[ti]scenario[/ti]Ground Types Can't Dunk

Jam toddled across the pitch-black court, his tiny footsteps shaking the ground as he prepared for the big jump. He held the basketball in both hands, a clear violation of the traditional rules, but given he wasn't much bigger than the ball himself it couldn't be helped.

"And here comes Jam!" Big Bee shouted, fake announcing the moves of his new son. "Twenty-four inches of primordial power! Can anyone stop him?"

The Gothita umpires had set up a little ramp at the end of the court, right underneath the net, and Jam approached it at a rather middling speed. "Here he comes! Up! Up! Annnnd!"

Jam leapt off the ramp, gaining all of another six inches of air and falling to the ground in a heap. The ball popped under him with a bang.

"You almost had it that time!" lied Big Bee, rushing over and helping up the baby Groudon. "That was a great jump bud. And you've almost stopped dribbling!" Big Bee wiped away the spit on Jam's chunky jaw with a fireproof rag. "Just a little higher next time, yeah? We've gotta work out those leg muscles, haha. Let's go again, okay?" Big Bee flashed Jam a big thumbs up and his most encouraging smile.

Jam grumbled, nodded, and toddled back to the starting spot on the far side of the court.

Txa8C_Pt1d20
+3 for Worldbuilding
-3 for Ground type
+2 for pun (Dribbling)
Total: 21

Autumn leaves flowed behind the newly-evolved Dewott as she took her place on the court, leaving smudges of soot behind in her pawprints. She took the ball in both paws, sighting down the court towards the basket.

"You can do it! Impress those scouts, Watson!" Yggy shouted from the stands, waving a big foam finger she'd paid a handful of bytes for. This wasn't exactly baseball, but it was still totally fun, and a bunch of her friends like Big Bee and manish and orioncayge were here. Oh, and a new kid too! "Hi, I'm Yggy! It's short for Yggylopolis. You know, the lost city?" The tomboy grinned at Jinx, sticking out her big foam finger like a handshake. "Just don't pull it, right?"

<I'm not Watson,> the Dewott said to herself, though the reply was starting to feel hollow. Especially after evolving, she felt more like the replacement for Yggy's starter than ever.

She glanced down the court, feeling pressured with no teammates to pass to. Maybe if I use a little water power... As she thought, she powered up a Water Pulse and used it to make a stream of water down the court.

"Woo! Man, we're gonna get so many points you guys'll be wishing for a point guard," Yggy joked, watching her starter slip down the court with the ball. The speed was incredible, but unfortunately, the otter was a little too slippery. Her back paws gave way and she went flying off the court, ball and all.

<Out of bounds!> One of the Gothita umpires blew her whistle. Not-Watson glanced back, tilting her head to the side. <I guess I didn't know the rules,> she said, unfazed.

<Bet you didn't know about the penalty, either,> the Gothita said gruffly, shoving a slip of paper into the otter's paws.

Yggy watched from afar as the Dewott read the paper, looked up, and waved it in the air at her. <It's a curse!> the otter shouted.

"Huh?" Yggy put both hands around her mouth to yell back. "Are you winning?" Yeah, still didn't have Poke Speech enabled.

<''Your best friend will feel the freezing chill of a thousand winters in three weeks!'> Not-Watson read. She looked visibly pained. <Can they really enforce this?>

The Gothita's face was stony. <Don't go out of bounds,> she said ominously.

Sighing, crumpling up the curse slip into a ball, the Dewott started down the court to try again.

---

Add a worldbuilding detail about the basketball rules (out of bounds curse) +3
Use a Ground type Pokemon -3 (type mod)
Make a NEW Basketball pun (point guard) +2

YCmPeI3I1-20 +1

A brooding figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat as dark as midnight's shadow emerges from behind the wooden bleachers. His nameplate reads Talent Hunter Van Helsing, and he crosses the court with the conviction of a man born to dunk, crunch, toss, and stake it with the best of them.

"Not bad," he says, in a voice like wet cement. "But far from what this damned city needs." His eyes gleam like the coals of a forgotten fire, and he sets his blazing gaze on each of the Pokemon and trainers in turn. "I see some potential here, but that's all I see. And I came hunting for talent. So go on. Show me what you've got. For real this time."

