave the Trainers with a few small tokens as compensation, but nothing compared to the haul they were getting out of this. And that was to say nothing of the one Galarian Meowth's grand master plan. Once everyone had cleared out, and the barely-conscious Meowth had somehow managed to pull himself out of the well, the female gestured to the rest of the crew, and they scurried over, ready to regale him with thrilling falsehoods about his epic sweeping of the enemy, build up his confidence, stoke his ego, and most importantly, ensure he trusted them.

~~~~~

Meowth hadn't, of course, remembered those particular details- between his last moments being forcibly Gigantamaxed and the subsequent unconsciousness, he was more than a little preoccupied. Nevertheless, the sort of deceit and treachery those Pokémon pirates had planned from the start, he'd learned it for himself. And painful though it was to recount that part of his past, at the same time it felt... freeing, knowing he'd finally confided in those he knew he could well and truly trust.

As the Masterses made to go back in the house (which wasn't until after Meowstic had stopped hugging Meowth and accompanied Willa and Maribel back inside), Meowth stopped, and Keith noticed this. "What's up, Meowth?" he asked.

In response, Meowth rummaged around in his fur, in an area normally reserved for held items, which he'd never really made use of before, before finally pulling out a peculiar band. "...I neva knew wat dis was before," he began, holding the band up to Keith, who took it and inspected it. "It was only relatively recently I began ta have an idea, seein' dem Gigantamax raids happenin' at da Wishin' Well. I had dis eva since dose pirates found me, always kept it safe on me, fer good luck. And now I'm tinkin' it might be-"

"...a Gigantaband?" Keith finished. Meowth nodded mutely in response. Keith smiled, examined the Gigantaband a little more, then handed it back to Meowth. "Then I'd say put it on," he stated. "We'll be sure to make good use of it, together."

Meowth smiled as he accepted the item he'd forever considered a good luck charm, and slipped it on his right front leg, pretty much comparable to where on Keith's wrist he'd put his Dynamax Band. "Yeah," he nodded. "Hey, Keith," he added. "...tanks fer hearin' me out, and fer not judgin' me too harsh on who I used ta be," he said quietly.

Keith, in response, picked Meowth up. "You bet, buddy," he replied, and the two embraced each other. "And y'know what? Someday, we'll get back at Perrserker and her crew for the crap they put you through," he added. "Nobody just uses my friend like that and gets away with it." Meowth was too choked up with emotion to properly respond, but Keith understood all the same. And so, back in the Poisonous Palace they went- after that tale, it was agreed all around that a good breakfast was exactly what they all needed.

Last edited by Missingno. Master; 08-31-2021 at 01:56 PM.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2021, 12:14 PM   #120
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Pirates Of The Fizzibbean
All Hands On Deck



Some time had passed since Meowth had finally opened up about the secret of his past, and the revelation had changed a thing or two. First and foremost, Keith Masters and his family were quite a bit more careful when it came to sailing. They were far more willing to acquiesce to Meowth's requests that they have the Banette's Revenge be guarded at all times, and yet they had not run afoul of the Iron Charm since that first fateful encounter. Though that wasn't to say the Pokémon pirates weren't keeping busy- news reports continued to come in telling of sailors and their ships attacked by Perrserker and her crew, and Meowth began to get more and more enraged with each one. This went on until one day...

"Dragonite, use Iron Tail!"

"Pepper, use Strange Steam!"

And try as the Dragonite might, it wasn't able to land the attack- the multicolored cloud of steam that the Galarian Weezing had blasted in its path had gotten the better of it, and as the rainbow haze cleared, Keith Masters and Ralph McPhione could see the latter's Dragonite struggling to get back up.

"Come on, Dragonite!" Ralph called encouragingly.

"Wrap this up, Pepper!" Keith grinned. "Headbutt!"

"Weez!" grunted Pepper and Spray simultaneously as they whacked Dragonite over the head with their smokestacks. This was the final straw, and the Dragon Pokémon slumped back down and did not move.

"Dragonite is unable to battle!" declared Gavin Golurkson, who had agreed to referee this battle. "All three of Ralph's Pokémon are unable to continue battling, so the winner is Keith Masters!"

"Heh. Dragonite, return," Ralph stated, withdrawing his unconscious Pokémon back into its Safari Ball. "Not too shabby, Keith," he grinned. "That's a pretty interesting Weezing, too," he added.

"Definitely," Keith agreed. "Pepper here evolved during a family vacation in the Galar region. Had no idea Galarian Weezing was even a thing. Your Pokémon are doing pretty well, themselves," he added.

"Appreciate it," grinned the man who was Keith's longtime rival. "Heh, still can't get over the whole thing, y'know, with you and the-"

"-the whole ten years older with a daughter thing," Keith nodded. "You're not alone in that, for sure. The look on your face when we told you, though, was priceless," he added with a chuckle.

"I bet," nodded Ralph. "And I'd just seen you guys the night before it happened, at your wedding, no less. Speaking of, thanks again for the invite, man."

"It's no problem," Keith stated. "So, what say we get on out to the Pokémon Center? Pepper, Spray, Sunfire, and Miasma could all use a good rest."

"Yeah, same with Dragonite, Swalot, and Hydreigon," replied Ralph. "Let's-"

"GAAAAAH!"

Keith and Ralph both stopped and looked as a rather irate feline stormed out of the front doors of the Poisonous Palace. "Ho, boy," sighed Keith. "Not another one?" he asked Meowth.

"Da worst one yet- dis time dey actually sunk da ship!" Meowth snapped. "None o' da crew drowned or nuttin', tank Arceus, but even still!"

"The hell is this about?" Ralph asked Keith.

"It's these Pokémon pirates operating in the Sea of Fizzytopia," Keith explained. "Meowth has something of a history with them, and they're getting more and more brazen these days. One of these days, we keep saying, we're gonna get everyone in town together and try and actually do something about them," he stated.

"Hmm," Ralph murmured thoughtfully. "What would you say to a little extra help?"

"Wha- you're looking to help?" Keith asked.

"Well, not me specifically," Ralph stated. "No offense, just, I get seasick these days. But I do know someone who'd probably be a big help to you guys, a cousin of mine who grew up in Pacifidlog Town. The sea's his whole thing, got a ship of his own and everything. Want me to give him a call?"

Keith looked at Meowth. "What do you think, man?" he asked.

"I'm tinkin' we needs all hands on deck here, so bring on da new guy," Meowth agreed.

~~~~~

Several days later, the entire population of Sludge Wave Coast was gathered near the water, right by where the Banette's Revenge was docked. Keith and Willa were there, of course, as was their daughter Maribel. Meowth and Meowstic were there, too, and Maribel had her Trevenant out of his Ultra Ball. Gavin Golurkson and Eddie Starmie were likewise present, and Terri Alph was there along with her Froslass and girlfriend Laugh. And of course, Diana Macks and Marv Liss, along with their Illumise and Volbeat. DJ Skweekz, Diana's Dedenne, was also being held in her Trainer's arms.

"All right!" Keith was saying as he addressed everyone present. "As we all know, the Pokémon pirates crewing the dread pirate ship the Iron Charm have been running amok in the Sea of Fizzytopia. They've been active for years, but recently have gotten all the more brazen. Me and Willa, we've had a run-in with them once before, and Meowth knows first-hand that they're bad news."

"Dat's right!" Meowth chimed in, climbing atop Keith's head to address the others. "I ain't gonna get too much inta da specifics, but dose ferrous felines is a blight upon dis whole region! It's high time we put a stop ta deir skullduggery once and fer all!" This was met with murmurs of assent from the others.

"Hey, I'm game for this," Gavin spoke up. "But, uh, you sure all of us alone'll be enough?" he added. "I mean, we're good, no question, but even still, against these Pokémon pirates nobody else has been able to take down in all these years?"

"Excellent question, Gavin," Keith spoke up. "Because as it happens, part of what I gathered you all here today to say is going to address that very concern. Now, the other day, Ralph McPhione- I trust you all know of him by now- he was in town, heard about all of this, and promised he'd contact his cousin, who he claims is pretty well-suited to helping out in this particular situa-"

"Avast, me hearties! Permission to come ashore!"

This loud yet jovial greeting echoed over the sea behind Keith, and so he turned to look. At that moment, DJ Skweekz wriggled out of Diana's grip, and ran over to the pickup truck parked not far from where they stood. With skillful maneuvers, the Electric/Fairy-type got the door open, and subjected the radio to a specially tuned Eerie Impulse. Immediately, the radio's speakers blared to life with an oddly fitting tune, just as a ship, not unlike the Banette's Revenge in overall appearance, though featuring a distinctively beautiful Dragalge figurehead, could be seen coming towards shore, with a most distinctive figure at the helm.


Nobody spoke as the ship drew closer to the shore, though coming to a stop safely beside the dock. The man disembarked, tying off his vessel. He wore a purple shirt under a long brown coat. He wore a matching tricorne hat on his head, a Chatot perched on his right shoulder, and as he turned to face them all, they could see his bushy black mustache, and perhaps more alarmingly, the eyepatch covering up where most folk would have a perfectly normal right eye. He was easily the tallest human present. "Well, now," he spoke up as the music died down. "I'm hopin' I has the right place. This be Sludge Wave Coast, aye?"

"It is," Maribel piped up, stepping forward and breaking the residents' collective stunned silence. "I'm Maribel Masters. You must be Dad's friend's cousin, right?" She offered a handshake as she spoke.

"Ar har, that be about the shape of it, lass," the man chuckled good-naturedly as he shook Maribel's hand. "Tom Maelstrom McPhione, at yer humble service. Masters, eh? Then yer dad'd be this Keith me cousin Ralph spoke of?"

"That'd be me," Keith confirmed. "Keith Masters. And this is my lovely wife Willa," he added, with Willa giving a polite nod.

"Name's Gavin. Gavin Golurkson," Gavin chimed in.

"I'm Terri Alph. This is Laugh," Terri added.

"Edward Starmie- you can call me Eddie."

"Diana Macks."

"Marv Liss."

"Pleasure to meet the lot o' ye," Tom grinned. "And yer Pokémon as well, they look like a hardy bunch," he added approvingly. He grinned at the tiny Dedenne. "And I like what I see in this lil' one," he added. "Played me quite the intro song, from the sound of it"

DJ Skweekz grinned. "Dededenne!" he responded. Tom laughed heartily in response.

"Yes- that's DJ Skweekz, my Dedenne," said Diana. "This is Sweet, my Illumise."

"And Bright, my Volbeat," added Marv.

"Da name's Meowth," Meowth chimed in. "Dis here's da lovely Meowstic," he added.

"Well, blow me down- a talkin' Meowth!" Tom exclaimed. "I weren't sure whether Ralph were exaggeratin' that part, but to hear 'im meself, t'were a shock nonetheless. Good to meet ye, though, Meowth," he added.

"Hi, Mr. McPhione," Trevenent piped up. "I'm, uh, you can call me Trevenant."

Tom chuckled again. "Arr, no need fer the formalities, there, lad," he assured the Elder Tree Pokémon. "Just call me Tom, unless ye be sailin' under me- then and only then, it's Cap'n McPhione!"

"Awwk! Cap'n McPhione! Cap'n McPhione!" squawked the Chatot on Tom's shoulder.

"Arhar," Tom grunted with a grin. "I almost forgot an introduction o' me own- this here be me Chatot, Lily."

"Lily, huh?" grinned Keith. "I like the name. I have a Venomoth named Lily- one of my oldest and most reliable Pokémon."

"Be that so?" grinned Tom. "Lily here be named fer me dear mother, and I've tangled with enough Venomoth in me day to know they ain't to be taken lightly. I like the cut o' yer jib," he stated.

"Cut o' yer jib! Cut o' yer jib!" Lily echoed with enthusiasm.

Tom laughed heartily. "Seems Lily here feels the same!" he declared. "But if'n we're done with the introductions," he added, turning more serious. "Methinks we ought get straight to the point. The Iron Charm," he said in almost a growl.

"Now dere's a tone o' voice wat dat tells me youse gots beef wit dem," Meowth piped up. "You crossed paths wit dem before?"

"Oh, aye," Tom nodded solemnly. "Ambushed me, they did. Years back- t'were sailin' somewhere bound in the old Cascadia Archipelago. Took on a job to deliver some parts from Slateport City. And them thievin' Meowth wanted me cargo fer themselves. Lily here helped fend 'em off fer the most part, but their captain..." he trailed off, scowling. "I was able to defend me ship and me cargo well enough," he stated. "But that Captain Perrserker, she took somethin' else fer her troubles." And he punctuated this most ominous statement by pointing to the eyepatch he was wearing.

