The Festival of Masks

[Flyg0n]

"Thank you for that, I've been trying to get him to scram for who knows how long. I'm glad that didn't come to a battle, otherwise things wouldn't have gone well. Well, they wouldn't have gone well for me, that is." Theo stopped, a realization popping into his mind. "Now that I think about it, you all probably aren't used to having pokemon talk to you, are you? Other than those Loyal three, I guess."
Theo used his illusion to return to his human disguise as he picked up his Vulpix mask he had tossed towards the performer earlier and put it back on, then he straightened his scarf.
"This should be a little more reasonable I'd assume. I'm Theo, by the way. I feel like there were more of you before, weren't there? Weren't there some kids in that group you were in?"
"Seems like we don't have too much time to dwell on that, Fezandipiti is coming. You might have figured this out already, but the Loyal Three are a trio of lying thieves." Theo paused. " I'll bet that we won't be able to turn Fezanditpiti away, and I doubt the two of us could fight him either. Our best bet is probably to find Ogerpon, who ran further up the mountain. I used the Trevenant disguise to distract the performer while she escaped. We need to reach her before Fezandipiti does."

Marcel let out a sigh of relief as the performer slipped away, only to find himself face to face with with a now Zorua, talking to him. Definitely weird but after the chaos of earlier he guessed he was getting used to it. "I had started to suspect those loyal three were playing at something," Marcel replied a bit drily. The idea of what those three had done sent a fresh wave of anger coursing through him. Poor Ogrepon...

"Glad I could assist. Name's Marcel," he added. He glanced around, realizing properly for the first time that the kids he'd followed up here were gone. Great. "I think the kids went further up..." he murmured. "Let's go then," he said briskly, thought not unpleasantly, nodding to Theo and gesturing for him to lead. He started hurrying briskly towards the path further up. "I'll bring up the rear. If we hurry we can still get there first and if we work together, I think we can take Fezandipiti."

 

[Dragonfree]

I am not lost, the figure said in its strange, almost distant voice. Are you? It's dangerous to be out on the mountain at night.

"A-are you the ogre?" Kieran piped up from beside Jean. It was hard to see him in the dark, but he seemed to be shaking with something, whether fear or excitement or some combination of both.

I came from the festival, the same as you, the person replied. Their focus seemed fixed on Jean, though--or the crystal in her hand. Where did you find that? they asked.

"Oh! Is it yours? I found it at the festival." Jean extended her hand to give the crystal to them. "We're... We're trying to find the ogre. We want to help them." What exactly did they want to do to help them? Jean wasn't quite sure. Kieran had just said they should find them, and she'd followed along.

She glanced at Kieran. Did he really think this person was the ogre? But... They were so small, weren't they?

 

[FauxFox]

"Glad I could assist. Name's Marcel," he added. He glanced around, realizing properly for the first time that the kids he'd followed up here were gone. Great. "I think the kids went further up..." he murmured. "Let's go then," he said briskly, thought not unpleasantly, nodding to Theo and gesturing for him to lead. He started hurrying briskly towards the path further up. "I'll bring up the rear. If we hurry we can still get there first and if we work together, I think we can take Fezandipiti."

"Sounds like a plan, it's nice to meet you Marcel." Theo said, running up the mountain path. "Up we go."

 

[Seren]

"I think the kids went further up..." he murmured. "Let's go then," he said briskly

Kari had been easily distracted watching the scene unfold in front of her. That trevenant had really been a... zorua? And now it was talking? Maybe it was a trick that came with it's illusion abilities...

It wasn't until the man with the fire bird and adorable bread dog - Marcel, he'd just said - mentioned it that she'd realized she'd completely missed Kieran and the other girl vanish, likely continuing on without them. Oh no.

Thankfully, Marcel and the zorua weren't keen on just leaving them alone, so Kari and her team followed silently behind. It sounded like a fight with Fezindipiti was imminent. She'd promised she'd look out for the boy, so with her partners at her side, she would do exactly that.

 

[Negrek]

@FauxFox @Flyg0n @Seren @Sinderella @canisaries

Theo, Marcel, Kari, and the rest of their group pounded along the mountain path, hoping to catch up to Jean and Kieran. The dirt track would take them up and around, across a small stream and into a wide grotto filled with boulders and tumbled piles of rock. Meanwhile, the sounds of pursuit grew ever closer, Fezandipiti's wingbeats loud overhead. He hadn't exactly brought an army with him, but a half-dozen trainers and their pokémon still well outnumbered the group who'd come looking for Ogerpon. Their running feet sounded just behind.

There must be someone up ahead. The sounds of voices echoed crazily around the grotto. Up ahead--could those shadows be people?

For the moment it didn't matter. Fezandipiti gave one more great clap of wings, then dove down, landing in front of Theo and the rest of the group. He drew himself up tall, easily towering over the humans. My goodness. What a surprise, he said drily. Imagine meeting all of you here.

