PMD - Saving Sophie - E6.2 - P3

Sia ran up to where Briar was taking care of the new garden in front of their inn, out of breath and clearly distressed. "Briar! Sophie needs... help! Gang from... Kaveri Canyon's... here to... kill her!"

Briar froze, and nearly clipped off a branch in surprise,"W-what? Where? when? O-oh, let me go get Jack!" He bolted inside as fast as his big, stubbly legs could carry him, but Jack was just exiting, so he instead barrelled into the Sneasel.

Jack acked as he went tumbling with his partner, cursing rather vulgarly until they finally landed in an almost comical heap.

The Bandit Bros were heading back to their base, a few feet away, when Buddy dropped his empty burlap sack upon hearing Sia's cry. His face turned dark and serious, as he immediately dashed to Sia, leaving the others confused.
"What did you say?! You said a gang right!?" He sputtered.

Sia backed up a step as Briar ran for Jack, turning to Buddy. "Ah... y... yeah, Sophie's old gang... is the Ebony Wraiths... they're here to kill her." That was right! Duan had said he'd overheard Buddy talking to Dusty and Eva about Kaveri... so Buddy would understand the problem well!

"Oh HELL no they won't." Jack growled fiercely and rose, a black look in his eyes. Briar backed up a step once he righted himself. Oh. This was likely to put Jack in a foul mood if they didn't end up doing something about it.

Thankfully, it looked like they'd be saving Sophie. Well, Even if they didn't, Briar would still TRY.

Buddy was a bit surprised that Sophie was in such gang. Who would have known, that at least three ex members from each gang ran to Tao to escape the same fate. "Where is Sophie? Where did you see them??" He asked, his tone sharper than usual.

Sia winced at this, "I... I can lead the way, I s...sent her there." She looked down.

Jack pursed his lips and looked at Sia tensely. "Is that so?" he asked blandly, and Briar nudged him with his snout. The Sneasel put an answering hand on the offending bit of Briar, "Well, lead on, then."

Buddy was about to protest, but he grit his teeth and looked to Jack before his eyes glanced back to Sia. He gave her a questioning look as he waited for her to lead them on.

Sia nodded, at least they'd keep questions for later. She turned and dashed back to the forest, hoping they'd be in time.

Jack followed her, bounding swift, catlike strides as he went. Briar, oddly, seemed utterly, completely silent as he moved, with much less grace, but a certain confidence that came from knowing nearly every plant and tree in the area.

Buddy began sprinting after Sia.

Behind him, Robin and Aether were also running, trying to keep up. The lopunny slowed down for a period of time to debrief the situation to the two, all the while making sure they weren't falling behind.

They were at the edge of the forest when a large explosion came from within. Sia flinched, "That... that's the place!" She stopped though as a figure emerged from the shadows of the newly planted forest. "Sia... what do you think you're doing? After all the trouble we went through to keep Sophie's friends out of internal gang affairs?" The zebstrika was tall... nearly 6 feet with jagged antlers included. Sia backed up, pale. "Jaing... wh...what are you d...doing here?"

"Sorry 'mate," Jack responded with false cheer, "But we're just better at getting INTO things we're not supposed ta than she is at keeping us outta them.." Though he seemed completely at ease, he was already trying to figure out the best way to deal with this guy.

"Yeah, there's no way this isn't going to get personal." Buddy added, giving the Zebstrika a hard gaze.

Jaing just sighed, "I figured. Well, Sophie's nearly dealt with, so let's play shall we?" He smiled, then seemed to blur as he used double team.

Jack rolled his eyes at the tactic, and used aerial ace to cleave through several of the copies. Meanwhile, Briar was using this distraction to edge through the copse of trees toward where the explosion was.

Robin gave a gesture for Buddy to leave, before whipping up an icy wind to clear most of the double team copies. As the copies dispersed, Buddy bounced out of the circle in time to scramble after Briar. Aether watched Briar and Buddy leave the field before switching her focus on the Zebstrika, to which she activated future sight.

Sia kept back, watching, but not moving. The zebstrika didn't pause in his movements as he let out a thunderbolt at the two who had dashed off towards the forest, just as they saw a blizzard spring up from their goal.

A thick vine shot out from Briar's bulb, grabbing a tree trunk nearby and swinging(ing) himself bodily over the thunderbolt. He trusted Buddy to avoid it too (Buddy was young, not inexperienced or dumb), and barely broke stride.

Jack, meanwhile darted forward and spun, claws glowing black as he aimed a nightslash at the zebstrika's ankles with one claw and shoulderjoints with the other.