"...Yikes," Gavin remarked after a momentary stunned silence.

"I see," Keith nodded. "So this is just as personal to you as it is to Meowth."

"Personal to Meowth, says ye?" said Tom, now peering inquisitively at the Normal-type feline. "How so?"

Meowth squirmed uncomfortably, but after the encouraging look he got from Meowstic, he seemed to steel his resolve, and he began to tell his tale to Tom.

~~~~~

"...Shiver me timbers," whispered Tom when Meowth had finished retelling the story. "Me apologies, Meowth, fer makin' ye relive that."

"Nah, ya had ta know," Meowth sighed. "Puts us on even footin', right? Now we each knows how dat Perrserker screwed the otha over."

"Aye, yer not wrong," nodded Tom. "So... what say we all starts talkin' strategy?" he asked. "Fer starters, whose ship be this?" he added, glancing over at the Banette's Revenge.

"Mine," Keith grinned. "The Banette's Revenge. Built her myself, years ago."

"Ye don't say?" Tom murmured wonderingly as he examined the ship. "Nicely built, she be," he nodded.

"I'll take that as high praise, coming from you," Keith chuckled modestly. "Your ship looks pretty impressive, too."

"Yarr!" Tom grinned in response, turning to look back at his own ship. "Me pride and joy- the Mock Kelp!"

"Ah, like Skrelp and Dragalge's Pokédex classification, right?" Keith said.

"Yarr!" Tom nodded. "Very sharp, ye be. Aye. Dragalge were a favorite Pokémon in me family. Me mother even owned one way back when- she helped me out with the figurehead," he added, gesturing to the wood carving of a distinctly beautiful Dragalge adorning the bow of the Mock Kelp.

"Oh, beautiful," Keith remarked. "You've done a lot of sailing with her, I take it?" he asked.

"Oh, aye, 'round the globe," Tom nodded. "From Hoenn to Sinnoh to Orre to Kanto to right here in Fizzytopia. Ye names a region o' this world of ours, odds be in yer favor that I've made port there at some point. And ye?"

"Can't say I've been quite that well-traveled, but we've been places," Keith stated. "I originally built the Banette's Revenge for a specific mission that took me to Kanto, but we've also sailed as far as Unova and Galar."

"Impressive in its own right," Tom nodded. "Alrighty, me bucko- ye has me respect as a sailor." And he extended his hand, which Keith shook once more.

"Glad to hear it, Tom," grinned Keith. "So... strategy, you were saying, then?"

"Aye!" Tom nodded. "First things first, seafarin' Pokémon. Whate'er the lot o' ye gots what that can fight from the water."

"Well, here's one," Keith stated, producing a Fizzy Ball off his belt and sending out his Qwilfish.

Tom eyed Hebenon curiously. "Yarr," he considered. "Strong, fer certain, I can tell that much at a glance. Not one to be taken lightly," he stated.

"Heh, you're very perceptive," Keith grinned. "Hebenon here is one of my most reliable partners."

"Qwil! Fish!" Hebenon added, puffing himself up slightly as he spoke.

"Ain't no mistakin' that," Tom agreed.

"You'll see a few of mine if you turn to the water," Willa added. And as if on cue, her Dhelmise and Gyarados rose up out of the sea.

"...Shiver me timbers!" Tom chortled with a grin. "A fine bunch indeed! Very well-trained from the look o' them, and quite healthy, too. The Gyarados in particular- second-biggest Gyarados I e'er seen in me life!"

Gavin raised an eyebrow. "Second-biggest?" he repeated, eyeing Willa's decidedly massive Gyarados.

The next few minutes went on in similar fashion to this. Terri had sent out her Starmie, Maribel had sent out her Tentacool, and Keith had sent out a few more of his Water-types, including his Wishiwashi and Basculin. And Tom seemed to like everything he saw. Soon the subject turned to Pokémon that weren't much for swimming but could attack from the air, or from the deck of a ship, and following that, they proceeded to start really talking strategy. This went on for so long that when the discussion started to wind down, it was starting to get dark.

"...Shiver me timbers, be it that late already?" Tom chuckled, realizing that the sun was already setting.

"Indeed," Willa nodded. "It seems all this talk of strategy has eaten up most of the day."

"Aye," Tom nodded. "Well, me apologies fer that, I ain't normally such a windbag, ye understands," he chuckled.

Keith, however, chuckled as well. "It's no problem, Tom," he stated. "We're fine with it, honestly- I feel like we'll be really ready for when the time comes to take the fight to Captain Perrserker, and for that you have my thanks."

"Same here," Gavin piped up. "This is important shi- er, stuff," he hastily amended upon seeing the glare he was getting from Willa.

"I believe I would have felt inadequately prepared had we not discussed our strategies at such length," Eddie added, adjusting his glasses.

"Agreed," Diana and Marv stated in unison.

"Same here," Terri added.

Tom was grinning. "Yarr... kind o' ye to say," he stated. "Alrighty, then- that bein' the case, might any o' ye know where a sailor like me can find a room fer the night?"

"Sure," Keith nodded. "There's a really good Pokémon Center right here in town, lemme show you."

"Aye, lead the way, matey!" Tom agreed, and so he followed Keith off towards the Pokémon Center.

"Heh," Gavin remarked once the two were out of sight. "Dude's all kinds of weird, but I like him."

"Yeah, so do I," nodded Marv. "And believe me, in our profession, Diana and I have met far weirder."

"Far, far weirder," Diana agreed.

"Dis guy's alright," Meowth stated, nodding. "Besides, he and I already got a little common ground- we both wanna get back at dat despicable Captain Perrserker," he growled.

"He seems nice," stated Maribel.

"That he does," nodded Eddie.

"Indeed," Willa stated, stifling a yawn. "...my apologies," she muttered following this. "It seems our new friend Tom is not the only one ready to call it a day."

"Yeah, you got the right idea there, I'm beat," Gavin said. "I'mma head home, get some shuteye."

The others all voiced their agreements with this notion and started heading off towards their respective homes. Only Willa stayed behind, waiting patiently until Keith came walking back from the Pokémon Center. "Where'd everyone else go?" Keith asked.

"Home to get some sleep," Willa stated. "Which I am thinking wouldn't be a bad idea for us as well."

"Yeah, I'm with you there," Keith admitted. "Got Tom a nice room in the Pokémon Center, and I dunno if there was any doubt about him, but Helena seems to trust him, so..."

Willa nodded. "...and I am inclined to trust her judgement just as well as yours," she said simply. "So... we're really doing this, then?" she added. "Taking on the Pokémon pirates?"

Keith gave a small sigh. "I know you're worried," he said quietly. "And I don't blame you. But with how we use the Banette's Revenge to get around so much, and with how much more brazen the Iron Charm's gotten as of late, frankly I'm just as worried going about our lives normally. The way I see it, we can either face our fears head-on or spend the rest of our lives hiding from them."

Willa nodded slowly. "And I think we both know which one is a more accurate reflection of how we brought up Maribel."

Keith nodded back, now smiling slightly. "Indeed," he agreed. "And I am no hypocrite."

Now Willa was smiling as well. "I know," she said, before said smile turned into the smirk that was so consistently followed by Willa yanking Keith in for a kiss, with this time proving to be no exception. No more was said following this, even once they broke apart, with Keith and Willa walking back home, hand in hand.

Last edited by Missingno. Master; 09-08-2021 at 05:41 PM.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2021, 06:00 PM   #121
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Pirates Of The Fizzibbean
The Battle For Sludge Wave Coast



It had been a peaceful week at Sludge Wave Coast, following the arrival of Tom McPhione. The man had been content to stay in town for as long as he was welcome, and if the residents were to be believed, his welcome was not in danger of being worn out anytime soon. Indeed, Tom got along quite well with the Pokémon Trainers of Sludge Wave Coast, and when they weren't talking strategy for taking on the Iron Charm, he proved to be more than up for some fun. As he only possessed his Chatot, he initially declined to take part in the Colosseum challenges, which would of course require him to have at least two Pokémon, but that soon changed- the people of Sludge Wave Coast were not the only ones to take a liking to Tom. Indeed, Keith and Willa found that their Feraligatr and Dhelmise worked quite well with him, and it wasn't without careful consideration on all sides that the Masterses decided that the two would perhaps fare better on Tom's team. Tom did have one stipulation, however- he requested that he be allowed to simply call Gold by his species name, stating that he had little memory for nicknames beyond his Chatot. Keith wasn't sure what to make of this, but Gold, as it turned out, was. Meowth translated for Keith as the Feraligatr explained that he'd never truly warmed up to the nickname Gold, and was quite content to go with Tom's request. And far from take offense, Keith only took it as all the more proof that Tom might just be a better Trainer for the Feraligatr than him.

Alas, the peaceful times were not to last.

"...aaaand, Dedenne! Is! Unable! To battle!" Gavin declared amid the wild cheering. "Both of Diana's Pokémon have been defeated, so the winner of today's Colosseum challenge is Tom McPhione of Pacifidlog Town, Hoenn!"

"Yaar har har har haaaar!" Tom laughed triumphantly. "Well done, Dhelmise, Feraligatr!" he exclaimed, beaming with pride.

"Awwk! Well done! Well done!" echoed Lily from her perch on Tom's shoulder, barely audible amid the crowd's cheering.

"Arrrgh, arrharhar," Tom chuckled as he filed out into the lobby and received his prize from the receptionist, only to see Diana Macks there as well, and offered his hand. "Fine battlin' from ye, lass," he stated. "Yer Illumise and Dedenne be no pushovers."

"It really was a good battle, Tom," agreed Diana, shaking his hand. "Dhelmise and Feraligatr work very well together."

"Aye, that they do," Tom agreed. "Methinks we ought go heal our Pokémon right about now-" he began, before panicked cries from outside caught their attention. "Arrgh," he frowned, and he raced outside, Diana not far behind.

The source of the chaos was not hard to pinpoint. Shadow Ball after Shadow Ball flew through the town, all of them coming from the direction of the sea, and as Tom looked in that general direction, he could see it. Diana, likewise, was looking at the same thing. "Is that-" she began.

"The Iron Charm," Tom growled. "And it seems they be fixin' to sack Sludge Wave Coast!"

"Ya tink?!"

Tom and Diana looked- Keith and Willa were there, along with Meowth and Meowstic, and not too far behind were all the others, including Marv, who ran straight up to Diana and held her close to him. "Arrgh," Tom growled. "I ain't figured on 'em pullin' a stunt so brazen as this..."

"None of us did," stated Keith. "But regardless of that, the time to act is now! Tom, I'll board the Banette's Revenge, get her ready- you prepare the Mock Kelp!"

"Aye!" Tom nodded, and off he went, dodging incoming Shadow Balls to make it to his ship.

"We'll go with Tom," stated Marv. "Diana, let's go," he added.

"Right!" Diana agreed, and the couple ran after the seasoned sailor.

"I'm going on the Mock Kelp, too!" Gavin stated as he too ran off.

"All right- the rest of you guys," Keith stated, addressing Willa, Terri, and Eddie. "To the Banette's Revenge!"

"I'm going, too!" came a voice. Keith and Willa turned to see their daughter standing before them, a resolute look on her face.

Willa shook her head. "Absolutely not, young lady," she stated. "This is far too dangerous- wait in the Pokémon Center."

Maribel, however, shook her head, looking no less determined. "What, just run and hide while my hometown's in danger?" she retorted. "I'm sorry, Mom, but I can't do that."

Willa turned to look at Keith, looking more than a little conflicted. "What do you think?" she murmured.

Keith shrugged. "I think our girl's inherited the old Masters family stubbornness," he stated. "And I think you know good and well the futility of going up against that," he smirked. "Besides which, she's not incapable, and I think we both know this." He and Willa had established eye contact, and Willa could see, although Keith was nervous, as fearful for his daughter's safety as his wife was, he nevertheless wholeheartedly believed what he was saying- wholeheartedly trusted that Maribel could help them here.

"...oh, all right," Willa relented.

"But please, be careful," Keith pleaded.

Maribel nodded seriously. "Absolutely," she agreed.

With nothing more needing to be said, Keith led the way aboard the Banette's Revenge. Tom already had the Mock Kelp ready to make sail, and once Peeves hauled in the anchor, Keith got the Banette's Revenge underway!

As they moved through the water, the Iron Charm grew closer and closer. They could see the various Galarian Meowth attempting to pelt the coastal town with Shadow Ball after Shadow Ball. And at the helm of the ship, of course, there stood none other than Captain Perrserker, who sneered unpleasantly as she laid eyes on the Banette's Revenge, clearly recognizing the ship from their last encounter.

"Alright, me hearties!" Tom called from the helm of his own ship. "Prepare fer defensive maneuvers! I'll be bringin' her hard to port, so all hands to the starboard side and make ready!"

Diana threw a Poké Ball. "Go, DJ Skweekz!" she declared.

Marv threw a Poké Ball of his own. "And go, Steakknife!" he exclaimed.

In twin flashes of light, Diana's Dedenne and Marv's Ralts materialized. DJ Skweekz smirked, folding his tiny arms like a badass, ready for battle. Steakknife, on the other hand, glanced back uncertainly at his Trainer.

"It's OK, Steakknife," Marv stated. "This might be a little sooner than we anticipated, but it's time nonetheless. Are you ready?"

...I agree, this is sooner than expected, came the telepathic response. But I believe I am ready all the same. But first... And with that, Steakknife focused hard, and started to glow. His body changed shape slightly, growing a little taller, now with visible legs, but as the glow faded, Marv knew his new still wasn't in shape to get the job done. Not just yet, anyway...

"Good," stated Marv, pulling his hand back out of his bag, revealing the Dawn Stone it had been clutching. "And now..."

Yes, nodded the Kirlia, as his Trainer set the brilliant rock down before him. And yet another glow came over Steakknife, this time causing a much more drastic transformation. Steakknife now grew significantly taller, bladelike protrusions sprouting from his elbows, and once the glow faded, there now stood before Marv a capable and confident , poised and ready to attack!

Gavin marveled at this impromptu rapid evolution before turning his attention back to the matter at hand, throwing a Net Ball. "Agate! Shine for me!" he declared as his Shiny Dustox materialized in a flash of light and a swirl of sparkles.

Keith, meanwhile, was maneuvering around the Iron Charm so that the two ships could have her surrounded. "Everyone, prepare your balls!" he called as he steered the Banette's Revenge hard to starboard.

Willa threw an Ultra Ball out over the sea. "Gyarados!" she declared.

Terri threw a Poké Ball onto the deck. "Tell, engage!" she exclaimed.

Eddie held out his hand and nodded to the Weedle on his shoulder. "Let's go, Hermione!" he stated.

Maribel threw a Poké Ball of her own. "Come out- Magby!" she declared.

Willa's tremendous Gyarados materialized, roaring and shrieking madly, sticking straight up out of the sea in front of the Iron Charm, making it impossible for the pirate ship to continue forward, while Terri's Darmanitan, Eddie's Weedle, and Maribel's Magby all appeared on the starboard side of the ship, standing ready to attack.

"And I'll bring a little more firepower to the party," Keith declared, throwing a Poké Ball from where he stood on the deck. "Sunfire, go!" he exclaimed as his Ponyta appeared in a flash of light. The Fire-type looked understandably nervous about the whole situation, but after seeing a reassuring grin from Tell, and then looking up to see Keith standing at the helm, it all helped to put the Normal Form Ponyta at ease.

Captain Perrserker was already glancing backward, but even as she did so, Tom chuckled to himself, an Ultra Ball of his own at the ready. "Methinks not," he murmured, before heaving the Ultra Ball. "Dhelmise, weigh anchor!" he exclaimed, and the last possible way the Iron Charm had to get out of this was barred by the giant rusty anchor it had once enslaved.

Captain Perrserker seethed in fury. "SERKER SERKER! PERRRRSERKER!" she bellowed at Dhelmise.

"DHEEEEEEL!" Dhelmise creaked angrily in response- he was not about to let his former captor intimidate him any longer.

"Serrrrker," growled Captain Perrserker. She glanced all around- she and her crew were surrounded. Well, then. If they wanted a fight, then they were gonna give them one, weren't they?" SERKER! SERKER!" she exclaimed, pointing first to the Mock Kelp, and then to the Banette's Revenge.

"ME-OWTH!" the crew responded as one, before charging up more Shadow Balls and letting them fly. By now, half of them had positioned themselves on the starboard side of the ship so that they could open fire upon both ships, while Captain Perrserker herself fired a Shadow Ball at Dhelmise.

"Like we planned, me bucko!" Tom bellowed. "Use Rapid Spin!"

"Dhel-el-el-el-el!" creaked Dhelmise, rotating his steering wheel at high speeds, causing the oncoming Shadow Ball to disperse harmlessly.

Maribel was the first on the Banette's Revenge to react to the oncoming broadside. "Magby! Magnet Bomb!" she ordered.

"Maaag byyyy!" Magby exclaimed, spewing numerous glowing projectiles from his mouth in rapid succession. Each one swerved and maneuvered in midair, honing in on an oncoming Shadow Ball, the attacks cancelling each other out with minor midair explosions.

The others were quick to react to this. "Hermione, let fly your Hidden Power!" Eddie declared.

"Tell, use Flamethrower!" Terri ordered.

"Sunfire, you use Flamethrower as well!" Keith added.

Meanwhile, the Mock Kelp was dealing with their own end of the broadside. "Agate, Protect!" Gavin ordered.

"Dodge and then weaken them with Eerie Impulse, DJ Skweekz!" Diana added.

"Steakknife, Night Slash, cut 'em down!" ordered Marv.

This worked well. Agate was able to block two oncoming Shadow Balls with a well-positioned Protect; DJ Skweekz evaded the one coming his way before retaliating with a bizarre radio wave that messed with the Galarian Meowth's minds. And Steakknife's Night Slash allowed it to slice every Shadow Ball it could reach in half.

"Serrrrkerrrr..." seethed Captain Perrserker. "Serker! Serker serker, Perrrrserker!" she yowled sharply to her crew.

"Me-owth! Me-owth!" chanted the Galarian Meowth crew in response.

"What'd she tell them?" Keith whispered.

"'Prepare ta board'," Meowth whispered back.

And sure enough, with nimble jumping skills, half of Captain Perrserker's crew jumped off the Iron Charm and onto the decks of the two ships on either side of her, lunging at the Pokémon that had defended against the Shadow Ball broadsides, each one of them prepared to strike with powerful Metal Claw attacks!

"I don't think so! DJ Skweekz, Electro Ball!" Diana commanded.

"Dededededede... dededenne!"DJ Skweekz responded, sending an orb of electricity right at the Meowth lunging at it. This sent the scurvy Steel-type flying back onto the deck of its own ship, sparking feebly as it lay still on the deck.

"Agate, Ominous Wind!" Gavin commanded.

"Tox! Tox! Tox!" exclaimed Agate, flapping her autumnal wings and generating an eerie gust of wind that blew another oncoming Galarian Meowth backwards.

"Steakknife, blast it with Psychic!" Marv ordered.

"Gaaa... LLADE!" grunted Steakknife as his eyes glowed blue. The blue glow also formed around another oncoming Galarian Meowth, and the telekinetic force returned it to sender.

Alas, those three Galarian Meowth did not make up the entirety of that boarding party, and half a dozen more landed on the Mock Kelp's deck. "Fuck!" swore Gavin.

"Steady, matey!" Tom called from the helm, Poké Ball at the ready. "Ye lot just keep doin' yer part- I'll handle the intruders!" And he threw the ball. "Feraligatr, weigh anchor!" he exclaimed, as the Feraligatr that used to belong to Keith materialized in a flash of light, landing on the deck where it towered over the Pokémon pirates.

Meanwhile, the Banette's Revenge was proving to have just as much difficulty repelling their share of the Galarian Meowth. Tell and Sunfire managed to repel one apiece with Flamethrower, and Magby's Shadow Fire proved useful against another one, but more got through all the same. "Oh, no!" Maribel exclaimed.

"You're up, Meowth!" Keith exclaimed at once. "Start decking them with Power-Up Punch!"

"It's on!" Meowth declared at once, leaping down, front paws swinging at his former crew. "I told youse you'd regret da day ya went and mutinied!" he exclaimed as he socked the Steel-types.

"Meowstic, help out!" called Willa. "Focus Blast!"

"Mrrrow... STIC!" Meowstic yowled, firing a brilliant blue orb of energy, taking out a Galarian Meowth who was attempting to ambush Meowth from behind.

"Tanks fer dat, babe," Meowth purred.

"Mrrow," Meowstic meowed quietly in response, with a small smile. This, however, caught Captain Perrserker's attention. At first, she said nothing, eyes narrowed as she eyed Meowstic. Then her eyes went back and forth between Meowth and Meowstic. And then she howled with cruel laughter.

Maribel frowned. "What does Perrserker find so funny?" she wondered out loud.

"She's very amused by the fact that Meowth has an actual girlfriend," frowned Terri.

"Serker! Serker serker, Perrrrrserker!" Captain Perrserker bellowed in the general direction of the Banette's Revenge, pointing at Meowstic with dagger-like claws.

Meowth tensed up immediately, and rushed to position himself between Meowstic and the now-approaching boarding party of Galarian Meowth. "Oh, no, ya don't!" he declared, claws extended.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, on the Mock Kelp, Tom's Feraligatr, now joined by Gavin's Shiny Thievul, were dealing with their own pack of Galarian Meowth, and before long, they had amassed a heap of five unconscious Galarian Meowth. "Hah, fuck, yeah!" grinned Gavin as Gonzap's Dark Pulse had landed the final blow on the last one standing.

"Arrr har har, some fine fightin' indeed!" Tom grinned. "Diana, Marv, how ye be doin'?" he asked.

"Just fine," grinned Diana. As she spoke, DJ Skweekz was cancelling out more oncoming Shadow Balls with Electro Balls.

"Hm," Marv frowned, eyeing the pile of Galarian Meowth while his Gallade launched a few Psycho Cut warning shots towards the Iron Charm.

"Eh?" Tom murmured. "Somethin' wrong, lad?"

"Well, it's just, there's five Meowth here, right?" said Marv.

"Aye...?" Tom nodded slowly.

"...weren't there six that made it aboard?" Marv finished.

"Well, thar-" began Tom, before his eye bulged with realization. "...scurvy son of a bilge Rattata be runnin' loose on my ship!" he roared. "Lily!" he added, addressing the Chatot on his shoulder.

"Son of a bilge Rattata! Son of a bilge Rattata! Awwk!" squawked Lily as she took flight at once, heading below deck to seek out the missing Galarian Meowth.

