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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Jun 19, 2014 4:28:03 GMT -5
Bob Sladfigy awoke to the sound of an eerie, howling wind. The rising sun was just outside his vision, and he uncurled himself from his natural sleeping position. The rustling, empty trees of the Aina Forest loomed heavily above the Zigzagoon as he tried to regain his bearings.
"This is... that one forest..." he muttered to himself as he twisted his body, stretching his muscles to prepare for what he subconsciously anticipated to be a long and arduous day. A quick look around himself informed him that he was alone, probably for the first time since he came to this dimension. No Jet, no Doug, no Haru... not even a Buddy. How could he have let himself get into this situation? He knew that Jet wouldn't simply abandon him on purpose.
But the more he thought about it, the less he realized that he remembered about the previous day. This certainly wasn't the first time he had woken up in a strange place with little to no memory of how he had gotten there, but usually there was someone nearby who could accompany him and give him some sort of clue as to where he was and what he was doing there. Now, the forest was just dead. Not a sign of other Pokemon anywhere.
At that moment, the wind kicked up fiercely, causing Bob's spine to freeze over as the realization struck him. He was alone.
A sudden nearby beeping noise made him jump. He fumbled around until he realized it was coming from one of his forepaws. Specifically, a sort of high-tech wristwatch that he had apparently been wearing up until now. The display only had a single number - 3. One of the buttons on the side was flashing as the beeping continued. He pressed the button in the hopes of getting that horrible noise to stop, which it did. Relieved, he put his leg back on the ground only to find that the watch had started emitting a different noise. Speech.
"Welcome... BOB SLADFIGY... to the Creator's personal reimagining of the Wish Festival Tournament!"
The odd, monotone manner in which the voice said his name implied that this was an automated message. To anyone who was giving it some actual thought, anyway. Bob just thought it was funny.
"You and several other Pokemon are set to compete in this tournament for glory and riches! As such, you have been transported to a random part of the world and given an Individual Tracking and Communications Apparatus, or ITCA for short. You have also been given a starting allotment of 3 points. Points are gained by finding and knocking out other tournament participants. To advance from this first round of the tournament, you are to seek out the site of the rest of the tournament, hidden somewhere in the world, after gathering at least 10 points. For a more detailed list of rules, press this button again at any time. Good luck to you, and may the Gods be ever in your favor!"
The watch clicked off, and Bob was met with nothing but the sound of the wind. He took a moment to contemplate what he had just heard. The Tournament had restarted at some point, only now, Bob was able to compete! A mad grin overtook his face as he pictured himself standing over a pile of unconscious Pokemon, clutching a massive golden trophy with his name on it. The trophy was filled with donuts. Golden donuts.
This was it. Bob's one big chance to show the dimension what he was capable of, and he'd do it whether or not he had anyone by his side. He'd have his trophy full of donuts and there was nothing anyone could do to stop him... not even the Creator himself!
Filled with vigor and inspiration, he bounded deeper into the forest in search of his first victim, wondering in the back of his mind if his watch could hold more than two digits.
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Post by Digizel on Jun 19, 2014 14:33:09 GMT -5
"Geez, how did I ever get myself into this mess?" the Raichu mumbled to himself as he patted himself down. The last thing he remembered was watching an awesome fight in the Wish Festival tournament between a Zangoose and a Lucario...and the next thing he knew, he was waking up in a mound of dirt in some blasted forest. "Wait a minute..." he mumbled, quickly realizing something. "Isn't this...the Aina Forest...?" He looked around once again. He would never forget the forest that he spent a huge amount of his time training in when he was younger. This was where he had trained before he had made his tournament debut and became a champion in Tyric Town. Of course, that had been before he had met Doug and allowed the Abra to beat him....
But in his reminiscing, Cassius quickly came to yet another conclusion. This one, however, caused a wide smirk to cross his face. That voice that had just spoken a short while ago told him that he was to be participating in a "reimagining" of the Wish Festival tournament. This was perfect! Ever since arriving late to the Wish Festival and had thus missed the opportunity to impress the tournament staff enough to let him in, he had strongly desired to take part in that contest of strength to make himself a far more renowned champion in the dimension. It was fun being the champion of a small-town tournament, even for the short while that he was. To be the Champion of a tournament as huge as the Wish Festival, though? That was sure to be so much more awesome! Even though he strongly wished that he had gotten to see the rest of that fight in the previous tournament...this was a much better opportunity for him. He actually had a chance to truly prove that he was the best of the best! And all he would have to do is kick every other Pokémon's tail to do it; including Doug's. And he certainly had no qualms with that.
