04-06-2015, 01:34 PM
"Twelve thousand on the greenhorn contenders, Bisharp squad! I've got a hot tip!"
"Five grand on the Hitmon clan! They'll pound the competition into the dirt!"
"Three thousand smackaroos on Hariyama's band of hooligans!"
"Twenty big ones on the reigning title-holder, Machamp! Ain't no way he's going down!"
Scrambled parleys jabbered as fortune-hunters frantically slapped billfolds and briefcases over the counter of a shoddy booth. A motley horde of blinged out gamblers and head honchos conducted illicit exchanges. Among the frenzied pokemon, several lax 'agents of the underground' filed betting parchments, bereft regard for the proverbial powwow of hectic bartering amidst the scantily lit room.
"So how many stacks o' coin you plannin' on throwin' down the piss drain this time, eh Pan-chan? Grragagah!" A domineering reptilian patronized with guttural tone, chummily nudging the bearish mammalian to his left. His voice carried a thick Australian accent. Umbral stripes and maroon dermis varnished his scaly veneer. Most prominently, the crocodile pokemon boasted an exaggerated snout housing finely-edged fangs. His opaque eyes were coated beneath a dark membrane angling up to points on either side of his face, reminiscent of haughty sunglasses.
"Shaddap ya' grimy lizard. My fickle days o' bad luck 'er over. You won't be fillin' yer purse with my capital this time, slimy broker. An' I ain't gonna' tell ya once more Krookadile, it's Boss Pangoro," the cantankerous panda bear grimaced, bitterly reminding his associate to address him properly. Pangoro's Boston inflection was analogous of his gangster personage. Organizing paperwork with porcine paws, the mob boss delicately chewed on a leaf shoot. Charcoal fur extended beyond his hind, mimicking a fringed longcoat split near the end.
"Bein' in the know 'round this business is the key to riches, an' nobody's got the gumshoe lackeys I got. My informant confidant lemme' in on a lil' secret this morning', gohgohgoh," the thuggish hominid chuckled intrepidly, invoking an impertinent expression from his dastardly associate.
"Crikey! Awright mate, go 'head n' spill it. Do an' old friend a favor, eh?" Krookadile urged, anxiously swaying his spiny tree trunk of a tail back and forth. Had it been anyone else, the crook would utilize intimidation tactics to yield beyond the quandary, but he and the auspicious panda went way back. However, without so much as a word, Pangoro shot a wink at the Aussie before standing from the table and strolling over to the wager stand.
"One-hundred thousand . . . on the humans!"
Gasp!
— — — — — — —
"For the last time we're not naming the team 'Meat Squad' you idiot!" Buggy exclaimed, scolding the rubber captain with a bonk on the head. "We're the 'Flashy Hats' and that's final!" The eccentric pirate inferred, crossing his arms and grinning vainly. Perplexed sweat droplets cascaded down the forehead of every crewmate in unison.
Nervously pondering, Lopunny scanned the party, noting the ornamental headgear of all members other than herself. Luffy's straw hat, Buggy's pirate cap, Bubble Man's helmet, Slowking's shell crown, even Flabébé adorned a circlet. Disheartened with exclusion, she wished to object, but felt it not her place. Snapping into action, she snatched a Magikarp hat from the nearest stand and plopped it over her head.
". . ."
"Bahahaha!" The awkward silence shattered as laughter broke out among the clique, provoking a joyous giggle from the rabbit pokemon, freeing her from blushed embarrassment. "You're a funny punny!" Luffy praised with pep, ignorant of his own fluky wordplay. In that instance, Kilala hopped from Red Nose's orange headgear and onto the bunny's shoulder, taking her by surprise.
"Oh my! Hey there girl, teehee," she received, embracing the fuzzy kitten. "Always huddled up in round nose's hat, I forgot about you. She doesn't have a hat either fellas," Lopunny pleaded, cutely nuzzling the feline while caressing her dome.
"Ugh, fine fine. We'll come up with the name later," Buggy submitted, palming his forehead. "Wait a second blanket ears, what did you just call me?!"
