Private/Closed The Lottery Tournament Semi finals

[Martin Pine]

Finion brought his goggles over his eyes as the two moves collided, not needing to look away from the dust that could've potentially spread further. His attention turned to Toby when the Jhotonian started talking, Finion listening carefully to the other trainer's words before huffing and looking back to the pitch. Toby was just playing with him, trying to get in his head and trip him up. Toby was attacking on two fronts whilst Finion had already found himself in a defensive position.

"Roger, Night slash at the ready and be vigilant!" A thick stick of purple energy began to form in the Bisharp's hand, stretching past it's typical length for other Pokemon and becoming a staff rather than a baton. Shiori may notice that this way of using the move Nightslash was very typical of another one of Finion's Pokemon, one that could mask it's appearance.

Finion knew Toby was up to something, Gengar was a tricky Pokemon and a good trainer took advantage of that- no, worked with it, reflected it. "Stay on the move, wall to wall!" Roger held the lengthy night slash in both hands, beginning to move along the wall it was perched on. The top of the walls sat just above the dust clouds, becoming thin islands in a sea of potential attack. Roger came close to the edge, looking around him whilst still moving with expert balance. He jumped off the wall, sailing through the air above the cloud of dust and landing on a different wall. Once again he looked around, keeping his cool and staying focused.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Toby looked at the Night Slash turned staff and whistled. "Alright, that's a first and I have to say that I am impressed. But you're not the only one here with a neat Trick!" As if on cue, Spectre leapt out of the dust cloud and took the staff out of Roger's hand before disappearing again, leaving it with a pile of corrosive black sludge that had started to begin eroding itself through the Steel type's body. "Didn't expect that one, did ya? You're in for much worse though, let me remind you why this arena is called Ruins. Tear it down, Spectre!" The Johtonian trainer pointed at the field, not revealing any hints on what he meant. Not that he needed to though, as Spectre made sure everyone knew.

The Night Slash staff was created by Roger, a Pokémon with superior physical prowess than Spectre, but the saying went 'Work smarter, not harder' for a reason. The staff-wielding ghost began beating on the wall that the Bisharp stood on, aiming to tear the thing down and take Bisharp with it. The Ghost type was making some decent progress, but the dust began settling down. The wall had to fall soon.

 

[Martin Pine]

"Roger!" Finion called out to his Pokemon in an attempt to aid it. The Bisharp reacted to the call and moved to swipe at Spectre, only to find the Nightslash in his hands replaced with black sludge. Roger tried to flick the item away before he received any damage but it was too late. He flinched, falling onto one knee whilst his hands began to flicker a light purple. There was a strained expression on his face as he clearly struggled with something ... but what?

"Roger the wall!" The wall Bisharp was crouched upon began to quickly crumble, Spectre's strikes making short work of the loose sandstone. Roger shuffled back, away from the crumbling wall but he had a few seconds at best and not enough concentration to hop onto another one. The Bisharp turned to look at his trainer who sighed."Alright, gigs up Raven!" Finion spoke with a small smile, nodding at his Pokemon and continuing. "If he wants to bring the wall down then lets help him! Slam it down!" Roger stopped struggling to maintain his appearance, standing up and raising his arms in the air.

Raven's illusion hastily disappeared, revealing the Bisharp to be a Zoroark with a red, pulsating aura. It was already charging night daze. She brought her arms down just as the wall beneath her crumbled, Raven slipping into the dust and slamming her arms on the ground to unleash her attack. The spherical blast of reddish purple energy spread fast, the blast pushing the cloud of dust away and the energy mowing down the walls. It spread about an eighth of the pitch before subsiding, leaving a clearing in the maze of low walls which Raven now stood slouched in.

It wasn't the perfect counter. Raven had taken damage on her way down and whilst she'd chucked away the corrosive black sludge there were still remnants of it on her hands, damaging her slowly. The large move had also taken up a fair amount of energy, Raven taking deep breaths as she looked around. Spectre was annoying her, the disappearing act was growing old and all these walls were only helping the damn ghost type. A low growl escaped her as bright blue eyes glared around the clearing to try and find him.

Finion hadn't wanted to reveal the guise so soon but he'd made his decision, he needed to roll with it now. Raven still had the type advantage but now Toby knew there was no steel typing to deal with, something which Finion was not looking forwards too.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Spectre got away from the wall as it collapsed, but it couldn't completely avoid the Night Daze and its arm got clipped by the attack. Although not a frontal attack, it still hurt and the Bisharp turned Zoroark now had a safe space. The Gengar was annoyed, how dare it disrupt his place in the spotlight? Toby on the other hand was calm and chuckled at the reveal. "I'll admit, you got me there. I thought it was a Steel type, kudos to you." The mocking applause was heard again as he clapped. "Your Night Daze was inspiring, how about I show you my own interpertation of it?" Although he asked a question, he didn't wait for an answer. "Spectre, Sludge Wave!"

The Gengar raised its ears and grinned, it was payback time! Planting the Night Slash stick into the ground, he climbed on top of it and balanced itself on one foot like a ballerina before spinning around above the dust clouds. It was funny, but anyone laughing would soon stop as an enormous amount of sludge flushed out of Spectre's mouth like a geyser and began its descent to the ground and by extension Raven in a wide arc. The Gengar had turned himself into a fountain of poisonous sludge!

"What do you say? Is it up to your taste or does it need work?" Toby asked as the arena floor began to get covered in sludge, hampering any ground movement due to how slippery it was and the chance of getting poisoned.

 

[Martin Pine]

The damn clapping got on Finion's nerves a little, the orange haired trainer narrowing his eyes at the Jhotonian and tilting his head at the question that was asked. Upon hearing Toby command his Pokemon though Finion focused back on the field. "On your right, eyes up!" Both Zoroark and trainer looked to the Gengar, seeing it's final spin before the torrent of purple goo erupted from it's mouth. "Back up!" Raven planted her hands on the ground, planning to jump back and escape the attack but she winced from the black sludge still lingering in her paws. The flinch costed her.

Poison sludge flooded past Raven's hands and knees, the Zoroark getting swept up in the attack. She fought through the pain quickly, rolling onto her feet and launching herself into the air and out of the muck. Raven landed on top of a wall, out of the sludge's reach but now far away from the Gengar who was perched on the other side of the clearing. A purple light enveloped her for a moment, dealing extra damage to the already injured Zoroark. She fell onto her knees again, letting out a bark and then a sigh as the glow subsided. "Poison" Finion spoke through gritted teeth. He'd gotten distracted, focused more on what Toby was saying than what he was doing. One slip up and Raven had been hit bad. He imaged that she wasn't too happy about it.

