Pokémon Legends: Court of Kings

[Jump Einatz]

Sal was glad to have successfully changed the subject, detesting when conversation revolved around people's depths. Particularly hers. Talking about feelings made her uncomfortable.

When Helena told Sal her plan, Sal resisted the urge to scoff. On one hand, she was supportive of people following their goals. But challenging a Pokemon League, especially one as diabolical as Kalos', just to earn a tuition? "I can't tell if that's casual bravery, or you have know idea what you're getting into."

She wondered if Helena knew the dangers behind it. Takamaru didn't. Of course, if most people in her country thought of the noble conspiracy as an urban myth, then the average foreigner wouldn't have a clue.

"The Kalos league is different than in other countries. There hasn't been a winner for years who wasn't a noble," Salieri informed the other trainer with bleak sincerity. "They tip the scales in their favor."  

[Spinne Biss]

"I don't know if you're the best person to talk about conspiracy theories surrounding nobles," Helena pointed out. While it was true, Kalos' league was usually won by nobles of the country, it didn't make Helena suspicious nor did it intimidate her. Zack seemed to have confidence in her and the Pokemon league wasn't something that was very easy to win anyways.

"Scales tipped or not, I intend to win. There's only so much they can do after all."  

[Jump Einatz]

"It's true I tellz ya!"

"Pfft. It's your funeral." Salieri considered herself the authority on the noble conspiracy. Her brain was an archive of gathered information and important facts. Like that nobles hypnotized people into forgetting they were challenging the league. Or that there was a noble sniper that would shoot a hole through your pokedex so you would be without an ID. Or that nobles convinced pokemarts to sell regular trainers shampoo that would make them bald to embarrass them out of the league. You know, the important facts.

"I suppose It's not impossible to beat them at their own game," Salieri sighed. She gave Helena a cocky grin. "I mean, I'm going to do it. Then we'll battle each other and I'll have to kick your a**. No offense."

Despite initial impressions from yesterday, Sal had just watched Helena command all of her pokemon at once for simultaneous training, something most beginner trainers couldn't accomplish. She was no scrub after all. "It's not you, it's me-hold on a sec!"

A Bunnelby popped out of the tall grass, foraging for something to food. Salieri ran up to him and let him eat a punt to the face, sending the tiny rabbit flying. While it flailed helplessly, she lobbed up a pokeball. The Bunnelby was enveloped in a red light, and the pokeball hit the floor. After a couple of shakes, the capture was ******** yes," Salieri muttered to herself as she picked up the pokeball. This was one of the last areas before heading out west where she could rely on the pokemon being weak enough that she could capture them herself.

Sal looked back to Helena and scratched the back of her head. "Uh, I overheard some Hiker in Santalune go on about wanting a Bunnelby and I want him to trade me," she explained. "Anyway, you don't seem like a bad trainer. But I can't lose this league." I have too many other things to lose if I do.  

[Spinne Biss]

The word funeral brought Helena back to what Zack had said before about people dying all the time. She pressed her lips tightly together until Salieri was done both talking and beating up Pokemon with her feet.

"Well if you do, don't rob me for beating you, okay? I mean, I'll be a noble, I guess, technically. Still though - don't."  

[Jump Einatz]

Salieri flicked her thumbs over her nose. She liked this girl. In some ways, Helena reminded her of Mia. Neither of them would just roll over for Salieri's demands, and she enjoyed that challenge. "Well if you're a noble I can't make any promises. If you think you'll win, and I think I'll win, that makes us rivals doesn't it?"

She took out her Pokegear, opened a new contact form, and held it out to Helena. "So let's swap. On the cosmically small chance you get stronger than me, I want to know about it so I can do better."  

[Spinne Biss]

"Then technically we're rivals with everyone," Helena said. She couldn't imagine people coming all this way not hoping to win. She knew people were fine with the money to be gained, but the main goal was the league.

"What makes our rivalry special?" Helena, who had an xtransceiver strapped to her wrist, crossed her arms and put on the smuggest look that she could. "How am I, the soon-to-be Lady Redgrave supposed to acknowledge you, Salieri?"  

