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Description
Explorer Recruits - Mission 1 - Chapter 2

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The Rampaging Colossus -- The Fight Begins!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A shooting star in broad daylight, now there was a sight to behold.

It was something you only read about in fairy-tales and folklore, not something you’d ever really see.

It was almost enough to make a man pause, and reflect on the beauty of nature.

At least it would be, if that man weren’t hurtling himself in a full-on charge against a decidedly unnatural behemoth, and if the star flying through the bright blue above wasn’t the screaming form of his deflected subordinate. Right now, the most the sight served to do was piss Griffon off.

With an enraged roar, the Donphan’s rammed itself into one of the goliath’s legs, rolling, black hide upending the once sturdy, white trunk of a limb, sending the construct falling forward, slamming into the ground with a resounding thud.

Griffon wheeled about, grinding to a halt before unfurling his body, searching the skies for any sign that Flynn might still be in the fray, but there wasn’t a speck of that familiar orange shell to be seen! The Donphan spat out a curse as he turned back to the felled titan, already starting to lift its colossal frame off the ground. No time to go searching for him now, he just had to hope that the kid had landed on something soft. Griffon stamped at the ground, readying himself for another charge as he lifted his forelegs into the air.

“Hold on there, mate! You just keep back!!”

Griffon froze in the air, startled, eyes searching for the source of the voice. He didn’t have long to look, though, as soon, the very earth beneath him began to shake.

The ground in front of the rising construct split apart, the cobblestone road opening in a jagged cleft that rushed for the beast’s form, spires of pointed rock spewing from between the rolling crack until finally, the split in the earth enveloped the golem’s outstretched arm, sending it back on its face, its colossal frame crushing the rising stone beneath it.

Griffon watched, briefly stunned, before he followed the crack back to its source, the base of an amphibian foot.

A lone Swampert stood atop the crack’s beginning, hunched from where he’d stomped his foot into the ground beneath him. Reaching up to straighten the wide-brimmed hat sitting on his head, he straightened himself, glancing over Griffon’s way, “That won’t keep him down for long. If you’re gonna go after your mate, here’s your chance.”

The Donphan stood silent for a moment, glancing at the golem as it tried to wrench its arm free of the fissure. So that’s what that’d been for. Griffon snorted, shaking his head as he pawed at the ground, “No can do. The bigger issue is here. The kid’s tough, he’ll be back before long. It’s just good he was sent flyin’ and not slammin’ into something. Besides, it looks like you had your hands full dealin’ with this thing.”

The Swampert smirked, offering a chuckle, “You’re not kiddin’ there. I could use an extra bit of force if you’re willin’ to stick around. I’ve been trying to put this lummox down all day, but he just doesn’t know when t’ quit!”

Griffon gave a grunt, nodding as he plodded forward, taking up a position at the amphibian’s side, “Understood. Consider me the back-up then. Major Griffon Donovan of the Cylcone Platoon, reporting for duty!” He flicked his trunk into a quick salute.

“Name’s Luke, I’m with the Explorers, we--” Luke’s statement was cut-short as the ground shook beneath the two of them, and the source of the disturbance brought a growl from the mudskipper.

Down the road, the golem had managed to wrest his arm free of its jagged, rocky tomb and plant it firmly on the street. Flecks of rock pattered against broken cobblestone as the mighty beast began to rise again, with hardly a scratch to show for its struggles.

Griffon scowled at the sight. He’d thought that maneuver would keep the thing down for at least a few minutes! Just what the hell were they dealing with here?

“Hey, Griffon, was it?”

Griffon cocked an eye up at Luke, the Swampert staring down the beast across from them with a stony glare as he readied himself for another assault, “Look, mate, like I told ya. I’ve been tryin’ to bring this lugger down all day. But there ain’t no bringin’ it down to be done, ya hear? We’re just the defensive line ‘til more help shows up to deal with him properly. We’re not aiming to knock him out, we’re just trying to keep him from hurtin’ anyone ‘til help arrives, got it?”

The Donphan nodded, turning to face the risen goliath himself, stamping at the ground as he readied for the next charge “Understood. Rush it, hit it hard, and keep it occupied.”

Luke smirked, slamming a fist into his opposite palm, “That‘s the ticket! Now, let’s move!”

As the Swampert leapt away, Griffon curled back up beneath his hide, kicking himself off at the beast. The plan was just to keep the monster at bay until help arrived. He could handle that. After all, how strong could this pile of junk possibly be?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Light.

A little light truly does make a world of difference.
In this case it was the difference between gentle, peaceful silence, and a splitting headache the likes of which would lay an Onix low.