Cassius looked down at the bracelet-like device that had been strapped to his left arm. He had already made a few attempts to remove it, but it was firmly locked in place. He would also assume that it was virtually indestructible. Now that the message it had been programmed to relay to him was finished, however, a number was displayed on the screen. "Three points, huh?" he repeated, thinking back to the message. He then grinned to himself. "Well then. I guess I'd better get moving and find more points if I want to prove myself."
Little did he know, however, that the closest Pokémon was already bounding in his direction from behind him. An all-too-familiar Zigzagoon that was making his way through the forest, headed directly for the clearing he had awoken in.
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Jun 19, 2014 15:48:24 GMT -5
Bob's excited skipping was cut short when he caught a glint of orange between the foliage in front of him, standing out from the rest of the lifeless forest. Bob smirked at the thought that he might even be the first player in the tournament to gain a point. He edged closer, hoping to stay out of the Pokemon's senses until the proper moment, but he knew that stealth wasn't his strong suit and his bright orange and purple coloration would easily stand out just as much in this environment. The Pokemon was already wide awake and had presumably had his initiation to the tournament, so Bob could only assume that his guard was up.
There was only one thing to do at that moment. If he wanted to strike, he couldn't risk giving his first opponent any time to react. It was time to start off this tournament with a bang. His legs pounding forward, he took off like a torpedo with as much speed as he could muster up, sparing no energy for this first attack. He did not have time to size up his opponent and prepare a strategy. He erupted into the clearing, creating an explosion of leaves and twigs as he maintained a direct Headbutt collision course for the larger orange Pokemon. If his attack was sudden and painful enough that he could get him to flinch, as he hoped, then perhaps he'd be able to work in a preparatory move after all.
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Post by Digizel on Jun 19, 2014 16:08:09 GMT -5
Suddenly, before Cassius had even really started to walk forward, something stopped him. His ears twitched slightly as he listened intently to his surroundings. He felt as though he wasn't alone right now; as though somebody was watching him. However, he gave no indication that he was aware of their presence. If there WAS a Pokémon waiting in ambush like he believed there just might be, it would perhaps be for the best if he continued to lead him on to believe that he was not aware. Then, it would be his opponent who was caught off-guard and the entire situation would be turned on its head from what the ambusher had expected. Or at least, that was his usual plan of counterattack.
Suddenly, a rustling of leaves and an explosion of twigs caught his attention. He clenched his fist in his anticipation and waited, glancing back out of the corner of his eye toward the ambusher. This runt was certainly going to learn very quickly not to mess with a champion like him. Anybody foolish enough to try will get what's coming to him. At the last moment, he spun around, his fist sparking. He threw a Thunder Punch attack, aiming to smash it into the side of the incoming orange and purple missile's face hopefully before the Headbutt can connect. If he could just do that, he could probably redirect the Pokémon so that his attack would miss him entirely. However, even if the Pokémon was fast enough to hit him, he was sure that he'd be able to just shrug it off and...
Wait a minute...orange and purple? Was that...? No, it couldn't be, could it? The odds would be unbelievable....
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Jun 19, 2014 16:48:53 GMT -5
As Bob got closer and closer to his target, he received a rush of visual stimuli all at once. The orange Pokemon was a Raichu, but this was no ordinary Raichu. He recognized him from somewhere, but he couldn't quite place his paw on it. Not that he had any time for recollection, as he was too busy remembering that Raichu was an electric type, reminded by the electricity now coursing through his drawn fist.
Having little time to react, let alone move, he decided not to falter his course even in the slightest as that would lessen the impact. He knew that he could not avoid the Thunderpunch, and in anticipation of the potent move, an instinct triggered in the back of his mind. Just before the collision took place, Bob made eye contact with the Raichu. The Zigzagoon's pupils grew big and round, playing off of his species' natural cuteness to provide a last second distraction and cause the Raichu to hold back slightly. Bob didn't realize it, but he had taken advantage of the move Baby-Doll Eyes.
This maneuver bought him the precious split second he needed to connect with the full force of his Headbutt attack, just before he took a Thunderpunch to the side of the head. Despite reducing his opponent's Attack stat, it still felt like he had been stricken by lightning. He reeled backward a few steps, trying his best to shake off the excess electricity and keep his mind focused. He glanced back up at the Raichu, hoping that his Headbutt hit its mark as he had planned and that he could afford to take a couple of moments to regather himself.
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Post by Digizel on Jun 19, 2014 17:20:26 GMT -5
Just as he brought his Thunder Punch around, Cassius' gaze could not help but be met by the Zigzagoon's. And in that moment, he hesitated for just the slightest of moments, slightly reducing the impact of the punch that he eventually managed to land with a direct hit. However, that wasn't the only thing that benefitted his attacker from his move. In fact, the moment's hesitation allowed the smaller Pokémon to slam his skull directly into his chest at roughly the same time that his fist connected with his face. He winced slightly from the impact and slid backward on the ground a couple of feet, but he was able to stay on his feet. But he quickly shook it off. He glared at the Pokémon that had dared to ambush him...and saw exactly what he had thought he had seen.
