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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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May 15, 2024 21:00:37 GMT
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Post by Robot on Sept 28, 2020 22:02:01 GMT
"Since you don't strike as the type to know much about ants, allow me to educate you. Crassi, we can't afford to have you hold off any longer. Ice Fang. Cumulus, Rain Ball on my mark."
Crassi connects with powerful gnashing icicle fangs for 49 ice physical on Chrysanthemum, and is vulnerable. Crassi heals 15 hp from Sitrus Berry and gains 10 temp from Shell Bell.
Cumulus changes forms again, this time to a droplet atop a dark cloud, as water falls through the cavern. It launches a blob of the stuff at Julia. (6 vs. AC 2 for 53 water special)
Beatrice follows through with her first swing, coming around in full to cleave wide, throwing a blinding shockwave of light into the crystal. (49 Fairy special from the Purified Greatsword's Dazzling Gleam.)
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Post by DataNinja on Sept 28, 2020 22:32:54 GMT
Chrysanthemum cries out at Crassi's attack, a deep gash appearing down her chest. "I know enough about ants. That they can be fascinating. But when their society attempts to burrow beneath everything that you've built up and undermine it... there is nothing else- nnnngh. Can you stop that?" she asks, as the the sword's glow shines over her, almost seeming to push some of the darkness back from the crystal. "I'm trying to talk. Don't ask questions if you don't want to hear the answer! Take a lesson from those two shells over there. They just accept that this is the right way, and I don't have to give elaborate explanations as to why." She punctuates her words with crystals flung at Bea, though none of the stones puncture her skin. A clear laugh rings out, shuddering a little, originating from Chrysanthemum. She seems to have stopped struggling against Crassi. "You're right, you know. We didn't question, or question why we didn't. But I see clearly now. Whatever we are... we have a part of you. And we've held on tight to that selfishness..." She laughs again, an almost crystalline crackling behind it. "It's obvious in hindsight. We fought only for each other. While they fought for more. But... whatever they had, now that we've had time... it's shining through." She looks over at her compatriot. "Darling. I... I want to go out on my terms. Keep them clean. And feel my beloved one more time..."It takes a minute before her words seem to break through the crystalline Beatrice, before the girl nods, and smoothly shifts her aim from Crassi to Chrysanthemum. The bolt that jumps out strikes the crystal girl in the deep gash in her chest, causing fractures and a flickering image. "T...thank you. Thank you all. I feel... warm and happy now... I see the fields..." Her features fade out, before the fractures encompass her body, and chunks of crystal fall from between Crassi's arms. There's a moment of silence from the crystalline Bea, before she meets the eyes of the two humans, face set. "She's right," is the simple response, though Bea can tell exactly the swirl of turbulent emotions the other must be feeling. "We were wrong before. But... I'll fight until the bitter end." She looks towards Julia. "This is interesting, wouldn't you say? A part, fighting against the whole. Could this show you really don't have the unity of purpose you thought you did?"
Crassi hits with Ice Fang. It's super effective! Crassi is sapped by Leech Seed. Cumulus hits! Bea hits! It's super effective. Bea takes 20 damage and an injury from Power Gem.
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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May 15, 2024 21:00:37 GMT
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Post by Robot on Sept 28, 2020 23:03:05 GMT
"Ants do what is best for the colony. Even the queen, as the progenitor of the nest, does what is best for the health and safety of the community as a whole.". Beatrice lectures as she retreats four meters from the crystal, tail arching against her hip, the end lighting in electric yellows and blues. "I am glad... Chrysanthemum and Beatrice could understand and love each other to the last. Cumulus, Blizzard! Crassi, Pin Missile!". Her own bolt of lightning joined the next wave of attacks.
(With no other targets in 3m, Julia gets no evasion against zap cannon. Julia takes 70 Electric Special and Paralysis, 40 Ice Special, and 33 Bug Physical.)
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Post by DataNinja on Sept 28, 2020 23:23:39 GMT
"And when one doesn't contribute," Julia says, coldly, "they die." She looks over at the crystal Beatrice. "Tell me. What is a puppet without her strings? That's right, nothing. Lifeless. Of no purpose." With a smug expression, she snaps her fingers within her crystals, and her Beatrice begins to crack and shatter almost instantaneously. Before she can even register fully on her face... she's gone. And then the attacks hit. And this time, with nobody to take the force of the blow... there is a terrible ghastly gash in the crystal in front of Bea. With cracks that begin to spread. Purple lightning arcs from the other crystals, looking to keep it to a manageable size, as there's some regeneration... but the gash remains. Julia is rather tight lipped. "Enough is enough," she says, tersely. "This will take long enough to fix. Though it is but a scratch." The crystals begin to glow, and a beam of light shoots out, bathing Bea and Crassi in it, seemingly draining them of some of their strength. Rending spell misses. Pin Missile Hits. Blizzard Hits. Julia is staggered from Zap Cannon!