"Raven" The Zoroark growled back at him, clearly annoyed. "I know, I know but you gotta get close okay. I reckon that Gengar is frail given how bad they're trying to keep us away. Get in close and slash at 'em" Another short response from the dark type, one that could easily be translated to "How!?" "I don't know but Raven, If you don't make it ... then it's your own damn vault" The Zoroark froze and turned to glare at her trainer but paused halfway through, a smile creeping across her face as she turned back around. She knew what Finion meant. The sludge wave began spread further out, lapping against the walls and slowly eroding them.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Toby tapped his chin as he feigned surprise at the Zoroark getting hit by Sludge Wave. "Oh dear, did you focus on me rather than the battle? You shouldn't do that, you know? Attention can be lost for only a second, but a battle is lost forever. Let me show you how much can be accomplished when you pay attention to the fullest!" He jerked his head to the side, a non-verbal cue to Spectre to finish the job. The Ghost type hopped off of the Night Slash pole and skated across the Sludge Wave residue, not hindered in the slightest and as graceful as an ice skater putting up a performance. He rose his hands into the air and made a triple pirouette in the sky, firing off a Focus blast right before he landed. The projectile made its way over to the Dark type who had to act quick, unless they desired to be hit by the move.

"Come on Finion, the audience gave you a second chance. You wouldn't want to disappoint your fans, would you? Just imagine all the families looking at their devices, hoping desperately that you manage to snatch victory away from under my nose. But maybe their decision to add you back was a wrong one and you are way out of your league. Both are possible, to be frank." Toby shrugged as he chuckled. "That's just the way the cookie crumbles. Some are destined for greatness and others like you....I'll let you finish that sentence. It would be a shame if this broadcast got taken down after all."

 

[Martin Pine]

Finion listened to Toby's words, his eyes staying glued on the trainer but flicking back to the Gengar upon seeing the non verbal queue. "Raven, back up! You'll need a running start!" The Zoroark followed Finion's instructions, turning tail and running away from the focus blast that was fast approaching. Spectre's ball of fighting type energy slammed into the wall Raven once stood on top of, rubble flying to the side and a small cloud of dust getting flung into the air. "Make more cover with Shadow ball!" By now she'd reached the edge of the pitch, having ran and hopped along the top of the walls. Two balls of ghostly power charged in her hand, Raven narrowing her eyes and then flinging them forwards.

"I don't know much about destiny Toby!" The shadow balls hit their mark and exploded against the ground, having not been aimed at the Gengar at all. They were flung very close to where the focus blast had landed, throwing up more dust and obscuring Raven from view. "But I know that greatness is achieved" Purple sparks radiated over Raven's body, the poison damaging her further and fuelling her determination. She set off in a run, still moving along the summit of the walls and straight towards the dust. "That it takes tons of work and a lot of effort!" A Night slash formed in Raven's hand, stretching out into a staff once more as she neared the barrier of dust. "Work me and Pokemon have definitely put it!" She didn't burst straight through it though, instead she planted one end of the night slash in between two firm stones. The Night slash bent, lifting Raven up off the wall whilst she curled and then kicked her feet out above her. The Night slash straightened in response to her action and launched the Zoroark up as she let go of the attack which disappeared after it's use as a pseudo pole vault. "I'll prove my place in these finals, whether I defeat you or not!"

Raven emerged on Spectre's side of the dust cloud, higher than probably expected and falling straight towards the Gengar. A black energy with a purple hue enveloped both her hands, stretching out to become more jagged on the claw's tips. The dark type attempted to land on Spectre and slash at the purple blob with a Shadow claw attack. A surprise attack, using Toby's tactic of cover before attacking but also a list ditch effort.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Spectre was caught off guard by the airborne Zoroark and was hit by the devestating Shadow Claw. Falling onto his back, Spectre clutched his chest and raised one arm into the sky before going limp and fainting. Toby however was not that bothered by Spectre getting taken out, after all Gengar were notoriously frail. One direct hit would've probably taken him out anyway and the fact Spectre got Raven this low was impressive given the circumstances. "Nice speech, you're just as much of a drama queen as Spectre. Return." He recalled the Ghost type and thought about his next Pokémon. The floor was covered in poisonous sludge, that Zoroark could probably fire off one more move before fainting and Finion probably had a counter for his Hydreigon. He didn't know what other Pokémon he had, and that was an advantage he planned on keeping. A smirk and a chuckle. Scylla was notoriously aggressive, but he could probably stall out that Zoroark. She didn't touch the ground and could fly after all, whilst her opponent was poisoned and suffering from Spectre's Black Sludge.

Toby lifted his flat cap to look Finion in the eyes. "Listen up Finion!" He spoke up, his voice clearly hearable throughout the arena. "You did well taking down Spectre, but playtime's over! I refuse to show my other four Pokémon until it is absolutely necessary, which it is not right now." He pulled out a Dusk Ball as 'Ooh's and 'Aah's were heard from the crowd. "You want a fight? Then I will give you one and you will see that you are not the only one that worked hard to achieve greatness! Let them hear your roar, Scylla!" Spinning around on his toes, he tossed the Dusk Ball into the sky where it popped open and revealed a three-headed dragon that let out a blood-curdling roar. "I hope for you that you watched my matches, because then you know what this beauty can do! Scylla, Nasty Plot!" The Hydreigon glared at Raven with pathetically hidden bloodlust before roaring straight at it as it floated above the Sludge Wave. "Raven seems to be on her final legs, what is your plan now?"

 

[Martin Pine]

The Zoroark hopped back after landing her attack, watching her frantically opponent fall with an exhausted smirk on her face. Finion was ecstatic, giving a cheer to his Pokemon out of his smiling mouth. “Great job Raven! You took out a big threat!” The first knock out was his and whilst it was a small victory it was worth celebrating, the crowd certainly thought so. It was the first step in a long trek, one that was about to reach a rather steep hill. His celebration lasted as long as the crowd’s, Finion listening to Toby on the other side of the pitch whilst Raven prepared herself with deep and calm breaths.

Finion tensed up a little, as did Sparky who had been standing next to him the whole time. “There she is” The Sinnohlian mumbled to himself, watching the dusk ball sail through the air with wide eyes. Scylla certainly demanded presence. Her tremendous roar and battle ready stance only added to the energy she radiated, the fear she arose within any sane person or Pokemon. Garfield would’ve liked this.

Finion didn’t reply to Toby’s words. Witty back and forth was probably not the best idea with the terrifying presence of a pseudo legendary. “Raven” He spoke with unease, seeing the terrible state she was in. There was a short bark back at him, Raven fully understanding the position she was in. She joined her paws together, slowing pulling them away from each other and forming a ball of fighting type energy within the space in between. The focus blast grew in size and power, Raven preparing to launch it until the subtle black sludge damaged her again. She tensed, an angered look on her face as she felt the poison coming on. Raven hurled through focus blast, purple energy enveloping her and zapping her health away mid throw. It threw her aim off.

