13th Match // July Open Log

[fuelthefire]

Who: Krieg & anyone in the area
Where: Blackthorn, Goldenrod, and the Sevii Islands
When: The month of July
Summary: It's an open log!
Rating: "K" for Krieg (so IDK, cw for gratuitous shirtlessness and possible gorey dialogue)

ZEN AND THE ART OF MEAT
     July 10 - 14: Blackthorn Mountains
The peak of summer isn't usually the best time to visit a town famous for its winter sports, but for a man like Krieg, who hates shirts, there could be no better time. The weather is pleasantly warm-pushing-hot, which is totally fine with him. It's kind of like running around while literally on fire, only without having to do the damage received vs damage given balancing act he perfected on Pandora. He's taking a couple of days to wander around in the mountains in search of the old lady described in the Scavenger Hunt list. The locals have given him a general direction, and he's taken it from there.

Naturally, he's got some of his team out for walkies. Or. Rollies, in this case, because Spark Ball the massive Electrode is out and, when the trail allows, prone to rolling off at full speed ahead without any warning whatsoever.

Luckily, Krieg is around to provide the warnings SB fails to:

"IT'S GONNA ROLL A TURKEY!"

Yup, this is totally not dangerous for other people at all!

HOW DO YOU SPELL NOSTALGIA
     July 18th: Dumpster Diving in Goldenrod
Krieg tries to hit up Goldenrod as frequently as possible. He's got a giant Muk to take care of, and he wants to make sure the big guy is getting enough to eat.

What this means is that about once a week, a giant shirtless man can be found dumpster diving in the wee hours of the morning alongside an enormous Muk. Slag Stack oozes patiently at the base of whatever dumpster Krieg has crawled into and catches whatever offerings Krieg tosses out in his mouth. Old shoes, moldy food, greasy disposable food containers, a cardboard box some asshole should have recycled instead of throwing away, broken down furniture...it's all delicious to a Muk.

This morning is a little livelier than most. Upon throwing open the lid of a prime-looking dumpster, Krieg has unleashed a swarm of Zigzagoon that have either made the garbage heap their home or their snack palace. None-too-pleased at being disturbed, the squirrely trash pandas immediately go on the offensive. Five against one isn't great odds for most people, but it's exactly the kind of odds Krieg likes best.

The Zigzagoons are wiggly little beasties, though, and tricky to hit. Melee and ranged attacks both seem to have about a 50 percent success rate, which isn't bad, but when there are five targets all moving around very fast, there are definitely going to be misfires.

"Vomit the hardball!"

It's a testament to just how much time Krieg spends with each of his fighters that they understand his nonsense and are able to respond appropriately. Slag Stack gathers its viscous body underneath itself and opens its mouth to, well. Vomit. What comes up and out is a Mud Bomb, and the Muk directs it at the Zigzagoon that has circled around to the alley opening in hopes of flanking. The Zigzagoon dodges the mud, and it flies...harmlessly? Past. Hopefully no one's walking past the entry to the alley, because they might be in for a muddy surprise.

THUMB IN THE WOUND
     July 23rd: SEVII ISLANDS - Attack on Voltron Island
I.
Krieg's arrival on the island typically follows the same formula. Normally touchdown on the beach is announced by some shouted nonsense - today it's "HERE COMES THE BAD TIMES!" - and the almost immediate stampede of all Incineroars within earshot to the beach.

Today is no different.

Within moments of Krieg's arrival he's cat-piled by two very large, very powerful Pokemon, and all three of them throw down and immediately begin a free-for-all three-way wrestling match to the death--okay maybe not to the death but it's very serious and very macho and definitely not even a little bit comical, nope, not even a bit.

If anyone wants a free show, there's one on the beach. It'll probably go on for a while.

II.
If someone has somehow missed the free show on the beach that heralded Krieg's arrival, they might stumble into him in the kitchen. There is one very tall shirtless man wearing a weird mask currently leaning down to peer into the open refrigerator. He has an adorable pink Sylveon draped over his shoulders like some kind of living cat-bunny scarf. What is he looking for? Is he going to steal that leftover pizza from last night that clearly has someone's name marked on it?

Maybe he'll explain if someone asks nicely.

