[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. sam carter

the starting line was marked by a thin white line in the sand.

[break][break] jayden walks over to the start of it, eyes focused on the tires placed in the sand in front of him. his throat is thick — he's reminded of all the times his father had him traverse similar terrain.

[break][break] training was not an uncommon thing growing up under his father's thumb.

[break][break] this, however, was a bit different.

[break][break] he's not done it on sand before.

[break][break] it is a minute before he realizes that he's not alone — that there's someone next to him. not only that, it's someone he met before, a few days ago, when the festivities had just started. last time they had met, jayden had —

[break][break] he swallows. ignores the feeling bubbling in his chest.

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

samuel carter // round 1: tire course

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

[break][break] tldr jayden's like "owo" at him

[break][break] 50+ = HIT / -50 = MISS

[attr="class","endv"]

+ --

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

Seeing a young man who nearly twisted his arm off, Sam raised a hand in greeting - or maybe surrender - and made his way over. Once close, he was preparing himself for the course ahead.

"Good to see you're alright. With how you'd run off before, I was concerned you weren't feeling well. One can never be too careful at these sorts of gatherings. The lack of hygiene is unsettling."

What he meant was that germs were easily spread in large gatherings like festivals in the like and he assumed Jayden had a stomach bug or something of the sort. With a salute, he made his way to the course and tried his luck. He had his absol use her FUTURE SIGHT to try and give him an edge. But ultimately, it was up to him to nail the tire course properly.

//NOTES

AyXi_XY8

ABSOL uses FUTURE SIGHT to attempt in helping Sam have an edge.

jayden cross

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. sam carter

guilt swells in his chest at the sight of samuel carter. it felt like years ago that they'd met on the beach. his life had been simpler back then.

[break][break] he'd said that he was going to get them a pair of drinks and then just —

[break][break] "sorry," he says hastily, swallowing. "i just - "

[break][break] at the time, he'd just needed to go. he'd needed to get away.

[break][break] "... thanks, " he says, eventually. 'i was worried you were unwell'. the words echo in the space between them, begging to be answered. it was the perfect opening —

[break][break] and yet, he simply couldn't.

[break][break] jayden is saved from saying anything more, however, as the referree demands their attention. a man stands on a stool just a few feet away, a black flag raised in his grasp. 'one... two... go!'

[break][break] the black-haired immediately kicks against the ground and sprints, the power of his murkrow's TAILWIND aiding him.

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

samuel carter // round 1: tire course

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

[break][break] tldr the race begins! also sorry for my bad post asdfjkl

[break][break] 50+ = HIT / -50 = MISS

nY1N_Tlv

[attr="class","endv"]

+ --

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

Neither of them seemed to land a win in that one, which had Sam chuckling. He was waiting for Jayden at the 'finish line' and gave him a shrug.

"Seems neither of us are very good at this sort of thing."

Who was good at tires? Maybe his infernape, but that was literally it...

jayden cross

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. sam carter

the sand appears to be more difficult than it's worth. his murkrow's tailwind does the opposite of aiding him, the gusts instead dragging him back and making it difficult to fight against. it's why when his feet land on the other side of the field, he's looking a little worse for wear.

[break][break] he breathes heavily, wiping sweat off his brow, when he realizes sam is speaking to him. he blinks.

[break][break] "i..." it's not that he's not good at this. once again, guilt swarms him as he realizes his failure.

[break][break] it cuts him, deeper than expected.

[break][break] "maybe not," he says, with a curt nod.

[break][break] the next course is up. this time it's a sand pit, with a maze of rope uptop. jayden and sam are to crawl underneath the rope in order to get to the other side, but unfortunately that means getting a little down and dirty.

[break][break] immediately, jayden takes off, dropping to the floor. he crawls forwards on his elbows.

[break][break] while his trainer is hard at work, hesus is busy being mischevious. he uses SCREECH on their competitors, in an attempt to give them an edge.

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

samuel carter // round 2: sandpit

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

[break][break] tldr the race begins! also sorry for my bad post asdfjkl

[break][break] 50+ = HIT / -50 = MISS

jJDAx78I

[attr="class","endv"]

+ --

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

Jayden's words have Sam furrowing his brows in thought. It seemed, with how curt he had replied, that there was something more to this tournament than just sportsmanship to Jayden. Because of that, Sam contemplated just letting the kid win.

What did a tournament mean to him? Sam was just there to have fun with his pokémon, really.

That, and publicity, but y'know.

Jayden beats him to the sad as he calls forth his larvitar from her confines. She sees that thing on the other side letting loose a screech, but her thick hide ignores the screech in favor of summoning a SANDSTORM against the other pokémon.

//NOTES

Bo|lMwX2

jayden cross

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. sam carter

the sandstorm is a weak one, probably no more than a gust of wind. it picks up the sand on the beach, floating a few grains to the surface, before petering out.

[break][break] jayden doesn't particularly notice as he focuses on placing one elbow in front of the other. he's reminded all of the times his father made him go through something similar. however this time, there isn't the unrelenting pressure of dmitri's gaze upon him, squashing him further in the sand.

[break][break] his eyes flicker to the tattooed form of his competitor.

[break][break] there's something freeing about this one.

[break][break]meanwhile, his riolu grabs a rock and throws it into the air, splintering it with a FORCE PALM. the debris splatters, hopefully creating some obstacles for their opponents.