The focus blast sailed through the air, straight past the Hydregion and exploding against the force field of the pitch. It had been a powerful attack but the dark type who had launched it now knelt slouched in the middle of the pitch, fainted. Finion recalled the Zoroark, smiling to the Pokeball and giving a grateful nod. There wasn’t much time for condolences, that could wait till after the battle.

Finion surveyed the battlefield. It was still mostly covered in walls though there was now a clearing that was covered in sludge and surrounded by crumbling walls. The open area was more on his side whilst the multiple thin sandstone structures resided on Toby’s half, mostly unscathed. His counter Pokemon still worked, perhaps even better considering the sludge. “Out for real this time Roger, don’t disappoint!” Finion lifted up a Pokeball, releasing the real Bisharp onto the pitch who let out a cry.

Finion’s attitude changed. A frown formed on his face and he took a more aggressive stance, almost syncing up to his Pokemon who didn’t look too kind at all. His strength was not only his mind but his empathy. He knew his Pokemon, how they fought and how they preferred to battle. Roger was cold and ruthless, aggressive and unrelenting. Finion would reflect that in his commands whilst still trying to guide him to the best of his abilities. Something felt off though, like he’d overlooked something and made a big mistake.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Toby followed the Focus Blast with his eyes until it hit the barrier, causing him to chuckle. "A valiant effort, but in the end it is just that. An attempt, and that won't always be enough. You'll need this thing called skill too." The chuckle died down as he saw Finion release the true Bisharp. "Really? A Steel and Dark type is your answer against a Dark and Dragon type? I am not sure if you know, but there are people out there who would kill to be where you are standing, and all that got between them and that podium was a shortage of money, a bad match-up in the tournament or a loved one got very sick. Anything could be the reason behind not them, but you being here. Feast your eyes on Scylla's neck for a moment." The Hydreigon roared, revealing a metal band with a purple orb embedded in it.

"That is not just some jewellry, as you can probably guess Scylla could not care less about that. It is a Life Orb, also known as the ultimate sacrifice and an item that has frowned upon among casual trainers due to its effects. In exchange for the wielder's strength, their attacks get far stronger than normal." Toby began to slowly walk forward as he continued his monologue. "Now, I am not an evil man. I am a man of opportunities. I see an opportunity, and I take it. Passing up on the opportunity to power up my strongest and most loyal Pokémon would be a waste. Scylla has three, for lack of a better word, 'settings' during a fight. Those are Rip, Tear and Maim and she won't quit until the job's done."

The Johtonian began walking back and forth as he kept talking, seemingly forgetting about the match as his voice trickled onward, as a mountain stream. " I've spent the better half of a year trying to get Scylla accustomed to its power and to work around its effects, and the result is the creature you see before you. She is the ultimate fighting machine with a ferocity that is unmatched by any Pokémon, not even her own species!" The trickling stream suddenly seemed more akin to a raging river as Toby stepped forward. "You might be wondering why I would go so far just to get stronger, but let me tell you. You'd be surprised to hear what people would do to become number 1. Now Scylla, unleash your hellish fury! Flamethrower!"

The Life Orb shimmered a dull purple as the Hydreigon roared before three seperate Flamethrowers were fired at Roger, one from each head. They soon began swirling around each other, causing the attack to be more concentrated and potentially be more powerful. No ordinary Steel type could survive such an assault, especially not without any help.

 

[Martin Pine]

Toby's reaction to Finion's Bisharp was not what the Sinnohlian had expected. Such surprise and distaste. Finion thought it to be a wise Pokemon to pick. Steel resisted dragon and dark resisted itself, Roger knew fighting and bug type moves and a typical counter like a fighting or ice type would've been too obvious. Roger was Finion's best bet though by no means had he placed all his eggs in one basket.

He took a mental note of life orb on Scylla's neck and listened carefully to Toby's monologue. It wasn't boasting or bragging, more like a proud warning, a speech. Finion felt at least a little worthy to of brought out such a performance by Toby. Roger executed two hone claws whilst Toby spoke, raising his physical attack and accuracy for the battle ahead. The Bisharp was unmoved by Scylla's roars and threatening appearance, instead waiting impatiently for his trainers commands.

Finion didn't fall for the same trick twice. He had listened but had not gotten distracted ... he'd merely gotten surprised. Fire type moves, the one thing that had slipped his mind. "Roger dodge it!" His command was fast but not fast enough and Roger became engulfed by the torrent of fire before he could even move. Finion watched on in horror, knowing full well that Roger could not such a hit. When the flames ceased Roger stood still and then fell forwards, his red hot body smoking ever so slightly. One move,and his Pokemon already down.

The orange haired trainer didn't wait for a response of Toby. He hastily returned Roger to his Pokeball with one hand and released another Pokemon with another. A Golurk materialised straight onto the pitch, the ancient construct already lumbering towards it's opponent. "Take to the air and use a power up punch" Finion was still recovering from the shock that had gripped his body but he wasn't going to stop. A simple pause was all Toby needed to gain enough momentum to sweep him and he refused to let it happen. Finion's Golurk continued forwards with heavy legs which soon retracted into the Pokemon's upper torso, replaced by constant blast of energy that kept the Earth/Ghost type airborne. He flew straight over to the Hydregion, throwing his glowing reared fist forwards into Scylla's torso.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

The battle had an amazingly explosive start, with both Finion's Bisharp and Toby's Gengar going right at it. Gengars were powerful Pokemon, and ridiculously hard to pin down. But that Bisharp Finion was using was rather agile as well. Shiori thought back, trying to remember the Pokemon Finion used. It was a bit difficult to remember anyone other than Sparky...

As Shiori and Raza watched the battle, a grin slowly spread across the pair's face when the Bisharp was revealed to be a Zoroark. Shiori had forgotten about Raven, only really having a close up encounter with the other Zoroark once. Just like Raza, she prove herself to be tough and tricky, enough so to take down the Gengar. Shiori cheered when the Ghost type went down. Finion was up one!

But then, just like that the tables had turned. Shiori watched as Toby sent out his next Pokemon, and a chill went down his spine. A Hydregon. These Pokemon were practically legendary in the Unova region, treated similar to how people treated Dragonites in the Kanto region. An extremely tough a Pokemon. The Zoroark hadn't even lasted long enough to fight it, collapsing before the fight could even start. Most likely the Poison. Finion had sent out his next Pokemon, an actual Bisharp. But to Shiori's shock, it went down in one swift blow. Truely, Hydregons were a powerhouse.