Comments

sevii | 2

[shiro2hero]

[You get used to waking up early as heck when not only does one of your teammates head off to work then, but that ends up waking your pokemon up in turn. So they start clamoring for food and you have to trek out of bed for a minute to get them something.]

[Nebula the Umbreon trots ahead of him, leaving Luna in bed with a sleeping Matt. He usually ducks back there after a while, so there's no harm. Lance is out, no one to see a grown ass man in Starmie boxers feeding pokemon at sunrise.]

[Except something disturbs the routine. And that is him stumbling over Nebula as she pauses in the kitchen, her fur fluffed up at the sight of someone new...]

Hey -- what do you -- [Give his brain a second to process. He needs coffee okay.] -- Krieg!

[fuelthefire]

[Adorababy's head pops up at Shiro's initial question, and Krieg's follows a second or two after when Shiro says his name. If he notices the infamous Starmie shorts or the bristling Umbreon, he doesn't immediately comment on them. Instead, he merely grins widely under his mask when he sees his friend and responds,]

Hey, Sugar! Ready for a barbecue?

[shiro2hero]

[You know what, Krieg? You're getting a hug. Come here, you big goober. It's been too long since Shiro saw you. Just throws his arms around him.]

Anything you want, man. It's good to see you.

[He absolutely means that. No matter whose pizza Krieg is eating. Nebula sits up on her back legs, paws on her trainer's hip. Trying to sniff at Adorababy. Friend?]

[fuelthefire]

[He was not expecting a hug. He hasn't had any hugs since the last time he saw Gaige, and has never ever had one from Shiro, but even though this one is wholly unexpected, he only hesitates for a second before hugging back. It feels a little strange to hug Shiro, since he's only ever really hugged two different skinny noodle girls and Shiro is built like a muscular dorito, but it's not a bad strange. It's actually....really good? Because whenever he hugged Angel or Gaige, Krieg had always been very aware of how small they both were, and how easy it would be to hurt them if he wasn't careful.

So, yeah, Shiro is getting a squeeze.]

I want a bonfire, a gallon of gasoline, and a butt-ton of steaks!

[Adorababy is not really here to be a part of this manly hug, so he actually extracts himself and stretches a ways down Krieg's back before sliding a bit, and then pushing off to land on the floor to say a proper hello to Nebula. His ribbons are all perked in a friendly manner and he sniffs politely at the Umbreon. Friend!]

[shiro2hero]

[Look, Krieg, the last few times they'd talked, you hadn't exactly been in the best place. And after all that's happened. All the bonding? You're a good friend around here. At least where Shiro is concerned. He's worried, for a moment, that he's overstepped a boundary, until Krieg returns the hug.]

[Then he's laughing, incredulously, when the big man squeezes him.]

Careful! Don't break my ribs there... [But he's still laughing, and not letting go until the request.] You want to cook? Out on the beach?

[Sounds like a party, buddy.]

[Nebular flicks her ears, perking her tail. She's got a lot of cat role models, okay, she tends to take after them more than anything. But returns that sniff, trilling in curiosity. What are you, friend? You're pretty!]

Action for Sasha and threadjackers

[fuelthefire]

THERE'S NO BARBECUE 'TILL I SAY THERE'S A BARBECUE!
[Krieg has never been a particularly imaginative man. At least, not that he can remember. As such, he's never been prone to imagine what his life might be like two, five, ten years down the line; mostly because he never expected to live that long, but for as long as he's not on Pandora, he does seem to have some kind of actual life. Maybe even one that could be considered "normal."

With all that said, if he were prone to imagining future scenarios, he definitely never would have pictured himself at the center of something so domestic. And yet here he is, doing his very, very best to teach Sasha how to barbeque. It's not easy for him to describe how to tell when the coals are ready, because that's just something he instinctively knows. So the instructions goes mostly like this:]

Okay, NOW put on the meat!!

[She's not stupid; she can probably pick this up just from observing when Krieg does stuff, right? Totally.]

[lordofthefries]

[While the concept of barbecue is brand new to her, cooking meat over a smoldering flame is still more familiar to Sasha than banging around the stove for the first time. For starters, there's no knobs or buttons or beeps. Just charcoal, an Arcanine aptly named after the activity she and Krieg are participating in, and a bevy of steaks, ribs, and hamburgers. Simple is best.