It wasn't every day that you met an orange and purple-colored Zigzagoon. And the very idea that a second one could possibly exist in the same dimension wasn't even worth acknowledging. He lowered his fist as the electricity disappeared from around it and he allowed a small looked a surprise on his face. "You..." he muttered just loud enough for the sound to reach Bob. "You're...that Buizel's buddy, right? The one from the tournament?" Truth be told, he hadn't really paid much attention to the Zigzagoon that had been palling around with the Buizel runt. He couldn't even remember the little guy's name right now. "You were brought here too, were you?"
As he spoke, he lowered his guard ever so slightly. If this was an ally of Doug's, then perhaps defeating him and reducing his points would only serve to annoy the Abra. And if he wanted the chance to get the opportune moment to battle Doug, he would need to stay as close as he could. Perhaps he should call this battle short for now...? It's not like he had any doubts that he would be able to defeat other opponents in this tournament.
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Jun 19, 2014 18:53:40 GMT -5
Bob watched Cassius carefully, ready to execute his next move based on what his opponent would do next... but he was somewhat surprised to see that, even though he didn't seem to flinch, he didn't immediately strike back anyway, instead choosing to talk. Bob's hunch was right - the two of them had met before, at the previous tournament. Realizing this, he let out an amused laugh.
"Yep, that's me!" he affirmed. "Good to see you again, uh... hang on, I got this..." The Raichu's name escaped him for a moment, so he thought back to when they first met each other. "Cashews, that was it!" he exclaimed. "You could say the fact that we've found each other again against all odds is totally... nuts?" He snickered to himself at the joke that any sane person would find annoying. Especially for someone whose name didn't actually have anything to do with nuts.
"But yeah. Of course I was brought here," Bob responded, relaxing on the ground on his back in an effort to appear harmless. "I don't remember actually signing up for this tournament, but I sure am glad the Creator gave me a chance to compete, so I'm not questioning it! Ohh, it feels so good to actually be a part of something, doesn't it, Cashews..." While he talked, he rolled over on the ground, clearly enjoying himself, but if Cassius was still paying enough attention to him, he would be able to see that Bob was actually using Mud Sport.
He sat up, his body now partially covered in damp earth, a wistfully distant expression on his face. Hopefully, Bob's plan of making it appear as though he was not interested in still battling would give him the time to set up the moves he knew he'd need against the tough Electric-type. He was not about to let this opportunity escape from him. "What's especially great is the fact that..." He trailed off, raising his arms. He then began aggressively beating his own stomach with them, causing quite a bit of pain to himself while strengthening his body to its maximum offensive potential. Anyone could tell that this was a Belly Drum. "I don't... intend... on holding back... for anyone!" By the time he was finished, he had a crazed look in his eyes. Twitching occasionally from a combination of pain, power, and insanity, he stared down his opponent. "So... come at me, bro."
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Post by Digizel on Jun 19, 2014 19:34:14 GMT -5
Cassius watched the Zigzagoon carefully as the playful raccoon let out a small laugh. That and the voice he heard definitely cemented his thoughts. This was definitely the same Zigzagoon. He crossed his arms, though, as he impatiently waited for Bob's thinking to stop and the name to come to him. But what he got from that was not pleasing to hear. "Gah...." he grunted, pressing his bracelet hand up to rub the side of his skull where his temple would be. He had almost completely forgotten about this little detail. He still had never actually learned his real name. "For the last time, it's not Cashew, it's Cassius. CASS-ee-us." He growled at him, heavily emphasizing each syllable in a desperate attempt to clarify everything he needed. "But if it's easier to remember, then just say Cass."
As he spoke, Cassius did not seem to notice Bob's true antics, however. He watched the Zigzagoon roll around in the dirt slightly, but it didn't even come to him what the Zigzagoon was actually doing. He just simply assumed that he was being his own bizarre, playful self. Not once did he even consider the possibility that this Zigzagoon was actually smart enough to play him like he truly was. "...Yeah, I guess it does feel pretty awesome to be in a tournament like this, huh?" he replied with a small smirk. "But it'll feel even better when I beat everyone and come out on top as the champion." He then paused again, once more reveling in the idea of defeating all of his opponents and to finally be recognized for the champion...nay the King that he truly was.
