015 // action - forest shrine, verdant forest

[actsmagnificent]

[ action - forest shrine ]

Let's get to it.

[ Haruka is in one of her Rhyhorn racing jumpsuits with the sleeves rolled up (though not quite to the scar she got botching her portion of the Sanctuary liberation efforts). She's facing down a member of the Divine Defense Force, light on her feet and ready for anything. If they're going to keep splitting up for missions, she needs an accurate assessment of her whole team's abilities. She can't respect what she hasn't seen in person.

So she's going to try to beat the crap out of them. All of them. One by one.

Passersby are welcome to stay to observe or challenge her, though responses to the latter may vary. The Divine Defense Force, however? Had better not hold back.

Haruka won't, either. ]

[ away from the sparring ]

[ Close enough to reach Trainer telepathically but far enough that the sparring shouldn't disrupt their afternoon, Sky the Beartic has spread a (leaf-embroidered) tablecloth across a tree stump and outfitted it with a variety of goodies for an outdoor tea party. There's plates of Poffins and PokéPuffs, as well as piping hot Berry tea from a fancy china teapot - Passion the Vulpix has accompanied them, and deigned to heat some water for their tea. There's also plenty of teacups, so anyone stumbling upon Sky, Passion, and a very confused World Shaking the Rhyperior is welcome to join their quaint assembly.

A word of advice, however: the teacups (and teapot) are sized for Beartic paws. Come thirsty. ]

[ later - throughout verdant forest ]

[ As the sun sets and the cool evening air wafts in, Haruka can be found on World Shaking's back, eyes half-closed as she navigates the Rhyperior through the trees. They haven't gone on one of these runs in a while, and after the scare she gave him in the caves, he deserved a treat. And she deserves to cool her head, too. They're all right. They passed another test. A respite's been earned.

The fact that she heard a god was spotted in this area from Snor-Lord and his human friends is utter coincidence. ]

Comments

[actsmagnificent]

Maybe trade energy with other Electric-types. [ That way you're feeding it into something that won't be harmed, and can send it back. Come to think of it, maybe Haruka's Electric-types should do that with each other. Gold could use the practice.

And it might teach Broken Möbius the Rotom that he's not a Pidgey. ]

[rainsrespite]

Easier said than done. It seems to like you, at any rate.

[A sigh]

And it's frazzled my warp band. I can't call Zedd or Gouken.

[actsmagnificent]

[ This expression is halfway between a wince and a smile, since - ouch. (At least the Band let the trade go through...) ] Rough times.

[ There are several simple solutions to this problem. None of which have apparently occurred to Haruka yet - or, if they have, she's holding out for the moment to think them over. ]

[rainsrespite]

[It's definitely a something. Two of the oldest. She has Ishikawa, of course...]

Just...I guess they were right. Enlightened powers do mess with Warp technology. Which just makes me a liability until I can adjust strategies.

[actsmagnificent]

Do you need to discharge some energy until you learn to control it? [ She's immune. World Shaking's immune. Ishikawa's immune. They have options. ]

[rainsrespite]

That might help.

[As loathe as she is to say it, she needs help]

[actsmagnificent]

Receiving or just giving? [ She's got her Warp Band ready. You can shock her and World Shaking till the Miltank come home, though, and neither of them would mind. ]

[rainsrespite]

[Yuuna shrugs]

I have more than enough energy that just needs to go somewhere.

[So, she reaches out and takes you by the arm, and closes her eyes...]

If it gets hot, let me know. I know the shock won't bother you, but electricity does create heat too.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka nods. ] When you're ready.

[ Honestly, she's gotten kind of used to this. Living with Gold will do that to a person. ]

[rainsrespite]

[It does...

So Yuuna closes her eyes and just lets loose. Every single drop of energy she can get out? comes out. and after at least three minutes, both of them have some hair standing on end.

And with a sigh, she finally pulls away.]

...Okay. I don't...think I can manage anything more right now.

[actsmagnificent]

[ That's good, since Haruka's feeling a bit warmer than when they started. She runs a hand through her hair to fix it and ends up sparking in addition to sparkling. ] You should talk to the Engineers. They might know more about ways to manage electricity.

[ World Shaking sniffs the air, curious. It smells like those times when the rain is loud. ]

[rainsrespite]

Really, what I need to do is get my Enhanced Jacket back. I left it at home.

[The ground typed one.]

Or just hug you a lot more often.

[actsmagnificent]

...Right. [ Poor Merrill. Also, hey.

She nods to the Rhyperior. Hers is turning in a circle because he still can't tell what it is he smells. ] Should we run them?