And simple is exactly what works for Sasha in the instructions department. As soon as Krieg starts bellowing at her, she quickly drops a couple ridiculously thick steaks, then a few burgers, and then shoves the ribs on too but on the cooler side of the grill. If having to cook over campfire back home taught Sasha anything, it was some things take longer and burning them is not an option.]

Meeeeeeeat...

[The sizzle of cool meat on a hot grill is like music to her ears and soon enough, she'll start drooling once the wind kicks up and the aroma fills her nose.]

[fuelthefire]

[Like one of Pavlov's dogs, Krieg's mouth begins to water as soon as he hears the first hisssss of the cold meat hitting the hot grill. And it'll only get worse once the smell hits.]

Meheheheeeeeeat...!

[The fact that Sasha speaks his language is basically the best thing ever. Soon they'll both be chanting over the grill like a pair of really weird cultists.

But first....he's got a few bottles of various steak sauces to hand, and he passes one over to Sasha to do with as she will. While completely unseasoned meat on this planet is perfectly palatable (unlike on Pandora...but what can you do), a splash of some kind of sauce or another can really dial things up to the next level. Maybe he's getting spoiled by being here, but who friggin' cares? Eat it while you got it.]

Sevii - II

[tookashirototheknee]

[Matt has the unfortunate luck of having a night job. So, he'll stumble into the kitchen about midday, terrible bedhead, and Lunatone boxers. Hovering beside him is a meteor pokemon, as well as a tiny Mimikyu in a Spheal disguise.

Starting to make coffee, he looks blearily up at the newcomer, a very confused look on his face.]

Who're you, 'n why're you in my kitchen?

[fuelthefire]

[A lot of Shiro's friends have shown up recently, and Krieg has yet to meet them all.

....And, a few have been here for months now and Krieg still hasn't met them, either.

Does this make him a bad friend? Probably. He never claimed to be a good one, though.

The Sylveon's head perks up first when Matt speaks, and he trills a polite greeting to both the human and the two 'mons accompanying him. Krieg withdraws from his fridge inspection a moment later and shuts the door, turning to look at Matt.]

Krieg! It's past time to barbecue for Sugar!

[Good job, Krieg; that's as clear as mud.]

[tookashirototheknee]

[The Mimikyu waves a diguise-flipper at the other 'mon, and Minior twirls in greeting. Matt just blinks a few times, running a hand through his hair.]

Uh.... what? I really think I need coffee right now. So, uh, hi, I'm Matt. I live here.

[fuelthefire]

[Krieg squints briefly when Matt introduces himself and lets the name roll around in his head for a moment or two. Matt, Matt, in what context has Shiro talked about a Matt...

He perks up visibly when the realization hits, and he grins widely, though the expression is hidden under his mask.]

You're the Boyfriend!

[He's so delighted, the Sylveon still draped over his shoulders picks up on the feeling and echos his exclamation with a happy little trill, ribbons waving.]

I wrestle with the muscle cats and sleep on the porch.

[He adds this since apparently stating what they do in this particular household is a part of the introductions.]

[tookashirototheknee]

Uh... yeah?

[Matt blushes. There's something almost comforting in just being 'Shiro's boyfriend', really.]

I, er, I work at the observatory doing night programs about stars and things. You... don't have to sleep on the porch. I'm sure we could find you somewhere to actually sleep if you wanted.

sevii 1 - IT'S TIME

[whatsacactus]

[Keith, while on the islands, has still kept up a similar schedule he had at the Garrison. Up early around dawn, morning routine regimen, then walking around the island for a bit before going back to the house. Usually he'll have Torracat out with him to keep her active too; she doesn't complain a bit, she's usually running ahead of him.

This morning though?

This morning there's shouting and possibly laughter? And a big pile of black and red muscle and oh god the Inceniroars are fighting. He doesn't want Torracat jumping in, not with how small she still is, so he scoops her up before she can run in.

It's then he realizes there's laughter. There's a person in there!]

Hey! Hey, come on you two! Knock it off!

