Beau Monde, Swamp Savage!

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Contrary to what most travelers inferred about him, Goro the Croagunk didn't actually hate travelers.

Having made his home deep in the dungeon of the Cattail Marsh, claiming an abandoned, rotting shack and a large stretch of the territory around it, Goro got precious little privacy, and he valued that more than almost anything else. Bearing in mind that passing through the Marsh was required to get to the infinitely more dangerous and resourceful Misty Mire, and taking into consideration that Dungeons were by nature difficult to traverse-- things like directions and time seemed to get distorted while inside-- he'd had more than a few visitors in his time here. Maintaining his stretch of swamp took a fair bit of work beating on feral Pokémon, so it was understandable that when he came across an explorer, merchant, or just a regular traveler wandering through his Marsh, he might be a little tense and jump to... unfortunate conclusions.  

No one ever accused Goro of being smart.

But despite all that, Goro didn't hate other people. It was just when he found them in his metaphorical backyard that he tended to greet them fists swinging. Otherwise, he quite enjoyed sitting down across a campfire and trading stories or learning new things about the nearby settlements.

On a quiet aft'rnoon, like this? Prowling through the murky waters of the Marsh purposefully, Goro croaked quietly to himself, fingers drumming against his sides in a fit of boredom. I 'kin go with th' company.

For all his friendliness, it was a bit disappointing to Clovis that Goro was dense enough to not realize when he was being mocked. He'd prefer if his company was sharp enough to at least recognize the humor. Still, Clovis had said that he was alright with dungeon-trekking, so away they would go. The croagunk had spoken about how they would need to go deeper if they wanted to encounter any wild pokémon worthy of their attention. There was no doubt about it, then. The two of them were going to marsh-march their way deep into the dungeon, hunting for potential fights and treasures.

It was an exciting prospect, that was for sure. He had went off adventuring in dungeons before in his life, but never had he been in a place that seemed so... brooding, and so far away from home. The piplup couldn't deny that he felt a little nervous about the whole thing. His stomach churned a bit, as if to tell him not to go off deep into the marsh, but what did his stomach know? It was his mind that controlled his actions, not some dumb abdominal organ! Clovis stood tall and proud, he was going to venture out into the unknown and whip anything that got in his way! Then he would go enjoy a meal, and relish in his victory. Perhaps he would eat some actual relish while he was in Rainfront. There was no room for second-guessing, there was only room to go onward, towards dark and savage lands, as a beacon of light and civilization, shining into that which must be tamed.

...Maybe that was a little overdramatic, but they would go onwards. "Alright, big guy. You know your stretch better than me, lead the way."

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"Right-on through here, then." Distinctly lacking fanfare, Goro waved his arm behind him as he turned on his heel, marching through the swampy waters without care. There was a certain bounce in his step, a perkiness that was distinctly lacking ten minutes ago before he'd met Clovis. This was perhaps the best case scenario, or very near it; an opportunity to explore the deeper levels of Cattail Marsh, alongside an ally he'd never seen battle before. He was curious enough about Clovis, sure, because he'd never seen a Piplup battle before. It was likely similar to how most other water-types fought, spraying highly concentrated water attacks at their opponents-- which would provide much-needed support to the frontline fighting-type. But it was the deeper levels of his home dungeon that he was more curious about.  For all intents and purposes, Goro had been camping out right above the lower levels, having to keep a metaphorical eye open in case a stronger Pokémon from further in wandered out. It hadn't happened yet, and Goro was terribly curious about what kinds of Pokémon were waiting for him.

He corrected his path a few moments later, keeping to dry land where he could, as it occurred to him that perhaps this very civilized Piplup would appreciate keeping his feathers dry. He knew more than anyone that the marshland's muck was hard to scrub out-- no doubt it was hell on feathers and fur.

"Say-- ya said yer from Grassveil, right?" Goro paused for a moment, glancing backward to make sure the Piplup was following behind. He couldn't deny his interest in perhaps the largest town he'd ever heard of; apparently, it was home to not only a thriving market scene, and a police station but also the most successful and popular Guild this side of civilization.

