Errant Sword [KtK RP Thread; Mission 1]

[EonDuoLatios]

Shou'an hovered slightly above the battlefield, looking at the battlefield and attempting to formulate a workable plan. He noticed that Keldeo has now revealed a minimum of six moves - and a maximum of how many? He did not know.

Most of the battlers attempted to go for the most vulnerable part of Keldeo, the horn. And while sure, that would deal a lot of damage if hit, it would...it would hurt Keldeo, even once he snapped out of it. Even if Keldeo regained his senses, his horn does not instantly grow back...thinking fast, Shou'an flew toward the Keldeo, attempting to use his body to shield the horse-like Pokemon's horn, while still attempting to launch Lustre Purges at him, now hopefully in a range such that Keldeo's blocking would become less effective.

"Don't! Slicing his horn off does nothing to prove that you're righteous!" He attempted to carry his voice as far as possible. "Fight fairly, as a show of strength, not to maim or kill! Hit him anywhere but there!"

 

[IFBench]

"FOUL!" Breve called out, eyes narrowed. "That is against the terms we agreed upon! If this was a gym battle, you would be asked to leave the gym!"

"Gym leaders aren't the only ones who need to follow safety regulations. Challengers must follow them too," Breve says, stepping towards Keldeo. "No running in the Cerulean City gym. Don't spook the Wooloo in the Turffield gym. The list goes on."

"It is my job as a gym inspector to make sure that gym leaders and challengers both follow regulations. And right now, you, in my eyes, are an unruly challenger."

"So come at me!" Breve yells, opening his arms wide. "Let me show you my resolve to keep others safe! Let me show you how a gym inspector does things!"

Nearby, Temsik readied an Endure, even as they shook on their legs from that combo. If they timed this just right, and leapt in at just the right moment...

 

[canisaries]

A cruel smile played upon Keldeo's snout and his nostrils flared, as if excited. "Won't you now? So you think standing back to let others fight is better?" Keldeo lunged at Samson, and struck him. A hard blow, impeded only by Keldeo's confusion. For a human, it would have hurt or even maimed, maybe. But for a pokemon body, it was glancing. A sting, but not lethal, not even enough to severely hurt.

Then Keldeo kicked at him, attempting to strike Samson hard in the stomach. Enough to wind him, but still not truly hurt. "And what will you do if your enemy disagrees? What if your enemy doesn't want to talk?" His attention now had shifted fully to Samson, and clearly he meant to get rise from him, to see him lash out. To give up on his own honor...

The strike came out of the blue. It hurt, but... definitely not as much as it would have a human. Samson wanted to tell Keldeo that he'd have them all stand down if he could help it, but the equine caught him off guard again with a kick in the stomach, squeezing the air out of his lungs. Samson's reflexes finally kicked in and he raised his arms to block the next attack, but Keldeo seemed to go for the hatterene now...

Straight for Samson.

He jabbed at him again, yet once more not a full on attack, but a taunt. Goading him to give in. To strike back. He even had the gall to pause before the Ampharos, leaving himself open...

And just as quickly, he was back. This attack Samson managed to block with a grunt. He could tell what Keldeo was doing. He'd been in a situation like this before. Back then, he would have struck back - part of him still wanted to, that proud part that he could never fully remove from himself - but now, he only grit his teeth. He hated how his rising anger was visible on his face, unfitting for a priest, but he took comfort in the fact that he didn't strike back. Even if it would have been self-defense. No, it wasn't his last resort, not yet.

 

[Negrek]

Nate sighed and crossed his arms. He wasn't surprised that Keldeo started busting out illegal moves, but it wasn't like he was happy to see it, neither. It was clear that trying to appeal to who he'd been before wouldn't get them anywhere; whatever the reason, he wasn't willing to go there. It was... depressing. It wasn't like Nate put much stock in "honor" and all that shit anyway, but it was obvious that Keldeo had put a lot of stock in it; everything about this fight just felt wrong, and obscurely sad. Keldeo was someone else he'd thought he knew here, Nate supposed, but even that wasn't true.

Sada entering the fray on the back of her dragon briefly cheered him up, though. "Oh, hell yes. That's more like it," Nate muttered while Sad parried the legend's blows with her spear. It was only fun for a moment, though, before he started worrying. Sure, last time Keldeo had pulled his punches when fighting humans, but would this Keldeo bother? Nate had no idea whether he knew about the whole "get sent home if you die" thing, but even if Keldeo was a poisonous little shit now, that didn't mean he'd try to murder somebody, did it?