[Jump Einatz]

Rivals with everyone? Salieri stared at her Pokegear. The folder in her contacts marked "Rivals" didn't have the memory to hold everyone's number. Besides, that many rivalries didn't sound appealing. Nothing special about it. Right now her Rivals contacts consisted of TK, who had crashed out of the sky and had some promising skill, Benedict, who aside from being cute and putting up a good fight didn't wow her, and Mia for some reason. Helena's comment made Salieri rethink her future rival selection process.

"First of all, once I'm a noble, no one will be," Salieri said, her grin attempting to one up Helena in smugness. "I'm taking championship to the next level. It's all about the big picture. No more nobility...but people can call me Boss Master if they'd like." Note to self, maybe Boss Master Flex would be better.

She held up two fingers. "Second, I still have to kick your Abra's a**. He owes me. So I guess that makes him my real rival, and you'd be my rival by proxy." Sal raised her eyebrows. "But why should you be my rival? Because this is only the second day. We would become each other's progress markers from beginning to end. I want to see just how much stronger I've become each time we compete. And you get to see the rise of the future Champion Boss Master Soledad first hand. It'd be a good story to tell your kids. Everyone would call you my adversary and you'd get the benefit of my fame. And in the incredibly off chance that you end up the winner instead of me, then vice versa."

Durendal sighed and shook his head. She talked big, but it didn't sound like Salieri was starting a rivalry. It sounded like she was trying to start a friendship. Not that she knew how.  

[Spinne Biss]

"Ah, yes, I see. I have just one problem," Helena said as she opened up a menu on her xtransceiver to let her add contacts. "Salieri "Boss Master" Soledad sounds really hard to remember. You better spell it out for me."  

[Jump Einatz]

"Oh, it's not Master yet. I don't want to get ahead of myself." Durendal facepalmed at that notion. "Just Boss for now."

She'd go on to literally spell out "Salieri Quote Boss End Quote Soledad" for Helena, along with giving her phone number. There was no other contact information to add: Salieri didn't social network. The Pokegear, a victim of planned obsolescence, was her most advanced piece of technology outside of Ivan.

When Helena was done, Sal would toss over her Pokegear to Helena so her new rival could add her info.  

[Spinne Biss]

Jump Einatz

for Henrietta,

Helena touched the pokegear in the air, fumbled with it as gravity tried to take it and ultimately managed to grab hold of it by hugging it out of the air and pulling it against her chest.

"You shouldn't throw things," she said as she entered her information.

Lady Redgrave, the pokegear read as she handed it back to Salieri.  

[Jump Einatz]

((Salieri is already forgetting her name ninja My editing ninja jutsu should do the trick))

Salieri put her Pokegear back in her pocket. "You should catch better." She recalled Durendal, tied up the trash bag to carry it, and stepped away. "Anyway, I have to go get a swordmaster to train my Chespin. Give me a call when you think your Abra can battle me, kay?"

Unless Helena kept the conversation going, Salieri would give her a backhanded wave as she walked to the main road back to Santalune.  

[Spinne Biss]

Helena waved as Salieri departed.

((Moretocomelater))  

[Zamaku]

((This only took forever and a day, but here's my wall post.))
Lumiose - Gotengo

Leaning against the makeshift counter, TK was glancing down. Wearing a Sad and wistful look. What he wouldn't have given to have had a carefree childhood. To be able to go on an adventure like this for no other reason that to have an adventure. But that wasn't the hand he was dealt, and really, there was no point in wishing and playing pretend. the most he could do now is make it so Tia and Vance can have the easy and carefree childhood that he was robbed of. The only way that's going to happen is if TK wins the league, obtains the prizes and riches that come with the nobility title, and pay for his little sisters surgery.

No time to worry over his own fleeting childhood. "I would if i could..." he mumbled almost inaudibly, that sad look vanishing from his face, momentarily being replaced by a burning determination that's normally foreign to his facial features, before ultimately slipping into a practiced false faced smile.

"But, before I wither away, I'm gonna go train and win some cash for breakfast~" The silver haired trainer called happily, pushing off he makeshift counter and spinning on his heel as he jogged over to the door leading out of the kitchen, wearing his signature polite smile.

