Sethera

Ari was too exhausted, injured, and slow to do much more than take the Aura Sphere when it came toward him. Coughing out blood, the Litleo collapsed to the ground then, limbs shaking weakly. He couldn't move. He just couldn't. He watched the others attack the Godslayer with vacant, empty eyes. There's nothing more...I can do. He had done all he could do, but it still wasn't enough. That was just how it was. He wasn't strong enough. Try as he might, he had reached his limit. "Ari...get up." No...I can't. I'm too tired now. "Do not say that. A true king does not say what he cannot do. He finds what he can do. What can you do, Prince Ariel of Pride Rock?" What can I do? I can... "FIGHT!" he shouted, battle spirit rekindled. It wasn't over yet. If he had the energy to give up, to beat himself up, he had the energy to fight still. Limbs creaking, blood streaming from his various wounds, he ran for the Godslayer once more in a Return to the battle. The enemy was distracted by the others around him and was unable to avoid his attack. Or maybe he just didn't care. Either way, Ari couldn't just let it all end like this! -- Easter ground his teeth as he noticed Ankou's speed pick up, ignoring the nagging voice in the back of his head that told him that that wasn't good for his teeth. Eating candy isn't good for them either, but I still eat it! The Sylveon bit back a curse when the Gardevoir began to craft another one of her prisms. Thankfully, before he had to do anything about it, Nine had shattered it with a well-timed Dark Pulse. "Thanks!" he shouted, but Nine had already moved on to his next attack, a Flamethrower meeting the enemy's Thunderbolt. For a second, it looked like the two attacks would meet, but they passed each other by instead. As they fought, Easter took the opportunity to use another Wish, this time on himself. He had noticed himself slowing down a little, and he couldn't let that happen. He would heal himself, and Nine, as many times as he had to if only to take down the maddened woman in front of them. Still, perhaps he should have used it on Nine instead. The Houndoom's breathing had grown ragged, knees buckling from the pain of Ankou's next Thunderbolt. Still, he smiled as he shouted out, "Easter! She's all yours!" "Don't have to tell me twice," the Sylveon responded with a grim smile of his own. Firing up a Moonblast, he aimed it at the Gardevoir. Slowed from her previous attack, the fellow fairy type was unable to avoid the attack, crying out in pain as she began to sink to her own knees. Before she could fully do so, however, she disappeared once more. "Not many people can take many of my Moonblasts, but it turns out she's one of them," Easter clicked his tongue. "Come on, Nine, it looks like we can take her down--" he cut himself off as he threw himself backward. The Gardevoir had teleported directly next to him, so he wasn't able to avoid the entirety of the Psyshock she had directed at him. Wincing from the pain, he shook it off forcibly, running forward the few steps needed before punching the woman in the gut and sending her flying, unsurprised when she disappeared while in mid-air. Now...where is she going to reappear? Easter wondered. His ears twitched as he caught the slightest crackling sound coming from... "Above!" he shouted, flipping backward to avoid the Thunderbolt. Landing on his hands briefly, he swung back into a kick aimed right for the Gardevoir, adding a spin to give it more strength. Unfortunately, the psychic type took advantage of the close range to grant him a Draining Kiss, an attack which was unavoidable. Losing strength in his kick, he flipped off of her to fall to the ground in a three-point landing. Yet once again, Ankou had used Teleport, disappearing from his sight. -- Though Lok's attack had been strengthened by the residual electricity in the surroundings, the speed of the cyclone surrounding Veronica was so high that only a bit of the electricity managed to reach her, most of it bouncing off due to the high winds. However, Taiga's attack, powered by her fast speed, was enough to get through the tornado. Crashing into Veronica and causing the winds to slow as the Crobat was forced to stop her rotations as she was thrown backward against the far wall, slamming through multiple poles, and in the process, destroying them. As she started to slide down, the three could see a crater where her head had Giga Impacted with the wall. However, the Sharpedo did not come out of it unscathed either. The harsh winds, while slower than before, were still enough to send the water type flying from pole to pole like Keanu, and at the end of it, both gijinka would find themselves disoriented, with the wind knocked out of them. Keanu was in an especially poor state. I'm done for, he thought, head spinning. No...more. However, mercifully, he did not find himself attacked during this time. Instead, he could see, out of the corner of his eyes, a flicker of movement as the Crobat dove for the others. Somehow, she was still able to move after that last attack. "You knaves!" Veronica shrieked, materializing a pair of fangs at Taiga and following it up with a second pair aimed toward Lok. "How dare you interrupt my attack!" It was obvious that the usage of the special move combined with Taiga's geyser-powered drill had worn her down significantly. Her hair was still a mess of static, but now windblown on top of it. Her eyes were bloodshot and unfocused, her clothes slightly ripped from the winds as she bled in multiple places, including the back of her head. Her prior graceful movements were now completely gone, replaced by rapid-fire attack after attack, swooping down at Lok now in an erratic Flight right after her Leech Life against him. Keanu knew he had to do something. He had to, but he just couldn't summon the strength. It was like the Lucario fight all over again. He just...wasn't good enough. His fingers crackled with electricity as he attempted to materialize an Electro Ball, but the attack fizzled out into useless sparks immediately afterward. Is this as far as I go? the Alolan Raichu wondered. A flash of orange caught his attention briefly as his eyes fluttered shut. -- In the background, unnoticed by Veronica, a small Fletchling had woken up, rubbing the area of her head where the Crobat had chopped her into unconsciousness. Shaking her head slightly, she looked up, staggering to her feet and tottering toward where Keanu lay.

