» attack dog. [toki]

They found him.

He knew that it was going to happen. As soon as the Riolu Morph landed near him, Neos froze in place. The Morph was massive, standing nearly a foot taller than Neos, with pointed, furry ears, glowing, red eyes and glittering-white fangs. He uttered a single threat (or warning) before producing a fancy looking Pokeball. Neos grimaced. “... Damn it.”

Preemptively, he began to look for a means of escape. He had Romileus on him, but he didn’t want to fight if he could avoid it. Plus, the Morph looked like he could tear Neos apart with little to no effort at all. Even if Romileus could take care of the Morph’s own Pokemon, there was not much stopping the Morph from simply attacking Neos himself. The Luxury Ball cracked open and revealed an Absol. Neos had seen Absol before; they were rumored to only appear before the beginning of a great disaster.

And considering Neos’s situation, Neos was inclined to believe that the rumors had some truth to them.

“Vize, where are you?” Neos muttered as he took a few steps back. The Weavile was nowhere to be seen, and there was no telling where he was either. Neos weighed his options; was it best to stay here and fight, or would it be more wise for him to retreat? After a couple seconds of thought, Neos turned on his heels and broke out into a full sprint.

He ran as quickly as he could, avoiding the fallen debris scattered through the streets. He didn’t bother looking behind him; he didn’t want to see that Absol or that terrifying Morph on his heels. Neos had no sense of direction of where he was running at all; the only thing he wanted to do was get as far away as possible from the two menaces pursuing him.

This was just his luck. He had only been in Stellara for a week, and he was getting chased by a scary Morph and Absol who both looked like they wanted to eat him.

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For a second, Neos thought that the Riolu Morph wouldn’t pursue him. However, once he heard the sound of rapid footsteps behind him, he knew that wasn’t a possibility. Now, Neos was fast, but the Morph was faster. No matter what Neos did, he just couldn’t shake the guy. It even got to the point where the Morph directly intercepted his path, causing Neos to skid to a halt and immediately run in another direction. He thought about trying to bulldoze his way through the Morph, but the Morph’s deep, guttural growls, bared fangs and intimidating stare made Neos very quickly reconsider. He also heard what the Morph was saying: “Stop me. Stop me.”

How in the world was Neos supposed to do that?!

Neos wasn’t sure if the Morph was taunting him or if he was legitimately wanting Neos to find some way to restrain him. The thought didn’t cross Neos’s mind until the Morph started hurling random objects at him, a stray cup clunking Neos upside the head. The Morph screamed in rage, demanding that Neos find whoever he was looking for and then do whatever he could to stop the Morph’s rampage. Neos gritted his teeth and looked behind him; the Morph was gone. He then turned back forward and noticed that the Morph was directly in front of him, having moved to cut him off once again. This time, however, Neos couldn’t slow down. He collided into the much larger male and essentially bounced right off, landing flat on his ass with a harsh thud. Groaning, Neos shook his head and stared up at the large Morph looming over him, dark eyes wide with terror. His fists clenched tight; if it came down to it, Neos was ready to fight himself. He knew that he stood no chance against a Morph, especially a giant Riolu one of all Morphs, but he at least had to try. It was better than just lying on the floor and letting the Morph tear him to pieces.

Then, a feral snarl erupted through the air. Neos perked up and glanced off to the side. A large, male Weavile was sprinting directly towards him, and Neos knew exactly who the Weavile was.

“Vize!” he called just in time for the weasel Pokemon to attempt a shoulder tackle on Toki. Now, Vize wasn’t as big as Toki, but he was massive for a Weavile; he stood as tall as Neos, so the evolved Pokemon had plenty of power behind him. Regardless of whether or not his preemptive attack connected or not, Vize stood in front of Neos, fangs bared in anger.

( You okay? ) the dark-type asked as Neos pushed himself onto his feet.

“I’m fine. I just … ran into some trouble,” Neos answered, gesturing to Toki.