His war party fanned out behind the friends of Ogerpon, most of the humans badly out of breath, but their pokémon were in good shape yet.

Now... Fezandipit said. I can tell the ogre's not among you. But you'd of course let us know if you had any idea of its whereabouts, wouldn't you? Or failing that... He pointed one wing down the mountain in the direction they'd come, ...surely you'd be happy to return to the festival. I'm afraid it's not safe for you to be out here while the ogre roams free.

@Dragonfree

Yes... the masked person said. Yes, that is mine. Thank you for returning it. They reached for the hunk of crystal and whisked it away under their poncho; something leafy brushed Jean's hand, but the person moved too fast for her to see their hand.

"But you are the ogre!" Kieran insisted. "I know you are. Grandpa uses crystals like that for his masks--like your mask! The ogre mask!" He held up the plastic replica he'd been wearing earlier. "A-and Jean's right! We want to help you! Those... those lousy three are back somehow, but you beat them once before, didn't you? Even if they're stronger now, we'll help you fight! All of us!" His pokémon cheered, Sentret punching the air. Poliwag looked up at Jean and chirped happily.

The person (the ogre?) shrank back, curling in on themself like a dying leaf. N-no, they said. I don't want to fight. Running steps sounded farther down the path; people were tromping across the footbridge. Fezandipiti's high, whistling cry echoed around the stone pillars. Come, quickly! We can't stay here! the ogre said.

"B-but you have to fight!" Kieran insisted. "Everyone thinks you're the bad guy, when it was really them who stole the masks! We have to show them the truth! A-and put those lousy three right back where they belong! It'll be okay. We'll help you!" He shot Jean a pleading look.

The ogre's mask made it impossible to read their expression, but it was clear their gaze was focused on Jean, too. Come with me. Quickly! I'll keep you both safe.

@System Error @ShiniGojira

Okidogi roared with laughter as Evie fell. Finally! Not so fast on your feet now, are you? He took a swipe at her with poison-dripping claws, only to stagger dizzily when Unami's confuse ray struck him, slashing through empty air. He skewed around drunkenly, now reminded of the bronzong's existence, and gave Unami a beady-eyed glare.

As it turned out, Evie was still plenty fast on her feet. She took off at a blistering pace, blasting the legend with lightning-bound water from all angles. A powerful burst of psychic energy came next, crushing Okidogi into the dirt.

For a couple seconds Okidogi the legend lay where he'd fallen. Then, ever so slowly, he gathered himself, dragging himself back to all fours. His eyes were wide and mad, and waves of energy poured off his battered body, as if something inside him had come loose and was spilling free at last. He howled, the air around him burning orange as he charged some horrible attack; already the temperature on the battlefield was rising, cracks snaking across the earth around Okidogi. Surely a simple Protect shield wouldn't be able to deflect whatever he was preparing, and it wouldn't be easy to dodge--but if Evie and Unami could somehow turn it aside, surely there'd be ample opportunity to deal a final blow.

> Okidogi's aura blazes out of control! It's time to make a final stand!

 

[FauxFox]

Up ahead--could those shadows be people?

Alright, we’re almost there… Theo thought to himself.

Fezandipiti gave one more great clap of wings, then dove down, landing in front of Theo and the rest of the group. He drew himself up tall, easily towering over the humans. My goodness. What a surprise, he said drily. Imagine meeting all of you here.

…Arceus damn it all. I’ve got no shot at fooling these guys, maybe we can talk our way out of this, or at least drop the number of guards here… Theo took a deep breath, shifting to keep his tail hidden while trying to keep composed. “I assure you, the pleasure is all yours.” He growled.

Now... Fezandipit said. I can tell the ogre's not among you. But you'd of course let us know if you had any idea of its whereabouts, wouldn't you? Or failing that... He pointed one wing down the mountain in the direction they'd come, ...surely you'd be happy to return to the festival. I'm afraid it's not safe for you to be out here while the ogre roams free.

“If we knew where Ogerpon was, we wouldn’t be looking for her, we would’ve found her. You would get more answers from a rock than from us, right guys?” Theo looked at Marcel and Kari.

“And with all due respect,” Theo continued, “I’m afraid I felt much safer around Ogerpon than I do right now. I don’t know all the details, but I know that what you claim of Ogerpon is untrue, and I’m not going back to that festival until I am certain that she is safe. So maybe you should give up while you’re ahead, fraud.”

 

[Sinderella]

A trevenant appeared suddenly up ahead, rising out of the grass behind the performer as though it had been lying in wait. They screamed, and their sinistcha prepared for battle.

It looked like the group of people Vienna had seen near the edge of the pavilion had made it past the guards and were on their way up the path behind her.

Now things were getting interesting. Vienna couldn't help but grin to herself, the arrival of a trevenant filling her with a sense of anticipation. Gods, she fucking loved ghost types. And she loved battling them even more. While she was no League-sanctioned battler, part of the Professor Certification Exam was ensuring you had ample battle prowess. Thea and her, and perhaps Iris, wherever the reuniclus had gone, were no collective pushover.

