Destiny Colosseum

[Chibi Pika]

Yeah, okay, maybe goading the freight train had the potential to backfire. Still, two could play at that game. If he had the gall to stay standing in the face of something that by all rights should have taken him out, then Starr would just have to do the same thing.

She forced a grin that hopefully didn't show just how much that last barrage hurt like a bitch. "Not bad. Now it's my turn."

Her vision faded within a haze of blue flame.

[+12, STAB, Sun]
- Starr used Blue Flare on Pine!
- Starr used Blue Flare on Nanab! [SE]
- Starr used Blue Flare on Nanab! [SE]

 

[Namohysip]

Starr's Blue Flare knocked Pine out with 777 damage! KO!
Starr's double Blue Flare dealt...

The flames turned the dirt to ash and the remnant sands that were mixed with the soil into a fine glass. Pine was already out after the first hit, lodged in the wall like a dart, stiff. Nanab, however, withstood the first blow and gritted her jaw in preparation for the second.

When the flames settled, the judges were already deliberating. After so many close fights, they had refined their instant replays and vitality sensor recordings. This time, it was clear who the victor was...

...1041 damage to Nanab! It's a KO!

Starr was conscious for barely a few seconds longer!

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa squinted at the battlefield through pain-jammed eyes, and saw searing blue light, three times. Then she heard the impact of a body against Colosseum sand. They'd done it again, huh? Victory, with seconds to spare. That was their signature style, apparently.

When she had the strength to spare, she climbed to her feet, feeling unsteady and like every inch of her body was bruised. She'd be fine, though. She went to help Starr to her feet, and told her, quietly, that she was proud of her. Starr knew. But she still deserved to hear it.

"Narrow win's still a win," called Brisa to Team Colada, her voice fractured as badly as her ribs. "Guess you've got a new benchmark t'meet, huh?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

In the midst of the haze of dull pain, Starr felt Brisa at her side, helping her up.

"I'm fine," she grunted, slowly regaining control of her limbs. Man, they really had to stop winning matches like this. Why exactly had she missed this? Right, there they were--endorphins.

Not to mention pulling off one impossible win after the last felt pretty damn good.

"How's that for a performance?" Starr asked, flashing a smirk at their opponents.

 

[Namohysip]

Nanab was in the process of pulling Pine out of the wall. He was still stiff, but seemed to be making at least some attempt at freeing himself.

"I think... you did just fine!" Nanab said. "It was a close win... but you still got it. That was really good of you..."

Finally free, Pine landed on his rear and shook his head. "That was pretty good," he said, glancing at them with a slight glimmer in his eyes. "I haven't lost in a while."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa beamed unreservedly. From a guy like Pine, she knew the worth of those words.

The four of them exchanged a few pleasantries, and then Brisa limped off the field to cheers and applause, together with Starr. They were the worse for wear, but she couldn't be happier.

"We did good," she said, satisfied. "Damn good."

 

[Chibi Pika]

“Hell yeah,” Starr said, casually leaning against Brisa’s shoulder as the two of them staggered off the battlefield.

“So. What exactly did you say to Nanab that got you all flustered anyway?” she asked with a smirk.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa grinned sheepishly, ears flattening. She considered deflecting, but Starr would see that this was worth prying for. She considered lying, but she'd never been able to lie to Starr. She decided to answer honestly, even though doing so would probably give Starr an opportunity to evaporate her soul instantly from sheer embarrassment.

"I thought I'd ask her somethin' t'knock her off balance. But I can only be open durin' a whiplash. So... I asked her what a human lover is like in bed."

She maintained her smile even as she felt Starr's smirk triple in strength. Oh gods, she wasn't gonna escape this one unscathed.

 

[Namohysip]

"A-and I didn't answer, either!" Nanab added with a loud squeak.

"Being a Haxorus is pretty cool, though," Pine said as Nanab's scales around her cheeks darkened rapidly. "Double trouble."

"And we're going! We're going!" Nanab pushed Pine out of the colosseum; the Haxorus wasn't moving, so it just left a trail of his feet along the ground, like moving a heavy statue.

Pansit was flying in to do her usual interviews, starting with the team that exited first, though she would likely be asking the usual questions to Brisa and Starr later.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr let out a snort as Team Colada quickly vacated the stadium. "Nice one," she said to Brisa. "Shame it didn't get more of a reaction during the fight. That would've been pretty priceless."

The two continued walking toward the exit on the opposite end of the field. Starr folder her arms behind her head and gave Brisa a sideways glance with just a bit of a smirk. "I guess it makes sense to be curious about something like that. There probably aren't many people on Cibus with firsthand experience, after all."

She didn't even have to look to know the sort of reaction that would get.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa nodded with relief at Starr's merciful restraint in commenting only on the tactical application of what she'd said, only to immediately feel her ears flush hot at Starr's follow-up comment. You didn't have to be a genius to read into that one.

"Y-yeah," she replied, ears pinned back helplessly, "only two or three people, so far as I know."

So far.

Starr didn't need to say anything else to that. Brisa was doing a good enough job of melting into a liquid state all on her own.

Gods fucking damnit, Starr.