~~~~~

"What was Perrserker saying?" Maribel asked Terri as Meowth continued to try and fend off the oncoming pirates.

"She told them to take Meowstic hostage," Terri replied. "We have to help!"

"Right!" nodded Maribel. However, before she could reach for a Poké Ball, all six Galarian Meowth on board the Banette's Revenge let loose with grating Screech attacks at once! Everyone present was forced to cover their ears, even as they heard the footfalls on the deck as the pirates rushed Meowstic.

"NO!" Meowth exclaimed, giving chase at once. Two of the Meowth were holding onto Meowstic, restraining her legs even as she tried to fight back.

Willa had whipped out an Ultra Ball and took aim with it. "Meowstic, return!" she declared. But the other four Galarian Meowth were quick to respond, moving their bodies to block the recall beam as they made to jump back aboard their ship.

"Ah, damn," Keith muttered. "Peeves! Take the helm!" he called to his Dusknoir. "Everyone, prepare to board!"

~~~~~

Minutes later, Lily flew back out into the open, and to Tom's satisfaction, the Chatot had gripped in her feet the missing Galarian Meowth, sopping wet, no doubt from having taken a Bubble Beam or two. "Har harrr!" Tom laughed triumphantly. "Fine work, lass! Now let's-"

Lily, however, was not about to let Tom finish his sentence. The Chatot, still clutching the Galarian Meowth (who Tom could now see was just barely managing to hold back hysterical laughter), flew up and made quite intent eye contact with her Trainer. Opened her beak. And uttered one very simple phrase; "Abandon ship!"

Tom's eye widened. "Nay," he whispered, horrified. "Lily, ye can't mean-" he began.

"Abandon ship! Abandon ship! Awwwk!" Lily squawked insistently, before flying over and dropping the Galarian Meowth down onto the Iron Charm's deck, where he proceeded to burst into hysterical, triumphant laughter, revealing himself to be clutching what looked like a sizable chunk of the Mock Kelp's hull in his claws.

"...What?" Gavin murmured fearfully.

"...ABANDON SHIP!" Tom thundered. "We got no choice- prepare to board the Iron Charm!" As he said this, the Mock Kelp began to list to the starboard side, ever so gradually.