Of course, there were reinforcements coming up the rear. She supposed it'd be just as fun to take on with a group. "Took you slowpokes long enough," she chuckled, earning her a short look from Thea.

Past those two was one of the Loyal Three performers, almost impossible to see in their dark robes, their Okidogi mask almost seeming to hover above the ground of its own accord. There was a sinistcha floating near the performer, and then, menacing the two of them, a towering trevenant. It was definitely bigger than the typical specimen, and dark, strange energies swirled around its gnarled and thorny limbs. Oddly enough, the trevenant seemed to be speaking. "Depart now, if you wish to do so alive," it said.

As they convened together, some of the performers came into view. If it was a party before, now it was a straight-up rave. And that trevenant was even more glorious than she'd initially thought, what even? Something about it was quite off, though. Familiar even. And it was enough to get her to narrow her eyes as her finger twitched for her phone.

Of course, it wasn't too glorious that whatever that thing was seemed dead set on keeping them from going any further, but she supposed she could be stopped by something worse. Like a fucking onix or something bland like that.

"Thea, cover me," she said quickly, raising the phone and swiping on her front-facing camera. She angled herself in a way that got both her and the trevenant in the shot. Raising her hand in a salute, she shouted "Say cheese!" as snapped the quick picture.

Thea looked on in annoyed shock. "Is now really the time for that?" she barked.

"It's always the time to get selfies with ghosts!" More things to look at when she actually got back to her lab.

"Get out of here, we'll handle things! Go back down the mountain and help make a perimeter so nothing escapes." This time he spoke authoritatively and forcefully.

Things were starting to pick up, and the sound of that cop--Marcel--sent a chill up her back. But, not in a bad way. In a way that wanted to reduce her to a blushing, swooining mess. Gods, she didn't know how old he was, but that kind of authority only came out in the voices of men at least in their 40s, which means he was at least ten years her senior, which was fucking fantastic--

--but he was still a fucking cop. Dammit.

She exhaled sharply, hoping to blow her libido out with it. Now was not the time.

When they turned to head back down the mountain, they found themselves faced with a quite sizeable group of people running in their direction, and what was unquestionably Fezandipiti flying overhead. Somehow they didn't seem too eager to meet up with that group--and perhaps to explain to Fezandipiti how they'd ended up on the mountain in the first place. "Well, I, ah..." they began, shrinking back to the side of the path, "I think I'll just..." Kind of sidle off into the tall grass and hope no one noticed their departure, apparently. Their ghost floated along after, keeping a wary eye out for further threats.

From overheaed there came a loud, whistling cry. Fezandipiti would be there any second.

Now... Fezandipit said. I can tell the ogre's not among you. But you'd of course let us know if you had any idea of its whereabouts, wouldn't you? Or failing that... He pointed one wing down the mountain in the direction they'd come, ...surely you'd be happy to return to the festival. I'm afraid it's not safe for you to be out here while the ogre roams free.

And as anticipated, the giant bird was on them. She subconsciously felt her shoulders tense as she dug the heels of her boots into the dirt, watching as Thea crouched into her pre-battle dance out of the corner of her eye. She had not come here prepared to fight a legendary, but if that's what needed to happen? She'd have a fantastic story to tell her colleagues. And Odette. Especially Odette.

"Call Iris back," she muttered to Thea. She knew she'd sent the reuniclus to hunt down that old man, but this was clearly more important. She'd need all hands on deck for this one.

"Mm, I appreciate your concern," she said out loud, "but I'm more than capable to traverse a mountain pass on my own. I'm a skilled explorer in my own right." Compared to what she'd seen on Coronet, this pass was nothing. But, that wasn't the point here.

"Besides, I'm interested in getting to know this ogre on my own time. This 'he-said-she-said' is a little juvenile for the likes of me," she continued with a harsh degree of sickly sweetness in her tone. "Trust me, I think I'm smart enough to manage. Especially with a group this this, yeah?"

 

[Dragonfree]

"But you are the ogre!" Kieran insisted. "I know you are. Grandpa uses crystals like that for his masks--like your mask! The ogre mask!" He held up the plastic replica he'd been wearing earlier. "A-and Jean's right! We want to help you! Those... those lousy three are back somehow, but you beat them once before, didn't you? Even if they're stronger now, we'll help you fight! All of us!" His pokémon cheered, Sentret punching the air. Poliwag looked up at Jean and chirped happily.

The person (the ogre?) shrank back, curling in on themself like a dying leaf. N-no, they said. I don't want to fight. Running steps sounded farther down the path; people were tromping across the footbridge. Fezandipiti's high, whistling cry echoed around the stone pillars. Come, quickly! We can't stay here! the ogre said.

