MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Jul 13, 2021 22:03:10 GMT

King was right to sniff something out about him. Unfortunately, he ended up here with Giona. Ended up in a public spectacle with a co-worker he had mixed feelings about. Must've had his eyes on the prize. An admirable quality, to be sure.

Giona wore black denim shorts and sandals, with a violet towel around his shoulders and no shirt. He was fully prepared for the heat by now, constantly pausing to slick back his hair, since there was no way he'd be able to put product in it and keep it there.

Giona was pumped. Despite being on a days-long losing streak. It was unclear if he had the memory of a golden retriever, or if he was just happy to see familiar faces out in public. Either way, he held a pokeball in his hand. It was kohl-black, with a candy-red R across the top, which he flashed to him. He then sheepishly covered it, incase the spectators looked too closely. A red beam let a classic black iron lantern slip out, and it hovered around Giona.

"Hey, man. Fancy meeting you here, huh? D'you have time to kill, or are you busy?"

KING WAYLAND

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Wayland

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POSTED ON Jul 13, 2021 23:26:30 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","king"]

HST...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
"eh? what're the odds?"
[break][break]
king looks down his nose at the man ahead of him. the same, strange fellow that had surprised him atop that mountain. king sighs, but tosses a pokeball out anyways. a primeape appears, the very same he met on the same as giona.
[break][break]
"ye, i got time. let's see what ye got."
[break][break]
like his opponent, king was shirtless and wearing swimming trunks and flip flops. a deep, pinkish-red scar is visible on his chest as he pushes a pair of shades down from his hair to cover his eyes.
[break][break]
"yer move."

[break][break]

giona ferrara

[attr="class","credit"]milky

[newclass=.king]color:var(--accent);[/newclass]
[newclass=.king]color:var(--accent);[/newclass]
[newclass=.king .pokesprite]color:#32a852; background:rgba(0,0,0,0.1);border:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.2); margin-right:10px; margin-top:5px; padding:5px; filter:grayscale(90%); transition:0.5s all;[/newclass]
[newclass=.king .pkspr:hover]background:rgba(0,0,0,0.2); filter:none; transition:0.5s all;[/newclass]
[newclass=.king .pokeclass]text-align:right; width:520px; [/newclass]
[newclass=.king .pokeclass img]background:#2b2b2b;border-radius:100px; border:1px solid #solid 1px #232323; border:1px solid #232323; margin-top:-30px; padding-bottom:12px; transition:1.5s; margin-left:8px; box-shadow:2px 2px transparent;[/newclass]
[newclass=.king .pokeclass img:hover]background:var(--accent); transition:1s all; box-shadow:2px 2px #232323 [/newclass]
[newclass=.king]position:relative;[/newclass]
[newclass=.king .credit]font:bold 15px poppins; transform:rotate(90deg); position:absolute; bottom:55px; right:45px; color:rgb(65,65,65); text-shadow: -1px -1px 0 #232323, 1px -1px 0 #232323, -1px 1px 0 #232323, 1px 1px 0 #232323;[/newclass]
[break]
[newclass=.king .setting]background-image:url(https://i.ibb.co/7W25H12/grimmylong7.png); background-size:cover; background-position: bottom; filter:saturate(110%); height:150px; width:400px; margin:10px auto 20px; [/newclass]

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planetofthevapes

catello casimiro

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twenty-four

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Mauville City

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POSTED ON Jul 13, 2021 23:59:08 GMT

He just felt like bad vibes. Like a car double-parked. Like a backpack in the foothills they were in, absent a hiker. Nonetheless, he had a stupid grin on his face, as a bead of sweat traveled down to his nose, before hitting the sand.

"I know, right? I think I've seen everyone here, including G-- Liam, from work."

King by contrast was a more traditional rascal. A lovable scamp. The kind of person Giona was before a string of... workplace accidents. If King looked at his left shoulder, he'd see a series of lightning bolt tattoos, curling around the muscle. They ended at his tricep, surrounded on all sides by little black 'flames' and 'souls'. Just a 'fuck me up fam' at the tattoo parlor.