Crassi takes 29 damage from Core Enforcer and has Type Strategist Disabled until the end of the encounter. Bea takes 22 damage from Core Enforcer and has Analytic disabled until the end of the encounter.
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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May 15, 2024 21:00:37 GMT
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Member
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Post by Robot on Sept 29, 2020 3:01:20 GMT
"I'll go as long as I need to Julia." Beatrice has clearly begun to flag as she looses another blast from her tail cannon, this time in concert with Crassi's admittedly weakening strikes, and a flare of ghostly light from Cumulus, hailing everything she can on the crystals.
(63 Ghost Special and 71 Electric Special, Crassi misses.)
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Post by DataNinja on Sept 29, 2020 3:32:25 GMT
The blows, though weaker than the ones in the past, manage to exploit the weakness in the crystal, and smash right through the center, a massive chasm shooting up the entire center of the spire. Electricity arcs between the spires, as they seem to try and hold together, repair the one... but that, combined with Julia releasing more energy to cascade over Cumulus, and shards attacking Crassi... it seems to be a mistake. The crack briefly, barely, closes... before similar cracks appear in resonance in each of the spires in the center, growing, splintering... and shattering, a rain of shards floating towards the ground, seemingly in defiance of the normal speed of gravity. Crassi takes 28 damage from Stone Edge. Cumulus takes 42 damage from Psychic. Julia Faints. Well... for a given definition. Of it. You gain the benefits of a short rest, and can spend a round of actions. "Is... is it over?" Rainbow asks, getting close to Bea, clasping her bow tight. "D-did we do it?" The answer to that seems to come after a few moments. A resounding 'no', as a dark cloud of shadows flows up from the falling crystals, resolving into a vaguely humanoid form. A giant humanoid form, body trailing into the ground. "You really are idiots. This isn't over. It will never be over. I cannot die. Not anymore. I am immortal. You cannot even touch me." There's a burst of laughter, echoing across the canyons. "But you have made me quite irate. I will have to reform that body, for better control. But... no matter. I still have enough to be able to end all you miserable little humans. Everywhere." Several of the crystalline shards glow, and energy shoots up into the sky, beginning the formation of a dark, swirling vortex of clouds and lightning, that seems to begin to stretch across the sky. "I will wipe out all of you, and then I can remake everything with no interruptions! And no sentimentality this time!"
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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May 15, 2024 21:00:37 GMT
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Post by Robot on Sept 29, 2020 12:00:23 GMT
In the brief respite, Crassi at last succumbs to her injuries. Beatrice ingests one of the bitter powders she's been assured are a medical remedy worth its weight in gold. Vile though the stuff is, leaving her both speechless to retort to Rainbow's question, she does admittedly feel better. Switching the downed Drapion for Baied, there is a soft groan as Julia reasserts herself.
"Rainbow, take one of the shards and go, get as far away from here as you can. Genesect can take you back to Mossdeep. This fight was never about beating Julia." Beatrice called over the din.
(Initiatives are 5, 5, and 2 Beatrice heals to her injured total of 90, and Baied replaces Crassi on the field. Cumulus is critically injured.)
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Post by DataNinja on Sept 29, 2020 16:31:52 GMT
An ominous giggle sounds through the air, as Julia plumes up, billowing into the air around. "Oh, is that what you think you're doing? Well, not while I live. My will is absolute." As Rainbow picks up one of the crystals from the ground... it crumbles into dust, spilling from her fingers. "This... this isn't working, Bea!" There's panic in her voice. "I will admit... this is all rather cathartic," Julia says, as light jolts of electricity begin to cascade to the ground around Bea and her Pokémon, heralding more bolts if they don't move, ones that will actually be dangerous. She seems to be all around them, drifting through the air, encompassing the area. Map
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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May 15, 2024 21:00:37 GMT
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Member
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Post by Robot on Sept 29, 2020 21:51:08 GMT
Beatrice is done making conversation with the woman. She seemed so... Logical, reasonable, helpful... A mentor and a figure for admiration when they had met. Now she was just unhinged. Beatrice raises a light screen with some concentration, Baied beginning to Charge power.