"Oh, and It was nice meeting you Mia, take care, okay?" He said, turning to face Mia, stopping just short of the door. "And, Thanks." He said obscurly, it could have meant for the advice Mia had given him, or simply for letting him sleep at the Gotengo last night. Either way, with that the silver haired youth started jogging out towards the exit of the Gotengo and towards the bustling city streets of Lumiose. All the while wondering if he'd ever see the Gotengo again, or if he'd end up being another one of the Kids who ended up growing up and moving on to other things.

Another practiced trait of TK's was pushing all those depressing thoughts into a mental lock box and stacking them away in a neat little corner of his head to worry about later.

---------

The Sun was bright and hot as Tk scaled the side of a residential building. Since he had no since of directions and wasn't keen on just asking some stranger which way route 5 was, surveying from a vantage point was the next best thing. That or finding a directional sign, but that's no fun, and plus, he wanted to do a little sightseeing. With his new vantage point the agile youth was able to quickly parkour his way roof top to roof top in search of the route 5 gate.

Not long later, Just as he pushed off the top of an office building, whilst mid jump to the roof of a commercial hotel, a small blur of blue collided into his side, almost knocking his trajectory off and sending him to his death on the streets below. Just after barely landing, TK spun on his heels to face the threat, his flight or fight reaction kicking in. The warning that Sal gave him the previous night about the shady nobles still fresh in his mind.

His eyes already scanning across the roof top for whatever or whoever it was that attacked him, all the while clutching Iron Hide's heavy ball in his palm that he un-clipped from his trainer belt on instinct. After his initial survey he found nothing other than a few happily chirping Fletchling on the other end of the commercial hotels foot top.

Just as he began questioning his own sanity, was when TK heard a chorus of loud hoots and laughter a few roof tops away, parallel to the same direction he himself had come from. in front was scrawny man wearing leather pants and sporting a pink mow hawk, his face home to an array of bruises and handful of band-aids with a Mightyena following beside him. trailing behind the man was a group of about 6 others in similar punk rock attire with a large brute of a man who gave TK the impression of an iceburg taking up the rear and seemingly have a diffidcult time navigating his larger frame from roof top to roof top.

The groups advancement across the roof tops was a slow one, but eventually they came to stand on the same one as TK, the majority of them grinning and looking slightly inebriated.

"Hey hey hey, look'a the lil' kid!" one of the group behind the pink Mohawk wearing man called, "Think he seen the little bugger we'a been chasing?"

The one sporting the pink mow-hawk sauntered towards TK, but stopped a few feet away when TK stepped back, looking over the group of punks in a wary fashion, still clutching Iron Hide's Pokeball in his palm. The Fletchling from the roof scattered, deciding their spot was suddenly much too crowded.

"Ey ey ey, chill ou' kid, we just wanna know if you maybe seen a lil' furry rat looking thing run this way?" The Pink mow-hawked on asked, a lopsided grin plastering his face, showing that he was missing a few of his teeth. once he had gotten closer, TK noticed how the pink mow hawked mans noes was bent, like it had been recently broken and not re-set properly.

Choosing that moment to make its appearance known, a small and obviously badly wounded Rilou tumbled from behind an air duct vent, its breathing ragged and its side bloodied from battle. "HAYAH! There it is guys! Well Riot, what are waitin' for? go get yer' chew toy!" The Mightyena sprinted towards the wounded, and already incredibly capture-able Riolu.

The Mightyena fangs where wrapped in a purple mist that looked like whips off a ghastly. Poison fang. The Riolu attempted to dodge out of the way but was tripped up due to its many injuries. Instead, it closed its eyes and turned away from the oncoming pain. But it never came.

Looking from its spot in the floor of the roof, the Riolu's sight of the attacking Mightena was blocked by what initially looked like a steel boulder, but after closer inspection turned out to be a Lairon. More specifically TK's disobedient Lairon, Iron Hide. In front of said Lairon laid the now injured Mightyena.