The lopunny dodged the thunderbolt by bouncing away from the shock. He landed several feet away, skidding to a stop near the blizzard. He gave a glance at Briar, and then went ahead towards the blizzard's direction.

Just as Jack went for Jaing, Robin took the opportunity to retreat into a gyro ball and sweep towards the Zebstrika's legs, past Jack.

Aether backed off to gain more ground between her and the Zebstrika, taking care to stealthily move behind him and bombarding him with her pointy stone edge projectiles.

The combined attack of all three would have knocked the zebstrika off his feet... quite literally... but as the Gyro Ball'd Robin shot forward he was tossed off balance by a sudden Gunk Shot. Jaing managed to avoid Jack's low swipe but his other claw rake his shoulder as he moved away, using protect to shield himself from Aether's attack.

Robin noticed his sudden discourse and emerged from his shell to whip an icy wind at the Zebstrika, aiming to freeze his legs to minimize his rapid movements.

Aether made a face at the protect, and then leapt back, lashing an x-scissor at Jaing. After the attack left her horn, she prepared her next round of stone edge, mouthing a count until the future sight will take effect.

Jack wasn't about to let one miss stop him, and pressed forward, continuing to keep inside the zebstrika's guard. He knew most of his attacks would miss, but if even one got in, it could cripple the beast. He made a quick jab with a brick break next, aiming for the zebra pokemon’s joints.

While Jack was concentrating on the zebstrika, another figure shot into view and a flamewheel crashed into Jack's back, just as the zebstrika released a gout of Overheat around him in a blast of super-heated air. The frozen footing from Robin's attack quickly melted, though Jaing had been hit by the x-scissor and had been scratched again by Jack.

"Jack!!" Robin cried out, taking notice of the attack. He aimed a scald at the mystery figure, and ran towards Jack to cover him.

Aether's count was done, and the future sight took effect. A sharp pain pierced the Zebstrika's mind, and Aether, assuming it will halt him, took the opportunity to pellet his legs with stone edge.

Jack went flying with a cry of absolute agony(DAMNED super effectiveness), flailing out with a brickbreak as he tumbled painfully away and landed in a scorched heap off to one side.

The zebstrika was skewered as the future sight messed with his mind, and was hit by both attacks, crashing to the ground with a moan. His companion, an infernape, turned and let loose a flamethrower in Aether's direction.

Aether stepped back and braced herself for the upcoming heat- though it was stopped short by a column of scald coming from Robin.

As steam rose from the impact, Aether used it was a cover to escape the line of fire, running to the side and tossing a stone edge at the Infernape.

Jack, nearly completely laid out, cursed weakly, trying futily to rise and falling back on his stomach.

As if something had spoken to them, the infernape backed up to the zebstrika's side, popping a sitrus berry in his companion's mouth, he turned to direct another flamethrower at Robin and Aether to cover their escape.

Robin stood before Jack, making sure the flamethrower won't touch him. He continued to use scald against the fire.

Aether joined in the attack with more stone edges, but also began rushing straight towards the Infernape.

Jack shakily reached into his (CHARRED!*ANGRYFACE*) sack and pulled out a mostly in tact Sitrus berry of his own. THANKFULLY, somehow he WASNT burnt, in spite of that. He ate it quickly, and contemplated his next move. One more hit, from EITHER of them and he was done. He could feel it. but...if he could get the zebstrika out... then Robin and Aether would likely be able to handle the Infernape.

The zebstrika was already retreating, and as a parting gift, he used thunder, aimed at Robin's scalding water. The infernape grinned as he used another flamethrower to take out the stone, then turned to flee after his friend.

Robin got shocked by the thunder, but quickly used iron defense to try and block out the electricity. It worked somewhat, though it left him keeling towards the ground in pain.

Aether sidestepped to avoid the flames and prepared for another round of stone. "You're not going anywhere!" She yelled, and she was about to tail them, when Robin gave a hoarse cry.

"No! Don't follow them. You can't.. catch them." He coughed, hand on the ground.

Jack rose, munching on another sitrus berry," Robin's right. Our primary concern isn't catching the badguys, even if we were in a state to do so. It's to get Sophie out." He grunted, still burnt and aching all over.

"Tch. Cowards." Aether scoffed and dispersed her stone edge into the ground before walking back towards the others.

Robin nodded and then slowly rose to a stand. "That's right, now we have to go see how the others are doing." With that, Robin began running towards the others, and Aether trailed behind.

Jack made his way, much slower, to Sophie.


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Event 6.2: Tao Tree


Awww yiss another collab! Hope you guys enjoy it, it's going to be important.

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