However, Cassius' self-indulgence was cut short as he watched Bob rear up onto his hind legs and start beating on his stomach. At that point, his eyes widened slightly. He realized now that the Zigzagoon was clearly not doing this for his own entertainment, but that this was a Belly Drum attack; a clear preparation for a powerful attack. It seems that the runt wanted to keep fighting...although now he didn't really seem like much of a runt anymore. Not now that his attack power was sure to have skyrocketed. He then clenched a fist and scowled. But then he smirked. He had been fooled completely. Maybe this Zigzagoon wasn't so bad after all. This might be fun.
"No. You're the one who raised your power," Cassius replied, unflinching and simply staring back at the apparently crazed Zigzagoon. "You show me what you've got." However, as he spoke, he directed much of his attention into focusing his strength into one of his fists. He needed to prepare to counterattack before Bob's next attack was able to hit.
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Jun 19, 2014 20:04:59 GMT -5
Bob could barely keep himself from erupting into mad laughter. He had gotten through to the Raichu, intentionally or not, and this allowed Bob to carry out the moves that would boost both his raw power and defense against Electric attacks. And when Cassius didn't attack when Bob gave him the chance, the battle had already been won according to him. He didn't bother stifling his cackle any more. "Suit yourself," he said, lowering his front end to the ground as if poised to pounce.
But he wasn't quite that ignorant. From the Raichu's choice of dealing with Bob's initial attack, as well as his decision to let him move first, Bob had a pretty good idea that he aimed to counter him head-on once again, and Bob wasn't about to play into his trap. The Zigzagoon's ability to strike from a distance was limited, but he had a couple tricks up his sleeve.
Focusing his newly gathered strength throughout his body, a myriad of sharp spines extended from his fur, pointed in the Raichu's direction. In one forceful motion, he launched every spike simultaneously, each one a green, razor-sharp blur. This beefed-up Pin Missile might not have been the most accurate move, but with any luck, it was exactly the opposite of what Cassius expected and would have no difficulty inflicting some crippling pain.
Bob was not done. Just after unleashing this attack, he followed up with another direct Headbutting charge. With Cassius hopefully distracted from the Pin Missile, Bob would ideally be able to cause some real damage this way. He couldn't even consider the possibility of this maneuver backfiring, as reckless as it was, because if it failed, he would be left wide open to whatever counter-attack the Raichu was packing. Even with Mud Sport's effects active, he wasn't sure if he could survive even one strong physical attack after using Belly Drum.
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Post by Digizel on Jun 19, 2014 20:32:26 GMT -5
Cassius' eyes widened slightly as he watched the Zigzagoon spread out slightly and extend some sharp spines from his fur. At that point, he knew what was coming. However, he also needed to maintain his concentration if he wanted to do what he planned. Evading or taking the hit would make concentration difficult for him...so he would have no choice but to change his tactics at the last minute. Or...there was still one option remaining. And while he could still get off a strong attack and probably come off better from it...but where was the fun in staying back and away?
Instead, he rushed forward, apparently toward the Pin Missile attack. However, he was moving slightly to the side, managing to keep his focus and just evade the incoming sharp needles of fur. Since he was staying on the offensive, rather than shifting gears entirely and focusing on being defensive, he was able to maintain his complete attention.
However, the Zigzagoon had not stopped at that. No, instead he came rushing forward, clearly preparing for another Headbutt attack of his own. But that was just fine. He was prepared for this one. He then smirked and clenched his fist tightly. As the Zigzagoon came barreling toward him, he lifted his arm...which started giving off a white glow. He then smirked, ready to compare his normal level of strength with the maxed-out power of the Zigzagoon. He smirked and thrust his fist forward, trying to smash his Focus Punch attack into the Zigzagoon's face just as the Headbutt reached him. It would be an identical exchange to their previous one...only this time, there would be a lot more on the line for the both of them. Somebody was going to be taking some serious damage here. Probably both of them. But Cass had no intention of staying down, no matter how hard he was hit....
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Jun 19, 2014 21:07:14 GMT -5
Bob kept a close eye on his opponent as the pin projectiles reached him. He prepared to increase his speed and close in on what would surely be a foe too injured to immediately move, but he saw a worrying sight. Cassius had managed to side-step his attack in its entirety after all, while completely maintaining the focus on his upcoming counter. This Pokemon was much more experienced than Bob had given him credit for, but it was practically too late to adapt to this new information now. He had no choice but to continue along at full speed and hope he could survive the imminent train wreck. At the last second, Bob leaped into the air to aim the brunt of his attack at the Raichu's head and possibly avoid some of the impact from the opponent's Focus Punch, but that was all he could hope for.