"B-but you have to fight!" Kieran insisted. "Everyone thinks you're the bad guy, when it was really them who stole the masks! We have to show them the truth! A-and put those lousy three right back where they belong! It'll be okay. We'll help you!" He shot Jean a pleading look.

The ogre's mask made it impossible to read their expression, but it was clear their gaze was focused on Jean, too. Come with me. Quickly! I'll keep you both safe.

Jean grinned at Kieran's inspiring speech, pumping a fist along with his Pokémon, but the ogre's reaction (was it really the ogre?) was weird and had her hesitating, lowering her hand. They didn't want to fight...?

Heading back, on the bus, deflated, gangly, in pain, all courage dissipated down a drain somewhere in the alley where she'd evolved.

She glanced unsurely back at Kieran. "Maybe we should go. My... my dad says sometimes it's smarter not to fight." She turned back to the ogre to follow.

 

[Seren]

...surely you'd be happy to return to the festival. I'm afraid it's not safe for you to be out here while the ogre roams free.

“If we knew where Ogerpon was, we wouldn’t be looking for her, we would’ve found her. You would get more answers from a rock than from us, right guys?” Theo looked at Marcel and Kari.

Oh. They'd been caught.

Kari looked behind her in worry; she expected the bird, but she didn't know he was bringing backup! What a mess... all she'd wanted was to learn about the festival, and somehow she'd gotten tangled up in dismantling it.

She'd been prepared to remain silent and let her allies (?!) do the talking, until the little zorua looked up at her expectantly.

"I-I think I'm quite capable of defending myself," she said in response to Fezendipiti. "But th-thank you for your, uh, concern." Symphony and Grace echoed her sentiment with battle cries of their own.

 

[Negrek]

@FauxFox @Sinderella @Seren @Flyg0n @canisaries

Fezandipiti's head jerked back and forth, gaze roaming from Theo to Vienna to Kari. Yes, very capable, all of you. Clearly, he said. And also dreadfully sympathetic to a certain murderer. He shot a particularly pointed look at Theo. If you're truly so convinced I'm a fraud...

Fezandipiti took one light hop back, spreading his wings as a fierce aura erupted around him. The fiery power of the Hearthflame Mask lent a reddish glow to his feathers, and he seemed to stand taller than before, cloaked in burning energy. You three! He pointed at some of the trainers he'd brought with him. Go on ahead and search for the ogre! The rest of us will join you shortly. Now... He lowered his wings again and took up a battle stance. I'm tired of your petty little insults, and I won't have any of you interfere when I finally corner that ogre. You've had your opportunity to run--you leave me no choice!

A flare of crackling light burst in the air around Fezandipiti, a Moonblast intended, perhaps, to blind anyone who would defy him. Even as the sparks of fairy light were fading, the legend lobbed a wave of Sludge Bombs into the group of trainers standing before him.

For now, the other trainers Fezandipiti had brought with him hung back, perhaps unsure whether they should jump into the fray or let the legend finish things for himself.

> Fezandipiti's aura blazes bright! Team up to bring him down!

@Dragonfree

The ogre bobbed its body in a sort of nod, then continued on up the mountain, moving swiftly but softly, lightfooted over the rocky terrain. Kieran remained behind a moment, apparently shocked, but then hurried to catch up. "W-wait! Where are we going? What about your cave?"

The cave is the first place they will search, the ogre replied. I know a hidden place. We will be safe there.

The path wove around to the outside edge of the mountain, which was moonlight-washed and desolate, littered with piles of stone and vents of hot volcanic gases. Still the ogre pressed on, up and up.

"But how can you want to run away?" Kieran called after them. "You fought those Lousy Three before, and you won!" He sagged a bit. "Or was that... was that not true, either?"

The ogre paused and turned back to Kieran. Their white mask glowed brilliantly in the moonlight, and their green poncho took on a glossy shine, like a living leaf. It's true. I've fought these three once before. I did win. But it did not return what was taken from me. It only led the villagers to fear me, to hate me even more. And I... I had never set out to kill anyone.

"So what?" Kieran demanded. "So now you're going to let them run around and do whatever they want? You're strong! You can fix this! If you don't help now, you're only going to prove everyone right!"

I'm sorry. I cannot help you.

Kieran flinched as though the ogre had struck him, then lowered his gaze. "T-then I'm... I'm going to go back. I'll help stop the Lousy Three, even if you won't. I'm still strong." His pokémon gave another cheer at this, although it was noticeably softer and more uncertain than the first.

You are only a child. You should focus on your own safety first.

"I'm strong! I-I am!" Kieran insisted. "And I'm going to prove it... prove it to everyone. Even if you won't help me." He shot a brief, furious glance at Jean, then turned and stomped off down the path. His pokémon trailed behind. For a second Poliwag hesitated, looking uncertainly up at Jean. In the end he trundled off after the others, but not without the occasional sad glance back.

