-???, Buttina-
“If you are that insistent on canines for your friend Pom then why not get her a Skag from Pandora, they’re canine and can be trained… well enough.” It wouldn’t even be hard to find one or a Skag egg, getting it would be one hell of a thing though. “Of course they are monstrous canines so Pom is likely to be in danger trying to deal with even a baby that will gnaw on everything on top of the other canines.”
“Fred, plot a course for planet Pandora in Buttina’s dimension!” Oleander looks like she had a fire lit under her butt.
Why did I even make that suggestion? Oh right, we’ve lost a few fights and Oleander was getting a bit desperate to rescue Pom despite not having a single inkling on where she could be given we were on a time crunch. Oleander sure has done a lot of good in multiple universes though and she never asks for much reward for it, I on the other hoof looted everything under the sun that wasn't nailed down like a Vault Hunter. I was definitely making bank on these adventures.
“Skags can get pretty big though.” I had a ton of stuff in the cargo hold to sell back on Pandora, maybe I can get my hooves on some of that tasty Eridium. Maybe take a few merc jobs and show some bandits why Pandoran Bicorns are dangerous to even go near. I’m too good a friend to say no to at least seeing my toilet bowl of a backwater home again…. I wonder how my friends back on Pandora are doing.
“Good, the better it can protect Pom when it grows up!” Quite sure you were a bit nuts Oleander, but your friend would have to be alive to make getting a skag egg worth it. Those three jawed, gnaw happy, spear tongued canines were quite ornery to deal with. “Remind me, what are the varieties they come in again?”
Oh here we go...
-Pokémon World, Ransei, northern bridge between Aurora and Ignis, Shanty-
“So anyone can come up with an idea of a title like say ‘Fighter’ and have it become a thing?” My conversation with Favela was going nicely.
It would be nicer if we didn’t have a battle on the way, I was beginning to feel I know what Pom feels like when you know stuff like this is coming now.
“Well it has to somewhat resonate with the individual to have some form of meaning. We’re not quite sure if Arceus is doing something when it comes to titles or if it’s just another form of super power like the known ones that hasn’t truly awakened, but it almost feels like something has happened with Favela.” My grassy goat friend be a bit nervous considering what we were doing here, we were waiting on news from Smolder scouting ahead to the north with Ocellus on a cloud.
“Incoming, we have a small force of at least three units moving on us and a large force heading for Greenleaf!” Smolder announced as she and Ocellus drove the cloud they were using down to us.
“We have to stop them or stall them from attacking Greenleaf somehow!” Glancing at Favela, I noted she be gaining a look of grim determination, I be knowing that look as I be having it myself at times.
My life be all sorts of grim, but what would… oh… her mother Vetali in Arbora. To think it wasn’t too long ago that I be thinking about the mother I can barely be remembering being a changeling.
“I agree with that, we can’t let the people of Greenleaf be burned out of their homes.” Also I couldn’t be letting Favela get reckless like I am about needing to make sure Arbora doesn’t get attacked or ransacked.
“Well at least Captain Skeeball took Maiden Jig with her on Willhelm when she set out for Greenleaf Kingdom so she didn’t have to cross the bridges to get there.” Ocellus is being nervous, probably the malice in the air from all those people coming to attack Aurora.
It be nice that Aurora had some air mobility with Wilhelm being able to move people freely like an airship. Wilhelm is also being a big water Pokémon, with big attacks that can stop a lot of fire Pokémon cold. We didn’t have much of a defense force here, then again they weren’t sending much of an offensive at us. Eighteen Pokémon couldn’t be too hard to fight right?
“What do the Pokemon look like?” Geoff asked as he was leading a defensive force of Teeth’s Brigand unit of Rattata and Geoffs own unit. We were being a little outnumbered, but I think would could still do it.
“Pigs, bipedal rabbits and dark dogs that look like they adorn themselves with bones.” Answered Ocellus swiftly.
