Pokémon Legends: Court of Kings

[Spinne Biss]

Lumiose City - Pokemon Center

"Come on, pick up!" Helena shouted at her phone. She had called Zack over and over again on her way to and into the center and not a single call had gone through.

"Hey, wait up already," said the bothersome trainer that she had fought only minutes prior. He grabbed her shoulder and she jerked away as she turned to face him.

"Not right now," Helena said and she turned and headed for the center counter, Loki's ball in hand.

"How can I help you today?" the nurse asked.

Helena lifted up Loki's ball when the trainer popped up again. "Two tickets for Ambrette."

"What are you doing?"

"This is faster. You want to get to the stampede, right?"

Helena nodded. "My brother is there, I need to go help him."

"Let me see your Kadabra," the guy said as he took the tickets from the nurse and offered one to Helena.

"Kadabara?" Helena looked at Loki's ball and then shifted the wheel to make the ball transparant. "Oh, I didn't even notice," she said.

"Let me see," the guy said and Helena shook her head.

"No."

"Alright then, hold on a second." The two reached the outside of the teleportation platform and the guy handed Helena a Revive alongside a Potion. Helena released Loki as she took all three items plus the ticket.

Half a minute later, Loki was waking up to Helena putting him back into the pokeball.

"My name's Grant by the way."

"Helena."

***

Ambrette Pokemon Center -> Route 9

The Pokemon center was packed worse than the first day of the league. It had become a central evacuation zone with people trying to escape throught he teleport system.

Helena was immediately pushing through the crowd once they arrived. There were nurses shipping pokeballs with pokemon, and people pushing their way up the stairs. By the time Helena had managed to get down stairs she had lost sight of Grant.

The next group of people was harder to push through and Helena found herself pushed toward the wall as she tried to make for the doors. In this section she found a pokeball, laying against the wall and primed to be crushed.

Instinctively she knelt down and plucked the pokeball up and turned to see if she could find anyone looking for it. One look out the window, at the storm of dust that the army of pokemon had kicked up, told Helena that she didn't have time to run around the center. So she kept an eye open as she moved for the center doors, but found nobody by the time she escaped out into Ambrette proper and tucked the pokeball away in her pocket.

"Loki," Helena said as she released the Kadabra and got a good look at him for the first time. "Um, congratulations. I need you to teleport me that way," she said as she pointed in the direction of route nine.

"Abra," Kadabra said and he took Helena's hand and the two disappeared.

The sight over the conflict terrified the teenager. There was a part of her that thought about helping, and a part of her that knew she was dead if she tried. Ambrette town was doomed, but Helena needed to at least get to her brother and make sure he wasn't as well.

With every teleport the two of them fell, and the next one would take them back up. The stampede below was a sea of destruction and Helena felt a wave of relief come over her as they descended. The main entrance was almost devoid of wild pokemon and that let Helena slip in easily as Loki teleported them safely to the ground.

Helena kept Loki nearby as the two of them started into the dark cave, lit only by the glowing light of the crystals.  

[Jump Einatz]

Glittering Cave - Lower Tunnels

Now both carts were back above ground and in the tunnels, passing the light of the crystals so quickly that it almost achieved a strobe light effect. Jump would have appreciated this effect for the rave, but now was not the time.

"Your mom is easy!" Jump yelled back as his ankle his caught. Utilizing martial arts based around kicks, his lower body strength was enough to make awkward moves more practical. Such as explosively kicking off the cart's floor with his balancing leg and launching himself at Zack knee first while pulling down his ankle and Zack's arm by proxy.

If the hi jump kick connected, Jump would crush Zack into the side of the cart and would grab the trainer by the shoulders to repeatedly knee him in the gut.

Hexum's eyes widened as he looked at the bare track below him. His Aura told him Serene shifted the cart ahead of the humans. Once his foot touched the ground, the Bone Rush disappeared as he dashed up and ran along the cave wall with Extremespeed.

He landed back in Serene's cart as if he never left, moving too fast for the eye to see. It teetered on the side with the force of his impact. Hexum stood up straight and thrust his paw forward. His palm shot out like it was shot from a pistol, curling into a fist for a Bullet Punch to the Kirilia's face.