 

[System Error]

Unami is unbothered by the heat, at least, no more unbothered than anything else would be. But Priestess Satomi's jovial smile fades, her lips twisting. How was he been seemingly entirely unaffected by that paralysis she redirected? How could he have shakened off that confusion? How else had he endured so many super duper effective attacks? Not by the people's faith in it, that's for certain! Even the avatar of the creator had to play fair; heck, they chose to play fair. No, there was something amiss here, and that aura was the probable source. That said, with age comes wisdom and she knew exactly what this big pup was plotting, no matter how much of a show he was putting on! Or rather, because of the show he was putting on.

Long, long ago, at least where she was from, Pokemon were far more unrestrained. They were only a little stronger in body for the most part, but their moves were a different story. This changed at some point or another, but no surviving records say how or why. Some say it was punishment by the Original One, others say they willingly weakened themselves after seeing the destruction they brought, or even that humanity did so. These moves still lay dormant in all Pokemon, able to be accessed through unusual circumstances or by external forces. This was one of those instances!

So! It seemed Evie was waiting for them. She drummed her fingers together. How to go about handling this? These moves were often destructive and accurate, needing similar strength to evade or cast aside. Luckily, she was capable of doing similar things. Fair is fair, right?

"This has been fun, Revered Okidogi!" she declares with utter sincerity. Satomi knew she still had it in her to keep up with the younger generation, but she had forgotten the thrill of the sport of battling! "Allow me to express my gratitude by showing you the power of a diviner a little early~. An appetizer before the main course!"

The elderly priestess shut her eyes, tilts her head up, and traces two overlapping circles in the air before raising her fingers to the skies above. It was all about visualization. An oval, rushing air, a slick surface, a rope tied into endless knots, twisting space. The stars here seemed to work the same, and as an expert practitioner, it didn't take long.

Her eyes fly open, she takes a step forward, and she points her wrist and all ten fingers directly at Unami. Suddenly, there was another source of power on the battlefield. Far different from the overflowing energy, this is restrained yet palpable strength; the wishes of a trainer and determination of her partner made manifest by their bonds as well as power that could only be described as heavenly, the exact opposite of the horrible might on display. Obviously, this would be verboten in most formal settings; functional as it was to the likes of focuses such as Z-Rings, it was the execution that set it apart. But this was hardly formal, was it?

She turns her head and mouths two words to Evie: "Change position." It would do them no good to stand in a row. The elderly priestess pondered as Unami began prepping something of their own, something that surely would turn this aside; but what would Evie do here?

 

[Flyg0n]

Fezandipiti's head jerked back and forth, gaze roaming from Theo to Vienna to Kari. Yes, very capable, all of you. Clearly, he said. And also dreadfully sympathetic to a certain murderer. He shot a particularly pointed look at Theo. If you're truly so convinced I'm a fraud...

"And yet your defense is only to make accusations, instead of countering the truth," Marcel said, an cold edge to his voice. By his legs, Loaf growled. As he spoke, he mentally tensed himself for a fight, shifting into a more ready stance.

"Don't fall for his lies!" Marcel called to trainers with Fezandipiti. "These are his true colors!"

A flare of crackling light burst in the air around Fezandipiti, a Moonblast intended, perhaps, to blind anyone who would defy him. Even as the sparks of fairy light were fading, the legend lobbed a wave of Sludge Bombs into the group of trainers standing before him.

For now, the other trainers Fezandipiti had brought with him hung back, perhaps unsure whether they should jump into the fray or let the legend finish things for himself.

> Fezandipiti's aura blazes bright! Team up to bring him down!

Marcel sprang back, shielding his eyes, Loaf moving with him. A few splashes of the sludge splattered Loaf, but he shook them off quickly and took up a battle stance.

Fine. If this murderous bird wanted a fight, then Marcel would give him one. Loaf couldn't handle this alone. He quickly tossed out Scorch's ball again. She emerged with a shriek, soaring upwards. "Assist and distract!"

Scorch wheeled through the air, coated herself in fire, then dove down. Skimming low, she flicked a wing and sent a burst of flame towards Loaf before turning her attention on Fezandipiti. Putting on a burst of speed, she dove at the opposing bird's head, both as an attack, and a distraction. Meanwhile, the flames that struck Loaf sent a surge of energy through the dog pokemon, his skin taking on a glossy sheen.

Marcel waited until Scorch was almost right on top of Fezandipiti "Now!"

Loaf exploded forwards, a faint reddish aura flaring around his form. He covered the distance between him and his opponent in a few seconds and leapt for Fezandipiti's with an expertly timed Body Press.

 

[FauxFox]

He shot a particularly pointed look at Theo. If you're truly so convinced I'm a fraud...

You've had your opportunity to run--you leave me no choice!

"Now, let's not be hasty." Theo said, seeing where this is going. "You could just, walk away."

flare of crackling light burst in the air around Fezandipiti, a Moonblast intended, perhaps, to blind anyone who would defy him.