( I figured. Let me handle them, ) Vize said, glaring at the two.

“… Vize. I don’t think you should be too hard on him,” Neos suggested.

Vize turned around and looked at Neos as if he were the stupidest living creature alive. ( Are you fucking serious?! He’s been chasing you all over the place like you’re prey! )

“Yeah, but I don’t think –”

( Save it. They both need to be dealt with. )

Then, Vize charged, his body outlined in a streak of white light. He closed in on Lota and Toki, aiming to strike Lota with a claw swipe across the face and Toki with a claw swipe to the stomach. Neos furrowed his brow and grunted.

He just had a feeling that something wasn’t adding up.

OOC: So, Vize shows up, and he's not very happy about Toki chasing Neos around and all that. He then uses Quick Attack to try and slice both Lota and Toki with some real fast CLAW SWIPES.

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“Vize, wait!” Neos yelled as the Weavile charged Toki and Lota. Vize’s speed was nothing to scoff at; he was built for it in every way possible. So, it wasn’t a surprise that he managed to get in a good hit on both Toki and Lota. However, when Vize tried to pull back out of striking distance, he found that Toki was keeping him in place. Vize growled in frustration and tried wrenching himself free, but there was not enough time. The Force Palm slammed right into Vize’s stomach, sending him flying back several meters with a pained snarl. Vize hit the ground hard, and Neos stared in horror. He knew that Vize was tough, but a Fighting-type move was still a Fighting-type move, and Vize was exceptionally weak to them.

It took a couple of seconds, but Neos finally jumped to action. He ran towards the downed Weavile and kneeled beside him, grimacing once he saw the nasty injury from the Force Palm. “Vize, are you okay?!” Quickly, Neos took off his backpack and began rummaging through it. ( I’m fine, ) Vize insisted even though he knew damn well that he wasn’t. Those damned Morphs weren’t as strong as a Pokemon, but they could still damage a Pokemon. “Just let me use this on you,” Neos said as he pulled out a Potion and began applying it to the wound on Vize’s stomach. Neos worked quickly; he had to unless he wanted that Riolu Morph and his Absol to attack Vize and him while both of them were vulnerable. The Potion needed time to heal and seal the wound, but it brought Vize some much needed relief. ( … Thanks, ) the Weavile said before he flipped up onto his feet in an acrobatic motion. He gingerly touched the wound on his stomach with a paw; it was still tender, but it already showed signs of healing. Vize then let his crimson gaze settle on Toki and Lota; his pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks.

( You’re both dead, ) the Weavile announced before thrusting his arms up above his head. The air became saturated with orange energy, and it melded together into a floating orange ball. It circled above Vize’s head idly, and the Weavile smiled, white fangs flashing. He then did a shoving motion forward, and the shining orb zipped towards Toki and Lota; upon contact with anything, it’d explode with voltaile chi.

“Vize! What are you--?!”

( If you haven’t noticed, I’m trying to prevent YOU from getting killed! ) the Weavile snapped, shooting Neos a look. Neos fell silent and watched.

OOC: Vize was hit by the Force Palm and it hurt. A lot. Neos used a Potion on Vize; due to his Doctor perk, it is treated as a Super Potion in terms of effectiveness. Now, Vize is extremely upset and decides to use Revenge to send a large ball of fighting-type energy towards Toki and Lota. Since he took damage the same time, Revenge's power is doubled, meaning it'll deal EXTREME damage by default.

