bravenewworld | A Baptism by Flames

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A Baptism by Flames

"It's here."

The feed to the Warp Band flickers on. The image projected is intensely distorted and shaky, showing nothing but the too-close face of a woman. She's running; it's obvious from her breathing and the way she keeps glancing over her shoulder. Though her voice is carefully calm, spitting out words between each breath, she's continuously interrupted by the sound of an enraged bellows from close behind.

"This is Mamir, of the Eastern Gale Tribe. The beast has emerged again, southwest of our tree."

The video flickers terribly as she thrusts the Warp Band behind her - it's incredibly difficult to get a good view: blurred images of an enormous, seemingly grinning face, of swarms of... somethings darting through the skies in a panic, of waves of some liquid rippling out through the plains leaving trails of steam and smoke...

And then, through no planned effort of her own, the running Valkyrie takes a few steps without jostling her arm, and a clear view of the creature is displayed for the world to see. It bellows again and a plume of fire erupts fifty feet into the sky.

"Matriarch! It's advancing quickly! We're keeping it at bay for now, but we have to retreat! Our companions - they refuse to obey commands - they're too afraid to get near. I... I've lost Aerie."

It isn't entirely clear who or what Aerie is, as a shockwave echoes through the plains, sending the Valkyrie tumbling through the ground. The image on the Warp Band distorts wildly before it cuts off into static.

...

Hardly ten seconds later, the feed flickers on again to display the grim countenance of the Matriarch.

"Well. I think it's in everyone's interest to get rid of this thing before it heads say, west towards a certain comfortable volcano, or south to warmer climates, don't you think? My girls could lead it in circles to another destination, but we'll keep it in the plains if you step up to the plate."

((This is the final portion of the event, and the first Legendary Pokemon (openly) encountered within the game. In dimensions, Heatran is about 12 feet in height and 20 in length. Like all Legendary Pokemon in this game, it exudes an aura that induces fear and terror in all opposing humans and Pokemon. This sensation can be mastered by the strong willed, but is difficult to overcome. Also like all Legendary Pokemon, Heatran is incredibly powerful and should be handled with care.

Please remember to sign up here and post in your groups. Each group may individually choose how they approach this situation; in terms of RP, it will be considered that each group runs into Heatran in a separate location on the Plains and confronts it before it moves on to the next group. There are several potential outcomes depending on how the majority of groups respond to this threat.

Thanks and have fun! We'll be responding about once every 24 hours regardless of whether or not the whole group has posted, as per our usual policy. Questions can be asked in the sign-up post.))

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Haruka looks down at the pouch in her hands, then over at the man who'd given it to her - but he's gone. Figures. The last thing she wants to do is try something forced on her by a suspicious person, but given the legendary Pokémon's reaction, it's clear there's something about this stone, and suddenly she and the others don't have time to think about what they want any more.

Jumping out of the way of the punch, Haruka flips over in midair and lands in a crouch, then brings herself back up to a ready position. Onto its back, huh? The thing that just sprouted lava?

"Jeez," she mutters, looking down at the pouch. So this is what it comes down to, huh? Assaulting the gods they're supposed to revere, for the sake of the world? Fine by her - if it works. "I learned to sing and everything."

And then she's running, eyes on the target, ready to leap, drawing wind to herself to help propel her when she takes her jump. She doesn't ask Michiru or Hotaru to back her up or keep the Pokémon's attention. She trusts them to do so - and to get out just fine.

And of course it would come to this. As much as she would like to take a moment to weigh the pros and cons of listening to a suspicious stranger, there's no time.

Hah. When Haruka starts moving, she does so as well, sprinting right into Heatran's line of sight. Eyes glinting with a Nasty Plot, she calls a Water Pulse into her palm.

"Don't you dare!" she shouts. Whatever she's referring to may be a bit vague, but at least it's not quite as obvious as 'look over here.'

Gardevoir is sticking close to her Trainer and sends a Moonblast towards Heatran as soon as Michiru releases the Water Pulse.

