014 Bushels ❦ [Action for Mahogany]

[buckyouup]

[Applejack has been quiet for the last few days. Hardly in the mood to talk, the southerner has been taking advantage of the warmer weather to get in some training. Never wanting to sit still, she takes every opportunity to run or fight or do something, but outside of her pokemon, she insists on being alone. She has to keep herself busy. So she doesn't think. So she isn't reminded.

One year. One whole year. And that's just the time she remembers. That's not counting the time she's been here before. She hasn't seen her family, her home, her orchard, in a year. She knows that time works strange here, that for her, time isn't moving back home, but that doesn't quite translate to her emotions. To her, she's spent a whole year of her life chasing strange animals while her family and her farm is without her. Stuck in some strange land, located who knows how far away from home. If she was never brought here, what would she have experienced at home? Would this year's haul be a good one? Did Apple Bloom get her cutie mark? She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to think at all.

If you happen to be wandering in a secluded part of town, you may notice Applejack training. She may be running laps, or doing sit-ups, or training her pokemon, but one thing is instantly noticeable: she looks like shit. Her clothes are torn and her body is dirty and covered in scrapes and bruises. She looks like she hasn't slept in days. She doesn't want to. She dreams of home.]

Comments

[friendyousohard]

[The blow knocks Sapphire over, but she knows exactly what to do. Tilting herself to fall square on poor Rascal, she flattens the hapless Zoroark beneath her bulk.]

It's kind of a pity he's not going to appreciate her sacrifice.

[buckyouup]

He'll do just fine.

[Recalling the fox pancake, she looks down at the last ball. No more bluffing, now. The last ball.

She tosses it into the field, and the mammoth burst free like a bullet, charging forward and ramming the Snorlax before Applejack can even give a command. He digs his tusks into her bulk, attempting to slam the heavy creature with a Superpower.]

[friendyousohard]

[The impact is incredible. Between it and the earlier Low Kick, Sapphire is barely able to stand. She'd probably be down already if not for Tesla's Reflect.

But Twilight just smiles.]

Rest.

[Oh Twi you troll.]

[buckyouup]

[Dozer snorts, pacing around the sleeping creature. Fine, if you want to close your eyes on the battlefield, he'll take the time to set up a Reflect of his own.]

[friendyousohard]

Snore.

[The thunderous noise of Sapphire's sleeping rips through the air. What, you didn't seriously think she was helpless just because she was unconscious, did you Dozer?]

[buckyouup]

[The snore was painful, but Dozer stood his ground. He charges, embedding his tusks once more, shaking the beast to its very core with an Earthquake.]

[friendyousohard]

Sleeptalk.

[Murmuring in her sleep, Sapphire opens her mouth wide... and her belly bulges outward as she uses Stockpile. As if her defenses wasn't already high enough.]

[buckyouup]

[Fine. His tusks still stuck deep, he jabs them in deeper with the force of a Rock Smash.]

[friendyousohard]

[And that wakes her up. Grunting in pain, Sapphire gives Dozer a very aggravated look.]

Screech.

[And opens her mouth to shriek his defenses down to paper.]

[buckyouup]

[Defense is for the weak! He lets out a frustrated roar, lifting her again with Superpower.]

[friendyousohard]

[And once again she's staggering after the impact, lumbering a bit away from him, gasping for breath. It's time. She knows it, even before Twilight gives the order. One last go.]

Giga-

[She's already tensing herself, readying the full weight of her massive body to hurl into the ice mammoth in front of her.]

Impact!

[And with a thunderous roar she leaps, smashing into him with all of her bulk and all the momentum she can muster. It's her or him, right now.]

[buckyouup]

[Dozer anticipates the strike. You could smell the desperation. Pathetic. All of you. He may not have any defense, but he can still use Protect.]

[friendyousohard]

[The two hover in the midst of Sapphire's impact, but Protect is the one thing Twilight hadn't counted on. She always thinks of Dozer as pure offense, dedicated to nothing but destruction. She's rather surprised to see him actually defending himself.