But then, Finion sent out a Golurk. Another Pokemon Shiori recognized from his time in the Unova region. They were big and bulky, but also pretty slow. Would it even be able to reach-

Shiori's jaw dropped as the Golurk's legs retracted into it's body and it jetted towards the Dragon Type Pokemon. It could fly?!
"Whoa... This is intense." Shiori said.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Toby looked at the roasted Bisharp with contempt before sighing. "Almost every single Dragon has some way to deal with Steel types, be it Fire or Ground moves. There is no way any trainer would let a Steel type slow their dragon down or not cover their Ice weakness. A Fairy type would have had much more effect on Scylla, keep it in mind for when you face another dragon." After informing Finion about 'Dragon Types 101' he muttered one last word. "Pathetic." As Finion sent out a Golurk, it somehow took to the sky and caught Toby's eye. "That is something I didn't expect to see today, but you're not the only one who can fly. Take to the skies Scylla and end that oaf with a Dark Pulse!"

The Hydreigon flapped its six wings and flew through the air, just like her adversary. Whilst she could not hope to compete with what basically was a living rocket, she could definitely outmanouver it. After all, it was not as well adapted to sharp turns as she was. The Life Orb shimmered a dull purple again as Scylla roared once more in pain and positioned herself at the back of Golurk, aiming all three heads at it before rearing them back and firing off a black beam with rainbow rings intertwined with it.

"When will you become serious, Finion? I've taken down two of your six Pokémon, that is one third of your team and one of which got annihilated by Scylla. Keep in mind that Roger was supposed to counter her, and it clearly didn't work. Now, are you going to be worth the effort or will you keep wasting my time? What's next, a Psychic type? You already sent out a Ghost type against a Dark type, I would not put it past you. Stop putting all your eggs in one basket and betting this match on a single move, there's more to battling than merely using strong moves! When will your thick skull allow that to get through to your brain?" Toby snapped at his opponent, far from amused with his choices.

 

[Shen: King of Digimon]

As soon Golurk came out and began to fly like a mecha in an anime, Brace couldn’t help but let out a toothy grin. He leaped up, pumping his fists multiple times in the air. Now THIS is what I’m talking’ about!

“Yeah! Go Golurk! Beat that dragon with your super grapple puuunch!”

He was a big fan of giant mech shows, a superhero Golurk cartoon was his favorite one to watch. His apes, which hung on and around him bounced around with glee, cheering for it as well. Seemed like they shared their trainers enthusiasm!

 

[Martin Pine]

Scylla's swift evade spared her from the punch but rather than stopping the Golurk kept flying, putting some distance between itself and the Hydregion before swivelling around. "Flash cannon Lapuer!" The automaton elevated it's arm while retracting it's hand into the limb, allowing for the beam of energy to charge and fire. Lapuer's attack collided with Scylla's but her dark pulse was more powerful and eventually pushed through the silver energy. The partially mitigated attack made contact with Lapuer, exploding and pushing the Golurk back whilst it's arm reeled back, smoking from the blast. There wasn't much of a reaction from Golurk but Finion couldn't tell how much the dark pulse had done, even if it had been weakened. Time to think creatively.

Toby's voice was once again heard from across the pitch, Finion sighing in frustration and reminding himself not to heed to much attention. It didn't matter whether Toby was trying infuriate him, intimidate him or simply inform him, Finion would not let any words get to him. Actions spoke louder than words and Finion would make sure Toby heard him, even if it was a mere meek cry. "Charge the Hydregion again Lapuer!" With a still smoking arm the Golurk blasted forwards, rocketing in a straight path to his opponent. "Phantom force!" A shadowy purple haze appeared in front of Lapuer, the ghost type flying straight into it and being completely engulfed. The strange cloud then completely disappeared, Finion's Golurk no where to be seen. Finion looked across to Toby, almost saying something but deciding against it, instead narrowing his eyes at the other trainer. He couldn't engage, he'd get to preoccupied with a battle of words.

Lapuer suddenly shot out onto the pitch, the portal having not appeared above or behind Scylla but to the left of her. The Golurk attempted to charge into Scylla and slam it's fists into her underbelly. If the ambush with phantom force was successful it would immediately be followed up with another attack, Lapuer swinging his arms backwards and rotating them completely around to slam his fists onto Scylla's back, this time using a power-up-punch.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Scylla was caught off guard by the Phantom Force and Power-Up Punch combo, crashing into the ground and sending dust flying everywhere. Although she'd taken a hit, the Hydreigon was not taken down yet. Battered and beaten, she managed to stay afloat again. Toby wasn't too bothered by the development though, instead he just chuckled. "Well well well, the little Meowth's got claws. Nice combo attack. No really, it was impressive. Scylla could not react fast enough to avoid the hit, but that will only work once! Scylla, take a breather and roost in a save place." Hearing its trainer's commands, the pseudo legendary managed to find two connected walls that weren't broken and lied down on the floor to recover health. She could fire off three more attacks with Life Orb before going down, a time limit extended by the Roost. Whilst she was cornered, she had less angles to get attacked from and was ready to strike as soon as Golurk showed up.

"About time I've got some competition, so far most of the damage on Scylla during this tournament was from the Life Orb. Think you've got what it takes to take down this three-headed beast or will you just become another snack for her? Give me your best shot, because that Golurk will not stand around for too much longer. Whilst it is a powerful Pokémon and one I considered for my own team, it can become rather unpredictable. How about you and me find out how well Golurk listens to you without that seal?" Smirking at Finion, Toby whistled on his fingers which made Scylla fly up again. Partially rested, she was in better condition than after the attack, but still not in her prime. Toby began whistling a short melody as Scylla flew higher and higher before stopping. "Bring it all down! Draco Meteor!" Toby roared up to the Dragon type as a bright orange glow appeared in her mouth before firing it into the sky, raining down spheres of draconic energy on the battlefield and any poor soul caught in the attack.

"This is the strongest attack among dragons, unless you count the moves of legend that Dialga and Palkia use and it is debatable if those even exist. Say goodbye to Lapuer, because that giant will be blasted to pieces! Man, I've been waiting to use this move on a somewhat-worthy opponent." The Johtonian smiled as the meteors hurdled down to the grown and by extension the Golurk.

 

[Martin Pine]

"Yeah!" Finion celebrated his Pokemon's success, calling out to the flying automaton whilst Sparky excitedly waved and shouted. "Good job!" "Pachi-Pachi!" He looked over to Toby, a smile on his face as he waited for the other trainer to direct his Pokemon. "After her Lapuer!" Finion reacted quickly once Toby gave out a command, watching as his Golurk flew over to where Scylla was roosting. "Wait!" Just before the ghost type was exposed to the three headed dragon it halted, hovering in the air and slowly moving to Scylla's location. "Get low, then through the cover" He spoke as quietly as he could to his Pokemon on the field, which now began to move to one of the walls protecting Scylla, just on the other side. Once again Finion listened to Toby, almost speaking out to the other trainer but instead focusing on the battle.

"Drain punch!" Golurk's fist once again lit up as he reared it back and threw it forwards, smashing through the wall and just missing Scylla. Lapuer gave chase, blasting off after the ascending dragon until Finion shouted out a command. "Phantom force back to the ground!" A portal once again appeared in front of Lapuer, swallowing the Golurk up whilst Scylla continued to fly. A mixture of gut instinct and recognition had told Finion to back away. He'd made a right call.

