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Of course I'm not forcing you to do anything if you don't want to, but seriously, what have you got to lose? Five seconds of your life?
Okay then, we're still going to play defensively for a bit. Start off with Magnet Rise, then set up that Reflect. After that's done, we should be taking care of that Substitute, but for now, use Heal Bell to detoxify.
In Neku’s place is revealed another fighting type, a lithe pup banded in blue and black. The Riolu bows to his opponent before assuming a fighting stance. Raigu nods in reply. They both know this arduous battle is coming a close, and they are the heralds of its end.
Round Twelve
Murkrow
XXO
Raigu
Mareep (F) [Static]
Health: 99% | Energy: 96%
Condition: Toxipoisoned (2% damage next round), Taunted (1 more action) ”oh look a doggy!” Facade ~ Reflect ~ Heal Bell
Sangfroidish
XXO
Oscar
Riolu (M) [Inner Focus] @ Soothe Bell
Health: 100% | Energy: 100%
Condition: ”move like wataaah” Substitute (15%) ~ Bulldoze/Blaze Kick/Work Up ~ Bulldoze/Blaze Kick/Work Up
Oscar places his palms together, eyes shut. Raigu muses as to what is happening, between bowing to cheers from the crowd. The sound of rushing water fills Oscar’s mind, and he lets it. He feels the hollow of his body, and he feels the water enter and fill it to the brim. His mind was an empty cup before, and now it is full. The Riolu’s eyes snap open, Raigu flinches, and he motions his hands about the battlefield, creating curving arcs and flowing lines. Water from the edge of the dome comes pouring out, circling the ground beside Oscar. It fills the space like there was an invisible cup present, taking on the shape of a Riolu.
Raigu cocked her head, as if to ask Oscar if he’s quite done with his shenaniganry. Oscar’s form is still, eyes closed in meditation, as silent as a placid lake. Raigu yips. Oscar jerks awake, almost snoring, and wipes away some snot. The Riolu nods in half-awake blinks. Raigu rolls her eyes. Fighting types. Thinking they’re all that. She bounds over to the flowing blue Riolu and headbutts it. The crowd goes wild, never before have they seen a ram like this. Raigu hides the poison’s wrenching effects on her face by forcing a shivering smile. The crowd grows louder. Raigu headbutts it again, and again. Each thump of greater magnitude than the last, pumped up by the cheer. Water splashes off it, the only signal that it is being wounded, and smacks into puddles on the ground. Some of it steams when it touches the cooling pools of lava. Raigu opportunistically takes the wisp of steam to end her assault, bounding back across the field.
Oscar may have been somewhat angered by the attack. His face grew darker and darker with each strike, as if he could feel the anguish of his liquid brother. The Riolu raises a foot just as Raigu turns for a sweeping bow, and slams it into the earth. The open geysers shudder as the shockwave slides through them, throwing up a wake of crumbled rock. The noise hits Raigu just before the strike, giving her enough time to turn half-way. The tremor climbed into her bones, and rattled them inside her like she was a cage. She heard the creaking whine of her legs giving way to the attack, and stumbled onto her knees hidden under the fluff. So hidden were her knees that she was now a puffball with a head. The crowd would be amused if she started to bolt around the battlefield as a puff of animated cream, but that was for another day. She yawned, and fine lines of sharpened light shot into place in front of her. They stabbed into each other in perfect time, forming a rotating square of glassy green in front of her. Oscar swept his leg back up, raising dust in an arc, then stomped once more with measured fury. He knew the sheep was left to her knees for movement, so her legs would be much more vulnerable now. The lines of force fanned out from his leg before shuddering into formation. They charged in a perfect line towards Raigu, who sat smiling at her reflection in the glassy wall. The shockwave, rumbling with purpose, travelled beneath the wall, ignoring its defensive capabilities, and unleashed their pent up force underneath the Mareep. Raigu rocked forwards and backwards, having a localized quake beneath her, how had her wall failed? How could she go on now! The embarrassment was unreal! Though she did have this spiffy mirror at least, and her grin returned, albeit a bit shaky.
Once she had been completely thrown about by the invading shockwave, she set to work purging her insides. This poison had cursed her long enough, and it did end up blocking part of her olfactory factories. She did this upside down because she didn’t want to hurt her tender feet. She wiggled them in the air, and moved her head from side to side while baaaing repeatedly. Somehow, this rhythm and lack of a melody turned into harmonious chiming. The sound shook through Raigu, not the jolt of an earthquake, but the soothing balm of an aural massage.
Notes:
-I spread Toxipoison damage across the round by dividing it by three. Here I rounded up, so Raigu took 2%.