Rules

• Write a post with one of your Pokemon playing basketball, showing off your skills
• Roll a 1d20 at the end of your post to quantify well you perform in front of the talent scout
• Gain bonuses/negatives based on your writing/Pokemon selection (prompts below)
• Players can post multiple times, with multiple Pokemon. However, you may only ROLL for one Pokemon per post

Prompts

• Give your Pokemon a pep-talk +3 - NEW
• Use your Secret Technique +3 - NEW
• Dress like you're ready to dunk +2 - NEW
• Learn from your mistakes +2 - NEW
• Use a Ground type -3
• Add a worldbuilding detail about the basketball rules / courts / Briarbane Settlement in general +2

Any Pokemon who get over TWENTY TOTAL will be recognized by the Talent Hunter Van Helsing and offered a place on the team.

This scenario end in approximately 3 days - 11:59 December 19th Tokyo Time.

Okay, so the Falinks that Jinx had begun to call the Horde as a catch-all name had kind of flubbed the first time around, but that was no reason to give up, right?

"Alright, you guys--Abigail, Benny, Cecil, Duncan, Evangelista, and Fern--that was a rougher start than I would have hoped for, but I know you all have real potential! The talent is there, deep down, and that's the most important part! You've just got to polish things up a bit, and you know what's a good way to start?"

Jinx rummaged through her bag before pulling out a colorful bandana... and then another... and then another... until a total of seven bandanas were in her hands, before running up to each Falinks member and putting a bandana on each one.

"See, if you want to be a member of the Briarbane Bandanas, the first step is getting a bandana of your own! Abigail got red, Benny got orange, Cecil got yellow, Duncan got green, Evangelista got blue, and Fern got purple! All the colors of the rainbow, right in a row! And..." Jinx pulled out the last bandana and tied it around her head triumphantly. "I got a rainbow bandana to use while I root for you guys! I think rainbow colors look cute on me, don't you think?"

The Falinks remained silent.

"Whatever. I like it, and that's what matters. Plus, with those big bandanas on your cute lil' noggins, you look kind of like the Bandanas mascot! That's gotta count for something, right? Dressing up like that has to help your dunking skills!"

Benny nodded slightly, but Fern wasn't even looking in Jinx's direction. You win some, you lose some.

"Alright, now, I do like the whole climbing on each other thing--if you can do it faster. Like, a lot faster. Mid-game, your opponents aren't gonna just stand there and watch, right? They're gonna get in your way! So if you want to do things that way, you've gotta be quick about it! Let me see you go for it!"

The six Falinks members did their best to run through climbing over each other, growing a little bit quicker each time... but even so, it took precious seconds for each member to join the line, too long to do on a regular basis in the middle of a game.

"Look... I think you guys were hoping to avoid this, but... you're gonna have to learn how to throw the ball, okay?"

A few grunts and groans were audible, though Jinx couldn't tell which team members in particular had made the noises.

"I know, I know! But that way, you don't have to climb on each other every time. Or you can climb with only two or three of you, and that'd cut down the time even more, right? And then you're still elevated for the big throw! Now, let's see you toss it into the hoop with all your might!"

The first throws were... pretty pathetic. Most weren't nearly high enough to make it inside the hoop, and many were at the wrong angle to boot. But with a bit of coaching and words of encouragement, the Falinks grew better at aiming and throwing, to the point where they could make throws without climbing on each other and still get the ball through the hoop every now and then.

It was... a start, at least. There was potential. That's what would have to matter here--potential.

After several minutes, though, Jinx noticed that not all of the "throws"... were actually being thrown. Instead, Abigail and Fern seemed to be developing a technique where Fern would bounce the ball off of Abigail's shields at just the right angle for it to go flying into the air.

It wasn't what Jinx had asked for, but maybe it was what she had really needed to see just the same.

"Abigail, Fern, I love it!"

The two Falinks members looked up at Jinx, shocked.

"Yeah, that's great! I bet nobody will see that one coming! Keep perfecting that technique, you two--it just might come in handy when the other guys least expect it!"

Abigail and Fern nodded and went back to it, the other Falinks members kept tossing the ball... they seemed to be into it, now. They were learning, improving, every step of the way.

Valentine hadn't been sure about the basketball event--she wasn't really much for sports, truth be told (that was one of the things in everyday life that Logan came here to avoid, after all)--but Grim's eyes had lit up upon hearing that the basketball team was holding try-outs, and who was she to deny the Weavile a bit of fun?

"Before you get started, you need to get dressed for the part, Grim! Pretty sure they have a rule against bare feet on the basketball court, after all!"