Lapuer emerged from a shadowy purple vortex that appeared on one of the weak walls. "Flash cannon, destroy the ones coming too you!" The Golurk's hand disappeared once again and a silvery energy built up in it's arm now pointed upwards. Short blasts of flash cannon intercepted and destroyed the meteors, Lapuer's torso quickly twisting to redirect his aim. It was a good counter, one that could've worked if the attack hadn't been boosted. The ghost type became overwhelmed, succumbing to the final few meteors that battered and blasted it's body.

Scylla's powerful dragon attack had reigned down across the entire pitch and thus quite a few walls had been brought down by the meteors. The pitch was now a mix of rubble and walls, the latter being more spaced out than they used too be. Lapuer was still standing, just barely however and one of the bolts on the seal had come loose. It began to fall but the Golurk pressed a hand against it, keeping it in place as it fell to one knee. Exposed for a moment but a moment was all it would take.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Toby raised his eyebrows when he saw Lapuer was still standing after the Draco Meteor, something he didn't expect. Slowly clapping, the Johtonian smiled. "Well done, you're officially the first one to survive a Draco Meteor from Scylla. Congratulations are in order, I'll give you my business card at the end of this match so you can contact me for a gift. For now though, you'll have to make due with this one. Scylla, rain down a Dark Pulse!" A faint purple shimmer was seen from the top of the arena as the Hydreigon fired off three Dark Pulses and spiraled them together, similarly to what she did with Flamethrower and closed in the distance between her and her target to give the move that bit more oomph. The attack was powerful enough in its own rights, especially with the Life Orb, but Draco Meteor tuckered Scylla out and the energy that Nasty Plot gave her was completely gone by now.

"Let's see what you can do Finion, maybe you can finally be that knight in shining armor that takes down the dragon the crowd has been searching for." Although clearly mocking Finion, it was not all mean-spirited. After all, Lapuer has managed to land a solid hit on Scylla before the meteor shower. If they could do that again, Scylla could very well be down for the count.

 

[Martin Pine]

"Lapuer!" Finion was just as surprised as Toby to see his Golurk still standing, even if it was only barely. "Lapuer you gotta get up, try dodge if you can!" There was fear in Sinnohlian's voice, doubt as he spotted the purple glimmer in the sky. This Hydregion was devastating him and his Pokemon and Lapuer had already went above and beyond ... there was no way the automaton could go further. It tried regardless, rising up onto it's feet and lifting it free arm. The flash cannon didn't even get to charge, the dark pulse slamming into the Golurk and exploding. It fell to the ground, unable to battle.

Lapuer was returned to his ball, Finion giving it a small stroke once the red beam had fully retreated. "I'm sorry for sending you out ... but I am so proud of you, you did great" He returned the Pokeball to it's place, taking in a deep breath as he looked onto the pitch with a worried expression. Half of his team was down for the count and Toby still had five Pokemon. His mind didn't race for once, instead it wandered, wondered about what he was doing wrong. There was a nudge on his leg, gentle and reassuring.

Sparky stood by his trainer, looking up to him with a gentle gaze. The Pachirisu nuzzled his face against Finion's leg, looking up to him again with a smile that soon turned into a determined grin. Finion watched the electric squirrel, slowly nodding as a smile grew across his face. "... Thanks bud, you sure you want to do this?" The answer was obvious. "Alright, Okay then, let's go!" His quiet voice grew louder, Finion flicking a hand out and pointing forwards as Sparky jumped onto the devastated field. "Toby!" Finion lowered his arm, confidently calling across the pitch to Toby. "I know things are looking bleak on my end and ... I will probably regret this but Sparky tends to be a little bit cocky and we want your Hydregion back at full health before this battle continues, isn't that right?" The Pachirisu on the pitch grinned, gently slamming his little paws into the ground as his cheeks sparked blue. "Pachi, Pachi!"

 

[DarkHydraT]

Toby smirked as Lapuer went down. Although it put up a fight, Scylla was just too strong for the Ghost type to handle. Pride swelled in his chest, as Finion could not have anything that was strong against her if he sent out that Golurk. Something that seemed to be confirmed as his opponent sent out the Pachirisu he saw when waiting for his match. A moment of silence filled the air before Toby threw his head back in laughter. "Ahahahahaha! That's the Pokémon that you are putting your trust in? After I destroyed your Bisharp and Golurk, you put your fate in the hands of that rodent? Oh, this has to be a bad joke! You even allow me to heal Scylla to her full potential? I don't know what happened, did a Draco Meteor hit you and give you brain damage or something?" Wiping a tear away from his eye, the Johtonian shrugged his shoulders and lifted his hands during the shrug, his palms open and facing upwards. "You know what? I might as well honor your last request, I'll even let you get the first attack in. Scylla, roost."

The Hydreigon landed and lowered its three heads, curling up to rest to full health whilst keeping an eye on the Pachirisu. That cocky rodent thought it could beat her, the strongest Dragon type around? It was an insult to her to be forced to fight such a weak Pokémon, but she'd make an example out of it for the other Pokémon that are to come.

 

[Martin Pine]

Sparky didn't take too kindly to Toby's name calling, the electric squirrel lowering it's body close to the ground and swishing his tail side to side as he prepared. Finion didn't seem phased, the confident smile remaining as his face as he stared down the pitch at the Hydregion. His eye's flickered to other parts. Rubble on the floor, four clumps of walls that could provide useful and the rest of the pitch was open space with shattered stones littering the floor. "We get the first move Sparky so let them hear it!"

Finion's partner understood the command, the little squirrel standing tall on it's hind feet and taking in a big deep breath. The squirrel leaned back, ready to unleash it's first powerful move! It flopped onto it's butt and started bawling, crying it's eyes out and waving it's tiny little paws. The supposed tantrum was actually a move, Fake tears. A subtle distorted wave that was barely visible sailed straight towards the Hydregion, lowering the Pseudo legendary's special defence if it manged to make contact.

The crying act didn't last too long, the moment that Scylla moved or began to charge up an attack Finion would retaliate, preemptively having decided what to do. "Sparky scatter!" Immediately the fluffy squirrel's attitude changed. Teary eyes disappeared, replaced by an ecstatic look as Sparky hopped to his feet. He used double team, multiple fakes popping up all around him and immediately beginning to move. Rather than a row there was a clump of about 36 Pachirisu's all clambering over and under one another, creating a painful blur of blue and white. Then they scattered, beginning to move in every direction. Some waddled, some ran, some darted, some even rolled but only one of the three dozen clones was the real one. "We put a lot of work into double team Toby! It wasn't an easy move to master but 10 years is a lot of time!"