~~~~~

With Peeves now holding the Banette's Revenge steady, Keith and Meowth jumped onboard the pirate ship, with Willa, Maribel, and Terri not far behind, their Pokémon managing to fend off the Galarian Meowth for long enough to give them an opening. Some of the Galarian Meowth had already procured a length of rope, and were in the process of tying Meowstic up.

"Meowstic!" Meowth exclaimed. "Youse can just blast 'em away, can't ya?"

"Mrrrow..." Meowstic murmured, shaking her head fearfully yet carefully.

"Why won't she fight back?" Keith murmured.

"She's afraid o' wat could happen ta us," Meowth whimpered. "She don't got no control ova dat powa stored up unda her ears- Eh?" he added as he saw Tom, Gavin, Marv, and Diana all boarding the Iron Charm as well.

"Tom, what's this?" Keith said. "Who's keeping an eye on the Mock Kelp?"

"Naught but Davy Jones's locker from here on in," Tom said somberly. No sooner had he said this than the ship's sinking began to speed up. Keith's jaw dropped as Tom's ship sank beneath the waves before his very eyes.

"Oh, man," Keith murmured.

"Oh, no!" whispered Maribel.

"Neva mind dat!" Meowth snapped. "We can worry about dat later- fer right now we gotta save Meowstic!"

"We may have bigger problems," Willa added, for Captain Perrserker had already returned to the helm and was beginning to turn the wheel sharply.

"Uh-oh," Keith murmured.

"They're no longer surrounded!" breathed Terri.

"Yarrgh, we gots ta stop 'em!" Tom growled.

"And so we shall," promised Willa. "Gyarados, prepare to adjust your position!" she called.

"Serkerrr..." seethed Perrserker. And then, her horns crackled with electricity. Storm clouds filled the sky above, and amidst an ominous rumbling, a single bolt of lightning descended from the heavens, the Thunder striking Gyarados directly! The Atrocious Pokémon roared in pain- still conscious, but paralyzed, he wasn't able to move as quickly as before, something Captain Perrserker had been both counting on and prepared to capitalize upon.

"DHEEEEL!" Dhelmise creaked angrily, moving as fast as he could to try and bar the ship's way, but as it turned out, the Iron Charm was a bit more maneuverable, and Dhelmise was able to slow her down, but not stop her completely. In desperation, he hooked his own anchor onto the ship's, but found himself being dragged along.

"How's it moving, anyway?" Willa murmured as she hastily withdrew her injured Gyarados. "Remember last time, Keith? The Meowth were rowing it away after I caught Dhelmise."

"Ehh, clearly dey've made some upgrades," Meowth frowned. "Wit how many ships dey been attackin' as of late, I wouldn't doubt dey ended up wit a lot ta work wit." He looked around warily- the residents of Sludge Wave Coast were all surrounded. More and more Galarian Meowth were coming up from below deck, giving all present some newfound perspective on just how friggin' massive this pirate crew really was.

With Meowstic tied up beside her at the helm, Captain Perrserker sneered down at everyone. "Serker, serker, serker," she smirked. "Perrrrrserker!"

"Dat's wat youse tinks!" Meowth snapped. "We ain't trapped on dis crate wit youse- yer trapped here wit us!" At this, both captain and crew burst into cruel laughter.

"We'll just have to show you, then!" Maribel declared. "Magby, use Shadow Fire!"

"Sunfire, use Flamethrower!" Keith declared.

"Feraligatr, Brick Break!" Tom ordered.

"Steakknife, use Close Combat!" Marv ordered.

"DJ Skweekz, Electro Ball!" added Diana.

"Hermione, use Hydro Pump!" Eddie said.

"Agate, Ominous Wind! Gonzap, use Shadow Ball!" Gavin shouted.

"Tell, Fire Punch, go!" added Terri.

And the great fight was on! As this went on, Dhelmise pulled valiantly, trying to pull the Iron Charm back towards the Banette's Revenge, and saw to his relief that Peeves, having assessed the situation, had gotten the ship underway. The Dusknoir had even used his illusory powers to make it appear as though he was wearing a tricorne hat. Meanwhile, Magby, Sunfire, Gonzap, Hermione, Feraligatr, and DJ Skweekz fended off individual Galarian Meowth as they closed in, while Agate blasted hordes of them at once to impede their progress. Steakknife was fending them off in all directions at once, while Tell was simply marching right through them, swinging fists of flame as he went.

But the Galarian Meowth weren't just standing there and taking this. As some fainted, the rest rallied and struck back all the harder to Retaliate. Some projectile moves were blocked by timely Shadow Balls, some physical moves were dulled by use of Iron Defense. And then, things began to go sour. The numerous attacks Tell had been taking started to take their toll as he suddenly turned into ! The momentary pause this elicited as Tell registered the fact that he was now immobile was all the opening the Galarian Meowth needed, and suddenly he was bombarded with all sorts of Ghost and Dark moves. Shadow Ball, Shadow Claw, Lash Out, Dark Pulse, Crunch, all that good stuff. Before Tell could so much as react, the innumerable super effective hits had piled up, and he fainted. Steakknife, meanwhile, good as he'd been doing, was getting worn down by the repeated uses of Retaliate, thanks to Close Combat lowering his defenses, before a few solid Iron Tails knocked him out as well.

"Uh-oh," Keith murmured as their Pokémon started fainting. Captain Perrserker, meanwhile, was laughing her head off at all of this.

"We may have bigger problems," Willa added, glancing behind the ship. Keith followed his gaze and saw Peeves waving frantically from his position at the helm. As Keith looked on, Peeves conjured another illusion, causing the words "ALMOST OUT OF GAS" to appear in midair.

'...What?!" Keith exclaimed. "I thought I refueled her yesterday!"

"No, yesterday you said you would refuel her tomorrow, that being today," Willa stated.

"...so I did," groaned Keith. "Ah, geez- we gotta stop this thing, then!"

"I'm on it!" Maribel exclaimed, pulling out a Poké Ball and throwing it overboard. "Come out- Tentacool!"

All present looked on in varying levels of disbelief as Maribel's Poké Ball produced the decidedly unimpressive form of her Tentacool.

"...Tentacool," Willa said flatly.

"...Serker," added Captain Perrserker. And then, she and her crew (or those still conscious, anyway- for the advantage they had started to gain, not many of them were still conscious) started laughing once more.

"...Maribel, sweetie, are you certain Tentacool can help?" Keith asked quietly. "If even Dhelmise can't hold this ship back..."

Maribel smiled confidently. "You're the one who always taught me, Dad- never underestimate a Poison-type." And she looked over the side of the ship at the Tentacool struggling to keep up with the moving vessel. "Tentacool!" she called out. "I know- I know you must have been stuck in that Adoption Center for so long, waiting for a Trainer who doesn't undervalue you, one who knows what a good, hardworking Pokémon you are! And that Trainer is me! I know you have it in you, I know you can help us stop this ship!"

"Tenta..." gurgled Tentacool softly. She glanced over at Dhelmise, trying so hard to hold the ship back and failing to do much more than slow it down a little. And then, her eyes took on a determined look. With a resolute nod to Maribel, Tentacool sank beneath the waves. And for a moment, all was quiet and still... until a brilliant flash of light illuminated the sea around them, a glow that all present knew and knew well. The glow died, a sudden jolt rocked the ship as the motor died, and a large rose up out of the sea right in front of the Iron Charm, twice the normal size of her kind!

Maribel grinned. "I knew it!" she said triumphantly.

"Did Tentacool really just...?" whispered Willa.

"Tentacruel has been registered to your Pokédex!" Maribel's Rotom Phone chimed in.

"...that's a yes," Keith nodded.

"Tentacruel, the Jellyfish Pokémon. A Water and Poison-type, and the evolved form of Tentacool," Rotom began. "Tentacruel has 80 tentacles. Apparently. Allegedly. Must be really good at keeping most of them hidden, because you can only see, what, thirteen, fourteen normally?"

"Meeeeowth..." murmured the various Galarian Meowth nervously as Maribel's Tentacruel climbed up on deck, standing very tall on her numerous tentacles, glaring down at the suddenly less confident Steel-types.

"SERKER!" Captain Perrserker bellowed angrily. She then grabbed Meowstic, pulled her close, and held her dagger-like claws at her throat.

"WAH!" Meowth exclaimed. "She says she's gonna kill Meowstic if Tentacruel attacks!"

"Mrrrrow..." Meowstic growled, her eyes narrowing a bit. She exchanged glances with Meowth, saw the fear in his eyes, the fear for her life... and finally let her ears open up wide. Perrserker was pummeled with intense psychic force, forcing her to back away hastily.

At the same time, the Galarian Meowth all took it upon themselves to lunge at Tentacruel, but Maribel didn't look worried. "Tentacruel! Barrier!" she called out.

"Tentacruuuuuel!" rumbled Tentacruel, erecting an invisible wall before her that the Meowth all comically slammed into before falling back down to the deck.

Maribel seized her chance. "Tentacruel! Aura Sphere!" she commanded.

Tentacruel raised a number of tentacles all at once- one for each Galarian Meowth still conscious- and formed a bright blue orb of aura energy at the tip of each one. She then let them all fly at once, leaving the Galarian Meowth to try and evade them. Most were hit anyway, since trying to dodge an Aura Sphere is of course an exercise in futility, but only a couple were actually knocked out. The few that didn't get hit only managed this through quick thinking and use of Protect.

"Ha haaa! That's my girl!" Keith grinned.

"You can do this, Tentacruel!" Willa added.

But Maribel wasn't finished there. "Tentacruel! Lava Plume!" she ordered.

Tentacruel's red orbs glowed a fiery orange, and a widespread blast of fire and smoke erupted from them as though from the peak of a volcano. This time, every Galarian Meowth took the attack, and none of them remained conscious at the end of it. The attack had also done some damage to the deck of the ship itself. A few bits here and there seemed to have caught fire, but Tentacruel quickly sprayed these incendiary instances with Water Gun to douse the embers before they could become a danger.

Meowth, in the meantime, had raced up to where Meowstic was, and as Perrserker was recovering from the psychic blast, he was freeing the Psychic-type from her ropes, using his claws to deftly Cut her free. "Meowstic," Meowth sighed in relief, holding her close.

"SERKER!!"

The tension became palpable at that moment. Meowstic stood beside Meowth as he and Perrserker glared angrily at each other. "Ya rememba wat I said when youse made me walk da plank, yeah?" Meowth growled. "How you'd all regret turnin' on me-owth someday? Well, welcome ta someday!"

"Serker serker, serker Perrserker," Perrserker growled back.

"Yeah, keep tellin' yerself dat," spat Meowth. "Ain't fit fer nuttin' but bein' a pawn in yer plan? Yer wrong! I gots friends and family now- real friends, friends who value me fer who I am, not wat I can do ta further their own goals! And dis is the end o' da line fer you and yer crew!"

"Serrrker," Captain Perrseker responded. "Perr. Ser. Ker."

"Yeah, we WILL see about dat!" Meowth shot back. He looked back, grinning as he saw Keith standing there- he'd climbed up after Meowth. "Ready?" he asked.

Keith nodded. "Born ready," he stated. "Let's do this."

DJ Skweekz, at that point, looked all around, before digging Diana's PokéGear out of her bag. Then, with an Eerie Impulse, he got epic and strangely fitting music to begin playing as the fight began.

Perrserker lowered her Head, which gleamed like Iron, then charged right at Meowth, who stopped the attack cold with a Fake Out. Then, he followed up with a Mud Shot before Perrserker could recover from flinching, causing her to screech angrily, before just going right into a Screech attack. She then followed this up with Seed Bomb, forcing Meowth to jump about to avoid the various plant-based explosives. However, his dodging seemed to get faster and faster. As soon as Keith noticed this, he then noticed the electricity crackling around Meowth as he zoomed forward, landing a powerful blow with Zippy Zap! Perrserker wasn't able to defend against this one and was sent skidding backwards. Then, however, she looked up at the sky and screeched loudly. The storm clouds from before returned, but this time, they merely rained down upon the battle, as opposed to letting loose lightning- she had used Rain Dance.

"That might not be good," Willa murmured. "Thunder never misses when it's raining."

In a wordless yowl of pure Rage, Meowth lunged at Perrserker, landing a laughably light blow, just before she chuckled sinisterly, her horns crackling with electricity. Keith gasped as his friend was lit up with a Thunder attack that met its mark with grim precision! However, as the attack subsided, Meowth was still standing, and only looked all the angrier- the attack had just powered him up thanks to his use of Rage. And the felines lunged at once, Meowth and Perrserker clashing with their claws, Meowth going for Night Slash, while Perrserker was attempting Metal Claw. This went on and on, the two attempting to gain the advantage as though this was a swordfight. And at last, Meowth had landed a forceful enough blow to create some space between himself and Perrserker, allowing him to follow up with a wonderful and wet Weather Ball!