Mightyena was doing fine out there. Nate really didn't have much to do but stand around and taunt Keldeo, like some of the others were doing, but his heart wasn't really in it. He sloshed a bit closer to the center of the action, not even really sure why. Like, what was he even going to do? Jump in front of Keldeo himself if it looked like things were getting too hot?

---​

The feeling of elation from the extra fairy energy evaporated quickly after Mightyena's attack, and she pinned her ears back, turning to see what was wrong as Codex let out a horrifying screech. That only left her open to Keldeo's attacks, and in seconds the legend had swept her legs out from underneath her and dealt her a heavy kick to the side while she was down. For a few seconds Mightyena could only lie their gasping, trying to get her breath back despite aching ribs and still only dimly aware of what was even going on.

It was Chef Flygon's resonant call that finally brought her back to her feet. She wasn't really sure what his song was about, but she felt reinvigorated, ready to get back to the fight, though her ribs twinged with every step she took.

Nearby, the drapion she'd seen earlier had also been knocked down, but he was already up and fighting again. Mightyena's pricked up in alarm when their team's blue dragon swooped between him and Keldeo, apparently trying to block his attack.

More honorable not to attack the horn? "Not if that's where all the poison that's gotten into him is coming from," Mightyena growled up at the blue dragon. She dashed to the side, looking for an opening. "Tell us more about how you don't care what the other Swords of Justice think about you!" she called. She just needed to catch Keldeo's attention a moment. "Are you angry because you think they'd be disappointed in you--or is it that you think they'd be out here doing the same as us, trying to help you remember yourself?" She finished all that off with a jaw-cracking Yawn.

Hopefully a fit of drowsiness would slow Keldeo down a little--enough for Drapion and anybody else to get in there with their attacks.

 

[System Error]

After challenging Keldeo to actually give examples instead of just saying things, Nori observes the others to see what they would do. Some were refusing or hesitant to fight to prove a point. Others were trying to fight smarter. Still others were...trying to impose. Was that stupid or brilliant? Nori personally thought attacking the horn was no different from like, a Low Sweep, an attack specifically aimed for the lower body to slow down a target. He keeps quiet, just because there was a temptation to ask if it was okay to hit Keldeo in the balls.

Either way, they were swarming their opponent. He glances over to Pachi. “Stay put. Dodge beneath, trip if you have to,” he mouths. For someone usually so fired up, he is oddly calm and composed when it comes to commands.

“Kay~!” The next time Keldeo came charging over, he was going to Discharge while dodging inward. It seemed counter-intuitive, but it was harder to swing at something too close than too far away. Or if the horse decided to kick instead, he was ready to dodge that and stomp down with Grass Knot at the ready. Lift a leg, you’re easier to trip! Then he could really let loose with electricity.

Mightyena was doing fine out there. Nate really didn't have much to do but stand around and taunt Keldeo, like some of the others were doing, but his heart wasn't really in it. He sloshed a bit closer to the center of the action, not even really sure why. Like, what was he even going to do? Jump in front of Keldeo himself if it looked like things were getting too hot?

Then noticing Nate, Nori heads over to him, flashing a thumbs up and soft smile. “Don’t worry, we’ll win this and get him back to normal.”

 

[Nekodatta]

The pointed spear struck against the horn, hard enough to leave a dent in it. Sada let out a little breath she was holding as Winged King rushed backwards. Keldeo looked furious, and his movements grew more frantic, even faster than before.

Sada wasn't aware of the limit on moves that affected Pokémon in this world, but she still got the sense that something was undeniably wrong with Keldeo. She knew those movements; those were the kind of brutal attacks from a cornered prey with nothing to lose.

She flinched when Keldeo was suddenly nearby, jabbing at the both of them with his horn. Winged King roared and reared up on his hind legs, both to intercept the blow for himself and to protect her by moving her out of the way.

She jumped down from his back, rolling away as she landed on one shoulder and retreating to give the dragon more space to counterattack.

