Treasure Town ~ Marowak Dojo

[Chibi Pika]

...

Oh god, the Mew's an idiot.

"Yeah. Looks like Diyem... really brought us a winner this time," Starr said, not bothering to hide the scorn in her voice. She turned around and continued walking out of the dojo. "Yeah, not even gonna bother. Got some giant Magikarp to fry."

 

[Umbramatic]

"Oh, we gotta beat a giant Magikarp? Easy, just give me a second."

He promptly. without permission, steals someone else's popcorn and follows Starr.

<><><>

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa watch Curio and Starr leave, now on perfectly amicable terms having done each other some injury. She hesitated, not sure whether to stick by Curio's side, exchange some more verbal blows with Starr, or find some peace and quiet to be alone. She actually wanted to fight. Fight Starr, really. Or Curio. Either one. She stared at her paws, wondering why they seemed to itch so. She still felt weird.

"Excuse me?" came a voice.

Oh, the roselia --

"Cynthian?" she asked, raising her head to meet his eye. "How can I help you?"

"Hi!" he said, waving a bepetalled appendage at her.

She gave a nod and stared, awkwardly awaiting a question. She didn't know what to expect. After all, it wasn't like he was going to ask to fight her.

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Would you like to spar with me?" He paused for a few seconds, and then his lips quivered. "Actually the word 'spar' would be inappropriate here. Like seriously, I don't even know the first thing when it comes to combat. I'd never been the sort to seek the glory of battle or anything back home, and you seem like the sort who's experienced in that regard. I'm not making assumptions or anything about you. It's just my intuition..."

Cynthian tensed up at the peak of his nervousness. What was he doing? No, he can't quit now that he was already at the dojo.

"So um, what do you say?" Cynthian really hoped she'd say yes, else he'd have made a fool of himself and would have to look for someone else all over again.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

He... wanted her to train him? Brisa thought for a second. He quivered like he was going to turn tail and flee, but his eyes were sincere.

"Yeah," she said at last. "Okay."

Brisa padded over to one end of a sparring battleground.

"I can fight, but I've never taught anyone," she said, simply. "You can leave at any time, and I won't hurt you. You're resistant to my best attacks, so you have type advantage. Be confident."

She waited for Cynthian to take his place at the other end of the battleground, at which she glanced meaningfully, and pressed her paws into the ground repeatedly to let off some sparks of energy.

She took in a calming breath and tried not to care where Curio and Starr had gone.

"This is not a battle or a fight. This is training. We'll finish in time to fight the 'karp, and if it's helpful then we can do it again sometime. First off, I want to see what you can do. Just show me what attacks you know."

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Oh, okay, thanks!" Cynthian said, a little more energetic than he wanted to.

He trotted over to the other side then turned to face Brisa. Cynthian trembled ever so slightly while he stood waiting for her instructions.

"This is not a battle or a fight. This is training. We'll finish in time to fight the 'karp, and if it's helpful then we can do it again sometime. First off, I want to see what you can do. Just show me what attacks you know."

Attacks he knew? Oh, of course, he had those. Cynthian rubbed his flower on his temple and wondered which one was best to use.

"Here goes nothing!" He bent his head forward slightly and harpooned three purple thorns from his head spikes. It was the one move he'd always known as a Roselia, and it came as naturally as breathing.

Unfortunately, his attack was way off the mark. One spike lodged itself into the ground, the other at the opposite wall and the last one had struck a training dummy across the room.

"How was that?" Cynthian asked, oblivious to how poorly he may have performed.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"It's a start," said Brisa, without irony. She hadn't had to dodge. "So that was a poison sting — if it comes to it, the 'karp are a large targets and your accuracy may not be a problem. We can work on it. Catch your breath and then show me what else you have."

 

[Adamhuarts]

Cynthian nodded. He wondered what else he knew how to do. There was that one move he could try... He trotted a few steps forward to get in range and then stood in place.

After a deep breath, Cynthian drew his flowers forward and clenched. A few seconds later and Brisa would've noticed the pale green light orbs that drifted wistfully out of her body. The attack did its work, traveling across the field with increasing speed until it reached Cynthian and became one with him.

Cynthian felt a rush of invigoration after the fact, though Brisa might've felt an experience similar to having her blood forcefully drawn.

"Was that better?" Cynthian asked, holding his flowers together.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa braced and took the attack, paying attention to the tugging sensation and the ache that came after.

"You lack proficiency, but your actual power is significant," she said through clenched teeth. She was so much more vulnerable in this fucking tiny body, like a godsdamn kitten. He'd hit her harder than he probably expected with that drain.

She shook herself, trying to charge up a little. "That move will be an asset against the 'karp. I suggest you depend on it. Get ready, I'm about to attack you."

She released the shockwave a moment later, before the plant had a chance to get scared. By her estimation, it should hardly hurt him.

 

[Adamhuarts]

Cynthian squeaked from the sudden pain. It wasn't overbearing, but it stung.