"Serrrrrker...." Perrserker seethed, struggling to stand back up. as DJ Skweekz allowed the music to die down.

"You're doing great, Meowth," Keith grinned. "Sorry for not giving orders, you just jumped in and did really well, so I hung back. But, what do you say we finish her off together?" As he spoke, he held up his Z-Ring, which had his wife's Ghostium Z set into it.

"I'd like dat," Meowth nodded. "But not wit a Z-Move. Ya gots yer Dynamax Band?"

"Wh- yeah, but- this isn't a Power Spot, is it?" Keith murmured. "In the middle of the sea?"

"Nah," Meowth shook his head. Then, he held up his front right leg, on which he was wearing his Gigantaband. "But it don't need ta be."

"Perr?" Perrserker murmured, sounding confused for the first time.

Keith grinned in response. "I see," he nodded. "All right, then! Let's do this!" And he dug out his Dynamax Band and slipped it onto his wrist. Almost immediately, it reacted to his wish- flashes of red energy flew out of the Wishing Star on Keith's Dynamax Band, and into the fragment of Wishing Piece in Meowth's Gigantaband. And what happened next amazed all. DJ Skweekz hastened to use another Eerie Impulse, causing Diana's PokéGear to start playing a different tune, just as epic in its own way. Meowth began to transform as though Mega Evolving, except the form he was taking... it was one Captain Perrserker knew well, just... not in such a manageable size. Though he grew no taller, Meowth had still taken on the appearance of !

Perrserker's eyes bulged. "Serker!?" she exclaimed. She couldn't believe it- all her talk about Meowth's unique power only being any use in weirdly specific locations and circumstances, and it turned out he could take this form, albeit in a less extreme size, basically anywhere?

"Yeah!" Meowth exclaimed, his voice strangely echoing as he swayed slightly in the rain. "Now dis is more like it! On yer order, Keith!" he grinned.

Keith nodded. "Time to put a stop to this once and for all!" he agreed. Then, he gestured towards Perrserker. "Full-power G-Max Gold Rush, go!" he ordered Meowth.

"Aye aye!" Meowth responded as glowing cracks began to form in the deck below Perrserker. And then, it erupted, partly with pure power, but mostly with a League Champion's ransom in gold coins! Perrserker might be a Steel-type, but this still sent her flying in almost comical fashion, with the power of Meowth's Double-Edge attack serving as the base for this forceful technique. The vile pirate captain landed in the sea some distance away with a big splash, and thrash though she might, equally due to confusion and an attempt at swimming, she soon sank. It was then that DJ Skweekz had stopped the music.

Nobody was focused on this, however- the G-Max Move, while it proved effective against Perrserker, had likewise proven effective against the entire stern of the Iron Charm. Dhelmise had thankfully already let go of the anchor once Tentacruel had destroyed the motor, because the ship was now beginning to sink, and much faster than the Mock Kelp had done.

"Whoops," Keith murmured.

"ABANDON SHIP!" Tom thundered.

"Tentacruel!" Maribel exclaimed, and at once, Tentacruel extended several tentacles. One for each person and Pokémon that needed to evacuate the ship (and after a moment's thought, some more to ensure the unconscious Galarian Meowth didn't drown as well). Most of the Trainers had withdrawn any of their unconscious Pokémon by now, and also, Tom's Pokémon didn't need the help. Tentacruel wrapped these tentacles around them, lifted them into the air, then jumped into the sea just as the Iron Charm sank completely under the water.

"Phew," Keith sighed in relief as everyone was placed safely back on the deck of the Banette's Revenge. "OK. OK. I'm sorry, everybody," he stated. "I thought the Gigantaband would scale down the G-Max Move as well. That's on me. I didn't do my research."

"Will you quit apologizing and let us hug you already?" asked Willa with the slightest of smiles. Keith relented at this, and held his wife and daughter close to him.

"Nobody's holding that against you, Dad," smiled Maribel. "Meowth, you were awesome!"

"And fer da record," Meowth chimed in. "Had youse not given the order, I'd'a used dat move anyways.

"Yeah, I can't even blame you on that one, especially considering the result," grinned Gavin.

"Aye," Tom nodded. "The Iron Charm be sunk fer good, and her scurvy, bilge-suckin' captain with 'er."

"Still," sighed Maribel. "I wonder if there could've been any hope for that Perrserker."

"Speakin' as someone wat dat knew her personally, no," Meowth said firmly. "I get it, Maribel. Believe me on dat- ya really are so much like yer father- but grim as it was, Perrserker got wat was comin' ta her." There was a general murmur of assent in response to this.

The Galarian Meowth had started to come to by now, having also been placed on the deck by Tentacruel, and they mostly just looked scared and uncertain, just looking all around.

"The Meowth at least I think there's hope for," Willa murmured. "I think they're in the same boat as Dhelmise. No pun intended," she added.

"Dhelll," Dhelmise creaked, adjusting his steering wheel in agreement.

"Aye," Tom murmured thoughtfully. "We'll set 'em free once we get ashore. Methinks they might have a shot at findin' lovin' Trainers. More pleasant captains to serve under than that scurvy Perrserker."

"Speaking of which," piped up Marv. "I... think we had better get moving." Indeed, it was still raining, and now the distant rumble of thunder could be heard. And this time there was no question of it being Perrserker's doing.

"Oh, no," murmured Diana. "I'm pretty sure the middle of the ocean is the last place you want to be when a storm springs up." And no sooner had she said that than the rain intensified, now accompanied by howling winds and the flash of lightning.

"Leave it to me, me hearties!" Tom said at once, sprinting for the helm. "I'll see us back to shore safe 'n' sound!" And before Keith could say anything, he found himself looking on in awe for a moment, as Tom had taken the helm and began to steer the Banette's Revenge safely- it seems that they hadn't completely run out of fuel just yet, but Peeves had been right to warn them- they certainly wouldn't have had enough to keep up that chase earlier. "Batten down the hatches!" Tom roared as he steered, fighting the roiling waters to keep the ship upright. With everyone holding onto someone else for safety purposes, the Masterses led the way down below, where they were able to wait out the storm safely in the various cabins. Peeves remained up above, largely unaffected by the winds, to ensure Tom was alright, but even this proved unnecessary, for Dhelmise was hovering behind Tom for the same purpose.

At long last, the storm subsided, and the Banette's Revenge was safely docked at Sludge Wave Coast once more. Keith led the way ashore, Maribel finally withdrew her Tentacruel, and the Galarian Meowth that formerly crewed the Iron Charm fled into the wild, no longer subject to Perrserker's maniacal whims. "Oh, man," Keith sighed in relief. "Tom, thank you so much."

"Arrgh, t'wern't nothin'," Tom replied modestly. "Ain't the first storm I saw me ship safely through. Er... well... saw a ship safely through, anyways," he amended sadly.

"Oh, yeah, the Mock Kelp," nodded Keith. "Tom, I'm sorry about that. You told me you'd built her yourself."

"Aye," nodded Tom. "Me pride and joy, she was...

"Well... we'll take you home if you want, once we can get the ship refueled," offered Willa. "Where do you live?"

"...fer the longest time, the Mock Kelp be me one and only home," Tom admitted. "Ain't never had a home on land to call home since I lived with me mother back in Pacifidlog. Matter o' fact, I ain't never felt at home anywhere on land until I spent the past week here," he stated. "The lot o' ye... I come off pretty alarmin', lookin' the way I do, and me manner o' speakin' gets most folk ta think me some kind of oddball," he shrugged. "But ye welcomed me with open arms. Entrusted me with yer Pokémon when they decided they wanted to join me crew. Put yer lives in me hands today."

Now everyone was smiling, and Willa and Maribel in particular were looking at Keith, knowing good and well what he'd say to this. And sure enough, Keith looked up at Tom. "...And we were right to do so," Keith stated. "You're a real friend, Tom. How would you like to live here at Sludge Wave Coast?"

"Eh?" Tom said in surprise. He looked around at the small coastal town with interest. "Aye... Ye know... it be as I say- this be the first spit o' land what that ever felt like home to me. Be it truly OK with ye? I don't think thar be any houses I could occupy unless I were to live in the lighthouse, or to impose on any o' ye..."

"Well, that's the other thing I wanted to say," Keith stated. He turned to look at his ship, then turned back to Tom. "How would you like the Banette's Revenge?"

Tom's eye widened. "L-lad..." he murmured. "Ye means to say-"

"I do," Keith confirmed. "She's served me so well over the years. Survived pirate attacks, raging storms, and even almost getting swallowed by a Wailord. But the way you took charge, taking the helm earlier and bringing her- and us- home safely... Peeves told me you were a natural, in your element. The only request I would have is that you keep the name."

"Aye. Aye!" Tom nodded, his voice thick with emotion. "And Keith, lemme be clear- by no means do I intend to hog the Banette's Revenge fer meself. If ye or any yer friends or family needs a ride anywhere in the seven seas, ye don't hesitate to ask ol' Tom, aye?"

Keith nodded with a smile. "Aye, Captain McPhione," he agreed. After this, he and Willa turned to Maribel. "And you, Maribel, you and Tentacruel saved us all out there," he smiled, beaming with fatherly pride. "I am so proud of you, sweetie."

"As am I,' Willa nodded, smiling. "And... Maribel, I must apologize, for underestimating both you and Tentacruel. I really should know better by now than to underestimate what you're capable of-"

"It's OK, Mom," smiled Maribel. "I know- you and Dad worry. I know it's because you love me. I love you guys too." And a heartwarming family hug ensued after this.

Meanwhile, Meowstic had locked Meowth in a tight embrace. "Thank you," she murmured. "I apologize for not using my full power against Perrserker earlier- I was fearful that I might inadvertently hurt you as well."

"And I'mma tell youse again," Meowth replied gently, hugging Meowstic back. "Fer your sake, I'd take dat risk, any day o' da week. I love youse, Meowstic."

"And I love you, Meowth," replied Meowstic, giving a small yet genuine smile. "Seeing you assume your Gigantamax form in that fashion was... interesting," she added.

"Eheheh, it felt interestin'," Meowth purred. "I might hafta have Keith do dat more often. Be a good way ta finish off battles, I'd tink, doin' dat G-Max Gold Rush just normally."

"I would certainly love to see you do that in your next time in a Colosseum challenge," Meowstic nodded. The feline couple said no more for the moment, merely enjoying each other's company. Meowth especially was feeling on top of the world right about now. Captain Perrserker was no more, the Sea of Fizzytopia was far safer than it had been in years, and at long last, he, Meowth, was able to confront his past and come out on top, with the help of those he was proud to call his friends and family. With that being done, and another Pokémon Trainer moving in and calling Sludge Wave Coast their home, it was agreed all around- today had been anything but boring.


Quote:
What? Ralts is evolving!



...

...

...!



Congratulations! Your Ralts evolved into Kirlia!
Quote:
What? Kirlia is evolving!



...

...

...!



Congratulations! Your Kirlia evolved into Gallade!

*Steakknife learned Slash!*

*Steakknife learned Calm Mind!*

*Steakknife learned Charm!*

*Steakknife learned Close Combat!*

*Steakknife learned Dream Eater!*

*Steakknife learned Fury Cutter!*

*Steakknife learned Future Sight!*

*Steakknife learned Hypnosis!*

*Steakknife learned Imprison!*

*Steakknife learned Leaf Blade!*

*Steakknife learned Leer!*

*Steakknife learned Life Dew!*

*Steakknife learned Night Slash!*

*Steakknife learned Psychic!*

*Steakknife learned Stored Power!*

*Steakknife learned Helping Hand!*

*Steakknife learned Quick Guard!*

*Steakknife learned Feint!*

*Steakknife learned Aerial Ace!*
Quote:
What? Tentacool is evolving!



...

...

...!!



Congratulations! Your Tentacool evolved into Tentacruel!

*Tentacruel learned Haze!*

*Tentacruel learned Mirror Coat!*

*Tentacruel learned Reflect Type!*

*Tentacruel learned Wring Out!*

Last edited by Missingno. Master; 09-13-2021 at 12:42 AM.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2021, 06:15 PM   #122
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Transform



Visha looked wary as she walked across the Shadow Clearing. And considering the current situation, in addition to her specific situation, it wasn't hard to see why. She'd been asked by a couple of Terri's Pokémon to come over for a talk. And it wasn't that she thought Terri or her team were untrustworthy, either, no- her issue was her particular history with the species in question.