"Posthaste, comrades! We're going to arrive late if we continue this fruitless banter," Slowking interjected, rallying the gang and scurrying toward the registration desk, where a lovely marshmallow figure awaited them.
"Wiggly-welcome! You must be the contestants Chief Emboar pre-registered this morning-iggly. All I need is the name of your group for referencing purposes during the competition-tuff!" She presented a clipboard listing an exuberant roster of squads, after which Buggy narrowed his eyes at the others with stone-face. Rubbing their collective chins, the nameless unit mulled over their options. Tension began to build as Wigglytuff patiently bided, a migraine brewing within Slowking's capacious mind until he snapped.
"Ergh! Damn hellions! Team Mugiwara! That's your title! Hand me that placard!" The psion irately commanded, brashly jotting down his improvised moniker. Eyeing one another, the gang shrugged with indifference before nodding in agreement. After all, Mugiwara meant straw in japanese, and though Buggy retained reluctance to admit such, Luffy was the irrefutable captain of their alliance, through and through.
Exhaling a sigh of respite, the royal advisor calmly cast the registry pad back into Wigglytuff's palms. Rallying the troop of misfits, he hastened forth toward the center colosseum in the nik of time as the opening ceremony concluded. As a result of their tardiness, Luffy and co. managed to skip the insipid formalities.
"Ah! Without a moment to spare, our alleged 'guests' to the island have made it! Kakaw! How polite of you to finally, ahem, grace us with your presence, homo-sapiens," Blaziken grudgingly introduced with phony hospitality, calling out the unit as they casually strolled into the light. A clamor of frigid boos emanated from the crowd.
Unshaken by their crude heckles, Luffy callously waved and produced a perky grin. Buggy pompously flashed the middle finger and vulgarly tugged on his genitals. Meanwhile, Bubble Man self-consciously hopped along the ground, groveling at the crowd's teasing laughter of his defect. Lopunny and Flabébé were overwrought with dubious aura; they garnered sympathy for their mistreated comrades, peppered by guilt as the two were of the same kind as their oppressors.
"Sure would like to git' a swing at them there humans, but they ain't gon' make it to the top for me to test their mettle," Machamp proposed, glaring at the group.
"Pika-Pi, they don't seem so bad to me. They're traveling with the advisor of the Royal Kingdom after all-kachu," Pikachu challenged in retort. Peeking over at his elegant associate, Roserade merely shut her eyes and remained mute, withholding judgment. She too claimed refuge within the Kingdom as the 'madam' and instructor of the Fleur Danseuse squad. It was because of this fact she felt it difficult to understand why Slowking chose to guide these strange newcomers.
"Ouch, not exactly a warm welcome, but don't fret, humans! It's to be expected, as it's rare to see your species braving this island, yet still you found a way to kaw-nfirm their bias by stirring trouble the very moment you set foot upon this santua-" The avian's microphone was brazenly snatched from his grasp by the pudgy psychic.
"That shall serve as more than enough for my waning tolerance. All of you, heed my words keenly. You do not have to like these innocent humans, but you will respect them. A morsel of foul play from a single individual and I'll shut down this festival and have the lot of you reprimanded for your insolence! I presume I've made myself clear. Now, let us celebrate this joyous occasion and delve into the nitty gritty! What say you?!"
Raaahhh! Raaahhh!
Parting with firm words, he handed back the auditory device and waddled over to his troupe's designated section. Overcoming numbed cessation, Blaziken mused for a moment, discerning his unmerited prejudice was infectious to the crowd. "I apologize, my dear friends and spectators. Slowking is right. I beg you all to treat them as though they were any other contenders. Chief Emboar must believe they are more than capable if he sought this form of punishment. Let's all see what they've got!"
With contagious charisma, the fire pokemon ignited vigor and excitement amongst the audience. "What grand timing too, as I've just received word that the placements have been affirmed. 'Team Mugiwara' is up first, facing off against the 'Hariyama Hammers' squad!" Blaziken feverishly ushered, presenting his talons toward the opposing corridor. Following suit, the combating squad stepped out, flooded with yowling and whistles.
"Entering through the west gate, hail the heavyweight and his martial art practitioners! During our preliminary stages, Hariyama single-handedly defeated the whole opposing team! Let's see if these new adversaries can pose a greater challenge!" The hawkish announcer glorified, burning with anticipation.
