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More from GammaEradon
Rene watches as the Crossroaders get together to practice, only things get a little messy.
Category Story / Pokemon
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 55 kB
Last of the Crossroaders: René Meets Charla
&&&
“No problem!” René nodded at Meghan’s query.
“Nigel hasn't shown up yet, has he?” Charla asked.
“Actually he was at the arena before I even had the chance to call him up for a reminder! ...And more the reason we should get going, I don't want them left alone for too long...” Meghan sighed.
“Dare I ask which ‘them?’” René asked. As they reached the training arena, the "them" in question soon became clear.
“Can I wear it?” Maggie asked.
“No.” Nigel answered flatly, clearly not for the first time.
“Can I wear it?” Maggie repeated.
“No.”
“Can I wear it?”
“No.”
“Can I wear it?”
“For da bloody last time, no! Ye can't wear my ‘skirt!’” Nigel snapped.
“Awww...heeeey, they're back! And,” She gasped. “RENÉEEE!” Maggie squealed as she spotted the vulpix and started running towards him, ending with a tackle hug. René stumbled back a bit, but then swung Maggie off her feet and hugged her right back.
“Maggie! How areya kiddo?” He asked.
“Goood!” Maggie chirped. “And you're doin' good too, riiiiight?” She gave René a hard stare with a puckered beak.
“I've been good.” René promised as he tweeked her beak.
“Heehee, you better!” She squeaked as she grabbed René's nose.
René smiled then turned to Nigel. “Hey Nigel. How're you?”
“Hey, René.” Nigel looked to the others in relief. “Finally! What took you all so long?”
“Hugging.” Meghan said dryly. Floritt nodded.
“We aaaaaall hugged, even Charla!” Charla didn’t say a word. Nigel just looked at her.
“...for real?” He asked incredulously.
“Yeah.” Charla sighed.
Nigel looked to René in surprise, then to Charla. “Well.” He said finally. “That's nice to hear. So Meghan, are we ready to go yet?” She nodded.
“Will do. Which of you guys are going fir—” Meghan watched as Nigel wordlessly Teleported himself over to the red corner of the arena. “...first. Charla, you jumping in?”
“...I'll pass for now.” Charla answered, sitting besides René and Maggie.
Meghan raised a brow at that. “Well, if you're sure...Floritt, you want a go, then?”
“Sure! Wish me luck, René mon!” She jumped on over to the blue corner with Meghan standing close by to referee.
“Alright, let's start with the warm-ups as per the norm. Maggie, hon?”
“Yeah big sis?” Maggie asked as she sat besides René.
“It's warm-up time!” Meghan called.
“Yaay!” Maggie reached under the bleachers and twiddled about with something that went 'click' once she finished there. A quick, upbeat dance song started to cue up and increase in volume as she finished fiddling with the boombox Meg had settled there earlier. “There!” She bounced back to her seat, hugging the cute warm fox once more.
“Ready, you two?” Meghan checked with Nigel and Floritt. “Let's begin!”
“Right!” The two of them confirmed. Said ‘warm-up’ looked to consist of the two 'Morphs on the field doing quick show of power before actually fighting.
Nigel was, of course, quick to demonstrate how wide an area his various shields could cover - Reflect, Light Screen, Safeguard, Protect. The force-field formed a dome about him large enough to house an Onix, the etherial light shifting in color and form whenever he switched out between each of the shields. Meghan offered him an appreciative nod, though a resigned sigh also mades itself known, one saying “Yes, we know your shields are powerful - what else is new?” to whoever takes note of it.
Floritt, on the other hand, did what she does best in spades; without missing a beat, she went into an impressive capoeira-inspired dance routine that had her on handstand half the time. Her tail became almost a separate entity, a livid serpent streaking the air about it with luminous colors. The now-familiar icy blue whips up Icy Winds. Shining silver briefly brings to life an Iron Tail. Greens and pinks whip up the start of a Petal Dance.
On the warmup went until Meghan gave the whistle again, giving the two a break for now.
“Whoo!” Maggie went. René hugged her from bedhind as she sat on his lap, his head resting on hers
“WOW! These guys are really awesome, huh? Your big sis is the mon! You too for helping out Maggie.”
Maggie giggled. “'Course she is, she's my sister! René, are you like that with your team, too?”
“I wish...I'm not nearly as good a leader as Meg is. I guess she gets extra practice by taking care of you, huh sweetheart?” He asked the girl.
