[ti]solo[/ti]Follyball

“Now what?” Buizel asks, looking over the clearing. The fire pokemon have stopped sparring, instead watching curiously, probably having seen their trainer leave. The outlier, Magikarp, seems completely unbothered by everything, having the entire pond to himself (after nearly getting mauled to death by the team’s Carvanha; Kazuki had to return it and change its training to another day.)

“We should… take a break!” Sprigatito grins. “We already did some fighting. It’ll be good to take some time to play and relax while Kazuki is away.”

“Hear, hear,” Mudbray yawns, following after him and Buizel as they approach the rest of the team.

Sprigatito explains their trainer’s brief leave. “—And since he’s gone, I was thinking we could do something fun. Is there anything you all want to do?”

The fire pokemon stare at him, before exchanging glances and leaning into each other to whisper (weird!) After a few words, Scorbunny grins and says: “Let’s play volleyball! You all know what that is, right?” At the round of confused looks, Scorbunny takes some time to explain the sport.

“It does sound fun… but we don’t have a ball?” Sprigatito tilts his head.

“Yeah, we do!” Scorbunny’s grin turns wider as he dramatically spins, pointing his paw at the pond. “That buoyant fella will do just fine!”

“We are not using Magikarp as a ball!” Buizel hisses, outraged at the mere suggestion.

Scorbunny pouts, crossing his arms. “Killjoy.”

“What did you call me?”

“Hey, hey, no fighting!” Sprigatito says, stepping forwards to stop the two from clashing. “We’re supposed to be having fun! We can’t just go around hurting our own—”

“Why not?” It’s Torchic this time who interjects. “Everyone should be able to handle some pain. What makes him so special?”

He can feel heat crawling over his face. It’s a familiar frustration that he has to tamp down because- because he’s supposed to be a role model now! “That’s not what I meant. Teammates need to care for each other.”

Torchic glares, stepping forwards and pushing into his space, her beak held high. “Know what I think?” She snickers. “I think you’re just scared. I think you know that if we were pit against each other, we’d be a better team than you guys.”

“What are you talking about?” Sprigatito says, horrified with where this conversation has gone.

“Haven’t you noticed?” Torchic says with a roll of her eyes. “Our trainer’s a Kindler. Those are fire-type specialists. So, it’s only a matter of time before he replaces you with all the fire pokemon he’s collected.”

“He- he wouldn’t! He’s made us too strong already…”

Torchic stares at him, unconvinced. “Then prove it. If you win, I’ll shut up about this. But if we win, we get your spots on the team.”

It hurts. Not even Mudbray and Buizel coming to his defense makes him feel better. His eyes wander past Torchic, to Tepig standing behind her, almost protectively. Tepig meets his eyes, only to look away, muttering, “She’s… not wrong.”

Sprigatito meets Torchic’s eyes again. He thinks he’s not hiding his anger well, based on how pleased she looks. She looks as if she’s already won.

“Fine.”

Which brings them to now.

<Um… Kazuki?> Sprigatito mewls. <Are you…> No, of course he’s mad. <Are you super mad?> Is he getting demoted?

Kazuki has his face in his hand. Pansear also has his face in his hands, but his hands are full of berries, so he’s buried his face in berries.

<Are you going to return Gyarados?> Mudbray asks.

Kazuki wipes his hand down, frowning. “No.” It understandably causes confusion among the team. “What do you think will happen if I just shove him back in the ball? He’ll lose his shit the next time he comes out—likely in the middle of battle. The problem is that he thinks he’s above taking orders. We deal with him now.”

<Incoming!> Buizel yells.

A harsh jet of water is shot their way. The team disperses immediately; Kazuki nabbing Sprigatito; Pansear holding on for dear life; Mudbray and Buizel barely diving in time; Scorbunny bolting as Torchic yanks Tepig out of the splash zone by his tail.

Kazuki takes out his Pokédex. It blinks with a new entry. He skims Gyarados’ file, quickly realizing just how fucked this team is. No one has super effective moves against him, and nearly everyone is weak to one of his attacks. Whoever designated Gyarados as a Water and Flying type is on his shitlist.

He wishes he hadn’t gotten rid of his electric types. Never did he expect to want Tinnitus again.

The fire trio screams as another BRINE is sent crashing in front of them. Kazuki whistles sharply with his fingers, calling them over. They huddle behind a jutting rock.

“Weasel, you’re with me and the cat. Mule, you’re in charge of protecting the fire types.” Mudbray chuffs, displeased. She still bears a grudge against the trio. “You’re the Tank, these three won’t survive a single hit from that fish. I need you all to stay out here and keep him distracted.” He’s able to cover just a few more points in the plan before another tremor shakes the earth, and a corner of their hiding spot is blasted into chips by a rush of water.

The team splits into two. Mudbray creates a pile of mud while Pansear and Scorbunny mold them into balls, Torchic and Tepig heating them up to seal them into shape. With enough ammo, Pansear takes one improvised cannonball and holds it up to the rampaging Gyarados to aim, before lighting the ball on fire and chucking it in the air. Mudbray is quick to slam her hooves into it, launching the fireball.

