[OPEN] May Catchall~

[conradachenleck]

Who: Conrad and Anyone!
What: A grumpy Jigglypuff tries his hand at drawing and sparring. Also, catching up with old acquaintances and the aftermath of quests.
When: Throughout May
Where: Various spots...
Warnings: Added as necessary, probably some cartoon violence - aka Pokémon battling


I. It's Art!

— [It'd been a while since Conrad had a moment of calm. His last quest was quite the doozy and he still feels like he's recovering from everything that transpired. Now he simply wants to do something he enjoys, something therapeutic. He hasn't attempted to practice his craft since he became a Pokémon so he thought he'd give it a try. But, well, picking up drawing again isn't going the way he'd hoped. And so he's mumbling to himself...]

Ugh. Christ. I could draw better than this when I was seven years old.

[He had attempted to sketch a Caterpie as he sits at a communal table with a pencil and papers. Pokémon should be easy enough to draw, but even with a living breathing Caterpie as a reference he still struggles.]

This would be so much easier if I had fingers...

[He just can't get the hang of this when he has little nubs for "hands." But, obviously, he just needs more practice. Maybe he should try to draw a Pokémon that's sitting still? His Caterpie model had just been passing by. Or perhaps he should try something else altogether. So he scans his immediate vicinity, hoping to find someone or something that might spark his creativity. He just hopes nobody really notices him, because he doesn't want anyone to see his god awful attempts at doodling.]

II. Ready to Rumble

— [It's not like Conrad is really into the whole sparring thing. It's hard work and he's not too adept at battling yet. He still hasn't gotten the hang of Sing, instead relying on Double Slap or Play Rough. Maybe he should try singing, at least? Or perhaps he should play to his strengths now that he has a new partner to try his moves on, see how that goes.]

Sooo... How do you want to do this? Should we just start or...?

[Maybe a quick ready, set, go would work? Conrad is pretty much always the slower Pokémon, so his opponent will undoubtedly go first. At least they have plenty of room in the clearing by the edge of the forest, just in case things get a little intense. Not that Conrad expects things to get too serious.]

III. Berry Binging

— [It's not exactly a secret that Conrad is a big fan of Berries. Every Pokémon loves Berries, sure, but he really likes to snack on them and indulge. He feels a bit guilty about it, though, so he usually goes out to find his own Berries, then he doesn't have to rely on others to get him his servings of fruit.

So he can be found around the forest, with Berry basket in hand, scavenging. One might even get to witness him puffing up and floating just barely above the ground to get to some of the Berries he's after. He can also be spotted around the Spire munching on his the hoard of Berries he's acquired. As enthusiastic as he is about his snacks, he is happy to share them, so if anyone wanders by and notices him he will offer up a Berry or two.]

Did you want some? I, ah, have more than I need.

Comments

II

[telewarped]

[Shoka, on the other hand, is really into the sparring thing. She always has been, but it's especially true this month, with her mood stuck at a consistent low. It's an easy way to let off some steam and distract herself without getting too many Pokémon on her case.

She'd probably have the speed needed to take the opening turn, but either out of generosity, boredom, or some kind of nefarious scheming (it's always difficult to tell which it is with her), she takes a moment to speak first:]

Tell you what: I'll let you make the first move. So just come at me whenever you're ready.

[conradachenleck]

[Conrad is not fast. Many Pokémon can easily out speed him, so it is quite generous of her to let him go first. Though, Conrad also finds her kindness a little suspicious. But maybe that's just him being too wary of a good thing.]

Alright. You asked for it.

[He figures their battle could use a little back and forth. Now he just has to decide what his move should be. He's no Pokémon Master, but he certainly knows that Normal-type attacks don't work on Ghost Pokémon. He can't use his signature Double-Slap. So he'll have to rely on a Fairy move or something other than Normal. Maybe Disarming Voice? It's not very powerful, but it would be effective.

So, taking a wide stance, he inhales a deep breath and opens his mouth to emit a very weird, wavering cry. Is it disarming? It's supposed to be, but it just sounds downright unpleasant. It's not a move he's practiced very much, as he's a little self conscious about using it, so he's still trying to master its effects.]

[telewarped]

[When he inhales, Shoka braces herself for some kind of wind-element attack... but instead he just makes a noise. It's almost like a song, but the pitch is strange and sharp and—it actually hurts?!]

Agh—! [Conrad isn't even close to her, and yet something under her disguise rag audibly tears, causing its false head to drop limply backwards.] Tone-deaf much?

[How exactly the ability worked in this case is beyond her, but it seems that her Disguise took that hit for her, allowing her to brush the attack off easily.]

My turn.

[She goes for Double Team first, summoning up a row of identical, illusory doubles on either side of her. They all move to encircle Conrad, darting around quickly enough that the real Shoka gets lost in the shuffle.

(Unfortunately for her, she has no idea that Disarming Voice always hits.)]

[conradachenleck]

[Disarming Voice is supposed to be more melodic and charming, but his attempt at it seems to have done the job. Well, maybe. It hit, but he's not quite sure if his attack really did anything, as Shoka doesn't seem phased by it at all. Maybe he just has to be more forceful when he projects his voice?

He has to think quick, then, as he's suddenly surrounded by a multitude of Mimikyu. His eyes dart from side to side and he can feel sweat building up on his brow as he's trying to discern where his opponent is. But he quickly realizes this is a futile effort, so he'll just have to try his attack again and hope it finds the right target.]

Uh-ugh... AAaaAAAAAaaaAAAAAaaah-AAH!

[He sort of yells more than sings, now, really letting it all out. It'll do the same amount of damage as before, but now he's truly trying his best.]

[telewarped]

[The sound reverberates around the clearing, echoing through the trees and sending some distant Flying-types scattering. It makes Shoka's illusions scatter, too; they slow, shivering as if struck, then dissolve into nothing until all that remains is the real Shoka, positioned behind Conrad.

Whatever attack she was planning is botched; she recoils with a gasp of pain and confusion as the sound grates on her ears.]

Wh—what the hell? How did you—?

[How did he hit her so easily?

She can ask him after the match is done, she quickly decides. First she needs to get some revenge. Shaking off the damage, she flies at him with her glowing tail-stick raised for a Wood Hammer attack.]

Fine. Just attacks it is!

[conradachenleck]

[Well, apparently his Disarming Voice is more useful than he thought it'd be. It is a pretty weak attack, but it's done some damage and revealed the true Mimikyu. But as Conrad turns to face his opponent he's in for a rather nasty surprise.

That glimmering Wood Hammer is aimed right for him and he's not quick enough to dodge, so he ends up eating it right in the face. He's flung back, skidding a bit and rolling until he comes to a stop. That had to have sapped some HP. He just lays on the ground for a second, maybe looking like he's down for the count, but with a painful grunt he gets to his feet again.]

... So you wanna play rough, huh?

[He huffs his words out, his eyes narrowed as he takes a wide stance. It's very hard for a Jigglypuff to look tough, but he's trying his best, and as he moves toward Shoka again he decides he needs to use the strongest attack he knows... He actually picks up speed and he puffs up to jump so he lands in front of her, then he belts out as many jabs as he can with his little pink fists, one right after the other. Dust erupts from the ground as he moves fast enough to create a small cloud that surrounds them until he's done with his bombardment of hits and slaps. He just has to hope he does a decent enough job and that his blows actually make contact. It's not a Normal move, so it should do something, right?]