[ She'd even be okay without the racing part. But if Ishikawa wanted to see what her new body could do, Haruka wouldn't be opposed. ]

[rainsrespite]

[Well, at least Merrill will never lack for something entertaining.]

Run them? Oh, yeah, actually.

[She pats Ishikawa and points.]

Ishi, you and World Shaking go for a run. I'm...actually going to see if I can keep up.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka smiles and swings herself onto World Shaking's back. She knows she could keep up if she wanted to, herself, but "driving" him is more fun for her - and one of his very favorite things. ] We won't turn around for you.

[ Teasing! And yet, you've seen Rhythings turn (World Shaking is currently standing in a rather large destructive swath of his own making). Rhyperior are better at it, but "won't" is still pretty close to "can't". ]

[rainsrespite]

[You also aren't feeling out your powers, Haruka :|

Nodding, she gives Ishikawa another pat, and flashes a half grin, half smirk at Haruka. Setting herself, she nods.]

Call it.

[actsmagnificent]

Haruka smiles, leaning over her Rhyperior. She barely breathes the word, but the wind carries it well: ] Run.

[ World Shaking doesn't have to be told twice! ]

[rainsrespite]

[Ishikawa takes off after World Shaking, and Yuuna starts out too, easily keeping a loping pace with the two huge Pokemon...]

[actsmagnificent]

[ It's been months since World Shaking has taken part in anything remotely resembling a race, and being matched off against someone who's just like him only excites him more. He and Haruka crash through the underbrush, running all-out from the beginning; she'll have to encourage him to ease off soon so he doesn't exhaust himself, but since it isn't an official race Haruka's happy to indulge him for now. Why not run with all his heart if that's how he feels? They have the time for once. They have the company. And they can't go easy on Yuuna if she's testing herself.

Besides, the wind is nicer this way...How much do you love running, Ishikawa? ]

[rainsrespite]

[Ishikawa isn't a racer. She's a little bit shorter than World-Shaking, and Yuuna's trained her differently. She's a warrior, not an athlete, and she's actually likely a bit heavier. That helps with momentum, but she's bad at accelerating, thanks physics.

Yuuna, however, is churning up ground and keeping pace with the larger Rhy-thing, her whole body upright. She's practically a blur, as far as these things go, but it's tough. Really tough. And not just because she has to dodge underbrush. She's not got the stamina yet.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ There is a small, fast thing off to the side of World Shaking's vision. It's not Ishikawa - he can feel Ishikawa behind him, sense her in the ground with her every footfall; she sounds different when she runs than the Rhyhorn and Rhydon he's used to. But that small, fast thing is more interesting. He was not expecting it. And it's holding steady with him.

Haruka gives him the OK to look over - she'll handle steering - and he notices after a moment of examining it that it's Yuuna. Oh. That explains why it is so small. It's a human. A human he likes.

That makes this a very good race. While World Shaking's still looking at her, he snorts; Trainer lets him slow to regain his breath and his own stamina for later. Let's have a good race, small, fast human. Taking turns pulling ahead makes for the most fun races. ]

[rainsrespite]

[Ishikawa doesn't like this. she doesn't like that boss is showing her up! So, she puts on a burst of speed, finally getting her momentum under her. Her feet slam into the ground, very heavy footfalls echoing as her weight starts to come into play. Yuuna's own strides are hard, fast, and she starts laughing wildly as she at last passes World Shaking (thanks buddy) but?

Yuuna can't keep this up and she knows it. So...let's do something about that grumpy Rhyperior. It's not like she can't feel consternation.

So...she leaps up onto Ishi's back as she's running, flinging herself easily up onto the back and loping up to a standing position.]

Good girl! Now! Go!

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka laughs out loud when she sees that, standing up taller on World Shaking, enjoying the wind (and the occasional low-hanging branch) in her hair. Look at them go, knowing their limits but testing them at the same time. Just look at that.

For now, she prefers to observe from behind. So when Ishikawa and Yuuna put on their spurt, she doesn't spur World Shaking on. She just watches. And waits. ]

[rainsrespite]

[The treeline is fast approaching, and with that the ultimate goal. The speed at which they've gone? Probably the Lake Shrine.]

Hah! This...this is ridiculous!

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka wishes she could contradict that, but Yuuna has a point. Besides, if there's one thing Michiru has taught her, it's that pretty much everything about herself is ridiculous. And that's just fine.

Besides, there's more important things to do right now. She can see her goal. ] It's about time.

[ That was to World Shaking. Who is having his focus directed at that lake. Get to the lake first. He can do that.

His horn bends low. And he charges. ]