"Merde, What the hell'd you do to Riot!?" Trevor roared. "Why'd attack im'?! You better talk fast or ill have my crew here start playing dentist on your teeth." Said crew laughed in a way that was probably intended to sound threatening.

"Im sorry, are you planning on catching this Pokemon?" Is was a polite enough sounding question, although Tk already had a guess as to the answer. These type of people were all over Johto. They 'hunted' Pokemon for sport. It was sick and cruel and Tk was having none of it.

The Pink haired punk, Trevor, threw his head back as he guffawed at the idea entirely. "Ah, kid, your a riot -Not you, you dumb dog- But seriously, who'd want to feed, let alone train a weak little s**t like that Pokemon? I mean look at it, its practically dead already-"

TK had heard enough of the punks speech, turning away from the punk as said punk was still talking, the silver haired trainer knelt down next to the injured Riolu. The punk was right about one thing, the young fighting type was close to the permanent fainting. fishing around in a side pocket of his sling pack for a moment, Tk withdrew a compressed pokeball. "Excuse me, but your badly hurt, if you'd let me, id use this to keep you alive until i can get you healed. ill release you right after, i promise." The Riolu looked from the pokeball in TK's hand, back to TK's genuinely concerned face.

The Riolu didn't see a third option, and this human seemed decent, even if his hair was weirdly colored. So the Riolu nodded its approval and TK clicked the center button once to enlarge the red and white pokeball before tapping it gently against the forehead of the Riolu.

"You ******** foreigner! who said you could catch that Pokemon!?" The punk Trevor roared, stomping his foot against the ground in a way that reminded TK of his younger sister throwing a temper tantrum."Im sorry, but im taking This Riolu to a pokemon center...Er, good bye?" TK said lamely as he went to step on the edge of the commercial hotel rooftop they were situated on, about to start a decent. "C'mon Iron Hide." Tk called, about to recall the iron armored Pokemon who was standing as a stoic guard. between TK and the group of punks.

"Not so fast, Iceburg, Sheva!" The punk called. Stepping out from the group of punks was the largest as well as a female with short cropped hair. Both loosed a poke-ball. releasing an Cubchoo and a Sawk respectively. Trevors Mightyena, Riot, stood back up as well. TK stood halfway facing the the three Pokemon, one of his feet on the ledge of the building. His Disobedient Lairon the only thing standing between them.

Sporting a confused frown, TK asked, "Three against one, that's not fair...is it? He didn't have time to ponder the fairness behind the whole concept because at that moment Trevor, Iceburg and Sheva barked out attack commands simultaneously. all three of the punks Pokemon rushed TK and Iron hide who were only about two feet apart from one another.

To any onlooker it would probably seem like TK was about to take the bulk of the attack head on, and they would have been right had Tk not released his other two Pokemon with a flick of his wrist, calling a set of commands using few words. The light from the release-al of his Pokemon hadn't even dissipated completely by the time the three Punks Pokemon were effectively repelled. floating in mid air directly next to the silver haired trainers left was his Honedge, Excalibur, and flapping his wings at a steady pace to maintain altitude slightly behind the trainer to the right was Shuriken, And lastly, still at his spot front of TK was Iron Hide.

If this where a movie, that right there would be the money shot. It may not end up a movie, but possibly the evening news, because circling the building was a channel 3 action news helicopter. inside the Helicopter, with her back facing the action sat a female news reporter, "So as you can see behind me, The young trainer Takamaru Takashi, or as his friends call him, 'Taco', is currently in the middle of a three on one Trainer battle with a group of street punks who have been terrorizing the city of lumiose for quite some time." The news reporter said, facing the camera man.

Noticing the helicopter, TK gave it a small Shy wave, but thinking nothing else of it, before turning back to the battle at hand. In a proper battle setting, three trainers ganging up on a single trainer might not be considered technically fair, but TK personally didn't have a problem facing the odds.