SMACK! Bob was sent flying several feet backwards from the hit, bouncing off of the ground twice before landing at the edge of the clearing, sprawled out and drained, feeling nothing but agony in every cell of his body. The fact that he was aware of just how much that attack hurt was a good sign - it meant that he was still conscious and therefore not yet out for the count. He hadn't dared to move yet, though. He didn't even open his eyes. If he could fool his opponent into thinking he'd won, Bob might still have a chance to turn this around. Already, he was formulating a plan to take advantage of his status.
Thankfully, the punch had hit him under the chin, leaving most of his senses intact. Including, most importantly, his keen sense of smell. While pretending to be unconscious, he shifted his focus to his nose, getting as much information as he could about how the Raichu came out of that exchange and his exact positioning relative to Bob. He'd rely on his Odor Sleuth to inform him of when the best time to strike with his ultimate last resort would be...
But, regardless of how the battle might end, Bob was at least content that his first battle was a thrilling one, and against such a strong opponent.
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Post by Digizel on Jun 19, 2014 21:58:12 GMT -5
Cassius knew that he wasn't going to get out of this exchange unharmed. But even with that thought on his mind, he didn't expect to get hit with so much power. Had he been battling intelligently, he would have backed off and switched to a long-range move instead. Then, perhaps he could have managed to make a powerful hit as well as avoid taking all of this damage. Regardless, the Zigzagoon's Headbutt smashed into his own jaw and sent him flying backward. He grunted loudly in pain and was thrown onto his back, colliding with the ground with a loud thud. Once his body had hit the ground, he skid backward another meter along the ground.
"Urgh...." Cassius groaned as he simply lay there on his back on the ground, limbs sprawled out. His head spun for a few seconds from the impact. However, he wasn't finished after just one more Headbutt. Not by a long shot. He finally climbed back to his feet, shaking his head to try to clear his slightly blurry vision. The first sight that met him was of Bob, laying down on the ground close to the treeline. He couldn't help but smirk at that. He did recall that Belly Drum came with the negative side effect of inflicting some serious damage on one's own self in exchange for the severe power-up. With any luck, that meant that the Zigzagoon wouldn't have been able to take the super-effective attack that was also a very powerful move backed by his own physical prowess. He smirked at the thought...to take out his opponent in one hit? That would make for the best boasting material later.
But still, there was only one way to figure out whether the Zigzagoon was down for sure. Or at least, the only one he could think of. "You're pretty good," Cassius said with a smug grin. "But you're no match for the King." He had to admit...he was really loving the nickname he had given himself. He stepped toward the seemingly-unconscious Bob, but stopped a few feet away. He looked down at the bracelet on his arm. If it was true that defeating an opponent increased the amount of points you had...then the number should change to reflect that, right?
However the number that was on the screen was clearly a three. Then...was there something special he had to do to get it to work? That wasn't the impression he had been under from the rules as they had been explained to him. So then...was it possible that...? He then quickly looked back down at Bob, not quite as certain of his victory anymore as he had been a few moments ago.
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Jun 19, 2014 22:52:14 GMT -5
Bob couldn't help but let out a soft wheeze upon hearing his opponent's self-proclaimed superiority. 'Yep, you keep telling yourself that,' thought Bob as he kept his nose open. Second after harrowing second passed as he waited for his opponent to get close enough for him to pull it off, seeming to take an eternity as he hung on to his remaining sliver of consciousness.
His wait was about to pay off. Cassius had just finished stepping a few feet away from him and had stopped there, likely in the process of examining him to make sure he was out cold. This was good enough for Bob. By the time the Raichu looked back at him after checking his watch, he had already literally sprung into action. He utilized the last of his strength to fling himself at Cassius in a fit of desperation, his limbs going every which way.
The Flail attack, so close to defeat and still receiving the boost from Belly Drum, was the single most powerful attack that Bob could conceivably dish out. So powerful that Bob was confident it could knock out just about any opponent at full strength in one hit if it landed, and he was convinced that this was the best chance he had of that happening.
When Bob finished, he landed on his feet long enough to utter one line. "Tell your kingdom that it's under new management," he panted before he gave in to his exhaustion.
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Post by Digizel on Jun 19, 2014 23:14:55 GMT -5
Cassius had no chance at all. By the time he looked back at Bob, the seemingly unconscious Zigzagoon only feet away from him, the small Pokémon had already gone on the attack once again. His eyes widened in surprise and he was unable to react quickly enough to do anything but take the hit. He felt the Zigzagoon's attack smash into his body and he cried out loudly in pain, getting thrown cleanly off of his feet and onto his back at Bob's feet...at least, where Bob had ended up landing anyway. Cassius groaned in pain for the moment that he felt it...but soon, he felt his consciousness starting to slip away. "N...no...!" he growled to himself, struggling to stay awake. He couldn't let himself lose this fight...not so early in the tournament! But unfortunately, his struggles were completely in vain. Soon enough, his consciousness left him and he lay limp on the ground, knocked cleanly out cold after just three hits from the Zigzagoon. He didn't even get the chance to hear Bob's final one-liner.