"I get it," came a voice from beside her. Visha looked- her friend Marvolo had agreed to come along, and out of the corner of her eye, the alleged Shadow Zangoose could also see their Trainer, Keith Masters, bringing up the rear. Both had agreed to accompany Visha for moral support. "After what that bastard did, it's only natural you'd be wary around any Ninetales," stated Marvolo.

"I raised Sunny and Ava from a pair of Vulpix myself," Keith chimed in. "I'd be the first to vouch for their trustworthiness."

Visha gave a sigh. "Yeah, I guess," she mumbled. "'ppreciate you two comin' with, really," she added. "I believe you about 'em, just... yeah, like you said, Marv, you get why I'm uneasy about this anyway."

"Indeed," Marvolo nodded. "I'll admit even I don't know what those two could want, but there's only one way to find out." Visha nodded mutely as they continued onward towards the House of Alph.

And there sat behind said structure the pair of Ninetales. One Normal Form, one Alolan, side by side, smiling softly as they saw Visha, Marvolo, and Keith approach. Though, said smiles did falter a bit as they noted Visha's wary expression. "It breaks our hearts," lamented Sunny, the Normal Form Ninerales.

"...I mean, I get that you're two of th' good ones," Visha mumbled. "Just... one of th' bad ones is one too many."

"One too many indeed," agreed Ava, the Alolan Ninetales, with a nod. "And that's precisely why we asked you to come here today."

"I should clarify, we cannot remove Vigil's curse," interceded Sunny, noting the faint glimmer of hope in Visha's eyes. "It is beyond the capabilities of any Ninetales to remove the curse of another Ninetales."

"Should've guessed it weren't that easy," sighed Visha. "Elseways you'd've done something 'bout it by now, I'm guessin'?"

"Indeed we would have," nodded Sunny. "I am sorry we cannot be of that level of help to you, Visha, but know that we would not have called you here unless we had some degree of help to give."

"...'m listenin'," Visha nodded. She was eyeing the pair of Ninetales intently, though seemed hesitant to get her hopes up to any degree.

"While we lack the power to lift Vigil's curse," began Ava, "that does not close off every avenue for us."

"The only way a Ninetales can override the curse laid by another Ninetales is through a curse of their own, which... out of the question," Sunny said flatly. "Yours was applied as a result of ripping one of Vigil's tails off, unintentional though the action was. You would have to rip off a tail from one of us to incur a curse powerful enough to match that one, and even then, there is no guarantee either of us could twist the counteracting of a curse into the entirety of a 'curse' in and of itself. By and large, the effects of a Ninetales's curse are to be negative in nature."

"Kinda picked up on that bit," Visha remarked, glancing down at herself. "So... I'm guessing that's not all what you mean to tell me?" she added.

"No indeed," smiled Ava. "While we can't directly strip the curse away from you, we can at least, however indirectly, somewhat mitigate the effects."

"We have been working with Terri, and with Keith and some of his Pokémon," explained Sunny. "And we believe we are onto something." At this, Visha turned and looked up at Keith, who was smiling reassuringly at the cursed Seviper. By the time she turned back to the Ninetales, there was already a strange orb that seemed to be made of pink smoke floating between them.

"...What's that?" asked Visha.

"An orb of condensed Dream Mist from Selia," stated Sunny. "Imbued with the dreams of one of her teammates, and an amalgamation of strange powers from myself, Ava, and Quicken. When you are ready, reach out and take it."

Visha did not react for a moment. What was that thing gonna do to her? Eventually, she slowly started reaching for the orb, retracting her paw once or twice, but eventually, she took hold of the orb. It felt more solid than she was expecting, but not by much- like a big ball of cotton. And then, quite suddenly, it broke apart in her grasp, sending wisps of pink Dream Mist swirling all around her! "Hey, what-" began Visha, but at that moment, the Dream Misst dissipated, leaving her still looking exactly like a Shadow Zangoose. "...well, that was a wild ride," she remarked. "What, uh... did that do, exactly?" she inquired.

At this, the pair of Ninetales smiled. "Think about Selia for a moment, won't you?" requested Ava.

"O...K...?" Visha responded skeptically, though she closed her eyes all the same and began to think about her Musharna teammate.

And then she Transformed into a Musharna before their very eyes.

"...OK, I'm thinking about Selia, now wha- WHOA!?" she exclaimed as she opened her eyes and realized what had just happened. In shock, she Transformed back into her usual self. "I just... what just..." she panted, red eyes wide with shock. "I... I looked- I looked like Selia! Like a Musharna!"

Sunny's smile widened. "The teammate of Selia's who offered help is Jack. Mew's firstborn," she stated. "With a considerable combined effort, aided in no small part by the power in the air in recent weeks, we imbued that orb with knowledge of the Transform move."

"Do you like it, Visha?" Keith asked. "It's not an actual fix by far, but at the very least you don't have to constantly look like a Shadow Zangoose anymor- Oomph!" he grunted, chuckling, for Visha had cut his blathering short with a hug. "Heh, that's a yes, then," he grinned, hugging the cursed Seviper back. Visha was overcome with emotion- true enough, this was no fix to her situation, but it was one hell of a band-aid! And from the sound of things, this can't have come easily, either. It amazed her, the extent to which this Trainer, these Pokémon, this family, went to try and help her.

Sunny and Ava approached. "Visha," said the Normal Form Ninetales. "I'm afraid that Ditto-level proficiency at your new move will require time and practice."

"...figured it wouldn't be so easy," conceded Visha, letting go of her Trainer. "Still, though, even just havin' the option... it... means a lot," she murmured.

Ava nodded. "Well, then you might be interested to know... we're not done just yet."

Visha tilted her head. "Eh?" she inquired.

"Follow us," said Sunny, turning around to lead the way out of town. "And Marvolo?"

"Yeah?" said the not-cursed Seviper.

"Would you tell Keith to ensure he has his Rose Incense on hand?"

Last edited by Missingno. Master; 10-29-2021 at 03:53 AM.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2021, 12:06 AM   #123
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Lavender



"Dodrio, Ice Beam!"

"Lavender, Shadow Fire!"

As these orders rang out, the battle that had been taking place in the Shadow Clearing continued. Willa Masters was commanding her Dodrio, and her husband Keith was commanding his newest Pokémon, a decidedly creepy Jigglypuff. Dodrio fired three beams of frigid energy from all three of her beaks, while Lavender let loose a plume of sinister flame that blocked the Ice move, giving a creepy giggle as she repelled the Ice Beam with ease.

"Switch up! Blaze Kick!" Willa commanded Dodrio.

"DRIOOO!" cawed Dodrio's three heads in unnerving unison. The Triple Bird Pokémon jumped up, and her feet caught fire as she lunged at Lavender, who didn't look fazed by this.

Nor, as it happened, did her Trainer. "Use Feint Attack!" he called out.

"Puff!" Lavender exclaimed, seeming to almost vanish, before striking Dodrio, very suddenly and at an unexpected angle, causing the three-headed Pokémon to tumble to the ground.

"Come on, Dodrio! Use Drill Peck!" Willa called encouragingly.

"Lavender, Scary Face!" Keith commanded.

"Jiggly..." hissed Lavender, contorting her already creepy expression into a downright terrifying sneer. Dodrio's three heads screeched in fright simultaneously as she hastily stopped her attempt at Drill Peck, for that would've meant getting even closer to that... that thing.

"Way to go!" Keith grinned. "Now, give it your Spirit Break attack!"

"I... I... Wait!" Willa called out. "Can... can we perhaps stop here for now? I..."

"...sure," Keith nodded. He looked at his Jigglypuff, who had also stopped on her way to attack Dodrio, looking back at him as though awaiting orders. "That'll do for now, Lavender, OK?" he said.

"Jiggly," Lavender responded with her trademark creepy grin before Teleporting away.

Keith walked over to his wife, a look of concern on his face. "What's the matter, dear?" he asked quietly. "You don't usually just cut training sessions short like this..."

"I..." Willa murmured. "...can we perhaps talk inside?"

"Sure," Keith nodded. "Should I make some tea?"

