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.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Michiru's arms are folded across her torso, and she's practically hugging herself. Her face is smooth, betraying little if any of the screaming impulse to turn tail and run. None of this bodes well for them, and if anything, it only paints in the minutiae left out of her apocalypse dreams.

She exhales quietly. Her dreams are going to get that much worse, huh?

"That will depend on your definition." Yes. Yes it is. Even if it feels like power is the only prerequisite.

Michiru glances at Hotaru, worry finally making it into her eyes.

Hotaru's body was tense, frozen. Fear was coursing through her body. Normally, when she felt afraid or threatened, she would transform into her Absol form - it felt safer, and more it was easier to conceal her emotions - but the fear had struck so suddenly and so intensely that she couldn't even consider that.

Quietly, she whispered, "I'm scared."

But what were they going to do about that? She glanced over at the two women who took care of her. Haruka and Michiru, both of them, they didn't look afraid, not like she was. She tried to steel her own expression, with little success.

Louder, she said, "I-I can still fight, though." Even if every thought in her head was to run, run far away, she would force herself past those thoughts. They were allies now, right? What would they think if she ran away?

As they quietly whisper among themselves, it seems to pause off in the distance as if it knows what they're speaking of... That is, of course, impossible, but nonetheless, its head swings back and forth as if searching for something.

It must be a trick of the mind brought on by the stress, but it almost seems to lock eyes with the three before it breathes out a tremendous screen of smog that momentarily cloaks it from view. When it's cleared, it is on its way across the Plains once again.

The creature's influence over Haruka dissipates somewhat along with the fog; its eyes haunt her, but she no longer feels frozen in place. That was...that was it? They finally find it, and then it ignores them and moves on?

"Wait!" she calls, starting as if she means to to take off after the creature. Plan, okay, yes, they need a plan. Which direction along the Plains is the Pokémon headed? If it's aiming itself at the Citadel, they need to try and divert it from that course. "We've searched for you!"

Not that it cares. Why would it? Why would a god care about a few humans? Haruka's spent years hoping to find these Pokémon, hoping she can keep history from repeating itself. She's still sensible enough to stop if somebody calls out to her, but she can't let things end like this. She has to prevent disaster. That's been the real Mission all along.

Michiru gives Hotaru a light squeeze about the shoulders. She might have said something, but she's too busy reaching out to grab Haruka's arm.

"If we're going to talk to it..." Her Warp Band glows, and her Gardevoir appears. Usually unflappable, Gardevoir stares wide eyed at Heatran, and then shrinks closer to Michiru.

Michiru holds Gardevoir's gaze for a long moment, until the Pokemon gives a shaky nod. There. Now they have Teleport at the ready if Heatran objects with lava or something.

Mission or not, Michiru's priority is to keep them alive. For the most part.

Michiru's concern was enough to bolster Hotaru's courage, at least enough.

The god was leaving, and... they wanted to talk to him. Right. She could do that much.

She was the one to head towards it now. "Wait! Please!" She might be in human form, but she could still speak to Pokémon. A god was still a Pokémon, right?

How nice. They searched for it. As the creature is addressed, it glances back briefly with what amounts to disdain.

"WHAT."

Its voice booms out across the plains, but the words echo in the mind more than they do in the ears. They don't need a Warp Band or special abilities to understand this...

They probably don't need any abilities to understand that conversation is not high on its list of 'things I want to do today'.

There's a god for you: it speaks. And it's thoroughly unimpressed - which stings, but Haruka feels silly as soon as she realizes that's her reaction. What does it matter how she feels about this, anyway. What matters is determining what the god's going to do, and what they're going to do about it.

"Are you really back to punish humanity?" she yells up at the Pokémon. There can't be any other reason though, right, can there? Her expression, should the Pokémon give a damn about such things, is partly pleading and partly defiant. Mostly defiant, actually. This particular god is not living up to the hype.

But how, if that's its intention, are they going to beat it? The awe isn't going away even if her respect's quickly dwindling. Haruka glances over at Michiru - good, Waltz is here. They might want to spread out to prepare for an altercation, just in case.

Does it even care? It's hard to see how something like that would even bother with them.

Michiru bites back her words though, and places a light hand on Hotaru's arm before she steadily, quietly moves over to the other side of the Pokemon. Waltz the Gardevoir sticks close to her Trainer, setting up Reflect and Light Screen for the party.

...It just talked didn't it?

Torn between utter fascination and the very, very distinct urge to run and cry like a little girl, Max swallows down all that and runs toward the group. In his hand is a pouch of some kind, and whatever is inside, it appears he has more, judging from its brothers hanging at his side.

