Second Strike [M]

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park

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Teddie

Michael Navidson

He/Him

October 13th

Slateport

Heterosexual

Elite 4.

Sheriff

5'10" / 177.8 cm height

In the warrior's code, there's no surrender. Though his body says stop, his spirit cries, "NEVER!"

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4,010 posts

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Navy

Second Strike [M]

POSTED ON Jul 11, 2023 6:08:39 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","arties"]

“Look, man.” Navy says as the battle rages on both fronts. Junior’s pushing the edge of his stamina. Toxtricity is finding chinks in the armor, wearing him down. He’s slowing down. It’s past his bedtime, and it’s showing. He’s only pushing himself this hard for Navy’s sake.[break][break]
“Honest truth is, I just like to fight. Always have, always will. Let’s be real with each other, Rocket vs. League’s just an excuse. I like working with my Pokemon. I like pushing them to the edge. They like it, too, or they wouldn’t be here.” Roland, normally a stoic thing who shows no emotion, nods at that statement. He twirls his two blades. Whether he is the Gallade that died under Dewford in fact as well as spirit or not, he carries on that coda: fight. Fight until you are spent. Fight after you are spent.[break][break]
Defeat is preferable to surrender. A conclusion is better than cliffhanger. He grips his blade in both hands under a blistering sun. They’re in for the final clash. Amidst sand, sun, and surging electricity, it’s time to bring this to something approaching a climax. His eyes are focused, heart calm. Mind as clear as moonlight reflected on a pond.[break][break]
He dashes across the grass, wind whistling along his blade. Junior slams his tail to cause an earthquake as he slumps. It’s one last act of defiance, an encore worthy of his species. Whatever conclusion this battle will have, he will see it through.[break][break]
“Come on, Roland. Just a little farther!” The robot dashes in a breakneck criss-cross pattern, like a lightning bolt dashing across the green. Raising his blade high, he reaches a paradox of an age that never was and delivers unto him a psycho cut born of innate psychic energy, heightened to absurd strength by his pulsating engine.[break][break]
Navy looks like a heroin addict getting his fix. He wants to win, but he doesn’t care if he loses. All he knows is that the show’s damn good, and he’s got a ringside seat. The dirty needle’s in his arm and he wants to see how the cards fall as the last of the proverbial horse races into his veins.

[break][break]

+ Shred

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Junior

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

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Raptor

GOD

He/Him

December 25th

Spikemunth

Northeast

Monster

Rocket Beast

TRUE LOVE IS POSSIBLE ONLY IN THE NEXT WORLD -- FOR NEW PEOPLE

IT IS TOO LATE FOR US. WREAK HAVOC ON THE MIDDLE CLASS.

6'4" height

I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.

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932 posts

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Shred

Second Strike [M]

POSTED ON Jul 15, 2023 12:26:13 GMT

The fight is quickly reaching its end. You were expecting that. Your battling style has always been to go half as long and twice as bright, and it's been no different here. Tyranitar is on its last legs, but Toxtricity isn't exactly looking good, either. Meanwhile, Slither Wing and Iron Valiant seem to be fairing better, but you can tell that fight won't be lasting much longer.

You can tell. The gigantic insect is locked in. From the bristling of its fur to the slight shivering of its wings, you know. He's locked in to the highest gear. This speeding car is heading straight towards that brick wall, and whether it smashes through or slams to a halt, it doesn't much care. It's riding high off a primordial kind of adrenaline. This next hunt will be the last, because it's not going to let up and break it. Come what may, it'll fight until the end, be it joyous or bitter. And, really, who are you to deny him that?

So, the dinosaur charges forther, and for the last time, Slither Wing and Iron Valiant clash.

Two paradoxes of vastly different eras. One, a beast of the past. The spitting image of Volcarona, one fuelled by sheer, overwhelming physical might. A monster so fierce, so dominant, that it could only be described as an apex predator. The other, a machine of the future. The echo of Gallade, a knight not armoured in steel, but made of it. A warrior that was unstoppable, driven by a code incomprehensible to the modern era, ever onward to its goal.

Claws meet blades as Close Combat meets a Psycho Cut. It's a blur of violence, so fast the naked eye can barely track it, and obscured further by the sand, the static, and the heat. It almost feels like you're watching shadows playing on a wall, rather than an actual fight between actual creatures. Yet despite your perceptions, the fight is very much real...

...And of the two silhouettes, it is the knight that lands the critical blow first, leaving the shade of the monster to crumple and collapse, defeated, slain, and conquered by his opponent.

Paradox Pokemon Study, Slither Wing, Note #3 - Despite everything, he's not invincible.

