Athletic and sporty as he had always been, Vic had amazing memories of his days playing dodgeball as a kid. It had been so much fun! Of course he thought that though, since he had always been the kind of kid who got picked first for teams, and with reason too, as it had been plenty of times that he had ended up alone in the court by the end of P.E class – sole survivor to a massacre caused by a chaotic storm of red rubber balls.
[break][break]
It had been so long since the last time he had played. So, when asked if he wanted to join a game of dodgeball at the beach along with his pokémon, of course he had said yes!
[break][break]
He was all decked out in Moltres merch. Because, as Vic knew well, when you’re part of a team, things like cool uniforms are essential to increase morale and have a sense of unity. Plus, pink and red went together well! Although, let’s be honest, Vic couldn’t have cared less about things like aesthetics.
[break][break]
The match began and–...
[break][break]
Wait. Was that the boy from the internet café?!
[break][break]
”OH! HEY!” he waved, just in time for Jayden’s Dratini to aim a Twister-powered ball his way.
[break][break]
Rude! That’s not how we greet our friends!
[break][break]
In a true display of athletic prowess, he dodged the ball with one jump, the dragon power-infused projectile continuing in its path and heading directly for the sand… where his Trapinch had just popped up.
[break][break]
”JUJUBE?!” No… Not like this... She was so young! She had so much to live for! He had just caught her the other day and she was already facing the full wrath of a Twister. The world was just so cruel! ”JUJUBEEEEE!” He fell to his knees, holding the limp body of the Trapinch before returning her to her pokéball (since she had fainted and not died… obviously).
[break][break]
”Taffy.” The phantasmagoric dragon appeared out of thin air when called, looking extremely bored and not at all affected by the untimely “demise” of the Ant Pit Pokémon. ”Get that Dratini.”
[break][break]
At this, six bright amber eyes turned to look at Jayden’s pokémon – those of the Dragapult, and those of the freeloading Dreepy he always carried within his horns. They all squinted, and in a split second, the two little dragons went full ricochet: darting off and redirecting a ball so it would head directly for the Dratini, as fast as it was possible. That's DRAGON DARTS for you!



[break][break]

+ jayden cross | 1 POKÉMON DOWN
[break] (This post is a mess, just like Vic lol)

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. vic wexler

it was only after that he'd thrown the ball that he recognized the other. the pink hair was much more remarkable in the light of the day, compared to the flickering lights of a pc cafe.

[break][break] ".. hey," he said, a little bit more subdued — then again, anything might have seemed subdued in comparison to the excitement of Victor Wexler.

[break][break] there wasn't much time for a response, however, because while vic had successfully dodged — his pokemon had not. jayden watched, a bit awkwardly, as several things happened: vic leaping for his fallen pokemon, mourning it's supposed "death", and then shouting for revenge.

[break][break] jayden blinked.

[break][break] the dragapult was fast though. it, and it's freeloading dreepy, immediately sent a ball spiraling towards jayden's dratini.

[break][break] of course, jayden was fast too. hot sand on his feet, jayden sprinted towards the ball and captured it just before it hit his dratini. immediately, he flung the ball right back at the closest opponent — whether it be vic, or one of his pokemon. at the front of his line, his torkal begins to use SMOKESCREEN to create a thin cloud of smoke.

[attr="class","tag"] NOTES [break][break]



Victor Wexler // beach dodge ball!!!



[break][break] note: jayden signed up as "michail volkov" for the hst [break]

rules: above 50 = hit; below 50 = miss

[break][break]

TJF1JAu5

[attr="class","endv"]

+ n/a

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

Vic wiped away non-existent tears and got back up on his feet, putting away the pokéball and returning his attention to the other team. There was no time to mourn when a dodgeball game was underway! As made evident by the fact that he found himself catching a ball as soon as he was standing...
[break][break]
Wow, people were out for blood! We did just mention the whole 'no time to mourn' thing, but were they really not going to allow him a single second to be sad about his sweet, young, innocent, fallen teammate?! Okay, well, if that’s how they wanted to play…
[break][break]
He looked up, his lavender gaze immediately finding the Dragonite who so far had been doing no more than punching balls away, unimpressed.
[break][break]
Aha!
[break][break]
”Hey! Pez! Bud! How about you flap ‘em wings?!”
[break][break]
And, here’s the thing: to a proud Dragonite like Pez, ‘flap ‘em wings’ was code for only one thing…
[break][break]
HURRICANE!
[break][break]
Flap he did indeed, and with every movement of his wings, strong winds rose before him. The Torkoal’s smokescreen was blown away, and more than one rubber ball was carried upwards, sending them directly towards the other team.



