the battered temple of noah's machamp reverts from mega form. above, the sun tans the field. warms bruises with a sadistic tenderness— but fails to thaw the fervor of fans wearing Laurence Anderson merchandise.

"you too! i'm on the ropes."

noah says. mirroring zac, he wipes sweat off his brow as he looks upon his final pokemon on the field. the brief respite allows him to suck in much needed air. his heartbeat pulses in his ears— before the crackling of a charjabug's summoning interrupts it.

"yo, that's kinda smart. saving him for last. you're like, sponsored by charja-cola, right?" noah says as he matches eyes with his machamp. "be careful, cobra! don't underestimate it!"

his worn machamp grunts, circling around the charjabug in cautious orbit as the fight resumes.

parched, noah begins to crave for cola. fruit. something in the incoming aftermath.

[attr="class","pkspr"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon machamp"]

fainted:
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hariyama"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon medicham"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon crabominable"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hitmonchan"]

Zac Ramsay

notes: POG

"you OWN the company?!" noah's eyes are as wide as his machamp's shoulders.

the charjabug's compact size, like a segment of bubblegum, conceals its speed. fists collide with the earth as noah's machamp plays whack-a-mole. the flooring cracks— but the SKITTER SMACK is what causes the earth to spin off-kilter.

his machamp almost trips, swerving toward the ground as it seeks the bug with all four arms.

"does charja cola have a secret ingredient, by the way?" noah hollers after issuing a command to his machamp.

[attr="class","pkspr"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon machamp"]

Zac Ramsay

notes: POG

noah offers words of praise for the other's charjabug. it was clear that the pokemon was not a simple poster child— but a fierce battler too that matches the meteoric rise of its beverage in the public eye.

still, the fighting-type gym leader is SKITTER SMACKED by the revelation that venom may be running through his veins. whether it is truth or some twisted jest doesn't matter.

for he has consumed it already.


--

"ready!" noah says, adjusting the bib on his machamp. "i've got a big stomach y'know." he lies through a smug mask.

his machamp karate chops a watermelon. multiple hands grasp at red flesh and toss the gore into a wide beak.

WGDAsaSe

[attr="class","pkspr"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon machamp"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hariyama"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon medicham"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon crabominable"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hitmonchan"]

Zac Ramsay

notes: LOVE THIS

noah's hitmonchan struggles to devour its watermelon chunks. the smooth rind slips off its glove-like hands. water-logged fruit flesh slaps against the table and scatters as the pokemon huffs in frustration.

in the meantime, noah is busy chomping away. mouth as bulbous as a greedent's, pink watermelon streams dribble in between his fingers.

"what'smmff- goin' on with yournnghmff," noah's adam's apple bobs, "rotom, man?!"

ACn6SQ5D

[attr="class","pkspr"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon machamp"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hariyama"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon medicham"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon crabominable"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hitmonchan"]

Zac Ramsay

zac: 94
noah: 82

the question is a sucker punch and briefly, noah is forced to contend with considering a reality in which he owned a rotom. he did not.

as seeds fly from the rotom frost, noah's urshifu furrows its brow. knit together like rope, it is the face of intense focus.

and in a single strike that rocks the table, the watermelon before it bursts into several chunks that fly into the mouths of its peers.

rinds litter the table. the fruit juice becomes sticky against the skin under the summer eat. "getting full yetmmphf??" noah taunts, watermelons growing in his gut.

5JwkvUzZ

[attr="class","pkspr"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon machamp"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hariyama"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon medicham"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon crabominable"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hitmonchan"]

Zac Ramsay

zac: 162
noah: 82 (MONKA SICKNESS)

"third?!"

the bear's technique draws the awe of spectators— but it is the encore that summons the standing ovation. noah's urshifu, from the tower of vomit, runs from the table to unleash a flurry of pink on nearby sand.

"uh, he'll be okay." noah says. he's not sure if a droplet of sweat is sliding down his cheek or watermelon juice.

his machamp lifts a watermelon, crushing it with his barehands before shoveling the imploded fruit down its throat.

80k4K80g

[attr="class","pkspr"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon machamp"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hariyama"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon medicham"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon crabominable"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hitmonchan"]

Zac Ramsay

zac: 166
noah: 98

the tapu bulu's appearance in their previous battle was an inevitability. yet, noah could not possibly prepare for the power of the bull. his urshifu was forced to MEGA EVOLVE to exhaust the deity before his ace could be switched in.

it was a bastardized performance of breaking. no karate blocks. just explosions of sandy tree and grainy bark. still, a potent MEGAHORN was enough to take the bear down with a clangorous crash.

"i don't think i'll be able to eat watermelon ever again after this t-b-h." noah groans.

his crabominable's white fur is dyed in pink. should watermelon seeds remain nestled within its locks, perhaps, they would take root and grow.

a watermelon is chomped by its guillotine jaws.

2Wg|I_Xm

[attr="class","pkspr"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon machamp"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hariyama"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon medicham"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon crabominable"][attr="class","pokesprite pokemon hitmonchan"]

Zac Ramsay

zac: 237
noah: 174