Catriona had seen Penelope win over many a person, but this instance seemed a bit much even for her. Usually, her sister's winning demeanor had been used to ameliorate tense situations, but Alois's mother had already shown feelings of goodwill toward the group, so the lord didn't see how it was quite necessary to cater to this woman. Still, her sister's actions were usually beyond her to begin with, so this situation was no different. "My, my, you sure are good with your words, ain't ye?" Mene smiled at Penelope. "Alois, you could stand to learn a thing or two from this girl," she said. "And as fer things of Alois...well, I know he has a couple o' books," she scowled briefly, "but other than that there's not really much at all." Catriona took note of those going to Alois's house and those who had already left, most likely to explore the village. While she didn't feel entirely comfortable with all of them splitting up like this before they could take stock of the situation, there wasn't much she could do about it, short of ordering them to stick together. And a few people were already gone, including--no, Gunther had just returned, but Sienna was still out there. Tsetseg and Citron had left as well. The merchant aside, those two are the ones I'm most concerned about being off on their own, Catriona thought. Penelope and Ciela were the only ones she'd worry about more--the former because of her royal status and the latter because of past experiences. But Penelope seemed set on accompanying Alois to his house, and Gunther with them. Those two were some of the most trustworthy people in the group. Ciela, though, was passed out and by herself. Adel was as well, but Catriona had significantly more faith in the pegasus knight's ability to take care of herself than she did the troubadour. Penelope seemed to think of that as well. "Someone should try and rouse Adelaide and Ciela. I would rather not leave them unconscious on the floor if we can help it." "I'll do that," Catriona volunteered. As she began to look over the two, she looked up at the sound of voices. Gunther had addressed Acantha with a bow. "I appreciate your help. I'm glad you understand animals like this." He looked towards Peaches. "I hope you feel well. Do be sure to keep the others safe, if it's not too much to ask." He said to the wyvern with a smile. Citron joined in with some instructions of her own, to which the wyvern replied with a set of noises that sounded more like a "skree" than anything else. From what little Catriona had heard, wyverns tended to roar, but this one seemed rather unusual for wyverns in general. Perhaps it was just a young wyvern? The lord couldn't say she was an expert on wyverns, after all. She couldn't say she was an expert on people either, though. For instance, she had no idea why Acantha's face turned about as pink as the wyvern she was tending to. "It's not that I understand them, or that I'm being kind!" she turned her head away. "I just...it's my job as a cavalier. That's all." She humphed, not meeting anybody's gaze. "J-Just go and do what you need to get done, okay?! Don't worry about me or Peaches here!" The knight then gave his thanks to Mene with another bow, who shook her head with a flustered smile. "Oh, nay, not at all. Any friend o' Alois is welcome." Then the others began to leave the town hall, joined by Edrick, Link, and Abdul at the last minute. Catriona couldn't say she approved of the lancer moving about quite yet, but it would be better for him, in the end, to be resting on something that wasn't stone or hardwood. So, against her better judgment, she did not speak out against the action, turning her attention back to the two unconscious people nearby. -- Wandering the village under the evening sun, Sienna would find that there were quite a few people who looked in the process of repairing their homes who looked in need of aid. However, each and every one of them turned her offers away, their eyes respectful but wary. In fact, all of the villagers kept their distance from her, save for the children who stared up at her ears and tail in abject fascination, though they were usually herded away by their parents before they could get too close. Only one person, who was sitting atop a barrel in the village square and whittling out a long piece of wood, accepted her offer for help. An older man dressed in the leathers and mail of a hunter with a small beagle puppy at his feet. The puppy looked quite curious about Sienna, approaching her and sniffing, barking multiple times before turning back to the man. "No, Icleias, that isn't a fox, just a fox person," the man shook his head before turning back to Sienna. "You want to help out? Sure. My home's a bit of a mess right now after Icleias here started going wild as a human. Guess some of yer friends came over and he got excited. Even got my chimney banged up for some reason." He had a gruff way of speech, but he didn't seem particularly afraid of her like the other villagers had been. "Name's Amas. I'm a hunter. I'm usually the one who supplies the meat 'round here. The stuff that ain't livestock, that is." He wouldn't say much more than that, urging Sienna to "go on, git a move on." If the Protean inspected his house, which was just outside of the village square, she'd find that the man had been correct in that it was a mess. It was little more than a hut made of wattle and daub, with a floor that was little more than packed dirt and a small bed with the blankets in disarray. At the far wall, the chimney looked a little cracked in places, as if something, or someone, had taken a tumble down it. A wooden table lay knocked over, food and a stone plate scattered around the floor. A washbasin had fallen on its side and soaked the ground nearby, causing a small muddy area to form. Various leather garments lay strewn on the floor, and a small wooden shortbow had been cracked in half. It was as if a fight had taken place there. She would have her work cut out for her trying to fix it up. -- As Citron stumbled her way through the darkening village, she would eventually be pointed in the direction of the village square by a concerned-looking woman. Upon arrival, the wyvern rider would catch sight of Sienna talking with an older man who looked to be a hunter, but also the fruit stall that she and Peaches had ruined earlier. Several villagers were congregated around the stall and working to fix it. One woman, in particular, seemed to be doing most of the work. Dressed in modest clothing, with most of her brown hair covered under a veil, similar to Mene, she had gathered some fruit into a large basket that she carried atop her head. The rest lay in a large pile to the side, the same pile that Citron and Shiro had made. "All right," she said. "That's that done, now fer the next. Don't forget I need good stout wood fer this part, ya hear?" "Aw, we know, we know, Thile," a man shook his head. "Don't you worry 'bout that, all righ'? My lumberjackin' skills ain't nothin' to sniff at." "Nor are your armpits, Achos," an older woman nearby waved a hand in front of her face disgustedly. "It's called the sweat o' hard work, Pheodea, summat ye'd know nuthin' about." "I'm here now, aren't I? Now stop working your jaw and start working your arms, or are they just for show?" "Yeah yeah, I hear ye--oi! Who're ye?" the man, Achos, pointed at Citron then. "Ack! It's her!" the brunette woman pointed at her. "She's the one who broke my stall! She an' that winged lizard!" There was a slow pause then, before, "Hang on, ain't she the one who came back and tried to help fix it too?" Achos asked. "Well, aye, but she still's the one who broke it," Thile replied. The tense atmosphere was shattered as a familiar wolf cub came barreling into the plaza from the direction of the mayor's house. Upon seeing Thile, its tail started wagging, haunches wriggling, then leaping into the air and landing in a pounce directly on top of the woman's foot. The brunette started to scream then, the sound akin to that a hare would make when frightened for its life. "Aiiiiiiiiii! It's back! It's back! The demon wolf is back! Get it away, get it away!" she screamed again, dropping the basket and fleeing for her life, eyes glazed over as she began to run around the plaza, Rohns bounding along behind her. The others took a second to register what was going on before they scrambled into action as well, chasing after Thile and the wolf pup behind her. "Hey, hey, calm down Thile! It's just a baby wolf, is all." "I don't care, get this blasted beast away from me!" In the ensuing chaos, Citron had been completely forgotten. -- After leaving the town hall, the main group, which consisted of Alois, Penelope, Gunther, Edrick, Link, and Abdul, followed Mene out the main entrance of the town hall and down the main street. They would find themselves passing by people going about the task of cleaning up the village in the remaining daylight, though a large group was in the square as well. Oddly enough, they didn't look to be working, save for an old man carving out a piece of wood at the edge of the square and Sienna next to him. No, most of them seemed to be chasing after a harried-looking woman fleeing from a familiar-looking wolf cub. Every so often it would catch up to her and nip at her heels, prompting her to scream like a frightened hare and run faster. Citron was also nearby. "Oh my, looks like some sort of ruckus is going on over there," Mene said, stopping to look over toward the square. "Goodness, Thile seems to be in a right fit, don't she? And her stall's a ruin. Wonder what happened to it?" She shook her head. "I know we were all in a complete