"Good. I knew you were strong when we were in those hills, I just wanted to really see for myself."

Giona whistled a slowly descending note. Lampent spun around, letting a blue flame escape its head and zig-zag its way towards Primeape. If it landed, it would've been struck by Will o Wisp and burned on the spot. A pre-emptive move to dampen its likely devastating physical attacks. Like a fistful of sand thrown at a boxer. Nonetheless, Giona smirked at him.

"Oh no, I insist. You can swing first."

KING WAYLAND

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snubis

Wayland

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Vermillion City

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TAG WITH @king

POSTED ON Jul 14, 2021 2:05:23 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","king"]

HST...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
eyes narrow, breaking the casual look he was wearing moments before. like 'liam', he too was under a false name - matty. how fitting. not that many would expect to see king here, after all, he was presumed death by all league accounts.
[break][break]
"don't get ahead of yerself. i'm just testin' this one. a real battle would be no contest 't all."
[break][break]
he flashes canines and rolls his shoulder.
[break][break]
"get ta work, zed."
[break][break]
the primape wastes no time, collecting himself as he FOCUSES ENERGY into his large fists. he ignores the WILL-O-WISP, barely registering the new added BURN to his flesh, and launches forward with with an imitation of shadow boxing. the fist-shaped PURSUIT flies directly at his opponent.

[break][break]

giona ferrara

[attr="class","credit"]milky

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planetofthevapes

catello casimiro

he him

twenty-four

june 20th

Mauville City

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POSTED ON Jul 14, 2021 2:31:33 GMT

King's eyes narrowed. Giona had his own cover, but it ran even deeper than the tournament. He'd assumed a new appearance as well as a name, solely to distance himself from the arson he got pinched for. If anyone figured out that he was the boy with pink hair, there went his dreams of being a gym leader. Of steady pay.

"Right. Same here. I'm sure it'd look different if we both took it seriously, I just don't want someone to study and counter us later."

Lampent was struck, and clattered to the ground with a sickening metal on stone scraping sound. It then picked itself up, and spun in a little circle, slightly out of reach.

"Huh. Even when you're fooling around, this is a tempo I'm not used to."

Giona whistled a series of slowly ascending notes. Lampent responded by using Hex. A move that by itself wouldn't do much, but to the already burned Primeape, it'd make the burning sensation so much worse if it struck. Like being held against a hot stove. Its other move in this case would be a Confuse Ray. Another ball of light slowly drifting out of Lampent's head, though this one was far cooler.

"You're good at this."

KING WAYLAND

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Wayland

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POSTED ON Jul 17, 2021 7:40:59 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","king"]

HST...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
teeth flash, lips separating into a grin. the idea of a full fight excites him, despite the warning bells in his head screaming him to pull back. he was dead. he needed to remain dead.
[break][break]
for a little while longer.
[break][break]
"ye, maybe next time we can test yer and my limits."
[break][break]
the shoulder roll turns into him cracking his neck. it's automatic, coming naturally with thoughts of violence.
[break][break]
"what's with yer whistlin' shit?"
[break][break]

primeape roars against the increases burning sensation from the HEX, feeling flesh and fur singe and bubble. the smell of cooked flesh burns his nostrils. the CONFUSE RAY mattered little to him — he'd had enough. rushing the ghost-type, he began to assault it in anyway he could in an OUTRAGE.

[break][break]

giona ferrara

[attr="class","credit"]milky

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planetofthevapes

catello casimiro

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twenty-four

june 20th

Mauville City

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POSTED ON Jul 17, 2021 15:36:46 GMT

King's eyes narrowed. The battle seemed to slow down from its hectic midpoint. Had he pushed his Primeape too hard? Nonetheless, Giona smirked and saw fit to make small-talk.

"Right. And I can’t wait for the chance to take our battle seriously either. Ideally it’d be without a crowd, but not too far from a town."