Willa gave a small nod of her own. "I would like that," she said.

~~~~~

Soon, the couple were seated in the living room of the Poisonous Palace, both of them enjoying hot mugs of tea. "So, Willa, what's up?" Keith asked, still sounding very much concerned.

Willa did not answer right away, though after taking a deep breath, finally did. "...I'm scared of Lavender," she finally admitted. "I know she's earned your trust, Keith, and you know as well as I do that I am not one to call your judgement into question, but... sh-she creeps me out." As she said this, she continued determinedly looking at her tea, as though afraid to look into her husband's eyes. "She is impossible to read. I... I worry that she might hurt you, or me, or- or Maribel..." Her voice shook as she spoke.

Keith put an arm around Willa and held her close to him. "I get it," he murmured. "Lavender might not creep me out, but I'm no fool, I totally get how she could be seen that way. I take no offense," he said firmly. "And, like... I don't want to come off like I'm just dismissing your concerns, dear, not in the slightest, but at the same time, like... if I had any reason whatsoever to believe that Lavender would harm you, or Maribel, or anyone else I care about, we wouldn't even need to be having this conversation."

"...I know," nodded Willa.

"I remember during the Wigglytuff raid battle, when you stood up to Marvolo," Keith recalled. "You freaked me out but good, I didn't think you'd actually get him to listen to you," he smiled. "Honestly, if it comes down to that, I feel like you could easily be just as stern with Lavender, get her to listen."

"Heh," Willa gave a small chuckle, recalling this incident as well. "Perhaps... I suppose it is just that Lavender is so thoroughly unfamiliar to me," she speculated out loud. "I've never seen a Jigglypuff even remotely like her before."

"Could very easily be it," Keith nodded. "That's, like, one of the most natural things in the world, to fear that which we don't understand. Maybe... y'know what, instead of going right into helping her train, maybe you can hang out with Lavender," he suggested. "...only if you feel up to it, of course," he added, noting Willa's initial hesitance.

"...no, no, it's a good idea," Willa stated, steeling her resolve. "If indeed this fear of mine is based on my not knowing Lavender so well, the logical course of action would be to get to know her. Um... you would not be too terribly far away from this, would you?" she added quietly.

Keith smiled. "I'll be right by your side if you want," he stated.

Willa smiled back, meeting her husband's loving gaze. "Thank you," she said. "Perhaps... we did plan on hiking through the Park later today, did we not?"

Keith nodded. "We did indeed," he replied. "You're thinking Lavender could join us, then?"

Willa nodded back. "Indeed," she confirmed.

"Jiggly," came a voice from right behind Willa, who shrieked in response. Willa jumped up onto her feet at once, wheeling around to see Lavender floating there, behind the couch. The Normal/Fairy-type floated up to Willa, handing over what Willa was able to identify as the freshly-killed corpse of a Rattata. The sole wound on the Mouse Pokémon's body was a fairly large puncture wound in the back, the exact size and shape of a Jigglypuff's arm.

"...thank you," Willa murmured, accepting the macabre gift. "...Lavender," she said, addressing the eerie Jigglypuff. "It occurs to me that perhaps we got off on the wrong foot. When Keith, Maribel, and myself all go to the Park tomorrow, I would like if you would accompany us, so you and I can get to know each other a little better. Is this agreeable to you?" She made every effort as she said this to not let her voice shake, to not betray any fear in her eyes. Much like dealing with Marvolo, now that she thought about it- the main trick was to not betray any fear. She kept this up even as Lavender maintained unnerving and unblinking eye contact, made all the more unsettling by the pitch-black eyes the Jigglypuff possessed. It was like looking into two deep, dark, bottomless voids.

"...Puff," Lavender finally responded, inclining her head in a small nod, with her smile looking almost imperceptibly less creepy than usual, before she Teleported away.

"Well?" Keith said. "How'd that go?"

"...there may well be something to this," Willa conceded, though she looked a bit wary as she regarded the dead Rattata in her hand. "...this, however-"

"-if she's anything like Marvolo, and believe me, I have gotten that vibe from her to some extent, then this is a good sign," Keith stated. "Marv once gave me a dead Pidgey for my birthday."

Willa couldn't help but chuckle at this. "Well, I suppose this may well be worth a shot after all," she said. "All right. As soon as Maribel gets back from the Pokémon Center, let's get ready to head out."

"Sounds like a plan," Keith agreed, before he finished the last of his tea.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2021, 10:08 PM   #124
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Rotom's Christmas



"Now, Sunfire! Flame Charge!" Keith exclaimed.

"Toxicroak! Mud Bomb!" Willa commanded.

"Toxiiiicroooooak!" bellowed Toxicroak, hurling a spherical glob of mud at the oncoming Ponyta. The Ground-type move struck Sunfire head-on, but this only slightly hindered the Fire-type's acceleration, and she slammed into Willa's Toxicroak all the same, sending him skidding backwards.

"Toxicroak, are you all right?" Willa inquired.

"Toxiii," nodded Toxicroak, though his stance nevertheless looked shaky.

And Keith picked up on this, too. "Sunfire! Give it the Fire Blast, now!" he ordered. And with a loud neigh, Sunfire let loose a searing plume of fire from her mouth. And although Willa's Toxicroak lacked the Dry Skin so many of its kind had, this most powerful Fire-type technique proved to be the straw that broke the Numel's back all the same, and the Poison/Fighting-type collapsed on the battlefield.

Meowth, who had been standing off to the side, acting as the battle referee, was quick to make his ruling. "Toxicroak is unable ta battle!" he declared. "Dat means da winnas is Keith and Ponyta!"

Willa gave a small sigh, but strode over to her now feebly stirring Toxicroak and helped him to his feet. "Well fought, Toxicroak," she stated. "Naturally, our training doesn't end here, you understand- we can, and will, become far better than this."

"Croooooak," Toxicroak nodded with a small grin.

"Hah, yes!" Keith grinned, walking up and stroking his Ponyta. "Well done, Sunfire," he smiled. "You're really improving." Sunfire whinnied happily in response, just as a brilliant blue glow came over her entire body. "...Sunfire?!" Keith exclaimed in surprise.

"Considering how strong she proved in this battle, I am not surprised," Willa remarked with a small smile.

"Ooh, wow!" breathed Maribel- she was seated on one of the many chairs in the Battle Room, having been watching the training battle between her parents. As they all looked on, Sunfire grew larger, the flames more intense, until finally, the glow faded to reveal a formidable , neighing in triumph!

"Hah, I knew you were getting stronger, Sunfire," Keith grinned. "But to think you were that close to evolving!"

"With how well she fared against Toxicroak, I had begun to suspect this might happen," Willa stated. "My congratulations to you both."

"Yeah, congratulations!" added Maribel, who now took out her Rotom Phone and aimed it at Sunfire. "OK, Rotom- who's that Pokémon?" she asked.

"Rapidash- Normal Form- the Fire Horse Pokémon. A Fire-type, and the evolved form of Ponyta," said Rotom. "Rapidash is very competitive and will chase anything that moves in the hopes of racing it, because clearly it's the end of the world if it doesn't know whether or not it's faster than a car it just saw for the first time two seconds ago-"

"Rotom, come on, be nice," frowned Maribel. "Dad's Ponyta just evolved, do you have to insult her?"

"Are you kidding me? That's basically the most fun I get to have," retorted Rotom. "You're not gonna stuff me back in your bag mid-sentence again, are you?" it added.

Maribel sighed. "No," she said. "But I do want you to apologize to Dad and to Sunfi-" she began.

"Rotom Phone now automatically installing updates," droned the Rotom Phone, cutting Maribel's statement short.

Maribel sighed. "I never know whether that's real or if Rotom's just messing with me when that happens," she muttered. "Dad, Sunfire, I'm sorry about Rotom," she added.

"Ah, it's OK, sweetie," Keith stated. "Sunfire and I both know better than to take any of Rotom's nonsense to heart, ain't that right, Sunfire?" he added to his newly evolved Rapidash, who neighed and nodded in response.

"Indeed," Willa nodded. "As much of a nuisance as Rotom can sometimes be, I think we can all agree, there is more good in it than it typically lets on."

"Very true," agreed Maribel. "I still remember when I got Rotom..."


Quote:
"...and I do believe that's everything in order, Mr. and Mrs. Masters. If you two will wait just a moment, we'll be right back with a selection of our best Rotom Phone models for your little girl," said the smiling employee. It was either a little over a year ago or almost a decade in the future and in an alternate branch of the timeline, depending on whether you asked one of the Masterses or literally anyone else, respectively, and the family currently stood in an electronics store in Yupien City, Fizzytopia's most bustling shopping district. Keith and Willa looked on happily as Maribel waited anxiously for the employee to return- for ages now she'd been looking forward to this, this first step towards her actually becoming a real Pokémon Trainer like her parents. And next week, her parents were even planning to take her out to find her very own Pokémon to catch as her first partner, a day none of the Masterses would ever forget, albeit for more reasons than they were bargaining for.

But for right now, the Rotom Phone. It wasn't exactly a new concept at this point, the notion of Pokédexes within apps on smartphones that were powered by taking on a Rotom inhabitant. It had started in the Galar reason over a decade prior, and had gradually started to gain traction in other regions. Keith, personally, wasn't so sure about it, himself- Rotom were, after all, plasma poltergeists whose entire schtick was infiltrating electronic devices and wreaking havoc, so relying on them as power sources for smartphones...? Somehow, that never exactly struck him as a particularly wise decision.

Maribel, on the other hand, had taken very well to the idea, and had actively asked for a Rotom Phone in place of a Pokédex like what either of her parents had, and her eyes were shining with anticipation as the employee returned with an armful of smartphones in varying colors. "Here we are," the woman stated, setting the phones down on the counter before Maribel. They all looked basically the same, save for the color of the casing, and as she turned each one over, Maribel could see the Rotom face on the back of each one, smiling dutifully, looking hopeful at being chosen.

However, as Maribel reached for the one with the black casing, it suddenly moved on its own. "RAAARRGH!" the Rotom exclaimed, making the phone vibrate madly in midair.

"Ah!" exclaimed the employee.

"Wha!" Keith gasped, caught off-guard. Willa, meanwhile, had let loose a brief yet shrill shriek that prompted her to clap her hand over her mouth in sheer embarrassment.

Maribel, however, frowned. "That wasn't nice," she said to the Rotom.

"...oh, come on, you didn't even flinch," grumbled the Rotom. "The reactions are half the fun of doing this!"

"Miss, I profusely apologize," began the store employee as she reached for the errant Rotom Phone. "I don't know how this one even got into this selection, we typically don't even bother trying with it anymore, it's always like this... if you'll excuse me for a second, I'll go and get you a different, more well-behaved one if you-"

"Actually, miss, I'll take that one, please," said Maribel.

"...what?" said the employee, Keith, Willa, and every single present Rotom simultaneously.

"Maribel, sweetie, are you absolutely certain about this?" Willa murmured. "Surely any other Rotom you get would be better behaved..."

Maribel tilted her head. "What kind of Pokémon Trainer would I be if I shied away from a little difficulty like this?" she responded. "You and Dad didn't raise me to take the easy way out."

Willa and Keith exchanged looks at this. "She's not wrong," conceded Keith with a shrug. "Still, though, I feel like that Rotom's gonna be a handful and a half..."

"...just like Anion, or Myrtle?" retorted Maribel. "I'm probably gonna catch other Pokémon that'll be just as tough to work with, Dad. If I can't handle this Rotom Phone, how could I handle them?" As her dad struggled to think of a response to this, Maribel turned back to the still-bewildered employee, who wordlessly handed the girl the requested Rotom Phone. "Hello, Rotom," smiled Maribel.

"...you seriously chose me?" Rotom said incredulously. "I... wow. Um... thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome," said Maribel. "Now, can I test you out?"

"Sure, why not," Rotom replied in something of a deadpan tone.

"All right," nodded Maribel. She looked around, spotting the Meowth on her dad's shoulder. "Right- how does the Pokédex app work?" she asked.

"Eh, just point the camera," said Rotom. "And say something to me to clue me in that you want a dex entry."

"Got it," replied Maribel. She pointed the phone's camera at Meowth. "OK, Rotom- who's that Pokémon?" she asked.

"...oh, Thundurus above, that sounds so cheesy," sighed Rotom. "Ahem. OK. Here we go. Meowth- Normal Form- the Scratch Cat Pokémon. A Normal-type. Meowth collects shiny objects, especially coins, which it hoards. Let me guess- you guys constantly running short on loose change for no apparent reason, right?"

"Wha- Rotom!" Maribel admonished.

"Hey, wat are youse insinuatin', huh? I ain't no thief!" Meowth scowled.

"Rotom, come on, that was rude!" Maribel frowned, trying to make herself heard, for the Rotom Phone was laughing its battery pack off.

"...perhaps this might be a good time to go into detail about our return and exchange policy," the employee meekly spoke up.

Maribel shook her head. "Thank you, but I don't think that'll be necessary," she said firmly. Keith and Willa, on the other hand, exchanged uneasy looks and discreetly nodded to the employee when their daughter wasn't looking.

~~~~~~

"Yanmega, the Ogre Darner Pokémon. A Bug and Flying-type, and the evolved form of Yanma. Yanmega unleashes destructive shockwaves that can destroy a person's internal organs. This thing is a menace, how are you all still standing?"

"Qwilfish, the Balloon Pokémon. A Water and Poison-type. Qwilfish drinks water to inflate its body and fire off its spikes, and it finds swimming challenging. So... it needs to bloat itself on water so it can use some of its attacks, and it can't even swim well? Sheesh, and we call Magikarp pathetic!"

"Charizard, the Flame Pokémon. A Fire and Flying-type, and the evolved form of Charmeleon. Charizard breathes fire hot enough to melt boulders, and is a favorite Pokémon among cliche wannabe posers trying to seem tougher than they actually are."

"Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. A Dark-type. Absol can foretell natural disasters, but its attempts at warning people got it mistakenly labeled as the cause of said disasters instead. The fact that it didn't see that disaster of a reputation coming really makes you think, doesn't it?"

"Basculin- Blue-Striped Form- the Fish Pokémon. A Water-type. Red and Blue-Striped Basculin feud constantly, and it acts way tougher than it actually-"

"ROTOM!" Maribel exclaimed, cutting that last entry short. The Masterses had returned home, and Rotom had wasted no time rattling off what had to be the absolute snarkiest Pokédex entries any of them had ever heard. Most of Keith and Willa's Pokémon were appalled and offended by what Rotom had to say about them.

"Oh, come on, you gotta admit those were funny," Rotom chuckled.

Maribel folded her arms. "They most certainly were not," she stated. "You're being so rude to my parents' Pokémon, Rotom."

"Yeah, and so what?" Rotom buzzed unconcernedly. "What are you gonna do about it? Return me to that store?"

Maribel tilted her head. Was it her imagination, or had Rotom sounded... resigned, when saying that last bit? "...No," she said after a moment's pause. "But I will insist that you apologize to each and every one of them.

"...alright, sure," Rotom responded after having paused a moment itself. And to general surprise, it raised no objections as Maribel carried it around the house, in search of each and every Pokémon it had just offended, and although the apologies that followed came punctuated with many an exasperated sigh, the apologies came nonetheless.

~~~~~

Later that night, the whole family had gone to sleep, and the Rotom Phone had been left on Maribel's bedside table, screen facing down so the Rotom face on the back could stare up at the ceiling, lost in thought. This was the first night in a long time it had spent anywhere other than the stock room of Thunder Shock Electronics, surrounded by way more goody-two-volts Rotom than it ever wanted to be acquainted with. It was usually the same story, wasn't it? Some hotshot newbie Trainer picked it over the other Rotom Phones, a little sarcasm here, a few snarky and insulting Pokédex entries there, boom, and back to the store it went. A tiring life for a Rotom, especially for one who had never wanted to be a Phone Rotom in the first place. Living the good life in the wild, until one night it took a wrong turn in the power lines and ended up in a Phone Rotom breeding facility, didn't realize its mistake until far too late, and well... at least the phone was comfy, Rotom mentally sighed. It glanced over at Maribel, who was sound asleep. She didn't look all that tough at a glance, but that attempt at scaring her hadn't so much as made her flinch. And she wasn't so quick to give up on it, either, as intolerant of its Tauros shit she seemed to be... Rotom looked back up at the ceiling. This was a nice change of pace, for certain... but would it last? It was how it was, after all- it could only hold back on the snark and sarcasm so much, there really was no use in pretending it was as well-behaved as those other Rotom Phones out there. If this was to be its lot in life, it had to find a Trainer who could put up with it. Not long after, Rotom's eyes closed as it drifted off to sleep. It had a lot to think about.