Winged King rose back up on his back legs. The green dragon's song invigorated him, and he joined his own voice to his for a brief moment with a roar of his own, before spreading his wings and taking to the skies. He coiled his own body up in a sphere, and waited for a moment when there were no other Pokémon around his to strike with a Collision Course. As soon as he landed, he uncoiled himself and breathed fire directly all around the legendary.

 

[Flyg0n]

Keldeo’s Resolve fell from Jojo refusing to budge!

“Let’s see how long you can stick to those rules,” he growled ominously. “You should worry about saving yourself.”

As Jojo began to move, Keldeo prepared to attack, still wincing from the burns and slightly cross-eyed with confusion. Then Codex struck. Keldeo thrashed under the sucking pull of their fairy energy sapping his aura. An equine shriek tore from his throat. Rage and shock and pain. And still more incessant taunting from the fae.

“You speak so righteously yet you abandoned your own code so swiftly!” His voice was more angry than confident as he jerked away from Codex’s attack. “You are incapable of sticking to your word.” He disguised it well but there was overt desperation in his aura. And frustration, that he seemed to have no affect on them.

Keldeo’s Resolve fell sharply!

With a retaliatory poison jab he quickly put distance between him and Codex.

Instead, he turned upon Samson. Something he could take a shot at. “How long can you resist, little lamb?” Jab, and then another jab. “Strike me!” He paused, giving Samson an easy opening.

Pure annoyance flared in Keldeo’s eyes and he abruptly spun and darted away, only to whirl, lower his head, and aim right for Samson’s chest. This time he didn’t look like he planned to take it easy.

“Nobody can stay true to their beliefs forever.”

Then he charged.

A flash of white fur. A collision of two bodies as his attack was blocked. The force sent Temsik skidding and tumbling across the battlefield, and Keldeo stumbled and drew to a halt, briefly appearing surprised. His gaze narrowed as he glared at the Absol, displeased at the interference.

Keldeo’s Resolve fell at the display!

Then his smile returned. "A cute trick. But would you do it twice? When you cannot endure? Would you so honorably shield your teammate then?" He angled his horn towards Breve. "I think I can faint you in one strike, danger-senser. But your human even more so."

When he rushed at Breve, he did slower than usual, on purpose. Daring Temsik to interfere. To take another hit. Would he dare?

---

The rat was next. A blur as he charged, tanking Pachi’s Discharge to the face. The attack staggered him but he pressed on anyway. He took a swing and a kick at the Pachirisu.

“My heart and will is not weak,” he hissed. “I am not shackled to anything but proving the truth to you invaders.”

At Nori’s demand, a smirk drew across his face. “Others? Do you think I am the only one?” There was an unsettling edge to his tone. Far across the field, Clink looked distinctly frustrated. Whatever it was Keldeo had succumbed to, it seemed he was aware it’d affected other legends.

---

Keldeo sneered at Pixels. “I don’t need pity from a petulant fox. You may cling to your precious rules and honor now, but you cannot endure forever. Nobody can. You will succumb.”

Pixels maintained her code! Keldeo’s Resolve falls even lower!

There was no more time for Keldeo to continue his remarks as ghostly flames lit up the battlefield and heated the water. Steam began to rise and Keldeo found less and less safe ground to stand on. As he dodged another wisp, Pixels blast of flames hit him full on, singing his fur and mane.

With a furious cry, he dodged away, staggering from the flames and scrambling to avoid the numerous hazards scattered around the field now... Webs and flames and dizzying lights dancing through his vision...

Keldeo saw the Drapion. Reflexively brandished his horn with Sacred Sword. Clang! Claw met horn and Drapion grabbed. A power struggle ensued for a second, legendary against champion pokemon. Dark sparks flew as Drapions claw scraped against the horn. Keldeo lashed out wth a hoof, catching Drapion in the side.

Cracks appeared on the horn.

In a blur of brown fur Nova appeared, striking at the horn, heaving-

Another crack.

Drapion swung with his other claw-

Dark blade met white and blue feathers. The blow glanced across Shou'ans body, only grazing him. But blocking Drapion all the same.

Then psychic energy exploded in his face, sending him sliding back. Keldeo staggered unsteadily, then looked up. For the first time, he looked thoroughly baffled. His gaze shifted between Shou'an and Drapion and Nova. His brow furrowed in confusion. Slowly, he shook his head.

Keldeo's Resolve dropped severely! The actions of the team seem to have impacted him greatly!

