[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[attr="class","bisc"]The brunette clings to his awkward grin like Leonardo Decaprio to a floating door. “Uh, yeah. Cute.” He takes a deep breath.

Inside, he curses himself six ways to Sunday. “That’s what I said.” And, well, it wasn’t like he could take it back. That’d be implying that they weren’t cute. Which, for most people, was a way worse insult. Another awkward chuckle follows. “Interesting?” His labrador eyes browse the area around him, looking for someone cool. “Me?” Nobody had ever called him that before. Not without him mutilating himself for their entertainment.

Though he isn’t sure he likes the nickname—since it reminds him of a strip joint back home—he doesn’t protest. It isn’t like he can. It was his big mouth that started this whole mess. Distracted by his own awkwardness, Biscotti’s attention isn’t fully focused on the battle in front of him. The next thing he knows, the painting dog is laughing at Jangle. Which wasn’t a good idea.

The giggles just rub salt in the cat’s wounds. Two-toned eyes narrow as the feline’s mouth parts in an irritable hiss. Keep me down? Fat chance, Pablo Picasso! The cat rushes forward in an attempt to outspeed the ghost-type attack. Even if she fails, her indignation will let her shrug the pain off. At least long enough to close the distance between them.

As she nears the Smeargle, she lashes out with a Cross Chop.

fMLHciDI

SIO SOTÍ

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[attr="class","bisc"]The question draws an awkward grin. “You might as well ask me my favorite kid!” But he does know one thing: he hates jam and custard in his pastries. He wanted sweet not a surprise. Then, of course, there was the fact that Neopolitan convinced him strawberry jam was Pokemon offal. And, no matter how much time passed, that idea wouldn’t leave. Which meant he was kind of a basic bitch. “But I have to go with Tiger Tails!” It was one of the classics but way longer.

But, uh, now he wasn’t sure if glaze counted as a flavor. Too occupied by that, Biscotti didn't notice as Jangle's tail shrunk from him.

After getting trounced by a pint-sized Pokemon earlier, the Incineroar is glad to see the attack hit. Her whiskers raise in smug satisfaction as Tofu flips through the air. Jangle claps her paws to her ears as the high-pitched squeal intensifies. “Shake it off!” Biscotti is more confident than earlier. His shy cheerleading is now audible. “Get in range!”

No shit, Sherlock. The cat thinks as smoke pours from her nostrils. Her belt explodes with light as she rushes toward Tofu with a powerful Flare Blitz.

m53zrS8V

ollie morales

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[attr="class","bisc"]The brunette sighed in relief as the crystal crown appeared. He totally forgot about that orb thing. It’d have come in handy when he was fighting that Hydro Pump happy Froakie. Still, better late than never. Hearing the young woman’s annoyance, Biscotti offers up an apologetic grin. He even goes so far as to murmur, “Uh, heh. Sorry.” This last bit earns an eye-roll from his feline pal. It was hard living with a literal doormat.

The Incineroar’s lean muscles power up each of those successful hits. She watches with barely disguised glee as her opponent’s hearts drop from three to two. As the last kick sends the Swampert back, the cat takes a minute to catch her breath. The feathery texture of her fur fades. Just as she begins to prowl, Bruno responds with his Mud Shot.

The dirt hits the Incineroar in the side of the face. A yellow-blue eye vanishes beneath a sea of wet, dark mud. The red of her fur becomes stained and dirty. With a deep growl, the fighting type flicks a clump of dirt away. Before it even hits the ground, Jangle’s dashing forward again. This time, she unleashes a Cross Chop.

|Ul6ptwE

nabi park

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[attr="class","bisc"]Jangle’s face is equal parts embarrassed and frustrated. There are hints of tears in the Incineroar’s eyes. From her knees, the fire-type collapses back into a clumsy sit.

The numb arm is cradled against her chest as she glares sulkily at her trainer. It wasn’t like JJ cared that she lost. It just sucked that it’d been to a bug, one she’d been so close to beating. Then, there was the matter of what this girl had done.

A scarred hand landed gently on the cat’s shoulder. Biscotti squeezed Jangle as he turned to Shalin. “Uh, thanks.” The young man murmured. “You too.” He gestured across a nearby square to where the vendor booths sit. Though not visible from here, there’s a cute one with “If you get peckish, we’ve got a stand over there.”

They could use the extra cash. “Me and Jangle are going to take a break for a little bit.” Hopefully, the line at the clinic wasn’t too long. With a grunt, he tried his best to haul his cat to her feet. Sagging under her weight, the brunette made his way to the nearest doctor. He doubted this stuff was too dangerous, but he wouldn’t know. Pain wasn’t something he got.

Shalin Nariya

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[attr="class","bisc"]The sight of his opponent’s last heart flickering drew out a shocked gasp. “!?” A noise of celebration threatened as Biscotti turned to his cat. “You did it, Jangle!” He rushed forward to crush the kitty in a hug. Even if the static stood his hair on end, the embrace was worth it. Judging by her face, the cat was surprised too.

With a step backward, she offered a hand to the Zeroara. Her trainer, meanwhile, turned to Josh. “I had nothing to do with that.” If he’d been standing there, he’d look like a Tesla coil. Probably be dead too. At the question, Biscotti turned to his best friend. His lips perked up. Sure, he might not have done anything but cheer, but maybe that’s all some people needed. Somebody to help them up when they fell down. "But she deserves it."

Not everyone needed to be Batman. Alfred was just as cool.

Josh Devlin

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[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

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[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.

s7MKd8Dz
HP: 2/3

CIAN MAHER

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[attr="class","bisc"]The cat jerked back with a hiss as something like a hot needle skated into one of her knuckles. Immediately, that hand lit up like hellfire. It felt like a dozen fire ants gnawing at her bones.

