lucetilogs | Mission: Burying the Past in Zompania

[Did somebody say raze everything?

It's exactly the kind of environment Giovanni thrives in. Barren lands, lots of destruction, and little interference inbetween. He's got a large, gray creature out - a Rhydon for those who are Pokemon-literate - and is happily standing back while the beast smashes his horn and fists into the sides of buildings until they collapse. The demolition makes the area pretty dusty, so he's holding his hat over his eyes, but his smirk is still visible under the brim.

This land's problems are not his own problems, so a dead city is nothing to cry over. He's here to train, not to sympathize.]

Again! [Rhydon roars and slams his arm into a concrete wall, making the entire thing topple over and crack into chunks. You may not want to get too close.]

[ The ground is unsteady and the air loud with the demolition work all around the city, and there's no knowing who'll be in the street on the opposite side of yours, unless you saw the person before picking your spot. Red didn't, and for the people he did see on his way in he didn't give more than a glance to at most. No one was here to talk, and unless they were his pokémon, Red wasn't either.

In any case, they were here to bury.

At the same time that Rhydon's building comes toppling down, the one behind it comes down as well, but bashing into the pile left by the pokémon than just straight down onto itself. It sends more shards of stone and dust over to the other side that's -- okay, not safe, but not about to kill anyone either.

Some forms - such as a particularly large and wide one - might be seen before the hazy air clears... ]

[Rhydon's strong enough to crush the entire remaining building if he wanted to, but Giovanni called for just the single wall to be demolished, not the others, too. Pinpointing strength is one factor of their training; they can destroy entire sections carelessly later for a bit of post-training relief, but this...

Ah, so he isn't the only one here in this section. Rhydon growls low, sensing the pair through the dusty haze.

Well, if it isn't his favorite ambitious kid. Giovanni waves some dust aside and calls out through it.]

A child like you shouldn't be out here seeing these things.

[ It's not only Snorlax and Red that stand there, but Venusaur as well, with the addition of Pikachu slipped on the other side of her flower to keep out of the way. Looking through the hazard suits with between the growing dusty air and the increase of condensation due to the trap heat might make it hard at times to see, but that person --

No, he doesn't need to wait for the dust to settle. Their voice is enough.

It's the last person Red needed to know was here in Zompania. ]

A man like you shouldn't be out here at all. [ And saying that he shouldn't be here-- ] This is a grave site, not a playground for you and your pokémon.

[Not getting sentimental here, are we, Red? Giovanni huffs out a laugh a kicks up a heap of dust. Ruins are just ruins, and any sentiment is useless for them.]

All land has been a grave site at some point. That doesn't stop everyone from treading over it.

[ Of course he would have an answer, dismissive and all. Red keeps still in his place for the moment, trying not to let his annoyance show more than it has, despite the way his hands want to clench inward. He shouldn't try to say anything to him, really. ]

Is it that easy for you? [ Keep cool. Keep cool. ] You could've stayed back in Luceti. Why even come out here? Just to wreck everything? Win some favour with the Malnosso?

Win some favor? [Please Red, Giovanni isn't the type to earn the chance of some petty favor. It's always people owing him favors.] I saw an opportunity to do a different kind of training, so I took it. That's all that matters to me here.

And how about you, Red? Consider yourself lucky that these suits were provided. The smell of corpses isn't for the faint of heart.

[ Winning favours, being owed favours. Same difference in the end. Red considers for a moment not answering at all, he doesn't want to use this place to prove anything about himself, but at the same time - ]

I already know what this place smells like.

[ - he has nothing to hide.

But hey, hey, what's with all this talking? That's what Snorlax wants to know, waving a paw and growling and huffing loudly. Why're you wasting your time on this guy, huh? Just tell us to fight him or not or let me know if you want me to crush something.

(But come on Red buddy, you want me to throw a house at his head, right? I'll shove a body or five down his throat too. Where's that effin' Nidoking, he better be glad he's not out right now or I will crush his dick with my fat foot--)

Snorlax hushes down when Red shakes his head at him and says his name to him. Huff goes Snorlax. ]

Is that right.

