DAY 1
Active Events: Dread Metal Destruction Derby
Finished Events: Blood Pit Arena, Gracidea Order Victory

DREAD METAL DESTRUCTION DERBY SCOREBOARD

BLACK LOTUS EMPIRE
RIPFIRE [Armored Truck]
Jaze - Conkeldurr (Driver)
Jucden - Raticate (Gunner)
PEACESLAYER [Monster Truck]
Vorkot - Scrafty (Driver)
Xed - Arcanine (Gunner)
BLACKOUT [Armored Hearse]
Sevren - Dusknoir (Driver)
Mevvan - Krookodile (Gunner)
PRANKSTER PLATOON
SCREAMING TALON [Lightweight Zippy Vehicle]
Jones - Heliolisk (Driver)
Tony - Incineroar (Main Gunner)
Cheshire - Meowstic (Support Gunner)
STEEL SCAVENGERS
THE IRON GIANT [Armored Tank Car]
SLAYER'S RIDE [Armored Buggy] (Commandeered)
Julia - Weavile (Driver/Gunner)
THE HORNET [Armored Motorcycle]
Juan - Furret (Driver/Gunner)
THUNDERCRASH GANG
LIGHTNING STRIDER [Nitro Roadster]
Sorton - Eelektross (Driver)
Latchy - Pachirisu (Gunner)
ELECTRIC WILD [Assault Motorcycle]
Rash - Whimsicott (Driver/Gunner)
SENTINEL CORPORATION
THE BRIGADER [Armored Military APC]
Koya - Cacturne (Driver)
Yandali - Infernape (Main Turret Gunner)
Vunder - Delphox (Support Gunner)
Kolm - Blastoise (Support Gunner)
THE NIGHTMARCH
ENIGMA ZERO [Armored Bulldozer]
Baladax - Beartic (Driver)
Olock - Aggron (Main Gunner)
Jugnul - Tyrantrum (Support Gunner)
ZOMBIE SQUAD
THE RECKONING [Armored Junkyard Hulk]
Fazi - Cofagrigus (Driver)
Slugz - Snorlax (Main Gunner)
Vulk - Skuntank (Support Gunner)
INDEPENDENTS
Khilter - Dragalge (Driver/Gunner)
DESTINY'S END [Speed Motorcycle]
Kikel - Pancham
LOCKDOWN [Armored Pick-up Truck]
Rudy - Rampardos (Driver)
Gile - Sandslash (Gunner)
DEVIL'S HEADHUNTER [Armored Semi Truck]
Durakan - Alolan Marowak (Driver/Gunner)

--------

Jucden Tarblack the Raticate
Black Lotus - Onyx Circle
Aboard the Ripfire, Lotus Den Slums, outside Lytala City
Affected RPers: @Velocity, @Morzone

It was only getting worse for Jucden. He had watched as both Baladax and Jaze were killed, leaving him without a driver, even if they could acquire another vehicle. Now Jucden found himself on foot, alone, as the last living combatant on behalf of the Black Lotus. Considering Jaze was in pieces now, there was not much he could do on his own. He'd either have to drive or fight, but trying to do both was impossible, even if he managed to hijack one of the other vehicles. On the other hand, there weren't that many competitors left.

Almost. Almost!!!

"Come at me, you idiots!" Jucden challenged the rest of the competitors. "I've got a present for ya!"

And that was when the Lightning Strider had spotted him. Almost immediately, Latchy the Pachirisu opened fire with the machine gun, hammering round after round as the nitro roadster sped toward the psychotic Raticate. Bullets struck everywhere around him, causing Jucden to snarl off the pain. He managed to fire two grenades, but none of them were able to keep up with the Lightning Strider.

Instead, Jucden was struck twice, once in the arm and then again in the chest. All the while, the Lightning Strider kept getting closer and closer. All Jucden needed was to get one, solidly perfect grenade to hit just the right spot and the remaining Thundercrash Gang members would be blown to bits.

Bleeding, crazed, and snarling with feral anger, Jucden fired that one critical grenade. It flew furiously toward the Pachirisu, but the small, electric squirrel just barely managed to dodge it within inches.

