Sojaveña Wilds Clan Battlegrounds

[Jackie Cat]

Most cultures had spaces for work, and spaces for living. The Escarpa Clan had spaces for battling – by every campsite, there would be some well-used sparring spot.

Although the Escarpa didn't care to have anything close to designated, formal battlefields, laid out in neat white lines like the League pitches of human worlds, they did have a sort of favoured battleground for scheduled sparring matches such as these. A raised hillock of earth and stone sloped gently down to yellow grasses on one side, and looked down on a dusty patch of ground down a much steeper incline.

It wasn't elaborate or grand, which suited the Escarpa just fine. Scorch-marks, patches of sand left vitreous by stray bolts, and the faint scent of shed blood all showed that this was a spot in regular, frequent use. There was a faint trace of glittering dungeon-dust in the air, a sign of many wonder orbs shattered in the course of training here. The Escarpa were traditionally expert dungeoneers.

<><><><><>​

It was a warm day, with a stiff, arid breeze, and the clan had gathered by the patchy grassland just upriver from the current camp. The Escarpa sparred regularly and often, for any and every reason from recreation, to combat instruction, to honour duels, to challenges for authority. On this particular day, they'd given an invitation to the Wayfarers to spar against some of the best Escarpa warriors – as a form of training, and as a test of their skills and teamwork. All part of the preparations to make an assault on Cipher's base at Terminal Two.

At the top of the hillock, a pair of Luxray warriors basked in the midday sun, awaiting the arrival of their opponents.

 

[Goat]

The density of the air made Astrid’s chest a little tighter, pinching at the pit of anxiety she was already trying to ignore. She felt a little nauseous before every fight, stakes be damned, but something about the atmosphere here really nipped at her tails in a way that she wasn’t sure excited or frightened her. At least the clanners seemed friendly, or just not outright hostile, from what little she’d seen. She huffed air out of her nose and imagined herself being brought up in a place like this—another fleeting daydream. Would she have even run away?

"They’re kitted out like we are," Astrid whispered to the others, surveying the debris and the elevation change. She gave a cordial wave in the Luxrays’ direction just before getting in earshot.

"Hi. Thanks for having us! Any house rules we 'oughta know, or is it all self-explanatory?"

 

[Inkedust]

Bellatrix stood straight and proud as she looked over the opposing Escarpa. "Now is a better time than any to put all that training to the test," she said quietly to Astrid. Addressed to the Escarpa and similarly raising her voice, "No matter the result, I expect a good battle. Do not disappoint your reputation as warriors."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Jade wasn't sure what she was hoping for (or expecting) by agreeing to take part in training with the Escarpa warriors, given what had happened when battling their cadets by the bridge. Still some part of her was insisting that she should've let someone else fill the sixth teamslot, that she wasn't ready, that there were other ways she could train. But the raid on Terminal Two was now less than a week away, and it wasn't going to wait for everyone to feel ready.

So she did her best to stand tall to feel less dwarfed by her evolved teammates as she walked with them to the clan battlegrounds.

 

[Jackie Cat]

One of the Luxray – with the larger mane of the two, and well-groomed at that – jumped down from the overhang to meet the party.

"We won't disappoint," he said with a chuckle. "I look forward to seeing how you fare in battle, outlanders from other worlds! The Escarpa have little in the way of strong opponents to test ourselves against, and it is not enough to train only against one's own people. Exert yourselves, then! I hope you shall be our worthy rivals in strength!"

"They asked about rules, Viento," remarked the other Luxray, raising her paw to give a single wave to the new arrivals.

"You tell them better, Piedra," replied the male, shrugging.

"Alright. This is... What you might call a 'show fight'," began Piedra.

Exhibition match, came Betel's supplementary translation.

"The purpose of this battle is to test strength, and only that. We fight until knockout or yield, and it is respectable for the stronger warrior to yield when her opponent has proven themself. To say it differently, we will yield when we are satisfied with your performance. Warrior gear – dungeon items to be worn or spent – is allowed. Defeat in detail – this means to 'gang up' on one opponent – is not forbidden, but neither is it impressive, or honourable. We will not do this. At most, the battle may last a half-hour..."

"The rest is not so important," interrupted Viento, with a shake of his mane.

"Indeed," said Piedra, tolerantly.

She looked over to the gathered clan members beside the battleground and raised herself onto her haunches.

