explosivecombat | 0??. [Action / Fourth Wall event]

0??. [Action / Fourth Wall event]

[It's been seven and a half months since Kimblee has arrived in Johto; seven and a half months since he's felt whatever restrictions that are on his alchemy here loosen and fall away, leaving him with sheer destructive power flowing through his body.

But today, he can feel it. Oh, can he feel it.

Today he's out on one of the routes, training. That isn't anything new.

What is new is the way the route has been ripped up, large swaths cut through it; Kimblee is standing somewhere among all of the destruction, his breathing jagged. Those 'fortunate' enough to see what he's doing will get a glimpse of dark red energy flickering between his palms, sharp and crackling like some sort of demonic lightning storm in miniature, before he drops down and forces the energy from his body, chaining together a series of explosive reactions that detonate somewhere deep within the ground, ripping up fiery trails of destruction that rip through the earth, destroying everything in its path. The explosion chains doesn't seem to be hindered at all by obstacles in their path; rather, they seem only to be spurred on, ripping up anything in its path as fuel for another detonation.

The sound is immense, as are the shockwaves in the trail of those explosions; they don't carry on forever, but they're certainly not caused by any sort of natural phenomena.

Needless to say, Kimblee isn't training his Pokemon today...

Though he's certainly in one piece after the explosions stop, Kimblee doesn't seem to be all right, exactly; he seems to be having huge amounts of difficulty controlling himself, shrieking and shaking with laughter, to the point that he looks damn near about to fall over. If one didn't know any better, they'd likely think he was intoxicated; however...]

This sound...the power...! It's truly been too long!

[Another burst of laughter rips out of him.]

After all this time...I still...

[...oh boy.]

I love this!

[...Kimblee, please...]

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[[....Kimblee pls is a good way to sum it up, yes.

Armstrong has found himself on Kimblee's route after wandering for a while, trying to get his thoughts together. He allowed his Arcanine to walk with him for a bit, but once he heard those explosions he recalled her immediately. Bentheim, his Golem, knows Explosion. That isn't the sound of a Pokemon attack.

After Ishval, he'll never forget that sound. It's subtle, but...he knows who it is. His fists tighten, metal gauntlets clinking together softly.

He was a fool to think only he would get his alchemy back.]]

Kimblee.

[[Kimblee's back is turned, so he won't attack. He wants to win this fight with honour.

He needs to.]]

[Kimblee is still shaking, the laughter ripping its way through his body in waves; his head is bowed a bit, his hands clenched tightly into fists at his sides. For the time being, the shrieking has stopped; just the same, he still doesn't seem to be able to control himself. Perhaps he isn't trying.

However much his control may be suffering right now, however...somehow, miraculously, his hearing is not. He doesn't turn around at the sound of that voice behind him, though he does straighten up a bit; from what he's been able to work out about the man behind him, Armstrong is the sort that will at least do him the courtesy of stabbing him in the front.]

...Major Armstrong.

[His voice is shaking almost as badly as he is.]

To what do I owe the pleasure?

I'm going to have to ask you to stop that.

[[He knows how hypocritical this sounds, and he sighs softly to himself. After his encounter with Kimblee's younger version, he'd done his best to set the Route right when he realised that many Pokemon inhabited it. His outburst shamed him badly, but when he left things were almost back to normal. He even removed a few dead trees that were causing some problems.

Destruction...creation....two sides of the same coin. But for some reason, the thought of destroying the habitats of the Pokemon, those innocent creatures....it burned at him.]]

You're disturbing the wildlife of this area.

[[It's a pathetic excuse for a fight. Armstrong knows it's a pathetic excuse for a fight, and he's sure Kimblee does too.

But he finds that he doesn't care. He's itching to test himself against Kimblee....properly]]

[He breathes deeply at that, closing his eyes; when he laughs again, the sound is much softer. Calmer, in some ways. But when he finally does turn around to make eye contact, that wild look still hasn't left his eyes.]

They're more resilient than you give them credit for.

[His voice is still trembling quite a bit; he's smirking deeply.]

But...that creature I've seen you with before, the rock-type. If you've raised it at all, you should know exactly what they're capable of withstanding. You know it's a moot point.

[He folds one of his arms across his chest and braces the elbow of the other against his wrist, resting his hand against his face.]

So do us both a favor and be direct with me. What is it you really want?

I know what Bentheim is capable of.

[[That terrible Explosion attack...despite his Pokemon's enthusiasm for it, Armstrong cannot stand it. It's so....cruel, and such a damn cop-out. It's not the way he likes to win his battles, but Ben loves it so, despite the fact it knocks him unconscious. But that's just how he is, really.

When Kimblee demands honesty, Armstrong pauses, thinking. He's always been an honest man, and now is no exception.]]

Very well.

[[And the alchemical symbols on the backs of his gauntlets begin to glow.]]

...I have something to prove to you.

[[I'll make you respect my ability. I'm not that trembling, naive boy any more.

But those are the words he can't bring himself to say. Not yet.]]

[Kimblee's attention is immediately drawn away from Armstrong's face; he hasn't missed those glowing sigils out of the edges of his gaze, and for a moment his focus lingers there, the look in his eyes intense.

However, that odd, manic smirking hasn't quite left him, either.]

...is that so.

[And even as the words leave him he's shifting position, bringing his hand away from his face, keeping both down around waist-level so that he can activate his arrays quickly if he needs to; somehow, he doesn't doubt that he'll need to.

He has the Stones, of course - two of them in his possession, a gift from Johto last December. He keeps one of them in an inside pocket of his clothes; he'd need to be able to get to it, to establish physical contact with it should he want to actually use it. The other, however...he's keeping that one far closer.

He doesn't bring it up just yet; there's no sense in displaying his trump cards so early. There's a chance Armstrong had seen him using his alchemy, and so he already knows - but if he doesn't...]

And what are you intending to prove, if I may?

[[The arrays start glowing brightly, blue electricity crackling around Armstrong's hands as he closes his eyes, breathing deeply. From what he had seen earlier, Kimblee's power is considerable.

He should be a worthy challenge.]]

Something I also need to prove to myself.

[[After that, Armstrong refuses to elaborate; he's a very emotional man, but this sort of thing....he prefers not to talk about it. There will be no tears today. At least, not from him.]]

Are you interested?

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[ACTION - because I can.]

...oh my god, I love you. Best timing, Winry, best timing.

8D I love you too~. Best timing for this reunion, yes~! | 1/2

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