Flynn groaned as consciousness slowly began to seep its way back into him. Every last inch of him hurt, and every centimeter in those inches was in absolute agony. It was just like that time he’d been bowled over by a rampaging Rhyhorn in basic training, which was incidentally the same time he’d learned not try to nip snacks away from the mess hall. That Miss Stonehorn was one vicious cafeteria lady, no doubt about that. Why if the Major had been there, he’d have--…

The Major…

“Major!!”

In a flash, Flynn leapt from where he’d landed, immediately regretting it. A sharp pain throbbed in his left frond, and the visual intake from his core was still warped. Everything was too bright, too hard to make out! The sun was near blinding! He could only see basic shapes, just a bunch of platform-like things stretched out over a wide expanse…rooftops, maybe? He needed to focus, but--

“Bossu, it would seem our guest has woken up.”

“Eh?” Flynn glanced around, trying to find the source of the soft voice, still unable to see much.

“Heh, guess he’s got a bit more fight in him than I thought. Hey star-boy, look this-a-way, y’hear?”

Flynn grunted softly as he forced himself to focus, his core slowly adjusting to the sudden intake of light. Gradually, two distinct forms began to take shape. The first was an Octillery, apparently looking up at him quite intently. But the other one…he couldn’t quite make out. It looked furry and a little slender, but it had this big, weirdly shaped rod sticking out of its middle.

The Staryu shook himself, trying to find his voice, “Who are you? Where the bloody hell am I? Where’s--”

But he was cut off before he could finish, the strangely shaped mammal placed a paw on his head, “Hey there, pard, simmer down now, alright? Y’ took a bit of bump to the head, and getting’ yer arms in a tangle ain’t gonna do you no good.”

“Oy! Boss, let’s leave the runt be, eh? We gots bigger fish to fry, in case y’ forgot!”

A third voice? But where on Earth…suddenly, gradually though, it began to make sense. As the Staryu’s vision became more and more adjusted to the light, he saw that the odd rod the fuzzy guy was holding was another Pokemon! A Skrelp, by the look of him, and the wielder was…he was a Floatzel!

“Name’s Cassidy, pardner,” the otter said with a grin, “And these two here are my associates. This little miss is Banzai.” He gestured to the Octillery sitting on the rooftop who promptly bowed her head at the floating Staryu, “And this here’s Marcus.” With a flick of his arm, he hefted the Skrelp back into his empty paw.

The sea-dragon growled in irritation as he straightened himself out into Cassidy’s grip, tugging backward, “Yeah, yeah, right pleased as damned punch! Now c’mon, Boss, let’s get back to the fight, yeah? Those two can’t keep ‘ol bush-head busy f’long!”

“Fight?” Flynn asked, peering over Cassidy’s shoulder. Down below, a few rooftops over, Flynn could make out the form of the golem who’d sent him flying earlier. And it looked like he was in the middle of an intense fight with someone on the ground! “Major!” Without another word, Flynn darted forward, anger blazing as he set to reengage the titan.

He barely made it an inch before Cassidy’s paw whipped out and grabbed him by the arm, another spike of pain shooting through his body at the touch..

Flynn ignored it though, and tugged fiercely against the Floatzel‘s grip, feverishly trying to rejoin the frey, “Oy!! Lemme go! The Major’s down there! I’ve gotta help ‘im!”

Cassidy‘s grip held firm though, and the Floatzel‘s grin quickly dropped, “Now hold on just a minute there, pard’. You ain’t in no shape to go fightin’ that varmint again. Unless you’re wantin’ this arm o’ yours knocked clean off!”

“Eh?” Flynn twisted himself, looking down at his arm, and immediately, he felt a lump rise deep in his core.

Along his left frond, there was long, winding crack in his carapace.

Banzai crawled up, tentacles reaching to delicately handle the Staryu’s damaged arm, “Intenssu stuructural damage. Unlikely to withstand another hitto. Directu engagement could result in damage to central core.”

Cassidy and Banzai released their grip on the Staryu and Flynn drooped in the air, bringing his damaged arm up to look at properly, grunting in pain as the motion sent a sharp ache up his limb. It was true, if this crack was allowed to spread deeper into his center…he could wind up hurting something important.

He shook himself in the air, flinging his arm away from his sight, “B-but, I can’t just sit up here and muck around while the Major’s-- ah!!”

Flynn drifted backward as Cassidy thumped his core with one of his fingers, the Floatzel coolly eyeing the young sea-star, “Now hold on, boy, who said anythin’ about sittin’ things out? I just said yer in no condition to fight the varmint. Even Luke an‘ yer friend won‘t last too long against the critter… But if you still wanna head down there, might just be that you could help us corral it in to some folks who really can put that sucker down.” Cassidy hiked Marcus back up into his paw, turning to face the action down on the city streets. He glanced back at Flynn, a grin spreading along his muzzle, “Whaddaya say, star-boy? Up for a bit’ o’ tag?”