Before coming to the Kalos region to take place in the league, TK spent a whole year learning the art of battling. He spent 2 weeks learning the basic of the basics from his towns gym leader. She taught him types, weaknesses, resistances, how a trainer lives on the road, small things that every trainer needs to learn. the rest of his year training however, was a lot more hands on and physical. a year spent on Iron island, training under his original hometowns gym leader Byron, of Canalave Sinnoh was harsh. The Pokemon on Iron island are aggressive. For the better part of the year, by night TK had to learn how to deal with hordes of Pokemon attacking from different angles in erratic fashions inside of the iron Island. while by night he camped on the outside beach of the iron island.

In application, a trainer battle is vastly different. aside from the situational awareness and being comfortable in battles TK learned from training in the Iron Island, not much could be brought to a trainer battle. But three low skilled punk class trainers wernt much harder. The entire battle lasted only about 10 minutes before the Mightyena, Inkay, and Cubchoo lay defeated, where as TKs Three Pokemon still stood, bearing only a few knacks and scrapes.

"Dammit Trevor, i told you to have Riot cover me!" The punk girl named Sheva screeched at the pink mow-hawked punk, saying his name with as much disdain as she could muster. After that, the group of punks started in fighting, most of them still completely s**t faced. Almost immediately the entire group had come to blows, it was like a bad comedy scene, where the group of antagonists completely disregard the protagonist and start infighting amongst themselves, thus giving the protagonist time to escape. The Punk Trevor was slugged in the gut and sent skidding across the rooftop towards TK. striding over to the singled out Punk, TK knelt down next to the unconscious trevor, and pulled the punks wallet out from the inside of his leather jacket, taking his winnings, and some extra. He figured that the Riolu deserved a good full meal after what the Punks had put it through, and who better to pay for it then the very same punks?

In the midst of the confusion, TK recalled his three Pokemon and slid down from the roof with the help of a roof top drain pipe. The news helicopter had also departed just before the group of drunkard punks started infighting, having happily gotten their story .

releasing the skates from the bottom of his shoes, TK sped off in search of a Pokemon center. now 10,000p richer. His stomach at that point decided to make its renewed hunger known, Having momentarily forgotten about it during the whole escapade on the roof.

First Pokemon center, Then food, TK resolved as he skated down Autumal avenue towards centrico plaza.  

[Marsuru]

((We built this city on walls of textttt! I'm liking how you fleshed out the Lumiose Gang there, TK))

Route 5

Every now and then, someone popped up from over the hill and dropped back down. Zack lay on the grass under sun so hot he could feel its touch on his skin, the endless blue sky holding tiny flecks of fluffy white cloud. He tried to put the scene with Pangoro out of his mind. The bear had latched onto Helena and him a few days ago, and followed them everywhere. Sure, he thought the thing was annoying, but it had agreed to be a target for training (though that went south pretty quick) and he felt the nag of responsibility wherever it was concerned. It wasn't his problem now, Zack thought as someone else flew above the hillside then promptly vanished behind it, he should just put it out of his mind and get on with things.

Chatter from the skate park filtered from the other side of the flower-strewn hill. It was getting noisier, and soon this area wouldn't be quiet enough for Zack's brooding. He climbed to his feet, slowly because of the ache, which had made his skin pale and eyes dark, and looked around for a worthy challenger. If the noblewoman with the Golurk wasn't the biggest, meanest ******** around, she was up there with them. Zack was in the mood for smaller fish, something more manageable and easy to bait. He thought he saw one not far from the road, just finishing off a one-sided battle.

A tall Machamp was up against an average Eelektross and the victor was already clear. Barely damaged, the Machamp let loose a flurry of nigh-instant blows to the giant eel pokémon's body, rounding them off with a powerful slug that sent the electric type spinning into the dirt. It bounced, then resumed its levitation, clearly on its last proverbial legs. Its trainer, a teenager from Unova, called out to it anxiously, but the battle continued when it shot forward for one last attempt. The other trainer, wearing a tailored white suit and neat black hair was clearly Kalosian nobility. He smiled assuredly as the electric type committed suicide-by-proxy.

"End it!" he called and his Machamp launched forward with one final punch. But the Eelektross didn't fall. Instead it latched onto Machamp's fist with its nail-like teeth and began to charge electricity, preparing to send a powerful surge through the fight type's body. Machamp cocked a brow, smiling, then blasted a Hyper Beam from his fist, which almost blew a hole out Eelektross' back end. The eel pokémon was blown away like a balloon with the air let out of it, and fell at its trainers feet, defeated.