-Crits bypass Reflect/Light Screen.
-There was a minor error with Raigu’s energy last round, fixed it its respective reffing.
-Murkrow masterfully commands the creature that contains within it the potential of his victory: a sheep.
Then I think I'll start off with Magnet Rise, then follow up with Swift to take down the last of the substitute. Then we'll give him a taste of his own - or Ragu's medicine and use Toxic.
If he uses protect, use Cotton Guard
If he sets up another Substitute, use Thunderbolt instead of Toxic
If you get Taunted, use Charge Beam on the first move and/or use Thunderbolt on the third
(Raigu should have -2 Speed from those Bulldozes, incidentally.)
Fling some mud in her eyes before she can get airborne, then jump up and smack her with a Sky Uppercut. Finish with a Double Team, just to make it even harder for that muck to hit you.
Sangfroidish
XXO
Oscar
Riolu (M) [Inner Focus] @ Soothe Bell
Health: 85% | Energy: 84%
Condition: Has a Substitute (1%) ”be still, be calm, damnit sheep >:C” Mud Slap ~ Sky Uppercut ~ Double Team
Oscar’s palm flew to the ground, scooping up bits of loose dirt, some of it glassy and still warm from the eruption. He arched his back and curved his arm upwards, letting bits of the grime drip from his hands. Raigu shivered at the sight. Oscar lobbed the dirt at the Mareep, throwing his whole body into it. It smacked onto the sheep’s immaculate coat and sprayed across her eyes. Raigu tried to bat her lashes in an attempt to remove them, but realized she did not have lashes. She wasn’t able to see if she had lashes because her vision was now covered in brown splotches, the very same ones sliding coldly down her face. In an effort to reduce the contact she had with the ground, because it apparently had come up to meet her, she wiggled her hooves around. Little waves of electricity poured into the ground beneath her, then shot back up into her legs, as if filled with information on the earth beneath. She felt a tingle run up the inside of her bones, and suddenly the flat of her hooves felt air beneath them.
Oscar had anticipated this, and from his stance of quiet contemplation drew out an arm. He stretched his leg across the ground in a half-circle, spreading a curve in the dirt. The leg’s muscles were tensed, and he put all his weight down on it. And leapt. The Riolu’s blazing blue fist rocketed above his head as he flew, leaving a rush of air in his face. Raigu’s eyes widened as the Riolu drew close, and then shut when the Riolu stopped drawing close. The fist rammed into her chin, shooting her head upwards. She managed to do a barrel roll in the air before spraying off a fan of stars defensively. Darkened sight be damned, the spinning, pointy projectiles had their own purpose. Oscar couldn’t have noticed this, as each one bashed into his substitute a faint numbness filled him as he watched. He dabbed his fingers where the stars would have struck him, and his skin pushed the feeling back with a tingle.
Raigu snorted, still spinning in the air, and a chunk of purple goo flew at a harsh downward angle. Given spiraling force by the rotating sheep, it sailed through the air right onto Oscar’s stilled forehead. He had tried to shuffle his feet as it drew close, but he couldn’t. They remained locked in place, he felt the movements beneath him. Or what should have been movements, but nothing happened. He knew he was telling his muscles to move, and they were, but he couldn’t feel their effects. He growled, were they moving at all?
Murkrow
XXO
Raigu
Mareep (F) [Static]
Health: 68% | Energy: 69%
Condition: Speed -2, Accuracy -1, Reflect (1 more action), Magnet Risen (3 more actions) ”woah higher upside-down world o.o” Magnet Rise ~ Swift ~ Toxic
Sangfroidish
XXO
Oscar
Riolu (M) [Inner Focus] @ Soothe Bell
Health: 84% | Energy: 78%
Condition: Toxipoisned (2% damage next round), Paralysed (Severe) ”move like brick?” Mud-Slap ~ Sky Uppercut ~ Paralysed!
Notes:
-I neglected to mention that Reflect was up for the round, so my bad on that. If this is a significant enough problem and Murkrow consents, I'll do a recommand of Oscar's second action with a move of your choice, Sangfroidish.
-As of the third action, Raigu was faster, so she moved first. Not that it mattered, since Double Team was haxxed out.
Two can play at that game, Oscar. Keep hitting her with Force Palms and hope you can paralyse her right back. If she's protecting, use Work Up, and if you're too paralysed to act try to Chill instead.
I forgot to ask - does Raigu not have legs because she's floating?
It's a good job you're not that annoying Scraggy, so you can't shed your skin! Hopefully that Toxic will persist so maybe we can stall this one out.