L'énergie:

Goro spun 'round and went off through the swamp water. Clovis followed behind, though with a degree of caution. The way in which the croagunk seemed to disregard his own cleanliness rather bothered him, and Clovis struggled to both avoid mud and keep up with Goro at the same time. Thankfully, it did not take him too long to correct his course, and soon the both of them were walking primarily on land, or at least through less muddy water. Goro ought to know the paths well, he supposed, what with being a resident of the place. While Clovis walked, he paid little mind to what could be out in the distance, behind some shrubs or right behind him; most of his attention was focused on making sure that he didn't step in anything too filthy.

At one moment, the croagunk stopped, with a question. He asked if Clovis was from Grassveil, as he had said earlier. "Something like that, yeah." His family home wasn't strictly 'within' Grassveil walls, but it was within a short enough walking distance that he considered himself a resident. "I'd like it better if it had beaches." Rainfront had some lovely beaches- including the one that lead to the Coral Forests. But, Grassveil had its perks. Just about any item a 'mon could think of was available for sale in the Grassveil market, and there was a certain appeal in a settlement being big enough to get lost in. "It's a lovely place, though. We're very proud of our accomplishments."

Goro hummed thoughtfully after Clovis' answer, turning back to his path towards the deeper levels of the Dungeon. There wasn't a lot to say to that, really. Grassveil sounded like everything he thought it was; large, popular, bustling and booming with activity. As interesting as it sounded, he didn't think he'd ever to be able to live there. Too many people with too many agendas would drive him crazy; the Rescue Guild, all the different shops and stalls, plus all the citizens that lived there. He'd thought briefly about looking for work in the town, but he was really only suited to battling, as he lacked many basic skills that he assumed would be necessary for even basic labor.

He'd be too nervous about being recognized; he hadn't always lived in Cattail Marsh, after all. A large period of his life was as a trainee mercenary for a company that, looking back, he knew was of ill-repute and dubious legality. Who knew what kind of trouble he could end up in, inside a town with its own police station.

"Yer born n' bred there then, huh." Staying at Cattail Marsh like this was the longest Goro had ever lived in one place. But growing up and living in Grassveil likely had its own downsides; who knew how much of the world that the average citizen ended up seeing? Grassveil had everything and anything a Pokémon ever needed, and if it didn't, another Pokémon could get it for you. "Splendor of it all probably wears off as the years go on, I reckon. How's it all mesh together? The Guild, the market, the coppers-- ain't it ever get under yer skin?"

Mmm hmm. The coragunk's curiosity was satisfied, so they continued to walk. Walking was the hard part though, wasn't it? The marsh terrain was incredibly difficult to traverse without tripping or slipping or getting muddy. There even appeared to be a trail of some sort of slime leading along the same direction they were headed, a particularly disgusting tripping hazard. Though he had swam in marsh water before, he didn't very much enjoy the icky feeling he got stepping out of it. The two made their way through shallow water, mud, and whatever else, steadily, on the lookout for dangers and opponents.

Goro began to speak once again, on the subject of Grassveil. This time, he asked a question that was quite a bit deeper. He asked about whether parts of Grassveil had ever bothered him before, and, truthfully, he hadn't given it much thought. "I guess. But when you get used to the splendor, you get used to the issues as well." He responded. "The guild is, well, there, I guess. Some of its members are a bit bothersome, but they'd be bothersome even without the guild. The market is useful, everyone needs things, commerce is a good thing. And the police? They're pretty simple to deal with; just don't commit crimes, you silly." Maybe Clovis lacked enough outside experiences to notice flaws in Grassveilian living, but compared to what he had heard about the rest of the world? Grassveil was like a paradise.

Ta be honest, I'm not surprised. Grassveil sounded completely normal, if decidedly busy. Goro wasn't entirely sure what he expected to begin with, except perhaps something... more about the largest settlement he'd ever heard of. But of course, to someone born and raised in Grassveil, there wasn't much to compare it to. If he wanted to know any more about the Guild or the police, he'd have to investigate himself, and he was decidedly uninterested in a venture like that. The poison-fighting hybrid croaked absently as he led the two of them through a patch of particularly tall cattail plants, batting them out of the way irritably. "Well. I ain't sure what I expected ta hear, really. Sounds like a nice place at any rate.