“Yeah. She likes bein' bossy alot at home, but sometimes I get to be bossy back! "Big sis, read me a story!" "Big sis, my macaroni's too cold!" "Big sis, can I get out of the lava bath?"” She giggled.
Meanwhile, Charla was over at the farther end of the bleachers watching the fight, her face practically blank. It was easy to tell which of the two fighters she was keeping her eye on mostly.
“Oooh, lava baths!” René exclaimed to Maggie. “You must be pretty tough to take the heat like that.”
“Du-uuuuh mom had us while inside a volcano, so we'd grow up to be really good with fire and stuff! Ain't you a Fire-type too?” Maggie asked.
René nodded. “I'm a fire-type, but sometimes fire in the wrong places can still be...annoying. Your sister once lit a fire underneath my butt...literally.”
“Meg told me 'bout the butt thing. She says it worried her 'cuz she read up once that Vulpixes have the ability to absorb fire and get stronger. But you know, I think that's silly. 'Cuz you're not supposed to suck up things with your *butt!*” Maggie told him.
René grimaced a little about the butt remark. “Too true Maggie.” He kissed the top of her head. “How'd you get to be so smart?”
“I read alot.” Maggie said proudly. “And Meg reads with me and stuff.”
“Cool. I read a lot too.” René added. “Truth be told I probably have less practice with battling than most students...I never really did any before I came to the PCA. I did a little bit with my mom before...she had an accident. And my dad thinks people who battle are dumb so I never really got to practice at gyms or stuff. That's why I sometimes have trouble absorbing heat and fire when it's a surprise.”
Maggie frowned. “...No offense but your dad sounds like the dumb one. My mommy was a battler, my sis is a battler and someday I'm gonna be one too!”
“My dad...says a lot of mean things.” René said dryly as he hugged Maggie. “I'm sure you're gonna be a great battler, just like your mom and sister. “What do you think of Meghan's teammates sweety?” He asked.
“They're okay. Flo's nice an' funny and she paints my face purple sometimes when I ask her to...Char-char's kinda scary...and Nigey won't let me wear his dress even tho' I ask nicely, plus sometimes when I touch him it's like there's a weird invisible thingy in the way.” Maggie answered.
“Flo does that to me too...though actually she painted the rear of my pants. I like her. Honey, Nigel's skirt-dress thing is actually part of his body. That's his SKIN. And the other thing is just this field he likes to put up to keep others away.”
“Ooooooh. Well why doesn't he just say so?” Maggie puffed up and crossed her ams, looking back to the match. “And I like it when he has his field like that, with the pretty colors.”
Aloud to herself Charla said, “Too slow, Nigel.”
The practice session has long since switched to actual combat, with Floritt going fast and furious with the melee attacks while Nigel stays on the defensive. Charla references to what just happened moments ago: Nigel switches to a Protect shield to give him near-invulnerability to Floritt's barrage of kicks, but she suddenly twists back on to her feet and switches to a Feint attack, allowing her to strike at him while overriding the Protect. This translates to him getting a surprise elbow jab that strikes him on the head and has him sliding right across the field!
Meghan blew on her whistle. “TIME! Nigel, you okay?”
“Grnn...I'll live, if that's what you mean.” He said as he stood up, gripping at the side of his head. “G--good show, Floritt.”
“Oh, ah, tanks? ...sorry mon, ya need ice fer dat?” She asked in concern.
“It's nothing. Let's resume.”
“You sure?” Meghan asked.
“Yes, I'm sure! Flo, you up for another go?” Nigel demanded.
“Yeh, mon.”
“Fine, but don't either of you push it. Last thing I need is you guys getting badly hurt before the exams.” Meghan said as she got her whistle. “Ready? GO!”
Maggie pursued her beak thought as Nigel and Floritt went back at it. “Yanno, maybe you need to take a lava bath too so you'll get stronger! It's how me and big sis did it!”
“Hmmm, maybe.” René agreed. “Where do you get lava baths around here?
“Well we have one at our place, we use it all the time, its fun an' squishy.” Maggie chirped.
“If it helps me grow stronger I'll give it a try.” René shrugged. “Do you think you'll get stronger if I...tickle you?” He grinned as he tickled her.
“Nooooo hahahahahaha! No ticklee!” Maggie squirmed as she tickled him right back.
“HEHEEEK! Hey, no fair fighting back!” René laughed.
Just then, another whistle from Meghan ended it. “Flo, Nige, take a break. Charla, let's go.”