[attr="class","tag"] TOTAL 139 [break][break]

samuel carter // round 2: sandpit

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

[break][break] tldr the race begins! also sorry for my bad post asdfjkl

[break][break] 1-30 = MISS / 30-100 HIT / 80-100 DOUBLE HIT

MKflDV6u

[attr="class","endv"]

+ --

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

As the obstacles were created, Sam halted. But the rocks were removed by his gardevoir who lifted them away from his field with a PSYCHIC and then threw them at the opposing side's pokémon.

Sam smiled and gave her a thanks through their mental connection, thanks to her TELEPATHY he was able to communicate with her in the easiest way he knew.

Thought.

If only everybody could read his mind...

Those previous attacks managed to knock out his shedinja and ninjask, though.

//NOTES

PAsJHPsB
roll + 5 = total

FAINTED shedinja & ninjask

jayden cross

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. sam carter

as the attacks churn above, jayden only flicks his gaze skyward for a mere moment before continuing on his task. he remembers the countless time his father told him — 'focus on your task until it is complete. no matter what.'

[break][break] still, the sounds of rocks cracking against each other proves a distraction and jayden can't help but look at the gardevoir as it lifts some of the rocks in sam's path out of his path.

[break][break] "lada, hesus," he says, grunting. the sand burns his elbows as he continues through the course, but he can feel his end in sight. "dispose of them."

[break][break] a little dramatic, but necessary.

[break][break] the two umbreon bound forward. lada releases a SCREECH the same time her male counterpart releases a DARK PULSE at their opponent's pokemon, hopefully giving their trainer the advantage.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"] TOTAL 185 [break][break]

samuel carter // round 2: sandpit

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

[break][break] tldr the race begins! also sorry for my bad post asdfjkl

[break][break] 1-30 = MISS / 30-100 HIT / 80-100 DOUBLE HIT

nR9KIXiM

[attr="class","endv"]

+ --

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

Sam's eyes followed the movements around him. The two umbreon were a bit close for him. That dark pulse had hit his duskull, causing it to faint.

"Metagross, infernape!"

He mumbled it into the sand, ignoring the dirt that was getting in too many places he didn't care for. He'd be taking a dip in the ocean after this for sure.

Infernape twisted her body around the course to get in close to one umbreon with a MACH PUNCH, while metagross attempted to let down a powerful HAMMER ARM.

//NOTES

PAsJHPsB
roll + 30 = total
30+ hits

FAINTED duskull

jayden cross

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. sam carter

the dark pulse slams into the gastly, effectively knocking it out. jayden doesn't have the time to pay attention, however, because amongst the screeches and fights of pokemon fighting, his gaze is focused on the goal in sight.

[break][break] he heaves himself up by the last few inches and then pulls himself forward. he lands at the end a few minutes before his competitor, turning to look for samuel carter .

[break][break] his gaze, however, catch purchase on the metagross and infernape going for his duo of umbreons. lada and hesus are quick on their feet, more than prepared. they criss-cross and dodge the attacks nimbly on their feet, before scampering over to jayden's side of the court. the boy's gaze shifts —

[break][break] "good match," he says, with a stiff nod towards the other. his gaze turns towards their next course.

[break][break] this one is a tall wooden apparatus, with rope thrown atop of it. the two contestants are to climb over the wall's edgy as fast as possible and then jump down to the space below. the wind roars nearby — it'll be difficult to climb quickly without being knocked off.

[break][break] his vaporeon uses AURORA BEAM on his opponent's side, hopefully freezing either the rope or any pokemon nearby.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"] TOTAL 54 [break][break]

samuel carter // round 3: climbing wall

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

[break][break] tldr round 3 start!

[break][break] 1-30 = MISS / 30-100 HIT / 80-100 DOUBLE HIT

eZEMhiTW

[attr="class","endv"]

+ --

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]

The ice beam did just that. It hit Sam's krookodile and knocked it clean out. Sam's pokémon were used to battling by now, but this was unconventional and new to them all. Perhaps that's why they were fainting left and right.

His infernape and metagross were still at it, attempting to send the other team rolling. Infernape used her ACROBATICS to get an upper hand, trying to take out the vaporeon while she could.

Sam just started his climb up the wall. If he needed a boost he'd attempt to ask his pokémon. Otherwise, he'd focus his efforts on getting up the wall.

//NOTES

4ttRoYwj

FAINTED krookodile

jayden cross

[attr="class","lyrics"]michail volkov v. sam carter

her attack is successful — the ice beam cascades through the air and crashes into their opponent. however, moments later, she is thrown off her feet by a stray acrobatics, and jayden looks down, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

[break][break] either way. this isn't a time for distractions.

[break][break] he focuses his attention on the ascent, hands wrapping around one end of the rope and pulling himself higher.

[break][break] at the bottom, his spoink bounces happily and claps gleefully to cheer both of them on. his gem glows a pretty pink before a PSYCHIC beam flashes out to try to get one of sam's pokemon offguard.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"] TOTAL 99 [break][break]

samuel carter // round 3: climbing wall

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

[break][break] tldr vaporeon faints! spoink uses PSYCHIC

[break][break] 1-30 = MISS / 30-100 HIT / 80-100 DOUBLE HIT

3xu5c_4m

[attr="class","endv"]

+ --

[attr="class","jaybirdsq"]