But of course, the battle isn't over yet. No, that might've been the insect's final confrontation, but there's still one challenge left to overcome before the Iron Valiant claims its victory.

BANG! After a hard-fought battle, Tyranitar hits the ground, and the endless stream of sand finally comes to a halt. Standing over him is Toxtricity, battered and worn by vicious combat and extreme exertion, but nevertheless the winner of his particular one versus one. He must've learned well from his last loss, though as he pants and gasps for air, it's clear his wasn't quite a decisive victory. Perhaps another day, he might've been the one laying unconscious on the battlefield? Not that it matters. Hypotheticals are all well and good, but Toxtricity won this time, and this time is what counts right now.

Kept upright by the crackle of lightning that has filled the arena, Toxtricity turns wary eyes towards Iron Valiant, and raises a claw that's still dripping with venom. Seems like he's got one good attack left in the tank, one last move before he's done.

And that's fine with you, because one move is all you're gonna need.

"So, Navidson, ready to put it all on the line?"

Navy

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played by

Teddie

Michael Navidson

He/Him

October 13th

Slateport

Heterosexual

Elite 4.

Sheriff

5'10" / 177.8 cm height

In the warrior's code, there's no surrender. Though his body says stop, his spirit cries, "NEVER!"

awards

4,010 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @teddie

Navy

Second Strike [M]

POSTED ON Aug 2, 2023 9:47:37 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","arties"]

“You’re fuckin’-a right I am.” Roland looks back to Navy. This machine has never made a sound, not since the day they found one another in the interdream mist. Pixel eyes search for something in its trainers face. Whatever it finds, it turns back to the Toxtricity. His left shoulder sparks, and not from his electric field.[break][break]
Over the humdrum his opponent has put up, Navy hears sirens. It won’t be long now and the party will be over. Lucky for him, he knows this city and its little nooks like the back of his hand. They’ll be out of here in no time. The cops won’t know what was going on, they’ll just dismiss the macabre decorations as vandals and move on.[break][break]
Maybe that’s all they are at the end of the day: vandals. Ne’er do wells chasing glory in an arena. Hell no. They’re warriors. There’s a spark in the older man’s eyes. He knows the glory of the pitch, the highs and lows of defeat. It’s a grievous insult to call man with that spark a vandal. He’s at least a hellion.[break][break]
“One final strike, like in the old samurai flicks from Johto. I like the sound of that. ‘Course…you’d better follow me when the show’s over. I don’t want you arrested. Payment is not shanking me in the back while we run.” He thinks it’s a fair deal. It’s not relevant right now.[break][break]
Roland steps forward. He holds his blade in a proper battle stance. Within his headpiece, an advanced computer more or less indistinguishable from a brain runs calculations. Predictions, attack vectors, avenues of approach, it calculates everything. The lizard he’s fighting only grows stronger with the electric field that boosts his quark drive.[break][break]
Swaying his blade, Roland closes his eyes. He clears his heart. He moves forward. Fae light streaks across his blade. Jumping side to side, he approaches the Toxtricity in a lightning bolt pattern, blade raised, ready to strike. This will be his last, either way. Come what may, he slashes his blade and waits to see what happens next.

[break][break]

+ Shred

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Junior

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

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played by

Raptor

GOD

He/Him

December 25th

Spikemunth

Northeast

Monster

Rocket Beast

TRUE LOVE IS POSSIBLE ONLY IN THE NEXT WORLD -- FOR NEW PEOPLE

IT IS TOO LATE FOR US. WREAK HAVOC ON THE MIDDLE CLASS.

6'4" height

I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.

awards

932 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @shredzeppelin

Shred

Second Strike [M]

POSTED ON Aug 7, 2023 23:35:06 GMT

Here it goes. All or nothing. One last exchange, one last clash, one last shot to decide it all. It’s just like a Paldean standoff of the old west, two gunslingers staring each other down, waiting to see who moves first. Nothing to gain and everything to lose. Or, is it the other way around? Hard to say. You’re not even sure you care either way.

Toxtricity stares at the machine in front of him with unearned confidence, but you can’t rightly call it arrogance. His body is relaxed, not a single muscle in his body tense. At a glance, you might say he wasn’t even taking this seriously, but looks can be deceiving. He’s a loaded revolver, an armed bomb, a primal force of nature with a talon on the trigger, and ready to let loose a roar of thunder. There are billions of Pokemon in the world, an uncountable number of uncountable species, but at this moment, wreathed in electricity and riding high off the thrill of battle, he might as well be the king of them all.

Just two combatants, staring each other down. That’s all that matters in this world. Nothing else could ever come close.