[break][break]

+ 1 FAINTED
[break]

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. vic wexler

the smokescreen was not as successful as anticipated. the torkoal coughs up clouds of grey and black, but rather than appearing like a stream of exhaust, it is a thin layer of smog-colored gas. with no surprise, the dragonite's hurricane is a hit. the winds carry the weak smokescreen away in no time at all, in addition to several balls that hit jayden's own comrades.

[break][break] the dark-haired youth looks back, just to see one knock his torkoal aside. the pokemon withdraws into his shell to prevent injury. the result, however, has the pokemon's shell spinning across the sand, making several of jayden's other team-mates tripping as he does so. the pokemon is knocked unconscious as it is accidentally gang-piled on top of.

[break][break] jayden sighs, returning the pokemon to his pokeball before reaching for a dodgeball that is closest to him. something sharp flashing in his eyes, he assesses the field before him before quickly clicking his tongue. a soft glow around jayden's body as he is lifted into the air with his metagross' PSYCHIC attack and he aims his ball at his next unwitting victim.

[attr="class","tag"] NOTES [break][break]



Victor Wexler // beach dodge ball!!!



[break][break] note: jayden signed up as "michail volkov" for the hst [break]

rules: above 50 = hit; below 50 = miss

[break][break] 1 FAINTED

[break][break]

4oH21dwJ

[attr="class","endv"]

+ n/a

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

”Niiiiice! Good job, bud!” Covering his eyes from the specks of sand that were suddenly lifted by strong winds, Vic praised his Dragonite, apparently being incredibly pleased with the devastation caused by the hurricane...
[break][break]
See, Vic was a nice guy and he cared a whole fucking lot about things like the wellbeing of pokémon and all that, but this was dodgeball, and dodgeball was no game… Well, it was, but you get my point! He was in serious mode here! He was willing to cause some damage for the sake of victory!
[break][break]
...Or was he?
[break][break]
His friend-now-turned-temporary-enemy was lifted up into the air by a Metagross’ psychic power, which, admittedly, was really fucking cool! The not-so-cool part though, was that he ended up surprisingly close to the Dragonite, and that instead of dodging like a coward, Pez’ instinctive decision was a bit more… unconventional.
[break][break]
Which means the following: he grabbed the nearest pokémon, pulled them towards him, and used them as a shield, and this pokémon was no other than his teammate, Vic’s own Dragalge....
[break][break]
Dragalge who happened to be weak to psychic attacks.
[break][break]
Dragalge who took the ball head-on without a choice.
[break][break]
Dragalge who fainted on the spot.
[break][break]
”PEZ?! Pez you can’t just use Licorice as a human shie–… dragon shield… whatever! You can’t do that, dude! Not cool!” Vic yelled, mortified, and the Dragonite huffed in response, intercepting the nearest ball with an AQUA TAIL and sending it flying directly towards their opponents.


[break][break]

+ 2 FAINTED
[break]

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. vic wexler

effective.

[break][break] these were the first thoughts that cross jayden's mind as he watches the dragon type use one of his team-mates as a shield. sure, it might have been cruel — but in some ways, cruelty was necessary. if it meant a success for the majority, then the minority ought to be sacrificed.

[break][break] vic, however, did not seem to see it that way.

[break][break] the pink-haired youth let out a cry of disbelief and immediately began to berate his pokemon in the very same moment that jayden nodded in approval. "smart thinking," he commended the pokemon.

[break][break] a large tail sweeped at the ball, water washing it over the line that separated them. unfortunately, the aqua tail was not powerful to cause any casualties and jayden found himself walking over to the damp sand to pick up said ball. he dusted some of the sand off before glancing sideways at his metagross. with a click of his tongue, he and the rest of his team-mates through their balls in front off the metagross, who immediately used bullet punch to cause an army of dodge-balls to ascend on the other side.

[attr="class","tag"] NOTES [break][break]



Victor Wexler // beach dodge ball!!!