Description
Explorer Recruits - Mission 1 - Chapter 2

---

The Rampaging Colossus -- The Fight Begins!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A shooting star in broad daylight, now there was a sight to behold.

It was something you only read about in fairy-tales and folklore, not something you’d ever really see.

It was almost enough to make a man pause, and reflect on the beauty of nature.

At least it would be, if that man weren’t hurtling himself in a full-on charge against a decidedly unnatural behemoth, and if the star flying through the bright blue above wasn’t the screaming form of his deflected subordinate. Right now, the most the sight served to do was piss Griffon off.

With an enraged roar, the Donphan’s rammed itself into one of the goliath’s legs, rolling, black hide upending the once sturdy, white trunk of a limb, sending the construct falling forward, slamming into the ground with a resounding thud.

Griffon wheeled about, grinding to a halt before unfurling his body, searching the skies for any sign that Flynn might still be in the fray, but there wasn’t a speck of that familiar orange shell to be seen! The Donphan spat out a curse as he turned back to the felled titan, already starting to lift its colossal frame off the ground. No time to go searching for him now, he just had to hope that the kid had landed on something soft. Griffon stamped at the ground, readying himself for another charge as he lifted his forelegs into the air.

“Hold on there, mate! You just keep back!!”

Griffon froze in the air, startled, eyes searching for the source of the voice. He didn’t have long to look, though, as soon, the very earth beneath him began to shake.

The ground in front of the rising construct split apart, the cobblestone road opening in a jagged cleft that rushed for the beast’s form, spires of pointed rock spewing from between the rolling crack until finally, the split in the earth enveloped the golem’s outstretched arm, sending it back on its face, its colossal frame crushing the rising stone beneath it.

Griffon watched, briefly stunned, before he followed the crack back to its source, the base of an amphibian foot.

A lone Swampert stood atop the crack’s beginning, hunched from where he’d stomped his foot into the ground beneath him. Reaching up to straighten the wide-brimmed hat sitting on his head, he straightened himself, glancing over Griffon’s way, “That won’t keep him down for long. If you’re gonna go after your mate, here’s your chance.”

The Donphan stood silent for a moment, glancing at the golem as it tried to wrench its arm free of the fissure. So that’s what that’d been for. Griffon snorted, shaking his head as he pawed at the ground, “No can do. The bigger issue is here. The kid’s tough, he’ll be back before long. It’s just good he was sent flyin’ and not slammin’ into something. Besides, it looks like you had your hands full dealin’ with this thing.”

The Swampert smirked, offering a chuckle, “You’re not kiddin’ there. I could use an extra bit of force if you’re willin’ to stick around. I’ve been trying to put this lummox down all day, but he just doesn’t know when t’ quit!”

Griffon gave a grunt, nodding as he plodded forward, taking up a position at the amphibian’s side, “Understood. Consider me the back-up then. Major Griffon Donovan of the Cylcone Platoon, reporting for duty!” He flicked his trunk into a quick salute.

“Name’s Luke, I’m with the Explorers, we--” Luke’s statement was cut-short as the ground shook beneath the two of them, and the source of the disturbance brought a growl from the mudskipper.

Down the road, the golem had managed to wrest his arm free of its jagged, rocky tomb and plant it firmly on the street. Flecks of rock pattered against broken cobblestone as the mighty beast began to rise again, with hardly a scratch to show for its struggles.

Griffon scowled at the sight. He’d thought that maneuver would keep the thing down for at least a few minutes! Just what the hell were they dealing with here?

“Hey, Griffon, was it?”

Griffon cocked an eye up at Luke, the Swampert staring down the beast across from them with a stony glare as he readied himself for another assault, “Look, mate, like I told ya. I’ve been tryin’ to bring this lugger down all day. But there ain’t no bringin’ it down to be done, ya hear? We’re just the defensive line ‘til more help shows up to deal with him properly. We’re not aiming to knock him out, we’re just trying to keep him from hurtin’ anyone ‘til help arrives, got it?”

The Donphan nodded, turning to face the risen goliath himself, stamping at the ground as he readied for the next charge “Understood. Rush it, hit it hard, and keep it occupied.”

Luke smirked, slamming a fist into his opposite palm, “That‘s the ticket! Now, let’s move!”

As the Swampert leapt away, Griffon curled back up beneath his hide, kicking himself off at the beast. The plan was just to keep the monster at bay until help arrived. He could handle that. After all, how strong could this pile of junk possibly be?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Light.

A little light truly does make a world of difference.
In this case it was the difference between gentle, peaceful silence, and a splitting headache the likes of which would lay an Onix low.