Start off with a Cotton Guard, then use Double Team to make yourself harder to hit. If you get super lucky and you somehow avoid any damage, make a Substitute. Otherwise get that Reflect back up.
Cotton Guard ~ Double Team ~ Substitute (15%) / Reflect
The arena is in a hemisphere of air at the bottom of a lake. Outside of the dome are seats that are to be used by divers or water-type Pokémon.
Nothing is special about the arena itself but there is no solid object separating the air and water, the integrity of the dome is maintained by psychic Pokémon.
Objects (inluding water) can pass both ways through the dome if needed.
Murkrow (xxO)
Raigu (f) <static>
Health: 68%
Energy: 69%
- ”woah higher upside-down world o.o” Speed -2, Accuracy -1, Reflect (1 more action), Magnet Risen (3 more actions)
Sangfroidish (xxO)
Oscar (m) <inner focus> @soothe bell
Health: 84%
Energy: 78%
”move like brick?” Toxipoisned (2% damage next round), Paralysed (Severe)
Somehow Oscar managed to move first, running towards the floating sheep with palm outstretched and smacking her down. Raigu yelped, but her barrier dulled the impact before she hit the ocean sand and bounced her back up into the air like a balloon. She couldn’t really maintain her balance, flailing her chubby legs to keep her head up and tail down, but she didn’t need to so much anyhow. She’d right herself eventually when the momentum stopped her swirling.
Giving up, she continued to twirl midair, closing her eyes to ignore the dizzying sight of ground and water criss-crossing her sight. Focusing, squinting her eyes harder and harder, the puff around her seemed to double, triple, as if they were breeding, covering her entirely - even stretching across her legs and face. Only her eyes were visible; she was just a giant big yellow puff with a tail except for those eyes.
Oscar would be amused if not for the dull ache of poison and twitching muscles. At least the reflect barrier finally fizzed out, just in time for another attack. He ran forth and slapped the floating mareep hard, but it did even less than last time, barely tossing her an inch through the air. She let out only a tiny squeak this time, her new puffy coat taking most of the impact.
And now she had to move. Her eyes squinted with exertion as she began to flail her legs furiously, bits of fluff shaking off with each swing. No matter how hard she ran, she could only push herself through the air by inches, just enough for a single mirage to pull itself from her. She stopped her efforts and panted from the exertion, her double mimicking her perfectly.
Now the two both tightened their eyes, raising up another shield like the one that had just faded. Oscar needed no help figuring it out - a reflect, nothing new - and so he jumped over to one of the sheep, guessing quickly, and slapped her across the face. He hit solid sheep, the mirage fading immediately as Raigu’s concentration was broken by the hit - though just barely. The combination of reflect and thick fleece was enough to dull the smack enough that Raigu didn’t even flinch.
Sangfroidish (xxO)
Oscar (m) <inner focus> @soothe bell
Health: 82%
Energy: 78%
”Can’t escape me that easily!” Poisoned (severe, 3% next round), paralysed (severe)
Final Notes:
Mareep are pretty slow, and with -2 speed, Raigu managed only one clone.
Oscar wasn’t parahaxxed all round.
The pokes are at exactly the same speed so whoever goes first is randomized.
Also fyi, electric types can’t be paralyzed so that… didn’t happen.
Raigu’s accuracy drop faded at the end of the round.
Also… apologies if quality is low, headache + pain meds ._. but I wanted to get this in so you didn’t have to wait longer.
I don't think I'll be able to completely stall the rest of the match. We'll have to attack at least a bit if we want to win this.
Rather than Protect twice and attack in the middle, I think you should d the opposite and only Protect once. I don't think the speed difference will be too much of a hassle but just to make things easier to predict start off with an Electroweb and do another one if the first didn't hit. If the first did hit, use Headbutt instead. Hopefully Oscar will flinch if not paralysed.
I swear I'll never get used to that "electric types not getting paralysed any more" retcon >:/
Anyway, all was not for naught! We're at least in the lead, and if we keep chipping away at her we ought to remain so. Having your speed levelled out with hers shouldn't be a concern since you're nearly twice as fast anyway, so we won't do anything about those Electrowebs. What we will do something about is that Reflect, because our non-physical repertoire is too limited for it remaining to be a good thing. Give her a Brick Break to get it out of the way, and while she's protecting, give me a Swords Dance to counteract the effects of that wool. Finally, try and hit her with a Cross Chop, unless you were paralysed first action and the reflect yet remains, in which case get rid of it instead.
The arena is in a hemisphere of air at the bottom of a lake. Outside of the dome are seats that are to be used by divers or water-type Pokémon.