"Not if that's where all the poison that's gotten into him is coming from," Mightyena growled up at the blue dragon. She dashed to the side, looking for an opening. "Tell us more about how you don't care what the other Swords of Justice think about you!" she called. She just needed to catch Keldeo's attention a moment. "Are you angry because you think they'd be disappointed in you--or is it that you think they'd be out here doing the same as us, trying to help you remember yourself?" She finished all that off with a jaw-cracking Yawn.

Mightyena's words seemed to shock him from his stupor. He whipped around to finally glare at her, and got a face full of a Yawn attack. His lids grew heavy and he stumbled back, frantically shaking his head. With frantic ungainly steps, he tried to back away, to get some distance.

"They-" he shook himself. Anger seemed to give him a moment of renewed strength. "They don't matter. What they think is irrelevant now. I am more than good enough, I don't need anything from them, least of all their notions of honor." A cruel, knowing grin tugged at his snout. "Besides. It doesn't make a difference. They won't be coming to 'save' me." He reared, and a dark cloud formed over his head, a drizzle of rain coming down around him.

Once again he shook his head, trying to stave off everything. Rage swelled through him as he struggled to stay awake. His body began to pulse blue and water swirled up, gathering around his hooves and forming in front of him as he prepared a Hydro Pump, clearly intending to wipe out the whole team.

"Let's see your honor save you from this-"

And then a giant lizard-shaped bowling ball flattened Keldeo into the ground.

 

[System Error]

The rat was next. A blur as he charged, tanking Pachi’s Discharge to the face. The attack staggered him but he pressed on anyway. He took a swing and a kick at the Pachirisu.

By now, Pachi knew what to do; his foe was basically doing the same thing. He went right underneath the swing and towards Keldeo. The kick landed, but without much room for a windup and Pachi being light to begin with, it did barely any damage. “Woohoo!” He dances, and coughs a bit because of the posion, but keeps his smile. No matter what goes on, he still fights strong!

At Nori’s demand, a smirk drew across his face. “Others? Do you think I am the only one?” There was an unsettling edge to his tone. Far across the field, Clink looked distinctly frustrated. Whatever it was Keldeo had succumbed to, it seemed he was aware it’d affected other legends.

“You're avoiding the question!” Nori accuses. Of course, he already gave him the answer. What was this, a peer pressure thing? Still, he reiterates: “Tell us exactly who turned and how!”

His body began to pulse blue and water swirled up, gathering around his hooves and forming in front of him as he prepared a Hydro Pump, clearly intending to wipe out the whole team.

The aquaphobic boy starts to tense up at the display. Big water-moves like that always were a problem. But then he sighs and rolls his shoulders when the attack is interrupted. Someone else probably has a witty one-liner for that. Instead, a lightbulb goes off. His eyes widen.

“Wait. Was it...the other swords who turned?” he quietly says, more musing it aloud than asking a question. They were clearly a sore spot. He knew nothing about myths, and they probably worked different here anyway. But who else but the ones this Pokemon was most familiar with could cause this? “Or did they...not approve?” Did he have it backwards and they abandoned him after he lost his sense of justice? It was one or the other. Or both depending on how it was perceived. But either way, he had things to say to Keldeo. If he got up from that.

 

[Flyg0n]

When the flames and haze cleared, Keldeo was lying sprawled in the water, steam rising from his still form...

And beside him lay the broken chunk of his horn, poison still seeping from it.

A silence fell across the crystalline landscape, punctuated only by the sounds of the groups heavy breathing as the ghostly wisps of flames casting eerie shadows all around. Dragonfire glowed in Chef Flygon's jaws as he tentatively readied another attack. Clink edged closer. Was that it?

Keldeo's flanks rose and fell steadily, but his eyes remained closed. His emotions and thoughts were a bubbling pool of toxic emotions, impossible to read anymore. Sleeping? Or perhaps faking it.

Either way, his position was a vulnerable one. If it was a trick, even he'd need a precious few seconds to get to his feet again. And if it wasn't a trick, they could easily land a finishing blow on a downed opponent and end the fight before it could continue...

Keldeo's Resolve: 10/100... It balances on a knifes edge!

 

[IFBench]

"Stand down, everyone," Breve says, stepping forward. "According to the official 2024 League Rules, this battle has ended, with us as the victor."