panic after the curse struck. Wonder if that's what caused it. And that wolf...ye don't think it's a villager still ensorcelled? Must be one of them wild forest wolves, but it makes ye wonder where its ma is. Anyway," she turned back to the group with an airy smile. "Let's just move on, shall we? I'm sure Thile and the others can handle it, and we need to get this boy to a bed." They hadn't gone much farther, still within view of the square, and just beginning to pass the gaudy-looking mansion that they had seen before when they found their way blocked by two people, one of whom would look a little familiar to the few who had been quick to glance about their surroundings in the aftermath of the recent battle. He was a stout curly-haired brunette wearing a maroon vest and pink satin ribbon over a clean white shirt and olive green trousers. This kind of colorful attire was uncommon amongst the villagers, yet when compared to the man beside him, he looked positively homely. By all appearances, the other one was a nobleman from head to toe, adorned in a rich ruby overcoat inlaid with gold thread over a silken white shirt and wine red bottoms. From the shoes that had been shined so one could see their reflection in them to the ruffled cravat at his neck and the polished wooden cane in his grip, every aspect of him screamed nobility. And yet, there was something about him that seemed off to those familiar with such things. "Oh, Pylauses," Mene's voice fell a bit flat. The woman coughed and spoke again, though this time her voice was more cheerful. "What brings ye here today?" "Exempt me the peasantries, Mene dear," the man said, turning startling green eyes to the group. "Ahem, allow me to inundate myself," he cleared his throat and performed an elaborate bow. "I am denominated as Pylauses, Pylauses Gaston, at your servitude. This one here is Hanikap LeFou," he waved dismissively at the man next to him. "Hehe, nice ta meetcha," the brunette grinned and waved at them. "Yes, yes, moving on, I have arrived hither to congenially invitate you to reside at my chateau," he gave a grandiose wave toward the mansion behind him, "for the extension of your sojourn here in this...humblesque hamlet," he sneered as he spoke the last words. "Huh? Wuzzat you say?" Mene asked, appearing quite bewildered by the man's words. "In layman's terms, I am taking these people off your hands, Goodwife Mene." "Hang on a moment, Pylauses. Laying men aside, I'm already taking these kind folks to my house." "Yes, and while I am surfeit that your homely hut is quite...splendiferous," Pylauses replied, "I do not quite accredit that it has capacity enough for the plenitude of the group. Whereas mine has more than sufficient traction to comprise all of you. Or to say it in a language you are sure to understand--your home is too small." "Er...well, I s'pose you might be right 'bout that bit," the woman admitted, deflating slightly. "Still..." "Yes, yes, indeedulosity. Now, shall we be expatriating?" he asked, turning toward the mansion. "I am indubitable that we shall have plenteous to confabulate with reference to this commune." "Come on, let's go!" Hanikap urged. -- After the group filed out of the building, Acantha's shoulders dropped as she let out a sigh. A hush fell upon the town hall then. "My thanks," Catriona spoke up, breaking the silence. "Your aid today has been most appreciated. I doubt we'd have made our way through the village quite so easily or as quickly without you." The beaver had been one of the first animals they had met after entering the village, and certainly the most helpful. Acantha jumped then. "Egads, warn a person a little, will you?!" she grumbled. "For a royal, you certainly don't have that much presence." Catriona paused. "I...suppose," she admitted. As a regular rank-and-file soldier, she had been drilled on the necessity of being only as important as the next soldier, and that training had stuck with her, perhaps more so than her private tutoring. "If you go about shouting that you are the princess of Galtea in battle, that will only put a target over your head," she had been told. "You might get to strut about in fancy dresses and balls back home, but here, you are a soldier first, and a royal second. You got that?!" It had been a hard lesson to learn, and one that went against her natural grain, but in the end, Catriona had taken it to heart, just as she had all the other lessons she had learned. "Don't go acting like a kicked puppy, I didn't mean it that way," the cavalier crossed her arms. "Just, you surprised me, that's all. But not that much. Just a little bit." The lord nodded in slight bemusement. She couldn't really understand this girl's turn of phrase. A kicked puppy? Surprised, but not that much? If the girl was only a little surprised, then why act so aggressive after Catriona had spoken? There was another silence then, during which the princess inspected both Ciela and Adel. The two were out cold still, but from what she could tell, there wasn't any serious injury to their skulls. However, she wouldn't be able to know for sure until they woke up and she could inspect their eyes and body movements. "Hey," Acantha's voice caused the woman to pause. "Don't mention it." Catriona said nothing for a couple of seconds while she worked the words over in her head. Don't mention what? That she was surprised? "Pardon?" she finally asked. "Don't mention it." "Exactly what am I not supposed to mention?" "Gads, you're denser than a brick, you know?!" Acantha's voice rose, face reddening. "I said, don't mention earlier. Me helping you out. I only did that because I wanted that stupid curse lifted, that's all." "Oh." "What, you don't have anything else to say?!" "I am abiding by your instructions," Catriona pointed out, her flat tone belying her underlying confusion. "Aaargh!" the other shouted, pulling at her reddish-blond locks. This girl is unnecessarily antagonistic. Yet, her actions lay at odds with her words. She had gone out of her way to help the group, had led them through the village, and even tried to assist in the fight against the stone statue. Therefore, Catriona could tolerate her attitude. Deciding that staying silent was the better course here, the woman continued to tend to the two unconscious patients in front of her. With some effort, Catriona had finally managed to rouse Adel, though Ciela was still giving her trouble. She could only hope that the troubadour would wake soon, though she knew a noble girl like her was likely unused to such strains to her body. After treating the pegasus knight's head with a vulnerary, Catriona nodded. "You should be fine. But I recommend staying here for now until you feel up to moving around." "What, you're babying her then?" Acantha snorted. The lord shook her head. "Carelessness can lead to greater injury," she explained, before turning back to Adel. "When you think you're ready, I have a task for you." As she focused her attention on her remaining patient, she decided to voice something she had suspected for a while, but hadn't had a chance to confirm. "Pardon my asking, but were you one of the beavers we were fighting back at the river?" The cavalier blinked. "That? Yeah, that was me. Me and a few others, anyway. We decided to head out on a patrol around the village perimeters, make sure nobody would try to enter while we were in the state we were in. We'd have succeeded too if we'd been human!" "Then that injured one...were they...?" "Oh, Melesus?" Acantha shook her head. "No, he's fine. We got him back and applied a vulnerary to his wounds right away. None of you did any lasting damage. Actually..." she paused, "I should probably thank that archer girl for saving Phai's life. I'd have done it if I were closer, but I was busy trying to keep an eye on my troublesome siblings," the last part ended in a mutter. "Phai?" The girl looked reluctant to answer. "I suppose you deserve to know since one of you helped her out. Though she wouldn't have needed help if we didn't have to fight you off," she grumbled the last part under her breath. "Phai, well, Phaidra's her full name. She's my cousin, and new to the militia. Hasn't been in it any longer than a week or so..." -- "Well, thanks for thanking me anyway! And I totally get what you mean! Once you're part of a fighting force you want to do alllll you can for it right? It's a real tough job but it's all the more fun when you do it right and everyone thanks you!" The archer then patted the militia girl on the head. "Good job on making your patrol proud!" At that, the girl started to tear up, eyes wide and watering. "Yes, yes, you understand!" she sniffled. "I try so hard every day, but it's really hard, but I keep trying, because, you know, it's really an honor to be in it, protecting the village and all!" she shook her head. "And that's why I tried to attack you all! And about that...I'm so...so sooooooorry!" she burst into tears then. "I can see now that you're a good person! You know, I've been told that outsiders are bad, but I don't think they're all bad, you know? Or at least not you, anyway! You saved my life! For that...thank you so much! It would've been so scary to get crushed like that," she sniffled. Hiccuping slightly, the girl continued. "A-And I know you said you don't remember, but it happened just this morning! You saved me from the falling tree! Or at least, I think it was you. I was a little out of it then." She rubbed at her eyes, before opening them wide. "That was so brave of you! I had just attacked you, but you still risked your life to save me! Like a true hero or something!" Her eyes sparkled with adoration. OOC