~~~~~

The next morning, the Masterses all woke up feeling intensely hot and uncomfortable- although it was early in September, the town of Sludge Wave Coast had found itself in the grip of the nastiest heat wave the residents have seen in years. Usually, the house's air conditioning was more than sufficient to combat this, but to general dismay, as soon as the family woke up, they were quick to discover that there was a power outage.

"...and we're hoping we can find out exactly when the power's going to be coming back on," Keith was saying into his PokéGear while his wife and daughter looked on anxiously. "We're sweating like Poliwhirl out here, it's the middle of a heat wave, and I don't even dare let my Cryogonal out of his Poké Ball or he'd probably end up as a puddle on the- five days?!" Keith exclaimed in disbelief. "What... I'm sorry, there's no possible way it'll come back online any sooner? What even- What could cause that much damage to the power pla- you're kidding me," he said flatly. "Agh... Yeah, no, I get it, nothing you can do, just... well, thank you anyway, goodbye," he groaned, before hanging up. "Five days," he sighed. "The power plant near Pechagrove got wrecked by an Aggron stampede, it'll take them at least that long to get the essential equipment back up and running."

"Oh, just great," Willa sighed. "This heat wave is absolutely brutal, Keith, what are we to do?"

"I don't know, dear," Keith shook his head. "We might have to ask Terri if we could camp out in the ruins- it's underground, should be nice and cool down there," he shrugged."

"Perhaps," nodded Willa. "I will say I'm not particularly fond of having to solve a sliding stone puzzle and then falling down a hole simply to get inside, but this is something of an emergency..."

"Yeah... ah, geez, the food in the fridge is gonna go bad," Keith groaned. "This is a disaster..."

All the while, this conversation reached the microphone on the Rotom Phone in Maribel's bag. Rotom could hear the whole thing, and even if it couldn't, it could still very much feel the horribly high temperatures permeating the house, with no air conditioning to combat it. It was a decidedly dismal situation for all involved... and with a jolt, Rotom realized that it actually cared. Cared about the comfort of this girl and her family, who had taken it in and not returned it. Perhaps it could do something in return...

A bright blue flash zipped out of Maribel's bag, leaving an unresponsive smartphone inside. The blue electricity zipped towards the nearest electrical outlet and shot right into it. Almost immediately, an electrical humming could be heard as, to surprise and general relief, the house's electronic devices and appliances roared to life. Lights turned on. The TV turned on, showing the beaming face of a Rotom. And most importantly, the air conditioners turned on, bringing the sweet, sweet relief of cold air. "What..." Keith murmured in equal parts relief and disbelief.

"Did... Rotom do this?" murmured Willa incredulously.

"Rotom!" Maribel called out happily, turning to look at the face on the TV screen. The face on the screen winked and grinned, while words scrolled across the bottom of said screen: "NATURE DOESN'T GET TO MESS WITH YOU GUYS- THAT'S MY JOB NOW."

"...It sure is, isn't it?" Keith chuckled, smiling. "Rotom, thank you. Truly. I'm gonna call up Gavin and the others right now," he added to his family. "Tell them they can come over here to wait out the power outage instead of slowly melting in their homes."
"...Looking back, Rotom has been pretty good to us," Keith nodded. "Little electric neck pain, but we all know we can count on it when it really matters. Remember when Roger DeLampent tried getting Diana and Marv to help drive us out of our home?"

"All too well," Willa said darkly. "Rotom's who we have to thank for getting that sorted out as smoothly as it went."

"Yeah," smiled Maribel. "And honestly, I don't regret picking the Rotom Phone that I did that day," she added. "This one's been pretty good to me so far, all things considered. Honestly, with tomorrow being Christmas, I... I kinda wanna do something nice for Rotom. But what...?" she murmured.

~~~~~

Christmas morning came and went, with presents being exchanged and opened all around, the living room a mess of wrapping paper (the Plusle Elf and Minun Elf dolls that sat on the fireplace, to Marvolo's great relief, had not moved a fluffy muscle this year). Many of the Pokémon had received toys or snacks. Keith had gotten Willa a wood carving of a Yanmega, and was pleasantly surprised to see that she had gotten him a wood carving of a Weezing from the exact same woodworker. Maribel had received her very own copy of Kanto Myths and Legends by Viridian Coffee and Anne Mewtruck, and right now, she was working furiously on something on her Rotom Phone. Or, right now, just her phone- she had discreetly loaded Rotom into the Christmas tree lights while it slept, and with the phone plugged in, she seemed to be downloading some apps. Just as she finished, the Christmas tree lights seemed to flash wildly. "Oh, looks like Rotom's up," she stated taking the plug for the lights and holding it up to the phone's charging port, having unplugged the charging cable. A flash of blue told Maribel that Rotom had gone right back into the phone.

"What was that about?!" Rotom exclaimed. "I wake up in a strand of Christmas tree lights? Is this some kind of- what- wait, what in the-" it murmured, the screen loading up one of the apps.

Maribel smiled. "I downloaded some games designed for Phone Rotom to play," she explained. "I figure it'll give you something to do when you're bored."

"I..." Rotom murmured, trailing off as it proceeded to play one of the games. It was a fairly simplistic mobile game, but amusing all the same, and no microtransactions as far as it could tell, either. And it wasn't as though Rotom could have just downloaded this itself, either- the Rotom alone wasn't allowed access to the app store, not without the Trainer's express consent. "...Maribel, wow," Rotom murmured. "I... don't really know what to say. I... I'm sorry about yesterday with Sunfire," it murmured. "I, just, you know, I see a shot when I do a Pokédex entry, I can't help but take it."

"I know," nodded Maribel. "But even with that, I know there's a lot of good in you, and I wanted to do something nice for you. Merry Christmas, Rotom."

"...Merry Christmas, Maribel," grinned Rotom. Then, Rotom launched the phone's ringtone app, and proceeded to play a simplistic, beeping rendition of Hark the Herald Angels Sing, which, while somewhat obnoxious sounding, could hardly be considered inappropriate on Christmas of all days, and so the Masterses all hummed along with it, and after a few seconds, all the present Pokémon began humming along as well, even Sunfire, the Rapidash proving that she truly didn't take too much offense to Rotom's sass the previous day.


Quote:
What? Ponyta is evolving!



...

...

...!



Congratulations! Your Ponyta evolved into Rapidash!

*Sunfire learned Fury Attack!*

*Sunfire learned Smart Strike!*

*Sunfire learned Horn Drill!*

*Sunfire learned Hypnosis!*

*Sunfire learned Megahorn!*

*Sunfire learned Poison Jab!*

Last edited by Missingno. Master; 12-21-2021 at 01:20 AM. Reason: Minor grammatical fix.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2022, 06:59 PM   #125
Missingno. Master
An actual game I made!
 
Missingno. Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Literally the internet
Posts: 9,145
Lucky Guys



The night sky was clear, devoid of all clouds, allowing the stars to be seen beautifully. And tonight, there were more than just stars to be seen in the skies above Sludge Wave Coast- a swarm of Volbeat, wings fluttering vigorously, arranged themselves in midair, heeding the instructions the lone Illumise flying among them was issuing.

"All right, now you just move a few inches to your left," the Illumise was saying to one of the Volbeat.

The Volbeat grinned stupidly as he fluttered to the side as instructed. "I could move a few inches closer to you instead," he offered in what he evidently thought was a suave manner.

"Or I could tell you that I already have a boyfriend," Sweet responded calmly yet firmly, without missing a beat. Before the wild Volbeat could respond, Sweet had flown over to another Volbeat, who likewise took a shot at hitting on her.

"Whew," chuckled Sweet as she arrived at one Volbeat in particular. "I tell you, Bright, the hard part isn't arranging everyone, it's putting up with everyone trying to hit on me."

"That's the hard part for me, too," Bright replied, glancing around at his fellow Volbeat. "I got half a mind to Meteor Beam them right outta the sky..."

"An urge I'm very grateful for you not acting on," smiled Sweet, giving her Volbeat boyfriend a quick kiss on the cheek. "As much as I appreciate the thought, I can take care of myself."

"I know that well enough," conceded the Volbeat with a small smile. "How's my positioning?" he added.

"Perfection," Sweet confirmed. "Most everyone else is positioned just right, too, so just give it another few minutes." With that, she flew off to make a few last-minute corrections and politely turn down a few last-minute propositions. At last, she flew down to the ground, right next to where a Smeargle stood, looking on in eager anticipation, clutching a blank canvas in two vines that were sprouting out of her armpits, and clutching her tail in one of her front paws. "NOW!" Sweet cried out. And at once, every Volbeat present forced their Tail to start Glowing. The night sky was alight with a gorgeous geometric pattern of Sweet's creation, and the Smeargle wasted no time, her tail but a multicolored blur as it moved across the canvas, Chromium working diligently to paint the beautiful scene she was beholding. After a few minutes, while the painting was not yet finished, Chromium had gotten in all the details that required the Volbeat's continued presence, and so she gave a small nod to Illumise, who likewise nodded to the swarm of Volbeat, all of whom toned down their tails, most of whom flew away over the neighboring forest. The only one who didn't, of course, was Bright, who landed on the ground. He looked lovingly over at Sweet, but as she was still watching Chromium at work, he didn't disrupt her.

"Good stuff, Bright," came a voice from beside the Volbeat. He hadn't seen the voice's source approach, but he'd certainly smelled him coming, and as far as he was concerned, that wasn't a bad thing.

"Oh, hey, Cotton," said the Volbeat. "You saw that, then?"

"I mean, Chrome's painting it, why would I miss this?" the Slurpuff responded, looking over at the artist still hard at work. "Ahh... I really love her, Bright," the Fairy-type sighed happily.

"I can see that," nodded Bright. "I feel the same way about Sweet, too. I'm really lucky to have her. And I mean lucky- do you know just about all those other Volbeat tried to hit on her?"

Cotton scoffed. "The nerve of some mons," he shook his head.

"Well, I mean, to their credit, they took no for an answer," shrugged Bright. "But damn- like, Sweet could have any Volbeat she wanted, y'know?"

Cotton nodded. "And she wants you," he said. "I feel that- Chrome over there, she's something else, isn't she? Most beautiful mon I ever seen. And she's got such high standards that deep down I never really believed she'd want nothing to do with me. But then that time in the Distortion World, hearing her call me her boyfriend, heh, I tell you, Bright, if I had still been a Swirlix, my tail would've been going a mile a minute."

"You two really do make a nice couple," Bright said with a grin.

"Yeah, same with you and Sweet," responded the Slurpuff. "I tell, you, though, and with Chrome, it's not just the beauty- she's passionate about what she does, and she's damn good at it. And smart as an Alakazam on top of it all- couldn't ask for anyone better," he said with a contented sigh.

"Y'know, Anion once told me she thought a Volbeat and Illumise couple was kinda cliche," said Bright. "Like, she didn't mean it as an insult, she was real clear about that, but like... y'know, those kinds of cliches become cliches for a reason- because they freaking work well enough to be that commonplace, you know? Like, when I'm with Sweet, it just- it just feels right, like she and I were literally designed to be together."

"That's Anion for you," nodded Cotton. "Speaks her mind plain as day, no Tauros shit, no beating around the bush. A pretty expected take from her, too, in all honesty, considering her stance on being potentially paired with a Plusle," he chuckled. "You don't suggest that to her without preparing to take a Thunderbolt to the face." He and Bright laughed at this for a moment. "Ahh... we are lucky guys, Bright," Cotton stated. "Lucky guys."

The Volbeat nodded. "That we are," he agreed. "Y'know what I'm thinking once they're done over there?" he added. "Double date. Me and Sweet, you and Chromium, the deck of the Banette's Revenge."

"I like, I like," nodded Cotton thoughtfully. "I'll have to see what Chrome thinks-"

"Just gotta float the idea past her, right?" came a voice from a nearby Pyukumuku.

"Good one, George," came the voice of the Pincurchin beside said Pyukumuku. "But yeah, I hope Chromium takes to the idea. I guess we'll have to wait and sea!"

"Hah! Nice one, Fred," chuckled George. "But yeah, Cotton and Chromium really do make a cute couple- I ship it!"

At this, the comedic brother-sister duo howled with laughter, leaving Cotton and Bright to chuckle at this deluge of puns, and also start making their way over to their respective girlfriends, for it looked as though Chromium's painting was finally finished.
Missingno. Master is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Lower Navigation
Go Back   UPNetwork > Independent Forums > Fizzy Bubbles > FB Time Out > Visionary Glade


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:05 AM.


Design By: Miner Skinz.com
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.