~~~~~
Cassius laid in the grass of the clearing for quite a while. Time seemed to pass by ever so slowly in the quiet forest. Eventually, however, his eyes slowly opened as light began to fill his vision once again. He groaned for a moment, his body still relatively sore from the beating it had received earlier. However, it wasn't long before he quickly realized his situation and jumped back up to his feet in surprise. He recalled the tournament that he was now supposed to be participating in and his battle with Bob. It all came rushing back to his memory at once. "DAMMIT!" growled at nobody but himself. "How could I let myself lose in my first match of the tournament!?" He was furious with himself. If he couldn't beat that lousy Zigzagoon, how was he supposed to outmatch Doug!?
From that point, Cassius continued to rage at himself for almost a whole nother minute before he thought to look at the bracelet on his arm. But what he saw surprised him. Displayed on the device's display was the number three. He stopped and stared for a while, dumbfounded and completely stumped. But...he had fallen unconscious, right? He'd lost...right? But lowering his bracelet, he saw the answer. Bob, right on the ground where he had landed before, seemingly just as unconscious as he must have been. "...Oh," he mumbled much more lowly and quietly this time. "So then...was it...a draw...?" Well, there was only one way to find out for sure.
Cassius stepped up to the Zigzagoon and examined him for a moment. Sure enough, he was out cold. And the display on the device on his leg was...? He lifted the Zigzagoon's paw and turned it in his hands. Sure enough, there it was another "3" was displayed. So neither of them had been awarded a point. Or...perhaps it was that they had both been awarded a point and had one taken away simultaneously. Whatever the case, there wasn't a change in their standings. He actually even felt rather silly for how much he had raged a few moments ago. Good think the raccoon Pokémon hadn't been awake for that.... He looked down at the Zigzagoon again. He had to admit...the little guy was a lot more impressive than what he had expected. Maybe he should actually learn his name this time.
"Hey, uh...you," Cassius said, lifting his foot to nudge the seemingly unconscious Pokémon in the side with it. "The...erm...friend of the Buizel. Get up, would ya?" He continued to nudge Bob with his foot, hoping that, eventually, he could get the Zigzagoon up and back on his feet. If this failed, he could always kick the little guy. It would probably actually be somewhat satisfying after he had knocked him out.
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Jun 20, 2014 14:52:06 GMT -5
Bob frolicked through a pink, endless field of fresh and tantalizing donuts. Sprinkles fluttered through the sky like a sweet sleet as he danced about on the dessert desert. He could make out a faint voice, calling to him from the distance. For some reason, the voice didn't seem to know his name. He made his way up a particularly large donut dune to get a good look and give the voice a piece of his mind when suddenly, the mound gave way beneath him, causing him to take a huge fall.
Bob jolted awake, jumping away from the foot that initiated the fall. The realization that his donut world was imaginary was somewhat upsetting, but his spirits lifted when he remembered about the tournament, and of his most recent victory. He looked up to see the face of his defeated victim and let out a chuckle. "Hah... I can't believe you'd stick around after getting your tail handed to you," he laughed, rolling over lazily. "Don't worry, though. I'm not going to beat you up again. That'd be cheap."
He stretched, flipping back onto all fours and shaking off the last fragments of refreshing sleep. He didn't feel even the slightest bit exhausted from the fight thanks to his use of the Rest move. He brought his foreleg in front of him to admire his newly-acquired point, which put him up to... 3?
"No, that can't be right..." he muttered. He was pretty sure he started with 3 points. He shook the bracelet, even pounding it on the ground a couple of times, but it was not defective. He really didn't gain a point from that. "You can't be serious..." he denied again, starting to pace back and forth, remembering the fight. "Cashews nearly beat me with Focus Punch... I pretended to be defeated... then I took him out with my Flail... and then I used Rest so that I could--"
Bob stopped. Of course. He had been so severely weakened by the Focus Punch that it was all he could do to get off his last attack before he collapsed. Apparently, just having Rest was enough for him to fully recover after that, but the fact that he let himself slip out of consciousness... unconsciously... was enough for that match to be considered a draw. He scowled as the outrage built up inside of him, but before it could explode, he took a moment to think about it. This guy was his equal. Neither one came out on top of that exchange. For the first time since coming to this dimension, Bob had finally found someone whose skill he could respect without being blinded by the anger of defeat.
He looked up at Cassius with a smile. "Good game," he simply said.