“That would be Tepig’s, Scorbunnies and Houndours, the Houndours will be the fastest to attack. We should take advantage of that to take down the Houndour unit first and as fast as we can before the Scorbunny unit hits us. Tepigs won’t be too hard to fight, the scorbunnies are going to be a pain in our backsides though.” Looking to Quetal, it be taking him some time to realize we had our attentions on him. “Huh? Oh, Right. With Houndours you’ll want to watch out for biting attacks and they’ll gang up on you with the move Beat Up, Beat Up can’t be used as a unit command because it basically is one already. The more Pokémon near a Houndour when they use Beat Up the more powerful the attack, we need to take them out swiftly. They will also use Ember attacks, most of their attacks are going to come from their mouths so hitting them in the jaw will stop most of their attacks, they tend to have problems with long range attacks while moving. Watch out for their teamwork and don’t let them gang up on you. As for Tepig they are more likely to use tackling or charging based attacks, but they will also shoot fire from their nostrils. So moving to the side if one is coming at you is advised, but also take caution to roll or duck as they can still blow flames as they pass by you as well, they are good at hit and run. As for Scorbunny, good luck figuring out a strategy for them, they are well rounded and it looks like they are equipped with blades. Watch out for any kicking motions from them as they tend to use their lower bodies as they move around. Shanty and I should focus on them when they make their way to the front.”
How would he be knowing they have… oh… they were about to be coming across the bridge to attack us.
“We’ll take forward Geoff, cover us from behind.” Quetal stated and then turned to gesture at me. “The Ratatta will engage when we need to retreat.”
“Right, let’s be moving, Favela stay behind me and prep a Surf attack!” I pointed a hoof forward
“Aye Aye, Captain Shanty!” Not a captain yet Favela, not without a ship, but I be appreciating the enthusiasm and feeling anyway.
“I should be up front too, they can’t do a thing to hurt me with fire.” Be knowing that Smolder, but can you say the same for any other kind of attacks? Pom would be advocating caution by now… I’m sure she would have been able to talk down the Houndour too. “Dodo, be making sure they can’t hit Favela with fire.”
“Does Dodo count as a steel type? That might not be a great idea.” Don’t be worrying Favela, Dodo already be agreeing to do it.
“Yeah, but he cannot be creating a wave of water to douse their flames of war.” I started moving forward onto the bridge and recalled the Riolu and Lucario we fought a short while ago. “I be trusting Dodo with our lives, besides he is not being completely helpless.”
A pastry flew towards me and I leapt to catch it in my mouth, Dodo always be thinking of me… can’t wait to see when he’ll be able to fly or spit those rippling energy beams again. Mmm… cream cheese muffin, Dodo Warbled as he followed and stay next to Favela.
“Ready up sexy Wooloo, It’s time to defend our country again!” Geoff ordered behind us loudly. “Everyone take positions!”
“Wait, can I help?!” We turned to look back at the new Pokémon that showed up… it is being an animate pile of purple sludge or mud?!
“Oh it’s my boyfriend! Yay~!” One of the female Wooloo among Geoff’s unit stated.
“Oh my gosh/ so lucky/ oh what handsome guy he is!” The other Wooloo stated and I just be staring back at them with Favela and Dodo. Kind of wish I could get drunk on rum now…
“Sure join our unit on the defense line and stay behind us, we’re about to be hit by fire types!” Ordered Geoff, who didn’t look to mind the extra help. “Figure out how to help, but we don’t want to seriously hurt anyone if we can help it. Can you do attacks that are not poisonous? Also be sure to think about everyone and not just your girlfriend even if she is a hot Wooloo.”
“Yes sir, Cleric Geoff!” The mud pile stated while waving an arm in his direction.
“Guys focus, incoming Houndour, get ready!” Quetal be bringing our attentions back to the front, like he said the Houndour were very far in front of the other two units giving us some time to fight. “Do not let them use Beat Up, distract and interrupt them quickly if they start glowing in a dark manner!”
Right got it, Smolder be moving in front of us and I be taking up a position on the left as Quetal took a position on the right. Ocellus be staying back with Dodo and Favela in a similar formation with Favela at the head, Dodo on her left and Ocellus on the right.
Brigand Teeth was staying next to the Wooloo on defensive. As far as number be going we be evenly matched and the bridge wasn’t being too damaged from the last time we fought around it. However I don’t think we be quite matched in skill…
“When you be saying a lot were heading to Green Leaf… how many is that compared to here?” Not knowing what the other numbers are like, I was worried these three units could pull reinforcements at a moment’s notice.