<><><><><>​

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Stormkeeper Meringue, aspirant lugia. For all that he'd spent much of the last few months in a state of nervous anticipation of scrutiny from his master, the fella sure packed a punch. He'd beaten a member of the team already, and he'd only gotten stronger since. Ah, but so had Brisa.

"Howdy, Meringue!" she called. "Yer teacher must reckon you're in need of a proper drubbin' to send you up against me, partner!"

She grinned. She didn't trash-talk much, so the crowd fucking loved it when she did.

 

[Namohysip]

"Y-yeah, I guess so," Meringue replied nervously, shifting where he stood. "I guess we're going to go for it, then? I, er, alright. Hang on." He beat his wings, slapping himself on the beak once, twice, and then sighed sharply. "I'm ready this time."

His feathers looked sleek and hard, like they could shift to scales at a moment's notice. For now, though, it seemed to just be some weak armor...

"Let's go," Meringue said. "I'll show everyone I'm worthy of the title of Stormkeeper! And to do that... I need to show that I can be calm... even during the greatest storm. A storm just like this..."

The wind is churning...

Meringue's Gale has activated! Moves against Meringue require 2 actions to succeed!

Meringue: 5,000

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"I'm sure you'll do great," said Brisa. "Let's see yer best!"

That was all that need be said, or could be said with the storm whipping up around them. Fucking hell that was going to make striking the fucker more difficult. She'd find a way, though. Of course she would.

Shimmering barriers, silver and gold, crackled into existence around Brisa as her plasma surged. But she waited as she prepared. She'd need to strike decisively. At the right moment...

Brisa used Protect 5!
Brisa used Brilliant Paragon!
Brisa Wound Up...!
Δ Stages: +4 Atk/Spd
Δ Bars: +68 Rad, -50% HP, then -1/16th HP, -184 Stm
Δ Status: +7 Protect, Paragon, +2 Charge, +1 Action

 

[Namohysip]

Meringue watched carefully, nodding. "So you're trying to stall things out, huh?" he said. "Don't think that'll work on me that easy, you know... Try this out!"

Meringue crossed his wings and curled up, forming a Protect barrier. At the same time, he thrashed his tail on the ground and rushed forward with two wingbeats, each one taking out a barrier.

Meringue used Protect+5!
Meringue struck Brisa's barriers twice!

Brisa: 299
Meringue: 5,000

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa shrugged, and steadied her breathing. When fighting alone, she had no choice but to use a recuperative trance to stay in good health. It'd slow her down a little... And it dispelled her superheated plasma... But it wouldn't impede her too much, she hoped.

"Don't much expect anythin' t'be easy when fightin' a Legend," she drawled, her voice uncharacteristically languid. She lashed out at Meringue's barriers with a lazy strike. Two barriers fell. She'd been practicing.

Brisa used Rest!
Brisa used Sleep Talk, and hit Meringue with a shield-breaking basic strike!
Brisa stayed wound up...!
Δ Bars: +150% HP, +84 Stm
Δ Status: -Burn, +Super Sleepy, +1 Action

 

[Namohysip]

Meringue continued the onslaught, this time hitting her barriers three times before jumping back. "Looks like you're out of tricks," he said as the last of the barrier disappeared. The wind was swirling harshly around him, now...

"Hope you're ready."

Meringue struck thrice, and the last of Brisa's barriers faded away!

Brisa: 984
Meringue: 5,000, Protect+2

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa laughed. "If I'm not, so be it. I'll have a good time anyway!"

That was the real joy of Cibus. Battles for the sake of bonding with others and having some goddamn fun.

"Let's see how tough you are!" she said, dashing towards the young lugia, trailing sparks.

Brisa used Sleep Talk, then struck down Meringue's barriers!
Brisa used Umbral Overcharge, then Electric Facade! [+7, Stab, Guts, SE, Charge, Loner, Link Boost, Crit]
Δ Bars: -86 Stm
Δ Status: -Super Sleepy, -1 Charge

 

[Namohysip]

Brisa's Facade dealt a CRITICAL reduced 1251 damage!

The Electric strike took out Meringue's hard feathers quickly, revealing several weak spots in his once strong armor. "Gah--!" He winced, suddenly more vulnerable to it all. He tried to shake it off even as the gale wings blew around him. "I'm... not going to let that stop me!" he shouted. "I'll take you out before you have the chance!"

Meringue's Aeroblast dealt a grazing 32 damage to Brisa!
Meringue's Bulldoze dealt 110 damage to Brisa and slowed her down!

"O-okay... maybe you're sturdier than I thought..." He gulped. "I... need to focus. Need to focus..." He took slow, steady breaths. The winds churned. And then... his eyes glowed, and Lugia, in the stands, watched closely.

Meringue used Divine Stormkeeper! Multiscale activated again! His Magic, Defense, and Resistance went up by 2!

Brisa: 799
Meringue: 3749

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa grinned. Poor Meringue was strong as hell, but so easily put off balance! His master's scrutiny sure made him nervous. Could be something to use, later. In the meantime, he wasn't hitting so hard that she couldn't tough out a little more...

"Nice trick," she said, before testing his mettle once again.

Brisa wound up...!
Brisa used Umbral Overcharge, then Facade! [+7, Stab, SE, Charge, Loner, Crit]
Δ Bars: +34 Shd, -40 Stm
Δ Status: +1 Action