Glittering Cave - Mine Control Center

A teenage girl walked into the room. Kiedis, arms folded with his typical pout, sized her up. Her appearance wasn't important, as human women all looked the same. He thought she arrived for the party, not the battle. A Kadabra explained how she was able to make it over the stampede. Either way, he didn't care about her presence as long as she stayed out of the tunnels.

The three Flare Grunts looked over at her, slinked against the wall and too tired to move. "Welcome...to the party..." One of them half-heartedly made angular poses with her arms.  

[Spinne Biss]

Glittering Cave - Mine Control Center

"Party?" Helena asked the grunt that spoke to her and then she shook her head. "No, no, I'm looking or my brother. He's this tall, hair like mine, probably scowling a lot." Helena gestured above her head for the height.

"He was coming this way," Helena said, immediately choosing not to believe that Zack could have been trampled on route 9. "You must have seen him if he came in, there's nobody else from the entrance here."

And why weren't there any Pokemon tearing through the entrance? Zack probably had the same question and had intended to investigate.  

[Jump Einatz]

Glittering Cave – Mine Control Center

One of the grunts pointed tiredly at a tunnel. “He went...that way.”
“But…if you’re not here for the party…you can’t go down there,” another chimed in, glancing at Kiedis.

The little bear grunted and walked over to the arch of the tunnel, standing between Helena and progress. He was alright with fighting her, but she didn’t look very strong. [Shoo,] he said, making a gesture with his claw as if to flick Helena away.  

[Spinne Biss]

Glittering Cave – Mine Control Center

"I'm finding my brother," Helena said as the flashes of light followed the movements of her hands. She picked three pokeballs at random and ended up with Caboose the Pikachu, Feather the Flabebe and the red armored Scizor she picked up at the center who immediately looked confused.

Helena didn't miss a beat. "And none of you are stopping me." She turned her head to look at the Scizor. "I'll find your trainer if you help me find my brother," she told him and was happy to see him nod to her. She didn't know him however, so she gestured to the Teddiursa - the easiest looking of the group. "All you have to do is take that one down."

Loki, Feather and Caboose took the hint and lined themselves up with the Flare grunts.  

[Jump Einatz]

Glittering Cave – Mine Control Center

[Hrm.] Kiedis cracked his knuckles and looked at the Scizor with a savage grin. With it's armor and larger frame, it was the most impressive Pokémon of the group. Shame that it didn't belong to the girl. [Something that might take a beating. About time.]

He made the bring-it-on gesture with both hands as he slowly walked to the crimson mantis.

Meanwhile, the Flare Grunts sighed, agitated that they'd have to fight further. Each one stood up. They released a Golbat, a Sandile and an Inkay, ready to fight back if they had to.  

[Spinne Biss]

Glittering Cave – Mine Control Center

As the battles began, Helena knew she'd have to watch Scizor first and foremost. She didn't know the Pokemon, and it left her with the feeling that he might need direction. At least the battle would be quick, taking down just a little Teddiursa.

***

Écarlate did not know where he was or why he had ended up in the cave. There was little information, but he felt it was important to make note that he only had one opponent, and if he was double crossed he could deal with the human girl.

Deal with the first problem.

Écarlate took a step forward and then disappeared to normal eyes. The Scizor used Quick Attack to launch himself over to Kiedis, aiming to slam his feet into the little bear to complete the attack.  

[Jump Einatz]

Glittering Cave – Mine Control Center

The little bear tightened his muscles and held out his arms. His claws shined. With a low growl he caught the Scizor's dropkick and shifted sideways. He spun, momentum assisted by Écarlate's, and completed a full circle before Seismic Tossing the mantis towards a jagged crystal wall of the cave mouth. If the mantis could take it, then Kiedis would go in for the rushdown.

As Kiedis let go, he glared at his target with shining eyes. The tips of his claws sparkled with the same glint as Hone Claws sharpened his power and reflexes.
Bears squash bugs.  

[Spinne Biss]

Glittering Cave – Mine Control Center

Écarlate spun himself in the air to face the wall and then judged where to place his feet to best avoid or mitigate the damage of the jagged crystals. He ended up slamming one foot into one crystal as he brought his claw around to smash another that allowed him to place his foot into the one next to it.

The action placed him in an open leg stance, knees bending from the force of the throw, with the crystal that would have impaled him broken and harmless.