Amidst the clones Sparky waddled, attempting to blend in but paying attention to Scylla and Toby. He was heading towards a thick cluster of walls, ones that had only received minor been damaged by the draco meteor.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Scylla looked at the wailing Pachirisu with surprise, this rodent was already crying? Baring her teeth, a smug sense came over her. This match was practically given to her. Unaware of the special defense drop, she let out a roar. When Sparky began making a circle with Double Team, the Dragon type was caught off guard. This twerp was just crying on the ground, what was it doing now? The Hydreigon snapped out of her confusion when Toby's voice cut through the air. "Scylla, roast them to the ground! Flamethrower!" Extending her arms and lowering her head, she began belching fire in three different directions at the ring of Sparky lookalikes as a purple glo

"10 years huh? Impressive, though surely there were stronger Pokémon that you could spend all that time on. Your Bisharp for example, the knight who was supposed to slay the dragon. It was taken down fast, what makes you so sure that this vermin will do what two fully evolved Pokémon couldn't do? You do know that Dragon types resist electricity, right? If a pest is the best Pokémon you have left, don't even bother with this fight. Don't you have any more powerhouses left? Surely you must have something other than Bisharp to counter Scylla? If not, I am disappointed in you. This was about to be a fun match, but it appears to have become another slaughter. How shameful." Toby yawned, mocking Finion like he had done the whole match. "The worst part of it? You are responsible for whatever happens to your little pal, cause you two demanded on Scylla being at full strength."

 

[Martin Pine]

Finion surprisingly found himself smiling at the Scylla's flamethrower, impressed by the versatile way it was being used. The clones began to drop in numbers, immediately flickering out of existence as the flames engulfed them. The distraction didn't last long but it had brought them enough time "Quick attack to the walls!" Sparky stopped waddling to fit in, dropping down on all fours and using the normal move to speed away from the group and flames. The other Pachirisu's disappeared and a streak of bright light behind Sparky made him much easier to spot as he dashed to the structures.

"There was and I did, but Sparky was my first, my number one!" The Sinnohlian began to respond to Toby's words, feeling confidence once again building inside of him. "I trust him as much as he trusts me and we both know that we can do this!" Sparky had almost reached the walls now, the little squirrel pushing himself to run faster and cover the small gap left, just as the move ran out and just as Toby finished talking. "Yeah I know! But we wouldn't have it any other way, right you little cry baby!" Sparky hopped up onto one of the walls, being able to jump surprisingly high despite his small size. Once again he understood the little code, grinning and then beginning to bawl his eyes out at Scylla. The distorted wave made by Sparky's fake tears was much clearer to spot this time but also much faster.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Toby shrugged. "Alright, I can understand that sentiment. Your first Pokémon is often your favorite, but I don't know if this little guy can save you today." Smirking, the Johtonian pointed at Finion. "Your Pokémon sure likes to cry, huh? I'll give them something to really cry about! Scylla, Dark Pulse that rat into oblivion!" The Life Orb glowed purple as the Hydreigon fired off a combined Dark Pulse at the Pachirisu and the spot it was standing, getting hit by Fake Tears in the meantime. "I don't know what you are planning with that Fake Tears, but you won't see it in action if I have a say in it, which I do!' The man shouted across the pitch, having noticed the attack this time around.

 

[Martin Pine]

"Sparky jump!" There wasn't much time for Sparky to evade but there was no way he could get hit by an attack, not yet at least. The little squirrel was bulky but that Hydregion was insanely powerful and the battle had only just began. Sparky had jumped just like Finion commanded, the dark pulse hitting the wall and demolishing in it an explosion. The electrical squirrel was sent flying back from the shockwave, scathed by the blast but thankfully not directly hit. "Two" The Sinnohlian quietly mumbled to himself after Scylla had finished firing off her darkpulse.

Sparky landed behind the remaining wall of the cluster, Scylla's attack having damaged more than one of the crumbling barriers. "Double team again, too the next!" From behind the wall Sparky used the normal type move, creating fuzzy images of himself which joined him in hopping over the wall and running across the pitch. They all ran in the same direction, fanning out this time to put a fair distance between each of themselves. Their destination was another cluster of walls, smaller than the first and one of the last three still standing. "Keep it up buddy! You're doing great!" A chorus of cries replied to Finion's encouragement, all the Pachirisu's smiling and laughing in response.

 

[DarkHydraT]

"So that is your plan? Use Double Team to get to cover and try to sneak in Fake Tears as Scylla tires herself out? Let me tell you, that won't be happening. Scylla, Nasty Plot!" Toby ordered his Hydreigon as it began to imagine what it would do to Sparky should she get her fangs on it. "Now that my girl is pumped up, let's show you what she is capable of! Draco Meteor!" With a loud roar, the dragon flew up into the sky and unleashed a ball of energy that split off into many smaller balls, plummeting into the earth below. Even if Sparky was not hit, the walls would surely crumble and there would no longer be any cover left to hide behind.

 

[Martin Pine]

Sparky continued to run towards the walls, even whilst Scylla boosted her special attack and flew up high. "Here it comes Sparky!" The scurry of fake Pachirisus reached the stone structures just in to look up and see the draco meteor began to rain down. Explosions covered the pitch, the last of the walls being decimated as the clones of the electric squirrel disappeared under the barrage of draconian energy. Sparky had taken shelter behind one of the walls, pressing his body as close as he could to the stone in an attempt to avoid the attack. He'd been hit regardless.

A thin veil of dust floated above the pitch, soon settling down amongst the now empty battlefield. For a moment it seemed like the squirrel had perished. Suddenly six small stars slipped out from underneath some rubble, sailing through the air with incredible speed straight towards the Hydregion. It was swift, the normal special attack having locked onto the dark type hovering high above the pitch. Sparky clambered out of some rubble, shaking the dust from his fur and taking a few deep breaths. He was bruised and significantly damaged, munching on a sitrus berry in his mouth to restore some of his health. His breathing levelled out and he finished the berry, restoring a decent chunk of his health. The defiant little squirrel looked up at the Hydregion, a challenging glare in his eyes and a smirk on his face. He was still standing.

Finion's plan had had multiple options, different routes to take in case one of them of had been blocked off. Him and Sparky were down to their last options now. There was no more recovery, no more cover and they only had a couple of surprises left up their sleeve. It was the final stage, last stand. He hadn't even begun to attack yet but now was the time. "Three" Another mumble to himself, Finion was counting how many times Scylla attacked, how many time she used her life orb. "Get her in close Sparky" Finion quietly spoke to the Pachirisu, but was certain the squirrel had already taken measures to lure Scylla in, which had been the purpose of the little squirrel's smirk. They had to be subtle, being to obvious would spell out disaster.