Kazuki charges forwards. Buizel runs beside him, Sprigatito on his shoulder. They weave past jets of water, able to dodge thanks to the flaming onslaught disrupting Gyarados’ aim. They need to get closer. Close enough to chip at Gyarados’ weak points—wherever they may be.

<CEASE!> Gyarados bellows, before pivoting in the direction of those blasted little flames. He lifts his massive tail out of the water, aiming it, and unleashing a TWISTER.

Pansear drops the next fireball. He yanks Scorbunny, Torchic, and Tepig into a huddle under Mudbray, who braces herself against the rock they’ve been using as shelter. The fast-moving tornado rips a path towards them. The battered shelter cracks, then shatters. Mudbray grits her teeth as she bears down against the earth, barely keeping her team from being flung into the sky. Pansear grips the fire trio tighter, his tail wrapping around one of Mudbray’s legs.

“Shit!” Gyarados is preparing another TWISTER. The next one will wipe out the reserve. “Weasel! Into the water! Stop it!”

Buizel is already on her way. They’ve managed to get close enough that it takes her only seconds to breach the water, her tails spinning to propel her straight to Gyarados. As she draws closer, she brandishes her fangs, preparing to BITE.

Gyarados howls. The wind on his tail vanishes, but he begins to thrash in the water, trying to peel Buizel off him. The pond may have been spacious to him as a magikarp, but as a gyarados, it’s barely just enough to summon a WHIRLPOOL.

<WhoaaoooAAAOOOOAAAA!> Buizel is spun in the pond, which has just turned into a giant flush toilet. She’s tossed out by the end of Gyarados’ tail, sent careening straight into Mudbray and the rest of the team. It’s a perfect strike.

Now it’s just Kazuki and Sprigatito facing off with the behemoth. They manage by having Sprigatito use MAGICAL LEAF as a diversion, allowing Kazuki to dodge the next round of BRINE. It’s not enough. They’re not dealing enough damage. “I should’ve let the monkey roast you over a spit, you piece of shitty tuna!” Kazuki yells over the commotion. “You’d be about as useful! OR MORE SO!”

Gyarados roars.

“Ooh fuck!” Kazuki leaps back as the giant fish throws itself mouth-first towards him. An ICE FANG nearly bisects his legs, piercing and shattering against the edge of the pond instead. Gyarados rears back, about to turn his own trainer into lunch when he feels something crash into his eye.

<AAAAAAAAAAAAA!> Sprigatito screams in tandem with Gyarados, hopped up on gallons and gallons of adrenaline as he scrambles over his terrifying teammate’s face. Gyarados is flailing uncontrollably, trying to dislodge Sprigatito’s claws from his nostrils.

“Cat! Goddamn it!” Looking around, Kazuki makes a dive for the end of Gyarados’ tail. He grasps hold of it as it sweeps across the pond, finding himself airborne. Gyarados’ scales are drenched, and really not all that ideal as handholds, but Kazuki has spent a better part of his life learning to grapple the sweatiest men on the planet, and he is not about to get flung by a fish having a tantrum.

Sprigatito thinks he’s turning green; greener than he’s supposed to be. Babies—baby cats included—are not supposed to be shaken this hard, or shaken at all. Gyarados throws his head back and Sprigatito’s claws dislodge, a sharp yelp escaping him as he clenches his eyes and braces for water. It does not come.

<Huh?> He opens one eye, finding himself still a mortifying distance away from the ground. There’s a grip on his scruff.

“Next time you want to pull a stunt like this, tell me, got it?!” Kazuki hisses, half-drenched, his hair sticking to his face. He pulls Sprigatito up and braces him against the flat of Gyarados’ head with his arm, preventing the cat from being thrown overboard as the giant fish continues to struggle. In the next second, his vision is filled with water.

Gyarados dives as deep as he can go.

This fucker is trying to drown them! Kazuki growls, holding his breath. He looks down to see Sprigatito with puffed up cheeks, trying to do the same, but the cat hadn’t braced himself. Bubbles escape his little nose; his minty face is turning a concerning purple.

Something, something, something—

Something tickles Kazuki’s cheek. His eyes catch sight of blue threads curling in the water.

He grabs them and yanks.

Gyarados resurfaces explosively, screaming and thrashing even harder than he had before. But with every movement of his head, his whiskers strain further in Kazuki’s grip, the pain of it excruciating.

“Gotcha,” Kazuki grins, before pulling hard enough to cross his arms. “Now HEEL!”

A yawning groan is heard, like the hull of a ship crashing, as Gyarados topples onto the edge of the pond, water flooding across the ruined meadow. The cat is still heaving on Gyarados’ head, coughing up water and in no state to continue. He looks around, trying to search for anyone, anyone left on his team to deal the final blow—

“Holy shit?”

A figure plods towards them. She’s a mess, soaked from the rain and water attacks, a lot frizzy from the battle, bearing fresh wounds and scars. Her saddlebags have been ripped to shreds. An unconscious pile composed of Torchic, Tepig, Scorbunny, and Buizel are stacked over her back, and balancing the pile is Pansear, who looks equally exhausted, but salutes in greeting.

Mudsdale snorts, turning her nose up at the sight of Gyarados brought to heel before her.

<Pathetic.>

Before raising her hooves and using HIGH HORSEPOWER.