Écarlate shot Kiedis a Leer before he launched himself at the approaching Teddiursa. One advantage he did have was speed. Whether Kiedis would move head on, or try to move himself sideways, the moment he was within Écarlate's range, he would have to deal with Bullet Punch.  

[Jump Einatz]

Glittering Cave – Mine Control Center

Kiedis had fought Pokémon like Scizor before. They didn’t seem fast until they surprised you. But the little bear had tricks of his own. The cream colored ring on his torso faintly glowed.

He stopped his steps to bend his knees and blast forward with Strength concentrated into his legs. The ground beneath him dropped into a crater twice his size as he launched himself at the midair Scizor with a burst of speed rendering him as a misshapen blur. With a launching power equivalent to a mighty Ursaring, his tiny frame was a living cannonball now.

The tassels of fur on his shoulders rippled rapidly through the wind as Kiedis lit his fists with flame, readying a Fire Punch for Écarlate’s jaw and relishing in his hunter’s high with a savage glee.  

[Marsuru]

Glittering Cave - Lower Tunnels

'Whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch the suit!' Zack shouted in sudden horror right before the first knee connected. It was a gamble, but if Jump reacted the way he expected him to, he'd have enough of an opening to grab the admin by his ears and smash his face in with a headbutt. If not, he'd get folded in half by a couple more knees, but regain enough strength to punch at Jump's jaw with a hook. Then Zack would immediately go to grab Jump by the head as he twisted around, smashing it against his rising knee.

Either way, the plan was to overwhelm his opponent with a follow-up flurry of explosive punches that would aim to hit every vulnerable angle he could find. With any luck, he'd beat Jump into submission, leaving the Flare admin battered and bloody on the floor of the cart.

Serene lurched with the cart's new rotation, yelping in surprise. She was still on the outside lip of the cart, meaning that any punches could knock her clear entirely. Reflexively, she blasted out a Confusion, which would fly in Hexum's direction. If he didn't abandon the Bullet Punch, their blows would get traded; he'd get hit by the full force of Serene's Confusion, likely damaging his Aura perception, while she'd get punched out of the cart.

If that happened, Serene would have to grab onto the lip with one hand, the tracks speeding below, a strobing blur of wood and iron. Surprisingly, she'd keep calm, and steel herself for blasting Hexum with Confusion the second she saw him look over the edge.

If not, and Hexum didn't go through with his Bullet Punch, Serene would throw herself into the cart, roll as she hit he floor, then blast upwards at the Lucario with another Confusion, right as the cart slammed back onto the tracks again. Should the move hit, Hexum would likely get lifted and smashed into the rushing ceiling.

Regardless of whether it connected with Hexum or not, the first Confusion would strike the tunnel walls and spray free chunks of debris, rocks and gems. They'd fly out, and Jump and Zack would have to deal with them.  

[Jump Einatz]

Glittering Cave - Lower Tunnels

"HA!" Jump couldn't stop his aerial attack if he wanted to. Not that he wanted to. "It has PADDING!" Jump shouted back, punctuating his flying knee into Zack's chest as he grabbed Zack's shoulders. Despite doing his best to crumble Zack to the floor, he had the suit's best interests in mind. All of his attacks so far were aimed to be smooth impacts, ideally scuffing the suit at most. Even then that could be buffered out if it wasn't going to stain. If Zack wasn't wearing the Von Silver, Jump would've taken out the knife hidden in his interior vest pocket by now.

He brought his knee back for the first blow to Zack's midsection. "You watch for tears, you idio-"

Jump paid for his comment by getting punched in the mouth, causing his eyes to briefly roll around as he reeled back. "Durrr..." He snapped out of it just as Zack went for his grab. Jump went for his own grab, latching onto Zack's wrists. His grip pressed against Zack's and held him at bay.

Hexum rocked back into the cart's edge as his Aura sense wavered from the invisible force strike, feeling more pain than before. At the speed they were moving, catching glimpses of his surroundings with his Aura waves did more harm than good. Without the full picture, his senses were useless. Given the chance he would try to heal himself, but the chance wasn't now. He'd have to rely on his natural senses.

Confusion seemed to be the Kirilia's go-to attack, leading Hexum to believe that she had no stronger move to work with. With that assumption, he decided to attempt an overpowering strategy. When she fired the second Confusion from outside the cart, Hexum fired back with a sphere of radiant light.