Ari was already injured from being slammed into the wall, and he wasn't as fast as Mac. So he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything to avoid this attack. In fact, it was very likely that this would be what finished him off. But...he wasn't down for the count just yet! Picking himself up from the ground, the Litleo spat out another giant fireball. The Godslayer was forced to dodge to the side to avoid it, and by the time he had got himself back on course for Ari, Mac's Quick Attack and Jabari's Shock Wave reached him. While that happened, Ari charged for the Godslayer as well, the power of friendship adding strength to his blow. The Godslayer took it with little reaction though, giving out an attack of his own--a Force Palm that knocked the Litleo silly. Coughing, the lion cub struggled to rise once more. He wasn't strong enough...but even if he wasn't strong enough, he couldn't just do nothing! Working himself Up into a frenzy, he was knocked back once more by the Godslayer's kick. Ugh... He felt like the living dead. Or something like that. Coughing out blood, the Litleo gritted his teeth. "I...won't let you win!" he shouted, running forward and attempting to bite down with a Fire Fang, only to be avoided. This time, though, he jumped back, almost in reflex, so the Godslayer's punch to the cub's gut wasn't nearly as painful as it would've been before. -- Ankou had started talking less and less, focusing more on her attacks as she pummeled Nine with mixed success. The Houndoom had made himself more of a target than Easter with his snide remarks. Which wasn't good. At this rate, Nine would end up taking his crown as the king of battle taunts. Oh no, he really couldn't let that happen. "Yeah, isn't this what you wanted, after all? A nice, long...rest," Easter finished as he ran toward where the Gardevoir had Teleported, turning around when she winked out existence once more, and slamming his Psyshock into her right as she reappeared. "You should be thanking us for this. But don't worry, we'll understand if you can't send us gifts or anything. I don't know if the afterlife has a postal service. Guess you'd have to ask one of those legendaries you so hate for permission." As a reward for his smart mouth, the Sylveon received Psyshock as well. Laughing, despite the pain, or perhaps because of it, Easter bared his teeth in a grin, catching the Gardevoir in the side with a kick. As she slid back, he followed up with a punch, clicking his tongue when his fist hit empty air. Pulling back so as not to overstrain his arm, his ears twitched, and he dodged to the side to avoid the Thunderbolt that came crackling toward his back. Without even turning to look at her, he released a Swift, leaping up into a backflip at the same time and landing on the psychic type. "Gotcha," he cackled, taking her Draining Kiss as he dealt out a point-blank Moonblast in return. Jumping back from the resulting explosion of power, he landed on his feet, letting out a cry of surprise as one of his legs gave way, causing him to sink to one knee, the ground underneath him starting to become stained with the blood dripping from his wounds. "Hoo...you're not bad," he panted. "Guess this is what it means to fight a Godslayer." -- Veronica moved to avoid the Ice Fang headed straight for her, but was unable to dodge in time, shivering as the icy attack met its mark. "Tch...you just get faster and faster, don't you?" she asked. "Looks like I'll have to put you down sooner than later!" She retaliated with a Cross Poison while Taiga was still in melee range. Keanu, on the other hand, was focused more on what the Sharpedo had just said. "Cover the place with lightning, huh?" Keanu asked, a glint in his eye. "K'den, ya got it, sistah." Hopping on his tail, the pendant with the strange stone he wore around his neck, usually tucked underneath his shirt--back when he wore one--began to glow. "Time to get zappy. Stoked...Sparksurfer!" he shouted, diving off of the pole and bouncing between it and the other poles, trailing lightning in his wake. He felt good. He felt fast. And for once...he was faster than Veronica. The Crobat's eyes widened, and she moved to evade it, but this time she was too slow. Or maybe it was that he was too fast? Doesn't matter, he thought triumphantly as he crashed into the Godslayer. All that mattered was that he hit her. The area around the two was blindingly bright for a moment, the air crackling with electricity. Veronica had fallen to the ground, twitching slightly, and for a second, Keanu thought it was finally over. And then the Crobat rose up from the ground, hair sticking out every which way from static. Running a hand through it, she ground her teeth. "Unbelievable...unbelievable! I can't believe this. Do you know...just how long it took to get this styled?! Well? DO YOU?!" "Ka! Calm down, wahine. It's just a little static," Keanu momentarily forgot he was in a fight, backing up with his hands held up in the air to pacify the obviously enraged wahine in front of him. "Just a little...just a little?! Do you call this JUST A LITTLE?!" the Crobat roared, heaving for breath. "No...I shouldn't expect uncivilized plebeians like you to understand. I didn't want to use this move, but..." she soared into the air, though far less gracefully than before, "...I won't hold back anymore!" "If that was you holding back, then I really wouldn't mind you continuing to do so," Keanu quipped. Veronica ignored him, rising higher, rotating her body like a spiral as she did so. Upon reaching the apex of her climb, she spun even faster, till she was nothing more than a blur. Then, a large vortex of wind appeared around where Veronica continued her revolution, expanding into a cyclone that surrounded the Godslayer and prevented anybody from going near lest they get caught up in it. Keanu was, unfortunately, close enough to the Godslayer that he had been swept up anyway, slamming from post to post as he whirled through the air. What little oxygen he had left in his lungs was knocked loose from them, and with the high winds surrounding him, he found it hard to breathe.