He grabbed the berry that the Mankeys had given him, and approached Keldeo.

"Here. This is for you," he says, reaching out with berry in hand.

 

[Hanafuda]

Josie looked worried for a moment, but Codex's attack interrupting the enemy surprised her. "Oh! Thanks, miss!" She raised a leg in appreciation before focusing on her next attack. She charged up a Volt Ball, ready to deal the final blow, but she was hesitating for a moment. Knowing how much this corrupted Keldeo talked about honor not mattering, she was willing to believe he was trying to bait everyone. She heard Breve loud and clear, but she kept her charge just in case.

 

[canisaries]

Instead, he turned upon Samson. Something he could take a shot at. “How long can you resist, little lamb?” Jab, and then another jab. “Strike me!” He paused, giving Samson an easy opening.

Samson took the jabs with his arms, flinching with every pointed strike, but made no moves to strike back. "No," he said, staring the equine down.

Pure annoyance flared in Keldeo’s eyes and he abruptly spun and darted away, only to whirl, lower his head, and aim right for Samson’s chest. This time he didn’t look like he planned to take it easy.

“Nobody can stay true to their beliefs forever.”

Then he charged.

Samson could tell this attack meant business. His bruised arms quivered as he thought of the pain to come, but the certainty in the fact that he was doing exactly what he should steeled his resolve.

A flash of white fur. A collision of two bodies as his attack was blocked. The force sent Temsik skidding and tumbling across the battlefield, and Keldeo stumbled and drew to a halt, briefly appearing surprised. His gaze narrowed as he glared at the Absol, displeased at the interference.

Keldeo’s Resolve fell at the display!

Then his smile returned. "A cute trick. But would you do it twice? When you cannot endure? Would you so honorably shield your teammate then?" He angled his horn towards Breve. "I think I can faint you in one strike, danger-senser. But your human even more so."

Samson wheezed in a breath in surprise, then sighed. "Thank you," he said to the absol.

Keldeo's flanks rose and fell steadily, but his eyes remained closed. His emotions and thoughts were a bubbling pool of toxic emotions, impossible to read anymore. Sleeping? Or perhaps faking it.

Either way, his position was a vulnerable one. If it was a trick, even he'd need a precious few seconds to get to his feet again. And if it wasn't a trick, they could easily land a finishing blow on a downed opponent and end the fight before it could continue...

"Stand down, everyone," Breve says, stepping forward. "According to the official 2024 League Rules, this battle has ended, with us as the victor."

"I agree," said Samson. "There's no need to attack him when he's down." Of course, he could still surprise everyone and get back up...

As the safety inspector offered the berry, Samson took a sharp breath in. He didn't know if Keldeo could be trusted not to lash out one final time, and a human was the worst pick for the one to take that risk...

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Kind words from a stranger, the will of Flygon’s song preserving their convictions, and and the sight of their opponent falling converged on Codex of Truth. They took a deep breath and… stabilized. The last of their borrowed corruption dissipated.

Keldeo’s toxic emotional state still simmered away, but not in any clear or coherent way. Codex didn’t suspect a trap, but wasn’t quite sure what was happening. “I think he might be dreaming?”

They looked up at the Flygon. Readying dragonfire was a reasonable response, but there was perhaps a better one. “Can you use that song again? You know, for him? It… helps.”

That wouldn’t be enough in and of itself, though. Keldeo had it bad. There had to be something more they could do. They could think of one thing they could do very easily, but it just felt risky. But they had it do it anyways, right? That’s what they were here for, not to win a fight, to help.

Somewhat reluctant, but nonetheless determined, Codex took up a position behind Keldeo’s head. One such that they could reach his horn, but not where they’d be the first thing he saw if he woke up. (For his sake as much as their own.) Though they wouldn’t be able to regrow a lost horn, not instantly, they could still channel a heal pulse into it. If the defrayed nerve endings could at least recover, the alleviation of pain might make it easier for him to think clearly.

“I’ll give you one thing,” the whispered to Keldeo’s seemingly-unconscious form. “A bit of that toxin, and I did give up on the idea that we could be alright disturbingly quickly.” Their voice took on a friendlier tone, albeit still somewhat teasing. “So how about you try and prove me wrong once more? Bet you can pull it off this time.”