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The more Neos was around Toki, the more the giant Riolu Morph terrified Neos. Now, it was safe to say that Toki already scared Neos horribly, but being around the Morph more and more didn’t help Neos’s fear of Toki at all. Seeing Toki brace himself for Vize’s attack surprised both Neos and Vize. The chi orb rocketed towards Toki and Lota, threatening to blast them both with bone-rattling force. However, at the last moment, Lota threw himself in the way of the orb. The orb exploded as it crashed into the Absol. Instead of being rewarded with an unconscious Lota sprawled across the pavement, Lota looked surprisingly in decent condition after an impact with such a powerful attack and one that carried a type advantage no less. ( What?! What the hell just happened?! ) Vize sputtered. ( That should’ve dropped you! There’s no way you are that tough to just shrug that off! )

Neos had no idea what gave the Absol the ability to tank such a strong blow. Whatever the explanation was, the fight was far from over. Neos tensed as a sudden wisp of light jolted out of the Morph’s coat pocket. It shaped itself into a female Frillish, and the ghost-type Pokemon immediately began to comment on the chaos that had engulfed the Gala. Neos blinked in confusion once the Frillish asked him why Toki was acting the way he was.

“Isn’t he one of those Team Crux agents?” Neos asked. “Isn’t what this whole thing is? A Team Crux attack?! He’s one of those Team Crux Morphs! This is what they do, right?!” He wasn’t going to believe that Toki was somehow different. Morphs were a common sight in Stellara, but the Team Crux Morphs all had one thing in common: they were all incredibly brutal and monstrous. Toki was no exception.

Vize smirked at Lota’s challenge. ( You’re slower, ) he retorted, using a Quick Attack of his own to nimbly flip out of the way of the Absol’s horn swipe. When Vize landed, he pivoted towards Lota and watched as Lota stalked around him. Not one to wait for an opponent to attack, Vize funneled energy through his body. The air around him cooled considerably, and several large, sharp icicles materialized above him. With a swipe of an arm, Vize sent the icicles zipping towards Lota. Afterwards, Vize flinched and clenched the wound on his stomach.

( Damn piece of shit Morph … ) he muttered under his breath, just in time for him to hear Toki’s comment. He only gave the Morph an ugly look. Neos, on the other hand, stared up at Toki in confusion. “... Thanks?” He didn’t know what else to say.

OOC: Vize uses Quick Attack to dodge Lota's Quick Attack. He then uses Icicle Crash to try and pincushion Lota with some big ol' icicles. Neos is confused and scared.

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“You mean to tell me that he’s not doing this out of his own will?” Neos asked the Frillish, voice saturated with skepticism. At first, he didn’t want to believe Iara or Lota. They associated with the psychotic-acting Riolu Morph. It was all rather terrifying to see; no rational person would act the way Toki was acting. Neos’s expression softened. Maybe there was truth to what Iara and Lota was telling him.

But the issue now was … what could Neos do?

Toki sank his fangs into his hand. He sobbed like a tormented soul. Psychic energy surged through his mind. Then, like a robot, the Morph stood tall and rigid. His characteristic slouch vanished. It wouldn't be long before Toki's psyche shattered.

Neos had to act fast.

The trainer eyed the potion on the ground. Lota's sudden lunge startled Vize; the Absol's horn sliced into the Weavile's stomach. Vize's healed wound was still sensitive, and the Feint Attack made him flinch in visible pain. ( Damn it! ) the Weavile spat, clutching his stomach. The wound didn't reopen, but it ached incessantly. The pain stopped Vize from retaliating, and Neos took the moment to act.

He ran right towards Toki, arms and legs pumping. Vize stared in confusion and horror as he watched his trainer. ( Neos! What are you doing?! ) Vize hollered. Neos furrowed his brow. Once he got close to Toki, he suddenly tried to swipe the Potion near Toki's feet off of the ground. If Neos got it, Neos would try to get out of Toki's immediate range. The last thing Neos needed was for Toki to get his claws on him. If Neos couldn't get the potion, then he was prepared to do whatever necessary to get it. Vize started to panic. ( Neos! Get the hell away from him! ) the Weavile warned. He tried to move, but the wound on his stomach throbbed; the partial dark-type growled in pain.

What in the world was Neos planning?!