For a moment, she clutched her hand to her chest. The heat within in somehow soothed the sensation spreading up her arm. Just a bit more. With a winded huff, the cat forced itself straight. “Come on, Jangle!” This whole thing started because he wanted to show Shalin that you didn’t have to resort to underhanded stuff to be strong.

What did it mean if he lost here? Sure, it hadn’t been that long, but he hoped he’d gotten tougher than that. A deep breath steadied him as he prepared to lose. To give her a cheer and shake her hand.

Seeing her opponent fleeing, the Incineroar’s will pushed it into a frontward charge. Her fur changed texture as what looked like wings burst from her ankles. With her waning strength, Jangle lunged at the Beedrrill with Acrobatics. Behind his back, Biscotti crossed his fingers. Any bit of help in the storm.

But that move failed. Spectacularly.

mcy8GWSI

Notes
0/3

Shalin Nariya

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[attr="class","bisc"]What the heck is it doing? Biscotti hadn’t seen a Z-Move up close. Sure, they’d gone to Alola once, but they hadn’t left the resort. And his mom and dad weren’t exactly battling fans. So, they’d spent most of their time chilling at the beach. Then, of course, they’d been drug to every bakery on the islands. But it didn’t take long for the trainer to realize this attack was dangerous. The static—even at this distance—made the hair stand up.

“Jangle! Get out of the way!” Biscotti cries out in a panic. But, again, she moved faster than him. As the cat rocketed forward, the Incineroar leaped with the help of Acrobatics. Then, hoping the distance might get her some protection, she tried to come crashing down on top of it with a Cross Chop. The chances of it working were slim, but it was better than fumbling like an idiot on the ground.

ep60SBq0
Terra: +15 even rolls

Josh Devlin

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[attr="class","bisc"]The brunette flushed. “I’m glad someone thinks so!” The cat—judging by her face—disagreed. Nobody had ever said his name was cool before. They just called him Biscuit Head and Pastry Boy. Jangle’s name, meanwhile, was just a stupid joke. He’d been obsessed with comic books as a kid. And, that meant he enjoyed onomatopoeia. So, when he got a kitty with a bell with Christmas, Jingle-Jangle stuck.”Yours too.”

With a deep breath, Biscotti straightened up. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass himself in front of the Head Ranger. So, all he had to do was not give stupid orders, stammer, or fall over. “We definitely can, uh, pal! Win or lose, you get a doughnut!” He chuckled awkwardly. l I’m doomed. The Incineroar, however, seemed more confident. She raced toward the charging Pikachu.

As she drew near—static lifted her fur into a mess. It rippled across her muscles. Fangs gritted as her nerves started to feel the burn. When she got as close as she could bear, Jangle unleashed a Cross Chop.

g|kV7NNt

ollie morales

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[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.

naUghYUy
HP: 2/3

CIAN MAHER

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[attr="class","bisc"]Red trainers shuffle awkwardly at the asphalt. Labrador eyes drop worriedly to the cobblestones at his feet. The earlier pink tinge spreads like tulips across a Nordic plain. Do I just say I mixed my words up? Just go with it? Is it too early to apologize? Though his immediate impulse is to beg for forgiveness, it feels out of place here. Especially with Cannolli watching. One word of regret from him and the whole family would know by the time this battle was over. If he just played it cool, she might not even notice. She’d be too busy being pissy at him.

Biscotti’s words are a pained whisper. “Yeah, it uh—I thought it was, you know, cute.” Gods, that sounded worse. “I’ve gotten bored of the yanno, versus stuff?” He doesn’t need to turn to know his Incineroar’s face has vanished beneath a striped palm. Luckily, he’s saved from this awkwardness by some good old-fashioned violence.

The Incineroar didn’t expect the little dog thing to spring at her like that. Thick arms throw themselves upward as the Smeargle attacks. “JJ!” Biscotti manages to get the Tera Orb open on the first try this time. The dark type is washed away in a sea of maroon crystals. The super-effective move is downgraded to a pretty good wallop. “Hit back!“ He quickly scrambles through the moves his friend knows. “Drain Punch!”

Aiming to regain some of that lost HP—and her dignity—the cat throws a glowing paw at the Smeargle’s face.

KfhSI3r0

SIO SOTÍ

☉

[attr="class","blbqimg"]

[attr="class","bisc"]“I’m—!” He tried to wheeze as she approached him. He tried to wave her off with a scaled hand, but that gesture only ended in more coughing. Is she going to save me? The brunette turned bright red as he felt her arms around his chest. Again!?! I’d rather die. But he didn’t push Elise away—the thought of hurting her was way worse than his mortification. After just one squeeze, a sodden piece of Kalosian bread rocketed out of his throat. A great gulp followed as he rejoiced in the feeling of fresh air. Tears ran down his face as he clambered back to normalcy.

When he finally spoke, Biscotti’s tone teetered between sheepish and embarrassed. “Thanks.” He manages after a few false starts. “I got a little too excited, I think.” That or his screwed-up brain decided to forget how to breathe. “It’s always good—great to see you.” Not all the redness in his cheeks was from a lack of oxygen. With another shake of her head, the Incineroar grabbed the goggles around her trainer’s neck. With a snap, she maneuvered them into place.

“I, uh, I think Jangle wants to battle?” The brunette murmured, his voice still a wheeze. A hint of reluctance was audible. The cat nodded, its mouth lifting to reveal a surefire grin. Maybe he’d stop being a moron with this girl if he knew she wasn’t perfect.

If the royal agreed, the cat would rocket toward the Mismagius with an Acrobatics.

x|LYKhLM

(Terastilazation)

Elise Calcifet

☉