"Or not." Theo muttered, taking the moonblast head on. The attack caused him to drop his illusion, dazed.

the legend lobbed a wave of Sludge Bombs into the group of trainers standing before him.

Theo finally shook himself out of his dazed state, with no time to get out of the way of the Sludge Bomb. He tried to move away, avoiding the full force of the blow but still feeling the impact.

"Arceus that hurt. For someone who claims to be so just, you seem to be quick to violence." Theo chuckled.

That moonblast hit like a truck, this is not an opponent to take lightly... Theo thought, dashing towards Fezandipiti. ...here goes nothing.

Theo lunged towards Fezandipiti, using Fury Swipes.

 

[Sinderella]

A flare of crackling light burst in the air around Fezandipiti, a Moonblast intended, perhaps, to blind anyone who would defy him. Even as the sparks of fairy light were fading, the legend lobbed a wave of Sludge Bombs into the group of trainers standing before him.

For now, the other trainers Fezandipiti had brought with him hung back, perhaps unsure whether they should jump into the fray or let the legend finish things for himself.

Vienna would be lying if she said she wasn’t awestruck by the display. However, she did know to look away—Moonblast was no joke as a move. It was the when the Sludge Bombs started flying that she momentarily stalled on what to do. As she moved to roll out of the way, a reuniclus manifested in front of her, utilizing a timed use of Energy Ball to pop one before impact.

“Heeeere I am!” Iris announced joyfully, holding her arms up in presentation of herself.

“Your timing is impeccable Ris, but look alive!” Vienna said, pointing toward Fezandipti. The reuniclus turned, clearly eager to throw out another attack, and Thea’s arms began to glow with a pink energy.

“Come on ladies; lets show this fucking bird what for,” she shouted. “Iris, another Energy Ball. Thea, Psyshock. Time your movements to hit together!”

Both Iris and Thea nodded, and they launched forward. Their collective energies seemed to seamlessly mesh as Iris let loose another ball of psychic energy. Thea’s form crackled with an otherworldly power before it shot forward, making contact with the legendary bird just as the ball did.

 

[Seren]

A flare of crackling light burst in the air around Fezandipiti, a Moonblast intended, perhaps, to blind anyone who would defy him. Even as the sparks of fairy light were fading, the legend lobbed a wave of Sludge Bombs into the group of trainers standing before him.

For now, the other trainers Fezandipiti had brought with him hung back, perhaps unsure whether they should jump into the fray or let the legend finish things for himself.

> Fezandipiti's aura blazes bright! Team up to bring him down!

Poison. Poison. The bird had poison techniques. Bad. Half her team was weak to poison! The moonblast was easy enough for Grace to absorb, but not this. She floated back into the front lines valiantly, dripping purple ooze, anyway.

Kari eyed the other gathered trainers. Thankfully they were staying put for now, but if necessary, well, Fezanidipiti wasn't the only one who could blind his foes.

Meanwhile, the other two trainers and the little zorua were fighting back, quite impressively. The fiery bird attacked his teammate, but this seemed to only energize the puppy, so there had to be some sort of combo there... and then the way the other two unfamiliar pokemon blended their attacks into one assault was awe-inspiring, to say the least.

Kari wasn't sure she could compete with that, but thankfully, this wasn't a contest hall, it was a battle. She didn't have to be flashy to be effective. The downside was that she'd have to give up her anxiety relief and send her chimecho into battle, though.

"Grace, life dew!" she commanded of her togetic. The fairy needed to stay out of the fighting, if possible. "Pull back, keep everyone healthy!"

As Grace pulled back to support the other five pokemon already attacking, Kari turned to her chimecho, still on her arm. "Symphony, heal bell, then get in there and try extrasensory, okay?"

There. With that, they had plenty of attackers, good defense, and now she added energy and poison recovery. The question then, was, would it all be enough? This pokemon was supposedly a legendary, after all... This was going to make a fascinating term paper, if nothing else.

 

[Dragonfree]

Kieran flinched as though the ogre had struck him, then lowered his gaze. "T-then I'm... I'm going to go back. I'll help stop the Lousy Three, even if you won't. I'm still strong." His pokémon gave another cheer at this, although it was noticeably softer and more uncertain than the first.

You are only a child. You should focus on your own safety first.

"I'm strong! I-I am!" Kieran insisted. "And I'm going to prove it... prove it to everyone. Even if you won't help me." He shot a brief, furious glance at Jean, then turned and stomped off down the path. His pokémon trailed behind. For a second Poliwag hesitated, looking uncertainly up at Jean. In the end he trundled off after the others, but not without the occasional sad glance back.

Jean looked between Kieran and the ogre, ears flattening, a growing knot in her stomach. What was she supposed to do? It was smarter to just go with the ogre, wasn't it? But then... what if something happened to Kieran and his Pokémon?

(Will had gone ahead with the others, and he'd never come back.)