[break][break] note: jayden signed up as "michail volkov" for the hst [break]

rules: above 50 = hit; below 50 = miss

[break][break] 1 FAINTED

[break][break]

06geAU_S

[attr="class","endv"]

+ n/a

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

Maybe his friend’s Metagross just didn’t like the beach. All that water that easily could cause rust, all that sand that could get between metal parts, all that sunlight… It made sense, right? Because, what other explanation could there be? If it liked the beach, if it was enjoying playing dodgeball, how had it failed that attack so spectacularly?!
[break][break]
That’s just the luck of the dice, huh?
[break][break]
There was a bark. One coming from Vic’s Arcanine, the large canine staring at both Jayden and his Metagross as he wagged his tail playfully. He looked like he was having a great time, and so far, he had had no issue with dodging and stopping throws despite his size (not all that surprising, considering how he was stupidly fast and agile). With a second bark, he picked up a ball that safely rolled towards him over the sand after the Steel Type’s attempt at a barrage, but instead of chewing it up like he would have with most balls, he threw it up in the air, using a FLAMETHROWER to send it dashing straight towards the Metagross. Then, he barked happily once more, for good meassure.
[break][break]
For a pokémon that seemed so playful, his actions were not, but what more could be expected when he had been trained to see battles as a fun game where he got treats if he did good? This was the pokémon that had accompanied Vic since he was ten years old.




[break][break]

+ 2 FAINTED
[break]

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. vic wexler

lazy.

[break][break] jayden gives the other a side-long glance of disappointment as the balls hit the ground, missing the bullet punch entirely. the metagross, however, seems to find this amusing, not at all bothered by his trainer's disappointment. there isn't time to teach metagross any better, however, because the battle must continue.

[break][break] a bark sounds, and jayden's head jerks towards it. a large arcanine comes parading down the beach, throwing a dodge ball into the air and .... incinerating it.

[break][break] burnt dust particles fall upon the metagross' form as the dodge ball is burned to shreds.

[break][break] well... that was anti-climactic.

[break][break] "irmin," jayden instructs. "cover me." while everyone was still staring after the arcanine and his failed attack, jayden decides to use the distraction to his advantage. he raises his arm in the air, and the krokorok opens his jaws to send a mini sandstorm his way, swirling around the dodge ball. jayden runs and leaps, throwing a dodge ball in the direction of the closest victim.

[attr="class","tag"] NOTES [break][break]



Victor Wexler // beach dodge ball!!!



[break][break] note: jayden signed up as "michail volkov" for the hst [break]

rules: above 50 = hit; below 50 = miss

[break][break] 1 FAINTED

[break][break]

i8MZh8wk

[attr="class","endv"]

+ n/a

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

”Nougat! Buddy! You know dodge balls aren’t fireproof, we’ve talked about this!”
[break][break]
Honestly, Vic couldn’t help but laugh, roughly yet affectionately squishing the sides of the canine’s huge head and shaking him a little while the Arcanine whimpered about the ball that had just turned to dust – or rather, to ash. This only lasted a few seconds though, because they had a game to play, and it was soon enough that both him and his pokémon were back to having all their attention fixed on the other team, ready to dodge whatever came their way…
[break][break]
What came wasn’t exactly an attack though. Well, it was an attempt at that, but not a very successful one.
[break][break]
Vic wasn’t sure what his friend had meant when asking his pokémon to cover him, but whatever it was, it probably wasn’t what the Krokorok did – especially since the ball fell flat on the sand and didn’t even make it to the other side of the field. ”Uhm…” Unfortunate, but the game must go on, no?
[break][break]
”'Ey, pass,” he whistled, and when a ball was thrown to his hands, he himself tossed it straight up. ”Taff! Hit ‘em!”
[break][break]
The Dragapult appeared on command, and he sure did as asked.
[break][break]
’Flap ‘em wings’ may have meant a hurricane to the Dragonite, but the Dragapult, ’Hit ‘em’ meant SUCKER PUNCH.
[break][break]
He readied the strike, and aligning it with the rising ball, he hit it as hard as he could, straight towards their opponents.





[break][break]

+ jayden cross | 2 FAINTED
[break]

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. vic wexler

vic is right. it isn't what jayden intended. a soft swirls around his palm but nothing at all like the sandstorm he expected, and as such, he makes a miscalculation. the ball falls flat on the ground, followed by a very awkward silence.

[break][break] made even more awkward by the fact that jayden barely acknowledged it.

[break][break] his expression remains perfectly blank as he straightens, watching as vic picks up the ball. his dragapult takes the stage next, throwing a sucker punch. the hit slams into his riolu, who's arms immediately go up to defend himself. the hit is not very effective, mostly because the pokemon is prepared for it. still, a hit is a hit, and his weavile lets out a screech of defiance at her team-mate being injured. she leaps up behind him and aims an ICE SHARD at the assailant.

[break][break] or at least tries — because instead of going for the dragapult, the glacier pellets pierce the air and head towards the arcanine instead.