Obliging Blaziken's decree, a massive monitor flickered alight, portraying the leader, Hariyama, trouncing the competitors in his previous bout. Utilizing his enormous mitts, the hulking pokemon clobbered one foe with a walloping arm thrust, drove another into the dirt with a suplex, and finished the last with a beefy body press. The match lasted just a hair short of a minute, approximately.
"I'll take this one," Luffy valiantly volunteered without hesitation, cracking his knuckles and pottering forth to size up the goliath. Meeting Straw Hat dead center, the fighting pokemon smirked, lowering his eyes parallel to the young man's. Hariyama stood several feet superior to the seemingly unimpressive pirate. Bearing a visage indicative of sumo-wrestlers, emphasized by v-shaped crests of hair wrapping the sides of his otherwise bald cranium, he flaunted three-digit orange hands, both the size of his torso, yellow skirt extensions over his waste, and baggy cobalt trousers.
"Well, that sure didn't take long. Without deliberation, it appears both sides have decided their opening kaw-ntenders! Aaand . . . BEGIN!"
As the commencement bell rang clear, Hariyama opened with a mondo palm thrust in attempt to squash the insect before him. Obliterating the ground beneath, he lifted his mitt to reveal a small crater with tri-fingered indentations, minus Straw Hat. Flitting behind the stalwart pokemon, Luffy's astonishing alacrity intrigued the crowd, beckoning them to the edge of their seats.
Time to test it out. Not gonna' hold back against this fat oaf. I feel myself slowly returning to full power. Ever since I wound up in this strange world I've been weakened. That monkey jerk treated me like a rag doll! Ergh, no more! I'm going all out!!
"Gear Second!" The pirate muttered, planting his feet in preparation before pumping blood into his right arm. As a result, swelling clumps expanded along the captain's extremity before receding back into his sleeve.
Fssshhhhhh.
Flowing streams of vaporized sweat poured from the combatant's hyper-tensed physique while his skin polished to a shimmery pink hue. Inflating his vessels, blood surged through the youth's veins at a pace which would tear and burst under normal circumstances. Fortunately, the rubber nature of his anatomy prevented such a gruesome end. Metabolism skyrocketing, his body burned through nutrients like gasoline, fueling all aspects of his metaphorical engine. Flushed with adrenaline, he bolted forward at mach speed.
"GOMU GOMU NO . . . " Luffy incanted, slinging both arms several yards behind him akin to a pair of rubber bands. Guarding his torso, the bovine hulk positioned his palms, prepping to stave off the ensuing attack. Coming in hot, Straw Hat snapped both palms forth with breakneck velocity.
". . . JET BAZOOKA!!!"
KAPOW!!
With gut-wrenching impact, the strike bore into Hariyama's abdomen dredging a concave depression, bypassing his defense with ease and forging a sonic boom that rattled the arena. Eyes bulging and spit purging from his maw, the fighting pokemon liberated a groan of anguish. The critical blitz jettisoned the brute over a dozen meters within a squall of momentum. Reeling into the stadium walls, Hariyama was buried under rubble as concrete collapsed around him, carving a sizable hole in the enclosure.
"Gahh . . . haahh . . . hah," wincing and wheezing, the rubber pirate absolved Gear Second, acknowledging how strenuous a toll it took on him. Damn, my body still can't handle the strain for very long . . . I'll have to reserve it for desperate situations only.
"W–WOW!! I can't believe what I'm seeing! The ostracized newkaw-mer just annihilated one of this festival's most promising brawlers with a single blow! Even with trained eyes I could barely see the attack! . . . Victory goes to the leader of Team Mugiwara, Monkey D. Luffy!!" Blaziken announced as the audience lifted their jaws from the floor. Prior hisses and jeers had morphed into hoots and hollers; the 'vile degenerate human' was suddenly immersed in praise.
"Well, though short lived that was certainly intense! Once the clean-up crew mends the damaged stadium and Hariyama is carted off to the med-bay, we shall continue on to the next match. Until then, take a small recess, but return in haste as you won't want to miss what's in store next . . . Lopunny versus Scrafty!"