The stranger looked shocked at something Alois said, muttering "Dragon?" with a hand over her mouth. "That can't be..." "The statue," Acantha pointed out, gesturing toward the floor. "He's talking about that." "Oh, I see. Oh my, the mayor will be in a right fit about that, won't he?" "Nah, he's fine. I'm surprised, but he's still saying the same things about Alois and planning a festival so I don't think him turning into a badger messed him up that badly." Shortly afterward, Catriona's confusion on the woman's identity was resolved by Penelope. "So this is your sister, then..." she muttered. She had never heard Alois mention a sibling, but it wasn't as if he was expected to share every little scrap of history involving himself. She looks a bit old though for that...perhaps Alois was a late birth? That would explain the age difference too. Putting a palm to his face, Alois said, "right. Cat," he looked back towards the elder princess. "This is my mom. Mom," the boy gestured to the two princesses. "It's like the short one said, they're my employers. I'm like a mercenary now or something. And I'm kind of amazing at my job." Despite what he said, it didn't have the boy's usual cockiness in the tone. Wait, so she wasn't his sister then, but his mother? "Oh my," the woman smiled warmly at Penelope. "Alois, wherever did you meet such a charming young lady? And it sounds like she has your measure too." She bobbed a simple curtsy toward the two princesses. "Thankee for taking care of my son. I apologize for any trouble he's caused. He's really such a handful." Despite her words, her tone was one of fond exasperation rather than anything else. Catriona snapped back from her state of confusion. "There is nothing to apologize for," She nodded at her. "Alois has been an indispensable member of the group, Goodwife...?" The woman tugged on her veil, flustered. "Oh, yea! Where're my manners? My name's Alcmene Reinhardt, but that's a mouthful. Just call me Mene. Everybody does 'round here." "Mee-nee," Catriona tasted the name on her tongue. It sounded a bit strange, but then again, this wasn't Galtea. The names were different here. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Goodwife Mene. As for us..." she briefly introduced herself and the rest of the group, using real names. The cat had already been let out of the bag, so to say, and this was Alois's mother. She was probably trustworthy. Interestingly enough, the woman did not seem to recognize any of their names, giving the group a broad smile. "Pleasure meetin' all 'o you." Her attention was momentarily diverted by Tsetseg's departure and Citron's preparation to follow. Or rather, it was diverted by Acantha's loud, put-upon sigh in response to the wyvern rider's request. "Oh well, I suppose if I must," the girl rolled her eyes. "Just don't dawdle. I don't have all day, after all." "That wyvern...it acted so intelligently I thought it was a human-turned-animal back then," Mene chuckled with some embarrassment. "Still, it did lead me to y'all." She looked around the hall again. "You've found yourself quite a group here, Alois." The smile slipped off her face then. "It'll be hard to say goodbye to them...won't it?" Catriona frowned. Goodbye? Was Alois leaving? Acantha snorted. "I doubt he's going to say goodbye at all. He didn't to us, after all. In fact, he's probably going to leave again, just like that." There was a brief silence then that was swiftly broken by the sound of Edrick screaming something in Pontic. Not that he hadn't already been screaming, but it was only now that it was more noticeable. Abdul and Link had a quiet conversation with their patient and each other then, and Catriona's fingers twitched, itching to jump in herself. But she would leave it to those two for now. "My...that sounds serious," Mene's brow puckered with worry. She seemed set on ignoring what had been said previously, surveying the hall and clucking her tongue. "This is no place to heal up either. What say you we all head on over to my house?" By now, the woman seemed to have gotten a grasp at speaking normally, the strange, garbled quality of her speech smoothing out into a more natural cadence, though it still kept its thick country burr. Mayor Dresogon and Acantha talked like that a bit too at the beginning, Catriona thought. Was it because they were animals? "Does it look like Peaches is ready to move right now?" Acantha replied, gesturing toward the wyvern. "I'll be staying here till she can move." Catriona glanced over at Edrick. "Once they get the bleeding to stop, perhaps." Still, it would be risky. It would be easier if Ciela were awake. The lord wasn't a fan of healing magic by any means, but she couldn't deny its usefulness at this point. "Thank you for the offer though. We will gladly take you up on it once everybody is stable. Unless..." she turned and glanced at the others. "Some of us can go ahead, though I think we should have at least one person who knows the way stay behind." "Humph, I suppose that leaves me, doesn't it?" Acantha asked, crossing her arms. "I already said I'd stay behind, after all. And I'm not going to go back on my word." This meant that any of them could depart then, barring Edrick and whoever wanted to stay behind and look after him. Catriona looked at the others for their decision. -- Eventually, as Gunther and Sienna lingered outside, they would feel a set of hostile eyes amongst the villagers watching them, but when they turned to look, they couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Were the two to head back inside then, they would likely overhear much of the conversation within the church, and if not, would quickly be apprised by Catriona on the current situation. -- Outside, Tsetseg would find that most of the villagers were acting a bit strangely for human beings. Many would walk on all fours before abruptly rising, faces flushing with embarrassment. Others would attempt to speak, but their voices came out sounding more like the barks and growls of animals than anything else. However, this happened less and less the more time went on. As for their attitude toward the archer, they all seemed to share the same wary sentiment. Initially hostile, as they recognized her the aggression in their body language died down. Still, it was apparent that these people were not used to dealing with strangers. Most turned their gaze away from her uncomfortably. Eventually, Tsetseg would come across somebody who did not shy away from her. It was a girl wearing similar armor to Cora and Acantha, though the armor itself looked newer, and she seemed a couple of years younger than both of the other girls. Or maybe it was just the nervous way she held herself, eyes wide and trembling as they fixed themselves on the archer. "Um...uh...hi! I just uhh, wanted to tell you," she bit her lip, "uhh, thank you!" she bowed before straightening up. "Oh, rats! I probably didn't do that right. I mean, well, I'm in your debt, really I am." She shook her head. "No, that wasn't how I meant to say it. What I mean was, thank you. I know I already said it, but thank you! If it weren't for you, I'd probably be dead. And, oh, uhh, sorry for attacking you back then too," she chuckled nervously. "I didn't do it on purpose...well I guess I did, but I mainly did it because I was supposed to, you know? I joined the militia recently, so I gotta do them proud!" she straightened her shoulders with a good deal of pride herself. OOC