"I'm sorry," she said, giving the ogre an anxious glance. "Kieran, wait!" she yelled, running after him. "It's... It's dangerous!"

 

[ShiniGojira]

The temperature around her was scathing, the air warped and distorted from the sheer heat itself. Trees around her had burst into flames as the ground beneath her shook and melted. The sky had been blotted out by a sea of black and orange. The pain in her lungs, her limbs, her eyes and not even the hazy space in her mind were enough to snap her rage away from the perpetrator–

She shook herself out of the memory, her fangs bared and anger seeping into her every pore. What a shallow imitation. His tantrum would've been akin to a candle standing next to a volcano if she wanted to compare him to The Tyrant.

What a disgrace... She glared at him, undeterred by the display of power, and you call yourself a Legend...

Her fur flowed in a way that had nothing to do with the wind, her mane fluttering in an ethereal wind. She felt a huge surge of power in the distance and her ears twitched in the direction, her eyes catching the words Satomi mouthed. They were planning something.

That power source is probably their doing, Evie mused. Whatever it was, it was going to be something big. Bigger than whatever her weakened self could do.

She nodded, swapping sides and channelling a portion of her energy into them. With the Helping Hand supplied, she focused on her emotions, Calming her Mind and filtering out any unnecessary thoughts.

"Okay, let's do this," she murmured, her voice dull of emotions, a far cry from her previous attitude. She reared back her head and reached within, plunging deeper and deeper into her core. Fairy, Ice, Steel, Fire, Flying, every type under the Sun, she called out to them and although some of them weren't as polished or refined as say her Water, Rock, Electric or Normal typing, they still responded to her cries.

The power tugged at her and while it wasn't as overwhelming as it could be, it would have to do. Multicoloured light shone in her eyes, her fur raised and brimming with power. She opened her mouth, paws clawing into the dirt as the sheer recoil almost threw her aim off, and unleashed an enormous Hyper Beam that nearly engulfed the entire field.

 

[Negrek]

@Flyg0n @Sinderella @FauxFox @Seren

The battle began explosively, with the combined Energy Ball and Psyshock detonating into the last remnants of Fezandipiti's Moonblast. The legend staggered back with a squawk, flailing his wings to maintain his balance. No sooner had he regained his composure than a twisting Extrasensory sent him staggering again, and from the murderous look Fezandipiti sent Symphony, it was clear he was aware what she and her partner were doing, their soothing energies dissipating his toxins and restoring their teammates' strength.

Fezandipiti shook himself off, his golden crest bristling with indignation. Ha! Is that the best you can muster? Imagine trying to take on a being as splendorous as me with nothing but a ragtag group of--oof! The legend apparently hadn't been prepared for the event of a flying baked good, and Loaf's Body Press knocked him to the ground, pinning him briefly in a pleasantly yeasty-smelling heap.

Fezandipiti lashed out with his wings, kicking at Loaf in a fury, and regained his feet in an undignified whirl of limbs. No sooner had he done so than Theo leaped for him, claws flashing. The zorua might be small, but his claws were sharp, and Fezandipiti screeched as one of Theo's swipes cut across an eye, forcing it shut. He grabbed the zorua in his talons and hurled him away--but not without fist giving a vicious squeeze.

Fezandipiti thumped a foot against the ground, casting a furious one-eyed glare around at the trainers he'd assembled. Well? Are you going to just stand there while your Loyal Legend is attacked? Assist me!

Most of his mighty warriors didn't look too certain of what to do, but one with a koffing commanded it to begin releasing poison gas, while a duo of rockruff pups started tossing stones at Scorch of their own accord. Fezandipiti leapt forward, aiming a Cross Poison at Thea, then turning to slap Grace with a Dual Wingbeat. He finished it all off with another Moonblast for good measure.

> Fezandipiti's aura burns brightly!

@Dragonfree

The ogre inclined their body in acknowledgement. It was impossible to tell their expression behind their mask, but their voice sounded wistful. Do what you must, they said. I wish you well.

They continued up the mountain alone.

Kieran was already quite a ways ahead, but he did turn at the sound of Jean's voice and wait for her to catch up. Poliwag chirped happily and trundled over to meet her.

Kieran seemed wary. "D-don't try to stop me!" he said. "I know it's dangerous, but... but I can be strong, too! I want to help!"

The sounds of battle drifted up from below--pokémon cries and the crash and burst of attacks echoed crazily around the stone columns; human voices intermingled. Clearly there were a lot of people fighting.

"So," Kieran asked, "are you going to help, too? O-or are you going to try and convince me not to go?"

