The chaotic first day of the team's arrival in Treasure Town finally came to a close. Tensions were high; the Magikarp could awaken at any time and would present a clear danger if it started moving again. Truffle handed off his scouting shift to Soda, who watched from the top of Wigglytuff's Guild, the large, imposing, pink building the tallest point in town.
Necrozma had taken the liberty of his sleepless nights to keep an eye of the most suspicious individuals of the group--while that ultimately included everyone, the most suspicious were Mellow, Owen, and Flame. None of them could be trusted; they shared Diyem's false species for a reason. While they were his top priority, and while he made no pretenses about his suspicions, he also kept an eye on Zane, enforcing his house arrest until the proper authorities could evaluate him after the town was considered safe to inhabit again.
Owen woke up early and got some meditation done to calm his spirits. Something about that was calming to him, even as the others woke up one after the other. Nip, among the early risers perhaps due to an uneasy rest in an unfamiliar location, had asked for something more substantial for breakfast. Owen obliged with the help of Curio and Flame, making something 'meaty' for the carnivorous Pokemon. While it was apparently imitation meat this time around, it was hard to tell the difference. Technology was amazing!
With breakfast served to most of the team, Necrozma drifted out of the dojo to get his own meal of the morning's sunrise. At around the same time, the distant rumbles of Magikarp returned, and Cino, confused, had to be filled in on just what they were going to be fighting.
Brisa's fur bristled at the return of the shaking ground; while Earthquakes were something she would always have to be nervous of, the fact that it was sourced from a Magikarp made things a combination of surreal and worrying.
"Hydro Pump?" Flame repeated, leaning forward. He still detested his tiny body, but it would have to do. "That Magikarp knows Hydro Pump? A Magikarp?"
Owen nodded. "I definitely know it does," he said. "I took it head-on... At least, that's what Diyem told me. I barely remember it, aside from feeling really waterlogged when I came to."
Mellow, preparing another round of tea, passed another cup to Astrid, who accepted politely. "Diyem sending so many Fire Pokemon might not have been the best choice," Mellow remarked with a frown. "But could my Sunny Day help?"
"It might!" Owen said. "Though, with how big the fight is..."
It may not affect everybody at once, Diyem interjected.
You should be careful how some of your techniques behave here. Something about your bodies, your presence, affects them in ways I have yet to predict...
But no sun trickery would intimidate Lauchs. Yes, he no longer had his shield, but he still had been gifted by their gracious and brooding commander a gigantic leek. A giant leek for a giant fish! They were unstoppable. And while he practiced his swings for the upcoming fight, Ashwood silently wondered if this would be anything like those 'raid battles' they'd seen back home. Would it get a damage shield at half health? Would it be able to attack multiple times per turn? Or were they thinking of this too much like a video game? This was real, after all. ...Probably.
"Yeah, Fire, right," Starr muttered, looking at her paws. Despite apparently being clean, everything still felt sticky and matted from the rice last night, and for some reason taking a bath no longer appealed to her in the same way. Damn instincts. Diyem should find a way to fix that before she lost her mind. "Let's just get this over with."
"But--we should finish breakfast first," Owen said. "We'll be at top form! And stuff. Truffle and Soda are still scouting, and breakfast is, uh, it's an important meal of the day, right?" He felt Dave glaring at him but tried to ignore it.
"Not just Fire types that are worried," Cabot pointed out, frowning. "I have a lot of experience with the open ocean, but a Hydro Pump?" He shuddered, envisioning it.
But being a Dragon, Cuicatl couldn't have been less afraid. Dragons were mighty conquerors of the elements. A little water wouldn't mean anything to her! Ice? Just learn a Fire attack! Even with the imminent danger of death, being a Dragon made it all worth it. Anything to be useful...
"Guys!"
Heads turned to see Tricky flying in--yet another Fire that had to worry about the incoming Water attacks. "We have a problem!" The Fennekin had come in just before RD, who was slightly encumbered by the makeshift leg warmers that he'd replicated from home.
Despite having a type advantage for the fight, Cynthian sank a little in his vase at any mention of a
problem. What, was a giant Snom accompanying them next? Then they'd all be in trouble...
Vix, hovering above Owen, eyed the tea that the Charmander was drinking. The ripples were a lot faster than before...
"What happened?" Owen asked.
"Come out and see!"
<><><>
Those who were interested shuffled out, looking ahead to see what the commotion was. After exiting the dojo and heading into the main square, the rocks and rumbles continued in perhaps twice the frequency they had the day before--and it was clear why.
Dave muttered some tired string of curses, but his sentiments were shared by several others:
On the eastern horizon, perhaps a few hours away from town, there were now two giant Magikarp flopping their way westward.