"Who wishes to battle against those that are called Wayfarers? They are not civilians or soft town 'mon, but warriors with proven skill. Who answers?"

Lluvia – the Zangoose guard – and the cadets who'd fought at the bridge the other week all stepped forward. Halcón and Pyrrin didn't seem to be among them, at least at a glance...

"The chieftain will decide who fights," said Piedra, bluntly. "She will be here soon. If she decides to fight, are you ready?"

She gave the Wayfarers a curious look as she asked this. From the Luxray's expression, she was eager for a good battle...

 

[Goat]

"Whoever will help us prepare best is who I wanna fight," Astrid said, chewing over Piedra's input for a moment before adding, "and a lot of times, ganging up on one opponent is most effective. But umm, it's not always possible to do that, either." She glanced warily to her side at the others. "So maybe honorability in this case will be the best way to practice?"

 

[Shadow Serenity]

Kimiko followed silently behind her allies back to the familiar Escarpa camp. The first meeting with Sierra had gone well, enough to at least consider working together. Now they were expected to actually battle. She had expected this the first time, and was more than ready for it now. Still, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. She felt like she was starting to lag behind...

She nodded her head lightly in greeting at the two luxray; no bows, but her nerves held her back from waving or anything else. The rules were simple enough; try not to gang up on anyone, the luxray will yield if they've seen enough. ...Were the Wayfarers expected to yield also if they ended up on top of their opponents, or was that one-way?

"The chieftain will decide who fights," said Piedra, bluntly. "She will be here soon. If she decides to fight, are you ready?"

At that, Kimiko grinned. "I hope she does. I'd consider it an honor and a good test." Of course, should Sierra actually fight, Kimiko wouldn't expect to win, but she was, at the very least, determined to prove herself a worthy opponent... perhaps more to herself than the Escarpa, at this point.

 

[Inkedust]

"I would not have it any other way," replied Bellatrix, warming her muscles with a few stretches. "It's been a while since I've had a good fight."

Amongst the group of Escarpa, Pyrrin could be seen cresting the hill, clearing rushed to the battleground the moment the word reached his ears. "I will offer myself to battle!" he declared, both to the Wayfarers and his fellow clanmates. His head quickly whipped back before he called out, "Come on, Halcón! Do you want to miss out by being late?"

 

[HelloYellow17]

The battle grounds were simple. Nothing fancy. It was the the little signs here and there pointing to its use that told the story of what this place was used for, and how often. The Escarpa clearly believed nothing else needed to be said, no further decorations or posted signs or anything else to tell people what this place was about. It was self-explanatory. Humble. Straightforward.

Wes loved it.

Screw the fancy stadiums and freshly painted battle arenas. None of that was necessary, none of that mattered in a real battle. The Escarpa surely seemed to agree on this—that it was worthless to wrap something up in frilly packaging if the contents couldn’t actually deliver. The only thing that truly mattered was the battle itself, how the fighters carried it out. Nothing more, nothing less.

He rolled his shoulders, feeling a spark of excitement for the first time in a while. It was different from being a trainer, of course, but the anticipation, the thrill was much the same. And, gods, he’d missed it.

He allowed himself a smug grin at the sight of Pyrrin. Oh, Wes had been eager for a chance to take on that smug bastard. He figured that the guy actually could probably back up his big mouth in a fight, but now he’d get to test the theory for himself.

“Let’s get this started, then,” he said, eyes gleaming and battle-ready. “I’m warning you though, I’ll never forgive you if anybody holds back.”

 

[Jackie Cat]

Halcón arrived moments after Pyrrin, not quite looking usual sanguine self – a little breathless, and his mane dishevelled. He licked the worst of it down in a hurry, cleared his throat, and put himself across the line to join the rest of the would-be combatants, shooting Pyrrin an odd look as he did so.

"We won't hold back," Piedra assured Wes, with a subtle grin on her face that made her look for a moment like the spitting image of Sierra. (Perhaps they were related – Sierra's pride were said to be the core of the Escarpa warrior corps). "It is not our way to make half an effort."

"We expect the same of you," added a new voice – Sierra's voice. The Luxray Chieftain had apparently returned from a dip in the river, judging by her damp limbs, though the lope up to the battleground had done much to dry her out already. She'd stopped only to drop a few fish by the spectators without ceremony, before joining the fighters on the field.

Sierra passed by the volunteers and with some gesture, tapped a couple of them out, the rest gaining approval to join the fight. It would be seven against seven today – an unusual number to any erstwhile pokémon trainers.