“Compared to what we’re seeing here, I think Aurora is getting the better end of the big stick we saw at least fifty or so heading for Green Leaf and that wasn’t even the full size of their force.” Smolder answered with a definite worry.
“There’s at least a few hundred of them camping out north of the bridges into Ignis, a lot of them better equipped than the ones they are sending at us.” As nervous as Ocellus was, she was still willing to help defend Aurora and there was the implication of how big a force they could be sending.
That just means our opposition be underestimating us gravely… this will not be a repeat of what be happening in Gongmen Cities occupation if we can be helping it!
The Houndour were on the bridge and charging straight at Smolder, I spread my four hooves out slightly and then readied to make them walk a plank into the river to cool off. When I get a ship, I was going to name it ‘THE PLANK’, even be putting big lettering on it and everything… maybe draw a face on it and befriend it if I was feeling silly enough.
The three front running dogs opened fire on Smolder with ember attacks, Smolder just blocked the small flecks of flames with her arms to no effect. Then the first canine Pokémon be lunging for her and biting at her left arm… much to his detriment as tears be filling his eyes afterwards because the dog bit into scales that were the hard for anything to so much as scratch.
“Yeah, biting me was probably the worst mistake you’ve ever made…” Smolder stated dryly as she curled up her left claw into a fist and smashed it into the side of the fire breathing dog’s head making it yelp and toppling it while freeing herself up. Smolder spread her wings and started forward. “Okay, let’s party!”
Quetal was instantly moving for the dog on our left as I moved forward for the one on our right. They be leaping right at me and I went into a slide underneath them, to end up behind them. There bite be missing me by a mile as I came into a standing position behind them and slapped their backside with my rear hooves launching them in the direction of our other friends flailing.
We did be needing to deal with them quickly, as the center one of the next three started glowing until a bolt from Ocellus be striking him on the forehead dropping his concentration as I charged forward and shoulder tackled the guy on the right in the throat to prevent him from even starting.
Quetal had knocked the guy on the left into the rear guy stopping him from starting up that attack.
Behind us I heard Dodo be doing something and the fire blasting hound I kicked that way went flying forward and bowled over some of the hounds again including the one I just smashed in the throat.
“Incoming!” Favela shouted, both Quetal and I be moving out of the way of the incoming attack onto the side rails of the bridge as a wave of water swept through.
Smolder just didn’t care as she stood in the path of the small tidal wave that blasted through the centered unit of dour hounds.
Smolder just continued to stand and stare at our opponents after the attack in the middle of the bridge with her arms crossed, not having moved an inch from the water attack Favela launched. She raised her right brow delicately and I be noticing she had her toes clenched into the stonework of the bridge to stay in place.
After the tidal wave had passed the six hounds were left soggy mess on the far end of the bridge and several spheres of lightning flew overhead and were doing minimal damage as they were quickly deflected by blasts of flames and fireballs be fired back towards us by the Tepigs.
I still be thinking it weird that they can shoot fireballs from their noses, their sense of smell must always be good at least. I be looking to the west to see smoke rising up in the sky. Things over that way weren’t going as well as they were here, I hoped Favela’s mother would be okay.
“A grass Type with a water move, send word back to the camp for reinforcements!” One of the dogs that had been hit by the tidal wave Favela be making was still awake.
I be flicking an ear upwards and listening in.
“You think that’s bad, that dragon didn’t even flinch when hit with fire or water, I agree we need reinforcements like yesterday!” Well that be a bad thing to hear from one of the pigs, even as the pigs and sheep continued to fire long distance shots at one another, arcing sometimes out at us to be swiftly avoided or in Smolder’s case taken without an inch of flinching from her. “I know we have Hideyoshi backed into a corner and it’s only a matter time of before Lu Bu takes the seat, but we all know he’s not one to take any loss lightly. Which is why we need to win here! We can’t fully take Hideyoshi on without extra supplies, unless we want to do a reckless assault. I don’t know about you, but after what happened in Lord Lu Bu’s last one, he is definitely keen on doing something like that at the expense of the rest of us again and given how things are going here… we’ve confirmed that Aurora’s awake and it’s just a matter of time before we’re all taken down!”