"Five grand on the Hitmon clan! They'll pound the competition into the dirt!"
"Three thousand smackaroos on Hariyama's band of hooligans!"
"Twenty big ones on the reigning title-holder, Machamp! Ain't no way he's going down!"
Scrambled parleys jabbered as fortune-hunters frantically slapped billfolds and briefcases over the counter of a shoddy booth. A motley horde of blinged out gamblers and head honchos conducted illicit exchanges. Among the frenzied pokemon, several lax 'agents of the underground' filed betting parchments, bereft regard for the proverbial powwow of hectic bartering amidst the scantily lit room.
"So how many stacks o' coin you plannin' on throwin' down the piss drain this time, eh Pan-chan? Grragagah!" A domineering reptilian patronized with guttural tone, chummily nudging the bearish mammalian to his left. His voice carried a thick Australian accent. Umbral stripes and maroon dermis varnished his scaly veneer. Most prominently, the crocodile pokemon boasted an exaggerated snout housing finely-edged fangs. His opaque eyes were coated beneath a dark membrane angling up to points on either side of his face, reminiscent of haughty sunglasses.
"Shaddap ya' grimy lizard. My fickle days o' bad luck 'er over. You won't be fillin' yer purse with my capital this time, slimy broker. An' I ain't gonna' tell ya once more Krookadile, it's Boss Pangoro," the cantankerous panda bear grimaced, bitterly reminding his associate to address him properly. Pangoro's Boston inflection was analogous of his gangster personage. Organizing paperwork with porcine paws, the mob boss delicately chewed on a leaf shoot. Charcoal fur extended beyond his hind, mimicking a fringed longcoat split near the end.
"Bein' in the know 'round this business is the key to riches, an' nobody's got the gumshoe lackeys I got. My informant confidant lemme' in on a lil' secret this morning', gohgohgoh," the thuggish hominid chuckled intrepidly, invoking an impertinent expression from his dastardly associate.
"Crikey! Awright mate, go 'head n' spill it. Do an' old friend a favor, eh?" Krookadile urged, anxiously swaying his spiny tree trunk of a tail back and forth. Had it been anyone else, the crook would utilize intimidation tactics to yield beyond the quandary, but he and the auspicious panda went way back. However, without so much as a word, Pangoro shot a wink at the Aussie before standing from the table and strolling over to the wager stand.
"One-hundred thousand . . . on the humans!"
Gasp!
— — — — — — —
"For the last time we're not naming the team 'Meat Squad' you idiot!" Buggy exclaimed, scolding the rubber captain with a bonk on the head. "We're the 'Flashy Hats' and that's final!" The eccentric pirate inferred, crossing his arms and grinning vainly. Perplexed sweat droplets cascaded down the forehead of every crewmate in unison.
Nervously pondering, Lopunny scanned the party, noting the ornamental headgear of all members other than herself. Luffy's straw hat, Buggy's pirate cap, Bubble Man's helmet, Slowking's shell crown, even Flabébé adorned a circlet. Disheartened with exclusion, she wished to object, but felt it not her place. Snapping into action, she snatched a Magikarp hat from the nearest stand and plopped it over her head.
". . ."
"Bahahaha!" The awkward silence shattered as laughter broke out among the clique, provoking a joyous giggle from the rabbit pokemon, freeing her from blushed embarrassment. "You're a funny punny!" Luffy praised with pep, ignorant of his own fluky wordplay. In that instance, Kilala hopped from Red Nose's orange headgear and onto the bunny's shoulder, taking her by surprise.
"Oh my! Hey there girl, teehee," she received, embracing the fuzzy kitten. "Always huddled up in round nose's hat, I forgot about you. She doesn't have a hat either fellas," Lopunny pleaded, cutely nuzzling the feline while caressing her dome.
"Ugh, fine fine. We'll come up with the name later," Buggy submitted, palming his forehead. "Wait a second blanket ears, what did you just call me?!"
"Posthaste, comrades! We're going to arrive late if we continue this fruitless banter," Slowking interjected, rallying the gang and scurrying toward the registration desk, where a lovely marshmallow figure awaited them.