Lampent was struck, and clattered to the ground with a sickening metal on stone scraping sound. Outrage took its toll right away. If either of them could see the concept of Hit Points, Lampent would be in red right now. Alarm going off that makes you mute your ds. The works.

"I’ll let you in on it. May as well. I’ve been whistling so nobody can hear me say the words and counter it on the fly. The guy who taught Liam tutored me in this, but I had it down on a 101 level."

Giona whistled a series of slowly ascending notes. Lampent responded by using Hex. A move that by itself wouldn't do much, but to the burning and bubbling Primeape, it’d sear and sizzle if it struck. It’d leave diamonds like something laying on the grate of a grill.

"After this, I wouldn’t mind teaching you about this. My god, you’d be terrifying!."

KING WAYLAND

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snubis

Wayland

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POSTED ON Jul 19, 2021 6:59:50 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","king"]

HST...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
king considers the off, mulling it over with tongue tracing teeth.
[break][break]
"seems a bit complicated, ye?"
[break][break]
before him, another HEX sends the primeape into a surge of pain, but it's drowned out by the continous OUTRAGE of blows he sends at the ghost-type.
[break][break]
not exactly effective.
[break][break]
"ill consider yer offer. lets see if it works, first."
[break][break]

giona ferrara

[attr="class","credit"]milky

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planetofthevapes

catello casimiro

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twenty-four

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Mauville City

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POSTED ON Jul 19, 2021 7:28:14 GMT

King's eyes narrowed. The battle seemed to slow down from its hectic midpoint. Had he pushed his Primeape too hard? Nonetheless, Giona smirked and saw fit to make small-talk.

"Not really. If you have some kind of cat pokemon, you'd even be able to roll your tongue to make it move. Wouldn't even let 'em figure out the notes you're whistling."

Lampent was just barely clipped by the incoming attack. The whirling cartoon dust-cloud with fists sticking out. Primeape was always the kind of thing you could describe like this, but Outrage made it inevitable. Lampent went down. The two still had a crowd, who despite Giona's repeated disappointments seemed into how close it was. He raised a brow at King, drawing another capsule.

"Wouldn't take that long to teach it to a pokemon you've had for a while."

Giona nodded, thinking about, well... both of them, a year from now. Giona with the paperwork approved for his upcoming gym. Slowly reintegrating into public life. King being the cryptid he always was, but now impossible to be countered by the especially quick-witted. Nonetheless, he'd pushed this topic as hard as he could. It was time to move on.

"Are you up for round two, or do you have somewhere to be?"

KING WAYLAND

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snubis

Wayland

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Twenty-Eight

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POSTED ON Jul 19, 2021 7:56:34 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","king"]

HST...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
"not a fan of cat pokemon."
[break][break]
he preferred those that used their fists. somethin' about that was just more... satisfying. the idea brings a smug smile to his face.
[break][break]
the lampent goes down, surprisingly, and king recalls the primeape. he blinks, furrowing his brow.
[break][break]
"ye i can do one more. another shitter i need'a train."
[break][break]

another pokemon takes the field -- a breloom. king regards it with little interest, but turns his attention back onto the man he met in the mountains. should he... get a bit more serious, then?

[break][break]

giona ferrara

[attr="class","credit"]milky

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planetofthevapes

catello casimiro

he him

twenty-four

june 20th

Mauville City

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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON Jul 19, 2021 8:13:18 GMT

King's eyes narrowed. He even seemed to furrow his brow in thought. Was it something he said? Well... it could be the important things he wasn’t saying.

"I found this on a hike to Mount Pyre. It was getting a little too close to these tourists, and they were getting way too worked up about it."

A black and red ball clipped to his belt wiggled with anticipation. Giona obliged it, letting loose what appeared to be a hot air balloon. Drifloon was rumored to steal kids, and this even greater thing certainly had the size and strength to walk away with an adult.

"I guess I’ll go for it, then."