"It is good to anticipate a battle like this," remarked the chieftain, with a smile. "I expect much of you, offworlders! It has been far too long since I sparred against interesting opponents. Go, take your positions on the south end of the field. Lluvia, will you officiate?"

The Zangoose nodded stiffly, tapping her chest with one bladed paw. She was clearly disappointed not to join the match, but she would do as her leader asked. Perhaps there would be other chances.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Gladion was nervous, but also excited. Even though the stakes were much lower than at the bridge, he still wanted the Escarpa to respect him. He liked them, on principle, but they still left him on edge. People he wanted as allies, even if he was acutely away they hadn’t necessarily earned it yet.

He perked up at the sight of Pyrrin and Halcón. It was nice to face some familiar opponents, and Gladion was particularly glad to see Halcón, who he both hadn’t gotten to see the abilities of before and thought seemed to be pretty friendly. Sure, it was also good to recognize Pyrrin, but the guy was pretty… intense at times.

 

[Inkedust]

Pyrrin gave Halcón a playful smirk in response before focusing back on the Wayfarers with a determined look in his eyes, pleased that Sierra had chosen him to fight today.

Bellatrix had replied to the chieftain with a nod, settling herself into position that said nothing more than 'when you're ready' a language that she imagined the Escarpa would understand perfectly.

 

[Shadow Serenity]

The sight of Pyrrin was a bit unsettling, but there were plenty of other opponents to fight. Kimiko could leave the fire-type to her less vulnerable allies. She'd have to watch out for fire techniques from the rest, still, but at least those might be less potent.

Meanwhile, her not-quite-challenge was answered as Sierra herself stepped onto the battlefield and took a place among those chosen for the battle. Kimiko again offered a polite grin and a nod. "Chieftain Sierra, good to see you again. Rest assured we'll do all we can to exceed those expectations."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Turn 0
Enemy Setup Phase​

Zangoose Lluvia wasted little time. With a few deft – perhaps irritable – moves, her claws shunted a mound of earth into place to give her a little extra height to judge the match by.

"Positions," she called. Then, when she deemed everyone to be in place, "Ready...! Hold...! Begin!"

Sierra, atop the raised overlook, let out a gutteral, barking roar, and her eyes flashed as her focus narrowed.

Sierra's Vigilance! Sierra gained +2 Acc/Eva/Spd, and became Charged!
Viento and Piedra used their Terrain Orbs: they summoned Electric Terrain!
Viento and Piedra ate their Cautious Seeds. They each gained +1 Def/Res!
The enemy squad Focused...

There was little chance of the Wayfarers landing a swift and decisive victory through all-out offence. And yet, they'd surely have to put pressure on the clan's warriors to prevent them controlling the battle. This would be a challenge...

Good luck, heroic spirits! I have faith in you!
​

[ ] Objective: reduce the enemy squad's apparent HP to zero.
[ ] Bonus Objective: impress the clan by fighting them all at once.

 

[Butterfree]

This was a fucking bizarre thing to find himself doing. But if they were going to try to raid this Cipher base, probably full of Shadow Pokémon (always with the itch in his goddamn shoulder) they had better be fucking prepared.

He'd first reluctantly joined the Escarpa for some drills when others were - a variety of them practicing a variety of combat strategies, but he'd gravitated toward the more tactical side, joined some Luxray practicing putting the enemy off balance with paralysis or intimidation displays, spotting their weak points and then going for precision at the right moment. One way or another the Poochyena brain had taken to it like a fish to water, quickly picking up timing, almost a pinprick in his brain urging him towards the right strike at the right time. Dave wasn't sure he'd ever get used to having a whole set of unfamiliar Pokémon instincts for arbitrary violence.

But doing training drills wasn't enough, they'd said, and he could believe it. It felt different from how it'd felt to be fighting an actual opponent who was fighting back, Ignatius or the Skorupi. And so, the clan had organized this 'show fight'. And thus, he was here, basically participating in a fucking sports match, somehow. One where a bunch of Luxray twenty times his size were probably going to hit him with a world of pain. Objectively, that sounded like a terrible way to spend his time. The Poochyena brain somehow simultaneously thought it sounded like a great time and also wanted to get the hell away.

He took a deep breath. Better get used to this.

I'll distract Sierra and then try to get some hits in on that guy, he thought to Betel, preparing to charge.