A Gothita umpire spoke up to clarify that it only mattered if the bare feet in question were dirty, excessively sweaty, or otherwise tracking in grime, but too late. Valentine had already gotten out the little booties she had bought for Grim, and she wasn't going to be stopped by a little thing like them not being necessary. Plus, what if the Weavile ended up working up a sweat during practice? Better safe than sorry!

"These sneakers are made for athletes, so maybe they'll help you become one! It's worth a shot, at least, right?"

The Weavile didn't look especially convinced by Valentine's argument, and he made a face as she shoved his feet into the sneakers, but he at least tolerated wearing them, so it could have been worse, all things considered.

"Really, Grim, I believe in you here, and not just because I can tell you're into this sport, though that sure helps. But really, you were practically made for basketball, all tall and skinny like you are! And now that you've evolved, you're even stronger and faster and taller than before! Get some practice in, and I'm sure you'll blow them all away! Now, go show the Bandanas scouts what you're made of!"

Grim didn't have to be told twice, shooting Valentine a quick nod before running onto the court after his owner's pep talk. And he did seem to be something of a natural at the sport. He could dribble! He could shoot! He could... pop the ball with one of his claws, apparently? Oh dear, that wasn't a good ability to have... and after the ball popped, Grim just stared at it, deflated on the floor, for a long minute...

Valentine didn't hesitate to take the chance to go cheer up her Pokemon.

"Tough break there! I'll admit, I didn't see that one coming. But having claws doesn't mean you can't play basketball, not even close! Now, I can see two solutions here. Either I go get you some cute little gloves to match those adorable sneakers you have on-"

Grim snarled at the idea, baring his teeth for all to see. Valentine shuddered a little, but she didn't let it stop her, though her speech after the snarl was a bit faster and more high-pitched.

"Or you can learn to hold your hands so you don't pop the basketball! I'm guessing we're going with option number two here!"

Grim nodded and looked back up at Valentine.

"So, uh, it's just the tips of your claws that are sharp enough to do that, right? So you just need to learn to play with the rest of your paw. Try to keep the ball close to your palm when you're dribbling--like this, kind of?"

Valentine's display, with the last knuckle of each fingertip pointed out to vaguely resemble claws, probably wasn't as good as she thought, but it was enough for Grim to get the idea, at least.

"Now you try?"

The Weavile was hesitant, but he took the ball, dribbling it cautiously a few times before darting across the court at his usual speed once more.

"There you go! Now, if that's not a Bandana team member waiting to happen, well, I don't know what is!"

"Blobert, you adorable little ball of goo, this is also you need."

Hilda, not unlike others among those present, has a certain appreciation for Space Jam 1996, and such being the case, when she had heard that the UNOVR Briarbane Bandanas were recruiting new players, she couldn't not have one of her pokémon participate. She had chosen her Ditto, because of course.

Said Ditto is currently being given the bandana Domino usually wears around her neck, although its a bit of a struggle to wrap it around the amorphous blob of a pokémon. Still, the flames make it look cool as hell.

"Sick drip and this." Winking, Domino shakes the bottle she has by her side.

Secret techniques?

Nah, forget that. How about DOMI'S SECRET STUFF?

Now, it sure tastes an awful lot like water, but Blobert is a good boy, and he fully believes the words coming out of his lovely trainer's mouth. Surely this is supposed to make him super strong and powerful, right? Flexing, the Ditto steps onto the court...

And then he transform's into someone's mighty mighty Groudon.

The Gothita umpire gives them a disapproving look, but Domino just shrugs and smiles, almost as if to say "Sorry, sugar, I see no rule against that."

Sure enough, there isn't, for the UNOVR Basketball rulebook is as large as it is comprehensive, and dearest Hilda had read all of it. Ain't nobody getting them on a technicality.

"YOU GOT THIS, YOU GLORIOUS GLORIFIED PLAY DOH!"

And sure enough, Blobert does, because it's oh so gloriously that he attempts to dribble while in the form of a Groudon that bears the goofiest of smiles.

GIVE YOUR POKEMON A PEP-TALK +3
USE YOUR SECRET STUFF (TECHNIQUE) +3
DRESS LIKE YOU'RE READY TO DUNK +2
ADD A WORLDBUILDING DETAIL ABOUT THE BASKETBALL RULES +2

GFnjkw9y1d20+10