Giona whistled a slowly rising and falling tone, like a dubbed over sound effect of a howling wind in a cartoon. Drifblim responded by setting its sights on Breloom. It let loose an Ominous Wind. A blast of air that felt cold inside rather than cold on the outside of its body. If it struck, it’d be like a ghost walking through it.

"So. You strike me as the kind of person who gets along better with pokemon than people. Did you ever try to be a park ranger, when you were my age?"

KING WAYLAND

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snubis

Wayland

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Twenty-Eight

March Twenty-First

Vermillion City

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POSTED ON Jul 20, 2021 4:39:59 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","king"]

HST...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
"a ranger?"
[break][break]
he echoes the question, put-off by the abrupt nature of it. did he want to be a ranger? no, not really. he only joined the league because the other options were worse. but, alas, look how that turned out...
[break][break]
"can't say i did. not really my schtick, ye?"
[break][break]
the breloom takes the OMINOUS WIND, but retorts with a couple of SEED BOMBS launched from the bulbs on her tail.[break][break]

"but i get along with people jus' fine. what makes ye think i don't?"
[break][break]
a challenge, half-merited; his only wish is to hear the man's insight.

[break][break]

giona ferrara

[attr="class","credit"]milky

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planetofthevapes

catello casimiro

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twenty-four

june 20th

Mauville City

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POSTED ON Jul 20, 2021 21:33:56 GMT

Giona was in a similar boat, clinging to the league despite his reputation. Despite the potential trouble of them actually doing a background check as he submitted his forms.

"Oh, that's interesting. I suppose... in another life that could've been you."

A Seed Bomb rocked the side of Drifblim. It wasn't very effective, but it was clear that Breloom had potential from that attack.

"I would've just kept my job at the landscaping company, if they gave me enough hours."

Giona whistled a slowly rising and falling tone, like a dubbed over sound effect of a howling wind in a cartoon. Drifblim responded by setting its sights on Breloom. It fell through the ground in a grey hole opened by Phantom Force. Following a minute of building tension, it flew up from below, trying to slam into Breloom.

"Oh, no reason. I just thought based on seeing you alone in the hills that... you'd be suited to a job with a little less supervision."

KING WAYLAND

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Wayland

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POSTED ON Jul 21, 2021 4:49:09 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","king"]

HST...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
"landscapin', eh?"
[break][break]
from mowing lawns to torching cities. how quaint.
[break][break]
the PHANTOM FORCE of the balloon shaped pokemon catches the breloom off guard, slamming into her with the full force of its weight. she barely has enough time to COUNTER with a heavy tail swipe.
[break][break]
he chuckles at the mans comment though.
[break][break]
"ye'd be surprised just how little people want ta supervise me. turns out, i'm a bit difficult."

[break][break]

giona ferrara

[attr="class","credit"]milky

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planetofthevapes

catello casimiro

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twenty-four

june 20th

Mauville City

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POSTED ON Jul 21, 2021 5:13:11 GMT

Giona was in a similar boat. He'd gotten further than expected. Wasn't turned down immediately. Even had a string of emails between him and the Rustboro City Planning Commission. He'd have to respond soon.

"Yeah, landscaping. I worked on the bridge between Mauville and Slateport once. It was there that I found an Electrike. You saw it full-grown when we first met. It was getting in the way, and I caught it so nobody called the Rangers."

A Counter harmlessly pinged off of Drifblim. His eyes widened with anticipation as the tail sailed through the air. If it actually returned with more than the power it was struck with, it would've knocked out Drifblim for sure. It felt good to be on the other side of this kind of battle.

"...Feisty. I'm sure there's someone out there who'd like that."

Giona whistled a slowly rising and falling tone, like a dubbed over sound effect of a howling wind in a cartoon. Drifblim responded by setting its sights on Breloom. It whipped up a current. A wave of compressed air. It used Ominous Wind, a move that would've felt cold inside if Breloom was hit, as if a ghost walked through it.

"I'm something of a doormat. I've gotten along with... almost everyone who needed a plus one for an event, and picked me because their friends were busy."

KING WAYLAND