Spoiler: Turn 1

Dave (120 STM, 5 TMP, +0 SPD, +0 ACC, 0 SHD, 0 RAD)
- **Act:** Focus (+5 TMP, -20 SHD, -20 RAD)
- Dash to Rough Slope (-2 TMP)
- AGILE Rage @ Sierra (-6 STM, +2 TMP)
- Hone Claws (-18 STM, +2 TMP)
- Rage @ Viento (-4 STM, +3 TMP)
- Activate ability (Pickpocket) @ Viento's +Def
- Assurance @ Viento (-15 STM, +3 TMP)
Net change: -43 STM, +13 TMP, +0 SHD, +0 RAD
Net totals: 77 STM (107 after regen), 18 TMP, 0 SHD, 0 RAD

 

[Chibi Pika]

Jade did her best to hold her nerve under the fierce gaze of the Luxray chieftain and her warriors. I expect much of you, Sierra had said. Jade wanted to believe that that expectation was merited, and that it included her.

Still, there was no denying that with so many powerful strikers on the offworlders' side, her best bet was sticking with what she knew. Calling out openings, warning of incoming attacks, battling like a trainer. (Maybe one day she'd get the hang of battling like a Pokemon.)

Jade's Support Aux: +1 Def to Bellatrix

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Gladion locked eyes with Halcón, and moved to try to intercept him before he got to the other Wayfarers, to see how he’d react. He probably wouldn’t be able to take many hits from any of the Luxray warriors, certainly not Sierra, but he might be able to pose a problem for Halcón if he wanted to coordinate with them.

“Never got to see what you can do last time. What’ve you got up your sleeve?” he said, before immediately hoping it translated to something that would make sense. Betel was pretty good at that.

 

[Shadow Serenity]

While her allies rushed into battle, Kimiko took an extra moment for a deep breath, mostly to ease her nerves, but also to gauge where everyone else was going. They were supposed to spread out their assault, after all.

And it seemed like most of them were split between Sierra's allies... so Kimiko charged towards the chieftain herself. What better way to show her stuff than to bring the heat right to the source?

Spoiler: Turn 1

Kimiko (91 STM, 5 TMP, +0 SPD, +0 ACC, 0 SHD, 0 RAD)
- **Act:** Dash to Rough Slope (-2 TMP)
- Magical Leaf @ Sierra (-8 STM, Sure Hit, +3 TMP)
- Aura Sphere @ Sierra (-17 STM, Sure Hit, +3 TMP)
- Leaf Tornado @ Sierra (-12 STM, hit, -2 TMP, +3 TMP)
- Walk to Tall Grass
Net change: -37 STM, +5 TMP, +0 SHD, +0 RAD
Net totals: 54 STM (76 after regen), 10 TMP, 0 SHD, 0 RAD

 

[Goat]

Astrid drove in a hard line up the lower half of the slope, feet light and movement irregular. She fell into an advance between two of her allies and threw herself right at the chief with a Nasty Plot brewing in her brain. Sierra had the size advantage by a longshot, even evolved as Astrid was, and it was clear that getting in a muscle tussle was a recipe for failure. Never had been her style though. She'd just dig a little deeper... and deliver one swift, precise strike.

Spoiler: Turn Order

1. Dave
2. Wes
3. Jade
4. Bellatrix
5. Astrid
6. Kimiko

Spoiler: Astrid Turn 1

Astrid (104 STM, 5 TMP, +0 SPD, +0 ACC, 0 SHD, 0 RAD)
- **Act:** SHADOW Focus (+5 TMP)
- Dash to Rough Slope (-2 TMP)
- AGILE SHADOW Nasty Plot (-27 STM, +2 TMP, +18 SHD)
- Nasty Plot (-18 STM, +2 TMP)
- Fake Tears @ Sierra (-18 STM, +2 TMP)
- CRITICAL Frost Breath @ Sierra (-10 STM, Sure Hit, +2 TMP)
- Activate feat (Spotter Feat) @ Sierra - Ability
- Walk to Overlook
Net change: -73 STM, +11 TMP, +18 SHD, +0 RAD
Net totals: 31 STM (57 after regen), 16 TMP, 18 SHD, 0 RAD

 

[Goat]

(Posting on behalf of Yellow, who greenlit in chat earlier but is likely asleep at this hour)

Spoiler

Wes: Rogue @ Sierra [-1 Resistance]