That suits Chie just fine. Lee takes the Magma Storm head-on, taking heavy burns but never breaking his stride as he keeps running directly toward Heatran. And with the timely distraction from Robin's lightning, he's able to close the distance very quickly with those powerful legs of his.

Panna and Xu Fu close in around Robin to counter the Earth Power attack with the same. And once Lee is close enough, he vaults mightily into the air, landing on Heatran's back and slamming the stone into the first opening he sees.

Robin dives out of the way as Aura leaps out from behind and dashes in the opposite direction. Moving around Heatran it launches a Psybeam, trying to keep it occupied until it's too late.

Hotaru hesitates for a moment - long enough to see Haruka and Michiru both launching into action. And it's clear that she has to follow suite. She's a part of the team, right? And this... god.... wasn't going to talk any more.

She could distract it, at least. With actions, no more words. She launched herself forward, dark energy forming around her arm as she did. She launched a Night Slash towards the Pokémon as its attention turned to either Michiru or Haruka, hoping to get in a critical hit and thus turn its attention to her.

"A real god wouldn't be doing this!" ...And maybe insulting it would work, too.

This was going to hurt, wasn't it?

Quickly swooping down with the aid of the previous Tailwind, Cordelia takes advantage of the Pokemon front line to swoop in and grab the tactician. While their flying typing manages to negate most if not all of the damage from Earth Power, it does little to help with the immense heat. Both Cordelia and Swanna are going to get burned.

Firing off a quick Air Slash at the Heatran, Swanna and Cordelia charge in toward Chie. It's time to get the squishies off the field, now. There's no telling what this thing will do after Lee's heroic display.

It appears someone else had had the idea, as rain is falling from the sky which intensifies with Kou's action. However, the wave of heat still passes over. Rise, Toyo and Orihime are relatively all right, their defensive abilities and the rain take the bite off the pain but it still hurts. Asemu and his team, unfortunately are not quite so lucky. He, and all his Pokemon feel the searing heat full-force. All of the Pokemon with Flash Fire will find they are still taking full damage, as does Kou and Asemu himself. However, the power boost from Flash Fire does still activate, quadrupling the fire power of the Pokemon who possess the ability. Unfortunately, even with typing resistance, the damage from the flames is still heavy and painful.

"Like I said manling, this is my land. Get out before I clobber you."

Heatran's voice drops to a menacing snarl as a searing heat starts building around its body.

Arado almost manages to fly away before Heatran grabs him. The Pokémon clamps down on his foot -- and while he yanks it back before it's severed -- he still goes flying hard to the side, the force and sudden pull sending him flying to the ground. He slams into it and rolls a couple times, before he comes up kneeling; if he weren't in Scyther form, he would be breathing hard.

The intimidating force of the pokémon wasn't unfelt by Blue and her lot. Now that the flames around them had died, her pokémon could see what it was that they were up against: a foe like they had never seen before. And for Blue too, to hear it speak in a tongue that could be understood to her - it was so shocking.

But talking wasn't going to do anything. That had just showed itself clear, and now they would have to work on trying to subdue it with the stone.

The staryu had landed back down, as as the beast begun to show signs of building up heat, Blue was already pressing to bring in another pokémon - her blastoise.

"It's no use! Fight and talk if you have to!"

With a pokémon so obviously in control of so much power, Blue wasn't going to risk that thing unleashing anything that could take them out in a heartbeat. She directs the blastoise and nidoking to the front, both running in front of everyone.

"Shake the ground and water pulse!"

On command, Helio the nidoking's body begins to glow in a golden light. He clenches up his fists and bring them slamming down to the ground, and the ground quakes lightly around them as towards the large pokémon, the force of the attack goes directly, to explode from underneath them.

As for Indigo the blastoise, her own body takes a brief shine to it as she raises up her defences, and puts together her hands close to form a blue orb begins to form, spinning and circulating in itself. She thrusts out her hands, and when she does, the ball explodes forward, pulsing over to the distance.