He is yeah! And oh that's pretty neat to hear though.

"What do you know, Berserker?" I ask, then turn to the others, specifically Caster. "Meatshield...what a sad word. I don't think I like that word or what it implies. Which means I don't think I want to do it that way, either." I then turn to his Master. "And wait, what?! Are you suggesting we ambush that person? Who's not even attacking us? Also, what if, after attacking them, we get attacked ourselves? By the evil zombie horde?!" "Can one of you explain to us what the hell is going on up there?" I answer as well. "Uhh...it's a long story?" I chuckle with some embarrassment. "I guess we went out of range or something. And there's a person here with a Servant who's getting attacked by zombies..." I trail off, hesitating, before speaking again. "What about helping them out? Maybe we can make another friend."

Aww, I remember Walker. I think he was in my New Leaf game. Either that or Wild World...one of the two. He was pretty fun, though. I've had Lucky in my games too, but I always felt a bit bad for him. *sees conspiracy theory involving the two* O.o

Unfortunately, it looked like, they indeed would not be going back to the city. Ivan's words confirmed it. "We're not going back to Skrelp Harbor!" He crossed his arms. "Ugh, fine," Belle muttered. "You sure you know where ya going?" "Let's hope she does, anyway, or we're doomed." As they took a seat around the camp, the others attempted to reassure Belle, but their words weren't...very reassuring. Out of the desert in no time? Just that small bit of time was way too much to begin with! Moving with purpose while you were lost? That just meant you'd get further lost. And drinking something? Well, what if they ran out of stuff to drink? No, these two were taking this way too lightly. -- It was official. Belle hated the desert. Thankfully, she wasn't alone in her suffering. She felt a dark satisfaction at seeing Jacklyn spit sand out of her mouth. She'd be even more satisfied if she wasn't also doing the same thing. Except she at least was smart and wasn't trying to shout at the desert, which would just result in more sand in her mouth, as her purple-haired companion was discovering. She thought about giving a sarcastic snipe, but really, it wasn't worth it, because again, sand in mouth. Eventually, she heard something besides the howling of the wind. A fearful cry that had Jacklyn spurring them on toward whatever was causing it. As they drew closer, Belle managed to make out what looked to be a broken-down shelter with a Pokémon underneath. She recognized it as a Bearble, something she had considered picking up, but in the end, she had decided to go with a Poamoo instead. Mainly because it looked easy to take care of. However, it was what was above it that was more attention-grabbing. A couple of...what were those again? She knew she had seen them before, not in real life, though. Taking out her Pokédex, she aimed it at them, eyes lighting up at seeing what they were called. Yes, Vullaby! That was it! "They look...pbft, kind of dumb," Belle spat out sand from her mouth. "Why do they still have their eggs attached?" But Jacklyn was more concerned with keeping them off of the Bearble. "Hey! What do you all think you're doing!?" She released her Lepash, Rus, then, "yeah Rus, let's show them what for!" Looking behind her, she shouted, "right team!?" "Uh...right pbft!" Belle coughed. She thought about sending Moo out, but as a grass type, she really doubted he'd be able to do much. It would probably be better to use her Rattata instead. Except he probably wouldn't listen, which meant she would need Moo out to keep an eye on him regardless. Sighing, the girl released her Poamoo. "Go, Moo, after those, grargh, birds!" she hacked. The cow nodded, but seemed more preoccupied with the Bearble, letting out a concerned moo as it walked forward, hooves sinking into the sand with each step.

Lachlan didn't expect anybody to follow him, really, so he was pleasantly surprised to see two had actually done so. Looked like it was one of the two princes...he forgot what he was called. He'd have to get his name again. The other was Wada, whose name he did remember, by a stroke of luck. "Oh, hi, nice to see you two again," he greeted with a nervous smile. "Though I uhh...think I forgot your name. Sorry. Prince something right?" he addressed the redhead. "Not that I think your name isn't worth remembering or anything," he began to babble. "It is, I just have a fair poor memory with names, is all. Which is my own fault, not yours. Not trying to excuse myself or anything, but you know, in case you were wondering or thinking something like that, I thought it'd be good to, you know, explain, that's all." Eventually, Lachlan calmed down and inspected the church door. Trembling slightly, he closed his eyes as he imagined what he'd find inside. A priest with eyes like flame, staring down at him as a blasphemer? Ooch, ah hope nae. Well, he just had to open the door and find out. Opening his eyes, he squared his shoulders and entered. If the priest or whatever he was tried to drive him out, Lachlan would just run for it. He'd gotten decent at that, at least. However, instead of hostility, what he found was an uncanny sense of...smallness. As if there was something here larger than himself. Either that or he was just going rammish. "Ah, guests. Greetings young ones." The three were greeted by a man with broad shoulders clutching a staff in one hand. Lachlan gulped. Ah'd say he cuid dae a fair bit o' skaith wi' that. "Ah, Jaegers as well...peace to you and your kind, as so the lord willth," the other bowed his head slightly, before raising it and smiling. "Welcome to the Church of the Morning, where we lift the saint of Setsu, Tzu, high with our praises and devote followings. I am Risf, the chief priest here. How may I be of service to you and our Setsuian saint?" Lachlan's brain froze for a second before he recovered. He knew they were here to investigate any Fahlyn appearances, but he also wanted to know some things himself. "G-G-Greetings, uhh...Riss? Riff? Rizef? I'm uhh, Lach, I guess. Not that I guess, I mean, well, yeah. Anyway, ah...um...pardon me for asking this, but, um, I was just wondering, what exactly do you do here, besides uhh, lifting your saint high and such. I've never been in a church before and--" he cut himself off. Ach. He really hoped he didn't just say the wrong thing there. "I mean, not that I don't like churches or anything, I just want to know. I've heard a lot about religion and stuff but I've never, you know, actually, did anything with that myself. Again, nothing against you, but I'm just curious I guess," he trailed off into a mumble. Then he realized that he had kind of taken over the conversation. Turning to the other two, he started to flail his arms about. "Uhh...weel, ah mean, uhh, well, I don't know if these two have anything to say either? But yeah, that's just what I was wondering. Well, I guess I'm wondering something else, but uhh, I should probably stick with this for now. Don't want to uhh, overwhelm you, or anything. Not that I'm saying you'd be overwhelmed, that is," his eyes widened in panic. "Definitely not! Probably not, at least, um...yeah. Sorry in, uhh, advance?"