 

[DarkHydraT]

The pitch was a mess, there was no way this rodent survived a Draco Meteor. Scylla roared in victory, closing her eyes as she seemed to be laughing. Toby didn't share the same sentiment yet, Finion had pulled the wool over his eyes before with that Zoroark. It wouldn't surprise to see that he would do something like that again, if he wasn't already doing that. The Johtonian was right, as stars flew straight at his star Pokémon. "Scylla! Pay attention!" He shouted, causing Scylla to open her eyes before getting slammed by the stars and tumbling down through the air. "Not bad Finion, but now there is no cover left. Scylla, it's dinner time! Burn that rodent with a Flamethrower!" Stopping halfway her descent, the Hydreigon spotted Sparky and fired a Life Orb-boosted Flamethrower at it before starting to hunt it down.

 

[Martin Pine]

Finion began to fill up with hope upon seeing the swift hitting it's mark and the Hydregion beginning to descend but to assume the rest of the battle would be easy was a mistake he didn't make. Scylla hadn't fell to the ground and nor was she close enough for Finion's plan. Worse yet she had fired off another flame thrower and with no cover and Sparky's stamina probably draining there was no other option left but too counterattack. "Fight it back with discharge!"

TSparky's cheeks sparked with potent blue energy, the Pachirisu crouching down on all fours and straining himself to produce a mass amount electricity from it's body. Blue lightning surrounded the little squirrel then shot towards the oncoming flamethrower. The discharge was still close to Sparky when it collided with the fire, the sharp cyan resisting and mixing with the thick orange to create quite a spectacle. Energy built up and then exploded, far from both Pokemon but close enough to Sparky to knock the electric squirrel back and deal some damage. He tumbled but quickly got back to his feet, Finion watching with mild frustration. "Four, c'mon on you three headed devil" Sparky once again attempted to coax the Hydregion closer, this time pulling down on his lower eyelid and sticking his tongue out at the dark type.

 

[DarkHydraT]

"Uh oh. Now we're in for it." Toby said, something akin to surprise in his voice. "Hey Finion, did you know Scylla has a short temper?" He didn't need to wait for an answer, as the Hydreigon roared and began fighting by itself, firing off three Dark Pulses at Sparky without an command in an attempt to beat the squirrel and block off any potential escape routes. The Life Orb still sapped away at Scylla's vitality, lowering her to around 25% of her full health. Although Toby seemed to be pretty nonchalant about it, the lack of taunting made it apparent that he was paying full attention now. Because he'd known Scylla for the better part of his life, he knew exactly what would happen next and it was not a pretty sight. Hydreigon were vicious Pokémon that saw anything that moved as prey, and Scylla in particular was notorious for her short temper. She was a ticking time bomb, and it seemed that the fact that Sparky decided to taunt her was enough to send her into a fit of rage. If this was what Finion wanted, he was better than Toby expected. The Life Orb could very well take Scylla down if Sparky kept running away, and Scylla could very well ignore Toby's orders to get her wish fulfilled. She'd done it before, what would stop her now? The loss of Scylla would not be too bad, given he still had four other Pokémon left, but it would break the image of the unbreakable dragon that he had built across the tournament.

 

[Martin Pine]

"I was counting on i-" One quick glance at Scylla told Finion all he needed to know. He'd made a bit of a mistake. His attention hastily returned to his own Pokémon "Quick attack, run!" Sparky dropped the his taunting expression, a sheepish and fearful look on his face as he turned tail and bolted. Using quick attack boosted his speed somewhat and the agile little squirrel was sure to dart to side and change his direction whenever the dark pulse got close to him. The Pachirisu was managing to out manoeuvre Scylla's attackk but there was no way he could dance around the devastating dark pulses forever.

"Keep it up little guy!" They didn't have many options though and even though Sparky was beginning to tire he continued to running and darting across the pitch, leaving a trailing streak of white behind him.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Scylla gave chase to Sparky, roaring once more as it grew more and more enraged whilst Toby crossed his arms and chuckled. "Not a bad idea, but a risky one. Taunting a pseudo legendary to give chase? I wonder what you're planning, especially since Scylla might be faster once Quick Attack stops. How about we see if Scylla is willing to listen to me? Roost!" The words of the trainer fell to deaf ears as Scylla instead charged a Flamethrower with all three heads and attempted to burn Sparky alive and everything around him, a constant stream of red-hot fire washing over the pitch. It was amusing like a cartoon, watching this dragon chase a Pachirisu, but for both trainers it was not even close to entertainment. Should Sparky fall, Finion was as good as lost and should Scylla fall, Toby's ego and image would both take an incredible beating. Neither trainer could afford to lose here. "Ah, that looks like a no to me. Right now, it is just a gamble to see who wins this little sthick."

 

[Martin Pine]

"We'll have to wait and see!" Finion called over to Toby but kept his attention on the match. The dark pulse had stopped but it in it's place there was fire and no opportunity to get in close to the Hydregion. Originally the plan was to get Sparky on the Pseudo legendary's back and repeatedly use discharge until the beast fell. But with Sparky now struggling to catch his breath and no clear opening they had to act. "Sparky, face the dragon and get ready to go high on my mark okay!" The Pachirisu swivelled around, the white light behind it dissipating as it ceased using quick attack. Sparky was panting, staring at the stream of fire quickly closing in on him with stone hard determination. He crouched down, cheeks sparking once again as he bent his legs and prepared to ... "JUMP!"

Sparky pushed off the ground, launching himself into the air whilst using discharge. He hadn't jumped as high as the Hydregion but he'd brought himself a few more seconds and a little bit more closer to the fire breathing beast. The discharge didn't intercept the flames, instead the blue electricity travelled over them and straight to the Hydregion. The attack put Sparky in harms way however and the flames soon engulfed the little squirrel mid air, pushing the electric type into the ground. Blue electricity continued to slip through the flames for a moment but soon stopped. "Sparky!" Finion desperately shouted to his Pokémon. It was unlikely that the squirrel hadn't fainted.

 

[DarkHydraT]

Fire and electricity filled the air, a final stand from both Pokémon as the attacks hit. Sparky was without a doubt the weaker one between them, but Scylla had faced three other opponents before this one and was running low on steam. The Discharge struck its target, causing the Hydreigon to roar in pain as electricity ran across its body before it plummeted to the ground, right where Sparky was. The mighty dragon had been slain, to the surprise of the audience as silence filled the air. The Hydreigon was not invincible, but it still made a large hole in Finion's team. Toby merely grimaced at the sight of his Pokémon, defeated and on top of the Pachirisu. "Clever, very clever, using the Life Orb against me. Return Scylla, you did well." The dragon was engulfed in a red glow before it disappeared, returning to its Dusk Ball. "Congratulations, you beat the two Pokémon everyone knew of. Time to lift the shroud of mystery of one more Pokémon and complete the trio of Ghost, Dark and Psychic. Marionette, you're up!" A Premier Ball was drawn and a Mr. Mime was released, waving at the crowd with both hands. "Unless you desire to push Sparky to the point of no return, I would return them."