[The boy sure is growing up fast, and he's handling it remarkably well. You always were a little different from the others, Red, but it won't help you here.

It seems the Snorlax is particularly aggravated today. Remembering their last encounter, perhaps?] You should learn to control that one better.

He can say whatever he wants. He's not going to hurt your feelings. [ And he's not going out and hurting Giovanni directly, nor the Rhydon, which is all Red is concerned about.

But you know what, babbling isn't going to achieve anything anyway. He shouldn't do it, whether or not he does want to do something about this guy (like beat him down).

So Red's not even going to wait for any jerky answer Giovanni. He turns back to face the street that he's o, giving a quick glance at each of his pokémon before looking back to the man. ]

We've got work to do anyway. Talking and standing around is a waste of time for all of us.

[ Not that he cares about Giovanni wasting his time. Jerk. ]

[True, there is work to do - or training, as Giovanni's calling it. Whether his destructive little project is helpful or not doesn't matter to him.

But Red, haven't you learned anything about turning your back to your enemies? Giovanni glances over at Rhydon, who returns the look and eagerly digs his pointed toes into the soil beneath.

He knows what his master is thinking. There are still plenty of buildings around where Red's walking past, and they'll have to be demolished at some point.]

Again.

[Rhydon swings into action and pounds his fist into the dusty ground, sending a lightning-shaped crack soaring ahead as the top layer of earth splits. It's headed towards a building ahead; a distant attack like this might not cause too much damage anywhere else, but to a crumbling structure, it won't stand a chance.]

[ Usually, Red wasn't the kind to leave those kind of people with their pokémon in a state to fight.

Well, maybe there was always a good reason to feel wary around this man.

Snorlax is the closest to Red as they make their way, stopped by the sudden quivering of the ground and what follows it. There's no looking back to see the man and his pokémon; the building blocks their view of him, and then begins to block the view of the sky. Venusaur was back enough to possibly miss the danger coming down on her team, but her first instinct is to break into a run to get beside Red, and the whole of the group are lost with the toppling structure.

There's a roar of Snorlax that can be heard, lost under the silencing of the overpowering racket of the destruction coming upon him. And afterwards, once the building has finally rest, dust surrounds it in a thick encasing mist. All seems silence beyond the sounds of others in different locations, oblivious to everything going on right there...

It's quiet.

And then it's not.

It comes after a trapped rumble, and then the top of the rubble explodes and flies out. There's not enough of an explosion to send out all of what's fallen back out, but there's plenty of slabs being spread back to where the building once properly was and all over the street Red had been on. Though the dust might still make their sights hazy, it's Snorlax that can be seen, arms up and an expression - if only faces could be seen - of being utterly pissed.

The pokémon roars out again, surrounded by the wall of rock around him, and he points a paw out towards the two. But it's not just him there, angry and ready for blood.

No. There's another, and her outrage can be heard and seen when a light glow grows and builds - a power of sun and grass - and gets aim towards the rubble right in front of them --

And right in Rhydon and Giovanni's direction.

The stone becomes obliterated as the beam shoots out. ]

[Well, that's more like it.

He knows a mere slab of concrete isn't enough to end the beasts Red has raised, and it's be a pathetic shame if that really was all that was needed. It only takes seconds for Snorlax's arm to smash through, followed by a bright point of light that streaks blindly against the face mask over him. Looks like he also got Venusaur, and she's choosing to hit back without word from her Trainer first. What emotional creatures.

Rhydon grabs onto him and jumps, rolling them out of the blast once he sees it coming. The range is a lot bigger than expected though, and his tail get singed before he can leap aside. Surprising as always, Red.

Giovanni pushes himself up from the dirt, unfazed over Rhydon's aching growl. It'll only just fuel the fight further.]

I told you not to get soft while you're here, Red!

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