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Post by Digizel on Jun 20, 2014 17:05:48 GMT -5
Cassius raised a brow as Bob finally jolted awake at another one of his foot taps. "Geez, it's about time," he muttered. "You really like to-huh?" It was then that he was quickly interrupted as the Zigzagoon started talking again. From the sound of things, he seemed to believe that he had won that battle, rather than having been knocked completely unconscious. But he didn't say anything at first. He longed to correct Bob's mistake so that he could stop seeming so inferior, but he figured it would be a lot better to let him figure out what happened himself. The reaction he would see would undoubtedly be a lot better that way.
Finally, Bob had rolled over onto his back and checked the device on his forepaw. Cassius could not help but allow a smirk to cross his face as he waited for the reaction. He grinned as he watched Bob try to work out what had gone wrong in the battle...and then it happened. Zigzagoon scowled and he fought down a laugh, stifling it before he could let it out. He didn't even care that the Zigzagoon had continued to get his name wrong at this point. Here it came...the burst of anger and outrage that he had been waiting for....
Wait. What? "Good game?" That was all he had to say? Cassius looked at the Zigzagoon in surprise. He had expected his opponent to be a lot more...upset about the loss of his win, almost like he had been earlier. But instead, he seemed to be more...respectful of his strength. This was demeanor he hadn't really seen before. Maybe from Doug, but that fight had been so long ago that he couldn't remember if that was the case or not. Every other battle he had fought had ended bitterly for one fighter and voluminously glorious for the other. This was...certainly a new one. To the point where Cassius could not help but grin back at Bob with the same feeling building inside of him.
"Yeah. Good game," he replied. "You're one tough little guy. To go head to head with me and actually come out in a draw? I'm actually impressed you could still stand after that Focus Punch."
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Jun 21, 2014 2:13:04 GMT -5
Bob laughed modestly. "It's like I always say: it's not over 'til it's over, and when it's not over you can keep making it not over until... uh... it gets over." He scratched his head, having lost himself probably as much as he lost Cassius. "I'm paraphrasing, of course. Myself. Paraphrasing myself." He looked around, realizing he was not making himself look any less awkward.
"So, uh, I guess we should probably stick together from now on?" Bob proposed. "I mean, there's a good chance other people are forming squads and we don't want to be caught on our own in an ambush... plus, with your awesome power and my strategic genius, we could wreck anything in no time!" Bob thought about the possibility of gathering a new team of promising individuals and monopolizing the entire tournament. It'd be just like his days in Sinnoh, with his old team of all-star Pokemon...
...he hadn't thought about his old Pokemon in a long time. He still didn't know what became of them. Had they been abducted and scattered about the dimension just like him, or were they left in the real world, forced to carry on without their trainer? Would they even survive without him? He knew they were all smart enough to think for themselves, but without Bob to guide them how could he know that they were staying out of trouble? What if some evil organization snatched them up and forced them into doing nefarious deeds?
Bob shook his head. Regardless of what happened to them, he couldn't do a thing about it from where he was, so worrying about them constantly would only hold him back. He would instead make a new team in their honor. One that might not be as potent or tightly-knit as his old team, but with all of Bob's new experiences under his belt, helping him bring the team together, it was sure to be something incredible in its own right. It would be more than capable of taking the tournament by storm. All he needed was the right Pokemon... and Cassius was most definitely one of them.
"Then it's settled," Bob suddenly spoke up, regardless of what Cassius might have said during his self-absorbed internal planning. "Together, we ride into... into..." He glanced around again, trying his best to remember the lay of the land, but ultimately failing. He usually had someone else to help him navigate. He looked toward his new companion. "Uh, where do you think we should be going first?"
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Post by Digizel on Jun 21, 2014 9:59:36 GMT -5
Cassius simply stared at Bob as the Zigzagoon continued to jabber on and simply sound more and more awkward as he did so. He definitely understood why the Buizel runt from before was so hesitant to hang out with this strange Pokémon. But still, he was one very impressive Zigzagoon. Not many could go head-to-head with a fully evolved Pokémon and fight so well. Sure, he may have evolved from a Stone rather than from a power-based evolution with experience, but it wasn't as though he had used the Thunder Stone very early in his Pikachu stage. He had definitely not evolved until he had deemed it appropriate in his training. And it had been a legitimate, mostly-even battle. No matter how he looked at it, this Zigzagoon had certainly earned his respect.
"Yeah, I guess sticking together sounds like a good plan," Cassius said in response. He folded his arms against his chest and looked around him. He had nearly forgotten where they were; the Aina Forest. This was a location he was all-too familiar with. When Bob complimented his power along with his own strategic prowess, he couldn't help but grin slightly again and flex one of his arms. "Yeah, I am really strong, huh?" he added oh-so-modestly. "And you are definitely a smart one. What with that Belly Drum and Flail thing you had going. I think you're right; we could stomp anyone who dared to get in our way." He then paused, partially for dramatic effect as well as give him the time to really think about what he was going to say next. "And once everybody else has been defeated, we can have our rematch to see who the champion really is. Deal?" His grin changed to a smirk as he looked down at Bob yet again. This was going to be one interesting tournament....