It was his first time doing this attack, but it was powerful, and somehow, both he and Mac succeeded, making it even more powerful than it'd be as two separate attacks. He thought for sure, that, with this attack that had been taught by a legendary, they would manage. Except it barely fazed the Godslayer. "Wh-What is this guy made out of? Steel?" Ari gasped. Even Mac seemed shocked at how well the other had taken the attack, eyes wide. The Godslayer stepped toward them then, causing both of the children to take a step back. "I see. I was ignoring you as not worth my energy. How foolish of me." Except before they could get utterly annihilated or whatever the other was planning to do to them, Jabari was there, taking the hit for Mac and slamming the other Godslayer into the wall with a Flaming Charge. But Jabari was there first. He rushed out in front of the girl and, when the Lucario thrust his palm out, he braced himself and took the hit. Grabbing onto the Lucario's arm Jabari wreathed himself in flames and charged forward. Slamming the Lucario into the wall. Ari couldn't help but feel a bit discouraged as he watched the fight. All of these gijinka that were so much more powerful than him. But it wasn't like he didn't already know that. He had been through fights like this before, and he, Mac, and Kazo had made it through in the end. Today would be no different. It seemed that the darker blue-haired girl thought the same way, as she began trying to talk Mac back into fighting. Mac, of all gijinka. Snickering loudly, he said, "To think I'd see the day Mac needed a pep talk to get back in the game! You're pretty neat," he grinned, but the water type had already rushed forward to attack. As she, Mac, and the other water type sent out a combo of attacks, Ari ran forward himself. This is hard...but it's easier because I know I'm not alone. The thought gave him strength, and as he continued his charge, added to it was the power of all of the gijinka he had met so far. Except, almost as if sensing that power, the Godslayer turned to avoid it, slamming a fist into his back at almost the same time. Even though his back was busy screaming in pain--not literally--Ari twisted up and sank flaming teeth into the other's arm. The Godslayer seemed to barely notice the attack, shaking Ari off with one hard toss that sent the Litleo into the far wall. As he struggled to rise, Ari shook his head. I can't give up. "I won't give up!" he said out loud. "Because I'm a lion!" And with that, he let loose a loud and Noble Roar. While previous roars of his had been rather puny, this one shook the air. -- Ankou let out a manic giggle that sounded startlingly like the ones Easter himself used. Part of it to creep out his opponents, but most of it because, well, sometimes it was just so funny to watch his opponents struggle in vain against him. "No, no I don't think so. No one has been able to. No matter how many things I do. No matter what they try. In the end I always survive and have to keep fighting." She let out a breathy sigh. "Sometimes it's such a curse being so strong." "I know what you mean," Easter replied. "I suppose we have that in common then. That, and," he rushed forward, but she had disappeared by then, "our arrogance," he finished with a rueful smile. When she reappeared, she quickly trapped Nine in a prism, something which Easter had never seen before. Most likely, it's a special move, he thought. It looks to be a trap or binding type. I see she likes to tie up her opponents too. Thankfully, Nine hadn't panicked. "Easter! Keep on her! I've got this no sweat." The fairy type paused to mull over his options. On the one hand, he could ignore Nine and try to get him out. On the other, he could try to keep attacking Ankou and keep the heat off of the other. Or, he thought, I could go for neither of the above. After all, Ankou had never used Taunt on him. Closing his eyes, he concentrated. If either Ankou or Nine turned to look toward the fairy type, they would see a starscape behind him, as well as a single beam of light shooting through the air toward the ground. A falling star. However, the psychic type, distracted as she was, never noticed. And that was what he had been counting on. As the air around him turned back to normal, he rushed forward. Now to turn her attention to me. Not that she probably wouldn't be able to figure it out eventually, but it didn't hurt to make it more difficult for her. By then, Nine had escaped from the prison with his own power, "sorry. I'm not ready for nap time just yet." "Neither am I, but I think it's time for you to go to sleep," Easter said, eyes staring straight at Ankou. He didn't let himself think about Nine or what was happening to him besides a brief moment of thought as he decided on his move, charging up a Psyshock and sending it right for the Gardevoir. As she turned to the side, the attack continued forward, splashing harmlessly against the Houndoom--which was why he chose the move he did. Not letting the other recover any momentum, he continued his run, skidding to a halt and pivoting as soon as she disappeared. At that moment, Nine would be surrounded by a bright yellow glow, the wounds on his body beginning to close. Before he could say anything, Easter shook his head at him. While Ankou probably wouldn't be able to read his mind, him being a dark type and all, she could hear if he made any noises of surprise. Thankfully, by the time the Gardevoir reappeared, the yellow light had faded away. Carefully not letting his mind linger on the Houndoom's recovery, Easter sent out a Moonblast at Ankou, watching with grim satisfaction as she disappeared once more. He would keep up the pressure on her, distracting her from his support moves, and in this way, the two of them might just outlast her. Or take her down before that even became an issue. -- "Huh...decided to fight after all, eh?" "I've been scrapping, sistah!" Keanu shouted back, a little annoyed despite himself. Unfortunately, it looked like that brief shout caused him to miss another opportunity to attack as Taiga held Veronica in place. The Rotom, however, was quicker on the draw and fired off a Thunderbolt. However, it looked like the Crobat had recovered enough to soar higher into the air and then spiral downward, the Sharpedo hanging on. Watching the aerial display, Keanu's brief awe turned into fear when he realized that they were headed...straight for him! "Oh, no!" he stumbled back, turning tail and fleeing, but it was too late. A force slammed into his back, and he felt as if not only the wind had been knocked out of him, but also all of his organs too. Thankfully, he didn't actually cough up a spleen or anything, but he did cough up something that looked suspiciously like blood. "Yes, that is where you belong...crawling down on the ground," Veronica boasted. This can't go on, Keanu thought. He hadn't seen whether Taiga had managed to make it out by the time he had been hit, but regardless, the attack had hurt like hell. I'm really limited by her Taunt...that plus her speed...makes me almost useless here. I'm not a pure scrapper like Randy. He'd do a lot better here, for sure. He had to step it up somehow. He didn't know how he'd do that, but he would. Psychic sounded like a good place to start. Concentrating, his eyes glowed brighter blue again, except this time Veronica was ready for it, flying to the side before power could gather around her. Not letting that stop him, Keanu ran toward the Crobat, a wave gathering beneath his feet as he crashed into her, jumping off of her to land on one of the poles himself. His years of surfing gave him the confidence to stand easily on top of it, though it would've been more natural if it were moving like a surfboard. He was about to jump down on top of the poison type as she had him, but the gijinka had recovered by then, flying up into the air so she was level with his face. "Humph, it looks like you think you can go further than your station. But no matter how high you climb, you will always be...just a commoner!" Veronica shouted, diving toward him with those same fangs that had appeared before. "Aiyah!" Keanu shouted, jumping off to avoid the attack--and somehow managing--landing back on the pole when the Crobat passed by. Breathing a sigh of relief, he sent out an Electro Ball at her, hoping that the attack would do some damage. Unfortunately, the Godslayer was much more agile in the air than on the ground, and it missed yet again. "Argh, hold still, will ya?" "You're a fool if you think I'll actually listen," Veronica replied, but this time, she turned her attention toward the other two, sending out almost simultaneous cross-shaped attacks toward them.

Sure gofer it. I haven't played the new one yet but I've played all the old ones, including Amiibo Festival and Pocket Camp. The only one I haven't aside from the new one is Happy Home Designer.

Unfortunately, it didn't look like they'd be going back to the harbor, as Jacklyn shook her head. "There wasn't a gym at Skrelp Harbor and besides..." The girl thought on it for a moment before passionately pointing at Belle. "It's far too early in our adventure to start backtracking!" Pointing towards the desert the adventure-minded girl shouted again, "so let's head onward to destinations unknown!" "If you think I'm going to go along with us getting lost in the desert or something, you have another thing coming," Belle muttered. The group then ran into a nurse who didn't seem very confident in talking to people, but she seemed a bit more confident in treating their Pokémon. While Jacklyn seemed worried, Belle wasn't. After all, it was always the ones who weren't very good with people that were actually really skilled in what they did. That's how it worked out in shows and video games, anyway, and real-life couldn't be that different there. Jacklyn sat down at the camp first, "alright gang, let's regroup! And then, to the desert! I wonder what wonders await us in the sandy barrens." "Heatstroke, probably," Belle replied, sitting down as well. "Oh, and let's not forget dehydration either. Those sound like wonderful things, right?" She really, really didn't want to go into the desert. Sure, it was looking like there was no other choice now, but that didn't mean she had to come quietly. She really couldn't understand why people would ever want to go into extreme climates like that. It was much easier to sit around in a nice air-conditioned room and use a PC instead.

Feeling reassured at having the communication devices, I follow along with the others. But I balk at the sound of gunshots. "I'm not sure if going in there's the right idea...what if they shoot at us or something? We'd probably die, or at least get injured, and I don't remember much from my first aid class except what to do if somebody's choking..."