"Wiggly-welcome! You must be the contestants Chief Emboar pre-registered this morning-iggly. All I need is the name of your group for referencing purposes during the competition-tuff!" She presented a clipboard listing an exuberant roster of squads, after which Buggy narrowed his eyes at the others with stone-face. Rubbing their collective chins, the nameless unit mulled over their options. Tension began to build as Wigglytuff patiently bided, a migraine brewing within Slowking's capacious mind until he snapped.
"Ergh! Damn hellions! Team Mugiwara! That's your title! Hand me that placard!" The psion irately commanded, brashly jotting down his improvised moniker. Eyeing one another, the gang shrugged with indifference before nodding in agreement. After all, Mugiwara meant straw in japanese, and though Buggy retained reluctance to admit such, Luffy was the irrefutable captain of their alliance, through and through.
Exhaling a sigh of respite, the royal advisor calmly cast the registry pad back into Wigglytuff's palms. Rallying the troop of misfits, he hastened forth toward the center colosseum in the nik of time as the opening ceremony concluded. As a result of their tardiness, Luffy and co. managed to skip the insipid formalities.
"Ah! Without a moment to spare, our alleged 'guests' to the island have made it! Kakaw! How polite of you to finally, ahem, grace us with your presence, homo-sapiens," Blaziken grudgingly introduced with phony hospitality, calling out the unit as they casually strolled into the light. A clamor of frigid boos emanated from the crowd.
Unshaken by their crude heckles, Luffy callously waved and produced a perky grin. Buggy pompously flashed the middle finger and vulgarly tugged on his genitals. Meanwhile, Bubble Man self-consciously hopped along the ground, groveling at the crowd's teasing laughter of his defect. Lopunny and Flabébé were overwrought with dubious aura; they garnered sympathy for their mistreated comrades, peppered by guilt as the two were of the same kind as their oppressors.
"Sure would like to git' a swing at them there humans, but they ain't gon' make it to the top for me to test their mettle," Machamp proposed, glaring at the group.
"Pika-Pi, they don't seem so bad to me. They're traveling with the advisor of the Royal Kingdom after all-kachu," Pikachu challenged in retort. Peeking over at his elegant associate, Roserade merely shut her eyes and remained mute, withholding judgment. She too claimed refuge within the Kingdom as the 'madam' and instructor of the Fleur Danseuse squad. It was because of this fact she felt it difficult to understand why Slowking chose to guide these strange newcomers.
"Ouch, not exactly a warm welcome, but don't fret, humans! It's to be expected, as it's rare to see your species braving this island, yet still you found a way to kaw-nfirm their bias by stirring trouble the very moment you set foot upon this santua-" The avian's microphone was brazenly snatched from his grasp by the pudgy psychic.
"That shall serve as more than enough for my waning tolerance. All of you, heed my words keenly. You do not have to like these innocent humans, but you will respect them. A morsel of foul play from a single individual and I'll shut down this festival and have the lot of you reprimanded for your insolence! I presume I've made myself clear. Now, let us celebrate this joyous occasion and delve into the nitty gritty! What say you?!"
Raaahhh! Raaahhh!
Parting with firm words, he handed back the auditory device and waddled over to his troupe's designated section. Overcoming numbed cessation, Blaziken mused for a moment, discerning his unmerited prejudice was infectious to the crowd. "I apologize, my dear friends and spectators. Slowking is right. I beg you all to treat them as though they were any other contenders. Chief Emboar must believe they are more than capable if he sought this form of punishment. Let's all see what they've got!"
With contagious charisma, the fire pokemon ignited vigor and excitement amongst the audience. "What grand timing too, as I've just received word that the placements have been affirmed. 'Team Mugiwara' is up first, facing off against the 'Hariyama Hammers' squad!" Blaziken feverishly ushered, presenting his talons toward the opposing corridor. Following suit, the combating squad stepped out, flooded with yowling and whistles.
"Entering through the west gate, hail the heavyweight and his martial art practitioners! During our preliminary stages, Hariyama single-handedly defeated the whole opposing team! Let's see if these new adversaries can pose a greater challenge!" The hawkish announcer glorified, burning with anticipation.
