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[attr="class","bisc"]Whatever magic allowed him to be competent in old Galar had vanished. The morning had resulted in one embarrassment after the other. He used the wrong name for Pokemon. He kept forgetting that ghosts were immune to Jangle’s fighting moves. Fortunately, his partner ignored the stupid stuff he said. Which was pretty much everything. “Do you want to—”

A voice called out to him. The Incineroar elbowed him to draw her favorite space cadet’s attention. “Huh?” Chocolate eyebrows jerked upward as he turned to face Cian. “Uh, hi!” There was an awkward pause. “And, um, thanks? I guess?” That last part sounded kind of ominous though. But, so far, nobody had actually hurt him. Anything but his pride, anyway.

There was an awkward pause as he tried to figure out what to say next. Jangle growled as she stared down her opponent. “Let’s go!” Another few losses wouldn’t kill him. People needed door mats!

CIAN MAHER

☉

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[attr="class","bisc"]Biscotti’s Pokemon didn’t have much in the way of setup. When he was little, he didn’t see the point. It was way cooler to just punch stuff and set things on fire! While the Froakie multiplied, the Incineroar began to build heat in her core. “Incin.” She knew a water attack was coming, but she didn’t have any spread moves to counter it.

As the frog prepared, the cat allowed the temperature in her body to skyrocket. Her whiskers became almost incandescent as her belt began to boil at its center. “Jangle! Just get out of the—” Biscotti’s order died as the cat lashed her tail. The irritation meter was at a dangerous point. As the water attacks neared, the Incineroar unleashed a Flare Blitz. An attack hot enough to turn water into reinvigorating steam. She paired this with a jump, aiming to push the heat down and out.

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CIAN MAHER

☉

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[attr="class","bisc"]The cat is a dripping mess by the time the onslaught ends. Her thick, dark fur hands from her frame like Spanish Moss off of an old tree. Though the Flare Blitz helped take her from sodden to damp, the steam only made her fluffy. If looks could kill, the frog would be in a biology class. “At least you don’t need a shower for a while, right?” Biscotti tries to break the tension with a joke. The look Jangle throws him is even worse.

But the feline has no time to dwell on his bad timing. The hopping menace isn’t down for long. As its Smack Down comes in, the cat rushes forward to meet it with a powerful Hammer Arm. In doing so, she hopes to dodge the move entirely. As she swings, the cat launches an auxiliary attack—a Lick aimed to take some of the pep out of the amphibian’s steps.

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HP: 2/3

CIAN MAHER

☉

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[attr="class","bisc"]The cat recoils as she feels the frog’s tongue on her. For a moment, it looked like she’d been stricken by paralysis. But that was proven untrue as Jangle jumped away from the smokescreen. It touched me! Ew! Ew! Frog spit! That was what the cat’s mind looked like as she tried to peer her way through that hazy screen. She took a moment to shake her claws out.

Biscotti wondered if he should also say he was a big fan. Which, he totally was. But it’d probably sound like a load of ass-kissing if he did it in front of JJ. In the end, he settled for smiling awkwardly. “Uh, thanks!” A fond look slid to his Incineroar. She was now a dripping, disgusted mess. “But I had nothing to do with it! That’s all Jangle!” The Incineroar had spent her whole life protecting him from stuff. Mostly hot pans but real bullies too.

When had she gotten so tough? It felt like yesterday they’d just been stupid kids. Since then, they’d ruled a whole kingdom together. And, well, the fire-type had kept all that. He just went back to being a dork. It kind of sucked.

Deciding she was done playing hide-and-seek, the fire-type rushed into the screen of smoke. It could hide her dark fur just as well as the frog. When she thought she’d found him, she unleashed a powerful, ranged Cross Chop.

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HP: 2/3

CIAN MAHER

☉

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[attr="class","bisc"]Even in that foggy world, Jangle hears that praise. Her face splits into a surprisingly shy smile. For an instant, all that irritation vanishes. It was nice to have someone believe in her. But this small sense of satisfaction is short-lived.

Biscotti can’t really make out what comes next. All he sees is the last heart blinking as it vanishes from view. Her Cross Chop nicks the little amphibian’s shoulder. The lack of pressure causes the cat to overreach. There’s a stumble as she tries to pivot toward the movement. “!?” Before she can get her arms up, a webbed foot smacks into her job. “Grr.”

The dark-type stumbles back as her heads-up display flickers off. A single word ‘LOSS’ tells her the match is done. With the wind knocked out of her, Jangle takes a moment to chill. A claw raises a thumbs as she bids Kermit a fond farewell. “Thanks for the match, bud!” Biscotti grins as he offers up a wave with one scarred hand. The other is offered to his cat as the Smokescreen fades. “Come on, J. Let’s get you checked out.”

Hopefully, all that was hurt was her pride.

HP: 0/3

CIAN MAHER

☉