The moment feels like it could last forever, but nothing good ever does. So, better to relish it, both as it comes and as it goes. High noon is here. The bell tower is ringing, and the sirens are screaming in the distance. It’s time to draw.

Toxtricity lunges forward, a wild beast let off its leash. Venom and lightning pour forth from his claws in equal measure, overflowing with lethality. His is not a path charted by ironclad strategy or cold hard logic, but pure instinct. The pounding of his heart, the chill running up his spine, the twinge at the back of his skull. Those are what drive him. Those are what define him. Those are what he is banking on to bring him to victory.

With one last howl, a shout of glee and glory, he braves the blades of the Iron Valiant and thrusts his arm forward.

Navy

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played by

Teddie

Michael Navidson

He/Him

October 13th

Slateport

Heterosexual

Elite 4.

Sheriff

5'10" / 177.8 cm height

In the warrior's code, there's no surrender. Though his body says stop, his spirit cries, "NEVER!"

awards

4,010 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @teddie

Navy

Second Strike [M]

POSTED ON Aug 13, 2023 11:53:02 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","arties"]

They stand there in silence. Nothing save the sound of distant sirens and footsteps fast approaching breaks that silence. Both Pokemon are stock still after their blows have been struck. Navy feels like he’s called a coin toss and he’s waiting to see which way the coin could land. To call the outcome random is to sell them both short. They gave their all. It’s their decisions that led them to this conclusion, not dumb luck.[break][break]
He doesn’t know if that makes him feel better or worse when Roland is the one to spurt blood. Is it blood? The fluid is thick, viscous, yellow. More of the oil that has been spilled before. This time, there’s a great big spray of the stuff. Enough to fool Navy into thinking the Iron Valiant was valiant right up until his last moment. It kills the moment, but he pulls Roland back into a pokeball.[break][break]
Better to ruin the moment than risk the loss of his friend’s life. Roland’s already died once. Looking across the field at the man, for whom he has no name, real or fake, Navy nods. That’s that. The battle’s been fought. He supposes he’s defenseless. Hattori, Shuwen, and Vortigern are all elsewhere. His greatest team is powerless to save him.[break][break]
He doesn’t think he’s in any danger. The lights are out. The party’s over. It’s time to hit the road or both of their freedoms are jeopardized. Like two kids who decided to have a scrap behind the back of the teachers, Navy tries to band together with blondie.[break][break]
The tunnels are there, just like Navy promised. They lead to streetlights, freedom, and a million more bad decisions. Maybe they’ve both learned something from this. Maybe they’ve learned nothing at all.[break][break]
All Navy can say in the final analysis is that he didn’t regret going through with the fight, or not turning the guy in.

[break][break]

+ Shred

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Junior

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

close tab

played by

Raptor

GOD

He/Him

December 25th

Spikemunth

Northeast

Monster

Rocket Beast

TRUE LOVE IS POSSIBLE ONLY IN THE NEXT WORLD -- FOR NEW PEOPLE

IT IS TOO LATE FOR US. WREAK HAVOC ON THE MIDDLE CLASS.

6'4" height

I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.

awards

932 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @shredzeppelin

Shred

Second Strike [M]

POSTED ON Aug 13, 2023 18:59:32 GMT

Toxtricity was victorious. Shred Zeppelin is the winner.

But the elation of a battle hard won doesn't last more than a second. The moment its killed, but its not because the detective called back his Iron Valiant. No, it's the second after, where the crackle of electricity in the air fades, and the lizard immediately collapses backwards, spirals in his eyes and a gaping wound across his chest. It's a reminder that no matter how far you've come, you're still so far from where you want to be. If Navidson had been more ruthless with his knight, would you have even won? Or would it just be another notch in the long, long list of losses you've had in your battling career.

Oh well. No point being a sore winner, is there? Besides, you got the adrenaline rush you wanted, and you got your win back. Stifling the urge to complain, you return Toxtricity to his Pokeball. He fought hard and fought well. You'll have to celebrate his accomplishment later, but for now...

"Well, that's that, isn't it?"

Walking away from your spot on the pitch, you head over to the camera, and quickly retrieve your "research footage". Frankly, given all the sandstorms and electricity, you're not even sure it'll be remotely helpful, but hey, it's good to have, isn't it? Maybe some Rocket Scientist will cream their pants and pay out the mouth for it. More likely than that, they'll yell at you for providing such terrible material and you'll end up back on the racketeering circuit for the next few weeks. Either way, you'll find some use for it.

Hardly the time to be thinking about that, though. Not when the sirens are sounding in the distance. It's time to slip away and vanish into the night, before you end up sleeping in handcuffs.

"Time to blow this joint, yeah? See you around, bud."

Navy