I quickly sidestepped a fast flying fireball as it struck the bridge next to me and watched as one of the pigs ran off.
“We could collapse the bridge, fire types don’t like swimming.” Quetal murmured out to the left. “It would make things harder later on… so no… no we can’t do that then.”
A fireball struck out at Quetal and passed through him and then I blinked a bit at the sight, I be seeing him standing to the left of where the fireball had hit and looking a bit back there were multiple copies of him in the same thinking pose.
I noted only one of them was being real, he was just moving fast enough to be leaving afterimages of himself. Pom learned a lot of her skills and abilities by watching her friends and I can be learning a lot by paying attention to mine too. Don’t know if I was fast enough to replicate that move, but I could think of a few ways to deal with it if I had to fight an opponent after I be seeing it.
“Heads up, here comes the hot pigs.” Smolder stated blandly, looking unimpressed with the five charging pigs and I could see the blade wielding rabbits coming at us from behind them.
Smolder spread her stance out and waiting the pigs blew fireballs at us, focusing their efforts on hitting Favela behind both Smolder and Dodo. Geoff’s team started focusing on the rabbits instead once they got close and I got ready to surprise them further as I brought my hooves.
“Riptide!” I fired a blast of water at the ground and it came out too fast for the charging fire pigs to react to, it exploded and splashed in their direction putting the fire out in the pig’s noses as they were close enough to the blast.
Their charge was halted entirely out of shock and the speed of which I belted out that water blast, I be grinning as we got them flat hoofed having just put out all their fires.
I quickly leapt forward slashing with my right hoof in an overhead attack and Quetal started firing stars into them. Smolder charged forward claws out.
My hoof slapped down on the pigs skull and having landed on my right hind hoof I lashed out with my left hind leg to launch them backwards with a bloodied nose. Didn’t use a cutting slash, I not be wanting to bleed them out.
Pom taught me to be careful with my Cut-lash fighting style, but that doesn’t mean I can’t throw hooves well enough without cutting arcs, but I’d definitely be needing them for those blade bunnies. A blast of magic zipped past and knocked down another pig and I noted the six rabbits charging us.
I moved forward by myself while Smolder and Quetal dealt with the other three pigs still standing, they weren’t being very strong or organized. I can be telling that we were not be getting their best fighters by far, especially if they be going down this fast.
The first rushing rabbit pulled his blade and swung for me, I lashed out my left hoof upwards and let it generate the arcing cut that deflected the blade. I managed to get them in the right leg as they jumped back with my right hoof swinging down at them.
The first of the next three swings at me was deflected by my right hoof swinging backwards and my right hind leg kicked the next blade to the side before it could hit me. The rabbit swinging for me was surprised I reacted quickly to that.
The third swing for me was the sword being lit on fire which shocked me for a moment, it was thankfully and swiftly deflected by Quetal’s left claw and he flickered past the rabbit slashing them across the side with his right.
“Keep it up Shanty, we’ve got this!” Quetal stated as he flickered with a leaping forward flip and slashed by another bunny leaving a slash mark across their chest to hip. “If you’re going to use weapons, then we’ll just have to treat you seriously.”
“Darn it, don’t let them push us back anymore!” One of the rabbits yelled as they leap and her blade was met by a slash from left hoof as my right cut across their chest and sent them falling. “Agh!”
“We’re getting our butts handed to us here!” One of the three remaining rabbits stated as they brought their blade down on Smolder and watched with wide eyed terror as the blade broke and went flying off the bridge into the water. The rabbit just stood there staring at his broken blade as Smolder’s right fist came for his face. “Ngh…”
I turned and deflected a blade up as it went for my neck and slammed my head down into the smaller opponent knocking them down and out, having a thick skull is not always being a bad thing. Quetal took care of another one in a series of flashes as they darted about slashing them up.
A vine slammed into the back of the third ones head as they held their blade at us in a defensive posture, they dazedly dropped their blade as Favela quickly tackled them into the ground with a solid blow to the chest. Favela still looked quite worried as she glance to the west of us.
“This was too easy… somethings up.” The moment Quetal said that my eyes, narrowed and I leapt for him, lashing out with my right hoof as hard as I could. “Wha…”
Two cutting arcs met and a slightly bigger rabbit was reflected back to reveal they were holding a blade and trying to regain their balance as they were knocked back.