"Prolly ain't hard to figure, but I ain't never been there, myself. Been to a bunch of villages, and even some smaller towns when I used to move around fer work and whatnot, but Grassveil's on a different scale, I hear." Traversing the marsh was second-nature to him, at this point, having taken the same routes and beating the same paths a dozen times, but he noticed the difficulties the Piplup behind him was having. The splashing of muck and slippery sounds of mud were clear enough to him-- he made it a point to slow his pace, turning to glance at Clovis behind him. "Rainfront's about as big a sight I've ever saw."

As they passed a familiar expanse of swampland, Goro noticeably straightened his posture and cast an eager look around their surroundings. This was the turning point; before, in his own territory, he could afford to be lax, as most ferals nearby knew better than to pick a fight with him by now. But this was about as far as he'd explored previously, meaning they were now in uncharted waters. He felt a thrum of excitement at the exploration they were about to undertake, and the Pokémon to battle thereafter. "We're about as deep as I've gone before. Anythin' is fair game at this point-- keep on yer toes, partner."

Pokémon that have yet to be dealt with:

(You rolled 'em, boy-o)

The other, smaller towns had their own, quaint sort of appeal, for certain. They were very nice, quiet spots to visit whenever a little relaxation was necessary. Clovis wouldn't mind living in Rainfront, himself, although living in Cattail Marsh, or any dungeon really, was out of the question. A cattail's seed pot smacked him right on the side of his face, as a reminder of why he wouldn't want to stick around for too long. There wasn't much more to talk about on the subject, at least for the time being. The two were simply different individuals with different travel experiences. Maybe Goro would visit Grassveil sometime or another.

As it stood, neither of them were in a comfy town, but rather, in the rarely-traveled depths of Cattail Marsh. Apparently, this part of the marsh hadn't been explored by Goro previously, so neither really knew what lie ahead of them. Only one thing was familiar- a trail of goo ahead of the both of them, leading to a tree with a set of pale violet antennae poking out from behind it. "You're right." Said Clovis, quietly to the croagunk next to him. "Here be dragons."

OOC:

"I don't see no dragon, partner, just a big clump o' ooze. I'll take this one, yeah?" Goro stepped forward with a tense eagerness in him, fists clenching and unclenching of their own volition, the fighting-poison hybrid obviously eager for their first challenge. Exploration was, of course, worth the trip in and of itself, but there were only so many Poliwags, Froakies, and Goomies he could wail on before he got an itch for something more. He approached the Sliggoo in front of them warily, beginning to circle it, granting the dragon-type a wide berth.

All he knew of the Goomie line was what he learned by fighting them; they were little droplets of slime were sort of pathetic. They were slippery enough that most physical attacks would slide right off of them unless it was a direct hit or a powerful attack. A few of them could use a few good moves, like Bubble and Absorb, but they were so slow and clumsy that it was easy to outmaneuver them. Naturally, as the evolution to Goomie, he expected the same sort of Pokémon, but perhaps stronger and more durable. The Sliggoo itself was visibly on edge when he approached, its underdeveloped eyes staring blankly ahead of it. The antennae on its head twitched as Goro approached. It let out sort of a gurgling hiss, the slime of its body bubbling and shifting as it moved, slowly trailing forward towards the Croagunk in front of it.

He grinned crookedly at the feral's approach and hostility. It was different from the Goomies in this way; all they ever wanted to do was lie around in the shade all day. Hard to believe it was a dragon-type, sometimes. Resolutely, Goro stepped forward with his fists raised, eager to test the evolved drake. He approached, one fist held loosely at his hip, before the Sliggoo's antennae twitched powerfully, the gooey dragon hurling its head back before throwing it forward and spewing out a stream of multicolored flames, prominent among the hues being blue and yellow. The heat of the fire stream distorted the around it, the atmosphere visibly growing hot with its power.

Abruptly, the Croagunk threw himself to the side, landing sloppily and rolling a distance away from his opponent's attack. Goro looked on dumbly at the goo-dragon before staring at the spot he was just at, taking in the burnt patch where the flames landed. The grass was terminated, leaving behind only a wide area of heavily scorched earth and a trail of heavy smoke rising into the sky. The Sliggoo itself stared ahead blankly, its eyes underdeveloped and hazy, antennae on its head twitching minutely as if searching for its opponent. "The hell was that?"