Nothing is special about the arena itself but there is no solid object separating the air and water, the integrity of the dome is maintained by psychic Pokémon.
Objects (inluding water) can pass both ways through the dome if needed.
Sangfroidish (xxO)
Oscar (m) <inner focus> @soothe bell
Health: 82%
Energy: 78%
”Can’t escape me that easily!” Poisoned (severe, 4% next round), paralysed (severe)
Raigu bleats discontent at having to walk again, shaking her heavy coat in dismay. Tiny sparks shimmer out of the fleece and spread like a spider-web, coating out onto Oscar’s skin and tangling him, though he mostly notices the painful shocks as he tries to quickly brush them off. They’re too sticky, though, netting him quite thoroughly, and he soon gives up.
Instead he draws a fist back and runs at the sheep, slamming it down and through the reflective barrier - and it shatters to pieces, his fist hitting home on her soft hide. There’s still a wall of fleece protecting her, and she only mewls lightly at the blow, eyeing the riolu disdainfully. Oscar backs away slowly, shaking clinging sparks off his hand.
A new barrier rises to replace the broken one - much brighter, and clearly unbreakable. Oscar’s not dumb enough to try and hit through it, so he chooses instead to dance. It’s hard, with his muscles seizing at random moments and the electric netting coating his limbs, but he works through it, rubbing his metal spears together and intertwining his limbs in a strange warrior dance that lifts his spirits for the remainder of the battle. He feels stronger now, ready to beat that sheep into submission.
So does Raigu, though, and as her shield falls her head comes barrelling through, smashing into Oscar’s like a ton of bricks. He yelps in shock more than anything, tumbling over onto his back, suddenly unable to get up - it’s finally happened. His body is frozen stiff, completely prone on his backside, and he can’t move. He swears silent vengeance, but that’s all he can do for now…
Okay, our lead is diminishing quite worryingly. It's time to bring out the big guns. Hit her with Earthquakes, but if she puts up another Reflect or uses Magnet Rise, switch to Brick Break (if the Reflect's down and she's grounded but doesn't renew it, default back to Earthquake). If she protects, makes herself unhittable, or uses Cotton Guard again, use Swords Dance.
Start off with a Magnet Rise, since Brick Break is more preferable than Earthquake.
Then, use Cotton Guard again, which should mean he uses Swords Dance again. Then, use a final Headbutt and hope for a flinch.
The arena is in a hemisphere of air at the bottom of a lake. Outside of the dome are seats that are to be used by divers or water-type Pokémon.
Nothing is special about the arena itself but there is no solid object separating the air and water, the integrity of the dome is maintained by psychic Pokémon.
Objects (inluding water) can pass both ways through the dome if needed.
Sangfroidish (xxO)
Oscar (m) <inner focus> @soothe bell
Health: 66%
Energy: 72%
‘I’m gonna kill you, gdi…’ Poisoned (severe, 4% this round), paralysed (moderate); +2 attack, -1 speed.
Raigu wriggles, kicking against the magnetic field holding her down, and strides steadfastly into the air. She floats up quite lazily, unable to really control her movements now, and looking like a puffed-up balloon with her poofy coat, but at least she’s invulnerable to any nasty earthquakes, right…? That’s what counts.
Just as she’s beginning to feel more comfortable, Oscar comes wheeling in fist-raised and slamming her right back to the ground. She bounces back into the air with a seriously pained expression, shaking her head to try and forget what just happened - that hurt so much more than those previous punches, she really didn’t expect that…
As if to deterr any more hits like that, she concentrates hard and poofs up to twice her size again, fleece doubling on itself to cover her almost entirely. She looks like a literal dust mite now - no extremities visible at all. It’s a wonder she can see out of all that hair. Oscar rolls his eyes, figuring he might as well boost himself given this time, and he repeats his awkward dance from before. He feels even more limber now, though how much it’ll help against all that… poof… is unclear.
The solid wall of fleece now barrels towards Oscar, smacking him with where her head presumably is against his. Somehow the fleece doesn’t soften the blow, and he stumbles back before hitting back hard, punching her away with all his might. She swivels through the air like a thrown football, eventually slowing down a few feet away, but she doesn’t seem as hurt as before - at least, she didn’t cry out in pain, and it’s impossible to tell otherwise. A bit of fleece did rub off on Oscar’s fist, though, and he quickly shakes it off.
Oops, didn't think about that immunity to flinching.
Okay so we're going to start trying to stalling this one out. Use Protect twice with an attack in between. No more Headbutts. Body Slam is much more powerful but instead maybe we'll get lucky with a Signal Beam. If he protects, use Substitute.