Zack came over just as the Unovan trainer ran off with his pokémon. The noble wore a satisfied smile as he sprayed Machamp's few wounds with Potion, while the pokémon looked around the route, content that it was the strongest pokémon for miles. Zack glanced away when he saw the Potion, and breathed out sharply. Time to get into character.

"Hey kid," he said, though the noble couldn't have been a year or two younger than him. "Battle me."
The noble continued spraying for a few more seconds, then stood up and leisurely looked Zack over, "You? How many badges do you have?"
"You battling me or not?"
"None then. My friend, I already have three badges. I'm afraid I can't be seen wasting my time with someone like you. Why don't you challenge someone more your experience level, hm?"

Freaking Kalosian. Before the noble had a chance to walk away, Zack strategically lowered his level of diplomacy.

"So I guess it's true after all. You Kalosians think you're such hot s**t, but you're actually just massive cowards."
"Heard it," the noble smiled, walking off with a nonchalant wave and Machamp at his side. Zack frowned.
"Well that's too bad, I thought a noble might actually live up to his name instead of running away like a b***h."
The noble slowed his walk, glancing over his shoulder for a second. He almost shrugged it off until Zack feigned a look of surprise, as if seeing Machamp for the first time.
"I didn't know your mother was a pokémon!"
"Fine! You want a battle, you insolent little pest?" The noble turned around, his face flush red, "I'll give you a <********> battle!"

Zack grinned, grabbing Hazard's ball from his belt and slinging it forward. He had a rough strategy for dealing with Machamp, but it relied on the noble being angry as well as a whole lot of luck. Machamp charged into battle at his trainer's command, his bulk making the ground sag underfoot as he ran. God, it felt like standing in the way of a speeding car, Zack thought. Hazard's ball cracked open in a brilliant flash of light.

"Hitmonlee!" Zack shouted, "Earthquake!"

The noble grinned triumphantly, countering with a "Dynamic Punch!" The pokémon angled his body off to the side, one of his four fists charging with incredible power, before he loosed it into the converging flash of light. And it went right through, hitting nothing as Hazard the Gastly phased through the staggering fight type. At Zack's command, she doused the pokémon in a gaseous Toxic attack and flew into the air to make some distance.

"Tch," the noble muttered, embarrassed at falling for such a simple trick, "Fine then, use Foresight!"
"Not yet," Zack said, commanding Hazard to blast Machamp with Confuse Ray before he finished turning around. The ghost type hit the fight type with a jagged beam of energy, which would send the much stronger pokémon off kilter. They'd survived to this point, but the rest of the battle relied on the next few seconds. Machamp turned fully, slow considering his size, and attempted to use Foresight to identify Hazard and allow his attacks to land. His eyes glowed with white light, but the Confuse Ray forced the attack to fail its execution, making it explode out of his eyeballs.

Machamp roared with pain, throwing up all his hands to clutch his damaged eyes. Success. With Toxic slowly ramping up its intensity, Machamp was beginning to lose a good chunk of health. All they needed was a final push in the right direction. While the opponent was left open, Zack commanded a "Curse!"

Hazard generated the image of a pair of ghostly nails, one above both her and Machamp. The nails drove themselves into the pokémon with an invisible hammer; Hazard had sacrificed half of her health to lay the Curse on her opponent. Curse coupled with Toxic made the difference in power immaterial as long as Hazard could avoid taking damage. Zack's mind buzzed with excitement. She'd level up drastically from a battle like this, he thought.

"God dammit. God dammit!" the noble cursed. Machamp was punching out in all directions with three of his arms, the forth clamped over his eyes while he lurched back and forth. Hazard wasn't even bothering to avoid the wild swings, and floated in place laughing her soul off while the fight type's frustrated blows passed through her. Machamp grew weaker by the second. Another ghostly nail appeared above him, driving into his flesh and leaving no mark, but still robbing him of his health. Toxic flowed through his bloodstream, devouring him from the inside.
"Now hide," Zack said, and as Machamp swung a mighty punch through Hazard, she vanished, leaving nought but the wind. Machamp stopped stumbling, breathing heavily, and brought his arm away from his eyes. Another nail hammered in, and Machamp dropped to one knee. Zack smiled at the noble, who was glowering furiously. The trainer tried to resist, but threw in a cheery wave just to rub it in.