"Oww, that hurt." Cynthian squinted his eyes and shivered. "I didn't even have time to think," he said, slowly opening an eye.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Battles hurt," stated Brisa, as if to a slightly slow child. "Now, if we traded mega drain and thunder shock, you would win. You understand? You have resistance, and power. To beat you, I would need to be smart and brave. I won my fight against Curio yesterday because I looked for ways to win when things looked bad. When you face those fish, you'll be in my position. You'll have to be determined. Understand? Hmph. That's a good start."

She sat back, indicating that she was done speaking, and waited for Cynthian to digest that.

 

[Adamhuarts]

When you face those fish, you'll be in my positio. You'll have to be determined. Understand? Hmph. That's a good start."

"Determination... I think I'm starting to get it now." Cynthian pictured the behemoth Magikarp in his mind, and a cold shiver went down his spine. He shook his head and fixed his eyes on Brisa. Cynthian couldn't help but wonder... Was she determined? Truffle's words echoed in his mind

``You have simply not been presented the opportunity for your potential to reveal itself``
​

Cynthian took a deep breath and puffed up his chest. He wanted an opportunity, and Brisa was giving him just that. So, he steeled himself and ceased shaking altogether.

"L-let's make this a proper spar! Come at me with all you've got!" Cynthian said all that at the spur of the moment, though he hoped he wouldn't have to eat his own words.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa grinned. She was gonna get her fight after all. And, craven though he'd seemed so far, Cynthian would doubtless prove a tough opponent.

"Alright then, Cynthian! Throw everything you have at me, and then some!"

She prowled closer to her tutee, eyes flashing red in an opening Leer.

 

[Adamhuarts]

Cynthian's body all but froze. He was scared now. Really, really scared. Brisa was approaching, and she looked more terrifying than before.

Was it the red glow from her eyes doing that? Cynthian didn't know nor could he tell. His posture was imbalanced and full of openings, and he'd be easy to knock over.

"Take this!" Cynthian cocked his head forward and blasted another set of purple spikes at Brisa. There were off the mark just like last time, but one had landed just a few feet away from Brisa's position.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa leaned to the side and let a poison sting whizz past, then took off at a run to tackle her opponent. Sparks flew off her paws.

Everything depended on whether Cynthian pushed himself to show her something she hadn't seen yet. She was counting on it.

 

[Adamhuarts]

Oh crap, his Poison Sting didn't even slow her down at all! Cynthian's mind raced for what else to do. He remembered Stun Spore! Yes, that should slow her down a bit!

Cynthian raised his flowers to prepare his attacks, then sparks flew off Brisa's paws. His face paled. She was an electric type! Darn it, Stun Spore wasn't going to do anything at all! He wanted to try running out of the way, but he found himself frozen in place as if he'd used the Stun Spore on himself!

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa landed the tackle without hesitation, throwing her body against Cynthian's. It was only a tackle, nothing special, but the roselia wasn't built for fights this close and personal and she couldn't help but wince a little at the impact. She darted away, already feeling the effects of her limited stamina -- but she seemed to have more now than the previous day. Diyem's work, perhaps.

"Attack me!" she yowled. "I want you to hit me with the best you have!"

She wheeled around and went in for another tackle. This time he'd better hit her. There was no satisfaction in a battle without taking a blow.

 

[Adamhuarts]

The moment the tackle hit, lights flashed in Cynthian's eyes. He toppled over backwards and even rolled once. Cynthian wheezed and coughed while he cringed from the pain. It was completely different from the electric attack from earlier. Her tackle hurt so much more, and tears were already starting to well up in Cynthian's eyes when—

"Attack me!" she yowled. "I want you to hit me with the best you have!"

Brisa's voice snapped him back to reality, and he shrank back when he saw her approaching again. She really wasn't holding back at all, was she? He had to do something!

Cynthian sprang back to his feet and swung his flowers forward to draw more of those light orbs from earlier, sapping away at Brisa's vitality with Mega Drain.

"How's that for an attack?!" Cynthian yelled.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa cried out as her vitality was sapped powerfully once more, but she didn't slow down. She couldn't tell whether she could take Cynthian down with tackles faster than he could drain her, especially with the restorative effects he must be feeling.

But the odds weren't bad.

"Better!" she shouted. And then she hit him again.

Come on Cynthian. What else do you have?

 

[Adamhuarts]

The wind got knocked out of Cynthian. Once again he rolled to the ground wincing in pain. Bruises decorated his body, and it dawned upon him that he was taking more damage than Mega Drain could restore. The next strike would certainly knock him out.

Cynthian forced himself to stand, but his legs ached. He couldn't run or evade. It was a miracle that he wasn't already crying his guts out yet.

What should he do? Mega Drain again? No, she'd hit him before he can do it, and poison sting was a lost cause. Cynthian trembled and whimpered, his mind racing to find any and all options. There was a dull tinge radiating from his flowers. Was it pain or something else? Whatever it was, it wanted to burst out of his flowers.

In his fright, Cynthian released the energy that had built up. He launched a green plume of Sleep Powder right at Brisa, and without warning.