Sapphire stumbles back from the mystical barrier, unable to even lift her arms to defend herself. Twilight grimaces at the result. This is beyond even her abilities to turn around. She knows Sapphire could have done this if she'd guided her better, but it's too late for that now.]

[buckyouup]

[Dozer steps towards Sapphire. Knowing she needs time to rest, he gives her a small nod in recognition. You're not as weak as your trainer. You have his respect.

With that, he finishes the job, stabbing her with another deadly Rock Smash.]

[friendyousohard]

[Twilight pulls her back. She sighs irritably.]

Well, that's not what I planned on... But this isn't over yet.

[She pulls out another ball.] This... might surprise you.

[She tosses the ball, and out pops... Tesla?]

Supersonic!

[buckyouup]

[Really, you're just going to piss him off. Confused and enraged, the woolly beast charges Tesla, planning to bash it to the ground with another Rock Smash.]

[friendyousohard]

[Enough rage and he'll destroy himself. Tesla wobbles under the Rock Smash, but its no Superpower or Close Combat. It's still floating.]

Gyro Ball!

[Round and round Tesla goes, where it stops... well, it stops by smashing into Dozer's face.]

[buckyouup]

[The Gyro Ball connects, staggering the beast slightly. He snorts, breathing heavily. That fat monster was more troublesome than he anticipated. With a groan, he bashes his foot against the ground, launching a volley of Stone Edge towards his metallic enemy.]

[friendyousohard]

[The smaller rocks bounce of harmlessly, but a couple of larger ones batter Tesla badly despite its steel typing. In response, it begins to shine.]

Flash Cannon!

[And a shot of pure shimmering light (that is somehow a steel attack) rockets toward Dozer's face.]

[buckyouup]

[He Protects again, digging his feet in to absorb the attack.]

Twilight, this is gettin' out of hand. Just give up.

[friendyousohard]

I. Am. Going. To. Beat. Him.

[Tesla is on the verge of dropping, but she doesn't need him to finish Dozer off. Just one last chip ought to do it...]

Sonic Boom!

[Dozer's ears are really taking a beating in this fight.

[buckyouup]

[Well, if that fat monster can prolong her stay, then he can too. Despite the pain in his ears, he somehow manages to fall into a deep Rest.]

[friendyousohard]

[Again, something that she didn't expect. But immediately Twilight's mind starts racing. Can he Sleeptalk? Can he Snore? Or is he helpless now, and just counting on her not being able to hit him too hard until he wakes up again?

... She's pretty sure it's the last. And she's going to prove him wrong.]

Volt Switch, Tesla.

[The attack does nothing, of course. Electricity on ground is purely irrelevant. But then Spike appears.]

You might think this is a terrible idea. Mammoswines are perfect Dragon killers. Spike should be at a complete disadvantage. But there's a reason why he's my right hand.

[Her fist clenches. One more round before he wakes up, then it's a matter of who can dish out the damage the quickest.]

That reason is... adaptability. Flamethrower!

[Burn Mammoth burn!]

[buckyouup]

I'm sorry, Twilight. I asked you t'surrender.

Sleep Talk.

[The Mammoth stirs, annoyed by Applejack's voice. How dare she try to command him. Still in a sleepy haze, he unleashes a large ice shard.]

[friendyousohard]

[Twilight can't believe it. Not only does it in fact know Sleep Talk, but it got lucky enough to use Ice Shard, rather than say... Earthquake, which would have done nothing. The ice slams into Spike as his fire slams into Dozer, and he staggers, looking like it's over.

But there's one thing that none of the members of this battle counted on.

Spike stuck through it in order to avoid disappointing his trainer!

Friendship.

Spike's trust in his trainer increased his chance for critical hits!

Is.

Spike used Flamethrower!

Magic.

Critical hit!]

S-Spike?