HECK YES

[fuelthefire]

[This is not the hysterical laughter of a man afraid for life and limb - specifically his own. This is the hysterical laughter of a man who is having the time of his life as he gets a good grip on one feline forelimb and suplexes Polo right into the sand!]

Mnahahahahaha! I told you what would happen!

[Krieg's victory is short-lived, though, because in the very next moment Red straight up body-slams him and sends him sprawling. A mere second later, she's on top of him, attempting to pin him to the sand, but that's also all the time it takes for Polo to roll over, regain his feet, and take a flying tackle at Red, removing her from atop Krieg and sending them both into a rolling pile in the sand. Krieg, not wanting to be left out, scrambles to his feet and launches himself back into the fray, where he manages to crook an elbow around one furry neck - Polo's, for the record - and engage a nice solid headlock.

....Then someone is yelling at them to knock it off, and Red, good girl that she is, stops what she's doing to look up at the interloper. Krieg notices a second or two later, because she's stopped yanking at his legs, and then finally Polo gets the message and stops struggling against his headlock.

None of them move otherwise, frozen for the moment like some kind of life-sized wrestling diorama. Now Keith has two and a half pairs of eyes all staring straight up at him from varying compromising positions in the sand. They look exactly as guilty as two cats and a shirtless man wearing a full face mask can look; that is to say, not guilty at all.

After a moment or so, Krieg speaks.]

What?

[whatsacactus]

[Keith watches the mayhem come to a slow stop. And then it's all eyes on him. Shit, he hates that. But worse for him is that the guy doesn't seem to be hurt or in any actual danger.

So his stopping this was. Kind of pointless. He stammers a little when he finally tries to talk.]

I-- Uh. I just, I was walking through and thought--

They're big and I couldn't see what was happening!

[Torracat is still squirming in his arms, trying to get loose and play! She wants to play with the other big cats!]

[fuelthefire]

[Aww, man, did he worry this guy? That's no good.]

It's just the muscle cat beatdown!

[Uh, Krieg? That makes it sound worse. Jeez.

After he says that, though, he releases Polo from his headlock with an affectionate noogie and sits up. Both Incineroars make disappointed cat noises - playtime's over already? It's been months since Krieg visited and they barely got to fight! This sucks!]

No one's hurt.

[Well, Krieg has a couple of impressive-looking bruises already starting to fill in over his ribs, but it's pretty obvious he doesn't care about those. Either that or he hasn't noticed them yet. In any event, he squints thoughtfully at Keith and tilts his head to one side.]

Are you one of Sugar's kids?

Goldenrod

[badluckbabe]

"What is that smell?"

That's all Jinx manages to get out before a mud bomb slams right into the side of her knocking her off her feet and into a trashcan. She's so scrawny she falls right in, striped stockings sticking out like the wicked witch of the west dispatched in a less grandiose manner.

For once, her Murkrow who usually laughs at her misfortune is silent. This...might be how Jinx goes back to being a super villain.

Move fast Krieg, her shock can only last for a few seconds.

[fuelthefire]

As focused as Krieg is on the fight in front of him, he doesn't fail to notice the civilian casualty; her question alerts him to her presence, and the noise of the garbage can engagement really grabs his attention. For a split second he sees the striped stockings sticking awkwardly out over the rim and thinks Gaige, but the voice was wrong, and the black murderbird is wrong, and he's just generally had far too many emotional blows lately to have the energy to gear up his hopes.

"It's time to clean the table!" is how he directs Slag Stack to just. Freaking. Body Slam and employ his mass in trapping the bratty agile Zigzagoons so that Krieg can hurry over to the site of the Mud Bomb casualty. He peers in to look at the person stuck within.

"There's more room for naps in the dumpsters."

Because that's what you say to the young woman your Muk has just bowled directly into the garbage. At least there's no judgement of the trash nap lifestyle here?

[badluckbabe]

There is a moment of silence, and then she twists and wriggles around showing surprising dexterity before shooting out of the trash can and swinging her shoe for his face.

"Control your friggin pokemon you idiot!"

She is not typically prone to violent outbursts...but she's also covered in garbage. Murkrow flaps her wings in surprise and seems unsure of if she should step in or not. After all while Jinx may be skilled and fighting with her feet...this guy is freaking ripped!