Cumulus switches to his sun form and unleashes another blast of fire at the cloud beast that hung ocer it all. The three of them scattered free of the danger zone (I+J 2, and J6)
(61 Fire Special, 2 Charges of Light Screen, +1 SpDEF CS and next elec attack x2 dice.)
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Post by DataNinja on Sept 29, 2020 23:09:26 GMT
Bea and Baeid charge up, preparing... while Rainbow's bow and Cumulus' fire appear to have no effect whatsoever. It just goes through the haze, barely seeming to disturb it. There's nothing really even to focus on. Nothing physical. Just a dark presence that needs to be cleansed. But Julia seems to have no difficulties hitting back. A chunk of crystal is wrenched from the ground and tossed at Baeid, even as Bea and her Pokémon scatter to avoid the dark lightning that strikes where they just were. It seems as if there's no way to defeat her. But Bea does feel a presence. A light heartbeat, coming from somewhere. Something that feels like hope. Fire Blast has no effect.
Baeid takes 36 damage from Power Gem (or 24 with Light Screen).
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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May 15, 2024 21:00:37 GMT
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Member
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Post by Robot on Sept 30, 2020 1:18:21 GMT
"Baied, Give me a charge and then take cover with Dig." Power arced from the Charjabug into Bee's body as it had so often since her arrival in this time. Rather then funnel it into her tail, she fed it into the sword she clutched desperately, letting it shine bright.
Beatrice swings the Purified Greatsword through the Aura of Malice for 57 Steel Special, if it is effective. Cumulus waits, Baied digs into the ground.
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Post by DataNinja on Sept 30, 2020 1:40:37 GMT
With the sword glowing with even more energy, it noticeably pulses in time with the heartbeat that Bea feels. As she cuts it through the air, it leaves behind a trail of fresh, pure air. And then halfway through the swing... it shatters.
But the pieces don't fall to the floor. Instead they hang in the air, before bonding into a ball, something that seems to absorb the latent miasma around, into a distinct, smoky, humanoid form, lightning crackling within… but the crystalline heart remains pure and shining in the center of the mass.
"What? Excuse me?" Julia asks. "This... should not be possible. How are you doing this?" There seems to be some hesitation, and the lightning in the storm above winks out momentarily, before it returns. "...okay, yeah, no more messing around. Now you die."
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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May 15, 2024 21:00:37 GMT
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Member
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Post by Robot on Sept 30, 2020 2:13:15 GMT
"Hmmm..." Beatrice considered the stone heart with great interest. Conventional attacks weren't managing anything at all, but that aged, weathered mass of purified stone had taken on a life all its own. The girl braced behind her shield and took a steadying breath. She needed to protect that crystal at all costs. "I'd have expected you to be more concerned with that sword when your initial play didn't work."
Baied resurfaces violently but is off target even compared to the large cloud. (Beatrice readies her shield.)
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Post by DataNinja on Sept 30, 2020 2:37:57 GMT
"It protected you once," Julia snaps. "How was I supposed to know it could do this? ...it's fine. Soon I will subsume it, and everything will be returned to normal. Your paltry gambit will have failed. And then you will have nothing."A crack of lighting shoots down from the sky, but Bea's shield deflects it, going wide of hitting anything, though. Meanwhile, Cumulus is battered around by a gesture from the shadowy cloud, red eyes glowering from within. "Beatrice," Rainbow says, softly. "I understand. I can feel it. In the same way as I feel the tendrils of the corruption seep into the land, I feel this. It's creeping into her, holding on, forcing her to become one... for now, at least. We couldn't hurt her because she didn't have a body. It's becoming her body. Forcing her into something we can hurt."She pulls back her bow, before firing a blue arrow right at the crystal. Ripples emanate out from it, through the cloud around it, and Julia seems to let out an involuntary shriek. Cumulus takes 29 damage from Psychic. Thunderbolt misses Beatrice. The reflection misses Julia. Bane hits Julia.
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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May 15, 2024 21:00:37 GMT
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Post by Robot on Sept 30, 2020 9:58:12 GMT
Beatrice goes to follow Rainbow's lead but violently jerks her tail to the side at the last second, the blast careening off into the sky. "What if we destroy it before she finished bonding to it?"