“Fine, fine.” Charla got herself up and stretched, walking past the previous two fighters as they exited the arena, an extra long gaze aimed at the Gardevoir, who was still massaging his sore noggin. As she headed to her side of the field, Meghan tossed the whistle over to Floritt.
“You know the drill.” She told the smeargle.
“Yeh, mon, I kno'. You two ready?”
“Ready!”
“Ready, I guess.” Was Charla’s answer.
“'K, den.” Floritt said as she blew on the whistle.
TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTT!
Nigel, who had been foolishly sitting right besides Floritt as she whistled, grabbed his head in pain. “OW! Bloody 'ell, my ears! Because I CLEARLY didn't need them to get any more smashed up! Clearly!”
“Sorry! Sorry, mon!” Floritt hastily apologized.
Nigel massaged his head. “Right. Stop talking. Then I'll forgive you. Cripes.”
“Erk...” Floritt winced. Meanwhile, Charla and Meghan had started their fight.
“Look, Meg's up! They're really good!” René whistled.
“Yaaay, big sis!” Maggie cheered. “Yanno, I think this is the first time I see her fighting Cha-Cha. Flo, how come Big Sis's fighting Cha-Cha today?”
“Dunno, Maggie mon. Usually she gets paired up wit—”
“Girls, girls, a bit more QUIET, please? Gods...” Nigel pleaded as he doubled over in pain from the headache.
“Oh mon, did I hit ya dat hard?” Floritt asked in distress.
Nigel strained to talk. “Well I'm a bloody Psychic. Hitting me that hard on the head's just as bad as if you'd hit me under the skir—”
“Ey! Watchit, der are kids 'ere!” Floritt warned him.
“Yeah!” Maggie agreed as she turned to cover René's ears.
“Right. Sorry...ow...point is, it's a sensitive spot. Too many hits there and, well...” Nigel winced.
“I getcha, mon. Still, may want ta werk on findin' a way ta protect it bettah in case da otha team figgers out dat weakness of yours.”
“Which they will, of course...augh.” Nigel went back to doubling over in hopes the shift in position will somehow hive him some relief.
Meanwhile, the match went on without a hitch, the two girls a massive flurry of punches and kicks, fire and electricity. It was hard to say who had the upper hand, as while Charla was faster, Meghan was stronger, plus is quick to cough up a Smokescreen to make her a harder target to detect. Charla suddenly stopped in place and began to Charge herself up, electrical tendrils enveloping her whole body. Meghan remained in her black cloud of smoke. There was no telling who would make the next move...
René looked at them, clearly impressed. “Say Maggie, can you do anything like that? Know any moves?”
Maggie let go of René’s ears and slumped in her seat. “Me?” She giggled. “Maaaaaaybe! Betcha I can beatcha! Heehee!--oh, there goes Big Sis!”
Charla finally finished charging up, and took a risk by running headlong into the Smokescreen and striking at Meghan that way. To her surprise, though, she ended up running right through the cloud over to the other side -- and before she had the chance to turn around, she got a faceful of Fire Punch right in the kisser, knocking her out for the count!
TWEEEEEET! Floritt blew the whistle. “Charla is unable to battle! Meghan wins!”
“Blast it, Baez, not so LOUD! And besides, this is a practice fight, you don't have to be yelling that!” Nigel snapped.
Floritt poutsed. “Sowy, mon. Got carried away.” She started to prepare another hanky full of Icy Wind-produced frost as Charla came back with a bloodied and charred nose. “Yikes, you ok?”
Charla quickly grabbed the newly-made ice-bag and pressed it to her snout, wincing in pain.
Meghan rubbed her fist. “Take ten, guys. Afterwards we need to get back to training attackers against supporters. Which mean you I need you two,” She eyed Nigel and Charla. “To fight each other once you're ready. Think we can do that?”
“Yes yes. Blimey, Meghan, can't you quack a little lower for couple seconds, please?” Nigel practically begged.
Meghan crossed her arms. “Quit with the excuses already, Nige. I know you threw in a Wish for yourself during our matchup to recover energy and are just fine.”
Nigel groaned and sat up straight, massaging his head. “Look, just because I'm mostly healed doesn't mean I can't complain about the noise still!”