First, however, he had to figure out what they were going to do here. He supposed that there wasn't really much TO do. They had to acquire ten points each and figure out the location of the next part of the tournament...that meant that they had to find fourteen other opponents between the two of them at least in order to move on. Defeating them shouldn't be much of a problem, unless they ran into specific opponents along the way...particularly opponents that had participated in the original Wish Festival tournament. He had a feeling that they would be very difficult to triumph over, even if they double-teamed them.
At Bob's question, he smirked again. "Don't you worry about that," Cassius replied, folding his arms against his chest again. "We're in the Aina Forest right now. I trained here for practically my entire life, up to a certain point. I know most of this forest like the back of my hand. And I can tell you that there's a town not too far from here called Tyric. I think that that would make for a good start in our search."[/b] He looked down at the Zigzagoon again. "Does that sound like a plan to you, Mr. Strategy?"
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Jun 21, 2014 13:49:43 GMT -5
"Oh yes, don't think I wasn't planning on having a rematch," Bob eagerly responded. "It'll be down to just you and me, the two tournament finalists. The entire world will be watching our epic showdown, the ultimate struggle between yin and yang... Or maybe we're more like peanut butter and jelly..." The mere mentioning of the words 'peanut butter and jelly' caused Bob's stomach to rumble. He hadn't eaten since the tournament began, and now all he could think about was food. "Man, I could really go for a sandwich right now... Well, either way, it'll truly be a sight to behold."
"Oh, good, a town!" Bob said excitedly. "There's bound to be good places to eat there!" He couldn't shake the feeling that he had heard of Tyric before, perhaps even been there, but every time he tried to think too deeply, an image of some sort of food took over his mind. "Wait, didn't I have..." He trailed off, checking his person for the various berries and other treats he kept on him at all times. "Yep, it's all still here!" Bob beamed as he produced a pile of berries, almost as big as he was, from seemingly nowhere. Without thinking, he went straight for a Pecha Berry, devouring it nearly whole and moving on to a second one just as fast.
He froze with the berry halfway to his mouth, suddenly remembering that Cassius was still there. "Oh, sorry," he hastily apologized. "Help yourself, if you're hungry. Just don't touch the Pecha Berries." He raised the Pecha he was holding to take a bite, but stopped short again. "Oh, or the Nanab Berries. Or Mago. Or... look, if it's sweet, it's mine, got it? Good." He finally took a bite, satisfied that he had covered all of his bases.
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Post by Digizel on Jun 21, 2014 15:25:23 GMT -5
Cassius chuckled lightly at Bob's mention of his vision of a rematch. "That sounds like a good plan," he replied. "I'll look forward to it. But next time, you won't be taking me by surprise like you did this time." He wasn't sure if he had been with a Pokémon like Bob before. He was certainly one of a kind...and it was honestly rather refreshing. He was so used to having serious Pokémon around him all the time...the Zigzagoon was certainly a breath of fresh air comparatively.
In fact, Cassius couldn't help but even let out a small laugh as Bob pulled out a pile of berries roughly his own size. At this point, he had determined that it was best not to question anything at all about anything the Zigzagoon ever did. However, now that he mentioned it, he hadn't eaten since that match he had ended up first meeting with Doug back in the original tournament. He was relatively hungry himself...and such a fierce battle did work up quite an appetite. In fact, at that very thought, his stomach let out a very audible grumble and he couldn't help but blush slightly, with him finding it slightly embarrassing. And without the stands from the fairgrounds around him, he didn't really have any other way of obtaining food outside of simple foraging. So this was probably his best bet.
"Heh...that's alright, you can have the sweets," he said. "They're alright." As he spoke, he eyed the pile of berries and then grinned when he saw what he was looking for. He reached down and pulled a Figy Berry out of the pile. "The Spicy berries are where it's at with me," he added before sitting down right beside the Zigzagoon, taking a bite out of the Berry. At that moment, he realized something.
"Hey, I never did catch your name, I don't think," Cassius said. "I know you...still don't exactly have my name, but I guess I should actually know yours before I criticize you at all." He took one more bite of the Figy Berry in his hand, feeling the restoration properties of his very favorite Berry restore his energy and ease his aching body. "So could you remind me what it is? I should probably remember the name of one of my greatest rivals, right?" Perhaps he had exaggerated that last bit...but exaggeration seemed like it would work wonders with this guy.
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