There was no time for another shot. Instead, the Lightning Strider simply rushed toward the helpless rat and slammed right into him, instantly ripping open his chest and sending the dead Raticate's carcass sailing into the air before landing into one of the burning shanties. And once it did, the fire raged a little hotter and higher.

Jucden the Raticate (Black Lotus) has been eliminated.

"Better luck next time!" Latchy taunted and laughed.


Queen Taiya the Lilligant
Black Lotus Ruling Authority
Lytala City, Black Lotus Central Palace
Affected RPers: N/A

No one wanted the responsibility of telling Queen Taiya both of Day 1's events hadn't gone well for Black Lotus. However, sooner or later, it had to fall on someone, and that someone was Solra the Bellossom. She was a simple maiden of the queen, but no one wanted to witness what would happen. So it was up to Solra to be the messenger, and she agreed to do it even without hesitation.

She did what a whole lot of other Pokémon never would have dreamed of doing to Taiya. She wasn't nervous, jittery, or even worried.

"Hey Taiya," Solra told the Lilligant, not even using her formal title. "Not sure if you've been watching the TV, but Black Lotus just lost. Both Blood Pit and Dread Metal."

Taiya was slightly surprised, glancing at the Bellossom standing beside her, but she didn't bat an eye. As though while it wasn't exactly what she was expecting nor hoping for, she just briefly nodded at it.

"How curious," Taiya replied, simply relaxing and not letting it even bother her in the slightest. "Both Phoebe and Jucden dead, I see."

"Yup," Solra nodded. "Phoebe was dropped out of the sky and staked through the heart by a protruding beam while Jucden was forced out of his truck and then run over by the Thundercrash Gang. Ugly as hell stuff."

"You know what I like about you, Solra?" Taiya asked the flower dancer Pokémon. "And I do like you. You don't sugarcoat anything."

"Because I hate Pokémon that sugarcoat things," Solra replied, crossing her arms and looking away.

Taiya nodded, and couldn't help but smile even though the recent news had been grim.

"Good, because this neither worries nor angers me," Taiya smiled. "You see, the better we live, the more it angers those that can't. The Festival... oh, the Festival is far from over. I have seen many enemies to the Black Lotus Empire emerge this year, but they all share the same common fault. The same mistake. It's amusing, really."

Solra nodded, smirking a bit also.

"You know what I'm talking about, don't you?" Taiya smiled.

"Numbers," Solra replied as her smile grew a little stronger. "These enemies of ours put all their resources into the opening round and got their best and brightest beaten up just to win day one. But you obviously distributed the best of Black Lotus across the entire duration of the Festival."

"Very good," Taiya smiled.

In truth, Solra found talking to Queen Taiya quite easy. The Bellossom was well aware it wouldn't take much for Taiya to strike her down dead in an instant, but she had no reason to. She was cunning, but not a psychotic monster.

"Oh, that's another thing," Solra informed Taiya. "During Blood Pit, our friend the Grand Lady found a way to reveal what Ante is to everyone prior to gutting a Black Lotus Volcarona alive. There are some who solidly believe the rumor about Ante now, but not everyone."

"Ha, what does that matter?" Taiya asked, giggling. "Oh Lady, you are amusing. Truly, she reminds me of a little girl who believes breaking her old toys will get her parents to buy her new ones. In any case, I'm actually happy she did that. Finally someone breaks the slow spell they've been under all these years."

"Really?" Solra asked, looking curiously at the Lilligant. "Why's that?"

"Because it will worry them now," Taiya smirked with a smug smile. "They will hesitate about who to send forth into the arena, if anyone at all, and those that would have been more fit for competing will either step aside or put themselves and everything they know at risk. And you will see what happens when warriors that our enemies can afford to lose will turn against their own allies for seeing them as so expendable. Imagine having to fight simply because your leaders felt you were an acceptable loss, and what you knew was okay to risk relinquishing to the enemy. All your secrets, dreams, desires, passions... everything. All to be inherited by an enemy stranger. What a pity."

Solra admired how dark it was. Trying to rise up against the Black Lotus now would either only be very risky or very demoralizing. The gamble their enemies would need to take would be costly. And the only other outcome was to allow Black Lotus to win.

"Do you think they'll ask us about Ante?" Solra inquired, wondering how Taiya would react to the press asking her about it.