 

[System Error]

“Ow!” Nori vocalizes and cringes with sympathy at the shattered horn. Even if it happened to not have nerve endings in it, that had to have hurt. “But if that's what had to be done...” He trails off, and again, says this more to himself. It wasn't like they were out to cripple him or were going to do that to anything they came across. Hopefully.

Seeing what the safety inspector and hat-like fairy were doing made Nori snap from his reverie. “H-hey! Wait, this isn't a Gym! And that's unsafe, Mr. Higgson!” Nori shouts while frantically flailing his arms. For a safety inspector, he was doing something ridiculously rash! Still, he doesn't stop either him or the Codex of Truth.

“Can somebody restrain him just in case? Um, Keldeo, that is.” Wait, he snaps his fingers. He might be able to! “Pachi? Carefully.”

“Um, I can try!” The squirrels nods and looks right at the horse. Truth was, he never did it like this before! He slowly raises a foot, and brings it down after taking a deep breath.

Vines and grass suddenly well up near Keldeo and gently wrap...okay. One sort of gets around his left hind leg. It was very unlikely to hold, but nor does it do anything to harm the fallen horse-like Pokemon either.

“Sorry,” Pachi apologizes. “That's the best I can do without hurting him.”

The boy hums. Something to train, if it had any practical use. He stays on his guard, laser-focused on their fallen foe. The only thing that takes his attention is his shuddering friend. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, he was feeling the effects more. “Anyone got a Poisoncure or Pecha or something to help Pachi?”

 

[FauxFox]

"According to the official 2024 League Rules, this battle has ended, with us as the victor."

"According to the what?" Nova tilted her head, wondering what these leagues and gyms people kept going on about were.

"I'll uh, stay off to the side in case Keldeo tries anything." Nova added, taking a few steps away from the group. "But I don't think he will. Also, should we do something about the chunk of his horn? It's still dripping with poison, surely that is a hazard of some form, right?"

 

[EonDuoLatios]

The first thought that Shou'an had upon seeing the unconscious form of Keldeo was that of dread: oh my god, was he dead? He feared that it was, that the battle had turned into something that was lethal; he feared this, since corruption can be brought back, but death was final. He knew that fact well; he had seen how the soul of his father, literally, disintegrated, rose to join the ancestors up above, leaving nothing but a blue crystal, a crystal which held his remaining life force, that would depl ete over time, the still-vibrant amethyst fading to a light blue, before turning white one day, before it would eventually be filled up by his own, when he would go there, reuniting with him.

But the Keldeo in front of him wasn't dead. It was simply sleeping; while most would see this fact clearly, Shou'an fell for the deception very much, at least initially. The horn was severed off too (it might have been worse if he had not attempted to stop the Drapion), and the various fighters began gathering around the Keldeo, talking almost hushedly (or were they? Latios's mind was simply too foggy, perhaps) about the Keldeo, many of them attempting to, at the same time, prevent him from attacking and comfort him.

Shou'an closed his eyes, Calming his Mind, before flying forward, toward the form of the Keldeo.

He himself did not have healing powers; if he did, he would have used them by now. Lowering his body, he came to a rest just above the water, and rested a paw on his body. And he did the only thing that he knew that might help.

His voice was surprisingly deep, as he began to sing. It was different from what the group might have heard, a polite, at times authoritative tone. With the voice, the young ruler seemed, almost, older.

The song was in a language that had been long gone, one that no one aside from the royals even had knowledge of, let alone speak. It was about the story of two lovers, eternally separated by the flames of warfare, almost a cautionary tale. But it was the one thing that he could remember most clearly about his father, even more than the sparring matches, more than anything.

One day, the flames of war spread to his hometown
The young men rushed to the borders, for their country
"Sweet lover, please don't mourn for me;
For I will come back here one day, for you and you only."

But the sky is still grey, and the creatures scurry around
And no one could prove his love and his life
The storm continues howling, the village still is in peace
Though the people, so young, have long risen, high...

 

[ShiniGojira]

Pixels held in a breath. This was a familiar sight. She couldn't help the frown breaking through her facade. A broken and shattered limb, a downed opponent and a group staring down someone that likely had terrorised others.

But while the resemblance was uncanny, it wasn't exactly the same. The people around her were showing mercy despite their wariness, despite their injuries, despite everything that had happened, they were not willing to take the advantage of beating a downed enemy. She felt ashamed to know that mercy wasn't her first thought when she faced someone in a similar state a couple months ago.