“You're incorrigible, Garkirl. Charla! think you'll be okay? I didn't burn you, I hope.” Meghan turned to her. Charla still held her head up and pinched her nose to slow the bleeding, but otherwise gave Meghan a dismissive wave to let her know she was be fine. “Alright, then you guys stay put, I'll be right back. Maggie, watch these guys for me, hon?”
“You got it, big sis!” Maggie said, saluting her older sister. In a childish voice, René whined.
“Why does Maggie get to be in charge? I wanna be in charge! I'm a team leader too! It's not fair!” He crossed his arms and pouted.
“'Cuz you're not in Crossroads, silly! You have your own team to lead an' stuff!” Maggie told him. Charla tried to say something -probably a retort to René's comment-but the busted nose didn’t let her.
“Ya SURE yer okay, Cha' mon?” Floritt checked.
In a nasal voice Charla replied, “Yeh, I'll beh fahne!”
“You're a worse liar than me, Charla. I'll talk to Meg to give you a break—” Nigel started.
“Like 'ell y' will!” Charla snapped, immediately regretting it. “Ow...”
“You have nothing to prove in trying to brave through this, just sit this out for a while longer—”
“I SED NO! She sed we ned prahtice an' we duh, 'specially you Nige!”
“I'll not fight you until you speak coherently again, at least.”
“Oh fer cryin'...!” Then René stepped in.
“Settle down you two before you upset someone…namely me.”
“Mebbe...one of us could try twisting 'er nose back inta place?” Floritt suggested. “I've fixed me bro's nose befo'.”
Nigel blinked at her incredulously. “Your brothers don't have SNOUTS, Floritt. Two of them barely have faces!”
“I dun keh. Du it, Flo. Ow.” Charla mewled.
“'k, brace yerself, Cha...” Floritt breathed in, then she pinched....and TWISTS!
Charla screeched. “LUXRAAAAAAAAAY!”
Maggie hugged René tightly and covered her face so as not to see the ugly spectacle.
“Sorry, sorry!” Floritt apologized.
“OW...GODS....” Charla said as she wiped on her nose with the icepack. “Ow...better.”
“That was reckless. That was reckless and stupid!” Nigel shouted.
René just stroked Maggie’s head and whispered softly. “Hey, its okay pumpkin it's all done. Cha-Cha's fine. See?”
Maggie nodded softly at René. “'k.”
“Good girl.” He hugged her.
“Ah...ah, yeah, I'm good.” Charla said, as she looked to Nigel. “This coherent enough for you?”
Nigel sighed. “Yes...” A strange silence filled the large room...'til Maggie blew up a tiny wisp of Ember from her bill and looked over to René.
“Hey you want me to ask Big Sis if you can fight with her? I betcha she can teach you to suck up fire that way!” She suggested. René looked nervous.
“Um... okay. Think she'll go easy on me?” He asked.
“Uh...sure! Right, guys?” Maggie looked to the others.
“Oh, suuuure, mon, especially fer you!” Floritt lied comfortingly. Charla and Nigel were far more realistic.
“When Grumpigs fly.” Charla snorted.
“Be thankful you can't get burned.” was Nigel’s comment. “Not that it'll help you much.”
Meghan soon came back, carrying a mini-cooler and a backpack. As she sat both down, their reason for being heavy was soon made clear: The cooler was filled with both ice and plenty of bottled and canned non-alcoholic drinks, while the backpack was full of snacks, mostly candy bars, sandwiches and other wrapped-up goodies. “Lunch break, guys! Help yourselves!”
“Yaaay, food!”
Maggie grabbed hold of a chocolate bar, offering one to René. Charla reached over for a sandwich and to switch her icepack with a chilled Shuca Berry juice can. Nigel, ever the hard-worker, wiggled his fingers as he used his telekinesis to transport a bottle of water and a bag of chips towards him. Finally, Meghan settled for a wrap and a can of coffee that she had in the bag rather than the cooler. She warmed the drink between her hands a bit before sipping it down.
As René munched on a chocalate bar he tentatively asked, “Say Meg? Um, would you want to go a round or two with me?”
Meghan did a spit-take that would’ve worked wonderfully in the movies, dousing Nigel. “You serious?!” She gaped.
“GAAAH, MEG!” Nigel winced as he quickly rummaged in the backpack for a napkin to wipe off the scalding hot droplets of coffee and Magmar drool off his head.
“--sorry!” Meghan cleared her throat. “That's great, René! Thought you'd never ask!” The other girls were, of course, are laughing at the little scene.
“Heh yeah...surprised me too.” René said lamely. “Shall we?”