"I will assure them it's all part of our credo that we never let anything precious go to waste," Taiya smiled happily.


Mesai Ildari the Delibird
Black Lotus - Onyx Circle
Westfel, Parking lot outside "The Black Lantern"
Affected RPers: N/A

For those who knew this side of Westfel, it seemed like Mesai the usually jubilant Delibird was very out of place. Even her cohorts weren't the type to fret or worry and almost seemed like the kind that were just asking to be mugged because of their seemingly innocent and unsullied behavior. They actually seemed like a peaceful, friendly bunch, which was very strange and almost bizarre for anyone in Xia, especially for someone who belonged to the Black Lotus. No one would suspect anything nefarious out of a jolly-looking Delibird and her Chatot and Beautifly companions.

They had been having casual, non-alcoholic slushie drinks just outside of a rowdy bar where suddenly a stool went crashing through one of the windows and a fight had erupted inside with all kinds of vulgar obscenities had been shouted out. For these three Pokémon, it was like the inner city crime and ruckus was totally nonexistent.

"Oh, I got a message!" Mesai told Tiki and Noel as she checked her communicator. "We're on!"

"But look, it was sent a while ago!" Tiki the Chatot pointed out as the parrot looked over the Delibird's shoulder. "Don't you think we should have been on our way already?"

"Yikes, that's right!" Mesai exclaimed, looking a bit shocked. "Oh my goodness, I never heard it go off! I didn't think...!"

"Not to worry, there's still time!" Noel the Beautifly chimed in. "We do need to get back to the truck and get a move on, though! The others are probably on their way already!"

Mesai was a little anxious, but she was still able to smile and look at things optimistically. She felt if they left right now, they'd probably still be okay. A little late, but it wouldn't ruin the mission. After all, with all the things that were going on, who would notice?

"Right, let's move along now!" Mesai smiled, getting up out of her seat.

And that was when a large Pangoro and Rhyperior stood before them, looking down upon the three like they were nothing more than bugs to squish for cash. The heavy, brawler panda Pokémon simply spat, grinned, and looked to Mesai especially. He saw nothing more than a victim that stepped into the wrong town and had to learn the hard way it was a dog eat dog world.

"Cash," the Pangoro grunted. "Your cash, or my fist."

"Hmm..." Mesai smiled, treating it like a game. "No thanks!"

She tried to skip right past him, but the Pangoro wasn't amused in the slightest and tried punching the stuffing out of Mesai. She smiled in surprise like it was a surprise birthday party, and simply leapt out of the way as the brawler panda's fist rammed through the ground.

"Ooh!" Mesai exclaimed admirably. "So strong!"

"You think this is funny!?" the Pangoro shouted.

Mesai dodged another one of the Pangoro's heavy attacks as the panda's fist smashed through one of the metal benches, but then Mesai decided to mix things up a bit.

"Hey, watch what I can do!" Mesai smiled at him. "It's pretty cool!"

She then unleashed a Frost Breath attack on him, blasting the panda with an unnaturally cold gush of freezing air and stinging ice. Noel decided to help Mesai by attacking the Pangoro with a Signal Beam and Tiki attacked the Rhyperior with a Chatter attack. In both cases, it left them feeling completely bewildered, lost, and stumbling like they didn't even know what day it was or what planet they were on.

"Oh, I know!" Mesai smiled. "Let's have some fun with you guys!"

Using a ferocious Blizzard attack, suddenly everything in the immediate area was smothered with snow and razor-sharp ice. And all the Pangoro and Rhyperior could feel was freezing, stinging, bitter, terrible cold.

...

A few minutes later, a Monferno who had been taking out the trash had come across the area where they had been fighting just a few minutes earlier. At first, he couldn't understand why someone would scatter so much snow and ice around. He shrugged, sweeping it up into his dust pan when suddenly one of the chunks of ice seemed a little strange to him. It had a strange white and black color to it, which didn't seem natural. He picked it up and took a closer look at it.

And there it was, one of the eyes of the Pangoro, frozen and staring right back at him in death. The Monferno was shocked, wondering what happened to the rest of the head. And the body.

And then he realized it was all around him in pieces. Frozen, chilling pieces.