Spoiler:

Sliggoo, the soft-tissue dragon! Not very intimidating to look at, for what it was. Gelatinous slime with a shell shape on its back and a toothless mouth. It was a little endearing to look at, in an ugly-cute sort of way. Its little eyes barely functioned, if Clovis remembered correctly. Perhaps the two of them could sneak around, or ambush it from their undetected position. Up-close fighting by way of frontal assault could be an exhilarating and honorable thing, but the sliggoo was pretty big; definitely larger than Clovis, and surely a bit larger than Goro, too. Having spotted the dragon-slug before it had spotted him, the piplup felt it would be wise to make use of his own superior positioning, and the advantage of numbers he possessed, having allied himself with Goro, the croagunk next to him. The two of them could move in from different angles, and partially envelop the slug with a simplistic, small-scale pincer movement. Easy, simple and effective! He just needed to give Goro the order.

"...I'll take this one, yeah?"

"I really don't think that's such a good-"

The croagunk went off, clenching and unclenching his fists rapidly. What exactly did he think he was doing? Did it not occur to him to discuss a proper course of action with Clovis? Did he think that he could win this fight by himself? Was he trying to give the sliggoo a fighting chance? The fool! Clovis hurried after him, but kept a distance between the two of them, in case an attack should be wide enough to hit them both at once. Goro stopped his advance relatively quickly, and circled the sliggoo around, hearing it hiss at him, before moving towards it some more, ready to strike with his fists. The slimy dragon met this with an advance of its own, and, more notably, an attack. Fire of various colors appeared from out the sliggoo's head, the heat of which could be felt on Clovis' skin, though he was too distant to be burnt, and could be seen in the way that the air around the fire took on a sort of blur.

Clovis thought that he had seen Goro make his way out of the attack's path, but helping Goro out was impossible regardless of what happened to him, so long as the raging dragon-type was still a threat. I suppose I could just run. A sliggoo can't chase us both; has that thing even noticed me yet? Ah, but, the shame of cowardice and the moral implications of leaving some croagunk to get... eaten(?) were too much to bear. It didn't take long for the piplup to summon the confidence necessary to partially close the distance between himself and the feral, and to, after a second of preparation, begin blasting a hydro pump of water in a sweeping motion across some of the flames, and onto the sliggoo itself.

Suffice it to say that Goro was much, much more respectful of the Sliggoo in front of him, fists raised and tense on his feet, standing up to take in the goo-dragon in a new light. No Goomy he'd ever fought used attacks like that-- what even was that? The fire-breath was hot with power, and he could feel the heat radiating off of the move even now after it'd been cast and struck the ground beside him. One last glance at the scorched ground and he gulped nervously, the first beads of sweat trickling on his forehead. It felt decisively different from any fire breath attack he'd ever encountered, and he felt resolved not to experience the attack first hand.

Despite the situation and despite himself, Goro felt a grin tug onto his lips. Who'd have thought the evolution of a Goomy would be this fun to fight?

He was just considering diving in again to swing on the beast when a veritable storm of water erupted from in front of him, on the other side of the Sliggoo. It swamped the ground next to him, missing the beast entirely, dousing whatever was left of the Dragon Breath attack for a moment before swinging hard to the right, striking the slime-dragon with heavy force, catching the drake completely off guard, as it had previously been searching for Goro's location. The unrestrained blast of water surged forward, pushing the slime dragon right past Goro, the Croagunk turning to avoid the beast, and further on before it toppled over dramatically, landing in the swampy waters of the Marsh a ways away.

He stared at the downed Sliggoo dumbfounded, the Dragon-type half-submerged in filthy swampy water, dazing listlessly in pain and shock. Goro turned backward, a look of astonishment on his face as he took in the piplup he partnered up with. Who knew he had so much power? "By the--Clovis, what the hell?"

A wave of vertigo washed over the piplup as the heavy stream of water coming from his beak began to die down. The massive amount of pressure with which he had just attacked the sliggoo took a physical toll on his little body, and he stumbled around, in a daze, for a good five seconds, unaccustomed to using the move seriously in combat. When his vision unblurred, what he immediately saw was the result of his attack; the sliggoo had been pushed forward, a ways away from him and Goro, and lay in some shallow water, still recovering from when it had been hit. But sliggoo had a resilient look about them, and he doubted that this one would stay down much longer. The creature was essentially made of slime, being hit by water only one time, even by a lot of water at once, just wouldn't be enough. Nonetheless, victory was in sight! By the looks of it, the sliggoo would remain downed at least a little longer, granting a huge window of opportunity for Clovis and Goro to overwhelm it with more attacks of their own.