“After I'm done eating, yes.”
“This ought to be interesting...” Charla mused.
&&&
&&&
“No problem!” René nodded at Meghan’s query.
“Nigel hasn't shown up yet, has he?” Charla asked.
“Actually he was at the arena before I even had the chance to call him up for a reminder! ...And more the reason we should get going, I don't want them left alone for too long...” Meghan sighed.
“Dare I ask which ‘them?’” René asked. As they reached the training arena, the "them" in question soon became clear.
“Can I wear it?” Maggie asked.
“No.” Nigel answered flatly, clearly not for the first time.
“Can I wear it?” Maggie repeated.
“No.”
“Can I wear it?”
“No.”
“Can I wear it?”
“For da bloody last time, no! Ye can't wear my ‘skirt!’” Nigel snapped.
“Awww...heeeey, they're back! And,” She gasped. “RENÉEEE!” Maggie squealed as she spotted the vulpix and started running towards him, ending with a tackle hug. René stumbled back a bit, but then swung Maggie off her feet and hugged her right back.
“Maggie! How areya kiddo?” He asked.
“Goood!” Maggie chirped. “And you're doin' good too, riiiiight?” She gave René a hard stare with a puckered beak.
“I've been good.” René promised as he tweeked her beak.
“Heehee, you better!” She squeaked as she grabbed René's nose.
René smiled then turned to Nigel. “Hey Nigel. How're you?”
“Hey, René.” Nigel looked to the others in relief. “Finally! What took you all so long?”
“Hugging.” Meghan said dryly. Floritt nodded.
“We aaaaaall hugged, even Charla!” Charla didn’t say a word. Nigel just looked at her.
“...for real?” He asked incredulously.
“Yeah.” Charla sighed.
Nigel looked to René in surprise, then to Charla. “Well.” He said finally. “That's nice to hear. So Meghan, are we ready to go yet?” She nodded.
“Will do. Which of you guys are going fir—” Meghan watched as Nigel wordlessly Teleported himself over to the red corner of the arena. “...first. Charla, you jumping in?”
“...I'll pass for now.” Charla answered, sitting besides René and Maggie.
Meghan raised a brow at that. “Well, if you're sure...Floritt, you want a go, then?”
“Sure! Wish me luck, René mon!” She jumped on over to the blue corner with Meghan standing close by to referee.
“Alright, let's start with the warm-ups as per the norm. Maggie, hon?”
“Yeah big sis?” Maggie asked as she sat besides René.
“It's warm-up time!” Meghan called.
“Yaay!” Maggie reached under the bleachers and twiddled about with something that went 'click' once she finished there. A quick, upbeat dance song started to cue up and increase in volume as she finished fiddling with the boombox Meg had settled there earlier. “There!” She bounced back to her seat, hugging the cute warm fox once more.
“Ready, you two?” Meghan checked with Nigel and Floritt. “Let's begin!”
“Right!” The two of them confirmed. Said ‘warm-up’ looked to consist of the two 'Morphs on the field doing quick show of power before actually fighting.
Nigel was, of course, quick to demonstrate how wide an area his various shields could cover - Reflect, Light Screen, Safeguard, Protect. The force-field formed a dome about him large enough to house an Onix, the etherial light shifting in color and form whenever he switched out between each of the shields. Meghan offered him an appreciative nod, though a resigned sigh also mades itself known, one saying “Yes, we know your shields are powerful - what else is new?” to whoever takes note of it.
Floritt, on the other hand, did what she does best in spades; without missing a beat, she went into an impressive capoeira-inspired dance routine that had her on handstand half the time. Her tail became almost a separate entity, a livid serpent streaking the air about it with luminous colors. The now-familiar icy blue whips up Icy Winds. Shining silver briefly brings to life an Iron Tail. Greens and pinks whip up the start of a Petal Dance.
On the warmup went until Meghan gave the whistle again, giving the two a break for now.
“Whoo!” Maggie went. René hugged her from bedhind as she sat on his lap, his head resting on hers
“WOW! These guys are really awesome, huh? Your big sis is the mon! You too for helping out Maggie.”
Maggie giggled. “'Course she is, she's my sister! René, are you like that with your team, too?”
“I wish...I'm not nearly as good a leader as Meg is. I guess she gets extra practice by taking care of you, huh sweetheart?” He asked the girl.