 

[Martin Pine]

Finion couldn't share in the audience's excitement, not yet. Sparky was no where to be seen and he couldn't celebrate without the partner Pachirisu. Only when Toby returned Scylla was Sparky visible. A small bundle of white and blue fur laid curled up in the middle of the pitch, unmoving and still ... but only for a moment. Sparky shakily rose to it's feet, his ears droopy, his eyes barely open and a massive grin on it's exhausted face. The Sinnohlian finally celebrated, punching the air before dashing onto the pitch to receive his Pokemon. Finion carefully navigated his way through the rubble and debris to reach Sparky, who was doing a weak celebratory dance. For once the small squirrel didn't object being scooped up in Finion's arm, snuggling up to the trainer. "We better hope he's got an electric type or you're not gonna get far in the next battle huh?" In response Sparky pursed his lips to let out a 'psshh' and waved a hand. "Great, now your ego's even bigger isn't!"

Toby's voice caught Finion's attention, the short trainer watching as his opponent released a Mister Mime onto the pitch. There was concern. Finion hadn't fought such a Pokemon before and if it was anything like Spectre it would be tricky. Still, he couldn't help but feel confidence, the win over Scylla having filled Fin with faith. Whilst still on the pitch Finion reached into his bag, pulling out his fifth Pokeball and releasing the Pokemon from within. White light flooded from out the ball and built and tall reptilian looking figure which revealed itself to be a Sceptile. The grass starter looked down to his trainer, surprised to see him on the battle ground. "Stay on your toes Spuddy, it's been difficult so far and I don't imagine it getting easier" With that Finion made his way back over to the podium, laying the Sparky down onto platform before climbing onto it himself.

Spuddy turned to face his peculiar opponent, eyeing up the Psychic type with a sharp and curious look as he tried to determine anything he could about it. Strengths, weaknesses and characteristics were all under his inquisitive yet cool gaze. "Alright Toby, you were kind enough to grant me first move last time so, you have the floor!" Whoever fainted this round would be the sixth Pokemon to faint and thus halftime would commence once this battle was done.

 

[DarkHydraT]

"My, how kind of you! I didn't expect such courtesy after what happened with Scylla, hopefully that didn't scare you too hard." The rough persona of Toby seemed to have switched with the more playful version of himself, similar to the one he donned when using Spectre. "I'll take you up on that offer, if you don't mind. Marionette, blind them with your brilliance! Flash!" The Mr. Mime bounced on her feet, circling her fists around each other before opening them as they pointed at Spuddy, causing a flash so bright that the lights were not even needed anymore. Toby used his cap to cover his eyes, smirking as Marionette applauded herself for her act. Spuddy would most likely be blinded and Marionette kept herself busy by pretending to be feeling a wall, or so it would look. In reality, she was creating invisible walls to annoy and trap the Sceptile in a maze of hardended air.

"A Sceptile huh? Not bad, not bad at all. Seems you have some decent Pokémon, Sparky only gets a pass for actually defeating Scylla after a full Roost. Will it be enough to take home the victory though? I'll tell you something right now, free of charge. Aren't I generous? Listen up kid, this is important. Ready? Here it comes. Whilst Scylla is powerful, I made sure my other team members could give her some solid practice. Even Marionette here packs a punch! Want to find out?"

 

[Martin Pine]

“Spuddy cover up!” Finion had just managed to lift an arm to cover his eyes but his Pokemon had not reacted quickly enough. The Sceptile let out a hiss, it’s sensitive eyes clamping shut as it took a step back. Spuddy’s other senses were sharp but the temporary loss of sight was a massive hinderance. “Energy ball dead ahead!” Finion complimented the command with a direction, the sceptile charging an orb of dark green energy within its mouth. The grass type held the attack for a moment before releasing, sending the ball sailing towards the Mr.Mime.


It made contact, exploding against an invisible wall. To Finion it seemingly exploded midair. “What the?” The Sinnohlian was confused, looking to Toby as he began to speak up. Finion smiled, calling back across the pitch to his opponent. “Bring it! We’re ready aren’t we!” Spuddy let out a cry in response, still blinded but ready to fight. The blade like pair leaves on both his forearms began to glow, fusing together to form a leaf blade

 

[DarkHydraT]

"Ooh, cocky! I like it! Seems Scylla's defeat was a boost of confidence for you, and who am I to dampen your celebration? I'll tell you who I am, your opponent. Marionette, Barrier!" The Mr. Mime conjured up a reflective wall to hide behind, making Spuddy hit the wall instead of Marionette if they decided to charge straight forward. "Let's use some science, Dazzling Gleam!" A painfully bright flash was emitted from the body of the Psychic type, only magnified by the Barrier in front of Marionette. "Better cover your eyes, I really do not want to sign a waiver for your messed up vision." Toby put a hand on his hip as he closed his own eyes and covered them with his other hand, protecting his eyes from the bright flash. He could imagine what Sceptile was seeing, but it could not be much.

 

[Martin Pine]

"Charge straight ahead and slash through the barrier when I say Spuddy!" The Sceptile blindly darted forwards, unable to see but trusting in his trainers judgement. Finion didn't know much about Toby's Pokemon but he was learning, learning that this Pokemon was capable of creating barriers both visible and invisible. Problematic but manageable. He needed to know more though, test more. It was time to test if Spuddy could speed blitz his opponent. "Leaf blade now!" The Sceptile threw it's arm forwards, slashing through barrier with one of his powerful shoulder blades. The grass type was about to use his other blade to uppercut the psychic type but the Mime had brought enough time to launch his dazzling gleam.

Finion covered his eyes again, his teeth gritting as he waited a moment to see how his Pokemon had took the attack. Spuddy had been knocked back by the dazzling gleam but not to far. The grass type had lowered his body and dug his claws into the ground, taking more damage from the attack but staying rather close to the Mr.Mime. It gave him the briefest of opportunities. "Leech seed! Toss forwards" Spuddy rose back onto his hind legs, flicking his hands forwards launching a bundle of seeds at the Mr.Mime. They'd latch onto the Marionette if they made contact with her, sprouting vines which tightly wrapped around her body but didn't restrict her movements. If they missed they'd lay dormant on the floor, eventually disappearing.

 

[DarkHydraT]

"Safeguard!" A light green sphere covered the Mr. Mime's body, vaporizing the seeds launched by the Sceptile. "You cut through my barrier, not bad. Given Sceptile's eyesight is pretty much non-existant, I'm sure that they rely on sound now. How about I make it that much more challenging by removing that as well? Psychic!" Marionette's hands began glowing blue as she began levitating, crossing her legs before floating to the side. "Well? How are you going to deal with this? I can only hope your bond with your Pokémon is strong enough to get a hit on Marionette, or you need to cover a large portion of the field like Scylla did with Draco Meteor." Toby taunted Finion, revelling in the fact that he was in control of the match.