Ari almost had a heart attack at seeing the large sphere of power headed toward him. Which was then redirected by Jabari. "You are young, guiltless, I won't let you be harmed," the Zebstrika said as he turned back towards the Godslayer. But Ari had seen him hesitate. "...Thanks," he muttered. He was grateful for the other preventing the attack, but he almost hadn't. Not that he owed it to Ari or anything--well, he kind of did, as a citizen of Pride Rock, but they weren't even in Pride Rock, and he was pretty sure Jabari wasn't a citizen anymore if he had become a Godslayer. Anyway, the point was, the Litleo had no idea what to think. So he decided to take a leaf from Kazo's book and say nothing more. Sometimes it was better to keep your mouth shut if you didn't know what to say, after all. "Hey Ari!" Mac called out after then. "How about we show him that?" "Huh? Already?" the Litleo asked, but took the opportunity while the Lucario was distracted by Jabari, and then that darker blue-haired girl, to get ready. Relax. I can do it. Just like Zekrom told me. As if sensing what was going to happen, the Godslayer turned toward him, firing off a Flash Cannon. But Ari had learned from before, so he was already in mid-jump when the attack came. The lighter blue-haired girl had shot out an attack of her own as well, a quick jet of water that reached the Godslayer before his own attack reached Ari. As the Godslayer turned slightly to deal with her, the Litleo had landed safely out of range. Focus. Gazing up at the sky, Ari breathed out a large flaming orb with a second layer of flame around it in a cross shape. He kept adding more fire to it until it was almost too much for him to handle. -- Ankou looked sadly between the two of them. "You enjoy this fighting don't you? I can feel it, your desire for battle, crawling in my mind. It makes my heart heavy to know there are those who want such a chaotic and violent world...Soon, soon we'll escape. Soon I'll be free." Before Easter could react to that, she closed her eyes and vanished from view, leaving behind an ominous "And so will you." Right after she attacked Nine with a familiar move that Easter had used himself multiple times--it had been quite fun to literally kiss the life from his opponent's. An extra dose of humiliation to their defeat at his hands. He had eventually replaced it with Moonblast, which he found did far more damage, but its ability to restore some health to him had been quite a boon when he had been younger and weaker. But that also meant that they couldn't spend too long trying to take this woman down. She was, like him, made to last. So while he knew that he himself had the endurance for a long, drawn-out battle, he wasn't sure about Nine. Did he also have healing moves on him? He could have the Flash Fire ability, though he was just as likely to have Early Bird or Unnerve. But even if he did, Easter didn't have any fire-type moves on him. Almost, he thought. He had almost decided to learn one, but now wasn't the time to be crying over spilled milk. Either way, both of them were screwed, since she had used Taunt. Which put the two of them on a countdown. The pressure was on. And I wouldn't have it any other way. And then a shock. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't manage to avoid the Thunderbolt in time. Gritting his teeth at the power of the attack--this woman is no slouch--he was about to retaliate, and then paused when he saw Nine next to her. He didn't want to cause any friendly fire. The two attacked each other at point-blank in a mixture of elemental energies. Impressed, Easter waited impatiently as he charged up a Moonblast. Steady, steady, now! he thought, releasing the attack as soon as he saw the first shimmer of green from her arrival. She probably didn't expect to be hit just after arriving from a Teleport, after all, though Nine had pulled that same move just moments earlier. So perhaps Ankou would've avoided it, but she had gotten distracted by Nine's words--which were pretty amusing if he said so himself. "I am used to dealing with brutes, do not worry. A mad dog like you will surely be put down." It was right as she finished speaking that the attack hit. The Gardevoir took the move in graceful silence, but he could tell that it had done some damage. Those words of hers...many gijinka had said things along similar lines to him, but they were the ones eating dirt in the end. Not him. And not Nine either, probably. "I think you're the one who needs to worry about being put down," Easter said. He rushed up toward the Gardevoir then, aiming a kick at her. When she teleported away, he released a Swift which shot toward her unerringly, though he wasn't fast enough this time to avoid the Psyshock she sent his way in return. "And there's nothing wrong with being mad...all the best gijinka are, after all," he grinned. He really shouldn't be enjoying this as much as he was, but it had been so long since he had gotten to let himself loose like this. -- Now I know what it's like to fight me, Keanu thought with some annoyance. This wahine kept moving around it was hard to pin her down, even harder now that she had gotten a Tailwind behind her. Shooting off an Electro Ball, and clicking his tongue when it missed, he glanced at the others--who still hadn't introduced themselves, though Veronica had addressed one of them by name. Guess these two are all business, he thought. Then again, I guess it's not that important to get to know one another. Not like this is a luau or anything. "You might as well give up," Veronica said. "It's not like any of you are going to hit me." "Oh, kulikuli!" Keanu shouted. "Shut up!" he explained at seeing her quizzical look. "You might as well give up on making us give up. We're not giving up, and neither are you. I get it! Let's just scrap already!" he focused then, eyes turning bluer than normal as a wave of dark purple psychic energy appeared around the Crobat, enveloping her and slamming her to the ground. The Godslayer cried out in surprise then. "Psychic? From a Raichu?!" she muttered, before gazing at the group. "You might have caught me off guard just now with your commoner tricks, but you won't do so again!" "Eh, there's still loads of so-called commoner tricks up my sleeve," the electric type smirked. "Though I'm not wearing any sleeves right now..." The Crobat ignored his words to swoop down at him in Flight. Jumping back to avoid the move, he sent off an Electro Ball at her soaring figure but missed once again when she tilted to the side just so, the crackling ball of electricity crashing into one of the wooden pillars instead, the current redirected into the ground harmlessly. Before he could send off another attack, Veronica had already turned her attention to the Sharpedo--Taiga, he thought she had said. A large pair of fangs materialized and looked ready to sink right into the water type.

I've heard good things about .hack but I haven't played it. I have played Star Ocean: Till the End of Time though and it's definitely a great game. It was the game that got me into the Star Ocean series too.

Voting Neopets because I loved that as a kid and I remember hearing Darkest Faerie was actually pretty good? Never played the other one.

Dragon Quest VIII is definitely one of the better DQ games imo. It definitely helped to popularize DQ here in the west, and I really like what they did with the party system. So yeah, voting for it.

I think I played Tak and enjoyed it...whereas never played a Soul Calibur game.

I have mixed feelings for Persona 3 but it's still decent and haven't played the other so voting for Persona 3 here.

Gdi this is tough since I really like both games. But voting for FFXII because I enjoyed it more overall while Dark Cloud's dungeon mechanics can get a bit repetitive for me.

Never played Katamari Damacy but I've seen it played and it looked really fun.

I remember playing Need For Speed and liking it all right despite not being much of a racing game fan--aside from Mario Kart. It was a surprisingly good game.

Only played Vice City but I really loved it even though I didn't understand most of what was going on at the time I played it. Was still pretty fun to go driving around in cars and crash into things though.

I need to branch out and play more PS2 games it seems...lol. Though I have been meaning to try both franchises at some point.

Again, never played either...also hadn't heard of Bully before but looks pretty interesting.