“Yeah. She likes bein' bossy alot at home, but sometimes I get to be bossy back! "Big sis, read me a story!" "Big sis, my macaroni's too cold!" "Big sis, can I get out of the lava bath?"” She giggled.
Meanwhile, Charla was over at the farther end of the bleachers watching the fight, her face practically blank. It was easy to tell which of the two fighters she was keeping her eye on mostly.
“Oooh, lava baths!” René exclaimed to Maggie. “You must be pretty tough to take the heat like that.”
“Du-uuuuh mom had us while inside a volcano, so we'd grow up to be really good with fire and stuff! Ain't you a Fire-type too?” Maggie asked.
René nodded. “I'm a fire-type, but sometimes fire in the wrong places can still be...annoying. Your sister once lit a fire underneath my butt...literally.”
“Meg told me 'bout the butt thing. She says it worried her 'cuz she read up once that Vulpixes have the ability to absorb fire and get stronger. But you know, I think that's silly. 'Cuz you're not supposed to suck up things with your *butt!*” Maggie told him.
René grimaced a little about the butt remark. “Too true Maggie.” He kissed the top of her head. “How'd you get to be so smart?”
“I read alot.” Maggie said proudly. “And Meg reads with me and stuff.”
“Cool. I read a lot too.” René added. “Truth be told I probably have less practice with battling than most students...I never really did any before I came to the PCA. I did a little bit with my mom before...she had an accident. And my dad thinks people who battle are dumb so I never really got to practice at gyms or stuff. That's why I sometimes have trouble absorbing heat and fire when it's a surprise.”
Maggie frowned. “...No offense but your dad sounds like the dumb one. My mommy was a battler, my sis is a battler and someday I'm gonna be one too!”
“My dad...says a lot of mean things.” René said dryly as he hugged Maggie. “I'm sure you're gonna be a great battler, just like your mom and sister. “What do you think of Meghan's teammates sweety?” He asked.
“They're okay. Flo's nice an' funny and she paints my face purple sometimes when I ask her to...Char-char's kinda scary...and Nigey won't let me wear his dress even tho' I ask nicely, plus sometimes when I touch him it's like there's a weird invisible thingy in the way.” Maggie answered.
“Flo does that to me too...though actually she painted the rear of my pants. I like her. Honey, Nigel's skirt-dress thing is actually part of his body. That's his SKIN. And the other thing is just this field he likes to put up to keep others away.”
“Ooooooh. Well why doesn't he just say so?” Maggie puffed up and crossed her ams, looking back to the match. “And I like it when he has his field like that, with the pretty colors.”
Aloud to herself Charla said, “Too slow, Nigel.”
The practice session has long since switched to actual combat, with Floritt going fast and furious with the melee attacks while Nigel stays on the defensive. Charla references to what just happened moments ago: Nigel switches to a Protect shield to give him near-invulnerability to Floritt's barrage of kicks, but she suddenly twists back on to her feet and switches to a Feint attack, allowing her to strike at him while overriding the Protect. This translates to him getting a surprise elbow jab that strikes him on the head and has him sliding right across the field!
Meghan blew on her whistle. “TIME! Nigel, you okay?”
“Grnn...I'll live, if that's what you mean.” He said as he stood up, gripping at the side of his head. “G--good show, Floritt.”
“Oh, ah, tanks? ...sorry mon, ya need ice fer dat?” She asked in concern.
“It's nothing. Let's resume.”
“You sure?” Meghan asked.
“Yes, I'm sure! Flo, you up for another go?” Nigel demanded.
“Yeh, mon.”
“Fine, but don't either of you push it. Last thing I need is you guys getting badly hurt before the exams.” Meghan said as she got her whistle. “Ready? GO!”
Maggie pursued her beak thought as Nigel and Floritt went back at it. “Yanno, maybe you need to take a lava bath too so you'll get stronger! It's how me and big sis did it!”
“Hmmm, maybe.” René agreed. “Where do you get lava baths around here?
“Well we have one at our place, we use it all the time, its fun an' squishy.” Maggie chirped.
“If it helps me grow stronger I'll give it a try.” René shrugged. “Do you think you'll get stronger if I...tickle you?” He grinned as he tickled her.
“Nooooo hahahahahaha! No ticklee!” Maggie squirmed as she tickled him right back.
“HEHEEEK! Hey, no fair fighting back!” René laughed.
Just then, another whistle from Meghan ended it. “Flo, Nige, take a break. Charla, let's go.”