Goro was on his feet, just out of the path the sliggoo had taken. The croagunk looked right back at him, and expressed his own shock at the entire situation. Shockingly enough, there really wasn't much time to discuss what was going on, or what they would do, before the sliggoo would just get up and start blasting magical fire again. There was no discussion required here, no thinking and no complicated tactic. While he wasn't sure exactly how Goro's fighting style would mesh with his own, he bid the croagunk, "Come on Goro, charge!" and began a sort of slow run towards where the sliggoo had been pushed, moving in an angle that flanked towards the downed dragon's sides, and stopped when he was in a range that allowed him an opportunity to spit forth a stream of toxic purple liquid at his feral opponent.

He watched in a confused sort of daze as Clovis stumbled for a few moments, the extremely powerful attack he just used obviously taking its toll on him. Of course, after such a move, a trade-off like that wasn't much in comparison, and Goro felt a rare twinge of awe at the sight of someone else's strength. Who the hell figured that such a small Pokémon would have power like that? Goro had the Piplup pegged for some snotty Grassveil elitist, but he'd never seen a Water-type attack so powerful, before. He glanced backward, taking in the injured state of the Sliggoo, appreciating the damage done. He wavered for a moment, unsure of whether or not to help the Penguin Pokémon to his feet, before Clovis gathered himself, taking in the situation as well.

He heard Clovis' order, but it took a few moments for it to register, Clovis jogging past him before the Croagunk jerked into motion. He surged forward, taking a different angle of attack this time, sure to grant Clovis a wide berth in case the Water-type decided to use his Hydro Pump attack again, not eager to feel the attack first-hand. Rather, he tucked his right hand at his side, the fist taking on a dull, glowing hue, the signature mark of his Drain Punch attack. He'd sustained no damage in this little scrap, but it was still his most powerful attack, overall, and they'd need everything they had if Clovis had access to such strong techniques and was still worried.

Goro surveyed the glob of poison as it surged through the air, recognizing the technique as Toxic, a favorite of most Poison-types for its compounding effects. If the Sliggoo wasn't already injured, that would do the trick in no small amount of time. The toxic glob slapped against the gooey side of the Sliggoo, taking on a sickly violet hue in the area it landed, the Dragon-type just now starting to rise.

I don't think so, freak! He rushed forward right behind Clovis' attack, leaping bodily onto the Sliggoo, pushing it right back into the swampy waters. He vaguely took note of its skin hardening rapidly, before bringing his right hand down as hard as he could, crashing his fist against the Sliggoo's suddenly diamond-hard cheek. The Dragon-type, for its part, barely flinched at the blow, before suspiciously laying idle in the waters, making no further attempt to struggle. Goro looked down puzzled at the slime drake, rearing his fist back again slowly, visibly confused about its lack of resistance. Why not... breathe more of that fire? Or try for something else?

Spoiler:

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The toxic attack hit, wonderful! Clovis hadn't used the technique before, nor was he entirely certain as to which gland or organ in his body it was that allowed him to produce poison, but he was glad to see that it was at the very least a functional and viable move to use in combat. Soon he would see its effects on the dragon-type, which began to rise from where it had fallen, and got back onto its... slug-feet? But it wouldn't be up for long. Goro did as he was directed, and rushed towards the feral, leaping straight at it, essentially tackling it to the ground. Presumably, the next thing to happen would be an up-close brawl between the croagunk and the sliggoo, with punches, kicks, and whatever moves slugs used to fight. Perhaps a bit of a dangerous prospect; Clovis' combat skills lay primarily in what he could do over a distance, and an attack aimed at the sliggoo was almost equally as likely to hit Goro. It was the croagunk's time to shine.