Flynn groaned as consciousness slowly began to seep its way back into him. Every last inch of him hurt, and every centimeter in those inches was in absolute agony. It was just like that time he’d been bowled over by a rampaging Rhyhorn in basic training, which was incidentally the same time he’d learned not try to nip snacks away from the mess hall. That Miss Stonehorn was one vicious cafeteria lady, no doubt about that. Why if the Major had been there, he’d have--…

The Major…

“Major!!”

In a flash, Flynn leapt from where he’d landed, immediately regretting it. A sharp pain throbbed in his left frond, and the visual intake from his core was still warped. Everything was too bright, too hard to make out! The sun was near blinding! He could only see basic shapes, just a bunch of platform-like things stretched out over a wide expanse…rooftops, maybe? He needed to focus, but--

“Bossu, it would seem our guest has woken up.”

“Eh?” Flynn glanced around, trying to find the source of the soft voice, still unable to see much.

“Heh, guess he’s got a bit more fight in him than I thought. Hey star-boy, look this-a-way, y’hear?”

Flynn grunted softly as he forced himself to focus, his core slowly adjusting to the sudden intake of light. Gradually, two distinct forms began to take shape. The first was an Octillery, apparently looking up at him quite intently. But the other one…he couldn’t quite make out. It looked furry and a little slender, but it had this big, weirdly shaped rod sticking out of its middle.

The Staryu shook himself, trying to find his voice, “Who are you? Where the bloody hell am I? Where’s--”

But he was cut off before he could finish, the strangely shaped mammal placed a paw on his head, “Hey there, pard, simmer down now, alright? Y’ took a bit of bump to the head, and getting’ yer arms in a tangle ain’t gonna do you no good.”

“Oy! Boss, let’s leave the runt be, eh? We gots bigger fish to fry, in case y’ forgot!”

A third voice? But where on Earth…suddenly, gradually though, it began to make sense. As the Staryu’s vision became more and more adjusted to the light, he saw that the odd rod the fuzzy guy was holding was another Pokemon! A Skrelp, by the look of him, and the wielder was…he was a Floatzel!

“Name’s Cassidy, pardner,” the otter said with a grin, “And these two here are my associates. This little miss is Banzai.” He gestured to the Octillery sitting on the rooftop who promptly bowed her head at the floating Staryu, “And this here’s Marcus.” With a flick of his arm, he hefted the Skrelp back into his empty paw.

The sea-dragon growled in irritation as he straightened himself out into Cassidy’s grip, tugging backward, “Yeah, yeah, right pleased as damned punch! Now c’mon, Boss, let’s get back to the fight, yeah? Those two can’t keep ‘ol bush-head busy f’long!”

“Fight?” Flynn asked, peering over Cassidy’s shoulder. Down below, a few rooftops over, Flynn could make out the form of the golem who’d sent him flying earlier. And it looked like he was in the middle of an intense fight with someone on the ground! “Major!” Without another word, Flynn darted forward, anger blazing as he set to reengage the titan.

He barely made it an inch before Cassidy’s paw whipped out and grabbed him by the arm, another spike of pain shooting through his body at the touch..

Flynn ignored it though, and tugged fiercely against the Floatzel‘s grip, feverishly trying to rejoin the frey, “Oy!! Lemme go! The Major’s down there! I’ve gotta help ‘im!”

Cassidy‘s grip held firm though, and the Floatzel‘s grin quickly dropped, “Now hold on just a minute there, pard’. You ain’t in no shape to go fightin’ that varmint again. Unless you’re wantin’ this arm o’ yours knocked clean off!”

“Eh?” Flynn twisted himself, looking down at his arm, and immediately, he felt a lump rise deep in his core.

Along his left frond, there was long, winding crack in his carapace.

Banzai crawled up, tentacles reaching to delicately handle the Staryu’s damaged arm, “Intenssu stuructural damage. Unlikely to withstand another hitto. Directu engagement could result in damage to central core.”

Cassidy and Banzai released their grip on the Staryu and Flynn drooped in the air, bringing his damaged arm up to look at properly, grunting in pain as the motion sent a sharp ache up his limb. It was true, if this crack was allowed to spread deeper into his center…he could wind up hurting something important.

He shook himself in the air, flinging his arm away from his sight, “B-but, I can’t just sit up here and muck around while the Major’s-- ah!!”

Flynn drifted backward as Cassidy thumped his core with one of his fingers, the Floatzel coolly eyeing the young sea-star, “Now hold on, boy, who said anythin’ about sittin’ things out? I just said yer in no condition to fight the varmint. Even Luke an‘ yer friend won‘t last too long against the critter… But if you still wanna head down there, might just be that you could help us corral it in to some folks who really can put that sucker down.” Cassidy hiked Marcus back up into his paw, turning to face the action down on the city streets. He glanced back at Flynn, a grin spreading along his muzzle, “Whaddaya say, star-boy? Up for a bit’ o’ tag?”