The Flash Cannon was larger than the Confusion, engulfing it on contact and threatening to blow apart the front lip of the cart Serene was holding onto. Should it work, she'd either be blasted up and into the ceiling, or more brutally into the track where the two carts threatened to run her over.

Flash Cannon's sudden light was blinding in the shadow lined cave, and when it subsided Jump saw incoming earthen debris heading their way. Instinctively he twirled away from Zack, hoping to put the suit attached to the trainer out of harm's way while he stood on one leg and delivered a series of snap kicks at the debris. Only the lower portion of his kicking leg seemed to move, shattering and deflecting the incoming natural projectiles.

"THESE cause tears!" Jump yelled over his shoulder to Zack, wiping away blood from the side of his cheek. He didn't know why the Unovan was attacking him. Maybe it had to do with the while stampede thing. Maybe he didn't like cave parties. But if anything was getting out of the cave safely on Jump's watch, it was Viro von Silver's black and white cross stitched suit.

The blackness ahead of the carts intensified as the track began to curve: they were still going lower, and heading back towards the gorge.  

[Zamaku]

Camphrier Town

Levi's initial response would to be dart off towards the Chateau in hopes of either getting to Sal before an alarm sprung, or to assist her out of the combat zone when the pokeballs started flying. But Levi stood his ground on the other side of the pink tape, looking calm, cool and collected.

'Gotta keep him talking' Levi theorized that it he could keep this sponsored trainer busy just long enough for Sal to get what she needed or at least a head start, then that would turn the tables if only slightly.

straightening up out of his free running crouch, Levi would look prepared to talk and not to fight.

"I don't plan on wreaking any havoc." Levi started.

"Nobody wronged me, im just helping a friend. She was the one who was wronged, not me. She was hurt in the worst possible way by your people." Levi kept talking, during the sneaks monologue some of the smoke screen from earlier was wafted towards the door, sufficiently covering the sneaks waist for a moment. Using this cover, Levi gave Jiraiya the 'Go get Sal' signal.

The frog ninja Pokemon would disappear with out a trace, heading towards the battle chateau at top speed. Once he made it there, Jiraiya would use a variety of stealth moves to infiltrate the Chateau and locate Sal. Levi only hopped he could keep Matheson talking long enough for Jiraiya to complete his mission, or at least long enough to give him an ample head start.

"Some of the people you call nobles are actually murderers. I don't know how in the know how you actually are or how much you think you are. But I can assure you, not every one called Noble are."

No, Levi couldn't actually assure him anything of the sort other than a handful of theories. And Yea, Sal would probably kick his a** if he started telling her back story to some sponsored brat. But it was either this or running into the battle chateau guns a blazing, and while Levi had mad skills, a nest of nobles and sponsored trainers was not where he wanted his mettle tested.

"I don't know if you have a brother or sister or any siblings close to you, but Imagine having some one you've known are your life, taken away from you. And whats worse, you know who did it but you couldn't do s**t about it. They got off scott free and were living a nice cushy life style." Levi paused, letting what he'd said sink in. Possibly wait for a response.  

[Jump Einatz]

Camphrier Town

Matheson bounced on his heels as he did his best not to interrupt Levi while the sneak leveled accusations about the nobles to him. He had heard it all before, and was not authorized to make commentary about what he did or didn't know. There was an element of truth in there, one that made him feel guilty, and it pained him to know that's what people thought of the noble-folk.

Levi's last comment got to him, and he immediately stopping bouncing. "I have a little sister," he replied softly. Matheson turned around, walking deeper into his room as he paced and thought. Seconds seemed like an eternity, and finally he turned around.

"Her name. What's your friend's name?"  

[Spinne Biss]

Glittering Cave – Mine Control Center

The Teddiursa could accelerate all he wanted to, it wouldn't make his blows faster. Écarlate, however, could. With his longer reach, his Bullet Punch shot out to strike and off-set Kiedis' path. If all worked out, his blow would miss and he'd fly right toward the jagged crystal wall with Écarlate heading safely for the ground unharmed.

***

The other three battles raged on, with Helena conducting between them. She turned to watch Kiedis crater the ground and she knew, without the slightest bit of doubt, that such an act was impossible for a Teddiursa.

So she pulled out and flipped open her pokedex.

"Ursaring," the pokedex identified, "Although it has a large body, it is quite skilled at climbing trees. It eats and sleeps in the treetops."