But that's not all. While nidoking and blastoise moved into place, Blue was quick to kneel down an knee, ushering her lombre, azumarill, and staryu to her. Hydro pump, rain dance, and a light screen. Their orders given, the pokémon move forward, the azumarill and staryu keeping on stern appearances. The lombre? Well, he's going to make dissatisfied noises this way and that. What a big guy, guys! What a big guy!

Staryu waits to use light screen until an attack atually comes in their direction, while Seabells the azumarill begins dancing to call upon darkened skies to the battlefield (more aimed to Heatran's side of the field, but who knows how that'll go). Helvola the lombre, despite his grievances as well, tilts back his head as the water mounts up with power to be blasted out.

If it's going to be a fight, they'll fight.

"Asemu!"

Toyo uses that Heal Pulse of hers to heal Asemu while Rise looks around at the damage that attack did. Frowning at how much damage even Asemu's fire-absorbing Pokémon took, she decides this enemy is cheating.

"It's got some way of ignoring Type resistances...but hopefully that means it doesn't resist Fire itself? Anyway, Asemu, have your guys hit it with Fire attacks while they're charged up! That ought to distract it."

Orihime winds up another Brine attack while Rise calls out a third Pokémon. Inari might not be any more immune to Fire than Asemu's Flash Fire Pokémon, but she can add to the firepower if this next round of attacks isn't enough.

The Heal Pulse was much appreciated, as that shit hurt. His Pokémon were okay, though definitely have seen better days. Good thing there was rain, at least.

"I'm gonna wait on that! Instead, HYDRO PUMP!"

Kou cut loose with a high-pressure blast of water. He had more faith in that doing something than in more fire. Once again, he flew upwards and overhead to look for an opening to swoop in and deposit the Magma Stone piece.

Real gods don't get baited so easily either you keep your mouth shut!!! As the fight begins in earnest, Heatran sends waves of lava rippling out in a cross formation, smashing through the Water Pulse and the Moonblast and essentially dissolving them in a hiss of steam.

The blade will strike if Hotaru can get close enough, but regardless, it will go charging straight towards Haruka readying an Iron Head assault.

Shoot - and yet, her chance. Haruka jumps in the hopes of landing on Heatran's head as it rushes her, summoning her Reuniclus to Protect her (it won't be a perfect guard, but it's better than nothing) and her Rhydon to stand to one side of the charging creature. Rhydon can withstand lava, right? Why don't you give that god a Bulldoze?

Even if that doesn't go so well, the others will cover her. Haruka's sure of it. She just has to worry about sticking (and withstanding) this landing once the Pokémon's head hits her shield.

She grits her teeth. No time to think about how much this is going to hurt.

Fortunately for Arado, Heatran has lost interest in him as it turns to face the Steelix. Breaking free of the ground rising to bind it, it swats Cuddleclaws away as if it were a toy and barrels through the Water Gun attack, diving recklessly toward Steelix with an Iron Head attack. It seems oblivious to Adahlen.

The intense blast of the Hydro Pump definitely gets its attention! Heatran roars with vicious fury and counters with a Flamethrower attack! The water and flame meet in midair and an immense steam cloud erupts from the meeting point. The Hydro Pump is quickly being pushed back, but Asemu also has a convenient screen of smoke and a Heatran that is not necessarily paying attention to him at this very moment.

It doesn't take much to see where the stone should go and, too enraged by the constraints of the previous Thunder Wave, it hardly notices as Lute climbing on its back. It does, however, feel the stone being lodged there, and raises on its hind legs, roaring in anger and throwing the man off.

Truth be told, it isn't as angry-sounding as one might expect.

The heat lowers by a few notches, and Aqua Tail and Scald do a lot to further quell the flames. Unfortunately, this isn't enough to not incinerate the Leech Seeds before they hit.

Seeing the attacks fizzle into nothing, Michiru frowns and activates her Warp Band, summoning her Gyarados and Milotic. Keeping it distracted is going to be interesting. ~~It's honestly something to see, when a giant 20 ft long sea serpent tries to hide behind a 5'4" woman.~~

"Bass! Melody!"

The Water types come to attention, holding onto Michiru's steady presence in their heads. Twin Hydro Pumps, headed your way, Heatran. And here's another Moonblast, coming from am entirely different direction altogether.