"Well," he said, "Looks like..."
"Foresight!"
"You..." Machamp roared as he snapped out of confusion, his eyes flashing white and staying that way. The pokémon seethed with anger, muscles pumped and stretching their skin to breaking point. "Uh..." He looked about then spotted his prey hiding underground. With one swoop, he sunk an arm into the earth and tore Hazard out like a troublesome weed. "Huh."

Machamp slammed the pokémon onto the grass and, squeezing her in a fist, he brought the other three down. The blows landed like the beat of a snare drum, battering Hazard in a blurry flurry of punches. The earth began to shudder, getting torn apart in great chunks as Hazard sank deeper into the ground, which was fast becoming mud. Zack grit his teeth, turning to the noble who, to his surprise, was white-faced and staring in disbelief at Machamp's fury. The pokémon slowed his beatdown to a crawl, now using exaggerated, more powerful punches, each warping the earth further into a crater.

"I don't understand," the noble said meekly, "He's normally rather tame. I..." He shook his head and steeled himself, lifting the pokéball and commanding Machamp's return. The red beam shot out, but Machamp punched it away with a backhander, sending it back into the pokéball, which went flying out of its owner's grasp. Zack clenched his fists. Where was that damned nail? Hazard may be a Ghost type, but with enough damage she could still die. He couldn't have another death on his conscience.
"Forget it," he spat, dashing around Machamp's back. He threw Fletchinder's ball, and the pokémon burst majestically into battle, wings spread wide. Machamp heard the ball pop and turned, punching the flying type out of the sky almost lazily. Fletchinder bounced to the grass, but she was just a distraction. Zack used the chance to leap onto Machamp's chest and rake the fight type's eyes with his curled knuckles.

Machamp howled, once again clutching his eyes. Zack slipped to the floor before Machamp could grab him, and rolled to one side. Not a second later, a massive foot slammed down where his head had been. Zack scurried back to his feet, not looking away from the enormous pokémon and keeping low. With any luck, he'd just taken out Machamp's Foresight. "Bet you didn't see that coming," Zack hissed, "a*****e."

The pokémon shook himself out of his pain. His arms dropped and his fingers tensed into hooks, and he glared directly at Zack with bloodshot eyes. He began to charge, and Zack thought back to earlier in the fight. He first compared Machamp to a car speeding towards him, but he was wrong. This monster was a runaway truck. Zack felt fire bubble inside. As if by magic, the Curse nail appeared above Machamp. With every bounding footstep, it drove deeper into his flesh, and when the pokémon was mere feet away, he faltered like a puppet with cut strings. A blank expression on his face, Machamp finally reached Zack, then slumped to the ground. Zack sidestepped the falling fight type, watching it go.

---

Lumiose City - Vernal Avenue Pokémon Center

Hazard woke up with a start, and her gases ached. She sat upright and took in the room. It was dark with slivers of sunlight streaming through the curtains, and empty except for a bed and a nightstand. The room was completely trashed, as if a hundred people had tried sleeping in there at once. She could hear running water coming from the bathroom, and the scrape of metal as it cut off. Master came back in, rubbing his smoothed cheeks, though his skin was still pale, his eyes still framed by black rings. He didn't seem surprised when he saw her awake. How much time had passed?

"Hey," he said, rifling through his backpack. Hazard floated an inch off the bed, but found it difficult. Vivid flashes of the Machamp pinning her down shot through her mind painfully. That was all she remembered, but the way her gases quivered told her more had happened afterwards. A lot more. At last master retrieved what he had been searching for; a little orange bottle with a spray nozzle.