[fuelthefire]

The shoe connects, right in the middle of his mask. It's a solid kick, and the surprise of the blow causes him to take a step back. His foot lands on a soft, furry body, which squawks indignantly and streaks away from him, and up into the occupied garbage can. It shrieks again upon realizing the garbage is occupied, and begins scrambling wildly to get back out again.

Krieg, meanwhile, engages in a brief fight to keep his balance once tripped up by the wild Zigzagoon, which he ultimately loses. He goes down hard, but the pain of his landing - in addition to the shock of being kicked in the face - simply causes him to laugh.

"Mnnuaaahahahahahohoho!"

The rest of the Zigzagoon gang, winded and weakened by the powerful Muk's attacks, appear to take both the sound of unhinged manic laughter and the sound of their compatriot chittering in alarm as a sign to retreat. There will be other dumpsters. This one is way too much trouble. As one, the four rowdy creatures swarm away, toward the mouth of the alley. They split around the grounded Psycho and keep going, although one of them takes a detour into the occupied garbage can to collect the straggler, so now there are two Zigzagoons in there with Jinx.

SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG-- Goldenrod

[garbagechild]

<sub>[The mud doesn't hit anybody, no-- but that doesn't mean a Player 2 isn't about to join the fray.]

[There's a shrill scream from somewhere nearby-- a sound that haunts many Goldenrod residents who hear it without knowing what it's coming from-- and then a pale barefoot shape comes hurtling over the nearest chainlink fence, a colander helmet glinting in the moonlight.]

[He's followed by a tubby purple Granbull that takes a little longer getting over that fence on account of being Large.]

[They're just.]

[Here.]

[To chase the Zigzagoon under the clear night sky.]

[This is their purpose. Perhaps the only purpose there is.]</sub>

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

THAT IS OKAY AND THIS IS GOLDEN

[fuelthefire]

[Krieg knows that scream; it's the scream of his outer inner child, his little barefoot buddy with the wild hair and the feral grin, the small bro with the complimentary name. If Krieg weren't War, he might have been Wrath.

There's only one way to respond to that shrill cry.]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

[The Zigzagoon currently engaged in avoiding Slag Stack's various blows all freeze for a split second, each trash panda brain chilled to the very core by the stereo screaming. They've heard those sounds before. They know what it means. They've made a grave error engaging the large man and the large Muk. It's too late to run - he's here - but they run anyway, tearing off in five different directions in the hope that at least some of them might be spared.

One actually makes a beeline for the fence Wrath just hurdled, blindly running toward the danger in its panic. Perhaps the surprise of its approach will give it an advantage. Or perhaps not.]

<3

[garbagechild]

<sub>[Whatever advantage the Zigzagoons' erratic panic-dance may give them, it's not enough to save them.]

[They are to be chased. As nature intended.]

[Letting out deep BOOFS, the Granbull barrels around the alley-- exercising caution only to make sure his dainty fairy-type paws don't come in contact with any of Slag Stack's ooze-- but otherwise knocking garbage and trash can lids all over the place.]

[Wrath, ululating like a ghoul, swings a swishy branch he probably broke off of some sapling on the way here at the approaching Zigzagoon. He is living.]</sub>

[fuelthefire]

[The confused Zigzagoon that ran toward Wrath instead of away from him chitters in equal parts terror and annoyance at the swishing branch and...well...zig-zags from one side to another in an effort to avoid it, even while desperately backpedaling and attempting to turn around.

With Wrath's dramatic appearance, Krieg completely changes his own MO. Slag Stack's already had a pretty decent meal, and there'll be plenty of time to finish their mutual dumpster dive once the Zigzagoons have been properly chased.]

Round 'em up!

[That's directed at the Muk, who is a much more solid barrier to prevent escape than Krieg is. It's also, maybe surprisingly, a lot faster than one might expect of a massive pile of sentient sludge. Slag Stack oozes quickly to the mouth of the alley (politely mindful of certain delicate fairy paws) and spreads itself in all directions, temporarily preventing all but one of the Zigzagoons from escaping. The remaining creatures begin to run in frantic circles about the alley, knocking over the smaller trash cans, climbing and leaping from the dumpster and bouncing off of walls - and, once or twice, off of Krieg.]

Mnahahahahah! It's time for a feast!