@System Error @ShiniGoijra

Perhaps Okidogi noticed what Unami was preparing; perhaps he didn't. The earth shook beneath him, and a droning hum filled the air as he gathered power. At the same time, energy was building around Unami, forming a shield at least as radiant as Okidogi's attack. The glowing dome had barely taken shape before Okidogi surged forward, throwing himself bodily at Unami and Evie. Unami's shield sheltered them both, but Okidogi wasn't deterred, hacking at the smooth surface of Unami's defense with great orange contrails dragging behind his claws. Cracks crazed over the surface of the shield as Okidogi bashed away with single-minded fury. Orange wisped into the air on Unami's side of the shield, infiltrating through minute fractures in the energy defense.

But, strengthened by Evie's Helping Hand, the defense held. Okidogi finally fell to his knees, gasping, while the orange aura faded from the air around him. And as the shield around Unami dissolved, there was nothing to stand in the way of Evie's Hyper Beam. For a moment the attack lit up the battlefield in blinding white light; when it faded, Okidogi lay slumped on the ground, insensible.

The battlefield was left charred and cratered, here and there marred by dollops of poison. Carmine was at the extreme far end, as far as she could get from the actions, with her hands up over her mouth. Her mightyena was pressed up against the front of her legs, staring wide-eyed at Okidogi.

It seemed that last exchange in particular had attracted attention. A few other people, some riding stantler and some on foot, had shown up to see what was causing all the ruckus. For the moment they stayed back, shocked into silence by the scene before them.

 

[FauxFox]

The zorua might be small, but his claws were sharp, and Fezandipiti screeched as one of Theo's swipes cut across an eye, forcing it shut. He grabbed the zorua in his talons and hurled him away--but not without fist giving a vicious squeeze.

"Ha, I bet you didn't see that coming, you feathered-" Theo began, a smug look on his face. A look that quickly faded as he shouted in surprise from suddenly being grabbed, and pain from skidding across the ground.

Most of his mighty warriors didn't look too certain of what to do, but one with a koffing commanded it to begin releasing poison gas, while a duo of rockruff pups started tossing stones at Scorch of their own accord.

"Kn-knock that off! You're helping the wrong people!" Theo coughed, looking at the koffing's trainer.

Struggling to stand up, Theo turned his attention towards the two rockruff (rockruffs? Is there an official plural?). "Hey, are you sure you want to be helping that bird?" Theo asked in the pokemon language. "You just watched him throw me, he clearly has no qualms with hurting small pokemon. Are you sure you want to be helping him? Also, lots of the pokemon in this fight are a whole lot stronger than you right now. It would probably be safest for you to back out while you still have a chance to."

He finished it all off with another Moonblast for good measure.

Theo looked away, glad he wasn't close enough to get hit by the moonblast as he regained his balance, preparing himself to use knock-off.

 

[Seren]

No sooner had he regained his composure than a twisting Extrasensory sent him staggering again, and from the murderous look Fezandipiti sent Symphony, it was clear he was aware what she and her partner were doing, their soothing energies dissipating his toxins and restoring their teammates' strength.

So far it was working. Their combined assault left the bird staggering. But the glare Fezandipiti sent her way made it clear he was not pleased to have been so easily countered. "Stay back, Symphony!" Kari called to her chimecho. They'd battled together enough with Ana's team to know what to do; the chimecho would try to stay behind the other attackers, darting around while hiding behind them. She'd clear up any poison, should anyone become re-infected, or blast off further extrasensory waves if she had an opening. Kari was banking on the rest of the squad's assault being too overwhelming for their foe to divert any attention to singling out the chimecho.

Most of his mighty warriors didn't look too certain of what to do, but one with a koffing commanded it to begin releasing poison gas, while a duo of rockruff pups started tossing stones at Scorch of their own accord. Fezandipiti leapt forward, aiming a Cross Poison at Thea, then turning to slap Grace with a Dual Wingbeat. He finished it all off with another Moonblast for good measure.

But then Fezandipiti ordered his backup to step up. Kari watched Grace tumble out of the sky, crashing hard into the rocky gravel of the mountain path. A hand reached for her bag, but she hesitated; with this chaos, she wasn't confident she could keep track of a third 'mon. Thankfully, it seemed like most of the gathered backup also hesitated. For now, Kari would leave them be - it was more important for Grace to keep the squad healthy right now, The togetic would do just that, peeling herself from the ground and sending another wave of restorative water, out to her teammates.

Meanwhile, she pulled her shirt up to cover her mouth and nose. "A-anyone have any ideas for dealing with this gas?" she called aloud, taking a few steps back away from the incoming toxic cloud. "Symphony can't heal the poison away if it just lingers in the air!"

"Kn-knock that off! You're helping the wrong people!" Theo coughed, looking at the koffing's trainer.

Meanwhile, the little fox had tried to appeal to Fezandipiti's army. Probably not a bad idea, even if it only warded off a hanful of them; most seemed unsure of which side to support, as though simply witnessing so many people opposing their living legend was enough to cast doubt on their beliefs.

"I-it's true!" Kari called out to them, hoping they could hear her muffled voice over the chaos. "The ogre is n-not your enemy! A-and there's proof!"