“A Raboot, faster than Scorbunny’s at least. We just dealt with a weak scouting force.” From what Quetal was saying, I take it the Raboot was an evolved version of Scorbunny and quite a bit stronger. Also the Raboot look like they be wearing a hoodie… is their fur just like that naturally? That’s actually pretty cool, if they weren’t trying to hurt us or invade Aurora.
With another flicker of movement my left hoof deflected another blade strike with an inward arc, knocking the rabbit back and I myself found myself skidding away too barely managed to stay upright. He be actually hitting hard enough to knock me off balance.
I swung my right leg and locked his blade against my cutting arc and he suddenly received a slash to his side from Quetal and then was blasted with several stars that knocked him back and he started to retreat.
“There’s more of them coming, I just know it.” Quetal muttered as another wave from Favela sent the fire Pokémon washing back the way they be coming from.
“Heading up, I’m feeling something…” Ocellus announced before taking to the air and we waited. “There’s more incoming, also I think… eep fire spitting monkeys!”
Looking up I saw Ocellus coming down from having dodged a blast of fire, she landed behind Smolder who just stared flatly as a fireball slapped against her chest harmlessly.
“There are two kinds of monkey like that, those in particular would be a Pansear. Retreat and ready up, because here they come and there’s going to be more on the way.” Quetal readied his claws and I took up a position next to him. “Oh and thanks for the save Shanty.”
“You’re welcome.” I said as the Raboot was forming up with five others, those Pansears were also coming in and there were quite a few bat like beings in the air.
Geoff and the other Wooloo were already targeting them with fast firing spheres of lightning.
“Ugh… they’re sending zubats in… those guys always go everywhere, can’t avoid them no matter what region of the world you’re in.” Grumbled Quetal who seemed worried and was backing up a bit towards our defensive line. “Not to mention they are also bringing in more ground forces.”
Dodo be looking to me and warbled worriedly while shifting his new metallic wings around a bit, I can feel he be missing his energy firing beak now.
“Don’t worry Dodo, they won’t be getting by us!” I stated with a certainty, although it seemed like even more Ignis Pokémon were coming for the bridge now.
We couldn’t exactly aid Greenleaf if I we couldn’t get to them… considering the larger numbers that be coming our way.
Well to put it simply, we had to worry about ourselves first before worrying about others!
-Violight Capital, Violight Castle, Jail Cell, Pom-
“Do you think Shanty and the others are alright?” Being trapped in a jail cell while they were doing who knows what with Lit was leaving me a bit worried.
Of course they had us on trespassing, not like we could have helped that considering where we appeared. We needed to sit tight and wait to make sure we’re not found guilty of ill intent.
“Hey, I’m sure they’re fine Pom, they’re tough! Besides they’re probably in safe in Aurora right now.” One could only hope Dolly. “Worry about here and now, like what might be happening to Lit.”
-Aurora northern bridge to Ignis, Dragoon Jiri-
“Join Aurora’s soldiers Jiri, become a hero Jiri… what was I thinking? Being a hero really is as Pom said it was… difficult, sometimes unfair and likely to make you a martyr after a certain point… but I think I still want to be one… also I have friends to protect with my life!” I lunged forward and flew more than halfway across the bridge and rammed the dulled point of my spear into a Raboots skull knocking them out and into a bunch of other enemy Pokémon to land next to a beleaguered Quetal. I turned back and yelled for my friends. “Battle Bears, let’s go!”
I was getting much better at forward Bounce lunges, however I was not going to jump up higher than six feet, because that always leads to an immense amount of trouble for me. I quickly looked around to see Favela, Ocellus and that odd metal bird Dodo defending themselves as much as they could from the Zubat swarming about.
My bear unit started forward and Cubby was a bit reluctant because ice types generally don’t like going near fire types, also his recent injuries were still hurting quite a bit even if Chan dealt with the worst of it.
We had just arrived and our northern bridge was being overrun with fire Pokémon and Zubat, a lot of Zubat really…. how many freaking Zubat did they need in their army?! Are Zubat really that cheap to hire? I mean come on! The mouths with wings were so annoying, who’d honestly be insane enough to actually take this many into their army considering all the leavings they leave behind? There’s a reason why nobody would go into a Zubat cave unless it was incredibly necessary for survival.