“Fine, fine.” Charla got herself up and stretched, walking past the previous two fighters as they exited the arena, an extra long gaze aimed at the Gardevoir, who was still massaging his sore noggin. As she headed to her side of the field, Meghan tossed the whistle over to Floritt.
“You know the drill.” She told the smeargle.
“Yeh, mon, I kno'. You two ready?”
“Ready!”
“Ready, I guess.” Was Charla’s answer.
“'K, den.” Floritt said as she blew on the whistle.
TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTT!
Nigel, who had been foolishly sitting right besides Floritt as she whistled, grabbed his head in pain. “OW! Bloody 'ell, my ears! Because I CLEARLY didn't need them to get any more smashed up! Clearly!”
“Sorry! Sorry, mon!” Floritt hastily apologized.
Nigel massaged his head. “Right. Stop talking. Then I'll forgive you. Cripes.”
“Erk...” Floritt winced. Meanwhile, Charla and Meghan had started their fight.
“Look, Meg's up! They're really good!” René whistled.
“Yaaay, big sis!” Maggie cheered. “Yanno, I think this is the first time I see her fighting Cha-Cha. Flo, how come Big Sis's fighting Cha-Cha today?”
“Dunno, Maggie mon. Usually she gets paired up wit—”
“Girls, girls, a bit more QUIET, please? Gods...” Nigel pleaded as he doubled over in pain from the headache.
“Oh mon, did I hit ya dat hard?” Floritt asked in distress.
Nigel strained to talk. “Well I'm a bloody Psychic. Hitting me that hard on the head's just as bad as if you'd hit me under the skir—”
“Ey! Watchit, der are kids 'ere!” Floritt warned him.
“Yeah!” Maggie agreed as she turned to cover René's ears.
“Right. Sorry...ow...point is, it's a sensitive spot. Too many hits there and, well...” Nigel winced.
“I getcha, mon. Still, may want ta werk on findin' a way ta protect it bettah in case da otha team figgers out dat weakness of yours.”
“Which they will, of course...augh.” Nigel went back to doubling over in hopes the shift in position will somehow hive him some relief.
Meanwhile, the match went on without a hitch, the two girls a massive flurry of punches and kicks, fire and electricity. It was hard to say who had the upper hand, as while Charla was faster, Meghan was stronger, plus is quick to cough up a Smokescreen to make her a harder target to detect. Charla suddenly stopped in place and began to Charge herself up, electrical tendrils enveloping her whole body. Meghan remained in her black cloud of smoke. There was no telling who would make the next move...
René looked at them, clearly impressed. “Say Maggie, can you do anything like that? Know any moves?”
Maggie let go of René’s ears and slumped in her seat. “Me?” She giggled. “Maaaaaaybe! Betcha I can beatcha! Heehee!--oh, there goes Big Sis!”
Charla finally finished charging up, and took a risk by running headlong into the Smokescreen and striking at Meghan that way. To her surprise, though, she ended up running right through the cloud over to the other side -- and before she had the chance to turn around, she got a faceful of Fire Punch right in the kisser, knocking her out for the count!
TWEEEEEET! Floritt blew the whistle. “Charla is unable to battle! Meghan wins!”
“Blast it, Baez, not so LOUD! And besides, this is a practice fight, you don't have to be yelling that!” Nigel snapped.
Floritt poutsed. “Sowy, mon. Got carried away.” She started to prepare another hanky full of Icy Wind-produced frost as Charla came back with a bloodied and charred nose. “Yikes, you ok?”
Charla quickly grabbed the newly-made ice-bag and pressed it to her snout, wincing in pain.
Meghan rubbed her fist. “Take ten, guys. Afterwards we need to get back to training attackers against supporters. Which mean you I need you two,” She eyed Nigel and Charla. “To fight each other once you're ready. Think we can do that?”
“Yes yes. Blimey, Meghan, can't you quack a little lower for couple seconds, please?” Nigel practically begged.
Meghan crossed her arms. “Quit with the excuses already, Nige. I know you threw in a Wish for yourself during our matchup to recover energy and are just fine.”
Nigel groaned and sat up straight, massaging his head. “Look, just because I'm mostly healed doesn't mean I can't complain about the noise still!”
“You're incorrigible, Garkirl. Charla! think you'll be okay? I didn't burn you, I hope.” Meghan turned to her. Charla still held her head up and pinched her nose to slow the bleeding, but otherwise gave Meghan a dismissive wave to let her know she was be fine. “Alright, then you guys stay put, I'll be right back. Maggie, watch these guys for me, hon?”