Obliging Blaziken's decree, a massive monitor flickered alight, portraying the leader, Hariyama, trouncing the competitors in his previous bout. Utilizing his enormous mitts, the hulking pokemon clobbered one foe with a walloping arm thrust, drove another into the dirt with a suplex, and finished the last with a beefy body press. The match lasted just a hair short of a minute, approximately.
"I'll take this one," Luffy valiantly volunteered without hesitation, cracking his knuckles and pottering forth to size up the goliath. Meeting Straw Hat dead center, the fighting pokemon smirked, lowering his eyes parallel to the young man's. Hariyama stood several feet superior to the seemingly unimpressive pirate. Bearing a visage indicative of sumo-wrestlers, emphasized by v-shaped crests of hair wrapping the sides of his otherwise bald cranium, he flaunted three-digit orange hands, both the size of his torso, yellow skirt extensions over his waste, and baggy cobalt trousers.
"Well, that sure didn't take long. Without deliberation, it appears both sides have decided their opening kaw-ntenders! Aaand . . . BEGIN!"
As the commencement bell rang clear, Hariyama opened with a mondo palm thrust in attempt to squash the insect before him. Obliterating the ground beneath, he lifted his mitt to reveal a small crater with tri-fingered indentations, minus Straw Hat. Flitting behind the stalwart pokemon, Luffy's astonishing alacrity intrigued the crowd, beckoning them to the edge of their seats.
Time to test it out. Not gonna' hold back against this fat oaf. I feel myself slowly returning to full power. Ever since I wound up in this strange world I've been weakened. That monkey jerk treated me like a rag doll! Ergh, no more! I'm going all out!!
"Gear Second!" The pirate muttered, planting his feet in preparation before pumping blood into his right arm. As a result, swelling clumps expanded along the captain's extremity before receding back into his sleeve.
Fssshhhhhh.
Flowing streams of vaporized sweat poured from the combatant's hyper-tensed physique while his skin polished to a shimmery pink hue. Inflating his vessels, blood surged through the youth's veins at a pace which would tear and burst under normal circumstances. Fortunately, the rubber nature of his anatomy prevented such a gruesome end. Metabolism skyrocketing, his body burned through nutrients like gasoline, fueling all aspects of his metaphorical engine. Flushed with adrenaline, he bolted forward at mach speed.
"GOMU GOMU NO . . . " Luffy incanted, slinging both arms several yards behind him akin to a pair of rubber bands. Guarding his torso, the bovine hulk positioned his palms, prepping to stave off the ensuing attack. Coming in hot, Straw Hat snapped both palms forth with breakneck velocity.
". . . JET BAZOOKA!!!"
KAPOW!!
With gut-wrenching impact, the strike bore into Hariyama's abdomen dredging a concave depression, bypassing his defense with ease and forging a sonic boom that rattled the arena. Eyes bulging and spit purging from his maw, the fighting pokemon liberated a groan of anguish. The critical blitz jettisoned the brute over a dozen meters within a squall of momentum. Reeling into the stadium walls, Hariyama was buried under rubble as concrete collapsed around him, carving a sizable hole in the enclosure.
"Gahh . . . haahh . . . hah," wincing and wheezing, the rubber pirate absolved Gear Second, acknowledging how strenuous a toll it took on him. Damn, my body still can't handle the strain for very long . . . I'll have to reserve it for desperate situations only.
"W–WOW!! I can't believe what I'm seeing! The ostracized newkaw-mer just annihilated one of this festival's most promising brawlers with a single blow! Even with trained eyes I could barely see the attack! . . . Victory goes to the leader of Team Mugiwara, Monkey D. Luffy!!" Blaziken announced as the audience lifted their jaws from the floor. Prior hisses and jeers had morphed into hoots and hollers; the 'vile degenerate human' was suddenly immersed in praise.
"Well, though short lived that was certainly intense! Once the clean-up crew mends the damaged stadium and Hariyama is carted off to the med-bay, we shall continue on to the next match. Until then, take a small recess, but return in haste as you won't want to miss what's in store next . . . Lopunny versus Scrafty!"
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