[break][break] meanwhile, jayden leaps into the air and manages to catch vic's throw just in time. he immediately cocks his arm back and throws it right back at the cotton candy-colored youth.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"] NOTES [break][break]



Victor Wexler // beach dodge ball!!!



[break][break] note: jayden signed up as "michail volkov" for the hst [break]

rules: above 50 = hit; below 50 = miss

[break][break] tldr weavile uses ice shard at arcanine

[break][break] 1 FAINTED

[break][break]

KOLIpLFi

[attr="class","endv"]

+ uses non-effective move on opponent

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

Ice Shard was never going to do much to an Arcanine and just about everyone knew this. Even the pokémon in question knew it too, and as the gelid chunks of ice headed his way, he did no more than stare at them expectantly – as if he thought some ice would be a nice way to cool off in the middle of this game of dodgeball.
[break][break]
Vic’s Bagon, however, didn’t know this, and upon seeing an attack headed straight for her bestest of friends and dearest teammate, the little Bagon jumped between them. ”GUMBALL?! Vic exclaimed in shock, barely giving himself enough time to duck out of the way of Jayden’s oncoming attack.
[break][break]
Instictively, in order to avoid the ball, he fell flat on the sand – close to the Bagon but not close enough to stop the inevitable. She took the full force of the attack, shards of ice smashing right against her head and causing her to stumble and fall back. No… Not again… Not like this… What did his little dragons do to deserve this?!
[break][break]
The worst part of it though: her noble sacrifice didn’t even completely block off the attack. The Arcanine was still hit by some of the shards, but he shook them off, being more concerned with the now unconscious Bagon.
[break][break]
A loud, heartbreaking howl pierced through the air, and with it, Vic stood. That made three of his pokémon that had bitten the metaphorical dust (or sand?) during this game of dodgeball. He didn’t like it at all. Neither did Nougat, who’s gaze now burned with the fires of vengeance.
[break][break]
Without even waiting for a command, the pokémon moved almost faster than what eyes could see, headbutting the nearest ball towards the Weavile with REVERSAL.

[break][break]

+ jayden cross | 3 FAINTED
[break]

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. vic wexler

well.

[break][break] that was unexpected, but it worked?

[break][break] jayden cants his head to the side, curious as yet another one of their opponents pokemon go town. the dark-haired boy watches as the large arcanine shakes off the rest of the ice shards, as if nothing happened. some of them turn to water droplets that flick onto jayden's skin from where he stands just on the edge of his side of the court. he puts an arm up to block it, but the icy droplets cling to his skin anyway.

[break][break] the power of reversal charging him, the canine knocks the ball towards their side of the court. jayden's head jerks — it's so fast, he almost misses it.

[break][break] his arm snaps out, palm slapping against the ball as the momentum causes the ball to spin into his hand. heat burns his skin from where the ball hit, but he clutches the ball in a grip.

[break][break] vila is safe. for now.

[break][break] "be careful," jayden instructs the pokemon, disappointment bleeding in his tone. his voice is only low enough that the weavile can hear, who simply grunts in reply.

[break][break] eager to prove herself, she grabs the ball from jayden with her claws and then rushes forward with SCREECH before throwing the ball back at the other side.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"] NOTES [break][break]



Victor Wexler // beach dodge ball!!!



[break][break] note: jayden signed up as "michail volkov" for the hst [break]

rules: above 50 = hit; below 50 = miss

[break][break] tldr weavile uses ice shard at arcanine

[break][break] 1 FAINTED

[break][break]

d27_X7n1

[attr="class","endv"]

+ uses non-effective move on opponent

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

”Damn! I don’t think I could have stopped that, nice one!” Vic exclaimed when seeing his friend intercept Nougat’s Reversal-powered ball. Honestly, it looked really painful, and he almost wanted to ask if the other was alright after having stopped it with his bare hands and all. But… He looked fine, right? Well, he actually looked kind of annoyed, though that could have easily just been him trying to focus on the match or something along those lines. What did people call that? Resting bitch face or something?
[break][break]
The Weavile prepared to attack, throwing the ball just as it let out this horrible high-pitch sound that caused Vic to stumble and wince. It was bound to temporarily incapacitate some of his pokémon, which was a problem, considering how so many of them were such huge, easy targets. So, in a split second, he made the instinctive decision to jump for the ball despite the pain, catching it and rolling on the sand to a safe landing. ”Close one!”
[break][break]
And before he could even get up, his pokémon were already readying an attack, because of course Pez was starting to get bored of all of this, and he eagerly punched an electricity-charged ball straight towards the other team. THUNDER PUNCH!


[break][break]

+ jayden cross | 3 FAINTED
[break]