Her ears flicked at the question from the Pachirisu's trainer. She opened her mouth to say something but paused. Her eyes glanced at the broken horn on the ground, the poison leaking out like a broken faucet. Was it? Could she? Pixels tugged at her pink scarf, her Pecha scarf. This scarf was originally a present from her daddy when she first left, it was a scarf that had the ability to cleanse any poison. Though its effects had weakened throughout the months, it could still cure any lesser poison.

Would it be strong enough to cure corruption? Probably not... but it wasn't like it she couldn't try.

Pixels unfastened the scarf and limped forward, wrapping it around Keldeo's neck before stepping back, back and all the way back. Halfway through the motions, she felt a sense of embarrassment boiling under her cheeks and– Ah! She felt so naked without her scarf on. Why didn't she think to bring some other form of clothing before jumping in here!

 

[Negrek]

Nate grimaced, watching the team close in around Keldeo. They obviously had to do something about him, but it wasn't like he really enjoyed seeing someone get beat on like that. Not usually.

But when he started snarling shit at Mightyena, Nate perked up with a sudden cold shock of realization. "Hang on. What the fuck happened to the rest of the Swords, exactly?"

No chance he was getting an answer to that. Keldeo got flattened about two seconds later. Nate scowled again, restless with nerves. Great. Sounded like they had even more problems than they realized.

Then noticing Nate, Nori heads over to him, flashing a thumbs up and soft smile. “Don’t worry, we’ll win this and get him back to normal.”

"What?" That guy again. Nate shrugged. "Oh. Maybe."

It was really on Keldeo, what happened from here.

---​

Mightyena took a hesitant step forward when the mist parted, unable to believe her eyes. She might have tried to put Keldeo to sleep, but she hadn't expected it to actually work, not against a legend like that. Not when the next thing that happened was a dragon falling on top of him.

He might just be faking. He looked pathetic enough, lying in the shallow water with his horn broken off. Plenty of people had already clustered around him, to heal him or to prevent him from causing more problems. Mightyena didn't have any talent for healing, and there were enough people crowded around up there already. She hung back and waited, and kept an eye on the broken piece of horn.

 

[Seren]

And beside him lay the broken chunk of his horn, poison still seeping from it.

They had done it. Even taking a heavy direct hit that left him winded and staggering, Drapion held his ground against a legend. And even with the interference from the latios - oh, Drapion had been pissed at that - they'd done enough combined damage to shatter the poisoned horn!

Now Keldeo was the one in a crumpled heap on the ground, although from the mighyena's yawn or something else, it was unclear. Although the party had largely stood down at the sight, the flygon had already prepped another attack in the event of some kind of trickery, and Kirsten had Drapion do the same. He kept a fair distance, close enough to engage in a hurry but far back enough to (hopefully) have time to react if necessary, his claws glowing with dark-type aura, ready to attack - or block - at a moment's notice.

"But I don't think he will. Also, should we do something about the chunk of his horn? It's still dripping with poison, surely that is a hazard of some form, right?"

"Good point," Kirsten noted. It was risky... but Keldeo had already jabbed a few of the party with it with little noticable side-effects, so she figured the chance of corruption was low. And due to the fact that it was seeped in poison, there was only one who could reasonably deal with it (psychics aside).

"Drapion, collect the horn, bring it here, let me get a look at it." She was a poison-type expert, after all... although she lacked any equipment here, perhaps she'd be able to glean something useful.

Drapion, after flashing Mightyena a grin and a low growl (perhaps his way of thanking her for creating his opening?), did as instructed, collecting the horn cautiously in his claws, careful not to let it drip onto the ground, and carried it to his trainer for examination.

 

[Negrek]

Drapion, after flashing Mightyena a grin and a low growl (perhaps his way of thanking her for creating his opening?), did as instructed, collecting the horn cautiously in his claws, careful not to let it drip onto the ground, and carried it to his trainer for examination.

Mightyena wagged gratefully back at Drapion, glad that someone else had thought to take a closer look at the horn. She'd considered retrieving it herself, but hadn't really fancied getting its toxic discharge all over her mouth. Hopefully the kind of poison in it could give them some clue about what had done this to Keldeo.