The little blue bats were everywhere and swarming Team Harmony’s forward defensive position on the bridge. Too bad we can’t get the Bidoof in on this, they were still out of it after the battle in Fontaine.
“Hey, welcome to the party Jiri, please cover us while we take a quick break behind what amounts to our artillery!” Quetal shouted over the sound of a good fifty or so Zubats flapping their wings and screeching inanely before firing off a Swift into the crowd of Zubat knocking a few down into the river. “Shanty, Smolder, we’re falling back to let Jiri’s unit take the front! Dodo, Favela and Ocellus, cover our fallback!”
Shanty was in the middle of deflecting several blades and I made note of a small pattern as she defended against the Raboot aggressive trying to strike her down as she deflected and attack back to be deflected herself. I took note of Smolder dealing with flaming monkeys and she was handling herself fairly well, even if she apparently didn’t have a fighting style beyond brawling.
I ran forward and brought up the shield on my right arm to catch the next blade swing, I pivoted to slam my spear home into the Raboot’s gut and they doubled over immediately having been caught entirely off guard.
“Thanks, to think today just be getting started…” Shanty quickly raised her left leg to the sky, hopped and dropped her left knee on it’s the back of the Raboot’s head knocking them out. She then started backing away while firing a blast of water from swiping her hooves forward to knock out a swarm of Zubat that had been harassing them considering she had a few bite marks on her. “All yours for a few minutes, be being safe!”
“Thanks, I’ll manage!” I deflected a sword to the side with my spear and jammed it into the Attack Raboots leg and locked them in place with it for a left Focus Punch to land from charging Teddy.
The blow sent the poor, hopefully unconscious, Raboot through several other Raboot and knocking down other Pokémon trying to make progress as the Harmony Team and friends fell back.
I raised my shield and held my spear at the ready, this… was going to be a long day.
Ignis’s civil war had apparently spilled over into being an all-out war, at least that’s what one faction appeared to be doing with nations they think are weak. We’re going to show them why that’s a bad idea, I hope Evan can get some help from the artillery of Fontaine.
Stufful immediately launched forward into the air spinning wildly with a Brutal Swing knocking out a large hole in the swarming Zubats that was swiftly filled by more two spindly legged flapping annoyances.
Griz ‘Teddy’ Teddiursa was using his physical strength to ram into a Pansear through the flames they were trying to slow him down with. I’m certainly glad we all stocked up on Rawst Berries before leaving the castle, there were bound to be a lot of burns by the end of this.
Foo, the Kubfoo launched forward in a dazzling spiraling leap and landed a spinning kick into a different Pansears head while stylishly dodging its flames. Always the show off, though he could certainly fight while doing so.
Panda, the Pancham was marching forward and thrusting his paws out with rapid fire Arm Thrust attacks, he even stopped to Taunt a few Pokémon into attacking him and drawing them away from attacking Cubby. Like Quetal, as a dark type he was a great friend to have.
“It’s a good thing Ice Type Bear knows Brine.” Which was a water type attack that Cubby knew would put salt in the wounds our opponents were receiving and really hurts when you were badly injured. Fire type Pokémon were not especially happy to be hit with a Brine attack as Cubby, flicked his head several times and his nose bubble launched explosive wads of mucus covered Brine attacks that exploded on them. Gross, but ridiculously effective given Cubby’s aim was impeccably timed to the others attacks, mostly to miss them entirely while hitting their opponents with explosive snot blasts of water.
Then there’s me…
After I sent a small round fire Pokémon know as a Darumaka rolling away with a quick shield bash as they came running at me blasting fire from their mouth, I checked my shield and then hopped forward into the fray with my unit. I wasn’t about to use Bounce unless I was guaranteed to hit my target, I’ve clearly learned my lesson.
“In the defense of Aurora, we fight! So what do you fight for and will it be worth it in the end!” My comment made a number of assaulting Pokémon freeze up slightly as if fear was their only motivation for being here.
With my spear and shield raised, I began charging forward, they were on our half of the bridge and I was aiming to push them back to their side and further to help Greenleaf by drawing more of their forces onto us.