"I'm so glad that I found you! Although really all I had to do was follow this big thing, so it was fairly easy, all told. I found something that should calm this beast down!" He sounded a bit rattled, but not quite enough that he wasn't babbling on. He hands the pouch in his hands to the group. "Here, take this, and listen closely.

"Inside is a piece of a much larger stone said to be able to pacify this creature. This needs to be placed on its. There should be some kind of indentation there. Once placed along with the others I have here," He pats the other pouches at his side, "It should calm it down enough that it will stop charging Citadel!"

Max looks up, swallowing hard. It was following him now, wasn't it... "I-in any case, I need to get these to the others! Be careful!"

[OOC: Your group has acquired a shard of a Magma Stone. It will need to be placed on the back of Heatran in order to help pacify it. However, sight of the stone will further anger it until it is in place.

Heatran's eyes dourly follow Michiru as she edges around behind him. There were only three of them; there's not much in the way of sneaking up happening here.

It growls in irritation and seems to be about to give a response to Haruka when Max shows up.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUU!"

OK there's its response a plume of lava erupts from its back once again as it spots what Max is handing over. No more talking, time for punching.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Haruka's jump is successful! For a moment, Heatran doesn't seem to realize what's happened before it feels the weight on its head; then it begins to thrash about rapidly to shake her off. Hopefully she's in for the bullride of her life....

Heatran is too distracted to counter the attacks this time, but the Hydro Pumps and the Moonblast will knock it around and make Haruka's ride even more difficult to sustain... But if she can manage to hold on and make her way up towards where the shard needs to go...

Haruka's nearly bucked off Heatran's head; she holds on tight, though, and as she makes her first attempt forward Reuniclus gives her a psychic push from behind. How about that. That Pokémon may have been trained for nothing but battle, but it knows how to work in a group. She may have to start spending more time with it.

Right now, though, her world has narrowed to nothing but the distance between herself and her goal. Indentations, that guy had said - there! Haruka holds her breath and hauls herself towards the finish line, timing her motions to the rhythm of Heatran's bucking. There's no Rhyhorn she can't ride. What's this but just a very large Rhyhorn on fire....?

She doesn't take the stone out of the pouch until the last moment, slamming it more than placing it into the indicated space with a grim smile. If it turns out Max was tricking them, racing a god isn't that bad a way to go.

Let's see if that works. With a mental nudge, Gyarados and Milotic move away from each other, spreading out a bit. Milotic uses Safeguard on the party, just in case, while Gyarados keeps a steady watch on Heatran, ready to attack if necessary.

Gardevoir is still sticking close to Michiru, ready to Teleport.

Hotaru held back, too. Haruka was there, in position, the rest was up to her. Attacking now would be counterproductive, make her job harder.

Still, if things started to get dicey, she prepared to jump in there herself. She wouldn't let Haruka be hurt, she swore that much to herself.

And indeed, as soon as Haruka successfully returns the shard to where it should be, an ominous laugh rings across the lands as Max gains complete and total dominance of --

Or actually, it just seems to suddenly fall dazed as the shard is inserted into place.

...This is an ideal time for Haruka to leap off its back and run like the dickens, probably.

And leap off Haruka does, wanting to put as much distance between herself and Heatran as possible just in case that shard doesn't have the long-term effects the Seeker had claimed it would. She stumbles as she lands, but World Shaking lumbers up to steady his Trainer. He can stand on two feet now. He can do things like this for Haruka.

Haruka smirks, pushes off of him - don't go growing into a sap, now - and smiles at Michiru and Hotaru as she runs on up. Her palms sting from contact with Heatran's heated metal body, but she's not paying the pain any attention.

"Did we get it?" she asks, looking over her shoulder and catching her breath. If so, there's no need for them to hang around here any longer. They'd better head back and lick their wounds. This first encounter with a god has not at all gone as anticipated.

Edited 2014-08-10 02:47 (UTC)

"From the looks of it."

No time for prolonged good byes, so her Pokemon disappear back into the Habitat. Rapidash shows up in their place, staring wide eyed at Heatran. What on earth has been going on...?

Michiru swings into the saddle immediately. Mobility would definitely be an asset, if it suddenly wakes up or something.

"We better go." There's probably not much more they could do, considering how useless their attacks were. And it looked like that Max person had more shards.

She glances at Hotaru. Who are you going with, child?

"Yeah, that's... that's probably a good idea."

She glances between the two. ~~You're putting her in this position? Making her choose between you two already!?~~ Nah, Michiru's closest, so she hops up behind her, throwing her arms around her waist, ready to ride.

Thankfully Rapidash seemed to like her, or else the flames would force her to ride with Haruka.

A Baptism by Flames

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