But, surprisingly, there was no brawl, just one single, apparently ineffective punch from Goro. Then the sliggoo lay still in its shallow water spot. This is, what, playing dead? Did we win? Is that it? Come on, no dragon could be that pathetic. Maybe it was trying to rest and recover? Clovis made a steady approach over to where the sliggoo remained still. The proper response to what the sliggoo was doing evaded Clovis, what sort of counter could he think of for something just lying there in the water? Were they supposed to just hit it some more? That was the simplest response. But there was another answer too, a bit of a strange idea, one that made use of their terrain. "Hey, Goro. Why don't you try shoving its head in the water, see what it does to that, huh?"

Goro's head tilted in confusion as he took in his opponent, the Sliggoo laying limp in the waters, its head and antennae turned suspiciously away from the Croagunk on top of it. Why on earth would a feral Pokémon just give up like that? Was that even its plan, here? To lay still and hope for mercy? No self-respecting dragon would ever try such a cowardly tactic. At least, he wouldn't imagine so... He croaked unthinkingly, still mounted on top of the dragon's side, fist half-raised and holding the limp dragon down.

Still, the obvious solution was to offer no mercy. Goro's fist reared back again, before striking downwards, a simple overhead strike against the Sliggoo's cheek, still just as hard as it was before. It was obvious the Dragon-type did something to increase its bodily defense, as no Goomy he'd ever struck was that... dense. And there wasn't much of a difference between the two, appearance wise, that would belie such a physical hardness. The attack didn't even phase it, its head barely rocking into the water, still making no efforts to defend itself. It was curious, but if it didn't have a problem with getting the hell beat out of it, who was Goro to refuse such an opportunity? It felt like a cheap handout, but he'd take what he could get.

He was about to just give up and start whaling on the feral without reprieve before Clovis' words reached him. The Croagunk turned to take in the Piplup, his brows raising at the Water-type's suggestion. He wants me... to drown it? Shit, partner, I didn't think ya had it in ya. It'd get a reaction out of the Sliggoo, however, and at the moment that's what he wanted the most. A crooked grin split the poison-fighting hybrid's lips before he leaned forward and pushed down hard on the Sliggoo's head, submerging it's face in the swamp water completely.

For a moment, he considered the feral to simply be a dud, before the dragon started to thrash wildly, desperately, like a cornered animal suddenly struggling for survival... which it was. Goro was resolute in his submission, both hands on the back of the slimy dragon's head, but against the gooey hold and surprising physical power of the drake, he could feel it slipping quickly. A particularly powerful jerk nearly threw the Croagunk off, forcing him to redouble his hold and lose a bit of traction. If he had a plan, I'd love ta see how this was a part of it!

Drowning was an experience Clovis found difficult to empathize with, for rather obvious reasons. He didn't have gills, but a piplup could remain underwater without much issue for a good ten minutes, if they could get a big enough breath in first. Pokémon without an affinity for water tended to last a lot less time than that, though it depended on how healthy they were, and how efficient their lungs were at storing air. He didn't know, off the top of his head, exactly how long it would take to drown a sliggoo or similarly sized pokémon, but he assumed that it would be... a minute? Five minutes? Definitely less if it hadn't had a chance to breathe beforehand. Or is it different for slime?

Initially, the sliggoo gave no resistance as Goro dunked its head in the water, supporting the theory that it was perhaps in some deep sleep, resting away its troubles. But it left its vegetative state after a few seconds of its head being submerged. Whether it had just then realized what was happening, or it had just then decided to do something about it, the downed slug starting moving again. Moving a lot. Moving in a way that seemed to say, 'Oh, I must get out of this water!' or something to that effect. It was flopping, struggling, trying to get its head back to a position where it could breathe. And it was flopping powerfully, too. Clovis could tell that Goro was having a bit of trouble keeping it down. The last thing he wanted was for the dragon-type to get itself loose and begin terrorizing the both of them, but the piplup was fairly certain that his own weight was feather-like compared to that of the croagunk. He doubted that he would be any help in keeping the sliggoo down. At least, not with his body alone. He wasn't entirely certain that he had the nerve to actually commit the act of drowning another creature himself, though he liked to believe that he would be able to if he had to. What he definitely could do to help his ally was make use of one of his special moves, at point-blank range, while the sliggoo was being held still. It was such, then, that the piplup positioned himself in a way that the croagunk was forward and to the side of him, so as to avoid any chance of catching Goro in the crossfire. He then summoned forth freezing energy from within his body, and expelled it in the form of an ice beam straight down at the pinned dragon-type.