Cumulus floats slowly to the ground after the last attack, only to be replaced by Bylii. The bright eyed fairy releasing a blast of light against the heart. (49 Fairy Special)
Baied builds another charge.
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Post by DataNinja on Sept 30, 2020 16:26:18 GMT
"I... I don't know," Rainbow says. "I don't know. But we have to try.""She... she's right you know," Julia says, laughing hysterically, "this won't work. It isn't going to work, you're just going to make things worse for yourself. Aaaaaagh!" Bylli's energy seems to cause a crack to appear in the crystal, even as she's swatted by crystalline shards. "For some reason... I don't believe you," Rainbow states. "I think you're scared."Thunderbolts raise down on Beatrice, punishing her for remaining stationary for too long. But... at least her and Baeid are resistant to the worst of it. Julia is Staggered from Dazzling Gleam. Bea takes 20 damage from Thunderbolt. Baeid takes 6 damage from Thunderbolt. Bylli takes 58 damage from Power Gem.
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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May 15, 2024 21:00:37 GMT
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Member
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Post by Robot on Sept 30, 2020 22:12:27 GMT
Beatrice lets out a pained protest at a taste of her own medicine, but Baied tilts his head to one side as though wondering what the assault was, strange eyes glancing skyward.
"If you had risked a setback and let me fix this mess, we wouldn't be here Julia. Just a little less pride in your thoughts and ideas.". Another volley of attacks went out as the trainer and her pokemon scattered.
(Beatrice moves to H2, issues Iterative Evolution, and Misses with Flash cannon. Baied moves to I5, activated Battery to boost Draining Kiss and hits with charged spark for 63 Electric Physical. Bylii hits with Draining Kiss for 56 Fairy Special, healing half. She also only takes 39 Damage from the last hit courtesy of light screen.)
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 1, 2020 0:49:00 GMT
"Fix this mess?" Julia asks, incredulous, after the attacks. "You, help me fix this? You're the problem in the first place, leading people in here! Tearing down what took ages to build up! I have seen visions of a wondrous future, Beatrice. I know my path is right! Have you stopped to consider that your path is the wrong one?"She waves a smoky appendage, and a ripple emanates, striking both Bylli and Baeid. It does seem like she's getting worn down, though, as cracks keep getting bigger and bigger. Spark hits. Draining Kiss Staggers Julia. Bylli recovers 18 HP. Baeid takes 33 damage from Expanding Force. Bylli takes 54 damage from Expanding Force.
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6,670 posts
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92 likes
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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May 15, 2024 21:00:37 GMT
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Member
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Post by Robot on Oct 1, 2020 1:13:08 GMT
"Visions being oh-so scientific, and not ego-stroking hallucinations brought on by Shadow Aether to maintain its place in the universe." She retorted. "You manipulated and murdered a people to keep them in line while you developed a master race in secret... almost exactly like last time!"
The light barrier flares once more before crumbling away, keeping Bylii just a touch safer against the violent assault. "Bylii, Pollen Puff Baied. Baied, Charge." The fairy gathers up a fluffy ball of powders and scales and playfully tosses it to the Charjabug, which makes a pleased sound and begins to pulse with power once more.
(Baied takes an Injury recovers half HP and gains another SpDef CS, becomes Charged for his next attack. Bylii gains 5 DR from Type Strategist.)
Beatrice's tail thrashes angrily and she bursts an immense pulse of power into the heart (67 Electric Special and Paralysis)
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Post by DataNinja on Oct 1, 2020 4:54:27 GMT
"That's exactly what you do in science, Beatrice!" Julia almost snarls. "You iterate! I found what didn't work. There was a lot that needed tweaking. But most of all, the people! They took the gifts I gave them, and rejected me. Spiteful, ignorant brats.""And you're no better! You think yourself able to accomplish so much more than me! Me, who has spent enough years to lose track of them as I get lost in concentration. You cannot possibly match my knowledge or experience, whelp!" It very much feels like, as deep cracks appear in the stone central to her body... her ability to metaphorically hold herself together is also cracking. In a fit of rage, a massive light shines over all nearby, but it's heavily diffuse, so mostly manages to just irritate, rather than burn. There's a scream of frustration. "I will ensure that even your memory is wiped clean from this planet."Bea hits with Zap Cannon. Julia misses with Photon Geyser.
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