He sat down on the bed and went to turn Hazard around, but his hand just passed right through her. Of course it did, she thought, had Master forgotten she was made of gas? He didn't seemed bothered, instead leaning over to spray the orange bottle to her back and away from her eyes. Almost immediately, her aches and pains washed away. Instead of sluggishly shaking in place, her gases flowed freely, more erratically. It was healthy for her. Master finished his work and Hazard felt renewed, though the pain of the Machamp was still fresh in her mind.

"Hm." Master stood up, looking Hazard over through the dark. He peered at the orange bottle for the longest time. Then he unscrewed the nozzle, and tipped the bottle back, drinking the rest of the contents. At first, nothing happened, but soon Hazard began to see the effects. Master's flesh filled with blood, his green eyes, once dull, were now sharp and lively. Where he had been gaunt and grey, Master regained his vibrancy and looked more his own age. He grinned, tossing the empty bottle onto the floor with the rest of the trash.

"Hazard," he said, "Hold down the fort. I'm gonna take the longest shower of my life. Try to be used to the, uh, new situation by the time I'm finished."
What did he mean by 'new situation' Hazard wondered. She blinked a few times and said, "Haunter?"  

[Jump Einatz]

Santalune City - Fountain

"Wow you actually found one!" The Hiker squealed with delight at the Bunnelby before him. Their evolution, Diggersby, was an excellent partner for any traveler that trekked through mountain ranges. Salieri grinned.

"Yeah, no problem." It really was no problem. In fact, it was the most casual catch Salieri had ever made. How the Hiker never came across a Bunnelby on his own completely eluded her. "So, you still want to trade?"

"Of course." The Hiker was ecstatic over his new find, but she wondered why Salieri wanted his Quacklin' so much. People thought they were really rare so they traded hands often, but where they could be found they were quite common. In fact, the Hiker heard they could be found on Route 22. How Salieri never came across one herself completely eluded him.

Nevertheless, the trainers swapped pokeballs and ID's, completing the trade. With a quick goodbye, Salieri left for Route 4.

~~~~

Route 4 - Parterre Way

At the edge of one of Parterre Way's hedge mazes, Biz Marquis stood at attention with a quill sword in one hand. Pacing around him was Salieri's new Farfetch'd, Quacklin'. The bird tapped his leek into an open palm-like wing repeatedly as he circled the Chespin. Both of them kept their eyes on one another.

[One hand!....Is all that is needed!] the bird spouted off dramatically. He had an accent that was vaguely from the Spanish region, not that Biz Marquis would be able to place it. [Now you are standing all wrong! Turn your body...side face!]

Biz shifted his stance, and Quacklin' corrected it with taps of his leek. Biz looked mildly annoyed. [Just so, just so. Quack. Now! The grip! Let me see...the grip it must be-]

Quacklin spun his leek around with great dexterity. Not just for a bird but in general. [Delicate!] The Chespin couldn't help being impressed.

[What if I drop it?] Biz asked. Quacklin' pointed the leek to Biz's neck.
[Your sword must be part of your arm! Can you drop part of your arm? No! Quack!...also, you can just grow another one, so...]

The Chespin nodded vigorously, retaining all of the teachings. From the fountain in the middle of the route, Salieri looked over at the lesson. The Farfetch'd was not a pokemon she planned on keeping around, but if he could increase Biz's skill level then that was all that mattered.

Father along the route, Durendal and Veillantif were in a tag battle with two other trainers using a Corphish and a Braixen. Even without Salieri's orders, the two of them didn't have much trouble working together to take the enemies down. Sal waved at them just to remind them she existed. The ease they had in winning the matches was all the more reason she had to go out west now.

"What about you? Do you want to get some training in?"

She looked down Banksy, who was fully retracted into her shell. There was no response. Salieri put her feet up on the shell as a footrest. "Listen, you don't have to battle for me, but you're rusty. You know that, right? If you were in your prime you could've won last night. I just want you to be in top form."

A blast of steam from the top of the shell forced Sal's feet off. She recoiled and pouted at the Torkoal shell. After a sigh, her features softened and she leaned down to peer into the shell's hood.

"Maybe you forgot," Salieri said to Banksy with a nostalgic tone, "But we used to be friends."