Merrill's other Pokemon may have been swatted away, but at least Adahlen is still on target. And as it buzzes through the fray, picking up speed as it goes thanks to its Speed Boost ability, it finally reaches Heatran's back, making a desperate dive at top speed toward the indentation on its back to drop the stone in. Merrill stands back at a safe distance, tending to her Pokemon as they recover from the blow.

Goku takes a step back from Heatran, a fist lifted and an expression of concern and determination crossing his features. It really doesn't seem like it's in any mood to talk, and he was afraid of this. He was afraid they'd have to come to blows, something he would of preferred to avoid. But he doesn't make the rules, and Heatran was the one that had the advantage- powerful, frightening, and angry.

But it's then that Blue moves forward and initiates the fight with Heatran. Goku looks on as the water types do what they can, but he knows that it's important that Ribbons gets over to the top of the monstrous pokémon to place that stone. Calling out to his own pokémon, he gives his own commands.

"Charmeleon, get a smokescreen up towards Heatran's face as best as you can! Starly, Murkrow, blow it right in his face now!"

The three of them move quickly, following his commands. Dark smoke starts to spew out of Charmeleon's mouth, and the bird pokémon beat their wings as hard as they can to move it over the legendary's eyes.

Asemu realized immediately that he had a golden opportunity. He flew above the steam, relying on it to hide him from sight on the ground, then dived in toward the Heatran's back to drop the Magma Stone shard on it. He would ignore the heat for as long as he could manage -- pain is temporary, accomplishments last a lifetime.

That's it! Come on, Asemu!

Rise mentally orders her Pokémon to continue focusing on distracting the enemy, and they do. Inari and Orihime throw out a Fire Blast and a Brine respectively, to add to the steam, while Toyo bellows out with a Hyper Voice; hopefully, this guy wouldn't be able to see or hear Asemu coming.

Yuuna swallows and smiles grimly, her face twisting in a mixture of fear and excitement. If she'd wanted a test for her team and for her own resolve, then she couldn't ask for anything better. She doesn't want to fight, but if it's the direction this confrontation is heading, then she's not going to back down. There are too many people who stand to lose too much. Through the warp band, she feels her team reacting similarly, mingling terror and adrenaline.

Stepping forward, she gestures up at Heatran and shouts out her own orders, her voice sharp and crisp. Some commands, though, she gives through mental nudges, practiced for just such an occasion. In particular, one to Larvitar to keep digging and prepping the other trap.

"Alright! Hyozan, Uzushio, keep giving us some breathing space! Gouken, use what we practiced! Zedd, hit him with your best Thunder Wave, and follow it up with as much electricity as you can manage! We're not backing down, and we've gotta stop him. Take him down!"

Her team begins to do just as ordered, with Avalugg and Poliwhirl standing stoically there, projecting water and ice to keep the air from heating up. Magneton's magnets begin to glow and he launches an assault of electricity in an effort to paralyze and foul up Heatran's movements. And the others move along with their plan.

Gouken the Hitmonchan's fists punch faster and faster, Vacuum Waves cracking through the air towards their overgrown enemy, and Larvitar continues his silent tunneling beneath the giant's feet.

The combined assault does something nobody has yet done to Heatran, overwhelms it. If only for a moment, it's stunned by the ferocity of the smoke, the water, the ice, it tries to counterattack by gathering heat around it but it is not quite fast enough and is left vulnerable - perhaps for the first time. The team has but mere moments before it regains its footing.

The idea is to buy time! So Steelix will simply meet the assault head on before it quickly attempts to Bind Heatran in place long enough for Adahlen to get the shard in!

Ferro roars in pain as it attempts this; unfortunately, its natural resistance to Fire was removed by its evolution and it's not very fun trying to wrap around something that's part magma. Lucas will grit his teeth.

"Hang in there; just a few seconds...!"

A blue pulse races between Lucas and his Pokemon as he begins to take some of the damage into himself.

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A Baptism by Flames

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Assuming you meant Aqua Tail instead of Water Tail

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the tactics too stronk

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