“You got it, big sis!” Maggie said, saluting her older sister. In a childish voice, René whined.
“Why does Maggie get to be in charge? I wanna be in charge! I'm a team leader too! It's not fair!” He crossed his arms and pouted.
“'Cuz you're not in Crossroads, silly! You have your own team to lead an' stuff!” Maggie told him. Charla tried to say something -probably a retort to René's comment-but the busted nose didn’t let her.
“Ya SURE yer okay, Cha' mon?” Floritt checked.
In a nasal voice Charla replied, “Yeh, I'll beh fahne!”
“You're a worse liar than me, Charla. I'll talk to Meg to give you a break—” Nigel started.
“Like 'ell y' will!” Charla snapped, immediately regretting it. “Ow...”
“You have nothing to prove in trying to brave through this, just sit this out for a while longer—”
“I SED NO! She sed we ned prahtice an' we duh, 'specially you Nige!”
“I'll not fight you until you speak coherently again, at least.”
“Oh fer cryin'...!” Then René stepped in.
“Settle down you two before you upset someone…namely me.”
“Mebbe...one of us could try twisting 'er nose back inta place?” Floritt suggested. “I've fixed me bro's nose befo'.”
Nigel blinked at her incredulously. “Your brothers don't have SNOUTS, Floritt. Two of them barely have faces!”
“I dun keh. Du it, Flo. Ow.” Charla mewled.
“'k, brace yerself, Cha...” Floritt breathed in, then she pinched....and TWISTS!
Charla screeched. “LUXRAAAAAAAAAY!”
Maggie hugged René tightly and covered her face so as not to see the ugly spectacle.
“Sorry, sorry!” Floritt apologized.
“OW...GODS....” Charla said as she wiped on her nose with the icepack. “Ow...better.”
“That was reckless. That was reckless and stupid!” Nigel shouted.
René just stroked Maggie’s head and whispered softly. “Hey, its okay pumpkin it's all done. Cha-Cha's fine. See?”
Maggie nodded softly at René. “'k.”
“Good girl.” He hugged her.
“Ah...ah, yeah, I'm good.” Charla said, as she looked to Nigel. “This coherent enough for you?”
Nigel sighed. “Yes...” A strange silence filled the large room...'til Maggie blew up a tiny wisp of Ember from her bill and looked over to René.
“Hey you want me to ask Big Sis if you can fight with her? I betcha she can teach you to suck up fire that way!” She suggested. René looked nervous.
“Um... okay. Think she'll go easy on me?” He asked.
“Uh...sure! Right, guys?” Maggie looked to the others.
“Oh, suuuure, mon, especially fer you!” Floritt lied comfortingly. Charla and Nigel were far more realistic.
“When Grumpigs fly.” Charla snorted.
“Be thankful you can't get burned.” was Nigel’s comment. “Not that it'll help you much.”
Meghan soon came back, carrying a mini-cooler and a backpack. As she sat both down, their reason for being heavy was soon made clear: The cooler was filled with both ice and plenty of bottled and canned non-alcoholic drinks, while the backpack was full of snacks, mostly candy bars, sandwiches and other wrapped-up goodies. “Lunch break, guys! Help yourselves!”
“Yaaay, food!”
Maggie grabbed hold of a chocolate bar, offering one to René. Charla reached over for a sandwich and to switch her icepack with a chilled Shuca Berry juice can. Nigel, ever the hard-worker, wiggled his fingers as he used his telekinesis to transport a bottle of water and a bag of chips towards him. Finally, Meghan settled for a wrap and a can of coffee that she had in the bag rather than the cooler. She warmed the drink between her hands a bit before sipping it down.
As René munched on a chocalate bar he tentatively asked, “Say Meg? Um, would you want to go a round or two with me?”
Meghan did a spit-take that would’ve worked wonderfully in the movies, dousing Nigel. “You serious?!” She gaped.
“GAAAH, MEG!” Nigel winced as he quickly rummaged in the backpack for a napkin to wipe off the scalding hot droplets of coffee and Magmar drool off his head.
“--sorry!” Meghan cleared her throat. “That's great, René! Thought you'd never ask!” The other girls were, of course, are laughing at the little scene.
“Heh yeah...surprised me too.” René said lamely. “Shall we?”
“After I'm done eating, yes.”
“This ought to be interesting...” Charla mused.
&&&
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