OOC: Vize gets hit with the Feint and flinches! Neos decides to try and conquer his fears and springs into action. He is trying to get the Potion that Toki dropped. However, considering Toki is RIGHT THERE, things can end very badly for Neos.

toki

Neos swiped Toki’s dropped Potion off of the ground. He turned around to run away, but when he tried to move, he wouldn’t budge. Eyes widening, Neos gagged as Toki’s muscled arm swung around his neck. The Riolu Morph picked Neos clean off of the ground, the poor trainer’s feet dangling helplessly in the air, before choke-slamming him down to the ground. Neos screamed in pain as his back connected with the pavement, rattling his entire body. However, his grip on the Potion remained strong. Toki pinned Neos, demanding that Neos return the Potion to him. Neos did nothing. Neos’s eyes widened as Toki brought up a blue, fur-covered hand and curled into a tight fist. Vize rushed forward, but he stopped once Lota lunged forward and stopped Toki’s fist by biting Toki’s sleeve.

( He’s crazy! He won’t listen to you! ) Vize yelled as he raised a paw up, palm facing Toki. Icy energy formed in the Weavile’s palm. He wanted to try and impale Toki with an Icicle Crash, but he couldn’t get a clean shot. Toki punched at Neos again and narrowly missed. The Morph’s fist slammed into the concrete beside Neos’s head. Neos could feel the power behind the punch; a few direct punches like those would be enough to splatter his head. Luckily, Toki finally got off of Neos, leaving Neos writhing in pain on the ground. Claw marks were all around his throat, and his body still ached from the vicious chokeslam. Toki screamed like a madman, causing both Neos and Vize to stare in worry. Neos heard what Toki said before Toki got off of him, and it was enough to dispel Neos’s doubts about Toki’s true intentions.

Maybe Toki was doing this against his will. Literally.

Neos groaned and tried to get up. Suddenly, Toki kicked him right in the stomach. Neos recoiled from the blow and rolled onto his side. ( You bastard! ) Vize snarled, pupils shrinking to the size of pinpricks. He couldn’t let Toki get away with beating Neos like that. Vize was about to charge, but Toki did it before he could. It was no difference. As Toki neared closer and closer to Vize, Vize shifted his stance more and more. When Toki’s deadly claws came towards Vize’s face, Vize ducked and lunged forward with his own claws to dig them into Toki’s legs. Meanwhile, Neos finally managed to stand. He grunted, clearly hurt, but he did not let that stop him. He still had the Potion clutched tightly in his hand.

“Let me -- let me use this on you,” he told Lota, trying to get close to the Absol. “I know how to get the most out of these.” If the Absol allowed him, Neos would use the Potion on the horned dark-type, doing his best to treat as many injuries as possible. Lota would be able to notice the difference in the Potion’s potency; it would offer more healing and relief than usual. Neos wasn’t kidding when he said he knew what he was doing.

Regardless of whether or not Lota accepted the treatment, Neos turned his attention to Toki. He couldn’t let Vize fight Toki like this; Vize could hurt, maim or even kill Toki, and knowing how much Vize hated Toki, Neos knew that Vize wouldn’t hesitate to use the full brunt of his power. Sucking in a breath, Neos sprinted forward despite his fatigue and pain. He tried to approach Toki’s blindside, so that the Morph couldn’t see him. If Neos managed to get close enough, he would try and latch onto Toki’s back and restrain him by wrapping his arms underneath Toki’s armpits in an attempt to hold him in place.

“You can’t fight Vize! Fight me instead!” Neos said to Toki.

OOC: Neos literally gets choke-slammed into the pavement. Then, after Toki kicks him in the stomach, Neos lies there for a while before finally getting up and trying to use the Potion on Lota. Vize then dodges Toki's attack and tries to shove his own claws deep into Toki's legs. Neos then tries to sneak up on Toki and latch onto him from behind. He is trying to restrain Toki and stop him from fighting Vize so that Vize doesn't seriously hurt or kill him.

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